Advice for a newone - Original 986 2.5 boxster - Page 1 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

Hi there, Recently Ive been looking at acquiring a new set of wheels. I keep coming back to the Boxster every time I search. Now I am looking for advice from owners before I take the plunge! what im looking for is good points, bad points of ownership, running costs every year and potential disasters to keep away from that aren't in the mainstream (i.e engine failures etc..) I should mention I have done lots of research already and this is probably the final piece before I go out to buy. Ive seen a few online and seen a few in person but none have had the special factor yet. My budget is around 5k for an original Boxster. Cheers Steve!

I think (and it's only my opinion)that you'll love a 2.5 Boxster provided you find a nice one with good history. I had a 986 (albeit a 2.7) for a while and loved it. I never had any problems with it and it ran like a dream, I only got rid to trade up to a later Cayman. If you can stretch your budget a little an early 2.7 might be within reach to give you a little more push and a bit more refinement. The big thing, as with any per owned car, is the service history and regular oil changes, gaps in service history should ring alarm bells. These cars are very affordable to buy now but the servicing hasn't got any cheaper and some tend to go cheap or scrimp on proper servicing. Whilst it might add a few quid to your purchase a Pre Purchase inspection would be a good idea. Peter Morgan has a very good reputation, worth looking into.

Was in a similar position a few weeks ago but with a slightly higher budget I read up on them, scoured the adverts to get a feeling on prices, mile ages, specs etc Viewed 4, was prepared to view more but the 4th I saw I felt was too good to pass over One thing I did noticed is that they wear mileage very well, I bought on history and condition, was initially looking at cars with less than 50k miles, ended up buying one with 78k and don't feel anything other than delighted with it

Forget 2.5 and most definitely avoid any tiptronic. I have 2 boxsters currently, the second one I picked up today! Both are 2.7s and 2000 models, one for me and one for the missus as everyday cars. I do all my own work on them and all service work just slightly ahead of schedule. I can do the absolute full on service, oil, filter, pollen and air filter, brake fluid, fuel filter, plugs for no more tha £150 all in. Hence I have two and hence we use them every day. Multi car policy on both, very cheap. The 2.5 lacks the punch of the 2.7 and has a slightly less quality feel to the interior. The 2.7s seem to be the car with less problems engine wise. I do not believe that you can find a better car right now for £5k. And that's what I paid this afternoon for my second one. 80k with FPSH, lapis blue with blue hood and blue leather, 1 years mot, 5 months tax, four nearly new Michelin sport pilots, not a scratch and just serviced at OPC. There are so many out there, take your time and now is the time of year to get the price down. Good luck and enjoy!

Avoid Tiptronic?? Why? I have a 2003 facelift 3.2 S Tiptronic. It is a great gearbox -IF you know how to get the best from it. Paid £7250 just over a year and 18,000 miles ago. Had 73,000 on it when I bought it. I commute 40 miles each way and use it most days. Acutally I bought it to be a drive to work hack, and it has made that commute very enjoyable. I have another set of wheels with winter tyres I put on in winter and run it in all weathers. Managed to get a coulour matched hard top to go on it for the winter, which make is rather snug. Local normal garage does all the work on it for me, as I can walk to there to pick it up. 3 wheel bearings replaced, probably sitting stationary too long, or pressure washing forced water into them. Indicator broke and I changed it, cost £155, as it has cruise control and computer control, so 4 stalks. The exhaust rattles on mine, must sort it, but it's a drive to work hack; That gets used far more! Great car!

anonymous said: [redacted] I'll tell them F1 drivers that! Oh by the way it has a manual as well as auto mode too. NO difference in my mind, and I had a 4.5 Cerbera before this Tip'.

anonymous said: [redacted] What? Of course I can change the gears manually, I can hold it in any of the 5 gears. Just because the mechanism inside the box is different makes no difference. When you move a lever, you are not chnaging the gears, are you, its the linkage and the selectors doing it all! Sports cars are designed to be driven as fast as they can. Well that's why I got one! F1 don't use manual gear linkages because it is old out of date slow technology. This could go on all night! HaHa!

Avoid s ttronic because they are utter crap, they slow the car dramatically, sound absolutely ridiculous on change up, slow shift and at the end of the day its an automatic, not an F1, don't get carried away here, s ttronic s are for people who cannot drive. 2.5s ARE slower and you can feel the difference in the 2.7 engine and the interior in the 2.5 is a fair less refined place to be. WHY buy a 2.5 when you can have a 2.7?? You can say what you like but if you were spending £5-6 k and you had a manual 2.7 or s ttronic 2.5 to choose from with same miles, FSH etc then don't tell me you'd go for the latter!

Please could you explain what you perceive as the difference between a 2.5 and 2.7 interior? As someone already mentioned, they each had the full leather option I.e. including dash & doors, which is much nicer (and mandatory on certain interior colours e.g. Boxster red) and they can both have the Sound Pack option which puts speakers in the doors - neither of these things are influenced by the engine capacity though.

Steering wheel ugly, gear knob always seem to suffer excessive wear and aesthetically do not suit the interior, hence the change, savannah beige and some of the lighter colours on the early cars discolour far too quickly. The silly "pull levers" for the rear and front boot which get kicked on entry and exit and also are difficult to use when the drivers door is closed. No major problems mind, but why have cotton?

Ps. Where has the OP gone? All this "advice" and no comments?

ro55a said: Steering wheel ugly, gear knob always seem to suffer excessive wear and aesthetically do not suit the interior, hence the change, savannah beige and some of the lighter colours on the early cars discolour far too quickly. The silly "pull levers" for the rear and front boot which get kicked on entry and exit and also are difficult to use when the drivers door is closed. No major problems mind, but why have cotton? The levers are meant to be impossible to use with the door closed for safety reasons (I'm pretty sure the electric buttons don't work then either, for the same reason). I wasn't aware that all 2.7s had buttons though, same for the steering wheel - on 996's those updates weren't until 2001, I assume Boxsters are the same (2.7 came out in 1999). Interior colour is defined by the original purchaser's choice, not the engine size.

Bored now.

I am just off to trade in my two 2.7s for a Silver 2.5 with a pink, oh I mean Sun faded Rouge interior, while I am at it might trade my testarossa in for a mondial because it got a "more pure" driving experience, ha ha and I talk b ks....please. You've already stated that you prefer 2.7s. As I said bored now.

I think if we went to school together, then you and I would be best friends. You don't want to admit it but you are somewhat fascinated.

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anonymous said: [redacted] Indeed.

If you two join forces then you might have a decent garage between you. Dont know what I am talking about? Call me up when you need to service the sc, new clutch, engine rebuild, go through the 915 box, see I have been there and done that. But no you are right, don't know what I am talking about.

Your first response to me: "Sorry, but most of this is not true, certainly the interior bit is just b ks" And I am the aggressive one?

ro55a said: Ps. Where has the OP gone? All this "advice" and no comments? Im still here! Ive been out searching but still haven't made a purchase yet. Thanks for all the advice though. It has been great so far.