$20K or less 987.1 Cayman/Boxster: Not gonna happen? It's possible?

In a previous thread I whined about missing my 987.1 Cayman , kicking myself for selling it, and realizing I'll probably never be able to own one again. So I started looking at Fiat 124 Spiders (2017-2020), which typically go for under $18K for a decent one. I test drove one yesterday and quickly realized I'm a Porsche guy. Since sub $20K is my budget, is there any chance of finding a good Boxster or Cayman ? Of course, there will be salvage titled vehicles and vehicles with crashes, damage, or engines with a history of issues that will sell for $20K or less. But I'm wondering if a sub $20K vehicle can be bought without such a history. Hypothetical 987.1 or 987.2 Cayman / Boxster (Base or S): One-owner Accident-free Decent maintenance records showing routine oil changes No history of engine, transmission, or mechanical issues Body and interior show normal wear for age of car Drives straight, brakes good, etc. Of course there are other things to consider when buying a car, but I'm wondering how many miles \ this hypothetical Cayman / Boxster would have to have to get it under $20K? Should I keep looking, or does such a car not exist? I need a Porsche in my life before I go to the big parking lot in the sky!

A year ago I bought a 103K mile manual 2.9 2009 987.2 Cayman in great shape for 22K. several owners but always loved... I've not seen one ever go for less unless it was trashed. While it didn't "need" it ...it got all new suspension, coils/ plugs, a bunch of maintenance in the name of bringing it all up to speed.... some other misc stuff and some fun stuff. All DIY so I can't begin to imagine how much the P car tax would have been at a shop. So sub 20k I think is going to cost you more in the long run...unless you DIY stuff. That being said its an easy, if unusual, car to work on.

It's 100% possible to find one sub $20k, you are just going to have to take time looking for one and be ok with maybe searching across the country. I spent 3 years looking for mine. Like what @Rick_in_RVA stated, most likely will need work. Also, I ran into, most likely has other problems that are all fixable. Is did a quick 2 min search and found this Cayman sub $20k on CarGurus . Winter is usually a better time to search for lower price, but options will be limited.

Thanks, guys! Any thoughts how high the bidding will go on this? Lots of owners and high miles. Is this a sub $20K possibility? https://carsandbids.com/auctions/KdDVjw51/2007-porsche-cayman-s

@black987 I think it's possible to find .1s for under $20K, specially Boxsters. You may even find them with some of the things in your wish list (no accidents, maintenance history, decent interior...). They will be most likely over 100K miles, and I would have a budget for fixes just in case (min $3K). As @hopkinsd21 said, you'd have to be Ok shopping nationwide. See some examples of Caymans and Boxsters under $20K I found over the last few months: 987.2 Boxster for $16K Good 11K Boxster (absolute steal) Clean 987.1 Cayman for $18K There are more. While these cars are not perfect, they check off many boxes in your list, and they stand out compared to some of the average stuff out there. Hope this helps.

I've no sense of where the bidding may go, but this car looks very good to me. Some question about the short previous ownership. I think the shift cable replacement is valuable. Also, FYI, you can buy new complete cupholder units on eBay. Chinese, but indistinguishable from stock. I bought one.

@black987 - I think that it's great that you want to get back into the game. Sometimes it takes letting go of something to realize just how much one values it. However, if we're going by your criteria on a 20K budget, IMHO: ' 987.1 = Highly unlikely 987.2 = Absolutely not TBH, I think that the only way you'll find a gem of a 987 is to pay the premium -- or to be willing to pay for it later (through a mechanic or your own sweat equity). The question is going to be - are you going to pay for such repairs now or later? There's no such thing as an inexpensive Porsche, but our 987s can help us get closer to a less expensive ideal. Please don't forget that our 13-20 year old 987s have plenty of parts (especially plastic) that are aging out, and one needs a serious cushion (both time and money) to keep our cars rolling. That's just the truth. Meanwhile, many of our 987s are indeed reliable once sorted. In fact, I just came back from a 4250 mile road trip on mine two weeks ago today in my 987.2. It blew two pesky codes twice while I was gone, both of which will require both time and money to chase down. Meanwhile, the car drove butter smooth throughout the trip and I doubt either issue will be catastrophic. So if you see something that ticks all the boxes for you, and you have the capital to buy it (with a cushion put away for repairs/maintenance), go for it and enjoy it! Just my two cents. Cheers.

Great website! Unfortunately all the cars linked are sold. But I subscribed!! Thanks for the comments!

Would bumping my budget to $25K get me into 987.2 Boxsters/ Caymans with sub 100K miles and clean carfax?

I think you can get a Boxster but thats a stretch for a Cayman . And you should consider low 100000 mile cars. That psychological wall at 100k gets the prices down and honestly that is low mileage on a 15 year old car especially if great maintenance has been kept up. I'd be avoiding PDK cars though...thats just a time bomb on a higher mileage car that I can't stomach. The PDK seem to be very reliable, but like IMS and borse score in a .1 its a HUGE bill if it goes....just another what if. Of course take rate on manuals was low so you just cut 70% of your available .2 cars out of the market and they didn't sell many with the recession to begin with. 2 years ago my 103000 mile clean carfax garage kept 2.9 base manual Cayman was $22k and I was thrilled with that price. I don't think they've gotten any cheaper as the general market has slowed and dropped but with so few .2 cars sold they are relatively rare. I wouldn't sell it today for $25k with the updates I've done to it. My goal is to have 250000 miles on it and a couple cross country drives in the next 10 -12 years. I took it back to the original owner and had him drive it and he was regretful he sold it and was amazed at how much better it handled and drove with the work I'd done.

@Ric_in_RVA has the idea -- great reply. A 987.2 will certainly sell for more, but you may sleep better at night with .2 ownership just as I do. I had a 987.1S for quite a few years and loved it - but the issues always had me on edge. Again, I think all the values in this thread seem low, but one might get lucky. Lots of threads on here to read up on about the differences between 987.1 and 987.2. Strongly suggest you read them. I believe that the number 987.2 cars made (2009-2012) were the equivalent to all of the 987.1 cars made in 2005 -- if that's any perspective. Finding a 6MT 987.2 will be very rare and it may take a very long time to find one. I certainly don't hate on PDK, but having a stick is a part of why I enjoy driving a sports car and PDK may cost much more in the long run (servicing). If you're not in a rush, I think you'll find a really solid 987.1 or 987.2 that ticks all the boxes you want -- but just be prepared to spend quite a bit more than you're hoping to. Finally, if you find a 2.9L 987.2 6MT (like I drive), don't be scared of high mileage and just buy the thing. It's arguably the bulletproof one of the lot. Just my two cents.

Yikes! This is the first I've heard that higher mileage Boxsters with PDKs are a reliability concern. Is that true of all generation PDKs or just certain generations? I've seen some 75K+ miles 981 Boxsters (base) with PDK under $30K. But I thought PDK transmissions were bulletproof. Whew! Thanks for warning me! I'd prefer a manual over a PDK (not going to consider any tiptronics), but like you guys have said, everything on the market is PDK .

Thanks....and yes the 2.9 manual is the no brainer. I got incredibly lucky to find mine on FB marketplace 15 minutes from me!

I wouldn't say they are reliability concerns. They are VERY reliable. Its just that if DO lose one it is not cheap. Luckily more shops are doing rebuilds and the major issue is the failed distance sensor but I think thats still a 3500-5000 dollar repair? Porsche doesn't rebuild...they swap ....and that costs high teens low 20's? (Check my numbers I don't follow PDK stuff too closely....just enough to know that I didn't want one)

Based on the thread here, I don't know if anyone of us can help really answer these questions for you on how much to spend, PDK vs manual, Bose vs non, etc... These are all factors that you would need to weigh on and decide must have vs need to have. My preferences are certainly not what someone would want, fully loaded, all the HP and more. Example, my neighbor wanted to spend $25k for his used truck. But he wasn't willing to let go all of his creatures and comfort, so $32k later he found what he wanted. You seem to already be creeping your price upwards. It's common. Per CarGurus, the average Cayman over the last 90 days is $29k. https://www.cargurus.com/research/price-trends/Porsche-m48?entityIds=Index,m48,d993&startDate=1751774400000&endDate=1765169999999 There are tons of threads here to confuse you... Haha... And to help you.

Agreed, @Ric_in_RVA - It's more of the servicing/rebuild thing that seems to be surfacing later. Plus, I'm a 6MT guy through and through anyway. If I didn't mention it, MT carries a price premium too. Great points, @hopkinsd21 - I definitely advise everyone to figure out the specs that one wants and to wait for it. The only exception to this rule are the rarer ones (like I mentioned above) and I'd be ready to buy once an opportunity presents itself.

I don't know anything about this one, but I drive by it everyday. it's been sitting there for about a month. I don't know the specifics of what you're after. https://www.idealcarsale.com/cars-for-sale?PageNumber=1&RecaptchaResponse=0cAFcWeA4FOc_Eg3rt-8MHNsOn2wzeK4dKfpOJvCKnYtLAABvwMVzaHJ92K-SvkigVeIebcbyAsE6Kz0MSpVuI2zmqldNHmt8eC6LPIuFoXzfltwmIkDMiGF3fhZj5SwIn92sMjDyRXWMOnd8XQwSbs_c2vlh-QRWs-HpELabrlfoPKya-ShfqXHIvWU7HXpOzvDGP2Z13bksO4IDk3YBCKUM-uE0NhOFT-IlNTDALG1WYmZ6aIOqyUyrrvFh5I67oQs9KBjQ_kodceVvQZh7j6e8dsZFRWotZddSNY9JEGCX_1pvT0vRgzypp65DZaXsKGtOzhXZbgT3Whf_Jh-RlFUhnv3Z68o1j_jv0IA9wZsnScRv6TF5c9V1xbgO2BNULANSkVvu7qxfZkTUuhGdCyc3nb608OUGv1GC_rK2m_wSrDzO8k2EYwCmX-WsZJBH39oUR7o0KA-WgXwWnMzK9UHAbvlxHNGscb5hlJMPJlpmLO96A1GWWnMziLYL8ghE-OlQqE6LubC8GMib9i1c2rh_d-HEV4FDSRL3M11Uz8nWJ47Ly-fflzT-oM0s6SoF0snY-LJrVe5n0Te9GIlvQeSJA5ukwISzsL3no7Z4h9N2Kcl8v8z66bBxjcLRMjU7n7BOMXJUrw1ScInv2YgXD_EsbVmuT9_NnAgnRQRj20wtA9yrYqNIVmg6r5qxRKCg4W4ZZPuqbJXwpXIkZS5g2qBf4bFIHYPAWZKIg6EI_Gfw1TyWK2rc0izFz1TvUcfW9kgF7yvJukUF45IyeE9QNvyDwztizINK8vf4CeyJ46N87WsisJIkfqbSGfvVKuOlBusgQbQzw2q2JR4ueuO9upSzga-10xw-1p10THGL1hkXklezfphqr97NPmvE6B70-OqOGqvV5Ps99Dl99mw6VfTpo1Jaqwli_j136twLk-u5xcAk8EwR55EKqxlcGaqldi4X_N82PG06WKyGi9_Bmr-r0K4YaXBqEX0ato-UGxQFQs83-CDnKLpMsAHJ-OFmNk11P0OVgXZwvS2a2vbTdhAnskCEi1rrj7n3k6PsVM9FxaFYK8-hXUGqMqFkHmfwGLL387kAkqsiBmGpWaEw_7yeeCPFYo8UKZqXLhkEbHcQQQQ4ZXEOK8m3Q5R1oh-zWUH4xe1Qsx2gPj7fLUuSjcoR6vkIynxWxXh1DACPd9IZdcB2rBM7FONgsg3m4vmhYN0Nk08kwqRFVuhlx9g7LSMg9Wwpa4SxwIyixm9_wUkweG7Cx9ruRx1cet_FMCrMXhP0D96uG41h6QhZPs4qM5-zy_VDzmw9KjRn2jk5GkDBV3tHJmv5WpauICS3QROILhTIKS7myAk7OYljMm2NZwX2nw_HcXC0nXBj1m0ZXTduKL3JJvWqdydFgykNdummbCqyEdj9H-dx4gGCgyXzHru8yQTTsNdqKF_tB_nhZMrrG0wKCvHu3d9RlyzicAyrdDTU6iYmf39PzqYed_UhLjmmmOf3a0aSUOOnY0iLdtKAVxiprHI-6ou5GdtRmOj1NRjj5XcCTT5B-k0EvSHj8X3XlFHlj_fyeYKFlITzWjsn0k6xkupecYyQWLbArFGT784VBJA3xLdpy5JLk4YSv3UibIYMRc8DFDQ&Sort=&StockNumber=&Condition=&BodyStyle=&Make=Porsche&Model=&MaxPrice=&Mileage=&SoldStatus=AllVehicles&StockNumber=

Thoughts? I typically avoid independent used car sellers, but this car caught my attention. Carfax shows a lot of normal maintenance done, but the ambiguous "Damage" is reported as well. Used 2011 Porsche Boxster Convertible 2D for sale in Jacksonville, FL at Merit Auto Group | VIN: WP0CA2A83BS710219 Used silver 2011 Porsche Boxster Convertible 2D for sale in Jacksonville, Florida at Merit Auto Group | $27,294 | STK# 5935 www.meritautos.com

Why do you avoid independent used dealers? If you know what you are looking for, often times you can get better deals than the well known, large conglomerates who know you will pay more because of their brand. We bought my sons V70, wife's S7, and my daughters Cayenne all from independent dealers. Cayenne , I miss calculated two things, so that cost me, but we got the car at such a low price, about to less than average selling price at that time, so we were cool with it. Wife, we bought it knowing we would need to do trans work at some point. Got it about $6k less than average. And the sons V70, got it $2k below average. We bought all of these cars, knowing something, talked them down, and walked away happy. Big guys, looked at a Cayman once. They pushed me around like crazy. When we finally locked a price and was starting the paperwork, they said they sold it. Found the one that match more of what I wanted 3 months later via Carvana and used that free 90 day warranty to get many things covered for free. Carfax, eh, whatever. I don't trust them. They are good to see how many owners, mileage per owner, and maintenance. That's its. The only way to know, go drive it. If you don't know what to look for, go get a PPI done. Per the pics. It looks good. Carfax, nothing alarming. Yeah, maybe a solid buy.

Bit of an off-topic question: Any Floridians out there? I'm looking at a car (link above) that's in Jacksonville, Florida. I'm quite familiar with added dealer fees, but I have never seen any this high [Pre-delivery service fee ($995), electronic filing fee ($299), and Environmental Protection ($1159)]! Is the "Environmental Protection" fee a legit State of Florida fee, or a fancy way for the dealer to make more money? Are these fees inline with what most other dealerships charge? Also, does $780 for a PPI at a Porsche dealership sound about right?

Here’s one to watch. Most likely going over $20k, but it’s always interesting to see what it will fetch at the end of bidding. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2008-porsche-cayman-s-110/?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_2648450

Thanks, WTFChuck! Yeah, I'll keep an eye on it, but like you said, it's probably going to go for well over $20K.

Where are you located? Sometimes region plays a bit on the price. There are some here in Ohio sub 20k. 80-90k miles

I'm in Wisconsin, so not too far from Ohio. If you wouldn't mind, please post some links! Thanks!

2017 Cayman base 5 speed US Auto Express Peachtree Corners GA, 75000 miles asking $18000.

Nice looking car. Definitely interested. I'll send you a PM in the next couple days with more questions. Thanks for responding.

Thanks. I have recent car fax and service records. Lots done in past 6k miles

Are you a PCA member? If so, check out the ads in the Mart section of the website. There are a few that meet your needs other than being single owner. A 2005 Boxster S with 92k miles, seems well maintained with records going back to the original owner. Others on there as well and worth a check. $16,500.

I was a member back when I had my 987.1 S. But I think the membership expired. But good call; I'll look into joining again!

deilenberger, I absolutely love your story describing the circumstances of buying your Porsche ! I think you can budget $25-27,000 right at the moment for a 2009-2010 Boxster 2.9L (best motor) PDK (best transmission) with under 80,000 miles on it, and a clean accident free carfax. It would be up to you to track down the service records. I would be ecstatic if I could find an 09/10 Base Boxster like the one described above. I found a Base 2013 981 (PDK) with 71K miles (two owner, no accidents, minor damage) for $30K. But that's stretching the budget (and my wife's approval for me to get a sports car) too far. I could do $25K, maybe $27K, but 30K is a bridge too far. I doubt the dealer on the 981 will come down to $27K. I was very lucky buying it when I did (going on 6 years now) - prices started going up, then a pandemic hit us and prices went through the roof. I'm finding the market is extremely competitive. When I find a car I'm interested in, I like to take my time and research it as much as possible and ask the seller a respectable number of questions. But in this market... if you see something you like and it's priced fairly, you better buy now and ask questions later and HOPE there's not any missed red flags. You can find one. It will require patience. I'd like to find one before spring/summer, before prices start crawling up again. If I don't find one in winter, I don't think I'd have the patience to wait for prices to go down again come next winter. If you haven't driven the PDK, you should, if for no other reason, than to cross it out. While I would prefer a manual, I have absolutely no issues getting a PDK. My only worry with a PDK is I've read and watched videos about PDK failing in higher mileage cars. While the incident appears to be low, I couldn't afford to put in a new tranny for $18K. Good luck with your search - make sure to show us what you buy! Thanks! And thanks to you and all the P9 members for sharing their thoughts and expertise. Much appreciated. Back in the day this forum was a life saver. I can see nothing has changed in the unselfish and generous help members proudly offer. I hate to bring a cloud over the discussion, but I don't think a Boxster/Cayman will be seen in my driveway again. The right car is just too rare, and if found, too expensive. And if found at a price I can afford, sold within seconds of the ad being placed. But I will soldier on! Maybe there's a Cheesecake Service Center meeting in my future as well!

@deilenberger : Great history and story behind your search, discovery, and purchase of your Boxster. Hit some familiar notes with me as a friend, who recently passed, was a major factor in my decision to purchase my current 987.1 Boxster. This fellow, who we all called ‘Staten Island Steve’ owned a 986 and over beers on the beach and a shared love of cars, was an influence in my purchase. And your mentions of ‘Cheesecake’ rest area, and Bell Labs are terms only older Jerseyans are familiar with. Good memories.

I have found this thread surprisingly inspiring. The unfortunate and untimely deaths mentioned in two of the posts really hit home. I'm not on death's door (knock on wood), but I'm definitely in the summer (maybe fall) of my winter. And while I don't want to put my wife and me in a financial hole, I may not have many summers left in my life to enjoy a fine sports car like the Boxster/Cayman . I have a finite amount of money to put down on a car, but I can go a bit deeper into debt (assuming my wife is on board). So, maybe foolishly, I'm going to increase my budget to the upper $20Ks. I do still worry about expensive fixes down the road. But I have to live for today. If expensive issues arise later, I'll deal with it then. I have found a car I'm kinda interested in buying. I'd post a link to the ad, but I worry others, who are also looking for a car, might snap the car up. Yeah, I'm a worrier. 2013 Porsche Boxster Convertible Mount Vernon WA | Motorcars Limited WP0CA2A82DS114506 Research the 2013 Porsche Boxster Convertible in Mount Vernon, WA at Motorcars Limited. View pictures, specs, and pricing on our huge selection of vehicles. WP0CA2A82DS114506 www.motorcarslimited.com

Since the car received a Porsche CPO a little more than 10K miles ago, do you think a PPI is needed? I also learned the transmission received a scheduled service at the same time as the CPO.

If the car is the one you linked to - go buy it. It's been serviced at the same dealer since new except for one final service. The fact it's been dealer serviced means it received every possible thing the dealer could think of to service on it (needed or often unneeded) - so I suspect it's in damn good condition. Go buy it. Then take my attitude - it's a toy, you're supposed to enjoy it - drive the wheels off it, and don't save it for the " next guy", chances are with mine it will outsurvive me.

Absolutely loved reading this thread! Thanks to all of you.

Assuming all things equal except what's listed below, which car would you buy? 2013 Porsche Boxster Base PDK two owners pretty good service records, transmission service done at 57K miles, clean carfax No PPI, but 10K miles ago it received a Porsche CPO 71,000 miles $30K (independent dealership) 2014 Porsche Boxster Base PDK three owners Carfax reports "damage" but details unknown pretty good service records (PPI is a possibility). not known if transmission was completed (though carfax shows 80K miles service was performed) 93,000 miles $25K (private seller)

Basically, is it worth $5,000 to get 20,000 fewer miles?