best porsche for 15k - Page 5 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

Hello all barely covering any mileage anymore and looking to change car to something that when used ill enjoy. looking at cayman / boxsters. anyone got an opinion on the best one for 15k? thanks

Great driving cars Cayman/ Boxster. Superb balance. Depends if you like the roof down experience. Both well worth a look. Cayman a great sports coupe.

Mirinjawbro said: Hello all barely covering any mileage anymore and looking to change car to something that when used ill enjoy. looking at cayman / boxsters. anyone got an opinion on the best one for 15k? thanks The Limited Edition 987 CAYMAN S SPORT Example... https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/2009-porsche-9... ...slightly over your budget but go for the best of that 1st Gen range. a few more examples https://www.elferspot.com/en/car/porsche-cayman-s-... https://www.revolution-porsche.co.uk/for-sale/pors... Or the Limited Edition CAYMAN S DESIGN EDITION 1 https://www.classicdriver.com/en/article/limited-e... https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/2007-porsche-9... The black dials and different font used on the dials is really nice. Both of those two models come up frequently. This one just ended, contact seller to make an offer https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Porsche-Cayman-3-4-s-De... or this one is available https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114788873866? As an S at your price range this is probably the best https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/200... Edited by julian987R on Sunday 23 May 22:13 Edited by julian987R on Sunday 23 May 22:17

Old school, with a 944 or 968? Can you get a decent 928 for that price these days?? Neither will have the same dynamics as those excellent suggestions above, but they have their own merits...

williamp said: Old school, with a 944 or 968? Can you get a decent 928 for that price these days?? Neither will have the same dynamics as those excellent suggestions above, but they have their own merits... I came out of an '86 944 Turbo after a decade of ownership and from my experience and many 944 owners, they are a money pit.

987.1 Cayman S but i am biased...plus the engine is in the right place

The Boxster 550 on collecting cars. Buy it blindfolded for up to £15k

IMI A said: The Boxster 550 on collecting cars. Buy it blindfolded for up to £15k that is a nice looking car but if you have some brave pills here is your winner. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2021052028... Edited by jonny996 on Monday 24th May 09:29

julian987R said: Pussy magnet?

jonny996 said: IMI A said: The Boxster 550 on collecting cars. Buy it blindfolded for up to £15k that is a nice looking car but if you have some brave pills here is your winner. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2021052028... Lovely too that 996. Difficult choice comes down to two seats or four and image as other have mentioned. I have had some reasonably fast air cooled - maybe one of the quicker 9m fettled RS type 993 in UK. That 986 S 550 or 996 C2 would batter an air cooled on track IMO. No brainer if you want a nice Porsche for £15k. The Boxster will obviously be in better condition but I really like that old worn 996. Very cool car. The 986 not as cool but a better car in terms of ownership proposition.

Original poster has zoned out already

julian987R said: Original poster has zoned out already don't you just hate it when that happens

julian987R said: williamp said: Old school, with a 944 or 968? Can you get a decent 928 for that price these days?? Neither will have the same dynamics as those excellent suggestions above, but they have their own merits... I came out of an '86 944 Turbo after a decade of ownership and from my experience and many 944 owners, they are a money pit. I think they can be if you're unlucky but I doubt they differ that much to the cost of 10 years with a boxster/Cayman.

rufusgti said: I think they can be if you're unlucky but I doubt they differ that much to the cost of 10 years with a boxster/Cayman. Parts supply is a bigger issue with 944 than more recent stuff.

A well specced MY2006 987.1 3.2 Boxster S is probably the best option at this price all things factored in. Performance only a little off the 3.4, but far less worry re bore scoring, which is a very real problem on the M97 3.4. Stellar value right now. Exception would be a 987.1 3.4 Cayman S (or Boxster S) if you can find one that's already had a quality rebuild. Untouched M97 3.4 is just too prone to scoring for my money. 987 2.7 lacks a little pace, for me. A really clean 986 a good option, too. 996s are obvs very nice too but look poor value in this context. You'll pay more for an utterly shagged 996 than a really good 986 3.2, which makes little sense. A really, really good 996 is probably a stretch at this price point currently and probably rivals a 987.2 re market value, which again looks like questionable value.. Personally think the 986 550 is ultimately over priced bling. Opinions will rightly vary re the aesthetic, details of which I think look gaudy and cheap (the badge on the centre console looks like it came out of a cereal packet / cheap Christmas cracker). But in objective terms, it has pretty much nothing of consequence from a driving perspective to set it apart from a regular 3.2. Bit of a wannabe collector trinket.

F6C said: A well specced MY2006 987.1 3.2 Boxster S is probably the best option at this price all things factored in. Performance only a little off the 3.4, but far less worry re bore scoring, which is a very real problem on the M97 3.4. Stellar value right now. Exception would be a 987.1 3.4 Cayman S (or Boxster S) if you can find one that's already had a quality rebuild. Untouched M97 3.4 is just too prone to scoring for my money. I'd agree with this. I do often wonder how cool it would have been if the product timings had meant the first say 6 months of Cayman S's had shipped with that 3.2 engine.

Did I imagine it or was it said tongue in cheek when someone on PH suggested a 996 with a full Hartech rebuild was still possible for this budget? If so can you find me a manual targa in blue with that spec and budget please.... Edited by Skyedriver on Tuesday 25th May 20:00

I did smile at the comment that a £15k 996 was poor value & hinting that the price would drop

jonny996 said: I did smile at the comment that a £15k 996 was poor value & hinting that the price would drop Who hinted that the price would drop? Certainly not my post and indeed I don’t think it will. I said the 996 offers poor value in this context, which I think it does. Not that anyone needs agree. But pointing out that very good 986s are available at a substantial discount to shagged 996s makes a perfectly rational case for poor 996 value. The context here isn’t ‘what 911 should I buy’, in which case 986 and 987 pricing would be basically irrelevant. OP hasn’t expressed a particular pref for a 911, just wants a Porsche, in which case the 911 options are poor value at this price point. You have fewer options and generally condition will be worse.

i am here and thank you all for the replies the reason for change is i can now wfh 3-4 days a week and my current car is costing almost £700 a month (with petrol insurance and cost of car ) id rather pay 2/3 of that if possible and have something a bit more special the 981 jump a bit too much sadly. almost every porsche in my budget is silver !!!

Andyoz said: F6C said: A well specced MY2006 987.1 3.2 Boxster S is probably the best option at this price all things factored in. Performance only a little off the 3.4, but far less worry re bore scoring, which is a very real problem on the M97 3.4. Stellar value right now. Exception would be a 987.1 3.4 Cayman S (or Boxster S) if you can find one that's already had a quality rebuild. Untouched M97 3.4 is just too prone to scoring for my money. I'd agree with this. I do often wonder how cool it would have been if the product timings had meant the first say 6 months of Cayman S's had shipped with that 3.2 engine. +1 on this. I’ve just purchased a 2006 987.1 in fantastic condition with 50k miles on the clock. It’s a cracking car with near-perfect performance for our modern roads. Just make sure you have enough funds in the bank to cover any surprises come service time, and an inspection is a must. I’d recommend Porsche Inspections.

Mirinjawbro said: almost every porsche in my budget is silver !!! Fantastic, one of the best colours IMO. There’s a reason why designers always showcase newly designed cars in silver to the board / leadership teams. Really allows you to see the curves and undulations on the car instead of being hidden with the horrid blacks Just my 2 pence

SarlechS said: Mirinjawbro said: almost every porsche in my budget is silver !!! Fantastic, one of the best colours IMO. There’s a reason why designers always showcase newly designed cars in silver to the board / leadership teams. Really allows you to see the curves and undulations on the car instead of being hidden with the horrid blacks Just my 2 pence I agree with you wholeheartedly. Dark colours are a nightmare to keep clean and scratch-free. I have a black DD and it’s an absolute pain. It looks great for about half an hour after it’s been cleaned and then it’s a dust magnet. As you say, silver shows off Porsche curves perfectly.

Up until this morning I would have said our 2008 987.1 3.4 Sport Edition 3.4 Boxster. So much car for £15k and in Macadamia it looked stunning. 57k miles and well looked after. It was a tip but it is a lot better than many give it credit for, and certainly fast enough for our roads. Then we sold it to WBAC for £16k. Who would have thought. These do seem to be going up so £15k will probably get you an earlier car.

supersport said: Up until this morning I would have said our 2008 987.1 3.4 Sport Edition 3.4 Boxster. So much car for £15k and in Macadamia it looked stunning. 57k miles and well looked after. It was a tip but it is a lot better than many give it credit for, and certainly fast enough for our roads. Then we sold it to WBAC for £16k. Who would have thought. These do seem to be going up so £15k will probably get you an earlier car. Very rare and sought after colour. Think there is about half a dozen in existence in the Uk in that colour. There is only one 997 Targa in that colour too. Colour alone puts that at £20k. Hate to say it, that is a terrible deal you got, but good luck to you

I love macadamia - very classy.

F6C said: Personally think the 986 550 is ultimately over priced bling. Opinions will rightly vary re the aesthetic, details of which I think look gaudy and cheap (the badge on the centre console looks like it came out of a cereal packet / cheap Christmas cracker). But in objective terms, it has pretty much nothing of consequence from a driving perspective to set it apart from a regular 3.2. Bit of a wannabe collector trinket. Ha agree at the cheap build quality and plastics on all 996/997/986/987 but the 550 is a far better drive than an ordinary Boxster S. You'd only notice on track though to be fair where the 550 is flat in corners compared to say a 2001 Boxster S. Also my first 986 S Boxster S felt underpowered to me on track. 550 never did which is amazing for only 6bhp extra. Pretty sure they gave it the full 280bhp in the 987 s IMO

IMI A said: Ha agree at the cheap build quality and plastics on all 996/997/986/987 but the 550 is a far better drive than an ordinary Boxster S. You'd only notice on track though to be fair where the 550 is flat in corners compared to say a 2001 Boxster S. Also my first 986 S Boxster S felt underpowered to me on track. 550 never did which is amazing for only 6bhp extra. Pretty sure they gave it the full 280bhp in the 987 s IMO Can't agree and the facts aren't really with you, either. 550 has exactly the same chassis and suspension as a standard 986 S with the option M030 Sport springs and dampers. No bespoke chassis bits bar some wheel spacers. Either you've only driven 986s on the standard chassis or really the only other option is imagining things. Driven a few 550s and in performance terms they felt like the on paper claims to me - ie no faster than a 986.2 S and definitely not as quick as a 280PS 987.1 3.2. It's a cosmetic exercise, the 550. Which is fine if you like the cosmetics. But any claims that it drives far better than an ordinary 986S aren't ultimately credible. Afraid it has virtually no driving-relevant spec differences from a a regular M030 chassis S. That's the reality.

julian987R said: supersport said: Up until this morning I would have said our 2008 987.1 3.4 Sport Edition 3.4 Boxster. So much car for £15k and in Macadamia it looked stunning. 57k miles and well looked after. It was a tip but it is a lot better than many give it credit for, and certainly fast enough for our roads. Then we sold it to WBAC for £16k. Who would have thought. These do seem to be going up so £15k will probably get you an earlier car. Very rare and sought after colour. Think there is about half a dozen in existence in the Uk in that colour. There is only one 997 Targa in that colour too. Colour alone puts that at £20k. Hate to say it, that is a terrible deal you got, but good luck to you £20k you are having a laugh. It wasn’t worth that when we bought it 3 years ago and it’s not now. But whatever I am very happy, lost £800 a year whilst we owned it which I consider a win. Luck doesn’t come into it, it’s gone.

supersport said: julian987R said: supersport said: Up until this morning I would have said our 2008 987.1 3.4 Sport Edition 3.4 Boxster. So much car for £15k and in Macadamia it looked stunning. 57k miles and well looked after. It was a tip but it is a lot better than many give it credit for, and certainly fast enough for our roads. Then we sold it to WBAC for £16k. Who would have thought. These do seem to be going up so £15k will probably get you an earlier car. Very rare and sought after colour. Think there is about half a dozen in existence in the Uk in that colour. There is only one 997 Targa in that colour too. Colour alone puts that at £20k. Hate to say it, that is a terrible deal you got, but good luck to you £20k you are having a laugh. It wasn’t worth that when we bought it 3 years ago and it’s not now. But whatever I am very happy, lost £800 a year whilst we owned it which I consider a win. Luck doesn’t come into it, it’s gone. the new owner is having the laugh at getting it for such a score. Such a colour demands a premium.

F6C said: IMI A said: Ha agree at the cheap build quality and plastics on all 996/997/986/987 but the 550 is a far better drive than an ordinary Boxster S. You'd only notice on track though to be fair where the 550 is flat in corners compared to say a 2001 Boxster S. Also my first 986 S Boxster S felt underpowered to me on track. 550 never did which is amazing for only 6bhp extra. Pretty sure they gave it the full 280bhp in the 987 s IMO Can't agree and the facts aren't really with you, either. 550 has exactly the same chassis and suspension as a standard 986 S with the option M030 Sport springs and dampers. No bespoke chassis bits bar some wheel spacers. Either you've only driven 986s on the standard chassis or really the only other option is imagining things. Driven a few 550s and in performance terms they felt like the on paper claims to me - ie no faster than a 986.2 S and definitely not as quick as a 280PS 987.1 3.2. It's a cosmetic exercise, the 550. Which is fine if you like the cosmetics. But any claims that it drives far better than an ordinary 986S aren't ultimately credible. Afraid it has virtually no driving-relevant spec differences from a a regular M030 chassis S. That's the reality. I owned one and did 80k miles in it. 550 was faster more lively than 987 s 3.2 and Cayman 3.4 in my hands seat of the pants anyway. the 987s completely inert by comparison to me IMO

For balance differences minuscule at £15k price bracket I'd take the very best example of any of these models. I've not looked at the other models but the 550 I have seen at this particular price bracket seem really well cared for. Cheating money no object from this era my advice would be save £5k more and buy the very best plain vanilla 996 C2 coupe you can find. Its a lovely 911 very under rated maybe the sports car ever for UK roads.

IMI A said: For balance differences minuscule at £15k price bracket I'd take the very best example of any of these models. I've not looked at the other models but the 550 I have seen at this particular price bracket seem really well cared for. Cheating money no object from this era my advice would be save £5k more and buy the very best plain vanilla 996 C2 coupe you can find. Its a lovely 911 very under rated maybe the sports car ever for UK roads. At that price, you should also be able to find one that has had the IMS upgrade if you get a 3.4 C2. I see some ads state they've had the IMS check. What would this involve?

I would say you would struggle to get a sorted 996 for £15K, you will be able to get one but the thinking has always been buy at £15 & invest £5K on it or buy sorted for £20K & that was 2019 thinking. Luckily Friends green Porsche have kept their old stock on their website with the YouTube videos and if you look at the dates cars he was selling for £15K 14 months ago are now selling for £22K

Good to hear re 996 C2. Such an amazing drive. I got to drive these when new and they feel so much more engaging than the mid engined range. I’d have one. Personally I’d have a 986 S too. I’d go for early no traction control versions of both with ambers which I love. Pretty sure PSM was an option in those days! Porsche knows how to charge.

IMI A said: I owned one and did 80k miles in it. 550 was faster more lively than 987 s 3.2 and Cayman 3.4 in my hands seat of the pants anyway. the 987s completely inert by comparison to me IMO Just goes to show how much of an impact perception can have, I guess. Mine has been that the 550 barely feels any faster than a regular 986.2S and feels tangibly if not exactly dramatically slower than a 987.1S 3.2. I grant the gap isn't huge. As for the 550 feeling faster than a 987 3.4, we'll have to file that corker in the same category as the 'flat cornering' thing! Think you're trying a bit too hard to make a point, it's really not an awfully credible claim even allowing a little leeway for subjectivity regarding what 'feels' fast. The 987.1 3.4 is really quite substantially faster. And feels it. Porsche made very few changes to the 550 engine - well, none to the physical engine itself, it's just a map and the intake box, that's it - and none to the chassis. Which isn't to say it's a bad car. But doesn't really help its case to pretend it handles better when it doesn't have any chassis changes or imply it has some secretly higher output than claimed which is a bit silly. There are plenty of reasons to like the 550. Imagined flat cornering and blowing the doors off cars that are substantially faster aren't among them, though! The 986 definitely has more feel than any 987, it's more natural and transparent. Totally agree the 987 cars are more remote and synthetic feeling to drive. But that stuff applies to any 986. The 550 drive is no different in that regard.

F6C said: Just goes to show how much of an impact perception can have, I guess. Mine has been that the 550 barely feels any faster than a regular 986.2S and feels tangibly if not exactly dramatically slower than a 987.1S 3.2. I grant the gap isn't huge. As for the 550 feeling faster than a 987 3.4, we'll have to file that corker in the same category as the 'flat cornering' thing! Think you're trying a bit too hard to make a point, it's really not an awfully credible claim even allowing a little leeway for subjectivity regarding what 'feels' fast. The 987.1 3.4 is really quite substantially faster. And feels it. Porsche made very few changes to the 550 engine - well, none to the physical engine itself, it's just a map and the intake box, that's it - and none to the chassis. Which isn't to say it's a bad car. But doesn't really help its case to pretend it handles better when it doesn't have any chassis changes or imply it has some secretly higher output than claimed which is a bit silly. There are plenty of reasons to like the 550. Imagined flat cornering and blowing the doors off cars that are substantially faster aren't among them, though! The 986 definitely has more feel than any 987, it's more natural and transparent. Totally agree the 987 cars are more remote and synthetic feeling to drive. But that stuff applies to any 986. The 550 drive is no different in that regard. Having driven both cars I completely agree with you I can’t see how someone could drive a 986S / 550 and think it’s faster than a 987.1 3.4S There’s 2 seconds difference between them on a 1/4 stretch. That’s like comparing ep3 civic type r vs a Cayman S or an E46 M3 vs a 997 turbo S Edited by SarlechS on Monday 31st May 17:42

I've driven them all on track. Admittedly when in 987 and Cayman I was in a 997 turbo as dd (still am) so maybe they felt slower to me. 550 never felt underpowered in the same way on track but I'd not had anything as quick as turbo before. No point to make just a very sweet car to drive that I personally found more engaging and faster than the 987 s after it. Maybe mine just felt faster who knows. Or I drove like I stole it

I am currently trying to sell what I believe is a sorted 2004 plate 996.2 3.6 C4 Tiptronic, Lapis Blue with 81000 miles on the clock, grey leather interior, Bose sound, PCM2. Advertised at £18995. I have spent approx £6k in two years fixing all the issues I can, in the hope that it would hold its price well and be a good car for me and the next owner. I never expected to get much if any of that money back and have treated the spend as running costs, but it would be good to get back what the car cost me to buy in 2019. Good cars do exist for less than £20k, but there do not appear to be any buyers out there. I purchased the car with a full dealer service history up to the previous service which was a full service at a specialist. Thinking I had got a good one I took it to my local specialist (Portech) for a quick once over and for them to quote on repairing the exhaust. This ended up with a bill for over £4k to replace the oil coolers which were leaking, air con pipes and steering pipes, brake pipes and a few cosmetic jobs as well as repairing the exhaust, and for peace of mind I also had the IMS bearing replaced and RMS replaced, and while the engine was out they also replaced the AOS and thermostat. I have also replaced the discs and pads, and the rear lower arms have been replaced with a 4 wheel alignment, Wheels refurbished and N3 tyres fitted. Last service completed in May 2021 with a brake fluid change and AUX belt ready for the new owner for some trouble-free motoring. I have had it serviced annually even though the mileage was low. It is advertised on here, AutoTrader and Car and Classic. I do not think the forum rules allow me to link it, but it should not be hard to find. Edited by Smokey Boyer on Thursday 3rd June 23:53

Wow! Seems a shame to have to sell it after doing all that work. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105273...

Hoofy said: Wow! Seems a shame to have to sell it after doing all that work. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105273... I thought it would sell pretty quickly given the work I have completed, but wonder if that level of work is only appreciated by current or previous owners rather than potential new buyers to the Porsche brand. I took the approach when I got the car to make it the best mechanically that I could and expected that it would be difficult to sell a 996 without the IMS bearing sorted and other expected jobs unless I dropped the price to a stupidly low level. It would have been nice if the work I completed had added some value to the car but that does not appear to be how the Porsche used car pricing works. As a new buyer to the brand, I was horrified to find how meaningless a full dealer service history is. The list of work to be done on a car with almost a full dealer service history and clean bill of health and full service from a specialist was shocking, but I had made the decision to get it all sorted as the car felt like a keeper at the time. I am wondering if that was the right decision now and whether I would have been better off spending nothing on it for a few years and just running it into the ground and taking the WBAC price to sell it when I was ready to move on. I really hope the next buyer appreciates the work completed and carries on looking after it well or my efforts will have been wasted. Anyway, I have now put a deposit down on my next car so it is a case of needing to sell it for a really nice reason as I need the space. Edited by Smokey Boyer on Friday 4th June 01:13

Smokey Boyer said: Hoofy said: Wow! Seems a shame to have to sell it after doing all that work. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105273... I thought it would sell pretty quickly given the work I have completed, but wonder if that level of work is only appreciated by current or previous owners rather than potential new buyers to the Porsche brand. I took the approach when I got the car to make it the best mechanically that I could and expected that it would be difficult to sell a 996 without the IMS bearing sorted and other expected jobs unless I dropped the price to a stupidly low level. It would have been nice if the work I completed had added some value to the car but that does not appear to be how the Porsche used car pricing works. As a new buyer to the brand, I was horrified to find how meaningless a full dealer service history is. The list of work to be done on a car with almost a full dealer service history and clean bill of health and full service from a specialist was shocking, but I had made the decision to get it all sorted as the car felt like a keeper at the time. I am wondering if that was the right decision now and whether I would have been better off spending nothing on it for a few years and just running it into the ground and taking the WBAC price to sell it when I was ready to move on. Anyway, I have now put a deposit down on my next car so it is a case of needing to sell it for a really nice reason. I guess it depends on how much of a risk you're willing to take. The IMS issue is real but it's not that common. 1 in 10 for your model, I believe? But that's like placing a £10,000 bet that your car is fine (£10k for a rebuild) and if you meant to keep it, then it's quite a risk vs paying £2k to get the IMS sorted. Imagine putting £10k on the table and rolling a 10 sided dice (they exist!) - if you get a 1, you lose £10k, if you roll any other number, you keep your £10k. I guess that's part of the game. I spent £4k on a gearbox rebuild on an old Skyline and then sold it a month later as I didn't want something else to break. I wasn't bothered at the time and just sucked it up as the cost of experiencing a highly tuned Skyline. Good luck with the sale - it sounds like the next owner is going to be lucky.

Can’t you squeeze into a 987.2 for that budget? Perhaps something with a few more miles? I’d go for a facelift car for the more reliable engine.

Tommie38 said: Can’t you squeeze into a 987.2 for that budget? Perhaps something with a few more miles? I’d go for a facelift car for the more reliable engine. In current market that only gets you a higher mile base gen 2.

So I trundled off yo have a look at 996 C2 prices. A nice 996 C2 like the one at Friends Green Porsche is £35,000

IMI A said: So I trundled off yo have a look at 996 C2 prices. A nice 996 C2 like the one at Friends Green Porsche is £35,000 Is it low mileage, pristine condition inside and out, and with all IMS, RMS, suspension etc dealt with, and a cast iron warranty? It might be worth it if it's in amazing condition. If there's still a chance it could s t itself without warning then £35k is taking the piss.

Smokey Boyer said: Good cars do exist for less than £20k, but there do not appear to be any buyers out there. Tip' box will be limiting the potential market pretty substantially. Merits of the box are obvs subjective. Not commenting on that, just the fact that a substantial proportion of buyers in the market for a 996 C2 will be buying manual cars only. Whatever the rights and wrongs, it's that kind of car.

Hoofy said: Is it low mileage, pristine condition inside and out, and with all IMS, RMS, suspension etc dealt with, and a cast iron warranty? It might be worth it if it's in amazing condition. If there's still a chance it could s t itself without warning then £35k is taking the piss. If it's the Seal Grey one you're referring to, it does look bloody nice.... The 996 C2's are actually starting to look like real classics in my eyes, where they used to look a bit bloated next to the previous generations, they not look positively svelte compared to the latest models I do struggle a bit with the interior though, I remember viewing one back in 2003 when I had a Mk 1 V6 TT....and thought the interior quality was way behind the TT's... My 2p's worth re the original question, for £15k, it would have to be a 987.2 Boxster.. Slight budget creep, or a small loan would get you into one with decent mileage, if you don't mind PDK.. https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11709564

F6C said: Smokey Boyer said: Good cars do exist for less than £20k, but there do not appear to be any buyers out there. Tip' box will be limiting the potential market pretty substantially. Merits of the box are obvs subjective. Not commenting on that, just the fact that a substantial proportion of buyers in the market for a 996 C2 will be buying manual cars only. Whatever the rights and wrongs, it's that kind of car. What about the advertised car as a C4 Tip?

MrVert said: Hoofy said: Is it low mileage, pristine condition inside and out, and with all IMS, RMS, suspension etc dealt with, and a cast iron warranty? It might be worth it if it's in amazing condition. If there's still a chance it could s t itself without warning then £35k is taking the piss. If it's the Seal Grey one you're referring to, it does look bloody nice.... The 996 C2's are actually starting to look like real classics in my eyes, where they used to look a bit bloated next to the previous generations, they not look positively svelte compared to the latest models I do struggle a bit with the interior though, I remember viewing one back in 2003 when I had a Mk 1 V6 TT....and thought the interior quality was way behind the TT's... The swoopy 996 interior isn't too bad! I was looking at someone's 993 and started to think that it looked a bit dated! The interior is dull, too!

For up £13k I'd go with up to 60k miles 2006-2008 manual Boxster 987 - if you can find one, a well looked after.

Are those Boxsters the age that they are £500+ for road tax?

jonny996 said: Are those Boxsters the age that they are £500+ for road tax? Not sure about all models, but our 2008 3.4 was £600 this year. But being brown negated this cost I imagine the cost might put some off, it’s a crazy cost.

Smokey Boyer said: Hoofy said: Wow! Seems a shame to have to sell it after doing all that work. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105273... I thought it would sell pretty quickly given the work I have completed, but wonder if that level of work is only appreciated by current or previous owners rather than potential new buyers to the Porsche brand. I took the approach when I got the car to make it the best mechanically that I could and expected that it would be difficult to sell a 996 without the IMS bearing sorted and other expected jobs unless I dropped the price to a stupidly low level. It would have been nice if the work I completed had added some value to the car but that does not appear to be how the Porsche used car pricing works. As a new buyer to the brand, I was horrified to find how meaningless a full dealer service history is. The list of work to be done on a car with almost a full dealer service history and clean bill of health and full service from a specialist was shocking, but I had made the decision to get it all sorted as the car felt like a keeper at the time. I am wondering if that was the right decision now and whether I would have been better off spending nothing on it for a few years and just running it into the ground and taking the WBAC price to sell it when I was ready to move on. I really hope the next buyer appreciates the work completed and carries on looking after it well or my efforts will have been wasted. Anyway, I have now put a deposit down on my next car so it is a case of needing to sell it for a really nice reason as I need the space. Edited by Smokey Boyer on Friday 4th June 01:13 You sold it! Congrats!

jonny996 said: Are those Boxsters the age that they are £500+ for road tax? 2005-2006 987's (NOT 987 S) are £28 or so a month to tax. At least my 2006 was about that. But of course as with any used car, make sure it was looked after well and things like cross over pipes, radiators, suspension etc has been replaced not that long ago. On my experience any work on these cars is almost as expensive as on much newer Porsches.

jonny996 said: Are those Boxsters the age that they are £500+ for road tax? Parker’s have a handy table – https://www.parkers.co.uk/porsche/boxster/roadster... I had a similar budget to the OP and plumped for a 2005 2.7 Boxster for 11k, which I pick up at the weekend. Car has a great spec (full leather inc. crests, PCM, heated seats, sports exhaust, Bose, Xenons, and parking sensors). Figured the saving would be handy to have put aside for any future work that needs doing, but on the face of it the car looks in fantastic condition.

Andyoz said: Tommie38 said: Can’t you squeeze into a 987.2 for that budget? Perhaps something with a few more miles? I’d go for a facelift car for the more reliable engine. In current market that only gets you a higher mile base gen 2. Probably what I would go for. Or find a rebuilt Hartech car, which I appreciate is not going to be easy.

Tommie38 said: Andyoz said: Tommie38 said: Can’t you squeeze into a 987.2 for that budget? Perhaps something with a few more miles? I’d go for a facelift car for the more reliable engine. In current market that only gets you a higher mile base gen 2. Probably what I would go for. Or find a rebuilt Hartech car, which I appreciate is not going to be easy. The base gen 2 cars seem to start at £17k at present.

Any thoughts on this? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334039177592?ssPageName...

I like that. Spoiler, interior, colour, wheels all good (interior showing it's age in the high-touch areas). Engine history would need a careful check (was it a rebuild or replacement? Mileage on replaement etc). If you could get that for £12k I think you'd be a very happy person.

They're out there, I just acquired an early 996 C4 Coupe; 80k, Manual, non-sunroof with hardback sports seats, black with black for under £15k

Hoofy said: You sold it! Congrats! I did thanks, to a lovely chap from Cheltenham. Just waiting for James Agger to finish rebuilding the Tamora I have purchased from him. Hopefully, no more than a few more days of work left to do now before I get the car.

Smokey Boyer said: Hoofy said: You sold it! Congrats! I did thanks, to a lovely chap from Cheltenham. Just waiting for James Agger to finish rebuilding the Tamora I have purchased from him. Hopefully, no more than a few more days of work left to do now before I get the car. Cool!

williamp said: Old school, with a 944 or 968? Can you get a decent 928 for that price these days?? Neither will have the same dynamics as those excellent suggestions above, but they have their own merits... The older ones are all getting quite maintainance hungry now, and parts are getting harder to come by, but if that doesnt deter you my neighbour has just bought a cayenne turbo so is selling a nice 928 auto, s4 i think it is.

supersport said: jonny996 said: Are those Boxsters the age that they are £500+ for road tax? Not sure about all models, but our 2008 3.4 was £600 this year. But being brown negated this cost I imagine the cost might put some off, it’s a crazy cost. Yes Even the 2.7 from 2006 onwards is £600 road tax No thanks

Smokey Boyer said: I did thanks, to a lovely chap from Cheltenham. Just waiting for James Agger to finish rebuilding the Tamora I have purchased from him. Hopefully, no more than a few more days of work left to do now before I get the car. I am guessing that is the Atlantis Halcyon one. If so it looks a beautiful car. I bought an Estoril Blue tam from James back in 2009. Great guy and if I ever moved back into a TVR, he would be my first choice. I hope you enjoy it.

CrunkleFloop said: They're out there, I just acquired an early 996 C4 Coupe; 80k, Manual, non-sunroof with hardback sports seats, black with black for under £15k Looks lovely.

CardiffTam said: am guessing that is the Atlantis Halcyon one. If so it looks a beautiful car. I bought an Estoril Blue tam from James back in 2009. Great guy and if I ever moved back into a TVR, he would be my first choice. I hope you enjoy it. Yes, that's the one. Cannot wait. Took a bit of a gamble on it as it was in bits on the ramp when I put my deposit down on the car and I have not even sat in it or seen the engine fire up. However, I have known James since I got my first TVR in 2013 and have been very impressed with the work being done on the car. The list of new bits going in to the car is growing and it is now also having a new clutch. I had an S3 and a Chimaera 500 before my 996.2

Smokey Boyer said: CardiffTam said: am guessing that is the Atlantis Halcyon one. If so it looks a beautiful car. I bought an Estoril Blue tam from James back in 2009. Great guy and if I ever moved back into a TVR, he would be my first choice. I hope you enjoy it. Yes, that's the one. Cannot wait. Took a bit of a gamble on it as it was in bits on the ramp when I put my deposit down on the car and I have not even sat in it or seen the engine fire up. However, I have known James since I got my first TVR in 2013 and have been very impressed with the work being done on the car. The list of new bits going in to the car is growing and it is now also having a new clutch. I had an S3 and a Chimaera 500 before my 996.2 Wow. I guess it is being built by a pro so it should be a low risk punt!

Smokey Boyer said: Yes, that's the one. Cannot wait. Took a bit of a gamble on it as it was in bits on the ramp when I put my deposit down on the car and I have not even sat in it or seen the engine fire up. However, I have known James since I got my first TVR in 2013 and have been very impressed with the work being done on the car. The list of new bits going in to the car is growing and it is now also having a new clutch. I had an S3 and a Chimaera 500 before my 996.2 I am sure the Tam will be fine. James has a great reputation. I had a Chim 400 and Griff 500 prior to my Tam. Enjoy it

ATM said: supersport said: jonny996 said: Are those Boxsters the age that they are £500+ for road tax? Not sure about all models, but our 2008 3.4 was £600 this year. But being brown negated this cost I imagine the cost might put some off, it’s a crazy cost. Yes Even the 2.7 from 2006 onwards is £600 road tax No thanks You'd have to be pretty unlucky to own a 2.7 registered between 23 Mar 2006 - 30 May 2006 to pay £585. They soon tweaked the 2.7 to get the CO2 back down to 222. This is for the 5 speed manual anyway. Tiptronics and I think 6 speed-optioned 987 Gen 1 cars were in the higher tax bracket. So most 2.7 987.1 Boxsters or Caymans will be £340 if they have a 5 speed manual box.

To pay £500+ road tax for a £15k Porsche for me is off putting. Thats the same as a modern AMG GL63, Bentley, Rolls which are monsters in size and C02 emissions by comparison whatever the emissions data says about the big AMGs being cleaner. I don't believe the data real world. I remember when a time warp one of these were £15k! Cmoose giving her a right old thrashing!

IMI A said: I turned down one needing a little bit of work for £3k back in the day.

I'm I'm this same position now and keen for some updated views given current market

IMI A said: Cmoose giving her a right old thrashing! That's Cmoose?

How about this one? https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302224...

ATM said: How about this one? https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302224... Something has to be wrong with that car. 69K miles & £15K....Although the seat & wheel look like a lot more than 69K

jonny996 said: ATM said: How about this one? https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302224... Something has to be wrong with that car. 69K miles & £15K....Although the seat & wheel look like a lot more than 69K A six year gap in the MOTs from 2015, and less than 100 miles added on the clock in those 8 years. I'd like to hear the story behind this.

jonny996 said: ATM said: How about this one? https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302224... Something has to be wrong with that car. 69K miles & £15K....Although the seat & wheel look like a lot more than 69K I'd like to see it priced higher. But it was first listed 2k cheaper. Maybe it will sell soon. Or buyers are all waiting for that perfect low mileage super maintained garage queen that just doesn't exist. Edited by ATM on Saturday 25th February 11:48

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225417279736

987.1 2.7 or 987.2 2.9. Most reliable engines, 3 4 987.2 would also qualify however within your budget would likely be high mileage.

CanAm said: jonny996 said: ATM said: How about this one? https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302224... Something has to be wrong with that car. 69K miles & £15K....Although the seat & wheel look like a lot more than 69K A six year gap in the MOTs from 2015, and less than 100 miles added on the clock in those 8 years. I'd like to hear the story behind this. I'd say it's sat around - possibly due to being an unloved 4th car, but as the tyres in the 2015 MOT were noted as being cracked and perishing, and the front tyres in the photo are datestamped 2006, I'm thinking it stacks up. Are front seats hardbacks? - don't these suffer more wear from bodies in-out? Also; do you remember that pandemic thing? My concern would be lack of use on the various mechanicals.

Orangecurry said: I'd say it's sat around - possibly due to being an unloved 4th car, but as the tyres in the 2015 MOT were noted as being cracked and perishing, and the front tyres in the photo are datestamped 2006, I'm thinking it stacks up. Are front seats hardbacks? - don't these suffer more wear from bodies in-out? Also; do you remember that pandemic thing? My concern would be lack of use on the various mechanicals. Pandemic? I still managed to get some miles on my second car quite legitimately. I agree with you on the lack of use, and that would be my worry, rather than it having had a haircut.

I'd definitely buy that, budget £2k for a refresh and enjoy it. Very few early 3.4 C2 manual for sale. I stored mine for nearly 10 years when I lived abroad so I'm speaking from experience. I think it's a bargain. If I had space I'd buy it myself

Damn that looks great! Not one pic of the engine though bad dealer

stuckmojo said: I'd definitely buy that, budget £2k for a refresh and enjoy it. Very few early 3.4 C2 manual for sale. I stored mine for nearly 10 years when I lived abroad so I'm speaking from experience. I think it's a bargain. If I had space I'd buy it myself 911s do tend to get stored more than your run of the mill cars. My previous 996 spent a few years in storage before being sold to me. Owner spent most of his time in the Carrabean. 911 was for when he was in the UK.

Anything after ‘09 with the DFi engines.

resurrecting this thread - as I am also looking for an answer to this! Has to be automatic and will be used as my Monday - Friday car (12 mile round trip each day).

Omar-p25l8 said: resurrecting this thread - as I am also looking for an answer to this! Has to be automatic and will be used as my Monday - Friday car (12 mile round trip each day). 987.2 Cayman or Boxster 2.9 PDK.

paulguitar said: Omar-p25l8 said: resurrecting this thread - as I am also looking for an answer to this! Has to be automatic and will be used as my Monday - Friday car (12 mile round trip each day). 987.2 Cayman or Boxster 2.9 PDK. And there is a 2009 3.4 Boxster S on PH for £15,000! https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/17018123

paulguitar said: 987.2 Cayman or Boxster 2.9 PDK. Thank you!

CanAm said: And there is a 2009 3.4 Boxster S on PH for £15,000! https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/17018123 Are the road tax on these not horrendous?

jonny996 said: CanAm said: And there is a 2009 3.4 Boxster S on PH for £15,000! https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/17018123 Are the road tax on these not horrendous? £415.

jonny996 said: CanAm said: And there is a 2009 3.4 Boxster S on PH for £15,000! https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/17018123 Are the road tax on these not horrendous? Expensive, but not horrendous. How much will a £15,000 Eurobox depreciate in 12 months compared with a 987?

Out of left field, borescored 911. You can get them for as low as £10k without symptoms other than streaks on the cylinders. Look after it, drive it, fix it if you want or sell it when you’re done.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... The last couple of posts have been discussing a £12.5K 996 with only minor issues

Watching this thread with interest. What are peoples thoughts on the whole Bore score/IMS possibilities? I did read somewhere it affects just 5% of cars. How realistic is it to carry out a bore score test before purchasing?

Kingdom35 said: Watching this thread with interest. What are peoples thoughts on the whole Bore score/IMS possibilities? I did read somewhere it affects just 5% of cars. How realistic is it to carry out a bore score test before purchasing? This has been discussed to death. I for one have typed out many many replies with the same information over and over again. And the replies always follow a similar theme. Some think it's not a problem. Some think it is. You will have to decide for yourself. Hartech are a well respected outfit who rebuild these engines and make them better than they were originally. They employ several people and this is all they do. So you need to ask yourself - if a business like this can sustain several employees, you can decide on the number, then how many engines is it getting through every week. And does this lead you to believe it's a rare event or more common. When these cars first started showing up problems most were covered by warranty. So Porsche was probably changing a number of engines FOC. Data from this time is largely lost because most owners do not know if Porsche changed their engine prior to them purchasing their car. Most dealers nowadays destroy a car's history file over GDPR fears. Although I've seen the odd advert where people talk about their car having had an engine replacement at Porsche and then a refurb at the likes of Hartech. So effectively on their 3rd engine. That's what makes me think its more common than people want to believe. But it's up to you. Also worth mentioning that Porsche switched to 24 months or 20,000 miles service intervals around the time the 997 launched or just before - so 2003 / 2004. Due to pressure from governments to reduce the overall environmental impact of a car over its lifespan - which includes scheduled service intervals. Oils are better now but 20 years ago they were not as good as we have now. Could this have helped cause some of these problems too?

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For sure Borescore is a problem with these cars, the cost to repair more so than the problem itself. The end game is piston slap, annoying, irritating and ever present, but it won’t affect the performance of the car nor will it right itself. It’ll have to be fixed sooner rather than later. Hartech will cost near £20k to replace the liners on both banks, including all the “while you’re in there” incidentals - why folk just don’t replace the errant bores on bank 2 and save money escapes me. If the repair was nearer £10k , like rod bearings for the M cars, AMG’s engine repairs etc. This wouldn’t be as big a deal as it is. Yes Hartech are good at what they do but the car is 20 years old - will it survive another 20 years? Who knows but words such as “future proof” and “keeper” are just that, words, and it is a sure banker that’ll come resale a seller will lose all the £££££ spent on the rebuild and for the most part, buyers don’t care. The cost of repair is the problem, and the more folk steer people to Hartech, claiming that they’re the only ones that can fix a 20 year old car, the more expensive it will get - simple demand and supply maths, monopoly etc. That said, it is a problem and buyers should go in with their eyes wide open. The safest bet is to buy one with an engine rebuild and look after it. Jumping up to a .2 is a big leap in cash if you decide to go that route.