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The Boxster Gamble - Should I? I did - Progress thread!

MarkGolf

Well-known member
Joined
13 Nov 2012
Messages
930
Hi Guys,

An offer of a car has landed on my lap.

It's a facelift 2003 Boxster 2.7, 73,000 miles, 5 speed, 996 Turbo style wheels, Michelin PS2 tyres all round, new pads and discs all round, New O2 sensor, new battery, serviced annually, wingback seats, bodywork is straight, roof is good..

Looks idnetical to this car (actually, it's silver, not seal grey) which I found on google images.

55837_13_big.jpg


Now the main bits.. I can have it for £3500, great. But, it only has paperwork from the current owner for the past 4 years and is a cat D. The guy said he got it from a repair centre of whom repaired it. The damage was to the rear bumper, nothing else, it was reversed into something apparently. The exhaust looks original (I know they rust within 1 day of being outside) although the tip has a dent and from what else I could see, all looks fine and original under there, I can't even tell that the rear bumper was replaced. No signs on crumpling in the boot, 1 rear light has a chip out of it, perhaps a seperate incident but really, it seems honest and genuine.

MOT history online ties up fine and I'm hoping a call to Porsche may offer some early history on the car.

I'm not after a show car or something for an investiment, more something to buy for the sake of it being cheap and use for the commute or something..

Would you?

I'm going to see it again now that I've done some research into Boxsters and things to check, not much it seems but I thought I'd ask here, what should I look for on a 2003 2.7 and do you agree that it's worth a punt for the money. I guess even if the engine was to blow, I wouldn't be out of pocket by much which is the main thing with this kind of proposition.

I'm biased toward it but I just want some advice/guidance just incase I'm getting over excited here

Cheers.
 
Assuming it is a manual car I would have just bought it, I wouldn't even ask.

MC
 
Yep, it's a manual. Editted my post to add that.

From what I added up upon my first sighting of it, needs a new Boxster badge, new exhaust tip (Would wanna replace that for a twin exit), centre caps (corrosion to crest) and half clear rear light for drivers side.
 
Mark - you are the guy in front of the car but it does sound like a good deal to me
 
HAHA

I like to think I know what I'm doing and looking at but this car is totally against my nature, I wasn't actively looking for a car and certainly no need for one but the bargain hunter in me was drawn in.
A car with no history (before current owner anyway) and a CAT D, 2 huge no no's flashing in bright red lights but, it's so cheap, I'm drawn in for the sake of it.

I think I just needed to air this out for a little push.

I hope I can obtain a blank service book and hopefully Porsche can supply any history they have, I'll have to get the V5 in my name first of all I guess.

I'll go for it after a deeper poke around, I only got to see it in the dark in the pub car park last time.

Are the IMS bearings better on the 2003 2.7's? I guess that's the biggest threat with these? Bore scoring?

Otherwise, it's the usual checks on radiators and knocks/rattles but for the money, can't complain.

Cheers!
 
On Autotrader the cheapest car of a similar age/mileage is £4,800 - only one Cat C that I could find and that is £5,000 - sounds like you are on to a winner
 
If you Don't buy it, send me the link and I will :lol:
 
Nigel - I think that there is already a queue.....

:)
 
so you stand to lose 3.5k max - and thats if the car becomes worth nothing overnight - what is there to think about :dont know:
 
I'll update this properly when I'm on a computer but for now, I can say after seeing it properly in the day time at the owners house, I bought it.

It's in good nick and just needs the odds bit.

One thing it does need is an exhaust mount, the exhaust is pointing down and I noticed a crack mount at the rear of the backbox. Not hard to sort.

Looking through the invoices the guy has for the works he's done.

N rated PS2 tyres all round
Pads and discs FROM PORSCHE!
and the bit of gold which I didn't anticipate, IMS BEARING!

Bingo :)
 
Picked the car up yesterday, drives great, pretty slow but I'm gonna let the wife use it so it's fine for that.

Steering is dead straight and pointy, brakes work fine and everything is as you'd hope and expect.

Ordered a new exhaust mount as the existing one is broke, back box with twin pipes, silver centre caps, soft top cleaner and guard red paint for the calipers.

Looking for a new rear light to replace the cracked one and then I'll give it an oil change and take a look at the plugs/coils.

Pretty happy with it, can't knock it for the price, the bodywork is dead straight, not a single dent and the car has sat underground for the past 4 years which has helped keep it clean.

42947630622_d4e37fa4bc_c.jpg


42278796404_fc8993a815_c.jpg


Original CDR23 - Would be nice to add bluetooth or at least an aux in?

Hate all the blanks, looks a bit pikey, will add a spoiler button at least here.

42947628892_70360b3ab1_c.jpg


New N rated Michelins all round on unmarked wheels.
42997053891_d3d53e4e31_c.jpg


41187013690_9c41c7c2b2_c.jpg


The only job I've done so far was to clean the scummy key
42997108341_d5cf341063_c.jpg


42997108091_b36abefa85_c.jpg


That's it for now.

Next up will be rear bumper removal as I want to take a look behind there and it'll help when fitting the new backbox.
 
Can I be the first to say "jammy barsteward"

Sorry I meant ......... :congrats:

That alleged 'gamble' looked more like a 'dead cert' to me.
 
Beat me to it, Terry

Lucky, lucky, lucky ..... :mrgreen:
 

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