In response I first reminded him of his age, and then went into some minor detail about how much a year-old Boxster might cost to fix when, not if, it goes wrong. But by that time he was already well into his stride, telling me how much of a bargain this particular example appeared to be, and about why he had already made up his mind he was going to buy it.
And at that point things went from bad to worse. Oh God, I thought, he really is going to buy it. And at that point what can you do? The car in question has been owned by the same person from new, it turns out, and he seemed to be as genuine as they get. The original Boxster would be obliterated in a race with a new model, but at least it offers a pure driving experience at a fraction of the price. Used Porsche prices are skyrocketing lately, and even classically unloved models like the generation are rising in value.
Despite this, the Boxster is still relatively affordable, and it gets you pretty darn close to the experience of that era. Porsche originally used a dual-row bearing with an extremely low failure rate but later switched to a weaker single-row unit.
This infamous part on the flywheel end of the motor is known to fail, destroying an engine. These cars are now old enough that pretty much all information regarding the IMS issue is readily available on the internet, including noticeable warning signs that the IMS is about to go bad. For peace of mind, many Boxster owners fix the IMS when replacing the clutch.
Another less problematic complaint of the original Boxster is the "egg yolk" headlights. Shared with the , these headlights are considered ugly by many and an afront to Porsche's classically round headlights. If anything, we think the original Boxster has aged like a fine wine, and the design looks like a perfect blend between retro and modern.
Plus, Porsche used these lights on the legendary GT1 Strassenversion , possibly the company's coolest car of all time. Prices for the Boxster range drastically depending on the year, mileage, condition, transmission, and service history. Porsche sold more than , s during its eight-year run, which is why they are so affordable today. Parts are readily available. Some things to consider when shopping, Porsche made several improvements during the 's life cycle to make it better, making the later cars more desirable.
From to , the Boxster was only available with a 2. In , Porsche upped the base engine to a 2. The car received a facelift for , deleting the amber lights, replacing the plastic rear window with a glass unit, and improving the interior. During this facelift, both engines saw a slight power bump. When it first debuted, the Boxster's 2. But with only 2, pounds to lug around, the car could hit 60 mph in only 6.
With the increase to a 2. The 3. In , the 2. All Boxsters were available with a five-speed Tiptronic automatic that we advise avoiding. This car is best enjoyed with a manual. Leaking oil used to just be seen as a annoying stain on the driveway and a potential fire hazard.
However, modern cars feature many electronic engine management systems that can potentially be severely damaged by oil ingress.
Oil leaks should not be a barrier to purchase, but they should be considered in terms of the purchase price — what appears to be a minor oil leak could turn into an expensive job.
Again, this is where a competent shop should be able to accurately asses and relay the cost of an oil leak repair. An integral part of the emissions system, the Air Oil Separator AOS is designed to extract oil from gases in the crankcase, recycle the oil to the sump and send the gas through the combustion path to be burnt and cleaned by the catalytic converters.
The AOS has caused numerous issues on Porsche engines. As the membrane in the AOS fails, oil is sucked into the air intake.
Initially this can show up as a check engine light for fuel adaptations and the oil can be deposited on the o2 sensors and cause emission faults. Of course, once it fails completely and oil is sucked into the intake, the resultant huge clouds of white smoke are fairly obvious. However, replacing the aos sooner, rather than later, is a good precaution. A failing aos is the likely cause of rear main seal failure, as it is in other VAG cars. Crankcase gas is not extracted well enough, pressure builds in the case under acceleration and escapes out of the rear main seal causing seal failure and the resultant oil leak.
A failing aos also causes oil pass into the intake and will cause the engine management to adjust fuel mixtures. The changing mixture can cause over fueling and lead to other more significant problems. Check to see when the last replacement of the AOS was completed on the car you plan to buy.
If there is no record, plan to replace it as a precaution. Make sure you spend time checking the operation of the roof to ensure it goes up and down smoothly. Most of the top issues are usually simple and inexpensive to fix, but can be annoying if you only discover them when you want to drop the top on your first sunny day. Porsche revised the mechanism that operates the top a few times during the life of the Boxster.
Older original versions of the mechanism have parts that cannot be serviced. They need to be replaced with the entire revised system.
Worth checking the history on the car to see if any work on the top has been recorded. Importantly, look for signs of leaks from the roof into the cabin. Look behind the seats in particular. The rear roof drains can get blocked by leaves and debris over time.
This results in rainwater dripping into an area of the cabin in which electronic control units are located. It is simple enough to keep the drains clear, but failing to do so can be an expensive and annoying oversight. Check carefully for signs of cracks or degrading of the stitching around this window. This can be fixed relatively simply by a competent upholstery shop. Corrosion is a rare item on the bodywork of the Porsche Boxster. Vehicles in the Midwest can exhibit some degrading of the lower panels if they have been subjected to road chemicals.
However, most Porsche owners store their cars over the winter to avoid this. The bodywork of the Boxster should be in perfect condition — in many cases the paint will have faded. Make friends with a good detailer who can do some paint restoration for you. The suspension on the Boxster is very solid. Naturally, over time and mileage wear can occur in plastic or rubber bushings that help to cushion the ride.
Listen out for squeaks or clunks over bumps and check for leaks from the suspension struts. Worn suspension components typically exhibit some noise and will show up as uneven tire wear.
Check the tires thoroughly for smooth wear patterns and pay attention to the tire DOT date. Low mileage cars in particular have this problem — the tires do not experience wear because of the lack of mileage.
On any Porsche, make sure you get under the car and take a good look at the inner shoulders of the tires — this is the most common place for extreme wear and the most likely to be missed by a walk round the exterior.
The manual and automatic transmissions on the Boxster are generally highly reliable. Both should change gear smoothly and without any hesitation. The auto transmission can be scanned for faults but rarely has issues. Fluid services can be performed on both transmissions and the duration of the time interval is quite high. Look for previous indications this has been done or understand where the car is in terms of time related fluid changes for the transmission.
Typically, problems with the automatic transmission usually spell replacement — not cheap! The answer depends on who is driving the car! Wear on the Boxster clutch should be very noticeable.
Engine revs will increase while the car does not accelerate. This is usually associated with a nasty burning smell. A slipping clutch spells trouble.
When the clutch slips it very quickly does damage to the flywheel. Check the used Boxster you plan to buy for clutch replacement history and plan to have to do the work at some point in the future. The brakes on the Boxster are generally excellent.
Brake pad material does degrade over time, so again on low mileage examples check to see when the last brake service was performed. The brake fluid should be changed every few years regardless of mileage. Again, a competent shop should be able to measure the moisture content in the brake fluid and recommend the next flush interval. If in doubt, flush the fluid. Look for new pads on old rotors. Both the pads and rotors should always be changed at the same time.
Used car centers are famed for just replacing the pads on old rotors and claiming the car has new brakes. There should be a wear lip on the rotor and the size of that lip will determine how much mileage remains. Worn rotors crack or disintegrate which can be particularly unpleasant when driving!
The design of the Boxster has the placement of the coolant radiators and air-conditioning condensers low down in the front bumper.
The position and open vent nature of the design leaves them not only susceptible to stone impacts, but also to corrosion due to the buildup of debris and dirt that is stuck close to the side of the radiators.
These front ducts need to be cleaned out regularly or protected by an aftermarket screen. The front bumper has to be removed to reach the radiators and most owners never do it. Take a flash light and look closely to see whether the front air intakes are full of rotting leaves and debris when you inspect the Boxster.
Damaged or corroded coolant radiators and AC condensers cannot be repaired and must be replaced. Check the AC works and look for signs of a dry white powder stain under the bumper cover — this is a telltale sign of a minor coolant leak. The exhaust on the older Boxster is now starting to show up as an issue. Cracks in the exhaust manifolds are becoming more common.
Often the crack is after the collector and in the main pipe ahead of the catalytic converter. Replacement of the header section is required. For the older Boxster, Porsche does not provide the exhaust header parts any more, so aftermarket replacement is the only choice. The same is true for the catalytic converter sections, which over time will need to be replaced to maintain emission standards.
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