Went to see a 996 which did not go to plan...

[rhd racer]

The market is a bit strange Graham, and seems to operate in pockets. My recent experiences;

Normal cars - my wife's A1, right car, right colour, right price - no calls for 6 weeks. Not one. It was one of a sea of similar cars for sale, albeit at the newer / better condition end. We dropped it in price every time the ad performance email came through but no interest. It was in the garage, and I was tripping over it with the others in there so explored WBAC - the bid was low, and got lower over a few weeks then increased again. A bit odd. It was on Autotrader, and the only calls I received were from brokers; the first a low ball offer, the second sensible and £600 above WBAC. It was considerably less than the 'market value', but was good enough to cut it loose and move on. It has ended up at a main Audi agent for a considerable (several £000s) mark up. So we were priced correctly, in fact, considerably cheaper than it is now for sale for. We have no remorse, people want to buy that type of car from a dealer, and the reverse benefit is that they did the deal based on a call and trust each way, came and collected with a bank transfer and no risk on our side; a purchase invoice was sent before the collection. But it took 3 months end to end. The point is everything sells at the right price, we just took a while to arrive at what the right price was in our heads.

Niche - we have just sold our motorhome as we need a different layout for our girls that don't want to share a bed anymore. It was on ebay and the hits and watchers it had was unbelievable. A few blind offers that were a bit low were refused, but we were buoyed by the interest. It sold after approx 1 month for a sensible offer to the 2nd person to view it, and after accepting the offer the first viewer got back in touch asking to buy it. My instinct is that people buying motorhomes are my age and older, less affected by Brexit, relatively cash rich compared to the private car market and therefore once decided are going to buy anyway. The value was 3 times more than the Audi, so it is sold into a market where HP and leases aren't required, and they are all such different layouts and specs that you have to buy what is there (ours was 1 of 2 in the UK for sale of that make and model).

I think Porsche sit somewhere in between; your Boxster is near the normal car end of the spectrum and a 996 nearer the niche end, so the types of buyers and their circumstances / wants are perhaps slightly different. The Boxster could easily find itself as a daily, the 996 far more like to be a considered purchase as a 3rd or 4th car.

My advice, FWIW, is to do an ad with really great photos and description and get it out there and see what happens, but be prepared to sell between the WBAC and dealer prices. Or find the right car at an indy and p/ex it, saving yourself the trouble. Or, as I suspect you might, stick with it because it is a great car, getting lots of use and you seem to have dealt with the issues that made you look elsewhere in the first place.

Good luck
Wayne

[jeremyg]

C4S's have dropped a bit. Friend of mine had one. Lovely car. But very harsh over rubbish British roads. Loud inside with tyre noise. One for the Sunday blasts, not so much for a regular user in my view. Or maybe I am getting old.

All you say is true. But in the joy of driving one, I find all those things are forgotten. And touring in one through the Swiss passes was just fantastic.

[hot66]

You can buy a really nice early 3.4 cable throttle C2 ( would be my choice ) 996 for £13-£15k ... I know this as my mate has bought a peach of one within the last 8months ... but you will have to have patience and watch the adds religiously ...there are a lot of overpriced tatty cars out there.

[911hillclimber]

That is exactly the kind of response I would expect from you Wayne!
Excellent and a real insight, thank you.

I really do not like selling cars, and much prefer to loose some £££ to a PX to get away from Test Pilots and indeed the worse case, hassle from buyers 'casing' the joint.

It is a great little car and in many ways it will be sad to see it go, but that 996 rang a bell with both of us.
I think your advice is sound, run an ad in the usual places and wait and see.
I do not HAVE to sell it, it is not a crappy car at all, and the money side is an issue either, so can approach this all relaxed (as if...) but certainly no rush.

If it does sell for reasonable money and the 996 we fancy has gone then cash-in-hand helps when you are the buyer.

It is noticeable that many 996's up for sale have has IMS etc all done or a demon price to have clutch/ims/rms done is offered in a deal price. Always untrusting of dealers who say they
have done such work but you can't actually prove they have unless you can look under the car on a ramp for disturbed fasteners. Always wary of being turned-over.

This is a slot in our household for the 'fun car' the Euro Trip car, nice days now I'm retired, no rush, no blasting just a nice car with some sparkle.

With a sober head on:

996 / 2002 is 7 years older.
74K miles (many are far more, 90/100K+)
Might need or have had real money spent so the asking price is more to re-coup the cost in the seller's mind ('my' 996 is £17.9K)
Asking price is £17.9 in this case, but so are many others of similar spec, and C4S's are 25+
Magazines are pumping the desirability of 996 as the next best thig, buy now as prices set to soar.

996 may be a slight appreciating asset.

987.2
2009
Generation 2 engine, no IMS etc to worry people.
60K miles, about average for a Boxster
Easy to sell colour
Basic spec, few options, but the lights are fantastic!
All regular wear and tear issues done.
FSH, OPC and good specialists.

PH prices are around 14K+, £18 with silly low miles, options and metallic.

Rather think my wife feels the Boxster is the better car (hard head on) but likes the 996 and also I might be more satisfied such a car compared to the Boxster.

A classic case of me over-thinking the scenario!

Ref C4S
A good friend and DDK'r has had his C4S for some time and does BIG road trips in his, and loves every moment. His reminisces do not help!( John)
Does the 2002 face-lift have a cable throttle? Having asked that, the Boxster does not and I could not tell any difference between DBW and a good mech linkage. (my age guess).

Can't help but think the two cars are the same value?
The only bug is that the 7 extra years of wear and tear have to show through sooner than later. The extra 14K miles is 2 years use for me and the 987.2

[Ashley James]

Your wife is bang on, the Boxster is the better car for less money and you own it. Remember 911s and Boxster are almost the same car but with the engine in a better place.

[911hillclimber]

Wife read that and thinks you are far smarter than me...
Very likely very true.

Beginning to feel I can't be othered with all the upheaval even though that 996 did sound so good, looked great and of course felt so much lighter and spacious.

Bought a battery conditioner today for the 987.2 for winter.

The battery sounds very close to dead after 10 days standing still.

Spring time may bring about a lust for a 2.7 Cayman, about 2004 but a 981 would be very nice (looks great)

[gridgway]

One thing to consider Graham is that the 996 will likely go wrong, TADTS. From reading your posts, if I can politely observe, you don't enjoy it when your Porsches go wrong. So I'd definitely have a think before leaping out of the box into a 911.
Graham

[911hillclimber]

When any mech thing in my life goes wrong I get upset, that is certainly true!
Few on here know the ups and downs of building and getting sorted the Lola for hill climbs, that was tricky...

I hate things that go wrong and esp if I don't know why immediately, I get very short on patience.

The Boxster is running really well, so no rush to move it on, not desperate for the money, again no rush.

It will stay with me (as Bootsy prophesised), I know the cars well enough to sort their problems or who to go to if I simply have to.

Any car that is close to 20 years old (996) will be a risk, so you are probably right Graham because it will irritate me beyond reason.

Given me some great holidays, more next year I hope.

[Ashley James]

Old cars can be a nightmare. My 2005 987 had belonged to my neighbour’s wife for ten years and was always looked after by Porsche Swindon. Her husband had postponed a few bills before I got it and so my three years cost £8000 for tyres, discs, pads, top mounts, shocks, aircon condenser, exhaust bolts/clamps, coffin arms, crossover pipes, aircon pipes etc. It was in excellent condition with about 60,000 miles on it.

I’m told the 986/996 are worse, so my feeling is that you need to aim for a later car with the best possible history and with insurance against wifely objections, so not too bumpy, not too noisy etc.

[911hillclimber]

Wise words as ever Ashley.

Ride quality is always an issue, not sure why these modern sports cars have to be so harsh.
The Boxster just about gets away with it in the UK, but great in Europe.

So far, I feel I've got away with it quite well on costs, the A/C was a DIY repair @ £300 inc the £78 for gassing.
Exhaust bolts to St Steel was about £150, Zuffenhaus did those, looked a bitch of a job.
AOS #1 was Zuff during the above.
AOS #2 7 months later was DIY. AOS unit above failed...

I have it serviced at Zuff' as I want the stamp.
2 new fat rear tyres @£410.

Brakes for the front in the spring £300 DIY, possibly 2 front tyres and a full geo run at MickyC's place in the Cotswolds.
Oddly, no suspension work needed, all is totally silent under there.

[Ashley James]

I found my older 987 quite comfortable, it had a drone and was noisy under acceleration, which sometimes made conversation difficult, but all these have been sorted with the 718, so it really is quite good. However the C220 AMG Coup handled better than the 987 and used half the fuel as well as being more comfortable and quieter. Sadly I had to sell it to my son in law, so now my only modern is the 718.

I did try an excellent 300SL which would be a perfect Classic Car Tours vehicle. It was really quiet and comfortable with a Rolls-Royce ride, without the hideous roll and skuddering into roundabouts, but it was a large car so not chuckable. I’d love a Pagoda, but £130K of the kids inheritance.......

[hot66]

C220 handles better ? than what’s is generally classed as one of the best handling cars available ( boxster ) .... Ashley not sure what your definition of handling is but it goes against the opinion of nearly everyone ( I used to have a Merc 220 sport and it was not exceptional in any areas )

[Ashley James]

C220 handles better ? than what’s is generally classed as one of the best handling cars available ( boxster ) .... Ashley not sure what your definition of handling is but it goes against the opinion of nearly everyone ( I used to have a Merc 220 sport and it was not exceptional in any areas )

Obviously the C220 even the AMG version was more softly sprung, so that if I drove it too fast on bumpy roads, it was bottoming and topping out, but on a smoother road, it was better balanced and the rear end more predictable. On bump roads the Porsche was a bit unpredictable and the power steering less precise. The Mercedes had variable ratio electric power steering which was more precise.

The Mercedes has better seats too. I thought it an exceptionally good car, very relaxing to travel in and I liked how it looked. Also unless I revved the 987 to the limit, it was as fast.

Obviously I assumed the 987 had problems so I had new Porsche shock absorbers fitted and Porsche Swindon go right over the car and re-align it, but it didn’t help. All I can assume is that it was good in 2005, but not as good as a ten year newer Mercedes.

The 718 has GT3/4 suspension and is a lot better and more controllable. TBH I didn’t buy a 981 because it wasn’t sufficiently better than the 987. The 718 is very good indeed, but could do with a bit more grip if I’m being picky, but I understand that Pirelli’s last longer than Michelin and I’d rather have the mileage. As it is I’m probably going to have to buy four come the next service.

[964RS]

This is very simple.

Is the Boxster smoking? No

Then the only single thing you’ve ever not liked about it is not currently an issue.

It looks great, handles great, gives you great mpg, has no known issues or possible future unknown costs, is great for weekend blasts and top down summer touring.

Stop fretting all the time and just enjoy the bloody thing!!

[911hillclimber]

Your hammer always hits the nail on the head.

The only real issue was the white smoke that could engulf a county.
The 2nd AOS seems to have fixed that.
Some maintenance costs coming just as they always do, brakes, maybe front tyres and a geo job incase that is catching the inside edge of the tyres (not convinced what the indie told me.)
Brakes needed for next mot, severe corrosion on inside faces, front only.

There is a degree of this car being very sanitised, a good and not so good thing.

It's now in semi hibernation for the winter to keep miles down until the spring.
Hope to use it on some good winter days as they come along, but planning a big run to Austria and a hill climb in 2020.

I'm having a go at making a bespoke table for the hall in some fancy woods now, never ever done this before, so mind off the car.