Porsche Boxster Running Costs?

quote:

Originally posted by Beano:
Put a Nissan 350Z on your list for test driving, along with the Honda S2000, both are very good.

Paul

I don't like the look of the 350Z, and it'd impossible to get past that.

I did have a quick look at an S2000. It could be a cracking drive, probably is, but it had a sort of "£27k worth of engineering and 50p on the interior" feel to it, again, going solely on the look and feel.

Paul

quote:

Originally posted by Nigel Cavendish:
But not wealthy enough to afford a real Porsche...

Nah, the Boxster (or Cayman) is the best Porsche ever made.
John

Walking to the tube this morning there are now three very recent black boxsters in our street. All black with the red brake capliers.

Looks like it's the popular thing....I'll have a chat to the wife but I don't think we can afford to keep up the Jones, the Merryls and Vincents in our street!

Jay

PS I think you should buy a Mondeo, preferably a four wheel drive one

Interesting comments about the stereotype drivers of certain cars. So what does everyone drive then?

JC said "Cocks drive Porsches"

The other JC said "Nah, the Boxster (or Cayman) is the best Porsche ever made."

Shome mishtake shurely?

What about the Cayenne, the 356, 914, 924, 944, 928, 968 and the other one - The iconic 911?

DS

quote:

What about the Cayenne[...]
DS

As seen parked on the yellow zig-zags outside school every morning?

Steve.

Puh! My Toyota Corolla diesel will survive you all. All it needs is a new set of tires each 100.000 kms.

When it comes down to it, a Porsche 911 is probably a very smart buy in terms of reliability, modest running costs, good residual value, etc etc. It's even got 2 seats for the kids!! Hard to fault really and a real classic.
Here's a '94 993 for under £24k. This is a sensible place to put your cash (I'm talking myself into this, aren't I).

quote:

Originally posted by John Channing:

quote:

Originally posted by Nigel Cavendish:
But not wealthy enough to afford a real Porsche...

Nah, the Boxster (or Cayman) is the best Porsche ever made.
John

Only Boxster (or Coxster) owners, not wealthy enough...etc, say that.

OK I have a test drive this afternoon in a 2.7.

I'm not going to make a decision today, but I will be talking to their finance guy regarding options other than plonking down the reddies.

What should I be asking?!

Obviously I can do the maths on the figures they give me, but it would be nice to have some clue what they are talking about and if/how they're trying to increase their margin.

Paul

You should do the homework on 2.7 residuals in comparisons with 3.2's, and ask the dealer for sales figures between the two. You might get stuck with a 2.7, whereas everyone wants an S.

So which 911 variant do you run, Mr Cavendish?

quote:

Originally posted by Hammerhead:
So which 911 variant do you run, Mr Cavendish?

I don't - and your point is?

Boys , boys, behave please.

What the hell you buying a new Boxster one for? Buy a second hand 911 with a servicing/maintenance arrangement. Less depreciation and a better vehicle (arguably) to boot.

Jay

My point is that if you don't or haven't yet had the pleasure of owning a Porsche, I don't think you're in the position to say/knock what is or isn't a 'real' Porsche or have a dig at those that do own them.

I've had 3 Porsches to date - 944, 968 and Boxster - and don't really fancy a 911 just yet, not because I can't afford one.

'Best' of the lot? The 968 probably.

Ooh! touched a nerve have we?

You asked what Porsche I run now - I don't. From that you assume I have no experience of owning/driving?

Whatever, anything other than the 911 and it's ilk is the poor man's Porsche (or as Clarkson would say: "my life hasn't turned out quite as well as I would have hoped.."). End of.

IMHO, of course. Drive what you like.

No nerves to touch, dearest Nigel. I'm very thick skinned.

If I use your same defining logic, I can only deduce that you drive a 1987 Fiesta Popular (couldn't quite stretch to the Pop Plus). Shame.

Keep trying

Speaking as someone who has been fortunate enough to own & enjoy several Porsche's, 944s2, 968, 3 911's & now a boxster, I can honestly say they've all been great cars in different ways. I think the myth of rock-solid residual values of these cars is a little over stated however. My neighbour paid £44k for a 996, & sold it at a struggle for £25k, 3yrs & only 20k miles later with a fpsh. Not quite as good as some imagine.
I think all this "poor mans porsche" crap is generally spouted by people who know the cost of everything, & the value of nothing. And if that includes the esteemed mr clarkson, then so be it.
matt.

quote:

Originally posted by Hammerhead:
No nerves to touch, dearest Nigel. I'm very thick skinned.

If I use your same defining logic, I can only deduce that you drive a 1987 Fiesta Popular (couldn't quite stretch to the Pop Plus). Shame.

Keep trying

I have no issues with my masculinity.

Love and kisses.

I think Matt you have just confirmed that the real best buy is picking up a 3 year old 996 for £25k.
Isn't this all getting a bit wallet flexing, which I think is where we came in? There is a lot to be said for a Smart or a Mini which remain classless.

Yeah, a £25-30k 911 could well be a good buy.A nice 993c2, with very little added is superb. The running costs are substantially higher than a boxster though, which I think was one of the initial points. Also, its a bit of a wierd price point, because its inhabited by 993's which is the purists "last of the proper 911's, & also 996's which is more modern, but seems to have lost more money, & do have a few reliability issues, eg cylinder liners on pre- 2k models. Fuel/insurance & servicing, especially on 964 & 993's is a lot more than a boxster which is a great & easy car to own. 90% of a 911 for 50% of the cost. Plus, as you've only got 2 seats, you can be selfish about the kids--I'd love to take you out in the porsche kiddies, but I haven't got enough seats!! It can be a plus, sometimes.
matt.

quote:

Originally posted by Rasher:
I think Matt you have just confirmed that the real best buy is picking up a 3 year old 996 for £25k.
Isn't this all getting a bit wallet flexing, which I think is where we came in? There is a lot to be said for a Smart or a Mini which remain classless.

Tend to agree, it does feel a little garish, but I'm not sure how you're supposed to get informed opinions on something, and the costs involved without people knowing the costs concerned - my way of looking at it is that because I can't effortlessly flex my wallet I want to be sure of the facts/figures.

Anyway, I went for the test drive. Seems a cracking car, comfortable, not difficult to drive, pootles along in town/traffic, stick your foot down and it goes like stink (based on my judgement on what "stink" is!) and cruises at A-Road/Motorway speeds pretty damned effortlessly.

Sorry folks but now for the garish part.

Option A is just pay for the thing, let's say £35k.

Option B, on ballpark figures from the finance guy suggested a deposit of £5k, 36 monthlies of £485 with a balloon of £19k giving a total of approx £42k. That's one something called "Lease Purchase Balanced Payments" where every couple of years they try to convince you to change cars.

An online compound interest calculator suggests if I stuck my £35k in a savings account at 5% it would be worth approx £40k after 3 years.

So it seems I'm effectively paying around £2k which is around 5% and over three years doesn't seem the end of the world.

The monthly payments would come out of my normal wages/current account, as would the deposit so assume the £35k isn't being dipped into to cover the payments.

Bit of a side-issue, and at some point I need to speak to an IFA anyway, but what options are there to get a decent return on the £35k with no risks?

Paul

Glad you enjoyed the test drive; paying for the car itself, me thinks its always best to pay out of your own pocket with no finance involved.

£35K to invest with no risks, Premium bonds!
I'm no IFA though, just my opinion.

Paul

Hi there paul. If you've not done the "balloon payment" type thing before, there are a couple of points to consider. Very few people go into a dealership & slap £40k+ on the table & say "that one there please guv".Some kind of finance is usual. Balloon payment systems work for the dealer, because it kinda hooks you into their dealership in 3 years when you come to sell or p'ex the car. You are likely to change the car for another from them & "worry about the balloon" later.
You need to be paying monthly instalments which are greater than the amount it depreciates every month, or at the end of the agreement, the equity you have in the car may only be the same as the balloon you owe. On a £35k porsche, I would guess that a £15K max ballon would be sensible.Then balance the monthly amount/deposit to suit you. Also remember that normally, you are paying the interest on the loan for the first year or so, & the loan for the 2nd half. The downside of this is that if you to change the car after a year or two, the settlement figure looks high compared to what the car is worth because you've only so far been reducing the interest owed.Also, the apr rate is normally higher than if you got a straight car loan from the open market.I'd guess normal loans at about 6% apr, balloon payments are maybe 3% higher. With those caveats, its a good way of financing a car(as long as its a car which holds value well) if it suits you (sir).
hope that helps,
matt.

Quick question on this baloon payment stuff. If you have a £15k baloon payment am I correct in thinking you will always be paying the interest on that £15k?

Sorry for the diversion!

Jay