"Mark" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote

The '97-99 years had more problems than 2000 and on.  One of the
main concerns was multiple oil leaks.  The 2000 model year has the
larger 2.7L engine with more HP.  Insurance and repairs are about
any other car - especially if you don't insist on dealer repair shops.

FloydR

Within your parameters, you certainly want a 2000.  Larger engine (2.7L)
with more HP.  Much more fun to drive.  Few if any chronic problems from
that year on.  If you happen to run into a great deal on a 2000
Boxster-S...with the 3.2L engine.  Grab it...they are terrific.

Although Porsches tend to hold their resale quite well, Porsche of
America claims that more units are sold every year in California
(pre-dominantly southern California) than anywhere else in the world.
Because of this, there is a glutton of them on the used market in areas
like Los Angeles and the resale value falls. The only reason the
dealers tolerate this rather than sending the cars to out-of-state lots
where they might garner higher prices is because the same demand that
sells so many new cars also equates to a high demand for less expensive
pre-owned units. This of course is driven in part because older models
such as the 964 and 993 generation 911s are still considered "cool"
(and rightly so), there's nothing negative about driving an "older"
Porsche for most people. That said, you may want to consider trying to
find an early 993 or a late model 964 as opposed to the Boxster, which
had early engine problems and can't match the performance of the 911
unless you get into an "S". I've also heard some complaints about the
longevity of the plastic window in early Boxsters. I'd reccomend
contacting California Cars in Thousand Oaks, they predominantly
specialize in Porsches, usually have several used models in stock to
choose from and can generally find a car for you if they don't have it.
You can see their inventory list (with pictures) and
http://www.californiacars.com although it sometimes takes a week for
new vehicles to hit the website so you can always call and ask if
there's anything not yet listed. They also have a Porsche trained
mechanic on-site, so the cars are well looked over before they are put
for sale.