FS: A Very Special 2001 Boxster S
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Now THIS is how a Porsche should be presented !
Sweet ride....very tastefully accesorized.....and exceptional presentation Spiral.
Someone will be very happy with this lady parked in their garage.
Sweet ride....very tastefully accesorized.....and exceptional presentation Spiral.
Someone will be very happy with this lady parked in their garage.
Beware! have an Inspection done
I flew down to buy this car on 7/31. We took in to Porsche of Fremont and it has several issues that should be repaired. I was told rear tires had 4/32 when in fact the RR was down to the cord and the Left was almost bald. Three of four CV joints were split. It also has a moderate oil leak from the Right side cam cover. Brakes are soon to be replaced (30%) left. Make sure you do a pre purchase inspection! My little fiasco down to San Jose cost me $500 with airfare and inspection, but probably saved me $3K-$4K. Too bad, because it is a very nice car cosmetically.
I flew down to buy this car on 7/31. We took in to Porsche of Fremont and it has several issues that should be repaired. I was told rear tires had 4/32 when in fact the RR was down to the cord and the Left was almost bald. Three of four CV joints were split. It also has a moderate oil leak from the Right side cam cover. Brakes are soon to be replaced (30%) left. Make sure you do a pre purchase inspection! My little fiasco down to San Jose cost me $500 with airfare and inspection, but probably saved me $3K-$4K. Too bad, because it is a very nice car cosmetically.
Boy, that's quite a picture you're painting veloce986. You make it sound like my car is on its last legs. Here's my perspective:
I sent pictures to veloce986 of the outside of the rear tires with a coin inserted in the tread, which showed 4/32 tread depth, which means that they would need to be replaced. He knew that they would need to be replaced, and if fact tried to get me to lower my price due to this. I had already dropped the price of the car $1,000 for this buyer, so I was not willing to go any lower. In fact, he sent me 3 emails asking me to reduce the price, after I said I would not reduce the price further. I almost didn't reply to his last request, because I had spent a lot of energy corresponding with him, answering his questions, taking more pictures, etc., and he continued to ignore my emails that stated that I would not reduce the price further. He finally sent me an email accepting my price, stating that he would fly down 2 days later. I agreed to pick him up at the airport. Previously, he asked if I would agree to an inspection, and I told him I welcomed it. When I asked him about the inspection, he said he could not get an appointment that quick. Then he emailed me the night before he was coming to say he got an inspection appointment. That was fine with me. Although, I didn't understand why he didn't just decide to get an inspection before flying down to San Jose.
The rear tires are over 11 inches wide, so I didn't notice how bad they were on the inside. I've never had a car with so much camber on the wheels, so I didn't know that the inside of the tire could have so much more wear than the outside. With the car up on the rack during the inspection, it was clear to see the inside of the tires were in bad shape, and needed to be replaced immediately. Let me reiterate, veloce986 knew that they would have to be replaced soon, and he was willing to accept that cost with our negotiated price.
3 of the CV boots did have small tears. The mechanic said this was a normal wear item.
The moderate oil leak was described by the mechanic as some "seepage". I told him that there was no oil on the floor of my garage, and he said that there is probably a drip coming of the car once in a while when I'm driving. He said it's not leaking from a critical area that would fail all of sudden and leave the driver stranded. He said it didn't require immediate attention, and that it might progressively get worse over the years, but to just keep an eye on it. This did not sound to me like anything out of the ordinary for a car with 57k miles.
Yes, the front brakes have 30% and the back brakes have 40%. These are the original brakes. At 57k, and at the rate they're being used, I don't know if I'd say that 30% means they're "soon to be replaced".
So, that sounds like a fairly normal inspection to me for a car with 57k miles. The only issues that really needed attention were the tires, and the CV boots. I offered to pay for the tires, which veloce986 was originally going to pay for. I said I would not skimp, and would buy the best tires available, which would run me about $750 with installation. I told veloce986 that since he wasn't paying for the tires, he could pay for the CV boots after he returned home, since these did not pose a safety concern in their current condition. I called Don's Autowerks and they quoted me a price of $542 to replace all 4 CV boots (note the inspection only listed 3 CV boots with tears). So veloce986 would have actually paid less than the cost of the tires.
I also offered to give veloce986 some regular halogen headlights, so he could sell the Litronics ($2,500 new, and easily $1,000 on the used market), because he mentioned that the Litronic headlights were not an important option to him.
He declined all of these offers. Prior to the inspection, I never told him that I would pay for any of the items found in the inspection, yet I tried to reach a fair agreement. I told him up front that he was to pay for the inspection, and that I was not responsible if he flew down here and did not like the car. I was completely honest with him, and disclosed all information I had about the car. In fact, the ad that he responded to said that I would only deal with local buyers. I should have stuck to that, but I have bought cars through the internet, and have had a good experience so I was trying to give veloce986 the same opportunity. Of course, when I went to pick up the cars, I understood that there might be things that didn't meet my expectations, and that I would have to have a reasonable amount of flexibility.
After the inspection, I immediately replaced the tires with 4 (even though the 2 front tires still had 50%) new Bridgestone RE050A Pole Position tires, and gave the car a fresh alignment. I have an appointment to replace the CV boots.
I do agree with veloce986 on one thing. Get a pre-purchase inspection at a Porsche dealership. However, I don't really see the value in flying a considerable distance to be there in person.
I sent pictures to veloce986 of the outside of the rear tires with a coin inserted in the tread, which showed 4/32 tread depth, which means that they would need to be replaced. He knew that they would need to be replaced, and if fact tried to get me to lower my price due to this. I had already dropped the price of the car $1,000 for this buyer, so I was not willing to go any lower. In fact, he sent me 3 emails asking me to reduce the price, after I said I would not reduce the price further. I almost didn't reply to his last request, because I had spent a lot of energy corresponding with him, answering his questions, taking more pictures, etc., and he continued to ignore my emails that stated that I would not reduce the price further. He finally sent me an email accepting my price, stating that he would fly down 2 days later. I agreed to pick him up at the airport. Previously, he asked if I would agree to an inspection, and I told him I welcomed it. When I asked him about the inspection, he said he could not get an appointment that quick. Then he emailed me the night before he was coming to say he got an inspection appointment. That was fine with me. Although, I didn't understand why he didn't just decide to get an inspection before flying down to San Jose.
The rear tires are over 11 inches wide, so I didn't notice how bad they were on the inside. I've never had a car with so much camber on the wheels, so I didn't know that the inside of the tire could have so much more wear than the outside. With the car up on the rack during the inspection, it was clear to see the inside of the tires were in bad shape, and needed to be replaced immediately. Let me reiterate, veloce986 knew that they would have to be replaced soon, and he was willing to accept that cost with our negotiated price.
3 of the CV boots did have small tears. The mechanic said this was a normal wear item.
The moderate oil leak was described by the mechanic as some "seepage". I told him that there was no oil on the floor of my garage, and he said that there is probably a drip coming of the car once in a while when I'm driving. He said it's not leaking from a critical area that would fail all of sudden and leave the driver stranded. He said it didn't require immediate attention, and that it might progressively get worse over the years, but to just keep an eye on it. This did not sound to me like anything out of the ordinary for a car with 57k miles.
Yes, the front brakes have 30% and the back brakes have 40%. These are the original brakes. At 57k, and at the rate they're being used, I don't know if I'd say that 30% means they're "soon to be replaced".
So, that sounds like a fairly normal inspection to me for a car with 57k miles. The only issues that really needed attention were the tires, and the CV boots. I offered to pay for the tires, which veloce986 was originally going to pay for. I said I would not skimp, and would buy the best tires available, which would run me about $750 with installation. I told veloce986 that since he wasn't paying for the tires, he could pay for the CV boots after he returned home, since these did not pose a safety concern in their current condition. I called Don's Autowerks and they quoted me a price of $542 to replace all 4 CV boots (note the inspection only listed 3 CV boots with tears). So veloce986 would have actually paid less than the cost of the tires.
I also offered to give veloce986 some regular halogen headlights, so he could sell the Litronics ($2,500 new, and easily $1,000 on the used market), because he mentioned that the Litronic headlights were not an important option to him.
He declined all of these offers. Prior to the inspection, I never told him that I would pay for any of the items found in the inspection, yet I tried to reach a fair agreement. I told him up front that he was to pay for the inspection, and that I was not responsible if he flew down here and did not like the car. I was completely honest with him, and disclosed all information I had about the car. In fact, the ad that he responded to said that I would only deal with local buyers. I should have stuck to that, but I have bought cars through the internet, and have had a good experience so I was trying to give veloce986 the same opportunity. Of course, when I went to pick up the cars, I understood that there might be things that didn't meet my expectations, and that I would have to have a reasonable amount of flexibility.
After the inspection, I immediately replaced the tires with 4 (even though the 2 front tires still had 50%) new Bridgestone RE050A Pole Position tires, and gave the car a fresh alignment. I have an appointment to replace the CV boots.
I do agree with veloce986 on one thing. Get a pre-purchase inspection at a Porsche dealership. However, I don't really see the value in flying a considerable distance to be there in person.
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so where is your ad with all the pics....
link comes up as an error now....
If I remember correctly you were asking a fairly stiff price for your car, so most folks would expect the car to have absolutely ZERO issues.
Boxster prices in general are very soft. so if you are going to ask top dollar, you better have a near perfect car.
link comes up as an error now....
If I remember correctly you were asking a fairly stiff price for your car, so most folks would expect the car to have absolutely ZERO issues.
Boxster prices in general are very soft. so if you are going to ask top dollar, you better have a near perfect car.
Sorry, I fixed the link. I realize that my price won't appeal to the average person looking for an average Boxster. I'm looking for a buyer who appreciates the options and upgrades (over 20k worth). I was unaware of any issues with the car, other than it needing rear tires, which I factored into my negotiation of the price. To some people, tire choice is a very personal thing, so I thought it best to adjust the price for this and let the new owner make that decision. I just spent over $1,200 on new tires, and am having the CV boots replaced, so now this will be a near perfect car.
Vehicle Inspection Report
Just so I'm not misquoted. From the Vehicle Inspection Report form from the dealer:
1. Clutch pedal Travel was noted as being stiff and noted some clutch wear.
2. Brake pads F 30% R 40% left
3. 3 of 4 CV boots torn open
Under comments:
Rear tires at wear bars. Cords showing. RR very dangerous need replacement ASAP. Front tires wearing inside. 50% tread left.
Oil leakage right cam cover area. Oil seepage left cam cover and rear of engine area.
I was put off more by the expense of the oil leaks than the tires and CV joints. The car has also had previous body damage (repaired and covered by the body kit in the sill area) and recently had the right door repainted (The work was done very nicely) due to a small crease which hasn't been mentioned in the add. I would have paid the agreed price if the car has been in the condition it was advertised and was disappointed that I had to fly back home. I didn't have the time to have the CV joint boots replaced and all new tires mounted up prior to driving back to Oregon, as I needed to be back the next day. If Doug had been more willing to negotiate for the issues (allowing only $500 for Tires, CV Joints, Oil Leaks and Brakes) ,I might have still purchased the car. Yes, I knew it would soon need new tires, probably in the spring as he said they had a few thousand miles left, not 0! 4/32 would have gotten me home and thru the fall. In any case I found a very nice '04 S with 25K less miles here in Oregon that checked out perfectly for only $1000 more than the asking price of this 2001.
Just so I'm not misquoted. From the Vehicle Inspection Report form from the dealer:
1. Clutch pedal Travel was noted as being stiff and noted some clutch wear.
2. Brake pads F 30% R 40% left
3. 3 of 4 CV boots torn open
Under comments:
Rear tires at wear bars. Cords showing. RR very dangerous need replacement ASAP. Front tires wearing inside. 50% tread left.
Oil leakage right cam cover area. Oil seepage left cam cover and rear of engine area.
I was put off more by the expense of the oil leaks than the tires and CV joints. The car has also had previous body damage (repaired and covered by the body kit in the sill area) and recently had the right door repainted (The work was done very nicely) due to a small crease which hasn't been mentioned in the add. I would have paid the agreed price if the car has been in the condition it was advertised and was disappointed that I had to fly back home. I didn't have the time to have the CV joint boots replaced and all new tires mounted up prior to driving back to Oregon, as I needed to be back the next day. If Doug had been more willing to negotiate for the issues (allowing only $500 for Tires, CV Joints, Oil Leaks and Brakes) ,I might have still purchased the car. Yes, I knew it would soon need new tires, probably in the spring as he said they had a few thousand miles left, not 0! 4/32 would have gotten me home and thru the fall. In any case I found a very nice '04 S with 25K less miles here in Oregon that checked out perfectly for only $1000 more than the asking price of this 2001.
Stu still seems to be having selective recollection. I disclosed the body work to Stu before he flew down. It had a scratch on one of the lower rocker panels. It was repainted, and that area also coincidentally ended up being covered by the body kit at a much later date. There was also a barely perceptable door ding that was located near the door edge that slightly creased the clearcoat. It too was repaired to the highest quality.
We were both there when the mechanic said that the oil leaks didn't require immediate attention, and he would advise just keeping an eye on them. The car has sat in my garage for three weeks at a time, and I've never had one drop on my garage floor. Personally, I don't see the brakes and oil leaks as issues requiring further negotiation since I had already dropped my price $1,000.
It didn't seem like Stu was very concerned about the brakes or oil leaks either, because after the inspection, Stu said he would buy the car if I put rear tires on it. I told Stu I would give him $500 so he could get tires, because I wanted to get back to work. He declined. After thinking about it, I offered to have the tires put on and pay for the best rear tires you can buy ($750), as well as offering him the halogen headlights. He refused and made no counter-offer. So Stu reneged on his previous offer. That's fine. People change their minds.
That's fine if Stu didn't want to agree to my terms. I just don't like him implying that I tried to mislead him in any way, or that it was my fault he flew down. I would have much rather done the inspection before he flew down. I also wish I could have done it on the weekend, when I wouldn't have lost wages from missing work. So we both lost time and money on this failed transaction. If Stu wanted to introduce some contingencies on the inspection (like that I would agree to pay for everything noted in the inspection), then he should have requested that before the inspection. I wouldn't have agreed, and we could have gone our separate ways.
I disclosed everything about the car to the best of my knowledge. I'm not a mechanic, and I don't have a hydraulic lift at my house. I had no way of knowing about the CV boots or oil leaks. I took pictures of the tires, and if I had known how bad they were on the inside, I would have put on new tires immediately (like I did after the inspection). The clutch feels no different to me than the day I bought it, and obviously was not significant enough for the mechanic to mention it to us personally. Also, to say that a car with 57k has some clutch wear doesn't surprise me.
After the inspection, the service manager came up to us and made a point to tell me how nice my Boxster is. Everybody has their own perspective.
We were both there when the mechanic said that the oil leaks didn't require immediate attention, and he would advise just keeping an eye on them. The car has sat in my garage for three weeks at a time, and I've never had one drop on my garage floor. Personally, I don't see the brakes and oil leaks as issues requiring further negotiation since I had already dropped my price $1,000.
It didn't seem like Stu was very concerned about the brakes or oil leaks either, because after the inspection, Stu said he would buy the car if I put rear tires on it. I told Stu I would give him $500 so he could get tires, because I wanted to get back to work. He declined. After thinking about it, I offered to have the tires put on and pay for the best rear tires you can buy ($750), as well as offering him the halogen headlights. He refused and made no counter-offer. So Stu reneged on his previous offer. That's fine. People change their minds.
That's fine if Stu didn't want to agree to my terms. I just don't like him implying that I tried to mislead him in any way, or that it was my fault he flew down. I would have much rather done the inspection before he flew down. I also wish I could have done it on the weekend, when I wouldn't have lost wages from missing work. So we both lost time and money on this failed transaction. If Stu wanted to introduce some contingencies on the inspection (like that I would agree to pay for everything noted in the inspection), then he should have requested that before the inspection. I wouldn't have agreed, and we could have gone our separate ways.
I disclosed everything about the car to the best of my knowledge. I'm not a mechanic, and I don't have a hydraulic lift at my house. I had no way of knowing about the CV boots or oil leaks. I took pictures of the tires, and if I had known how bad they were on the inside, I would have put on new tires immediately (like I did after the inspection). The clutch feels no different to me than the day I bought it, and obviously was not significant enough for the mechanic to mention it to us personally. Also, to say that a car with 57k has some clutch wear doesn't surprise me.
After the inspection, the service manager came up to us and made a point to tell me how nice my Boxster is. Everybody has their own perspective.
The only reason I mentioned the previous body work was that it was nor mentioned in the add. I was aware of it prior to flying down and after viewing the car, it was not an issue.
My dealer here in Portland said that it could cost up to $2500 to fix the oil leaks, and if the boots were cracked it would possibly require new axles to the tune of $1500. They said that at that price the car should be perfect. It wasn't, so I didn't buy it. Like I said previously, it is probably the nicest looking 2000-2002 Boxster I have seen, but beauty isn't everything. With the new tires and alignment and the new boots, he would have had a sale, but all he was willing to negotiate was $500 towards a new pair of rear tires, ($700 from Costco) and they wouldn't have matched the fronts as they are no longer available. He did mention that I could have the old headlights for resale purposes. I have puchased two Alfa Romeo's over the web as well as several collector motorcycles and all had their isssues noted. I guess I just expected the same from a Porsche owner.
My dealer here in Portland said that it could cost up to $2500 to fix the oil leaks, and if the boots were cracked it would possibly require new axles to the tune of $1500. They said that at that price the car should be perfect. It wasn't, so I didn't buy it. Like I said previously, it is probably the nicest looking 2000-2002 Boxster I have seen, but beauty isn't everything. With the new tires and alignment and the new boots, he would have had a sale, but all he was willing to negotiate was $500 towards a new pair of rear tires, ($700 from Costco) and they wouldn't have matched the fronts as they are no longer available. He did mention that I could have the old headlights for resale purposes. I have puchased two Alfa Romeo's over the web as well as several collector motorcycles and all had their isssues noted. I guess I just expected the same from a Porsche owner.
Stu, your story continues to grow. Are you sure we're talking about the same car? If you want me to point out all the gaping holes, lies and contradictions in your last post, I can, but I think people are probably tired of the bickering. I apologized for not knowing about the issues that were discovered during the inspection, but like I said, I'm not a mechanic. I just go by what the qualified people tell me, and the last inspection (13k miles ago) didn't list any of these issues. I certainly would not have wasted your time or mine if I had known about them. Thanks for paying for the inspection. Now that I've had the car repaired and put on new tires, I don't think I can get what the car is worth to me, so I'm taking it off the market.
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I love this thread 
5 stars!
spiral..you handle it very well!
I agree with bigb but I don't think spiral intentionally hiding the issues, like what he said..he's not a mechanic! with that said *hijack alert*...bigb..r u back already, i'll be 2 britt arms almaden this saturday around 10:30.
robert...what it do, dude! been awhile!
5 stars!spiral..you handle it very well!
I agree with bigb but I don't think spiral intentionally hiding the issues, like what he said..he's not a mechanic! with that said *hijack alert*...bigb..r u back already, i'll be 2 britt arms almaden this saturday around 10:30.
robert...what it do, dude! been awhile!
Gerry, sorry buddy, still in Chicago (watching the Blue Angels do their practice runs over the lake in preparation for the weekend airshow), and back on Sunday! So I'll have to miss this one, but we should plan on doing something during the week if that works for you. (I'm traveling again next Sat)
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bigb..I would call in sick..just for you..LOL weekdays are going to be hard..3 kids, wife and 3 dogs..
I'll be travelling too next week (22nd till 24th) to Vegas with wifey and partying like a rockstar..yeah!
while you're watching the airshow, I will be enjoying the air on the 25th by skydiving w/ my daughter in Gilroy..i know, crazy, right...don't ask...hehehehehe!
I am so broke by the end of this summer...hahahaha!
sorry spiral..don't meant to hijack your thread
weekdays are going to be hard..3 kids, wife and 3 dogs..I'll be travelling too next week (22nd till 24th) to Vegas with wifey and partying like a rockstar..yeah!
while you're watching the airshow, I will be enjoying the air on the 25th by skydiving w/ my daughter in Gilroy..i know, crazy, right...don't ask...hehehehehe!
I am so broke by the end of this summer...hahahaha!
sorry spiral..don't meant to hijack your thread
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sorry spiral..don't meant to hijack your thread
Hijack away--PLEASE. These two need to take their windy third-person airing of greivances off the forums.
I'm not a board monitor, but doesn't really seem like the place for it to me.
Get an arbitrator already. Or a room. Or some boxing gloves.