The Porsche Boxter is one of the most enduring models of modern luxury sports cars. But at prices often well in excess of $50,000 for new models, buying used may be the way to go. With careful planning, shopping, test driving, you can search for used Boxters in a way that will give you confidence in your decision and, hopefully, save you a bundle of money off of a new Porsche.
Determine your budget for buying a used Boxter. Keep in mind that Porches tend to hold their value fairly well, and you may end up paying the same price for a used Boxter that you would pay for a new domestic car.
Secure financing if you do not plan to pay for your Boxter in cash. The best way to do this is to go to your bank or credit union and ask to be pre-qualified for a loan. If you are able to be pre-qualified for a loan, get it in writing from your bank or credit union. You can bring this note with you to your meetings with sellers to prove that you have the means to buy.
Decide on the criteria that will factor into your purchase decision. For example, if you're only looking for Boxters of a certain model year or of a certain color, these criteria will influence the way you shop.
Search for used Boxters in your area using online auto sales sites. These sites all have sophisticated search engines that allow you to search based on very specific car criteria, and you can arrange your results by their proximity to you, enabling you to focus on the Boxters that are for sale in your immediate area. Print out the entry so that you can rank your leads.
Find local Porsche dealers, specialized Porsche auto repair shops that specialize in high-end imports. Make a list of business names and phone numbers, then call each one to inquire about the availability of used Boxters. Write down all of the relevant car information as well as contact information.
Determine if any of your leads are too expensive or otherwise a inappropriate fit for your needs. Then rank all of your remaining leads, starting with the most promising one first.
Contact one seller at a time, starting with the one at the top of the list. When you contact a seller, first confirm that the car is still available, then confirm all of your relevant information about the car to make sure it's accurate. If you're still interested, work with the seller to arrange a test drive.
Test drive and personally inspect the car. Once you have exhausted your leads to your satisfaction and have test driven all of the vehicles you're interested in, it's time to make a final decision as to which one appeals to you most.
Ask for permission to take the vehicle to a garage for a full vehicle inspection and make arrangements to take the car to a mechanic you trust.
Order a full inspection on the vehicle and collect a detailed report. If the inspection revealed any information that dissuades you from purchasing, consider the expense of the inspection to be an incidental cost of car buying. If the car gets a clean bill of health, take it back to the seller to close the deal.
Pay the seller for the car. When you deliver payment to the seller, the seller should transfer the title to your name by recording the transaction on the back of the title. When this process is complete, you have purchased your Porsche Boxter.
