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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
2013 981 Boxster PDK
- Thread starter MR_Y
- Start date
MR_Y
Well-known member
Deal confirmed.
Pictures to follow in a new thread.
I have been looking for the past few months (actually since July 2020) for a 981 Cayman S.
I have seen a few and was disappointed with the spec or the condition.
Some were really well priced and in excellent condition, but I decided to hold on until I found the one with all my spec requirements ticked AND at a decent price AND in decent condition.
After many 'phone calls to guys selling on Gumtree adverts, many hours of online used car searches, many chats with with used car dealers (Porsche and non-Porsche), getting mates to test drive cars in Cape Town and Durban on my behalf, and getting myself properly lost in Pretoria trying to find a unicorn of a car, I finally found "the one" in KZN.
However, that was half the battle.
The other half was trying to sell my Boxster - which I have been trying to do for the past few weeks.
Selling a base (i.e. non S/GTS) Porsche is extremely difficult, even if you have the best specced base car in the country.
The majority of offers received were significantly below the trade value. Heck, even the official trade book value is pretty poor.
I finally found a buyer who offered me substantially above book value and appreciated the options fitted to the car, the low mileage (33,000km) and excellent body and mechanical condition. Yes, I lost some (basically equivalent to the VAT paid on the purchase price) money on the car, but that is to be expected and it is a loss I was prepared to bear to allow me to step into "the one".
Cars are never rational purchases, no matter how much we try to rationalise it and tell our friends "oh, that was a great deal". There is no such thing as a great deal.
I am sure that I may have overpaid a bit on my 981 Cayman S and I will likely lose some value after a few years. Though, unlike previous cars, I intend on keeping this car a bit longer since it was a true labour of love trying to find this car. I have never invested so much time and effort in finding a vehicle in the past.
Anyway, my 2014 981 Cayman S is to be delivered soon and pictures and a detailed thread will follow.
The 2013 Boxster base is a good car, but it was a car that I settled for and compromised on. I was not very happy with the spec nor the day-to-day performance, especially at altitude.
@"Del-Bosc" - you are correct Sir.
From recent experience I can confirm that you cannot buy or extend the used car maintenance plan from Porsche, unless you buy the car from them.
Pictures to follow in a new thread.
I have been looking for the past few months (actually since July 2020) for a 981 Cayman S.
I have seen a few and was disappointed with the spec or the condition.
Some were really well priced and in excellent condition, but I decided to hold on until I found the one with all my spec requirements ticked AND at a decent price AND in decent condition.
After many 'phone calls to guys selling on Gumtree adverts, many hours of online used car searches, many chats with with used car dealers (Porsche and non-Porsche), getting mates to test drive cars in Cape Town and Durban on my behalf, and getting myself properly lost in Pretoria trying to find a unicorn of a car, I finally found "the one" in KZN.
However, that was half the battle.
The other half was trying to sell my Boxster - which I have been trying to do for the past few weeks.
Selling a base (i.e. non S/GTS) Porsche is extremely difficult, even if you have the best specced base car in the country.
The majority of offers received were significantly below the trade value. Heck, even the official trade book value is pretty poor.
I finally found a buyer who offered me substantially above book value and appreciated the options fitted to the car, the low mileage (33,000km) and excellent body and mechanical condition. Yes, I lost some (basically equivalent to the VAT paid on the purchase price) money on the car, but that is to be expected and it is a loss I was prepared to bear to allow me to step into "the one".
Cars are never rational purchases, no matter how much we try to rationalise it and tell our friends "oh, that was a great deal". There is no such thing as a great deal.
I am sure that I may have overpaid a bit on my 981 Cayman S and I will likely lose some value after a few years. Though, unlike previous cars, I intend on keeping this car a bit longer since it was a true labour of love trying to find this car. I have never invested so much time and effort in finding a vehicle in the past.
Anyway, my 2014 981 Cayman S is to be delivered soon and pictures and a detailed thread will follow.
The 2013 Boxster base is a good car, but it was a car that I settled for and compromised on. I was not very happy with the spec nor the day-to-day performance, especially at altitude.
Del-Bosc said:
@"Del-Bosc" - you are correct Sir.
From recent experience I can confirm that you cannot buy or extend the used car maintenance plan from Porsche, unless you buy the car from them.
MR_Y
Well-known member
The saga continues...
https://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=95329
https://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=95329
MR_Y
Well-known member
Popped up in my Facebook memories feed today, from 4 years ago....
A good car, but not really that memorable - especially when driven at Highveld altitude, where it loses a lot of its urge.
I would rate my Z4 E85 2.5si as being a better overall drive than this (apart from the numb steering on the Z4)
A good car, but not really that memorable - especially when driven at Highveld altitude, where it loses a lot of its urge.
I would rate my Z4 E85 2.5si as being a better overall drive than this (apart from the numb steering on the Z4)
MR_Y
Well-known member
Popped up in my Google Photos memory feed.
6 years ago, this was my first step into Porsche ownership. Shortly after buying this car, Covid hit and lockdown.
This car was driven from JHB to KZN (back when the N3 was in a much better condition than today) and did small trips to the shops and the office, and a skid pan event at Zwartkops.
While the car handled well, the engine (especially at Highveld altitude) was the weak point. As mentioned elsewhere, my E85 Z4 2.5Si had a better engine, though its handling/steering was not in the same league.
After a year, the Cayman S was a proper upgrade over the base Boxster, since the 3.4 engine felt more like a proper Porsche engine (it was borrowed from the 991.1 Carrera base). For practicality reasons, the Cayman S had to go after a year and a bit, then came the Macan S Diesel and since 2024 I am with the 911 (which does everything well).
Looking at used values for 2013 base Boxsters, it may have made financial sense to keep my car (values have gone up by R100-150k compared to what I paid back in 2020). But, the aim of the ownership experience was to get exposure to the car/brand and move on to other models.
Anyway, that's my trip down memory lane.
For anyone looking at an entry-level 981 Boxster, the Boxster S (same engine as Cayman S) is well worth the small premium over the base Boxster. The 981 S is a 991.1 in a smaller and arguably better handling package.
6 years ago, this was my first step into Porsche ownership. Shortly after buying this car, Covid hit and lockdown.
This car was driven from JHB to KZN (back when the N3 was in a much better condition than today) and did small trips to the shops and the office, and a skid pan event at Zwartkops.
While the car handled well, the engine (especially at Highveld altitude) was the weak point. As mentioned elsewhere, my E85 Z4 2.5Si had a better engine, though its handling/steering was not in the same league.
After a year, the Cayman S was a proper upgrade over the base Boxster, since the 3.4 engine felt more like a proper Porsche engine (it was borrowed from the 991.1 Carrera base). For practicality reasons, the Cayman S had to go after a year and a bit, then came the Macan S Diesel and since 2024 I am with the 911 (which does everything well).
Looking at used values for 2013 base Boxsters, it may have made financial sense to keep my car (values have gone up by R100-150k compared to what I paid back in 2020). But, the aim of the ownership experience was to get exposure to the car/brand and move on to other models.
Anyway, that's my trip down memory lane.
For anyone looking at an entry-level 981 Boxster, the Boxster S (same engine as Cayman S) is well worth the small premium over the base Boxster. The 981 S is a 991.1 in a smaller and arguably better handling package.
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