1. High mileage Boxsters are cheap, but you get what you pay for. Expect to put $2k or more into your older, high mileage Boxster the first year of ownership. If you don’t have this extra cash, put off buying the car until you do. I had to replace two struts, a control arm, radiator fan, brake pads and put new tires on my Boxster and just these things were over $3k. Count the costs of buying an older car before you get all worked up about buying one in particular. Cheap Boxsters always cost more than newer ones with fewer miles on them. Period.

2. Buy as new a Boxster as you can possibly afford, and save up for the S (3.2L). Preferably, one with some remaining factory warranty on it. This will come in handy those first few months of ownership when the radiator overflow tank leaks, you discover a small rear main seal drip, etc. Everything is expensive to repair, so getting PCNA to pay for the first couple of rounds will quickly offset the extra money you paid for a newer one.

3. Pricing on used Boxsters is absolutely wild. You can find two Boxsters that are nearly identical in features, engine size and mileage and the price can differ as much as $4000 or more. Do your homework and know the value of the model year you are seeking to buy.

4. Buy one from an individual who loved the car and took care of it. If you can possibly buy a one-owner Boxster who has kept good maintenance records, even if the mileage is high, you’re doing better than buying one from a dealer where the car’s been driven by 2+ owners and serviced at multiple dealerships around the country. It’s just too hard to find out about work done on the car when it’s been in a number of owner’s hands at different cities.

read the full guide with pics here