HomePick of the DayPick of the Day: 1998 Porsche Boxster

Pick of the Day: 1998 Porsche Boxster

Powered by a 2.7-liter 6-cylinder boxer engine

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I have owned more Porsches than any other manufacturer. This is due to a number of factors.

First, I saw the movie Risky Business when it was new and the Porsche 928 scene where Tom Cruise says, “Porsche, there is no substitute,” made a big impression.

Second, for as long as I can remember there have been used Porsche models that were affordable, even for first time buyers. My first Porsche was a 1968 912 Targa that I bought in 1983 for $2,500. This is a great trend that continues today.

Third, just look at the history of the marque. They have 19 overall 24 Hours of Le Mans wins, over 100 class and 22 overall wins at the Rolex Daytona 24-hour, and 18 overall wins at Sebring. That is a pretty amazing record.

And finally, and this is in my own personal experience, the reliability of a Porsche is better than any other senthusiast orientated manufacture, especially the older cars.

2003 Porsche Boxster
2003 Porsche Boxster

When I think about affordable Porsche options, I go to the 944. I still love these cars but decided to pick another car that offers some more modern amenities; the Porsche 986 Boxster.

The 986 Boxster, for those who do not know, is a mid-engine, two-seat sports car powered by a six-cylinderboxer engine. The car’s styling is reminiscent of the 550 Spyder and it was basically a Porsche concept car brought to the market.

When it was introduced it became the measuring stick of all two-seat roadsters and was praised by journalists as one of the best driving Porsche road cars ever built.

For a number of years these cars have been dropping in price due to one issue; The engine’s intermediate shaft bearing can fail and if it does it will basically destroys the engine. This is a big deal but if you are looking at a car that has not had this repair done, and the bearing has not failed, the fix will run around $1,500 dollars and it’s a permanent fix.

The Pick of the Day is from the second year of 986 Boxster production; a 1998 Porsche Boxster finished in the iconic combination of black over a Boxster Red full leather interior. Yes the ad incorrectly calls it a 1998. See the Porsche COA in the ad to verify. I am guessing it was a typo by the seller. (Click the link to view the listing)

It is being offered by a dealer in Omaha, Nebraska and they describe it as a Boxster that has covered only 30,000 from new and is in mint condition. This manual gearbox equipped Boxster has the later 2.5-liter 6-cylinder boxer engine with a factory-rated 201bhp and can cover 0-60 mph in 6.7 seconds and has a top speed on 149 MPH.

It has just about every available option you could put on a standard Boxster, including upgraded ‘ruffled’ leather, cruise control, traction control, aluminum faced instruments, and deluxe sound package. This Porsche has more features documented on the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity that accompanies the car.

If you are considering this car be sure to check to see if the IMS bearing replacement was done. If it hasn’t be done you’ll need to budget accordingly and do it immediately, if only for peace of mind.

For whatever reason, these cars, while not as affordable as they were a few years back, are still a good buy. This is illustrated by the asking price of only $17,900 for this one.

Today, like when these cars were launched, if you are looking for the best two-seat roadster from the 1990s and early 2000s, the Boxster is the choice.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Andy Reid
Andy Reid
Andy Reid's first car, purchased at age 15, was a 1968 Fiat 124 coupe. His second, obtained by spending his college savings fund, was a 1966 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2. Since then, he has owned more than 150 cars—none of them normal or reasonable—as well as numerous classic motorcycles and scooters. A veteran of film, television, advertising and helping to launch a few Internet-based companies, Reid was a columnist for Classic Motorsports magazine for 12 years and has written for several other publications. He is considered an expert in European sports and luxury cars and is a respected concours judge. He lives in Canton, Connecticut.

2 COMMENTS

  1. @Eric K This is deffinately a 98. The trim is granite gray, which was only offered through production date 7/98.

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