Arms cost c£150 front, £250 rear, plus fitting. Suspension arm bushes have a limited life – especially the rose joints on the trailing arms. Feel for wet carpets behind the seats, usually caused by blocked hood drains.Įxpect a fun drive with sublime handling: anything less means that work is needed. The interior is durable, with bolster wear first to show up: a good trimmer can tidy up or re-upholster a worn seat. While rust is not usually an issue, it can occur where repairs have been left untreated, so inspect thoroughly. Full recent maintenance with nothing before is better than bills for just the first 12-15 years. Final-year 3.2s are often sold as the ‘Anniversary Edition’: don’t confuse those with the 1953 silver Spyder commemoratives, which have a numbered plaque on the centre console as well as a unique spec.Ī full service history with Official Porsche Centres or recognised specialists is far more valuable than low mileage, which can cause more problems than the opposite.

Long term, a loaded early 2.5 with low mileage will appreciate on rarity value for the moment, prices have levelled but are not yet rising. With currently a small differential between the models, it makes sense to buy the latest, best-spec 3.2 that you can find. The optional hardtop is nice but hardly necessary with the rapid, well-engineered and effective soft-top. Extras ranged from small to large trim upgrades (centre console and full leather being among the more desirable) plus air-conditioning, traction control and sport pack suspension. Standard 2.5s were bland inside: a good spec as on the car photographed makes a much nicer environment. When new, it was easy to add more than £10k to the £33,950 price. The 3.2 S is a more focused package, with a firmer ride and enough power to get into trouble. While the 2.5 is currently the bargain basement, the 2.7 is seen as the ultimate everyday Porsche, easy to drive, with lively throttle response and great road manners.

The engine grew to 2.7 litres, with a 3.2 ‘S’ alternative, in ’99. Production started in Stuttgart, supplemented from ’97 in Finland (the VIN has ‘U’ instead of ‘S’ as the 11th character). The car that saved Porsche from takeover in the late 1990s, the Boxster shared its headlights, front wings, bonnet, interior and engine with the first water-cooled 911, and used a 2.5-litre engine.

Boxster 2002 convertible trouble