Leases vary in length

Have seen a few base/S models available off-lease with 10,000-15,000 miles. Porsche Certified, and within my budget and the price ranges listed on KBB, Edmunds, NADA. Very appealing.

However, we're planning to flee the Midwest this winter. Thus, the car would sit about three months before much actual use.

From a cost/purchase standpoint, would it be better to act now, negotiate an "off season" price (is there such a thing?), and look forward to a happy spring? Or would it be wiser to put everything on hold until spring and begin the search anew? Would Certified'13 models still be around or would off-lease '14 models be more readily available at a similar price?

Any thoughts or advice?

I would think that there is much less demand for convertibles right now. Come Spring and anyone at all interested, they'll want to get one then for the whole driving season. So, right now, you're much more likely to be able to negotiate a better price than when demand will be higher.

If you checked the car and you like it GO for it. You will spend 3 months of sheer agony but the wait will be very gratifying

And there are plenty of posters who put there cars up for the winter.

But if you are "fleeing" why not take the car with you? Best of all worlds.

and begin on varying dates so there will be a supply of off lease '13 cars for a while. I'd think they would peak more than a year from now at the 36 month point.

My guess is whether a specific car gets CPO'd is a dealer decision and often depends on if the dealer thinks he has to pay the upfront cost to move the car. Winter would be a motivator as sales prospects slow.

I've bought a Boxster with about 6" of snow on the ground and a snow shovel in the passenger seat. But that seller wasn't motivated by the snow but needed a salesgal's car for her job. I did get a good price.

Thanks much! Very helpful advice. Next couple of days should tell the story on whether I take the next step. Will keep you informed.

The adage is "when the top goes down the price goes up". But the reverse is also true. A PCA friend just bought a 2008 boxster at a great price. He had looked at the car previously, but could not come to price terms with the dealer. Once the weather turned, here in the NYC area, he went back in, the car was still there, and there were no buyers. He got his price, and less.

On the other hand, cars will continue to depreciate between now and spring. So the key is "are you getting the better part of a years' depreciation in additional discount?". I think if you negotiate hard, yes. Few convertible sports cars will be sold in the winter, and they all have to be "carried" (financed), stored, and then cleaned/prepped again in the spring. All this adds up. DO some math, present the dealer with facts, and make a low, but justified offer. The only thing to think about is that you want to make sure there are no initial surprises - drive it a bit before you flee; and that any warranty will begin running immediately.

One way or the other, buy a car you love enjoy it, and after 15years it will be a great deal either way.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Quote
grant
The adage is "when the top goes down the price goes up". But the reverse is also true. A PCA friend just bought a 2008 boxster at a great price. He had looked at the car previously, but could not come to price terms with the dealer. Once the weather turned, here in the NYC area, he went back in, the car was still there, and there were no buyers. He got his price, and less.

On the other hand, cars will continue to depreciate between now and spring. So the key is "are you getting the better part of a years' depreciation in additional discount?". I think if you negotiate hard, yes. Few convertible sports cars will be sold in the winter, and they all have to be "carried" (financed), stored, and then cleaned/prepped again in the spring. All this adds up. DO some math, present the dealer with facts, and make a low, but justified offer. The only thing to think about is that you want to make sure there are no initial surprises - drive it a bit before you flee; and that any warranty will begin running immediately.

One way or the other, buy a car you love enjoy it, and after 15years it will be a great deal either way.

Grant

Good points, Grant. As far as the warranty goes, it would have started the day the car was put on the road / licenced. 981's went on sale July 1, 2012. So, at this point there would be a minimum 1.5 years (max 50K mi.) factory warranty & roadside assist left on a 981.

Thanks again for some great insights. At this moment I'm still in discussions with the dealer, fingers crossed, hoping for a great deal. If we do come to terms, we won't be fleeing in a "new" Boxster. Love the dual trunk feature but it's just too small for all our stuff ... and we haul bikes.

.... put whatever you need for a few days in the trunks and ship the rest to your destination (including the bikes).
Good luck with the purchase.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

If you're looking for a deal, the December-January time frame is a good time to squeeze a seller, especially a dealer. As Grant mentioned, if it's on their showroom floor in December, it will likely be there for another 3-4 months--with the attendent carrying costs.
I like the idea of using the new car to flee the Midwest winter--as long as you get out of the area before the snows hit; driving long distances ( in a new car) on summer tires, across areas with freezing temps, might be problematic.

OK, I've got them down to $55,500 for 2013 black Boxster S with manual transmission, 20 inch Carrera Classic wheels, colored center wheel caps, seat ventilation, sport design steering wheel, Infotainment with Boxe and Convenience package. Sound like a good deal?

I would wait until the spring. I have always believed that Depreciation trumps Motivation. Deprecation is quantitative and Motivation if fickle at best....and one more thing, I would not procure the 1st model year...I would wait for a 2014.

There... I feel better. Thanks

MIKELLIG

Negotiated a final price of $55,000. Picking up the car tomorrow. Can't wait!

Congratulations and Happy Boxstering!

Manual transmissions are hard to find. I believe it takes a special order to the dealer. Congrats on what maybe an exceptional car. The original owner cared enough to put in a special order if my info is correct.

Took the Megabus to Chicago on Friday with a friend, sealed the deal, and drove it back home to Iowa City, smiling the whole way. Absolutely love the car. What a machine! I'm soooo glad to have the "S" with manual transmission. Anyone who calls this is a "hairdresser's" car is full of it. This is a serious road machine! Thankfully, the weather's been good and I've been driving it quite a bit .... any excuse.

Great you have a chance to enjoy the car right now. Just wait until spring when you can drive it topless.

enjoy.

on new cars, specifically Cayman's to the point I ended up getting a new 2008 Cayman S for $12K off of sticker, after losing the car after one month's ownership and going back into the market trying to find a replacement for the car in June/July of that same year, the pickin's were slim. While there were deals to be had they were with the more expensive examples and while they were discounted they came with too many expensive options, options I felt were of no value and thus unwilling to pay for and probably even had they been free would have been unwilling to have.

My point is you can buy now or you can buy later. Now, right now, you know what's available and at what price. Later, come spring the choices will almost certainly be fewer in number and with spring comes renewed competition for cars from other shoppers. Thus come spring expect slim pickin's.

Were I you I'd buy the car now, take Pedro's very good advice and what you can't fit in the car arrange to ship this to where you are heading and drive the car to where you intend to spend the winter. Look at it this way. To avoid shipping some bicycles and such now you will likely pay a very hefty premium come spring for a similar car, if you can even find a similar car.

Aristocrat Motors in Merriam KS, the Porsche dealer where I bought my 2002 Boxster, offering some good deals on both 2014 and 2015 Caymans, Boxsters and 911s.

... are superb. real steps up in my experience, and i see a LOT of them from all angles.

Only issue is that very few racing parts are yet available. In time.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Thank you all for your help and advice. Ten days later and I'm still all smiles every time I get behind the wheel ... this car is amazing!