Porsche Boxster (2005 – 2012) Review

Porsche Boxster (2005 – 2012) At A Glance

5/5

+Enjoyable and easy to drive, wonderful engine sound, great performance, surprisingly practical for a two-seat sports car, good automatic PDK gearbox.

-Prices still remain quite high, even for the oldest versions.

Insurance Groups are between 43–46
On average it achieves 94% of the official MPG figure

Car seat chooser

Child seats that fit a Porsche Boxster (2005 – 2012)

Our unique Car Seat Chooser shows you which child car seats will fit this car and which seat positions that they will fit, so that you don't have to check every car seat manufacturer's website for compatibility.

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Real MPG average for a Porsche Boxster (2005 – 2012)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

94%

Real MPG

19–37 mpg

MPGs submitted

206

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

Satisfaction Index

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Ask Honest John

Can my insurer get away with an unfair payout for my written off 2005 Porsche Boxster?

"My cherished 2005 Porsche Boxster 987S was involved in an accident last week and was sadly declared a write-off by the insurance company. I bought it from a dealer (for peace of mind) but the insurer's settlement offer is based on the cheapest equivalent 'private seller's' advert they could find on Autotrader (which happens to be 315 miles away from me) saying that this proves I can replace my car at that value. Not only would I not want to buy the cheapest car in the UK, I wouldn't want to buy it from a private seller. I will be seriously out of pocket if I source a decent replacement Boxster S through another trade seller. Not only that, they want to deduct £1250 for some very minor pre-accident scratches, which would probably polish out anyway. They're a large, reputable insurer, but can they really penalise me like this on both counts? "
You have two sets of entitlements if the incident was the other party's fault. But you only have one set of entitlements, under TORT law. If the incident is your fault, then you are bound by contract. Under Tort law, you have the entitlement to be put back in the situation you were in prior to the incident. This is covered here http://fenchurchlaw.co.uk/coles-v-hetherton-implications-for-recovery-actions/ In the contract it should say, "we ascertain the market value as being one by which you should be able to replace your car for one of the same make model year and condition and mileage as to the one you had." Now here is the con, should you raise a complaint and take this to the Financial Ombudsman Service, they do not take examples in the market place into consideration, they only refer to the Guides used in the industry. These being Glass Guide, CAP motor research and occasionally Parkers. The FOS compare them, and the version that stands out as being different than the other two, they dismiss. Should you take this to court, they DO take examples in the market place as evidence, as they look at the contract wording. Your insurer CAN make adjustments for condition, if they have deducted £1250, this is usually 50 per cent of the cost to put your car back to "retailable" condition (i.e. the highest value). This is not damage that would "polish out". Contact the Insurer ( I am confident I know exactly who they are) and ask them for a full engineer's copy of their Audatex Report. Use this exact wording. This will show how they have adjusted the value for condition. Then also ask them for a screen print of their Glass guide. You will then know where you stand.
Answered by Tim Kelly

My used Porsche Boxster 987 has a serious leak - should the dealer contribute to the repair costs?

"After four months of ownership, I've just discovered that my Porsche Boxster 987 S has a permanently sodden carpet behind the front passenger seat (which would explain the heavy condensation since I've owned it). Porsche advised that it's almost certainly caused by blocked drain tubes. Once cleared they would need to remove the seats, trim and carpet to dry everything to prevent the electrical controls under the seat from failing e.g. hood mechanism. This is not a cheap fix. The car came with a third-party six month mechanical warranty, which doesn't cover this problem. Can I go back to the dealer for a contribution?"
Because the blockage preceded your ownership of the car the dealer who sold it to you is directly responsible and liable to fix it. See: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/consumer-rights/ In a case like this the law assumes that the fault pre-existed the purchase. If it went to court the dealer would be required to prove that it didn't, which he can't do. After six months ownership the burden of proof is the other way round.
Answered by Honest John

Would buying a Porsche Boxster in Macadamia Brown Metallic adversely affect the resale value?

"I've been thinking of buying a 2008 Porsche Boxster 987 in Macadamia Brown Metallic. It's a nice car but do you think this would be a silly colour to buy and would it affect the resale value adversely? It's a dark metallic brown. "
It's the kind of colour that some people like; others don't, so it narrows the market for resale.
Answered by Honest John

Does the Porsche Boxster have any known faults?

"We recently bought a 2009 Porsche Boxster 2.9 from a main dealer. Could you let us know what to watch out for (if anything)?"
All in the car by car entry here: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/porsche/boxster-986-1996/ Bad stuff under the tab 'Good and Bad'.
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

What does a Porsche Boxster (2005 – 2012) cost?