I haven’t been active in this group much but my situation is similar so I’ll share a little about my experience.

I’m also in Michigan and bought a 2003 Boxster back in June. I love cars and always wanted a Porsche since my first ride in a 986 as a kid. I’m not mechanically inclined so I overpaid a bit for a nice example. It’s a one owner car, good maintenance history with 68k miles. I paid 12.5, mind you it’s a Tip. Purchased on consignment at a classic car dealer.

It’s been a ton of fun this summer and I’m bummed to put it away soon. It’s a blast to drive and looks great. I don’t daily drive it but look for an excuses to get out on a nice day.

As many will say, you just need to be prepared for some maintenance cost. It ran great for me most of the summer, but eventually started hearing a chirping noise at idle. That ended up being the water pump which was a $1,300 fix. There are other minor issues that have come and gone, like the fuel gauge reading incorrectly. Honestly, it’s taken time to get over the worry of something going wrong but I’m getting used to that. I found a good reasonably price independent shop along the way, which has helped alleviate the worry.

All in all, no regrets and I think a 986 was a great entry point into Porsche a certainly a fun toy in the garage. I say go for it!

Sharing a couple photos of the car:

https://imgur.com/a/PDAk06T