Porsche: Early model second-hand porsche boxster a good buy?

Hi,

I've just moved to the US, and need to buy a car. Looking through the
second-hand car market, I am amazed at how cheap you can buy Porsche
Boxsters for - in the LA area. I have seen them advertised as low as
$13000 and there is a lot of stock around the $16000 range. These are
typically 1995 - 2000 models.

Given my respect for the boxster, this seems almost too good to be true.
Do people have advice on whether an early model boxster is a wise
purchase or not? Are they reliable? What are maintenance and repair
costs like? Insurance?

I realize that maintenance and repair is likely to be higher, but I also
suspect that the boxster should retain its value better than almost any
other car at the price range - since they still look modern and are
considered a "prestigious" brand.

Do people think I should go for it, or should I look at getting
something else for that price?

Although Porsches tend to hold their resale quite well, Porsche of
America claims that more units are sold every year in California
(pre-dominantly southern California) than anywhere else in the world.
Because of this, there is a glutton of them on the used market in areas
like Los Angeles and the resale value falls. The only reason the
dealers tolerate this rather than sending the cars to out-of-state lots
where they might garner higher prices is because the same demand that
sells so many new cars also equates to a high demand for less expensive
pre-owned units. This of course is driven in part because older models
such as the 964 and 993 generation 911s are still considered "cool"
(and rightly so), there's nothing negative about driving an "older"
Porsche for most people. That said, you may want to consider trying to
find an early 993 or a late model 964 as opposed to the Boxster, which
had early engine problems and can't match the performance of the 911
unless you get into an "S". I've also heard some complaints about the
longevity of the plastic window in early Boxsters. I'd reccomend
contacting California Cars in Thousand Oaks, they predominantly
specialize in Porsches, usually have several used models in stock to
choose from and can generally find a car for you if they don't have it.
You can see their inventory list (with pictures) and
http://www.californiacars.com although it sometimes takes a week for
new vehicles to hit the website so you can always call and ask if
there's anything not yet listed. They also have a Porsche trained
mechanic on-site, so the cars are well looked over before they are put
for sale.