Notice the damage to the center console. Can the peeling of the finish be repaired? Or is it a trim piece that is easily (cheaply?) replaced? What causes this? I'm considering buying this car, but this type of damage makes me question how well the car was taken care of.
I cannot comment on how hard it is to remove the center console, but others have done it. I wouldn't necessarily question the care as VAG used this on all of their brands in the late 2000s and it peels easily. My wife's Jetta was purchased new by us and pampered. We still had this issue. The interior in my car looks brand new except for some peeling by the coin tray. Suncoast sells the whole console for $795 I believe, or you can get a painted one.
As other have mentioned this is a common issue and does not mean the car was necessarily abused. You can repaint it or get new one. There is detailed procedure on repainting on the forums. I do not remember on which one - here on Pedro's garage. Do a search and you will find it. It is not a 10 min. fix but you will probably end up with better quality paint and finish than the original.
I just replaced mine with a painted center console (meteor gray metallic to match exterior) from Bumperplugs, and am very happy with the quality. Straightforward installation takes maybe 1 hour, depending on how many clips/harnesses you might have to transfer - plenty of detailed instructions available from various sites.
Which pieces did you need to purchase? On their site I saw 'front console' 'rear console' etc. From the pictures I couldn't tell which piece each option is.
My center console was pealing when I bought my CPO 2010 Boxster Base almost two years ago. I bought a body colored center console from Bumper Plugs with a core swap, and I've never looked back. The Meteor Grey Bumper Plugs console is smooth, shiny, and perfect. I wipe it off with a microfiber towel when I clean the interior. The Meteor Grey color of the center console blends perfectly with the rest of the black interior. I can recommend a Bumper Plugs center console with complete confidence.
Plus 1 on the BumperPlugs. He is right here in Charlotte with me and I have had him do several parts for me. I actually did the center console myself. It came out pretty good but with a little more prep and proper primer it would have been much better. The core swap with BumperPlugs can be a great way to go, you'll be real happy...AND it won't happen again because that darn 'soft touch' crap will be gone!