[Eric G]

When I bought my Boxster it was a purchase of passion. I had and still do love the design and performance of this car. At the time (mine is a 1998 that had 89K on the clock) and it still appeared to run solid...however, I do have a brain and have the ability to analyze a situation. Anyone who purchases a used car (no matter how few or many miles) must fully anticipate that the previous owner(s) have at some point had not cared for the car and that parts in the car can and will fail regardless of how they were cared for.

In short, I came into my deal knowing whether it was a Porsche, BMW, Ferrari or whatever I purchased, it was going to need work and that requires cash. I think anyone who is purchasing a used sports car and has zero budget for doing any work is foolish and foolhardy. Something will inevitably break. As such, I had fully planed before the purchase to go through the car and return it to a "like new" condition so I could have full confidence that no matter where I drove it...it will get me there and back. Why? Remember my statement above...I love this car.

Over the course of four months I replaced everything I could get my hands on which amounted to purchasing double the value I paid for the car in parts alone (as I did the work myself)...and guess what? I know have a car that runs like new and provides the type of ride and performance that I fully expect this car to give me. If you have no mechanical skills and expect to drive one of these cars, you my friend are trapped to shop rate labor charges and it is going to cost you to get it fixed.

During this process of rebuilding my Boxster, I found some parts that were slightly worn, others on the brink of failure. Giving this, should I therefore determine that the car is a piece of junk and should be scraped or deride the entire line of Porsche vehicles? No. This is the nature of performance based vehicles. Most people want to believe that they are Sunday go to meeting never fail types of vehicles. They are not. The dollars you are paying for these cars is the performance they are giving you and the engineering that goes in behind that. Is the IMS an issues...yes; did Porsche handle the situation correctly...no; is hind sight 20/20...absolutely. But remember, you have two choices: You either drive the car of your passion or not. Porsche is not the only performance car ever made that has issues, nor will it be the last manufacturer to ever have issues. It is the nature of the game.

Life is to short to drive cheap cars, drink cheap wine and spend your time pissed about things that ad no value to living.