[Wintermute]

The Boxster oil change is quick (sort of) and painless. Not any worse than most any other modern car as far as difficulty, but you do need time to let the oil drain.

Some people with older, high-mileage Boxsters (like Randall) do the more industry standard length of 7500 miles (which for my 2001 Honda Prelude was the normal oil change schedule). I plan on just following Porsche's recommendations of every 15,000 miles or 2 years, and doing them myself. Based on my driving habits, that will work out to probably about $70-80 every 18 months or so. Not bad.

There are some who don't even bother with the 15k services and just do everything themselves; only taking it to Porsche for the big 30k services (30, 60, 90, etc.). You can even do alot of the 30k service yourself (such as the aformentioned oil change) like replacing the spark plugs, air filter, etc. and saving yourself a few bucks at the dealer.

It is true that getting to the engine is a bit of a challenge with this car. The process works thus:
1. Put top in service mode (open/close the top until the front is about 10cm from the top of the windshield.
2. Remove the key.
3. Lift up on the back of the top slightly until you can reach down and unlatch the cables on each side. They just snap on and off with a sort of ball-and-socket type connector.
4. Unclip the back of the top from the retaining lip (just follow the top fabric to the back until it stops).
5. Now fold the back of the top forward until it essentially "catches" and stays up.
6. Twist the plastic cams that are now exposed to remove the storage box (if you have one) and remove it. Then repeat with the carpet cover. Set these aside. This is a good time to clean the carpet in the back of the car if you feel so inclined.
7. Finally twist the metal cams to release the engine cover and VERY carefully (so you don't scratch your car as it's a bit heavy), lift it out and set aside.
8. Hopefully, you should now see the boxer engine. If not then you either
a. have a magical car that needs no engine
b. have an engine that only exists in hyperspace and therefore cannot be percieved to our primitive 4D minds (yes time is a dimension)
c. you just got seriously ripped off or
d. you took apart the wrong car.

You can also get to more of the engine (including the polyrib belt) by folding the front seats forward and fliping down (removing?) the rear panel. I think it works in a similar way, though I have not done this myself.