Quote:
Originally Posted by MWS
Somewhere in the rhetoric the intent of this thread got somewhat lost. In my incredibly humble opinion, I believe the point being made was the ownership costs will start to pile up...IF Porsche recommended service is followed and even more so, if such service is done by an outside mechanic (either independent or dealer). Conceding the point that DIYing will greatly reduce the associated costs, many people don't either have the skill, time, tools or patience to work on their cars.
Also, it's my personal experience that these cars have some items that are more prone to failure than other cars I've owned, we could debate if that's due to engineering, complexity or poor quality, but that's not the point. My point is that some items that shouldn't fail as soon as they do, will...and that cost to repair/replace should be considered when thinking about purchasing, and that it's only smart to factor in the total ownership costs not just "how much am I forking out today?".
Before I'm taken to task on the items I've mentioned, here are some things I've needed to do that I've not experienced on any other car I've owned (and all at less than 40k miles):
- water pump failure
- climate control unit
- coolant cap (not a big $$, but common, really? I've never had to replace a cap)
- plug tubes
- radiator (due to pump failure)
- IMSB (proactive, but something I've never considered on another car)
- clutch
And I'm sure many items I'm forgetting in 10 years of ownership. Also, this list doesn't count wear items (that I *might* have done on any other car) and all other regular maintenance items (fluids, etc). As far as maintenance costs vs miles driven, this has been by far the most expensive car I've owned; not that I'm complaining, I just see it as a "pay to play" situation...and something that I think potential buyers should consider.
And yes, all of the numbers being thrown around are most likely "top of the head" guesses, but if I were to personally throw in my (ahem, humble) guess, maybe $2000/yr is about what I suppose I've averaged....and yes, your mileage may very. And one final admittance...I'm not a big DIYer on engine/drivetrain items, so I've paid to have those things done.
One last point of contention, I read "elitist" and I personally disagree with that term (it sounds insulting), but I'll admit that I see my Boxster as something special, or at least I feel something more than I do towards my other cars (which are Audis, and cost far more than my 986). I don't think my attachment is "elitist" and I don't think it's just the Porsche badge...I don't really know how to explain it, perhaps it's just got more "soul", and as it's won my affections, I take care of it. I suppose I could say my Audis are cars, but my Boxster is family. Well that's just wonderful, I've now described my Boxter as my "elite" vehicle, so I suppose I am an elitist. Sigh...
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MWS, I'ma add you to my "when this dude takes the time to write something, it'll be worth reading" list. Along with JFP, Particlewave, Stone, RadiumKing, and so many others on here.
My car that stands as the absolute MOST Expensive, per mile, is an 06 Jaguar S tpe -R, at something north of $10/mile driven in maintenance and repairs. (!!) Yet if I were to compare my experience with that car to many other's, they'd tell me I was crazy. Second worst, by far, is a Mazda MPV from the '90's.
To Landrover enthusiasts, the list you provided would seem mild, compared to what they would have dealt with in ownership. But to a Miata owner, probably a different reaction. My point, I guess, is that our perspectives will vary based on our experiences, and our responses will likewise be relative to what else we've experienced.
I'll clarify (rather than defend) my use of the word "elitist", because I don't want to offend with its use. The word was chosen because it describes any group of people who acct in a way that seems to discourage inclusion of others. I believe its use is also appropriate to describe any "me, but not you" attitude, (such as "I can justify owning one, but you can't"). I did NOT use the word in its common usage; to suggest that anyone here thinks of themselves as better than others, because they drive a $10k used Porsche. (Although I do chuckle when I see people take pride in letting their neighbors think they have a $100 car, rather than correcting them.) As an enthusiast, I've ALWAYS sought to find ways to include more people. Heck, I even let my office-mates take my 986 to lunch on occasion. I think that if somebody can get into a Porsche because they love them, I'm going to try to do everything I can to encourage that.
Most of me looks at a post like the one that started this thread as a handshake, of sorts. I mean, do you really think the young man is going to make his decision based on anything we tell him here? Doubt it. He's gonna buy the car he loves. So why'd he ask the question? Because he's hoping to find a support-group for his addiction, haha. He's looking for some like-minded people to share his enthusiasm with. your post, MWS, outlining what items you've had to do and in what time-frame, allows him to check himself, his tolerance for DIY, etc. But a post that says "If you can't afford $10k / year in maintenance, just go buy a Miata" seems (to me) to be exclusionary in intent. hence: "elitist".
anyway..... Thanks for bringing us back to the ground. :-)
