Fluid changes, tires, brakes, and clutch are the most common. Searching the forum for more specific info on these will give you the details. Of course the clutch, tires, and brakes will probably not be needed every year, but fit into that 2-$3k budget over time. Oil change can run about $80-$100 and the coolant is just silly expensive compared to an average car. Search and read up. It's all been covered.

There's lots of support here, Pelican parts: Porsche Boxster 986 (1997-2004) / 987 (2005-2008) Technical Articles | Pelican Parts, and rennlist forum

Crack on side
 

Hi everyone, just got back from checking out the car from the link I posted a few days ago. In the ad it says there is a "crack in rear quarterpanel paint, black tape over it right now to cover it up"

To specify the location of this a little better, it is located right above the vent that leads to the engine on the driver side (where the sticker covers in one of the photos below)

I'm curious if you guys think a body shop would be able to fix this or if i would have to have that whole area replaced, and what you guys think that would cost..

Thank you in advance!


http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1410917797.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1410917811.jpg

I'm still pretty new to these cars, but I think that area actually takes some significant stress from the roof mounting points and mechanism. Not that the whole car will split in 1/2, but it needs a qualified professional to evaluate it.

You can get lots of opinions here though. I'd stop-drill the cracks and put a stainless doubler over it with sexy looking aircraft rivets every 1/4 inch. Maybe a few bullet hole decals to top it off. (Sure you want opinions?)

*I'd suggest starting a new thread rather than continuing here.

Not 100% sure what I'm seeing in the pic but to me it looks like a bunch of bondo under the paint. A cheap repair gone bad. If it is bondo like I'm thinking a body shop will say it needs a quarter panel and you will be looking at a whole lot of money for that type of repair. The body does not support the top so don't worry about that. You could do the same as the owner and sand it down smooth some bondo and spray can paint it. That's cheap and easy and will look that way but on the color you could get away with a lot and from 5 feet away no one will know.

Recommend the Boxster
 

My 2000 Boxster 2.7L has run beautifully for 14yrs. Normal wear and tear but at 95,000 miles, all I had to do this year was replace the AOS ($114 part) which I did myself.

In the past SIX years, I've only had to replace the brakes, battery, tires, oil and the water pump and do the normal 90,000 Service. She runs like a champ!

That articles are very timely since I'm thinking to buy boxster.

Jumping in this weekend. 2008 yellow boxster S. 44k miles. 1 owner.

offer made today pending PPI from an independent. could be carving up the curves Sunday

1999 Boxster
 

I've had my 99' Boxster for about 7 years! it has 160,000 miles on it. I change the oil and tune it up regularly. I've only had to replace the water pump. No problems with MY Boxster!!!

wow, nimby

Hello board. I am looking into a 2005 Boxster Base with 40,000K miles on it. It is a 1 owner car with the following options.

2005 Porsche Boxster
Exterior:
Arctic Silver Metallic
Interior:
Black Standard Leather
Warranty Start:
June 22, 2005
Additional Equipment
342
Heated Front Seats
446
Wheel Caps with Colored Crest
680
Bose Surround Sound System
AN
Black Standard Leather
M6Z
Floor Mats Interior Color
P12
Self-Dim Mirrors & Rain Sensor
P74
Bi-Xenon Headlamp Package
PPB
Preferred Package Plus
V9
Black Top
X1
Arctic Silver Metallic

How many have replaced thier IMS vs. just routine maint?

If you have replaced your IMS, cost?

TIA

I have not at 78k miles
Search will give you so much information you will get some ideas
From what I understand 2005, while being a 987 model, may still have the M96 motor that the IMS can be replaced without removing and Splitting. Or it could be the M97 motor that has the revised larger IMSB. This bearing appears to be a more robust bearing for street/daily driving

good luck

IMS failure
 

If I had read this post ahead of time. I would never own the Boxster I own today. 1999 Boxster that at 37,xxx miles the engine blew in 2008 and the PO had a new Porsche replacement engine installed. I purchased it in 2013 with 57,xxx miles on it for $12k. I'm super happy I did what I did, even in ignorance. I was LUCKY that the engine had been replaced with the Porsche solution. Granted probably not as good as Jake Raby's but still. It's a pure joy to drive aside from worrying about deer jumping out in front of me or making sure I park way out in the south 40 parking lot so my car doesn't get door dings. :):cheers:

You're my hero. I have a 1999 as well and that is what I hope to see mine trending towards.
90,xxx and climbing.

jdlmodelt, do you know if it was in fact an IMS failure on your '99?

I ask because the '99 has a different IMS design than the years commonly associated with IMS failure. An RMS or slipped sleeve failure would be more likely.

I am need to know about boxster..because i m buying it.!

Wanted to say how good this thread is. I will copy #111 as a procurement aid. It is interesting to me that while the Italians are usually credited with sensuous and striking design,the main reason I want a Boxster is the attraction to the body shape. When I park beside one it beakons strongly. Female curves? I guess so. Having owned Corvair, TR-4, original Lotus Elan, on and on ,the Boxster reliability is a revelation. I was considered marathon man to street the Elan for 58K commuter miles. Do I have any business looking at a low slung roadster at my age....yep. The wife drives the C 63 AMG and I drive ( wait for it) an 85 Fiero and 91 Nissan 2000 (the low end car Porsche could not build?). A used Boxster would be perfect, especially the light 1999 model. Kudos to great people here.

After sleeping on my mebership acceptance here I would like to make a suggestion to those asking about Boxster qualities. There is a widely read thread in DIY here which will take some reading , but worth it. The comments made by flaps10, the author( great job) and other responders do reflect on Boxster engine and maintenance .
For what it's worth here are some observations.

I remember when pegging the tach was my main objective while driving and it is still good sometimes. But flaps10 found "spun" rod bearings. This should not happen. Someone suggested oil starvation, as in max cornering with WOT. I do not recall any pics of an oil pressure gauge on the dash. It is not so hard to put in a warning buzzer linked to the oil pressure sender. Maybe racers will respond.

Next, flalps10 commented on the rod bolts used. The pictures are really shocking. The removed bolts are totally threaded . In most hipo engines rodbolts resemble the ARP ones. So, yes, corner cutting at Porsche did occur. The better to produce the car at its price point and make it available to many. Another shocker is the piston wrist pin retainers. Wire??? Wire??? The last time I saw this was on a JC Whitney VW replacement. Why not circlips?

Flaps10 found a foil seal, as in "your coolant jug has not been opened," in a cooland passage. Yikes. Well ya gotta trust, I guess.

Finally, I do not know the piston material, but probably cast, making sense for this stock engine, but a risk for those considering turbo or supercharging. Flaps10 did not mention any crack detection done at his engine shop. It would be good to know if any of the parts underwent magnaflux or "zyglo" (aluminum) testing.

These comments are meant to coax readers to look around this form and push their knowledge. Lots of good stuff. None of this blather has diminished my great interest in the Boxster. I hope to own one someday.

I am about to roll over 160K Miles in my 98 Boxster. Other than the occasional airbag light I have had no major issues. Drive it hard and often!

Close to purchasing '05 Boxter S and need advice
 

Good morning,
I am brand new here and have been searching for a Boxter S...I've found 2 of them and could use insight...

Boxter 1 is an '05 with 32,500 miles on it. It has all the options on it - including the Chrono, PASM and 19" wheels. It is a manual transmission. It is advertised as always garaged, has all the service records and in excellent condition. The pictures look it as well and the price is reasonable. The question I have is regarding the use of the car...the first owner had it for 5,000 miles (1 year) and second owner for the balance of the time. The carfax that I ran shows a flywheel replacement at both 7,000 miles AND at 14,000 miles and it has had two sets of tires mounted according to records. it seems very strange to have the flywheel replaced twice so early... What advice would you give me regarding this car? Run, ask for more info - what? I will do a PPI on any car, but don't want to invest the extra unless it is a sound car in person and on paper first.

Car #2 is an '06 with 62,000 miles on it. It has the automatic w/ triptonic and is very nice looking inside & out. Not many options on it and it has 18" wheels. Drove it twice and enjoyed it, but the second time it had a system fault - return to workshop light show up in the dash...the carfax on this one shows multiple owners and the part about this one that is concerning is that the last 2 owners had it for 7 months to a year and it has ended up at local car dealerships and most recently was traded in at a Porsche dealer and then sent out to auction. I was all ready to send this one in for PPI, but something about it was not adding up.

Just a thinking of i have a boxster it si so nice moment.It is for using the race.I will become a excellent racer.

love my boxster more than my acura nsx

i like the informations based on boxster , i like it very much

Mike's web site is http://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/mikesporscheboxsterwebpages

reply
 

i like your information based on boxster it is really amazing thanks for providing information

Hi All, I'm new to the Boxster world. I am currently looking at a 2001 Boxster with 68,000 miles, one owner. Seems to be in perfect shape, what should I be looking for in terms of problems and can they be seen before I purchase ie IMS ?

Did you read this thread? In any event, get a PPI done on any car you're considering.

What to expect when buying a VERY low milage car
 

Hi Everyone, I am seriously considering making an offer on a 2001 Boxster today but before I do I could use some sage advice. I'm new to online forums and sincerely hope I posted this in the right place. I have already researched the car pretty extensively as far as IMS stuff goes but most appraisals and maintenance advice i have read are out of date or possibly not applicable to this age and milage. Here it goes.

Details on the car: 2001, Boxster (base) with 16,500 miles always garaged and serviced at BMW/Porsche dealerships. Carfax shows four oil changes over its life which is very good considering the milage (i think). The owner hardly drove the thing and admitted to letting it sit un-started for a long period of time.

Before she began driving it again more regularly (10 months ago), she had to have the fuel pump replaced and gas tank flushed (bad gas). At the same time she also had the battery and alternator replaced, had a new set of four tires fitted, and the oil changed. The IMS bearing is original, and the VIN corresponds with a dual row bearing (was excluded from the class action suit)

Assuming the car is in fantastic cosmetic condition what a fair value on this car today considering I probably need to replace that IMS bearing thats been sitting in engine oil for years?

Should I assume I must replace this IMS immediately even though it is low miles? (I heard "garage queens" have high failure rates somewhere)

I am a Mechanical Engineer with access to jack stands, full set of sockets/wrenches and would try and perform most maintenance/repairs myself so long as no repairs came up where i wouldn't be able to order parts and drive the car until putting them in. (it would be my only car).

If I own the car for five years and put 45,000 miles on it in that time, what should I budget for maintenance and repairs per year (IMS bearing replacement excluded)?

Im trying to figure out how financially crazy/irresponsible I'm being as I don't have a TON of money to throw at a car per year but would still like something fun with an open roof. I wanted 4 seats, but the boxster's two trunks lessens the sacrifice.:D

Thanks,

Brian

Take a read through this thread. You seem to have a handle on some of the issues but 4 oil changes in 15 years is not good. I stick with every 5,000 miles or 6 months, which ever comes first. I would highly recommend you get a good PPI with a mechanic who specializes in Porsche water cooled engines. You are right in that garage queens are more susceptible to IMS failure plus other failures. These cars love to be driven regularly. The adage around here is to plan on around $2000/year for maintenance costs. I am sure the car looks good but it really depends on how the car was stored when not in use. It would be hard to give an estimate on its value without more information and pictures. Run a KBB estimate and see what it comes up with. You might start your own thread to get more responses. Others can help with a good mechanic in your area. Good luck and welcome!

Thanks Bruce.

I can swing $2000 a year, but wow that is more than I would have guessed for sure. As for the oil changes, I could see that being an issue too, but on the other hand I wasn't sure why oil would go bad from just a change in container (engine vs plastic jug) ...I had read some discussion of oil becoming acidic with age, but couldn't figure out why that would occur if the car was not being run??? not doubting, just looking to learn.

Edmunds is $9022 private party, Bluebook is $10,100 private party,
NADA dealer retail is $11,300 all for excellent condition. Are these estimates accurate? Their asking price is $11,500, so if the estimators are correct then I should be going for closer to bluebook or Edumnds? I want to have an idea of a fair price for this car considering it's milage, history (not being run for a few years and potential for problems associate with it), assuming it is in excellent
cosmetic condition with nothing discovered on a PPI.

Bottom line: I don't want to start out in the hole on the first day of ownership because i payed too much.

Thanks again Bruce. If anyone else wants to chime in please do, I value your experience.

-Brian

The $2000/year is just a wag quoted around here but it really depends on the prior maintenance history. I am coming up on four years of ownership and have not spent anywhere near that amount. My vehicle was well cared for and I have done the same with regular oil and fluid changes. I also am not using it as a daily driver but it gets regular exercise. You just have to remember that it is a 15 year old car so no matter what, it will need attention. I would honestly say, get a PPI, so that you know what you are getting and if the report shows anything amiss, then you have that for negotiations. Price wise, off the top of my head, I would want to get it closer to $10k. And yes, oil becomes acidic with age and is what seems to cause IMS failures. Oil gets trapped behind the "sealed" bearing and turns acidic. The theory is high revs will push new and hopefully fresh oil into and behind the bearing. That is why many on here will say to drive it like you stole it, i.e., high revs, and regularly.

Hi ,im just getting my porsche boxter s 2000 today ,i try my car and buy it after one road test, my clutch look so so ...but i decide to buy it anyway, driving to my house around 50 milles away, i get the ride of my life, push it to the limit .5000 to.7000 rpm , sound was incredible !!!! ,i think my clutch was already finish, but now im shure !!! lol i get a very good deal on my purchase saving around $6000 cheaper than the market and im felling pride to install the best quality clutch , the 986 FORUM whit you member give me all the information about what to check, what to buy, and i feel little bit like when im driving my porsche few hour before ... same passion i feel from you PORSCHE owner ! thanks you

Welcome Jean Philippe . . . . Laissez le bon temps rouler!

Also really depends on how much work you can do yourself and how "smart" you buy parts. I just put a bit about $1500 in the Boxster I just bought. The biggest part of that was replacing the old tires (check the date code on the tires.) The rest was plugs, oil, oil filter, air filter, cabin filter, serpentine belt, AOS, HVAC control LCD screen, console bulbs, short shifter, top vent tube, shifter boot, & spare key. Probably have 15 hours of labor in it. If this work had been done at a dealer the cost would be 3 times as much.

Yesterday the convertible top link end snapped and I made the mistake of trying to drive the top back down and bent the clamshell. That will run me another $300 to have the clamshell fixed by a paintless dent guy. Add another couple hundred for the newer more reliable top transmissions and I'll probably hit $2k in my first month of ownership. That transmissions weren't absolutely necessary but I wanted the added insurance of a more reliable design.

Most of this stuff was neglected and old aged parts and I don't expect to see these kinds of costs yearly.

Got to agree, how many boxters do you see broken down by the side of the road or on eBay being sold as spares or repair due to engine failure.

Im aware it can happen but its still better that driving a 1million % reliable toyota corolla.

Peter

I've owned mine for almost 3 months and I'm at just under $700. But I'm not complaining.

how much should a good PPI cost...is it recommended a dealer performs this?

Thanks

I was quoted $300 by the dealer and I paid $150 for an INDY.

That disparity will be standard as well for all maintenance going forward.

I would find a good indie to do it. Check with your local PCA for recommendations. Expect to pay somewhere around $300 at the very least for a decent PPI.

I've gotten quotes on PPIs from two well known, recommend Porsche indies. One was $365, the other was $370 for the "basic" PPI and $560 for a more comprehensive check that includes a leak down compression check...

I'm I getting ripped off coming and going??? :mad:

I second having an indie do it. The dealership would charge a lot more and they have a tendency to recommend a ton of things to "fix". I trust the indies a lot more.