Shortlived Boxster engines survey

[Boxster_986]

Originally Posted by Oaktown 986

That's a tad high a price to pay, no?

Yes, a pinch I suppose. I live in a smaller area and only about three local indi shops. One didn't have all the tools the other said just drive it and don't worry about it....the third told me what I wanted to hear and sounded like he knew what he's doing. I'm not interested in looking for another high mileage used engine should it come to that cause this one runs so well.

My car has all the main concerns regarding IMS...low miles, gently driven or at least not driven like their meant to be etc... Sucks, but I don't want to always have the idea of a "probable" engine failure on my daily driver. Its a clean car that I got for a fair price and will be my daily driver so worth getting done I figure.

[mikefocke]

any car can go boom. Just got quoted $7800 to replace the trans in my wife's Acura. 7/70 warranty on a known defective trans and mine went at 10/72. So AAMCO fixed it for $4k less with a 3/36 warranty nationwide transferable.

So far my Boxster has been much cheaper to repair than either of my non-Porsche products of the same era. Too small a sample but at least it counters the sample of 3 posted above.

[Bobiam]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

any car can go boom. Just got quoted $7800 to replace the trans in my wife's Acura. 7/70 warranty on a known defective trans and mine went at 10/72. So AAMCO fixed it for $4k less with a 3/36 warranty nationwide transferable.

So far my Boxster has been much cheaper to repair than either of my non-Porsche products of the same era. Too small a sample but at least it counters the sample of 3 posted above.

An automatic trans is small change compared to an IMS crashed Porsche engine. This disaster is happening to people who's cars are only worth 50% +/- more that the repair cost.
Transmissions are almost expected to fail......maybe somewhere between 70,000 and 150,000 miles. And that's not too bad when you consider the cost of replacement with a warrantee as you have shared with us. An IMS failure can occur between 30K and never, and it can easily cost $12,000.

[Boxster_986]

Bearing not yet pulled from my 01 Boxster as garage is waiting on L&N kit and tools. However I can report RMS is dry at 34K miles, clutch pad ok but going to replace anyway, small leak or gasket on timing chain cam. Be interesting to see under the bearing seal on this car with it's lower mileage and gently driven history...also I believe sat in a garage in Seattle and figure moisture has had to have gotten in that bearing.....

All said feel good about getting the upgrade considering my friends Boxster blew up at 35K.

[Boxster_986]

Well, cost me about 3K in total for the L&N upgrade on my 2001 Boxster with 35K. The upgrade also included upgraded RMS and new clutch disk/bearing and some new cam seals (small leak). After buying the car about three months ago the lady that sold me mine had a catastrophic IMS failure on her newer model 2005 with only 23K miles..... I decided that the pain of looking for replacement engine (that could also fail) was not worth the worry and potential expense.

The mechanic said my bearing was good; and I only found small amounts of play if I really pushed hard from side to side or in and out, probably normal condition. I was unimpressed with how easily the seals can be popped off with a screwdriver and don't believe there was much grease in there after I did. All said the theory holds water with me that grease is leaking out in a hot environment the bearing was not designed for...although the inside of the bearing was lubricated it was more a mixture of some oil and residual grease (but I don't know about this particular grease viscosity)... I would be guessing, but could see the bearing failing at some point down the road...feel much better with ceramic balls, better race, and no seals in that each time I'm changing the oil it "REALLY" is doing some good! Now I will DRIVE is like it's REALLY stolen!!! :dance:

[derf]

June 22, 2011

I went to Rector Porsche in Burlingame, California. I talked to the service manager told them the intermediate shaft bearing went out and the engine is dead on my 2003 Boxster at 74,000 miles. He asked, “How do you know that the intermediate shaft went out?” I told him the car was making a strange sound and I took it to an independent shop. The mechanic observed a lot of metal in the oil, showing that the engine was ruined. He listened to the engine with a stethoscope and determined that the sound he was hearing was the intermediate shaft bearing going out. Then I said to the service manager, “What should I do? I understand a new engine is quite expensive.” He wrote a number down on a Post-it note and handed it to me. He said, “I’ve heard good things from customers about this company.” He gave me the name and phone number of an auto dismantler.

http://www.ladismantler.com/

I called the auto dismantler. He told me to take pictures of the car and email them to him. He would give me a price for which he would buy the car. He said the typical range was between $1,000 and $5,000 depending on the number of options the car had.


In summary:

• When discussing my options with the service manager, I was never encouraged to invest money in the car and was given a clear indication that the car wasn’t worth fixing and should be junked.

Porsche does not stand behind the quality of its products, although it claims to be a maker of high-end, high-quality vehicles. I had planned to keep my car for many more years. I would never have purchased it if I had known the engine contained a ticking time bomb that is essentially, a defect. This is a $40,000 car that is built to expire at 70,000 miles and become an instant candidate for the junkyard. The dealership itself acknowledged this fact. On one visit, I asked the service manager and another service employee at what point they would advise I sell the car. They both said 70,000 miles. My engine blew up at 74,000 miles.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by derf

June 22, 2011

I went to Rector Porsche in Burlingame, California. I talked to the service manager told them the intermediate shaft bearing went out and the engine is dead on my 2003 Boxster at 74,000 miles. He asked, “How do you know that the intermediate shaft went out?” I told him the car was making a strange sound and I took it to an independent shop. The mechanic observed a lot of metal in the oil, showing that the engine was ruined. He listened to the engine with a stethoscope and determined that the sound he was hearing was the intermediate shaft bearing going out. Then I said to the service manager, “What should I do? I understand a new engine is quite expensive.” He wrote a number down on a Post-it note and handed it to me. He said, “I’ve heard good things from customers about this company.” He gave me the name and phone number of an auto dismantler.

http://www.ladismantler.com/

I called the auto dismantler. He told me to take pictures of the car and email them to him. He would give me a price for which he would buy the car. He said the typical range was between $1,000 and $5,000 depending on the number of options the car had.


In summary:

• When discussing my options with the service manager, I was never encouraged to invest money in the car and was given a clear indication that the car wasn’t worth fixing and should be junked.

Porsche does not stand behind the quality of its products, although it claims to be a maker of high-end, high-quality vehicles. I had planned to keep my car for many more years. I would never have purchased it if I had known the engine contained a ticking time bomb that is essentially, a defect. This is a $40,000 car that is built to expire at 70,000 miles and become an instant candidate for the junkyard. The dealership itself acknowledged this fact. On one visit, I asked the service manager and another service employee at what point they would advise I sell the car. They both said 70,000 miles. My engine blew up at 74,000 miles.

I think what I'd take away from your conversation is that dealers want to sell new cars and will take every opportunity they can to try to get you to dump the old one. Also, never take advice from the dealer, their motivation probably doesn't align with yours.

[mikefocke]

if it makes the car please you more and worry you less...then maintenance and continued ownership makes sense.

When it doesn't, sell (just did..age of driver and health of wife). EJ got a great car.