Another one bites the dust - value??

[2001saxster]

Originally Posted by Boxtaboy

Man, you guys are scaring me. Sorry to hear. I thought the slipped sleeve issue was fixed after 1998 model runs. Yours is a 2001 I assume?

Yes, mine is an 01. Slipped sleeve is what they said it most likely was, but as far as I can tell, they can really only go so far in diagnosing it without totally ripping the engine apart. They did enough tests to determine it was a problem deep within the engine that could not be repaired (or at least that they wouldn't repair) that was causing coolant to mix with the oil.

[AddictionRacing]

Well, I give up. I had someone at the shop get the engine number for me and it doesn't have an "X" at the end, so I guess it's not a re-manufactured motor, and confirms that the '99 is not immune to the IMS failure. If anyone can pull any additional info from the number it's M96/2065W14750

[mikes_box]

hope you were able to get some of your money back by selling the car.

[rick3000]

Originally Posted by AddictionRacing

Well, I give up. I had someone at the shop get the engine number for me and it doesn't have an "X" at the end, so I guess it's not a re-manufactured motor, and confirms that the '99 is not immune to the IMS failure. If anyone can pull any additional info from the number it's M96/2065W14750

'99 are not immune to IMS, but it is very rare on that year. I would still be interested to know how you confirmed the cause was IMS. I don't think you ever mentioned that. But do I hope you can recover some of your money.

A roller is car with all the parts, but the engine is dead. So it's a rolling working car in every way except the engine, or other part that makes unable to be driven.

[AddictionRacing]

Originally Posted by rick3000

'99 are not immune to IMS, but it is very rare on that year. I would still be interested to know how you confirmed the cause was IMS. I don't think you ever mentioned that. But do I hope you can recover some of your money.

A roller is car with all the parts, but the engine is dead. So it's a rolling working car in every way except the engine, or other part that makes unable to be driven.

I believe the only way to confirm the failure 100% is to tear down the motor and inspect, but no one does that because it's very uncommon to rebuild these. The way that my mechanic came to the conculsion that it's IMS is:

1) The sound. It's a unique and terrible sound that I won't soon forget and
2) The car had been in for the 60k service 1200 miles before, where it got a new oil filter and Mobil 1, which both now have chrome - type metal shards in them. According the the mechanic (and I'm taking his word here) the IMS bearing is the only part inside the motor made of that type of metal, as the guides and such are brass.


Unless something else comes up in the next 24 hours or so it'll be sold for $6500 to my mechanic. The deal is arranged and just has to be executed. If anyone has an offer or better alternative, let me know.

[Brucelee]

My neighbor still talks about the sound when she recalls her 04 dying by way of the IMS.

Must sound pretty bad.

Kind of like when you try to start an engine that is running?

[AddictionRacing]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

My neighbor still talks about the sound when she recalls her 04 dying by way of the IMS.

Must sound pretty bad.

Kind of like when you try to start an engine that is running?

More like a marble or nut meandering throughout your motor, bashing whatever it feels like bashing. It'll quiet down for a few seconds, maybe even a minute or two at a time, and then the destruction continues. I've been telling people that the motor ate itself and is now an $11,000 boat anchor. Now if I only had a boat....

I'm also going to take this opportunity to vent about something I've read on this board - the issue of "abuse." IMHO abuse includes over-revving, missing shifts, botching downshifts, and failure to maintain, especially failure to change the oil. Abuse does NOT include hard driving on the street or autocross course, or even some track use without over-revving the motor. The reason I and many others buy Porsches is to DRIVE them HARD . Other posts on this and other sites recommend driving at high RPMs to "clear out the carbon" and such. These things were (supposedly) designed to be tough sports cars that should be driven viciously for the entire duration of a tank of gas. (Something to that effect was presented in a 993 promotional video circa 1995). A true sports car should certainly be good from some track and autocross use and some regular street beatings. I have a 142k mile Jetta that has been beaten, abused, romped on, red-lined, and generally violated for the last 75k miles including track events, 80 or so autocrosses, and plenty of street thrashing. It takes it like a champ and asks for more. I don't think I was asking too much of the Boxster if I only wanted it to be as tough as my trusty old Jetta. Okay - I feel a little better - my rant is over - for now. :troll:

[Quickurt]

Originally Posted by AddictionRacing

More like a marble or nut meandering throughout your motor, bashing whatever it feels like bashing. It'll quiet down for a few seconds, maybe even a minute or two at a time, and then the destruction continues. I've been telling people that the motor ate itself and is now an $11,000 boat anchor. Now if I only had a boat....

I'm also going to take this opportunity to vent about something I've read on this board - the issue of "abuse." IMHO abuse includes over-revving, missing shifts, botching downshifts, and failure to maintain, especially failure to change the oil. Abuse does NOT include hard driving on the street or autocross course, or even some track use without over-revving the motor. The reason I and many others buy Porsches is to DRIVE them HARD . Other posts on this and other sites recommend driving at high RPMs to "clear out the carbon" and such. These things were (supposedly) designed to be tough sports cars that should be driven viciously for the entire duration of a tank of gas. (Something to that effect was presented in a 993 promotional video circa 1995). A true sports car should certainly be good from some track and autocross use and some regular street beatings. I have a 142k mile Jetta that has been beaten, abused, romped on, red-lined, and generally violated for the last 75k miles including track events, 80 or so autocrosses, and plenty of street thrashing. It takes it like a champ and asks for more. I don't think I was asking too much of the Boxster if I only wanted it to be as tough as my trusty old Jetta. Okay - I feel a little better - my rant is over - for now. :troll:

All things considered from above, would you be "understanding" if that poor jetta said POP?