Want to buy a Boxster, but I'm Afraid..very afraid!

[Brucelee]

Sadly, this engine alloy issue is not confined to Porsche. BMW has a MASSIVE problem with their V8 engines between 95-98. They VERY QUIETLY replaced a ton of these engines.

In my experience, the Porsche engine is very tough indeed, putting aside the issues we already discussed. Recommendation I make to all my customers:

Change the oil/filter every 7500 miles, not 15K like the manual recs.

Use 15-50 Mobil 1 in warmer climes.

DON'T hammer the car when it is cold. NO engine likes this.

[YellowJacket]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

Sadly, this engine alloy issue is not confined to Porsche. BMW has a MASSIVE problem with their V8 engines between 95-98. They VERY QUIETLY replaced a ton of these engines.

In my experience, the Porsche engine is very tough indeed, putting aside the issues we already discussed. Recommendation I make to all my customers:

Change the oil/filter every 7500 miles, not 15K like the manual recs.

Use 15-50 Mobil 1 in warmer climes.

DON'T hammer the car when it is cold. NO engine likes this.

Very true about the BMW engines. the 3.0L and 4.0L V8s during this time period had huge issues. And not all were replaced like they should have been. And BMW and Porsche aren't the only car companies to have had problems like these.

That being said, the Porsche still has better reliability ratings than a lot of cars out there. You have to realize, though, that there is a correlation on these message boards. Message boards are frequented by 2 groups of people: enthusiasts and those who have problems. And those enthusiasts often have more problems because they drive their cars harder and tend to mod them. If all 160k Boxster owners (I think that's the #) were on this board, you would get a much different picture of the reliability. The people w/ no problems are usually the quiet ones.

Is it a Toyota Corolla? No. But then, I'm willing to pay a couple dollars more for maintenance because it's NOT a Corolla. Although I have 2 years of warranty to go, so right now, it makes no difference to me anyway! :-)

[Perfectlap]

yes very true as nice as the S2000 may be, its still a Honda.
No girl has ever said to me "oh you have a HOnda?"

I've had at least a half dozen female friends and coworkers remark on my owning "a Porsche"
Like one girl at the car wash, she said to her boyfriend "that's a nice car! Porsche?" and her boyfriend didn't look so happy and got into his Accord with her. sorry.
The funny thing is that from Autocross racing I got so used to seeing Porsche 911's and Boxsters (S,Turbo's,GT3's) that I believed that someone owning a Porsche was common.
I got to know more people with Porsche's than people with sportscars in general!

Well aparently I was living in another "world" because in only two months of owning the Boxster I have lost count how many times people have said "nice car man" or just pointed a finger. The other day I saw a couple of kids on BMX bikes following me, they looked like they were 12 years old and one kid said "yeah look at the trunk, its the S".

[Brucelee]

The WOW factor def. belongs to Porsche!

[jonomo]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

yes very true as nice as the S2000 may be, its still a Honda.
No girl has ever said to me "oh you have a HOnda?"

I've had at least a half dozen female friends and coworkers remark on my owning "a Porsche"
Like one girl at the car wash, she said to her boyfriend "that's a nice car! Porsche?" and her boyfriend didn't look so happy and got into his Accord with her. sorry.
The funny thing is that from Autocross racing I got so used to seeing Porsche 911's and Boxsters (S,Turbo's,GT3's) that I believed that someone owning a Porsche was common.
I got to know more people with Porsche's than people with sportscars in general!

Well aparently I was living in another "world" because in only two months of owning the Boxster I have lost count how many times people have said "nice car man" or just pointed a finger. The other day I saw a couple of kids on BMX bikes following me, they looked like they were 12 years old and one kid said "yeah look at the trunk, its the S".

I work at a very successful company and as I look out my window there are Ferrari's, 911's, Corvettes, etc. A Boxster would be in the lower end . Also, its a tech company and the only girl here is the receptionist and HR manager

[Perfectlap]

definitely below a Ferrari (newer models)...
but the Boxster beat the Corvette convertible in my latest issue of Road and Track. I'll take my Boxster S any day of the week overt a hard top Corvette!!!!

Anyone who knows sportscars and wants a new Porsche convertible MUST buy a Boxster. really now.... A convertible 911? its absolutely unethical. (or any other car that wasn't originaly meant to be convertible, After-thought convertibles are the realm of old dentists and lawyers and young girls who can't drive a manual transmission).

The Boxster is closer to the ideal of a "pure" Sportscar than the standard 911. (as much as I always wanted a 1973 911 RS with tartan seats). The Boxster is Inpractical (only two passengers ), RWD, short wheel base, EXCELLLLLENT steering, great 2nd-3rd gear sound(like a lear jet taking off) and low maintenace. I really wouldn't change a thing.
Perhaps the new Lotus is more of a pure sports car 'convertible' but its $50,000 for a toyota 1.8 engine