Scared to Death of these cars !

[johnsimion]

Replace the IMS so you don't have to worry about a 5-figure engine replacement. Aside from the IMS and a few other relatively minor things, these cars are pretty reliable. I wouldn't worry about the small stuff like water pumps or AOS, but the IMS is just too big to ignore. Of course, it may never blow up, but the chances are high enough that you need to ask yourself whether it's worth a couple of thousand up front to save you from $10,000 and a huge headache if it does blow.

[jdlmodelt]

Originally Posted by johnsimion

Replace the IMS so you don't have to worry about a 5-figure engine replacement. Aside from the IMS and a few other relatively minor things, these cars are pretty reliable. I wouldn't worry about the small stuff like water pumps or AOS, but the IMS is just too big to ignore. Of course, it may never blow up, but the chances are high enough that you need to ask yourself whether it's worth a couple of thousand up front to save you from $10,000 and a huge headache if it does blow.

The PO replaced the engine in 2008 when the original engine had 37k on it. The car has 68k now and the engine has 31k on it. In speaking with Pelican and Jake Raby, the consensus was that a 2008 rebuild from Porsche (which this was) is supposed to have the oversized bearing on it and is not externally serviceable. I'll find out for sure when I put a new clutch in it some day. Jake was going off of the year it was rebuilt and Pelican was going off the serial number indicator.

[woodsman]

I tell people that German cars age faster than Japanese ones. This is hard to accept for those of us who have owned the Japanese ones first. I can't stop wondering why my 300km Toyota beater is still using original parts that I've had to replace on my 140 km Boxster. I guess the engineers have a different mandate and for Porsche's it includes the lightest weight possible and durability is somewhere further down the list. To date the Japanese still can't build luxury like the Germans. As for Porsche, I still can't explain what their doing better than the other automakers but it's why I'm in one. A 10 minute test drive changed my life! An IS350, 350Z,G35 and a ZO6 didn't!

[jdlmodelt]

Originally Posted by woodsman

I tell people that German cars age faster than Japanese ones. This is hard to accept for those of us who have owned the Japanese ones first. I can't stop wondering why my 300km Toyota beater is still using original parts that I've had to replace on my 140 km Boxster. I guess the engineers have a different mandate and for Porsche's it includes the lightest weight possible and durability is somewhere further down the list. To date the Japanese still can't build luxury like the Germans. As for Porsche, I still can't explain what their doing better than the other automakers but it's why I'm in one. A 10 minute test drive changed my life! An IS350, 350Z,G35 and a ZO6 didn't!

I haven't owned or driven one of the Japanese "rockets" to know what it feels like. Nothing I have owned or driven has handle and felt like the boxster other than my 914. The mid mount engine does a lot in conjunction with the suspension to make an amazing controlled vehicle. which has nothing to do with a compromised engine design. Or inferior wheel bearings, or inferior IMS bearings. The Japanese have made cars last like they SHOULD last whether performance or economical. That's my point of view as an engineer.

[stephen wilson]

Even the Japanese aren't infallible. My pickup had a head gasket and steering arm recal, and S2000's tend to blow rear diff's. Granted, not as catastrophic as an IMS failure !

[recycledsixtie]

My previous car a '99 Miata was cheap to run but needed tlc in the form of plugging block heater in and constant recharging of the battery. The battery was located in the trunk and exposed to the cold. The C model had the battery in the engine compartment. Also the battery in my 99 was small.

Conversely the Boxster does not need a block heater and the battery is big enough to do the job. However it does not have Japanese durability of many of its parts. Anybody should have eyes wide open before buying a Boxster and be well aware of the costs of running one. The long term quality is not there but the fun factor will always be there. G.