Excellence Mag. Review - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

hdpt73 · 05-26-2005, 05:40 AM

i'm definately not going to buy another porsche again, there are alot of boxster owners out there that have no warranty, and if it goes out then it's not work fixing the heap of crap. screw the performance if you have to pay for new engines (upgrading to a 3.4 cost money only to still be unsure about the RMS in the new engine). imo, the boxster is the most unreliable car with the best performance you can buy for the money. since i've had mine i've had to fix:

radio (grounding noise when i use gas pedal)
window regulator broke
mass air flow sensor
wheel bearings (this is my doing)
convertible top doesn't always clamp straight when it's closing.
window seals sometimes leak
ac sometimes doesn't want to work just have to turn off/on the car to reset

i've had my vw passat for 10 years and have only had to relplace the power steering pump and now a heater core.

i'm not bashing the boxster, i love to drive mine when it works. but it is one poorly engineered machine. this was the 2nd worst car i've ever bought as far as little gremlins. 1st was a saab. imo porsche has forgotten about quality and are building mass breaking machines.

RandallNeighbour · 05-26-2005, 06:00 AM

eslai, this is a huge issue for me for one important reason: I pay cash for my cars. I learned a long time ago that leasing or financing depreciating items is a very unwise financial move indeed ... and it fosters a lack of self control within me (you and others may be different, and that would be good).

Because of this life decision, my cars are purchased when then are 2-4 years old (I let someone else take the largest share of the depreciation hit) and driven for at least 10 years (to get all the value out of the car I can possible get).

When the 987's were released, I was hopeful they'd have fixed the RMS issues so I could begin saving money and buy an '05 or an '06 in 2010 ... hopefully a CPO car that I could take to the dealership for the next 4 years when problems arise.

I buy cars for a long period of ownership, especially dream cars like my Boxster. This is very dissappointing and now my plans must change.

I just might swap my 2.5 for a 3.4 instead. I do not read anything online from owners of 3.4's stating they have RMS issues—please correct me if I am wrong. Richard, can you tell me if this opinion is accurate?

Brucelee · 05-26-2005, 06:04 AM

I guess I would not jump to conclusions on the 987. Lets see how many RMS we actually see in year 1.

Re: the past, I guess I am surprised that some smart CA lawyer has not generated a class action suit on this issue!

eslai · 05-26-2005, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

I buy cars for a long period of ownership, especially dream cars like my Boxster. This is very dissappointing and now my plans must change.

I understand completely! I had my first car for ten years and I've had my Eclipse since 1999. I'm sure I'll be hanging on to the Boxster for a very long time as well, but I'm going to be getting an extended warranty for it that should cover the RMS issue...

...uh, right? I hope???

Just because you buy used doesn't mean you're completely left to your own devices, does it? And if you buy a sports car that you intend to keep for ten years, well I wouldn't think that buying a new engine somewhere within that timespan would be an unreasonable expenditure.

Eclipses had a problem with a phenomenon called "Crankwalk". Even though it was mainly an epidemic in the 1995 to 1996 model years, you still hear people talking about what a huge big deal it is. In reality the incidents were pretty far and few between as time went on, and any car made by any manufacturer can be the victim of premature thrust bearing wear.

My point with that story is that i think we can take the RMS issue as a worthy gamble. Maybe that's just my optimism, but I feel pretty confident about it.

lexuspilot · 05-26-2005, 07:29 PM

Don't fall for "the grass is always greener". On every board, for almost every car worth writing about, is a thread about starting a CA about something. On this forum it is the RMS, on the Miata.net it is the thrust bearing issue or clutch chatter. BMW M3's have the whole engine fail(read about all the M3 engines blowing up on roadfly etc, BMW's answer was to advise you never to rev the engine out of gear). Hell for a while there, five series were burning people's houses down.
Randall if you go 10 years with no RMS issue you will have still lost. Because, for 10 years you will have endured the pain of an RMS failure without ever having one. Sell the Boxster, buy a Lexus. Then if your timing belt just happens to be the 1 in however many that break, your interference engine will be a paperweight.

My Lexus was in the shop in the first 3000 and my Boxster is at 3300 without breaking it's Service Center cherry. And I love the Lexus and would call it a very very reliable car(now with 75k). BTW it has been towed from my house to Lexus one time because the variable valve timing got stuck> No biggie

If you want to make your cars seem maintenance free, buy an airplane.

Enjoy your Boxster!
BTW I am 16 and these are my first two cars that my parents bought for me. JK

I better go knock on wood or my Lexus timing belt and Porsche RMS are both gona fail tomorrow.

Perfectlap · 05-26-2005, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lexuspilot

BTW I am 16 and these are my first two cars that my parents bought for me.
.

Holy crap. I couldn't get my folks to buy me a stupid Atari.

You are a very mature sounding for a 16 year old.

jfmillr · 05-26-2005, 08:41 PM

Sorry to hear some have trouble with their 986s or 987's. I have have my 2000 986 now since it was right at a year old and have Never seen a drop of oil on the garage floor. So it cant be happening to them all. other then basic maintanence and the many mods I have done really havent had any trouble with this car. It has been very reliable to me. Especially considering I also own a Mercedes and that is always in the shop. My 03 Rubicon never goes in the shop, except for oil changes andtire rotations....

lexuspilot · 05-26-2005, 08:41 PM

"Holy crap. I couldn't get my folks to buy me a stupid Atari.

You are a very mature sounding for a 16 year old."

The JK, meant just kidding.
I am 35 and have never had anything like a car given to me. My parents didn't buy me an atari either. I always dated girls for their cars not their other attributes.

RandallNeighbour · 05-27-2005, 06:47 AM

LexusPilot:

I DO own a 1995 LS400... 103k on the odometer. Love the car for what it is and what it is not.

I'm just pissed that Porsche would continue to produce a motor year after year after year where RMS issues crop up. This RMS issue is far bigger than Porsche is willing to admit publically because it would require a widespread recall from all the owners I've heard about who had RMS failure and all the Boxsters I hear about with new engines in them.