Really enjoying my Boxster but... - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

goldenell · 06-02-2011, 09:39 AM

I have just joined the forum and have been driving my 01 Boxster S for two years now. Thing is I am probably a natural worrier (!) but the car has given me around 30K relatively trouble free mies (excl. MAF sensor, condenser and some suspension bushes). It is now up to 110K miles and although it perfoms perfectly, uses no oil or water I wonder if I should consider changing it for a newer model lest I run out of luck.

I know it's a bit of a 'how long is a piece of string' question but what's the view on the longevity of these things. My other car is a Jag XJ and common wisdom suggests the type of engine this has typically lasts until 250K miles if well maintatined.

By the way car has full PSH up to 50K and speciialist therafter (it has left one or two spots of oil on my garage floor since I had it but not enough ever to register on dipstick) That's about it! I'd welcome your thoughts.

Thanks

JoeFromPA · 06-02-2011, 10:48 AM

My experience is that cars either nickle and dime you or they don't. When you find one that doesn't, keep it, because it likely won't start.

On the other hand, cars that always seem to have something wrong seem to always continue to need something. Those are the worst cars - because you'll sink $5k into sorting things out and then want to get rid of it because you are tired of it nickle and diming you...but you MAY have gotten it sorted out, or maybe not.

My recommendation is to keep enjoying the boxster. It's fully depreciated, or just about, so any repairs at this point are going to be cheaper than the depreciation hit you'll take by itself with any newer car.

nnewell · 06-02-2011, 11:01 AM

Sell the Jag, my wife had a '96 XJ6 and at less than 100k miles was N&D us
to death........

goldenell · 06-02-2011, 11:11 AM

Thanks for both replies. I know Jag post nnewell was probably bit tongue in cheek but honestly the Jag has been dead reliable and engines are allegedly good for 250K from what I've read (that's torn it)!

As for depreciation comment from JoefromPA, thanks also. I hadn't thought of it from that point of view and it is a good way of looking at it. I have read a lot about Boxster engines going bang at 100K; you make a very valid point, the depreciation curve of a newer Boxster would be a lot easier to take from a cashflow point of view than a new engine. I'll clarify this by stating if I were to change to a newer model I'd finance the difference through finance from the supplying dealer.

sd_boxster · 06-02-2011, 12:40 PM

I expect that a year or two's payments on a new Boxster would exceed the trade-in value of your current Boxster. Were I in your shoes, I'd keep driving the current, out-of-warranty 986. If it holds up for years, you've come out ahead. If it dies in a year, I expect you could sell it as a rolling chassis for as much as you'd get from the dealer on a trade, give or take what you saved in payments.

One important consideration: Is the current Boxster paid for? If so, bank the payments and enjoy the luxury of having the cash in the bank... when something does go wrong, or when you decide you need that Boxster Sypder, you'll have a nice down payment in the bank...

Disclaimer: I'm far too cheap to buy a new Porsche. I'd rather have a 2-year certified pre-owned warranty on a $30K three-year-old car than a longer warranty on a $65K new car. Throwing money at the dealership for no other reason than what-if (i.e. what if my IMS bearing goes bad, what happens if I pop a hole in the block, etc.) isn't my personal preference.

sd_boxster · 06-02-2011, 12:44 PM

Sounds like you got the one good car Jaguar made. Hang onto it. Our old XJ6 was a rolling crisis (and not the good kind of crisis that Jeremy Clarkson likes to talk about...).

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldenell

...but honestly the Jag has been dead reliable and engines are allegedly good for 250K from what I've read (that's torn it)!

blue2000s · 06-02-2011, 12:46 PM

I wouldn't believe anyone who told you that the Boxster's engine will only last XXX miles. Every engine is different and everyone takes care of their engine differently. There are plastic guides in the engine that are meant to wear out with time and there are bearings in the engine that are less than robust, but the guides are replaceable and wear rate on the bearings is completely unpredictable (at least so far). Yours could last 1,000,000 miles, who knows.

BerneseMtnDog · 06-02-2011, 01:35 PM

FWIW I had a 95' XJR and put 133k miles on it with no issues at all other than wear items like brake pads, etc.. One of the most reliable cars I've ever had.

For the Pcar I'd personally say keep it. Newer with lower miles doesn't necessarily mean more reliable or less likely to break down. Its treated you well so far so I'd hang onto it.

Steve
2000 2.7L

Jager · 06-02-2011, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldenell

I have just joined the forum and have been driving my 01 Boxster S for two years now. Thing is I am probably a natural worrier (!) but the car has given me around 30K relatively trouble free mies (excl. MAF sensor, condenser and some suspension bushes). It is now up to 110K miles and although it perfoms perfectly, uses no oil or water I wonder if I should consider changing it for a newer model lest I run out of luck.

I know it's a bit of a 'how long is a piece of string' question but what's the view on the longevity of these things. My other car is a Jag XJ and common wisdom suggests the type of engine this has typically lasts until 250K miles if well maintatined.

By the way car has full PSH up to 50K and speciialist therafter (it has left one or two spots of oil on my garage floor since I had it but not enough ever to register on dipstick) That's about it! I'd welcome your thoughts.

Thanks

I have over 211,000 miles on my 01 (yes original motor)... Drive it and change the oil at least every 3,500 - 4,000 miles.

goldenell · 06-05-2011, 06:44 AM

Avery pragmatic view from 'sd boxster'! thanks. I think, on balance you've convinced me to hang on to her!

As a post script: the day after my post the most awful metallic rattle appeared form the rear of the car, paranoid as ever I ran it down to my local specialist who said, to his credit he would look at it straight away. The cause? The hand brake cable rubbing against the rear wheel due to lack of tie. It was fixed in twenty minutes (along with said specialist checking discs and pads just in case and putting another tie on the cable on the other side). Cost? A small 'drink'!

Lesson learnt? I'll resolve to make my next post something when I really have a problem. Thanks to all and thanks 986 forum...I'll get on with just enjoying the car again now-mileage is just a number it seems!