$3000 fear suck!

[mmontfort]

So I got sucked in to all the BS about the IMS bearing and had mine replaced at 130,000 miles. It looked just as good as the new one we replaced it with. What a complete waste of money. Could have put in a PSS9 system for the same money. LIVE AND LEARN that people hype s**t to make money.

[Dragonwind]

I cry BS on your post! :troll:

[smshirk]

Originally Posted by mmontfort

So I got sucked in to all the BS about the IMS bearing and had mine replaced at 130,000 miles. It looked just as good as the new one we replaced it with. What a complete waste of money. Could have put in a PSS9 system for the same money. LIVE AND LEARN that people hype s**t to make money.

Who did you have do the work? You were just lucky yours was in good shape, or maybe you've changed the oil every 3-5k miles and it paid off. If you have the LN bearing upgrade, you won't have to worry about the motor imploding and can put those PSS9s on there without worrying about parting them out for half price down the road. I'd like to do that next too, along with a brake upgrade, maybe even a single turbo addition. Pretty soon it could get to be real money!

[johnsimion]

Originally Posted by mmontfort

So I got sucked in to all the BS about the IMS bearing and had mine replaced at 130,000 miles. It looked just as good as the new one we replaced it with. What a complete waste of money. Could have put in a PSS9 system for the same money. LIVE AND LEARN that people hype s**t to make money.

The upgrade makes sense on a low-mileage, nearly new car, which is both still highly valuable and most at risk of IMS failure from what I've read. Even LN and Raby will tell you that probably 95% (or more) of IMS's are good and tend to stay good. Your car obviously had a good IMS or it wouldn't have lasted 130,000 miles. And why would you invest $3K in a car with 130,000 miles anyway? It's not like the new IMS would give you new rings and valves ...

[Jake Raby]

Did you disassemble the 130,000 mile bearing to inspect it?
Have you had enough experience with roller bearings to know a bad one if you saw it? Did you measure the diameters of the balls or check them for spalling?

The upgrade makes sense on a low-mileage, nearly new car, which is both still highly valuable and most at risk of IMS failure from what I've read

The reason we have developed the IMS Guardian is for people who want to procrastinate the IMSR as long as possible, or have a vehicle with value diminished to the point that the IMSR makes no monetary sense. Some will never have to retrofit their bearing while the IMSG provides audible and visual warnings from a dash interface.

You did this as an elective procedure and it was a wise decision. People who have faced the decisions related to an IMS failure do not share your same thoughts. We talk to them on a near daily basis.

Contrary to popular belief, just because your IMS bearing isn't extracted in pieces doesn't mean that it was "perfectly fine and as good as the bearing that replaced it".

[laphan]

I disagree with you on IMSR BS comment. Mine almost broke at 47K.
I think this IMS game is like playing a Russian roulette. The chance you you might get hit by one is small but when you get it, you are toast.

I'm not here try to tell anybody to get IMS replaced or help Jake to sell his product.

I had a clutch judder because there was a leak (RMS) and oil got to my clutch friction area. Sent it for clucth, IMS and RMS work and found that RMS was leaking but still went ahead with IMS replacement procedure since the car was already apart.

And guess what we found out....

My IMS bearing had some play on it(while new LN bearing has no play at all). IMS did not leak oil but play on the bearing really told me that my bearing was on the way OUT. There was no visible metal shavings on my oil filter, engine ran fine.

I was one who did not believe in IMS failure but after saw what happened to my bearing, I'm glad that my clutch problem saved my engine. OTOH, most IMS bearing failure happens on cars with low mileage

[DFW02S]

I had mine done at 57k and I sleep well knowing that I can hammer the daylights out of the car without (that particular) fear of seizing the engine.

When I'm done with Boxster fun, anyone buying the car will see value in buying a car with the LNE bearing.

[DFW02S]

You seem to be saying that given the opportunity to buy one with the LNE done or the same car without it, you'd judge them to be equal in value.
Aren't opinions great?

And please note that I only mentioned value, not price.

Originally Posted by silverboxster101

... FYI: The LNE bearing adds NOTHING to the price of the car.

[thstone]

Yeah, when I took my car in to have my clutch replaced, I asked about replacing the IMS. The owner showed me a stack of perfectly good IMS bearings that he had replaced at the insistance of other customers. I took one look and agreed to skip it.

Why do I temp fate so?

IMS failure is less than 3%. That means that I have a 97% chance of never having an IMS failure. Those are about the overall odds that Vegas casinos run on. Good enough for me.

Of course, someone will end up in the 3%, that is real. And if you can't afford $5-$6K to replace your engine, then you have a problem because the only way to mitigate the potential IMS failure is a $2,000 replacement. (And if you can't afford a $2,000 repair you probably shouldn't own a Porsche. Or a BMW. Or many other similar cars.)

As for the $400 warning system, who knows. But when the warning goes off your only option wlll be a $2,000 repair (on top of a $400 warning system).

For me, I'm going with the odds (97%). And if I end up in the 3%, I easily have the $6K to replace the engine.

[thstone]

Originally Posted by DFW02S

When I'm done with Boxster fun, anyone buying the car will see value in buying a car with the LNE bearing.

There is no recognized market value in a IMS bearing replacement.

Most likely it is somewhere around $300 at best if you find someone who cares. They'll give you 50% of the hardware cost. Labor is never valued.

And most buyers could care less whether the IMS has been replaced or not (just like we didn't care when we bought our used cars).

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by thstone

And most buyers could care less whether the IMS has been replaced or not (just like we didn't care when we bought our used cars).

I can't agree with that statement entirely, thstone. The reason I "didn't care" is simply because I didn't know. Had I known about the issue prior to the purchase I would have sought out a vehicle that did have it done, and I know there are some people out there who know about that issue when they go shopping.

I think people are assuming that the "value" being referred to is financial in nature. I understand it as personally important value, and that is not to say that I'm going to pay more for a car that has it vs. a car that does not. But knowing what I've learned as a part of being on this forum and doing some homework (post-purchase), given two similar lower mileage cars where a difference between them is that one had the IMS retrofit or replacement done by a certified shop, I'd choose that one over the one that did not have it done, because that car, to me, would be the more reliable of the two, at least when it comes to the issues having to do with the IMS bearing.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by thstone

There is no recognized market value in a IMS bearing replacement. ............

And most buyers could care less whether the IMS has been replaced or not (just like we didn't care when we bought our used cars).

I would not bet on that; when doing a PPI for a customer, cars are rated on the basis of "+’s" vs. "-‘s" (we do not attempt to set price). Two cars in otherwise equivalent condition, one with an IMS refit, the other without, care to guess which one scores higher (and typically sells for more)?

[fivepointnine]

so the question that has not been asked yet is why did you overpay by about 1k to do the retrofit? All the local shops I called here in the Seattle area were about 2k for the IMS retrofit including parts........Im doing it with my tax return so I dont have to dip into savings lol

[coreseller]

I performed the retrofit on mine myself since I was pulling the transmission out anyway. I sold the car this past fall, an informed buyer (luckily I had one) will likely understand and pay more for the car as a result. An uniformed buyer (one who bases their decision solely on price) will likely deserve and learn quickly the consequences of getting a "Cheap Porsche".

When I pulled the original IMS bearing out and it to appeared to be in good shape, I simply shook my head and smiled thinking "Well, at least that's something that won't be dwelling in my thoughts anymore". If you're already going in for a clutch change or otherwise, change it out. Until then, keep changing the oil and filter every 3k to 5k miles, JMHO.

And yes, I know a couple of guys who've unfortunately experienced IMS Bearing failures on M96 motors. Read of several more here and on other sites, spoke to techs at independent Porsche shops, it is a known problem.

[jcb986]

I also was curious about the IMS bearing issue, so, I went to my local Porsche dealer and had a little quick talk with a couple of P-techs. Letting them know I was in the market for a nice pre-owned Boxster and have heard about the IMS issue. I was told that in their combined years of servicing and repairing Posche's that they have had only one car with an engine failure. I was told that Porsche's love being driven, not sitting...Don't Worry, Be Happy!

[Tim01S]

I bought my 2001 S with 60k miles a year ago from a dealer. Prior to purchasing I too asked them about the IMS bearing. They commented that the engine was bulletproof. That is pretty much what I expected given they wanted to sell me a car.

This fall I noticed some oil seepage where the engine and transmission mate. I took it to a local Indi shop and had them quote a clutch kit, RMS, and LNE IMS bearing replacement. The total quote was around $2,600.00. They found that the flywheel was shot, add another $575.00. When they pulled the bearing (double row bearing) and removed the grease seal for me, the cage was intact, grease gone, ball bearings "looked OK". The tech said there was some play in the bearing, he also noted traces of metal behind the bearing cover.

The car drives great with the new clutch and the cold start engine rattle is gone.

Because of the research I did before I bought the car, largely on this sight, I anticipated having to do the clutch, RMS, and possibly flywheel. I absolutely planned on replacing the IMS bearing while having the rest done. Yes it was a lot of money, but I look at as normal maintenance cost and money I won't have to spend again anytime soon. I am glad I did it. I love my 986!

[Uller God]

My RMS threw-up so I opted to have both RMS and LNE IMS replaced, $1,500 total and that included the oil change. Might want to get another estimate if your quoted 3K.

[fivepointnine]

Originally Posted by Uller God

My RMS threw-up so I opted to have both RMS and LNE IMS replaced, $1,500 total and that included the oil change. Might want to get another estimate if your quoted 3K.

jeez, where was this at? that is $500 less than the other quote I recieved!

[Brucelee]

I used to deal in used P-cars exclusively. It has been a few years since then but I can tell you that the local P dealer told me (in confidence) that they did an engine or two PER WEEK! Now that was a big dealer in SOCAL and that included both 911 and 986.

I can't say this as a FACT, but I can tell you that this. I walked around the service shop several times a week and there was always a car or three with the engine/trans dropped out of it.

For what it is worth.

[milliemax]

Yesterday I talked to my INDY in his private office. He as been building,racing repairing , instructing for Porsche Club of America for 35 + years. He told me his business has been servicing many "Boxters" for years and has NEVER experienced an IMS failure. He told me that every engine made has "a little trouble engineered into them" meaning,Chevy,Ford,Audi, etc. And this did not mean that I would not be the 1st to have a problem. As for "cold start rattle" ? He told me that it's a Porsche and to be concerned with only the "strange rattle" that you may hear ! Then attack it ASAP. We also discussed the "World wide marketing" of Boxter after market parts, big bucks !!! I change my oil and love my first Porsche !!!. Hope you all feel the same. PS, IMS I love you too !!! Hope you love me !!! How bout it Danger? Tell us about your IMS. And what you did to 99, have not heard from him ?