Workshop manual
 

Hi all,

I'm picking up my 2001 Boxster S tomorrow (my first boxster, finally!). I'll post pics etc once I have it. I hope to do my first track day on Wednesday (fingers crossed).

Does anyone know where I can find a workshop manual for the boxster.
What manuals exist apart from the factory workshop manual?
Are they any good compared to the facotry one?

Porsche Australia will not sell it to anyone, even small workshops..... (Pricks!!!)

Is it available for download anywhere for free, or do you guys know anyone selling copies on disk. I saw some ads for some on ebay but am not sure how good they are.

We should all have a copy of the workshop manual.

I recently bought one from Vertex Auto; it's a new manual that just came out. Pretty basic, but a very helpful reference.

A well known publisher here, Bentley, is bringing out a Boxster maintenance manual set shortly, some time this month. It is expected be US$100 and is said to be excellent. Sign up here to be notified when it is available http://www.bentleypublishers.com/product.htm?code=pb04

There are also Porsche work shop manuals you can buy online for US$20 for download, it is a 600mb download in PDF format but isn't great. They are ok but hard to follow and don't go in to detail. Worth $20 maybe but not much more.

Having said that they seem to have disappeared from the web site, they were on here http://www.workshopmanuals.co.uk/workshop_manuals/cars/index.html but people have said they were unofficial, maybe Porsche shut them off. The ones on ebay are the same as these and in my opinion are not worth the money.

I have no affiliation with any of these, just passing on the links and what I have heard.

Thank you for the linkage! Bentley manuals are awesome.....I can't wait.

I just ordered a manual on CD off ebay. Looks to be the item UKCHIRS was referring to. I'll update you guys on what its like upon receipt. It doesn't look like its too detailed, the pic only shows 286 pages or so (i'm sure Boxsters have more problems than this that need fixing....). Here's the link http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8011214830

I also have my motor bookshop chasing up what it can get in print form.

I planned to buy one too. I need to learn how to replace MAF, coolant tank and tubes, brake pads, tune up, oil change, fixing convertible top and RMS leak...etc. Please let us know if the one you bought is good, I want to buy one too. Thanks.

For most of these things you are better off posting here, www.ppbb.com or (especially) www.renntech.org there are people on these sites that seem to have done just about every task that can be done at home and will be happy to share and guide you. In some areas there are folks who will have work on car days or come and help you - one of the reasons I bought the Boxster is the great community that you join.

Regarding the MAF for example try here http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=659&st=0&p=2707& or more searches. A friend of mine replaced his in less than ten minutes whereas the dealer quotes an hour and a half plus high markup parts.

You can buy a replacement MAF much cheaper online too, check out Sunset Imports or ******************************** for good prices.

For the PDF manuals I'd say they are well work $10 but probably not much more, certainly not the $100+ you sometimes see them sell for on ebay. The online resources are by far the most valuable though, at least until the Bentley book comes out.

Chris.