I bought a 1998 Boxster 2.5, did I make a huge mistake???

[Meat Head]

I feel like a complete idiot for not researching the Boxster better before my purchase. I just saw a MINT condition garage kept Porsche with 28k miles and couldn't pass it up! Like I stated earlier, I have owned a couple of Porsches in the past (944 and 924) and was totally prepared for the standard Porsche issues. I knew the early Boxsters had issues but I never heard of the complete engine failures until further research!

After the initial purchase, I'm not going to have a spare $2-$3 thousand bucks to have the IMS preventative work done:ah:! Honestly I assumed any auto with 28k miles and garage kept would be good to go for a few years (besides normal maintenance). I only plan to put 4k miles on the car per year.

I really love the car! What's not to love, looks, handling and its a Porsche! I don't want to do this but I'm considering putting the car up for around $13-$14 thousand, make a few bucks and try something less volatile In my area, a Boxster in this condition will sell fast in this price range. I would rather keep the car but complete engine failure is not something my pocket book can stand.

[Meat Head]

I'm getting the feeling that most of you wouldn't overly worry about the IMS problem. The 1998 seems to have the best IMS set up of all the older Boxsters (dual bearing). That does make me feel a bit better. I do know that the internet can overly amplify issues due to people having a negative experience will always make more noise than those that are happy.

Maybe I could wait until I need to replace the clutch before worrying about the IMS. I never seem to have good luck when rolling the dice.

I do want to keep this car!

[BruceH]

Personally, I wouldn't worry so much, but in the end you have to be comfortable. Just keep in mind that any used car can come with surprises. You don't have to change the IMS. Just buy the IMS guardian for peace of mind. The vast majority of cars do not suffer a failure. My sister's Honda van just had an engine failure, it can happen with any vehicle.

[thom4782]

As others and I have said, go the IMS Guardian route (a couple of hundred bucks and easy to self install) or just put in a magnetic drain plug if you don't want to spend lots of money up front. The difference between the two is the Guardian gives real time warnings whereas the magnetic drain plug only tells you what is going on at every oil change.

BTW: most folks, who replace the IMS bearing, do so at the time they replace the clutch. It adds $700 bucks or so to the clutch job. 90% of the labor is common between the two jobs.

[Meat Head]

You guys are great! Thanks for all of your input. I'm beginning to feel a little better about the car. Keep all the info and opinions coming (good and bad). I want to know how you guys feel about the 1998 Boxster.

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by Meat Head

I don't want to do this but I'm considering putting the car up for around $13-$14 thousand, make a few bucks and try something less volatile In my area, a Boxster in this condition will sell fast in this price range..

$13K for a 2.5? Please let know if you actually sell for that.
3.2's with moderate mileage have sold for about that much.

The more robust S model engines are also less prone to D chunk (cylinder liner cracks) than 2.5 Boxsters and even standard 3.4Carreras. Also, and kind of relevant to you, the reason D chunk seems to happen is because these cars been driven lightly with lower mileage....perhaps due to far fewer oil changes over time.

[58ceramicgreen]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

$13K for a 2.5? Please let know if you actually sell for that.
3.2's with moderate mileage have sold for about that much.

The more robust S model engines are also less prone to D chunk (cylinder liner cracks) than 2.5 Boxsters and even standard 3.4Carreras. Also, and kind of relevant to you, the reason D chunk seems to happen is because these cars been driven lightly with lower mileage....perhaps due to far fewer oil changes over time.

Believe it or not..I just had an offer of $13k for my 98 yesterday (95,000kms -59,000 miles) decided it wasnt time to part with my other love quite yet! I do believe the Canadian market is a little higher than the US though..alway seems to better deals south of the border.
Get in your car and enjoy it..don't waste time worrying!

[Meir]

Originally Posted by 58ceramicgreen

Believe it or not..I just had an offer of $13k for my 98 yesterday (95,000kms -59,000 miles) decided it wasnt time to part with my other love quite yet! I do believe the Canadian market is a little higher than the US though..alway seems to better deals south of the border.
Get in your car and enjoy it..don't waste time worrying!

so if i drive my 01S to Canada, can i sell it for 20K?

[Mark_T]

Depends where in Canada, but around here that wouldn't be an unreasonable asking price. You might have to settle for 18 or 19k if you want a quick sale in the spring.

[Meat Head]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

$13K for a 2.5? Please let know if you actually sell for that.
3.2's with moderate mileage have sold for about that much.

The more robust S model engines are also less prone to D chunk (cylinder liner cracks) than 2.5 Boxsters and even standard 3.4Carreras. Also, and kind of relevant to you, the reason D chunk seems to happen is because these cars been driven lightly with lower mileage....perhaps due to far fewer oil changes over time.

Moderate mileage is not 28k garage kept like new condition lol! I've seen what what many consider low mileage clean cars lol. My car looks as if it rolled off the showroom floor, has actually 27k miles (in most cars low mileage is a good thing lol).

I was actually wanting info on the 1998 Boxsters reliability not to discuss car values. Look up KBB and you will get a good idea of exactly what you can get for your carin your location. worst case scenario, CarMax will almost always give trade in value for a clean low mileage car.

Keep the coments coming about the early Boxster issues and reliability! I really appreciate it.

[thstone]

Hah! Definitely not a mistake.

My 1999 has 126,000 miles on the original engine and IMS bearing. Runs perfect. If you're worried, replace the bearing.

Enjoy the car!

[Topless]

98-99 are probably the most reliable of the 986 series. Dual row IMS, better chain set, few overheat or oiling problems that later years face. 2-4% IMS failure rate. A garage queen with only 28k is actually at higher risk of failure than one driven daily though. Replacement 2.5 motors are plentiful at dismantlers for $3k or you could drop in a nice 3.4L for more and have Boxster Spyder equivalent performance.

Probably time to sell it to me now for $2k and avoid all that nastiness.

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by Meat Head

My car looks as if it rolled off the showroom floor, has actually 27k miles (in most cars low mileage is a good thing lol).

M96 equipped engines are not most cars. The way a car looks is one thing. The condition of a low mileage engine after nearly 15 years is quiet another. If your engine goes it won't matter how pristine the rest of the car looks, it's a roller/parts car that won't sell for anything near $13K. Actually its shocking how little these cars are worth minus an engine. It's almost as if you're buying an engine and they're nice enough to toss in two seats and a steering wheel.
Wear on items like shocks, tires, seat leather can be repaired, great if they're pristine like yours but they aren't "Game Over" to your investment even in they're bad shape. Put it this way, many Porsche buyers will avoid a low mileage car in pristine shape that had only annual oil changes, using an oil from the dealer now believed to be inferior for long oil change intervals, sat for weeks or months at a time, constantly short shifted, the tach barely visited north of 3K RPM, etc. and will instead opt for a daily driven 2.5 with plenty of blemishes with plenty more oil changes and a list of repairs on known Boxster weak spots.
unsolicited Advice: if someone looks at your car without a Prepurchase Inspection and is otherwise unfamiliar with Porsche, don't negotiate too hard if they make an offer in your general ballpark. If the next owner is someone looking to use it as a daily driver and starts ramping up the mileage at some accelerated rate its not seen before, they may be a candidate for a surprise.

[paintboy]

Originally Posted by Meat Head

I feel like a complete idiot for not researching the Boxster better before my purchase. I just saw a MINT condition garage kept Porsche with 28k miles and couldn't pass it up! Like I stated earlier, I have owned a couple of Porsches in the past (944 and 924) and was totally prepared for the standard Porsche issues. I knew the early Boxsters had issues but I never heard of the complete engine failures until further research!

After the initial purchase, I'm not going to have a spare $2-$3 thousand bucks to have the IMS preventative work done:ah:! Honestly I assumed any auto with 28k miles and garage kept would be good to go for a few years (besides normal maintenance). I only plan to put 4k miles on the car per year.

I really love the car! What's not to love, looks, handling and its a Porsche! I don't want to do this but I'm considering putting the car up for around $13-$14 thousand, make a few bucks and try something less volatile In my area, a Boxster in this condition will sell fast in this price range. I would rather keep the car but complete engine failure is not something my pocket book can stand.

Where in Indiana are you? Prices in Indianapolis for a 1998 Boxster are the same as anywhere. I'm looking all the time.

[Meat Head]

I'm asking for mechanical issues and advice about the 1998 Porsche Boxster with the 2.5 engine and 5 speed transmission. I'm worried that I may have gotten in over my head with this vehicle lol! I'm worried that I let the low mileage (great for most cars lol) and the fact that the car is flawless (heated garage kept) influence me to make a bad purchase. I'm into this car for well under $11k. I thought it was a steal until I read about the engine failures!

I'M NOT WANTING TO ARGUE ABOUT CAR VALUES! However, there is a reason KBB asks for your zip code. Every area has different demands. I'm not a Boxster specialist and that is why I'm asking questions here and wondering if I made a mistake! I have looked at prices all over the country through Autotrader, Cars.com and Craigslist and could not find a Porsche Boxster of any year with less than 35k miles for under $13,000! I could be wrong, that's why I'm asking questions about the car on this site!

[Perfectlap]

I'd say you got a fair price. But theres not much wiggle room for the IMS upgrade, and any of the other pricey mods if youre looking to come out even on the flip.

Mileage isnt as much a consideration for the typical buyer as much as is year, engine size, pricey options, glass rear window,etc and for some things like location (no winter miles). But most important are records and whether it can pass a purchase inspection with flying colors. If youre freaking out about reliability take it to a porsche specialist for a full top to bottom inspection then youll know if you should be happy or should be concerned. No one here can tell you that for sure. And since your repairs fund is less than two years maintenance it would be in your interest to know what you may be facing. Id order an oil analysis after the first oil change from blackstone labs as well.

P.S.
Post some pics of the car. Its a 986forum tradition

[Mark_T]

You seem to be copping a bit of an attitude. People are trying to help you so maybe back off on the caps lock and listen to what you're being told, know what I'm sayin'?

You asked your question and you have several answers. Pick the one you like. If you think you made a mistake, then you made a mistake. If you're going to lose sleep worrying about mechanical failures, you made a mistake. If you can't afford a couple of grand a year for maintenance, you made a mistake. Given your limited budget, if you're not the type to learn to do your own repairs and maintenance then you made a mistake. These cars aren't for everyone, and maybe they're not for you.

[Meat Head]

Originally Posted by Mark_T

You seem to be copping a bit of an attitude. People are trying to help you so maybe back off on the caps lock and listen to what you're being told, know what I'm sayin'?

You asked your question and you have several answers. Pick the one you like. If you think you made a mistake, then you made a mistake. If you're going to lose sleep worrying about mechanical failures, you made a mistake. If you can't afford a couple of grand a year for maintenance, you made a mistake. Given your limited budget, if you're not the type to learn to do your own repairs and maintenance then you made a mistake. These cars aren't for everyone, and maybe they're not for you.

I'm copping an attitude lol. I've expressed my gratitude to all that have given me information (good or bad). I answered the person that kept brining up how much I estimated I could get for the car. I'm just going by KBB (that is what all local dealers use). Honestly I thought it was kind of rude to hijack the thread and start talking Boxster values lol (no big deal). That's the bad thing about the internet forums, things can be taken out of context.

[Perfectlap]

Actually you were the first to bring up the perceived market value of the car. After that people are going to offer their take on your take. Nothing unusual or rude about it. Par for the forum course.

[Meat Head]

My bad, I guess......I really didn't think anything about it. Everybody has been great with all the info that they have given thus far. Attitude was not intended lol.


Hey guys, keep all the info on the 1998 2.5 Boxster coming! It is a learning experience for me. I like to get as many opinions as possible.