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

[mnc-i]

Sorry, I forgot the web address:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290876270500>

MNC-I

[BruceH]

Originally Posted by mnc-i

Sorry, I forgot the web address:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290876270500>

MNC-I

If you don't take it, I might have too! Seriously, you have to at that price If you need some help with it, I'm close by.

[Perfectlap]

^ that 101 Boxster Projects book is also available digitally on Google Books for your smartphone or tablet. Handy. Didn't see it on Kindle.

[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!

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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!