Go Back   986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners > Porsche Boxster & Cayman Forums > Boxster General Discussions

Post Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-26-2016, 04:25 PM   #1
Registered User
 
Retroman1969's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 856
HOW is an old Boxster more robust than Jeeps and Trucks??

Seriously.
I just got terrible news. I decided to put my Jeep Wrangler back on the road by replacing the bad head gasket. After it was apart and the new parts in, I found that the recently replaced radiator is split and both the head and block are cracked. It's heavily burned toast. And I was easy on this vehicle, and meticulous about maintenance. Turns out they're prone to these engine problems. (Dead at 118,000 miles)
TOTAL MILAGE ON THE JOB: 18,000

My previous Wrangler, an older YJ, had to have the radiator replaced, and the differential went out. After fixing all of that, it started spitting synchros one gear at a time. Turns out, the 5-speed 4 cylinder YJs have notoriously weak trannys. (Dead at 104,000 miles)
TOTAL MILAGE ON YHE JOB: 6,000

Before that, my Land Rover Discovery needed to be towed twice a week (no joke), needed the whole cooling system, brake system, and much of the electrical system replaced. After fixing most of that, I found that both head gaskets were blown. While contemplating fixing that, the tranny started slipping. All of these and more are extremely common on Land Rovers. (Dead at 124,000 miles)
TOTAL MILAGE ON THE JOB: 8,500

Before THAT! My Nissan Pickup had a multitude of differential and electrical issues and a fuel injection problem that no one could figure out. Sold it while I was ahead. (81,000 miles)
TOTAL MILAGE ON THE JOB: 14,000

Current work car: 1999 Porsche Boxster. Yes, I've replaced several worn out items as it hit higher mileage, only needed a tow twice: once because the coolant bottle was leaking, and I didn't want to risk getting it hot, and once when I wrecked it (it was still drivable, but hey, free tow from AAA).
You guys have probably seen my posts with the downtown traffic, and going off-road, and plowing through miles and miles of snow, and yet the bloody thing keeps cheerfully humming along. How??! (Still going at 171,000)
TOTAL MILAGE ON THE JOB so far: 48,000

What's left to say, except: WTF??

PS: I'm selling the jeep to a do-it-yourself off road guy and the money will be put aside to buy a lower mileage used engine for the Boxster when it finally does go. Might as well reward loyalty.















__________________
"Remember, I'm pulling for ya! We're all in this together."

Last edited by Retroman1969; 04-26-2016 at 04:43 PM.
Retroman1969 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 05:13 PM   #2
Registered User
 
husker boxster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Omaha
Posts: 2,865
Way to go Retro!

Nice write up. Just be sure you have the hand brake on near boat docks so you don't have a "Risky Business" situation.
__________________
GPRPCA Chief Driving Instructor
2008 Boxster S Limited Edition #005
2008 Cayman S Sport - Signal Green
1989 928 S4 5 spd - black
1987 928 S4 - Granite Green Metallic (Felsengrun)
husker boxster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 05:18 PM   #3
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: CO
Posts: 126
Delete post.

Last edited by Tcar; 04-27-2016 at 06:40 AM.
Tcar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 05:33 PM   #4
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: New England
Posts: 296
This is why my wife bought a Macan.

Last edited by Need_for_speed; 04-29-2016 at 12:14 PM.
Need_for_speed is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 06:07 PM   #5
1997 Tip, 2018 Macan
 
rexcramer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Upland, CA
Posts: 1,338
Garage
I know the history of Rover, Land Rover and Range Rover. Classic off roaders from days gone by. But why does anybody, in America, still buy a Land Rover in this day and age? They are just bloody awful. My boss had a brand new one and it spent 4 of his first six months at the dealer waiting on parts. And they are ridiculously over-priced.
rexcramer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 07:15 PM   #6
Certified Boxster Addict
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 7,669
Quote:
Originally Posted by Retroman1969 View Post
... and the money will be put aside to buy a lower mileage used engine for the Boxster when it finally does go.
Exactly. I just made an offer for a low mileage '99 2.5L engine so I have something ready to swap in whenever my current engine lets go. These M96's are consumables/disposables.
__________________
1999 996 C2 - sold - bought back - sold for more
1997 Spec Boxster BSR #254
1979 911 SC
POC Licensed DE/TT Instructor
thstone is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2016, 07:25 PM   #7
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: LB, Germany
Posts: 1,453
Quote:
HOW is an old Boxster more robust than Jeeps and Trucks?
Hi Retroman,

simply because it's a good car. Especially if you use it as a daily driver. Over here in Germany we have some folks also at the 300.000 Km / 186.411 miles mark with no bigger problems – OK, the typical maintenance stuff has to be done and wearparts need to be replaced.

Mostly the low mileage cars do make the problems. Also you have the good 16" wheels, which may not look that nice / sporty, but give a good ride comfort and help the chassis structure to stay fresh.

Regards, Markus
Smallblock454 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2016, 01:24 AM   #8
Registered User
 
Retroman1969's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 856
LOL, I had thought about that with the pier in the background.
The guy driving the car in the highway pic is my friend Jim. He's the only member of the Possum Lodge to pay his dues on time with the exception of Harold.
Wow, so it's up there with Lexus and Toyota on JD Power while the other vehicles I mentioned owning linger near the bottom! Well, I can't argue with that figure.
Often the myriad scare stories you hear about certain vehicles are overblown. We certainly hear plenty of them about Porsche. In the case of Land Rover/Range Rover it is as bad and worse in reality. I switched to Jeeps because I thought they'd be simple, tough, and dependable by comparison. But turns out they're cheaply thrown together in ways that compromise their perceived durability.
I guess that's why I've had so much better luck with the Porsche. They're just plain made with a higher level of care and it shows.

Sorry the rant above was so long, but after the news of the Jeep I had to vent my frustration. Thanks for listening and for your comments!
__________________
"Remember, I'm pulling for ya! We're all in this together."

Last edited by Retroman1969; 04-27-2016 at 01:29 AM.
Retroman1969 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2016, 05:17 AM   #9
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Between Kingston and Toronto
Posts: 74
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smallblock454 View Post
Also you have the good 16" wheels, which may not look that nice / sporty, but give a good ride comfort and help the chassis structure to stay fresh.

Regards, Markus
Wait a minute. I have those rims and I happen to think they look much better than those 17" twisty things. Tires are cheaper also.

G
__________________
1999 Silver Boxster
www.mulcahey.com
https://www.instagram.com/garymulcahey/
GaryMulcahey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2016, 05:38 AM   #10
Registered User
 
Retroman1969's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 856
Quote:
Originally Posted by GaryMulcahey View Post
...Tires are cheaper also.

G
Yes, a big plus on a car that needs tires at least once a year.
__________________
"Remember, I'm pulling for ya! We're all in this together."
Retroman1969 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2016, 06:05 AM   #11
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Emerald City
Posts: 885
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by rexcramer View Post
I know the history of Rover, Land Rover and Range Rover. Classic off roaders from days gone by. But why does anybody, in America, still buy a Land Rover in this day and age? They are just bloody awful. My boss had a brand new one and it spent 4 of his first six months at the dealer waiting on parts. And they are ridiculously over-priced.
Somehow they are a status symbol. They make a terrible product, consistently finish dead last in every possible category. But every celebrity has one, so somehow they sell mass amounts of them. I laugh everytime I see one on the side of the road.
jdraupp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2016, 06:18 AM   #12
Registered User
 
CoBeerToad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Peoria IL
Posts: 529
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by Need_for_speed View Post
I don't understand something. I know the same people make different named cars, but what is the difference between Honda and Acura? Or Dodge and Ram?
CoBeerToad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2016, 06:52 AM   #13
Registered User
 
jb92563's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Riverside, CA
Posts: 1,665
Graph means what?

So out of 100 Porsches on any particular day of the year, on average that sampling showed that there were 97 "problems" evident in those 100?

Or over the life of those 100 cars they cumulatively had 97 problems at some point in time?

As the 2nd owner of a 99 Jeep Wrangler, having owned it for the last 10 years, I have only replaced a cracked header, and a starter motor after numerous submersion's in the lake while launching Seadoo's.

No current issues, so how does that translate to those statistics?

Lies, damned lies and statistics, its all the same.
__________________
"It broke because it wants to be Upgraded "
2012 Porsche Performance Driving School - SanDiego region
2001 Boxster S, Top Speed muffler, (Fred's) Mini Morimotto Projectors, Tarret UDP,
Short Shifter, Touch Screen Dual Din Radio, 03 4 Bow glass Top (DD & Auto-X since May 17,2012)
jb92563 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2016, 07:47 AM   #14
2003 S, Arctic Silver, M6
 
paulofto's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Posts: 1,348
Garage
I had an '89 Jeep Cherokee Limited, a black one with a gold stripe, very retro looking today but the height of suburban modernity back in the early '90's. Anyway this thing was great for the first 3 or 4 years but then, like a synchronized demolition, everything started to fail at once. Radiator, A/C, 4 wheel diff, clear coat paint finish, wheel bearings . . the entire vehicle fell apart. It's like a timer went off. I'll never own another Jeep product again.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I bought a 2005 Ford Escape 'No Boundaries' Edition new from the dealer in 2004 and still have it. Other than a transmission issue in 2009 covered under warranty this thing has been bullet proof (knock on wood). i may keep it forever.

PS Retroman, I love your whole "Red Green" persona . . . Possum Lodge and all. When i used to live in Southern Ontario I'd see Steve Smith (aka Red Green) once in awhile out and about around Hamliton. He's a genuinely nice guy and a great ambassador for duct tape. In the words of Red 'Keep your stick on the ice'.
paulofto is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2016, 08:04 AM   #15
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: LB, Germany
Posts: 1,453
Quote:
Originally Posted by GaryMulcahey View Post
Wait a minute. I have those rims and I happen to think they look much better than those 17" twisty things. Tires are cheaper also.

G
Hi,

uhm. i'm sorry. Wanted to say that the 16" rims look extremely elegant and emphasizes this special female attitude of the car.

And i agree, don't like the 17" Turbo style rims. That's why i have 18" Carrera rims. Said that, i have to say that the ride comfort is better with 17". Never drove a 986 with 16", but on the bad roads we have today i think that is a good choice. Especially for a daily driver.

Regards, Markus
Smallblock454 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2016, 08:36 AM   #16
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Southern New jersey
Posts: 1,054
Quote:
Originally Posted by CoBeerToad View Post
I don't understand something. I know the same people make different named cars, but what is the difference between Honda and Acura? Or Dodge and Ram?
Dodge Trucks are no longer called "Dodge RAM", just "RAM"
Obviously Acura is the luxury division or Honda, just like Lexus-Toyota, Infiniti-Nissan, GMC-Chevrolet, etc.

I have no idea why reliability would vary by division, such as Acura vs. Honda.

Last edited by stephen wilson; 04-27-2016 at 09:08 AM.
stephen wilson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2016, 10:02 AM   #17
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: New England
Posts: 296
Quote:
Originally Posted by jb92563 View Post
Graph means what?

So out of 100 Porsches on any particular day of the year, on average that sampling showed that there were 97 "problems" evident in those 100?

Or over the life of those 100 cars they cumulatively had 97 problems at some point in time?

As the 2nd owner of a 99 Jeep Wrangler, having owned it for the last 10 years, I have only replaced a cracked header, and a starter motor after numerous submersion's in the lake while launching Seadoo's.

No current issues, so how does that translate to those statistics?

Lies, damned lies and statistics, its all the same.

Here's a potential explanation:

How The Hell Are Porsches So Reliable?
Need_for_speed is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2016, 10:35 AM   #18
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Augusta, GA
Posts: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by Need_for_speed View Post
Here's a potential explanation:

How The Hell Are Porsches So Reliable?
he isnt asking about the reliability of Porsches

he's asking how to read the graph

//ENDRANT
__________________
98 Integra (learned on)
2015 Brz (totaled)
2005 Boxster (Current DD)
AmongstEnemies is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2016, 11:58 AM   #19
Motorist & Coffee Drinker
 
78F350's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 3,653
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by jb92563 View Post
Graph means what?

So out of 100 Porsches on any particular day of the year, on average that sampling showed that there were 97 "problems" evident in those 100?

Or over the life of those 100 cars they cumulatively had 97 problems at some point in time?

As the 2nd owner of a 99 Jeep Wrangler, having owned it for the last 10 years, I have only replaced a cracked header, and a starter motor after numerous submersion's in the lake while launching Seadoo's.

No current issues, so how does that translate to those statistics?

Lies, damned lies and statistics, its all the same.
I was curious, so I looked up the study. Here's a bit that generally explains their method:

The J.D. Power U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS)
focuses on problems experienced by
original owners of 3-year-old vehicles. Study findings are used extensively by manufacturers
worldwide to help them design and build better vehicles—which typically retain higher resale
value—and by consumers to help them make more informed choices for both new and used
vehicles.
Problem symptoms are evaluated in eight vehicle system categories:
• Exterior
• Seats
• The Driving Experience
• HVAC
• Features/Controls/Displays
• Interior
• Audio/Communication/Entertainment/Navigation
• Engine/Transmission
Quoted from: http://www.jdpower.com/sites/default/files/vds_ss_16.pdf

Quote:
...in the lake while launching Seadoo's.
My SeaDoo's reliability was terrible, they were 90s models. Gave them away and got some old WaveRunners. Those old Yamahas just keep on going.
__________________
I am not an attorney, mechanic, or member of the clergy. Following any advice given in my posts is done at your own peril.
78F350 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2016, 04:32 PM   #20
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: New England
Posts: 296
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmongstEnemies View Post
he isnt asking about the reliability of Porsches

he's asking how to read the graph

//ENDRANT
Wow. Sorry AE. Didn't mean to offend or irritate. Just thought it was an interesting commentary on the survey.

I'll go back into my hole...:chicken:


Last edited by Need_for_speed; 04-27-2016 at 04:49 PM.
Need_for_speed is offline   Reply With Quote
Post Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -8. The time now is 09:14 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page