Am I spending too much on my boxster?

[BoxsterSteve]

Store it if you want, but starting it periodically is a bad idea. The engine needs to get up to operating temperature, and that takes 15-20 minutes of driving. Idling just doesn't cut it.
Do like most and don't run it while in hibernation. Your car will thank you.
Fill the tank, add some fuel stabilizer, pump up the tires and throw a cover on it.

As far as what you have spent, it's all preventative work and setting a maintenance baseline.
Don't fret.

[2000986s]

Wow okay I'm glad I asked. So not running it at all from November-March isn't going to be bad for the car?

[rick3000]

Not if you prep the car to be stored. A quick search on this forum or google will turn up a lot of guides for how to do that.

[2000986s]

Originally Posted by rick3000

Not if you prep the car to be stored. A quick search on this forum or google will turn up a lot of guides for how to do that.

Thank you very much, I'll get to searching!

[911monty]

Here is a pretty good one already done....https://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/theboxsterinwinter

[2000986s]

Originally Posted by 911monty

Here is a pretty good one already done....https://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/theboxsterinwinter

I love this forum, thanks 911monty

[911monty]

Originally Posted by 2000986s

I love this forum, thanks 911monty

You're Welcome!

[rexcramer]

Some people go all out when prepping their cars for winter. I have read of people changing the oil just prior to storage, run it up to temp and park it. Then change it again in the spring again. (with zero mileage on the oil) Most people put a battery maintainer on the cars to keep the battery up. Otherwise your battery will be flat and you will not be able to use the remote to open the car and or the frunk to get to the battery. Look at re-routeing your emergency frunk cable opener and verifying that it actually operates.

Also look at rodent proofing, if you are going to store your car. Woody just had a rat make a buffet of one of his wiring harnesses.

On the flip side, there are owners who buy a second set of rims with winter tires and drive them all year. Personally, I would go through withdrawals if I couldn't drive mine for several months. We don't do winter here. I just put my hardtop on, if the weather is going to be wet for more than a couple of days.

IMO, drive it, and hard. It's not a sugar cube.

[jdlmodelt]

Originally Posted by 2000986s

So I have had a 2000 boxster S since May. The car is loads of fun and I don't regret the purchase at all, but man i am racking up the credit cards with this one. Not including any upgrades I did by choice, I am about 4.5k deep in maintenance this summer. That includes an ims solution (preventative maintenance and well worth it), a new clutch assembly, 2 new motor mounts, an AOS replacement, an MAF replacement, and oil and fluids changed. I understand a 16 year old Porsche requires a lot of maintenance, but is this typical in the first year of ownership? Car had 68k miles when bought and I've put 5k on since.

Dude, you did everything the forum told you to do, not what you had to do. that's all preventative, i bet you could have spread that out a bit and not experienced so much expense in the first year.

[mikesz]

I have a 99 Boxster and I do almost all my own work. Parts alone can be expensive. I enjoy working on the car, adds to my appreciation for the engineering that has gone into these cars. You spend a lot of money now go out and enjoy it!

[RandallNeighbour]

The first two years of ownership for me back in 2004 on my 1997 boxster were financial brutal, and it wasn't that old of a car. It had been neglected though.

One thing you just have to get straight in your head is that this car is a really fun little money pit. Suspension parts wear out faster than other cars (for example).

On the bright side, after about 3-4 years of fixing broken things, replacing worn out things, and adding unnecessary things (sport exhaust, side skirts, speedster humps, litronic headlamps, new interior, etc.) I have enjoyed the car without much expense beyond oil changes, tires, and a battery.

[ymkmkrz]

I have a 2000 996,
2001 986s, and a 968. I have had all three for more than 10 years. By far I have had more maintenance issues on the 968. And it has inly been driven 10k miles in 12 years, part of the problem I am sure.

I have spend more on the Boxster, but I had the full monty high perf upgrade done by Jake Raby. It was worth it, IMO. The car runs like stink, looks unobtrusive and is a blast to drive. I use the 996 tip as a daily driver and boxster as my fun car. 968 is my wifes. She just doesnt drive it much. I have allocate about an hour a week to that car just to keep the oil from coagulating. The 968 cab is a beautiful car and even tho 236 hp is nothing these days, it is still a dun car to drive on a sunday afternoon. I have been asked why I dont sell all three ans buy a newer porsche, and the reason I dont is that i have made the investments in all three so that failures rarely happen anymore and they aren't that expensive to maintain myself. I still have to use my indy for some things, but I have rarely seen him the last few years, even with 3 old porsches


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[madmodz]

Buying the shop manual and 101 things to do to your boxster is worth its weight in gold!

[Lando]

Originally Posted by rick3000

If you want something more in depth, a good starter DIY, take the front bumper off, clean the radiators, and reroute your front trunk release cable behind the front tow cap for easy access if the battery ever dies.

I bought a 2003 Boxster S in April with 58K on the clock and this was one of the first projects I took on. This car had always been garaged by the previous owner so I was surprised at the amount of debris trapped between the condensers and the radiators. The tutorial I was following recommended rerouting the trunk release cable which saved my bacon a few weeks later when I accidently closed the front trunk after disconnecting the battery while installing a Kenwood amp and GPS head unit. Just about the time the swear words were leaving my mouth, I remembered the release cable reroute. I popped off the tow cap and the loop in the cable was right there!

Since that time I have replaced the water pump (which appeared to be fine), installed a new motor mount bushing which was showing signs of rubber deterioration, new serpentine belt and new coolant. The total for all of this came to about $300. I wonder what the dealer would have charged me?

[Xpit77]

Originally Posted by BoxsterSteve

Store it if you want, but starting it periodically is a bad idea. The engine needs to get up to operating temperature, and that takes 15-20 minutes of driving. Idling just doesn't cut it.
Do like most and don't run it while in hibernation. Your car will thank you.
Fill the tank, add some fuel stabilizer, pump up the tires and throw a cover on it.

As far as what you have spent, it's all preventative work and setting a maintenance baseline.
Don't fret.

I never fill the tank. Around 1/4 and a non- ethanol fuel with Sta-Bil .In the spring you only have a small amount of old fuel in the system to burn off not a tank full. Tape the exhaust tip or put steel wool in it to keep out the mices. Do not forget to remove it in the spring !Maybe a battery tender too.

[paulofto]

Originally Posted by Xpit77

I never fill the tank. Around 1/4 and a non- ethanol fuel with Sta-Bil .

I fill mine. Less air in the tank = less water condensation. Sta-bil certainly helps keep the fuel from breaking down but it doesn't prevent moisture from condensing on the inner surfaces of the fuel tank.

[FoxRvrBox]

Full tank, add Sta-Bil, air up the tires so they don't flat spot (and / or park on carpet remnants). The battery tender is a must. I was lucky enough to find reasonable temp-controlled storage a few blocks from my office.

[Xpit77]

What? You really want to burn a full tank of fuel that has been sitting ? No not me. The tank will not rust. Less is better. The fuel tanks are fine. Ask Ford re. Pinto