Am I spending too much on my boxster?

[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.

[Luv2Box]

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.

With everything you've done, yes it can be typical. The point is is it worth it to you. If not you're in the wrong car.

[kk2002s]

I'm sure no one twisted your arm to do that much work
My 02 with 86k miles this spring did AOS,WP,low temp thermo all worked perfectly
I did replace coil packs 2 cracked
This year I probably spent more time working on the car than driving
I'm probably looking at cluch near future so then ims and rms make sense
Many don't do this preventative stuff and drive into the 6 digits
Also DIYing this stuff cuts big chunks of change out

[2000986s]

It's absolutely worth it to me, I guess I'm just seeing if anyone comes out and says "woah dude that's a lot of maintenance in one year" or "that's way too much money for what you've had done". I just want to make sure that what I'm doing is reasonable and that I'm not throwing money away.

[2000986s]

Originally Posted by kk2002s

Many don't do this preventative stuff and drive into the 6 digits

Yeah I fully intend on keeping this car for a long time. It's the first car I've ever purchased on my own and it already holds sentimental value. I figure the preventative maintenance is well worth it to avoid a total engine failure from the ims

[thstone]

The costs can be heavy at first to catch up preventive and deferred maintenance - especially if you do the IMS and clutch. In all likelihood, the costs should ease up for the next couple of years while you get to enjoy all the fruits of your investment!

[jsceash]

It sound like you did allot of this for peace of mind, and now your having second thoughts. With what you wrote you should be good to go for a while with no issues. Many just wait for warning signs then scurry to undo damage, so your ahead of the curve.

Again if your able there is a big savings in doing any of the repairs or yearly maintenance on your own.

[2000986s]

Well this is some nice reassurance... Thanks guys. As far as doing work on my own, I am slowly learning. I'm only 20 so I'm brand new to the car world but eager to learn of course. Okay so as long as we're on the topic, is there any other known boxster issue that can be prevented that I haven't already taken care of?

[911monty]

Originally Posted by 2000986s

Well this is some nice reassurance... Thanks guys. As far as doing work on my own, I am slowly learning. I'm only 20 so I'm brand new to the car world but eager to learn of course. Okay so as long as we're on the topic, is there any other known boxster issue that can be prevented that I haven't already taken care of?

There is a serious malady that is known to afflict a high percentage of these cars. It is called Lackomotivation. It generally manifests itself on cars that sit around too much. Also see Garage Queenism. These maladies can generally be prevented by a good dose of driving with frequent bursts to redline.
If you haven't yet then check your drains!! If your car spends any time outdoors then a good waterproof cover is worth it's weight. Far too many fall victim to this.

[mikefocke]

Me too. Initial purchase plus two months and I had spent $3k+. It was 5 years before my yearly cost exceeded $1k and that was for 4 PS2 tires. Some of both figures was optional but the result was a wonderfully reliable car.

[rick3000]

It seems like you have covered your bases. I don't see any issue with replacing wear items and doing other maintenance all at once when you get a new car, especially if you don't have a lot of the service history or just want the peace of mind. Plus you maintenance costs for the next few years should be lower, since you have already done a lot of what you would likely need to do later.

As 911monty mentioned check you drains, if they clog water can get under the driver's seat and ruin the immobilizer (very expensive repair). If you haven't changed the brake fluid, that should get changed every 2 years. Then you've got the fuel filter, cabin filter, air filter, and serpentine belt. 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.

Funnily enough, the 986's that sit around do, in my experience, tend to experience more issues. These cars were made to be driven!

[Ciao]

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.

Most of this maintenance will take you through several years of ownership; oil & filter changes are done more frequently.

[jakeru]

Originally Posted by 2000986s

...man i am racking up the credit cards with this one...

I sincerely hope these expenses aren't causing you to revolve a high interest rate credit card balance.

But at least hopefully by buying a used car, you don't have a car loan and ensuing monthly payments.

Originally Posted by 2000986s

...ims solution (preventative maintenance and well worth it) ...

Are you wanting to hear other people's opinions here about the value of your maintenance work? I'll bet the "IMS Solution" was a significant part of your overall maintenance bill, and it sounds like your mind there might actually be already made up.

In any case, welcome to Porsche ownership, and enjoy your sweet ride!

[rexcramer]

For comparison purposes, I have owned my 97/Tip for just over a year. I have spent just over $2k so far. $1150 on maintenance and $850 on wants. $550 of the wants was for the wind deflector set and the non smokers console. I have managed to do all of the maintenance myself to date. I will spring for a Durametric cable, when I do the next round of yearly maintenance work. I have put 7500 miles on it in that time.

[911monty]

What you have done is establish a baseline for maintenance and eliminated a key point of failure. Well done.
I have come to the conclusion that time is no friend to these cars, they do not age gracefully. There are a lot of plastic parts used in these cars and I find there is always something to do, replace or upgrade. Fortunately I am retired, enjoy working on this car, and look for things to do to and for it. With proper attention these cars can be very reliable. There will be other opinions.
A plastic part you may want to look at is the coolant expansion tank in the trunk. If it is white as virgin snow congratulations! If it is yellow like old parchment, then get ready to replace it.

[dbear61]

Just be prepared if you live in an area that mandates emissions testing to renew the plates. My catalytic converters failed to pass this year. OEM cats are $1,500 each, and there are two of them. I had my shop go with third-party, and the total bill was still $1,800.

DBear

[Giller]

I would say yes, definitely. A big chunk went to a fix that is rarely needed - the IMS. And some of the other fixes are certainly ones you could have done over time. If you have the money though, what does it matter?

[Gelbster]

Notice there is no other car mentioned in the cost comparisons. Without a comparison ,it is difficult to have a logical discussion of repair/maintenance costs of a 986. If you compare it to say a 996, a 968 or an MR2 or S2000, it may be more useful to you ?

[AZ986S]

I bought my 2002 S in May this year also. I immediately had the IMS, RMS, new clutch and 2 near rear shocks done for $3,400. I have done the plugs, tubes, transmissions mounts, motor mount, cabin filter, air filter, serpentine belt, refill transaxle, road force balance for another $600. Then I did the IPD competition plenum and 74 mm TB upgrade and a Vivid Racing tune for $1,400... Wow is all I can say now when I drive it! Gas mileage is down now, I wonder why?

I think I'm set for a while... I am pretty anal about my cars running perfectly and hate unexpected breakdowns. But now, I hope I have peace of mind for a couple years.

[2000986s]

Alright so this has all led me to another question now: it seems like a general consensus is that these cars don't do well when they sit around because of all the plastic parts. Well I live in Illinois, and I did not intend to drive the car this winter. I wanted to garage it, start it about once a week or so, but never expose it to any salt, snow, or ice. Would this be a bad thing..? Am I better off just driving the car?