Bloody boxster falling apart

[Pablito]

I replaced the water pump on my 98', beware I could be overheating, check your front fans, radiators and coolant reservoir tank in the back any leaks on those items could trigger overheating, if they haven't failed eventually they will.....Your air bag light is on because of your seat belt buckles, replace those and your light is gone....The serpentine belt, check if by any chance it's not rubbing with a bolt or a tensioner, this can shorten it's life significantly. The oil leak could be your oil separator failing, check where the leak in coming from. Before realigning your rear end check all the cross member bars to see if any is bent, they will change your rear alignment significantly.....Sorry I got nothing for the passenger side window thing.....Good luck

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

Sorry to hear of your troubles. But, I am increasingly coming to believe that the Boxster is a true China Doll. A Great Car, but not worth all the hassle (unlike my Lotus). While I have had no serious issues with my '99 w/ 25k mi. to date, the angst which accompanies owning these cars is slowly starting to wear on me.

I am SERIOUSLY contemplating trading my Boxster next spring for a late model Miata or Corvette, probably an '06. I find no excitement, bragging rights, or prestige in saying that I own a Car which is going to cost me on average $2k-$3k/yr. just so I have a Stutgartt badge on the front.

It would be a great car if the potential for it disintergrating before my eyes weren't so high - and I do 99% of all the work myself, I am an accomplished, ASE Certified Mechanic.

So far as the Driving experience, it's FANTASTIC, but the Ownership experience leaves too much to be desired - at this point, I would not recommend the Boxster to anyone but a direct decendant of the Marquis de Sade.

I have owned 29 two-seat Sports Cars of various marques in my time and the Boxster ranks in the top 5 in driving, but in the bottom 25 in Ownership experience. Fact is, I now wish I'd never bought it and staid my original course to get either a Miata, 'Vette or Viper.

It's really too bad because I expected more of Porsche. My 912 and 914 2.0 of years gone by were much more robust, and frankly I am disappointed that Porsche actually seems to have gone backwards in terms of reliability than they were 25 years ago. While it's true, virtually all performance cars possess an Achilles Heel, the Boxster is simply ridden with them, waaay too many for a manufacturer like Porsche to produce. From RMS to Intermediate Shaft Failures to MAF sensors to bogus coolant recovery tanks to screwed-up electronics, and the list goes on and on. I am sure less secure owners will oppose my views rather than admit they also have made a mistake, but the facts are irrefutable, just because yours (as mine) hasn't greanaded yet doesn't mean the potential isn't there.

It's great to have a Car which will go like Stink, but only if it actually does go like stink on demand. I am no longer at the stage where I'm willing to spend as much time under it as I am in it to experience a great ride.

Prestige has NEVER been one of my criteria for owning ANY car, even though I've owned numerous prestigious cars (assuming a Boxster is prestigious). In fact, if anyone wants to offer me $19k for my Boxster, it's yours.

I have to say that after 16 mos. ownership, I have found little to confirm my choice, but much to condemn it. I have regretted selling virtually every car I've sold through the years, but am convinced that the primary emotion I will feel when selling my Boxster is going to be RELIEF! To any non-Boxster owning Lurkers here, all I can say is BE AFRAID... BE VERY AFRAID!...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[the ant]

Hi,

If you don't mind, can you elaborate a little bit on what sort of problems you are getting?

I am seriously considering a used Boxster but your post really scares me now...

Thanks

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

Hi,

Sorry to hear of your troubles. But, I am increasingly coming to believe that the Boxster is a true China Doll. A Great Car, but not worth all the hassle (unlike my Lotus). While I have had no serious issues with my '99 w/ 25k mi. to date, the angst which accompanies owning these cars is slowly starting to wear on me.

I am SERIOUSLY contemplating trading my Boxster next spring for a late model Miata or Corvette, probably an '06. I find no excitement, bragging rights, or prestige in saying that I own a Car which is going to cost me on average $2k-$3k/yr. just so I have a Stutgartt badge on the front.

It would be a great car if the potential for it disintergrating before my eyes weren't so high - and I do 99% of all the work myself, I am an accomplished, ASE Certified Mechanic.

So far as the Driving experience, it's FANTASTIC, but the Ownership experience leaves too much to be desired - at this point, I would not recommend the Boxster to anyone but a direct decendant of the Marquis de Sade.

I have owned 29 two-seat Sports Cars of various marques in my time and the Boxster ranks in the top 5 in driving, but in the bottom 25 in Ownership experience. Fact is, I now wish I'd never bought it and staid my original course to get either a Miata, 'Vette or Viper.

It's really too bad because I expected more of Porsche. My 912 and 914 2.0 of years gone by were much more robust, and frankly I am disappointed that Porsche actually seems to have gone backwards in terms of reliability than they were 25 years ago.

It's great to have a Car which will go like Stink, but only if it actually does go like stink on demand. I am no longer at the stage where I'm willing to spend as much time under it as in it to experience a great ride.

Prestige has NEVER been one of my criteria for owning ANY car, even though I've owned numerous prestigious cars. In fact, if anyone wants to offer me $19k for my Boxster, it's yours. I have to say that after 16 mos. ownership, I have found little to confirm my choice, but much to condemn it. I have regretted selling virtually every car I've sold through the years, but am convinced that the primary emotion I will feel when selling my Boxster is going to be RELIEF! To any non-Boxster owning Lurkers here, all I can say is BE AFRAID... BE VERY AFRAID!...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by the ant

Hi,

If you don't mind, can you elaborate a little bit on what sort of problems you are getting?

I am seriously considering a used Boxster but your post really scares me now...

Thanks

Hi,

I have had no problems to-date (hard as that may be to believe with a Car with only 25k mi. on the Odo), but this car is seriously flawed from a design and engineering standpoint. I have owned everything from Morgans, TR3s, XKEs, 240Zs, 328s, 2002Tiis, Elans, Europas, Esprits, MGs, Fiats, Healeys, Minis (real not BMW), and a couple other Porsches. If you have late-model Boxster money, I would seriously consider any number of alternatives before settling on the Boxster. It's a GREAT car to drive, but IMHO, it carries too much baggage to make ownership worthwhile for all but the shortest time...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

Hi,

I have had no problems to-date (hard as that may be to believe with a Car with only 25k mi. on the Odo), but this car is seriously flawed from a design and engineering standpoint. I have owned everything from Morgans, TR3s, XKEs, 240Zs, 328s, 2002Tiis, Elans, Europas, Esprits, MGs, Fiats, Healeys, Minis (real not BMW), and a couple other Porsches. If you have late-model Boxster money, I would seriously consider any number of alternatives before settling on the Boxster. It's a GREAT car to drive, but IMHO, it carries too much baggage to make ownership worthwhile for all but the shortest time...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Are you saying that you fear that the Boxster is less reliable than a Lotus, Morgan, old Ferrari Triumph or Healey? I'd be very surpised if you say that none of them had an oil leak or questionable electronics. Was the maintanence of the Ferrari actually less costly than the Boxster? Please share more.

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by blue2000s

Are you saying that you fear that the Boxster is less reliable than a Lotus, Morgan, old Ferrari Triumph or Healey? I'd be very surpised if you say that none of them had an oil leak or questionable electronics. Was the maintanence of the Ferrari actually less costly than the Boxster? Please share more.

Hi,

That is not what I'm saying exactly. The issues with the Brit Cars were annoying, not life-threatening. And, remember, these cars were of a technology that was essentially from the 1940's and '50's where Metallurgy, Machining and Production techniques were not nearly so advanced as today. And, the Brit Cars were both easy and cheap to fix.

With today's available technology and the price tag of the Boxster, the issues with this car are inexcusable, even more inexcusable for a company with the engineering legacy of Porsche.

So far as my own cars are concerned, I have never had one of them fail to start or strand me. Maintenance has always been performed properly and timely. I was knowledgeable enough to cull the Dogs from the Cremepuffs when I bought them, but with the Boxster, there isn't really any way to do this.

A seemingly perfect car can lose the RMS or Intermediate shaft with no advance warning, neither easy or cheap to fix. The worst thing which ever happened to one of my cars was an intake leak caused a lean condition in my Esprit and the #4 Piston melted. But, I was able to totally rebuild the engine myself in 3 weeks (due to turnaround time at the Machine and Turbo Shops) for under $1,500. 28k mi. later, the car is as reliable as ever and has not experienced even a 1PSI drop in compression on any cylinder. I put slightly over 20k mi. on my Ferrari without a single issue aside from routine maintenance (this model and engine are known as the most reliable though). My 240Z I still own and have owned since new (every available option for '71 with a Sticker Price of $3,045.00), 23k mi. on the ODO and not a speck of rust on it, though I concede that it isn't driven in rain or snow, ever. And, that to make weight (for the SCCA Classes they expected to compete in), Datsun used a lighter weight and lighter gauge Steel making them prone to corrosion.

Some are surprised that I have praised the Boxster while condemning it at the same time. Well, it's quite simple; the Boxster is a Great Driver, but not a good car to own unless you have deep pockets and some mechanical skill to keep it on the road.

Many cars which can hit the edge of the envelope are less robust, often because this is how they derive their exceptional performance. But, the Boxster doesn't reach those heights (many cars available today will outperform it), but it is less robust than it should be. And, we're not talking about faulty power windows here, but serious design flaws in the engine which have remained unaddressed for a decade.

Many cars have flaws, the Datsun is prone to overheating and the Esprit had a tendency for it's Cast Iron Exhaust Manifold to crack, but these issues can be eliminated with aftermarket or upgraded parts such as switching to a Turbo Oil pump and 4-core radiator on the Z and a SS Tubular header for the Esprit (designed, built, and sold by Neil Mickelwright- GM of Forsythe Racing, and a fellow Esprit owner and personal friend). But, the flaws in the Boxster cannot be eliminated, only fixed each time they fail.

And, there's little logic in the statements of some noting flaws in other cars. These may well exist, but the fact that these cars are also flawed, maybe even more flawed, does not alleviate the flaws in the Boxster. It's of little comfort to a Boxster owner to know that the Bimmer, Audi or Vette suffer from some deficiency when they have a $3000 bill for a failed RMS in their hand.

I do not concede that the newer cars are any better. The same engine is used fundamentally unchanged. If the newer cars haven't failed, I say they haven't failed yet. As a whole, they will have accumulated fewer miles than the earlier models. I recently spoke with both the area PCNA Service Rep and the Gen'l. Mgr. of one of the local dealerships at a local event, and the Service Rep said RMS failure is in the 20-22% range depending upon model year, and that it affects all models. The Gen'l. Mgr. said that the quality issues are starting to affect sales as well.

Of the 4 local Boxster owners whom I know personally, three of the four cars have had RMS Failure. One required engine replacement, another failed twice and the third (mine), had the seal replaced at 4k mi. and it's still holding (knock on wood). But, that's a 75% failure rate. I realize that this is far from a statistically relevant sample, but even so, it's too high to be insignificant.

I believe that this is one of the reasons for the rapid depreciation of the Boxster and why so many people can pick them up cheap. But people need to know that a $20k Boxster can become a $30k Boxster with no warning, and for $30k, there are a lot more reliable Sports Cars to be had.

Porsche is living on borrowed time and a past reputation (I do not count the RS Spyder in ALMS or the Race-Bred 911s because they bear no resemblance to the street Porsches at all). These do not even use the M96 engine - I wonder what Porsche knows that we don't?

I don't believe that burying one's head in the sand or putting a Pollyanna face on it does any service to potential owners. Many will still be willing to risk the downside to gain the upside, but they need to be informed of these real and potential problems. I care NOTHING for the Bling Factor or Prestige of owning a Porsche, I've owned cars from most of the prestigeous marques out there in my time, most good, some not so good. I want a fun car with some performance, style, and reliability which isn't going to put me on Prozac or in the Poor House and the Boxster simply isn't the one. It gives outstanding performance, but so far as reliability, it simply fails to deliver.

Those of you on the board for some time can attest that we see a failed Ignition lock, maybe monthly, a failed MAF sensor maybe every other month and a failed RMS at least once every 3 mos. Many may disagree with me now, condemning me for stating that the Emperor has no clothes, but I suspect that in time, I'll gain a few converts...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[eslai]

I don't know, I keep thinking about my friend's GranSport that keeps frying $12,000 hydraulic clutches. It seems to me that any of the nicer, newer sports cars tend to fall to pieces.

BUt yes, for $60,000 I'd expect it to be a little more resilient. Then again, my girlfriend bought a 2006 Civic and the difference between her car and mine is palpable--I didn't think the 987 was very well-engineered until I saw the little annoyances in the Civic.

[RandallNeighbour]

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

I believe that this is one of the reasons for the rapid depreciation of the Boxster and why so many people can pick them up cheap. But people need to know that a $20k Boxster can become a $30k Boxster with no warning, and for $30k, there are a lot more reliable Sports Cars to be had.

Well, I gotta chime in and say Amen! to this statement. Paid $15,500 for mine and I've put $10k into it thus far and just last night I heard some loud squeaking from the front end... it's probably a control arm or something else in the suspension. I'll drop no less than $500 getting it repaired.

I'm so deep into this car money-wise I can't see bailing on it now. However, if I have another $3k repair year after another and another, the car will be sold to the highest bidder on Ebay!

I'm not giving up on Porsches though. I just bought one that was too old.

[Grizzly]

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

Hi,

I have had no problems to-date (hard as that may be to believe with a Car with only 25k mi. on the Odo), but this car is seriously flawed from a design and engineering standpoint. I have owned everything from Morgans, TR3s, XKEs, 240Zs, 328s, 2002Tiis, Elans, Europas, Esprits, MGs, Fiats, Healeys, Minis (real not BMW), and a couple other Porsches. If you have late-model Boxster money, I would seriously consider any number of alternatives before settling on the Boxster. It's a GREAT car to drive, but IMHO, it carries too much baggage to make ownership worthwhile for all but the shortest time...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Let's see... The car's had zero problems in 25,000 miles, but you're whining like a little girl, threatening to sell it and attempting to save others from a similar fate by pointing them in the direction of other marques? Do I have this right so far?

Then to add insult to injury, are you claiming that your vast experience with the Brits was more satisfying in terms of reliability? I don't remind everyone of it every three minutes like some, but I've had more than my fair share of British car ownership as well. The Brits should be forever banned from producing cars. Period. The world leaders should convene a summit to stop this incredibly annoying practice immediately.

The 240z? Fun car...until it was a week old and had to be junked because the body rusted off of it.

This is far too ridiculous to continue. Sell the car. I'll miss you.

[blinkwatt]

Originally Posted by Grizzly

Let's see... The car's had zero problems in 25,000 miles, but you're whining like a little girl, threatening to sell it and attempting to save others from a similar fate by pointing them in the direction of other marques? Do I have this right so far?

The 240z? Fun car...until it was a week old and had to be junked because the body rusted off of it.

This is far too ridiculous to continue. Sell the car. I'll miss you.

Please come to understand Jim's(MNBoxster) standpoint. He has driven and raced more cars then anyone of us probably,so he has his reasons for his actions. Jim has helped me to understand my Boxster,and cars in generally more then anyone else has,and I havent even met him in person. I can tell you that he KNOWS HIS STUFF, and doesnt B.S. us.
Ant, let me give you my opinoin. I have a 99 with almost 55k on it. I wouldnt take back 1 mile that I have put on it. It was my first car I bought,so I will always be biased towards it no matter what anyone says. I have gone through a Mass Air Flow Sensor($230) which was the previous owners fault,ran a dirty K & N air filter for too long. Granted it can be ALOT to maintain but that can be minimized with learning how to D.I.Y. I have changed my air filter,oil filter,oil,brake pads,serpentine belt,cabin filter all for $220,the stealership charges $180 for oil change,go figure. There is ALOT that you can do to make the car practical to maintain and troubleshot if any problems arise. Just make sure you have a credit card in case something brakes on it in the middle of no where. As always we are here to help and guide,so let us know if you have any questions we wont sugar coat our answers.

[ohioboxster]

This is a great thread. I love the differences in peoples opinions. My opinion like anyone really cares goes something like this. The Boxster is fun to drive although under powered. It has maintenence issues for sure and Im just thankful that Im pretty freakin good with a set of wrenches. Two weeks after I bought it I was working on it, lol. The frustrating part for me is comming from GM to Porsche half the hp and twice the maintence. Then again where I live there are 10 million Vettes and T/A's and very few Porsches. My LS-1 T/A ran 12's in the Quarter and I could beat the hell out of it and it just didnt break. Be thankful there are people and web sites with common interests so when you have a problem you have a great knowledge base. Hell, I couldnt get my key out and knew in an hour what was wrong with it and where to buy the part cheap. I guess in closing my feeling is that if you dont have mechanical skills or a little extra cash for repairs then dont buy a Boxster. I know people that have paid $700.00 for brake jobs that you could do yourself for 100 bucks so keep in mind the guys paying 250.00 for oil changes and 1000.00 for belt, oil etc could take an afternoon and save a ton of money. Im done Just my .02

[Grizzly]

Yo Ant,

Don't be scared. The Boxster is a great car. Yeah, the newer cars are better than the earlier ones, but they're all fine cars. The older ones just have a bit less power and a couple of...uh... glitches. I own an older one; a '97 in fact. For what I saved by buying an older model rather than a newer one, I'll risk having to fix it from time to time. Same looks, great fun, and ten grand less. So the newer S is faster and I gotta' keep a couple bucks in reserve for the inevitable repair. Whatever.

Some of us tend to forget that cars break. They all break. I don't care what you drive. If you want rock solid reliability, buy a Camry; maybe a nice beige one would be good. The money's comparable to a pre-owned Boxster and you can ride around in absolute anonymity, having exactly zero fun. Guess what? Sooner or later, it will break, and the Toyota dealer will knock your brains out for the repairs. That's just how it works.

This particular thread is about a '99. It needs a water pump, a serpentine belt a window switch and an alignment. Frustrating? Yeah maybe, but friggin' deal. The car is a '99. Look around. A lot of '99 cars are wheels up in the wrecking yard by now. Several of this particular car's "problems" are normal maintenance issues. Inconceivable that an eight year old car needs an alignment and a fanbelt? I think not.

Hey lejolierogue, I'm not picking on you, I swear. I'm just trying to make a point.

Just do your homework. By reading all the information you can find on this forum, you can become an expert in all things Boxster in a hurry. Be certain that you can afford to maintain such a car. They do break. Buy the latest model you can afford and be sure to have Porsche do a Pre-Purchase Inspection before you pull the trigger. Then drop the top and enjoy the crap out of it.

Also, buy the shop manuals and learn to fix it yourself. Most things you can do on your own, and there's a certain satisfaction in knowing you were able to beat the dealer out of his payday.

[longislander1]

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

I am SERIOUSLY contemplating trading my Boxster next spring for a late model Miata or Corvette, probably an '06.

Uhhh, you might want to go over to the C6 forum and read about some of the problems there. Roofs are flying off for no reason and GM has been painfully slow to replace them.

I looked at a C6 before buying the Boxster. The salesman was all pumped up about showing me the heads-up display. Of course, it was crooked -- yet another symbol of GM's "craftsmanship."

Believe me, I'm no fan of Porsche and its arrogance, but I wonder if a 'Vette is really an improvement. Now, a Miata, that might be a different story. I've always found Mazdas to be bullet-proof.

[Brucelee]

In my experience, the Corvette C5 and C6 are much more bulletproof than the Boxster.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

In my experience, the Corvette C5 and C6 are much more bulletproof than the Boxster.

Didn't the C5 have a major oil burning issue? And didn't you get a bath thrown in the deal when the C5 convertible got a wash?

[Perfectlap]

I always wonder about cars being more reliable than others when some makes are usually only Sunday drivers. It wouldn't surprise me that the Corvettes have fewer issues reported because they are probably sold to 2nd hand buyers with very few miles.
I don't know, I tend think more people drive a Boxster everyday than a Corvette.
Boy would I love to take a ZO6 for a lap at the track or autocross. This one guy is winning every week with a c5 at one local autox club. That much power on such a wide track must purty cool.

[Brucelee]

No oil burning issues with the C5 that I am aware of. I have had three and all have been error free totally.

[eslai]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

In my experience, the Corvette C5 and C6 are much more bulletproof than the Boxster.

The oil pump on my friend's very-new C6 failed and he lost all oil pressure. After examining the motor, GM would only replace the caps and a few other bits--they would not replace his engine. We looked at the cylinders and the scoring was NOT typical, as GM claimed.

In the end after much haranguing he got them to pay for one month of his car payment and give him an extended warranty.

So there ya go. Along with that there are myriad squeaks and rattles from his center console, targa top and door panels. His center stack also seems to be slightly misaligned, with the edge on the driver side seeming to not be popped properly into place behind the dashboard. He's also experiencing the same problems that many other C6 owners have complained about where you somehow end up shifting into an imaginary third gear--you seem to get hung up on the syncros. Can't really explain that one as well as he does.

The newest Corvette is far from bulletproof.