Tune-up time? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Rob175 · 07-19-2021, 06:19 AM

My 98' Boxster with 91,000 miles runs very well....no issues! However my "indi" Porsche specialist suggests that at 90,000 miles I "should have it tuned-up".....(plugs, all coils, etc etc etc) and gave me a $1,200 estimate.

Should I have it "tuned-up" per the suggestion? I'm sure a tune-up wouldn't hurt any car but if the car is running great should I take a pass until something changes?

(btw, it's a summer driver only and I only drive it about 4,000 miles a year)

Thanks

Huey · 07-19-2021, 06:34 AM

On my '99 with just under 90,000 miles, all six coil packs were cracked and the spark plug tubes were leaking. So replacing the coil packs, plugs, and tubes is a smart thing even if it is running okay.

blue62 · 07-19-2021, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob175

My 98' Boxster with 91,000 miles runs very well....no issues! However my "indi" Porsche specialist suggests that at 90,000 miles I "should have it tuned-up".....(plugs, all coils, etc etc etc) and gave me a $1,200 estimate.

Should I have it "tuned-up" per the suggestion? I'm sure a tune-up wouldn't hurt any car but if the car is running great should I take a pass until something changes?

(btw, it's a summer driver only and I only drive it about 4,000 miles a year)

Thanks

If you don't mind spending $1200.00 for a "tune up" then go for it.
A tune up is a good idea at that mileage.
But a tune up (changing all plugs, coils, perhaps the serpentine belt) and a general inspection of the car. Is something you can do yourself for around 1/4 the cost.
Doing the work yourself also allows you to know your car better.

A8ked · 07-19-2021, 11:00 AM

Second what blue62 has said.
Porsche does recommend a tune up at 90K
Plugs, coils, belt and fuel filter are all simple to replace and only require basic tools and the ability to recall lefty losey righty tighty.

blue62 · 07-19-2021, 12:47 PM

I like to add: You don't need to take it to a Porsche shop to have minor things like plugs, coils, belts, oil changed or a general inspection done.

If a none Porsche shop can't do these types of things on a Porsche, then I would not let them flush my toilet.

These cars are just automobiles not NASA space vehicles

Stl-986 · 07-19-2021, 01:37 PM

What is the definition of etc, etc, etc? That can be pretty slippery slope.

Plugs & coils should run you under $300 in parts, fuel filter less then $50, belt maybe $20, oil change under $100. These are all parts you can buy and replace yourself. Like Blue said, it's just a car not rocket science. It would be a very lazy day in the garage to do all this at once, or a shop to do it under 2 hours.

$1200? well, it's your money

Huey · 07-19-2021, 02:11 PM

I'd have to find the receipt but I think I spent around $400 for the coils, plugs, tubes, belts, etc. The total bill was more than that but I needed two O2 sensors as well. I was going to do it all myself but the shop that did my IMS bearing installed everything at no extra charge since they had to pull the motor out anyway (one of the dog ears that mounts to the bellhousing broke.) I agree with the comments here, it's not a huge job to do it yourself, which I was originally going to do. The hardest part is probably the drive belt because everything else you can do from underneath.

dghii · 07-19-2021, 07:27 PM

Maybe you're being charged extra for being a Cubs fan?

Agree with all that's been mentioned. Nothing hard (or expensive) on this list at all. I would add a brake flush if it hasn't been done in a long time.

Rob175 · 07-21-2021, 06:06 AM

Thanks.....but in my case, I have no way to raise the car, so it would be difficult if not impossible to work from underneath it. So, I'm not very keen on doing it myself but I might "shop around" for a more reasonably priced job.

Out of curiosity, would a cracked coil or coils cause the AM side of the radio to have static that increases with RPM or MPH speed? I sometimes hear that "static" as if I don't have resister plugs (but I do)......the static can last for many minutes then vanish, not happen at all, or sometimes lasts for much longer.......but mostly I'm on FM so it's seldom a problem, but I'm curious.

Stl-986 · 07-21-2021, 06:45 AM

absolutely it can.

If you dont have the space, come down to St. Louis on a weekend and we can knock this out in a few hours in the garage. You can do most of the work so you can get your hands dirty. Coils, plugs, belt, even an oil change can be done within 2-4 hours taking your sweet time.

mikehkang · 07-21-2021, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob175

Thanks.....but in my case, I have no way to raise the car, so it would be difficult if not impossible to work from underneath it. So, I'm not very keen on doing it myself but I might "shop around" for a more reasonably priced job.

Out of curiosity, would a cracked coil or coils cause the AM side of the radio to have static that increases with RPM or MPH speed? I sometimes hear that "static" as if I don't have resister plugs (but I do)......the static can last for many minutes then vanish, not happen at all, or sometimes lasts for much longer.......but mostly I'm on FM so it's seldom a problem, but I'm curious.

You may want to remove the passenger side A pillar cover and confirm that the antenna amplifier is screwed in securely to the frame. I had bad reception and static and that solved it.