1999 Porsche 986 base model
 

Hi all - this is my first post and my first Porsche. It's got 55,600 original miles, single owner with original IMS bearing. Immaculate condition and the car has won PCA awards a few times.

So far the engine is performing flawlessly, and I am noticing the clutch is kind of tight. Takes some efforts pressing in and the gear engages a little at the top of the movement - getting use to it and actually liking it. What else I've noticed is once the engine oil temperature has reached optimum by driving 5-8 miles, it does not redline as effortlessly as I thought it would. It would go 5K RPM but I feel the engine will tear up if I go past that point.

The ride is rough and with a lot of rattle on bumps. The front tire pressure is 29psi and rear 36psi with new Continental Contact extreme tires. At any speed the bumps are felt rough and the car rattles in the front.

Are these 'normal' observations on a 1999 986 model or you think I need suspension and other parts looked at on the car? Thanks.

What is the optimum oil temperature and how do you determine it?

I got my 99 with about the same mileage seven years ago. I never noticed any issue with revs, but do note the clutch engagement is pretty high so probably one item for the future.
Mine has a great ride, now at 72,000 miles, but I was considering a suspension refresh. I have all new Konis and springs, but I've held off though since I would hate to lose the compliance. We've taken several 1000-plus trips in it and were very happy. If you have a lot of bumps and rattles, you probably need a substantial number of suspension components.
Just another data point for you. I hope it is helpful.

My 98 (base model) with 92,000 miles is beautiful and runs well, but firm. A suspension overhaul would probably help BUT the cost would far outweigh the value of the car.

Since mine is strictly a summer, top down driver I seldom hear or feel negatives from the suspension. I'll continue driving it just the way it is ...."IF it ain't broke, don't fix it!"....lol

The ride being rough I would guess it either has the sport springs or some aftermarket lowering springs. Would be good to have a look at those (Porsche springs are color coded, so a quick clean with a rag should reveal that).

I personally don't think it should rattle. Mine sure did, but I am hoping to get an end to that. It had many small things mounted badly on the front. (radiator bracket loose, support bar loose, right front caliper loose...). Fixing them all as I rebuild the front. The rear didn't look as bad. You mention the pristine condition of the car, so I would suppose you don't suffer these stupid things. More likely it would have some play in suspension / steering.

Don't know what yours is supposed to be, but the 2.5 engine isn't that happy to rev. No torque increase above say 4k.

This is precisely the reason I recommend spending a couple of hundred $ getting an experienced Porsche mechanic to look at the car and drive it before you buy. That PPI can inform both the buyer and the seller what the condition and it makes the transaction a much fairer event with everyone having the same information.

None of those things sound normal based on my experiences owning 2 986 Boxsters. Mine were both tight and rattle free. (but as part of the post buying experience I had spent to have an alignment done by a guy who set up 986 race cars so he knew Porsche suspensions).

I never felt any reluctance to rev but again I had had coil packs and plugs done. Pull a plug and see what condition it is in.

My second was the same at 70k as the first at around 30k.

Thank you all for taking the time out to share your experience. I live in the Bay Area (East Bay to be precise) and will have a Porsche mechanic look at the car's suspension and clutch and overall health. Kind of a 'Post Purchase Inspection'. Out here a well reputable Porsche mechanic changes $400 for 3 hour inspection.

I know the car was/is well cared for and I am thinking sometimes suspension degradation is part of age. Would love to do the work myself to save money - any good recommendations for websites or materials that can help me in the DIY journey. Not the most handy person - but can follow instructions well.

@MikeFocke I follow your website keenly and what a great job you have done over the years to share your knowledge. Thank you for everything you have done for the community.

Congrats on scoring a base model, which offers a few things I prefer over the S model, notably a huge single tailpipe and black instruments. As for a DIY suspension refresh, check out Pelican's article:

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/59-SUSPEN-Suspen_Overhaul/59-SUSPEN-Suspen_Overhaul.htm

LoneWolfGal has pointed you to a good source. You can find all the projects here (or order the book): 101 Projects for Your Porsche Boxster

Sway bar drop links tend to fail first. They are cheap and easy to replace. They create all manner of rattles depending on driving conditions. Definitely should have the car checked out by a mechanic. Suspension is a wear item and can add up if you do a complete refresh to the point where you might say why bother. But rattles are annoying which is why I say have it checked out and get the necessary parts fixed then keep driving until it needs a little more work. You are never going to have a showroom perfect car unless you don’t drive it.

Lots of things contribute to rattles. I have done a few suspension repairs such as drop links as mentioned here. Also another source of rattle for me was the clips for the window screen. My clips had worn so the screen rattles excessively in the bracket. This was a $7 fix.

engine mounts are notorious for rotting away and the replacements are a better design. I wouldn't be surprised if the suspension bushings are dry/cracked too. Sorting either of those can smooth things out.