Am I ready for a Boxster?

[woodsman]

I've never heard of an engine- out service but I think the chain guide replacement is and it's a fairly common problem over 75000 miles. Extreme camshaft deviation values can warn of this problem. I've owned my car 4.5 yrs and have averaged $5000/ yr in maintenance and upgrades, this while doing most work myself. When purchased it had 65000mi.

At a garage: LN bearing install including HP clutch, aluminum flywheel and 2 rear tires- $4500
AOS replacement-????
Myself:

MO30 OEM SPORT strut(4) and anti- roll bar kit - $1400
Wheel bearings (4) $600 including paying a shop to press in and out the bearings
OEM fr rotors, Akebono pads all round, stainless flex hoses, upper strut bearings-$6-700
OEM Short-shift 997 shifter (BIG improvement)$421
Two FR tires- $500
OEM fuel filter/ pump- $500??
Aftermarket RR tie rod links $300 (required due to lowering struts in hub carriers .625"
Left rad split open so: OEM L Rad, $370, WP $270, 4 gal. of OEM coolant $125, Low temp Therm LN ENG. $65, LN ENG. oil filter adapter ( no bypass!!!) $ 145

I'm sure I forgot something but you can see how an older car can really cost you. All-in, I've spent $19000 in 4.5 yrs. I've driven 33 000 miles. The car needs new rear tires next spring and should have a new roof.
This is a lot of money to me but I still feel and have always felt that this car is the most-satisfying thing I've ever done with money! For ME-- this car is the best car for me NOW. It's a GT car when I want it and an absolute world- class sports car when I want that. Besides that , it imparts the feeling of quality and precision that I crave- I'm in love after 4.5 years!

[mikefocke]

Originally Posted by woodsman

I've owned my car 4.5 yrs and have averaged $5000/ yr in maintenance and upgrades, this while doing most work myself. When purchased it had 65000mi.

Wow.

Owned 2. Used nothing but the best (Optima, PS2S N-rated, etc). One at 26k, other at 42k.

The first cost me nothing beyond an oil change. $60 parts, $39 labor.
Owned 6 months, totaled.

The second cost me brakes and rotors, a 45k service, 2 sets of tires ($600 used 50 mile take offs from a dealer taken off because of age, not wear. And $1,100 new), an alignment, oil changes, a battery.

Unscheduled: a single O2 sensor $120 parts, $40 labor. A seat belt warning light maybe $150 which took 3 trips to fix but the second two were free.

All the work necessary at 42-45k was known as the result of a PPI.

Owned for 5 years. Stranded never.

Depreciation from $26k to $13.5 was far more than repair/maintenance expenses which, even having someone else do most of the work and buying only the best, couldn't have averaged more than $1k per year.

I don't count upgrades because those could have been done without and were optional.