Thanks for the compliment, Jim, but it wouldn't have been possible without your post. Of course, I'm going to distort the facts now and tell everyone that the Lotus Esprit mechanics/drivers and the jet fighter crowd really likes my work.
I had never have heard as such a fastener/tool before stumbling upon your post. I thought it important to give as much information since I found by personal experience, you can't go into the big box home improvement stores (Home Depot, Lowes) and find the tool and fasteners. Also, for less accomplished mechanics as myself, you can't get enough details before embarking on an anxiety-filled DIY (Zen and the Art of Boxster Maintenance.)
I, too, am disappointed on the use of steel screw and brass nuts at such a crucial location. Again, I am amazed at the difference one screw at the roof latch makes.
With this project I also learned something about the past of my Boxster. When I removed the roof latch there was an empty screw hole but no screw. I thought perhaps it had fallen out at one point, knocking the IR lens and dropped to the floorboard. Wait, what's with the abundance of wire nuts and 18 gauge wire doing up in here in the roof latch? Hmm, suction cups marks on the windshield when I bought the car. Maybe, somebody powered the radar detector from the roof latch area, splicing with household electrical wiring parts. I wonder ...
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Originally Posted by MNBoxster
Hi,
Good Job! See, it wasn't impossible at all!
Too bad about the first Tool. I bought the Marson Tool and it worked just fine for all 6 Rivnuts (I replaced them all while I was In There.
Sorry I didn't think to mention laying a Tarp to catch the Brass shavings, I remember vacuuming them up for months - good tip though.
Sounds like you had some trouble with the shattered Brass Nut, mine broke in convenient pieces, but you worked it all out!
I'm glad you took the time to post the pics and share your experience. It is such a poorly designed fastening system (using a Soft-Metal captive Nut to hold a highly tensioned Steel Screw - it's bound to fail with time), that for Porsche, it surprises me.
I'm sure that other Boxster Owners will encounter the same failure and maybe your experience will encourage some to perform the correction themselves. IMSM, the Dealer wanted $225 to perform the fix using the exact same technique and equipment - they turn that Marson Tool into a Profit Center! This is not something you need to pay a Dealer for!...
Happy Motoring!... Jim'99
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