Poll: RMS and Engine problem questionaire

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

Granted, we're not currently at a Sample Size which is meaningful, but as I have previously mentioned, about 2 weeks ago, informal surveys, done at various Forums, including PistonHeads in the UK seemed to indicate a 20%-30% Failure rate of RMS, not qualified for Design defficiency or Owner Caused. It's been interesting that so far, we're hovering in that range, although it seems a little higher thanthat figure so far, but more respondants might lower the Stat...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Hi, I voted "no".


I have a 98, 5 speed, bought the car used with 24k on it 2 years ago. Has nearly 40k on it now.

The only thing that has gone wrong with it is the stupid air bag warning light, which I really should get taken care of.

[MikenOH]

We've gotten over 30 replies and only 4-5 repsonses I can reference to particular members with their particular details.

In order to organize the details, could you send me a PM with your particulars--model/year/mileage--all the stuff we've discussed before, so i can start putting this on a spreadsheet?

Thanks for any help with this.

[denverpete]

Originally Posted by MikenOH

We've gotten over 30 replies and only 4-5 repsonses I can reference to particular members with their particular details.

In order to organize the details, could you send me a PM with your particulars--model/year/mileage--all the stuff we've discussed before, so i can start putting this on a spreadsheet?

Thanks for any help with this.

NO - RMS
YES - Replaced engine 13,800 miles
YES - Replaced MAF 14,200 miles (probably related to new engine)
NO - I don't "track"
YES - I have appropriate maintenance performed as scheduled.

1999, non-S, approx 16k miles, purchased "used", manual tranny, driven everyday. As to "driving style" - that's tough. I've always thought I was pretty stylish. No drags or racing but with the rare "need for speed" on wide open empty roads.

Hope this helps your data!

[bnorman]

No problems.
2002 S, 12,000 miles, no mods, only change the oil so far. Week end car.

[TriGem2k]

Originally Posted by MikenOH

We've gotten over 30 replies and only 4-5 repsonses I can reference to particular members with their particular details.

In order to organize the details, could you send me a PM with your particulars--model/year/mileage--all the stuff we've discussed before, so i can start putting this on a spreadsheet?

Thanks for any help with this.

Boxster / 2001 / 45k total miles / RMS fixed - found at 24,750miles.

[rdancd816]

Boxster / 1997 / 11,200k total miles / No RMS / No track / Regular Maintenance
5-speed / spirited driving style but no racing.

[Phill Dougan]

Hi, my 987 has just had the RMS replaced at 14k, used for long runs at high speed 3k round trips, driven with passion but not flogged. also had the oil pressure release valve replaced it rattled at 2200 rpm common on the 987.

[MikenOH]

-How much oil were you leaking?
-Any comment out of the dealership on this?
-What do you mean by "long runs at high speed 3k round trips"?
-how'd you break the car in?
-S or base model?
-Manual or Tip trany?
Thanks,
Mike

[BoxsterSbob]

Hi, I have not had an RMS issue, yet. I've clocked about 10K miles so far.

boxstersbob
2004 S

[YellowJacket]

1997
66k
daily commuter
no track time and minimal spirited driving
all maintenance done on time, +/- 1k miles
bought used
NO RMS

By the way, regarding the .5%-1% requirement for surveys, that's a load of poop. You need around 30-40 responses to start getting directional reads (as in, we could start saying "track cars tend to be more prone than street cars" or whatnot). You need around 500 responses to get reads at 95% confidence, and around 1000 responses to get reads at 97% confidence (have you ever noticed how all those consumer polls by Gallup and whatnot usually specify 3% margin of error with 1006 responses or something like that?). Still, these numbers require that the populations be unbiased and representative of the overall population, but we'd never get that here for 2 reasons:
1. People who've had RMS failure are more likely to respond than those who haven't.
2. Just the fact that you're on a forum for Boxster owners means several things about you that bias the group that would respond here.

Cool concept, but perhaps the only people who could do this survey the RIGHT way is Porsche, and the only people who could do it "almost right" is PCA, unless someone has a national list of Boxster owners floating around. :-)

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by YellowJacket

1997
66k
daily commuter
no track time and minimal spirited driving
all maintenance done on time, +/- 1k miles
bought used
NO RMS

By the way, regarding the .5%-1% requirement for surveys, that's a load of poop. You need around 30-40 responses to start getting directional reads (as in, we could start saying "track cars tend to be more prone than street cars" or whatnot). You need around 500 responses to get reads at 95% confidence, and around 1000 responses to get reads at 97% confidence (have you ever noticed how all those consumer polls by Gallup and whatnot usually specify 3% margin of error with 1006 responses or something like that?). Still, these numbers require that the populations be unbiased and representative of the overall population, but we'd never get that here for 2 reasons:
1. People who've had RMS failure are more likely to respond than those who haven't.
2. Just the fact that you're on a forum for Boxster owners means several things about you that bias the group that would respond here.

Cool concept, but perhaps the only people who could do this survey the RIGHT way is Porsche, and the only people who could do it "almost right" is PCA, unless someone has a national list of Boxster owners floating around. :-)

Hi,

I agree with you so far as statistical analysis goes. But, Porsche is MUM on the subject and PCA hasn't conducted such a survey to my knowledge, leaving only these Ad Hoc surveys to make some sense of it.

Still, whatever the bias, more than 30% of those responding here have experienced the problem.

That's a little higher than I expected because a PCNA Service Rep (on condition of anonymity) confided in me that they are seeing anywhere between 20% and 25% RMS Failure, it fluctuates between the two (he didn't breakdown Model Year, Model, Mileage, Multiple failures. Nor did he distinguish between 98X and 99X). Your caveats may explain the disparity between what he said and what we're seeing here.

If the PCNA Rep is off by as much as half, that's still waay too high for a Brand Name Sports Car in the $50k range. And, the fact that Porsche hasn't resolved the issue in a decade is perhaps even more deplorable. They just keep grinding them out, and the Public (whether ignorant, or just stupid) keeps gobbling them up.

Let's just hope that the Air Bag supplier, TRW, isn't experiencing an anywhere near similar failure rate!...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[jrkauffman28]

2000 Boxster w/ 55 K miles. Origanal owner. No problems so far.