The Boxster "Affair"

[Wulf190]

[QUOTE=BruceH;429147]

Your wife is probably thinking mid life you know what. She thinks you are going to run off with some 20 year old with your gold chains etc Take the advice of joining PCA and go to some events. There are usually happy hour events, lunch and of course driving events. She will soon see that Porsche people are just normal people who have a strong love of their cars. She will meet some great people including women who also love their cars. My wife was not happy at first either, now she says "let's go for a drive!" She loves the sound of the exhaust when ever we go through a tunnel, as do I

Good luck and welcome to the forum! There is a lot of excellent information and advice here and the people are great!


Thanks, and,


That's exactly what she's thinking. Still causing problems for myself as the cdr 210 was blown when I got it, and I just got a salvaged replacement one in the mail today from Woodie here on the forums--thanks Woodie, works great--This package arrived to a rather different "reception" from the two differing parties in the household. Maybe there IS a Santa?! And I think he goes by Woodie...either way, my once quiet cockpit now has tunes for the first time since I got it. :dance:

[Wulf190]

A simple run out for milk and water yesterday turned into taking "the scenic route" about 10 miles out into the country on winding, empty country roads to test things out, including the newly installed CDR 210.

I see many saying how below standard the mid level sound package is. Can't say it's either awful or awesome. Wondered how bad it could be with an amp in there? In the end, I am glad I went with the OEM setup. Although it isn't fantastic, it was cheap, and took me less than 5 minutes to put a new one in with no fitment issues. The engine is still the point of focus

Funny how I have run into a whole bunch of guys in Japanese cars who want to see how they 'stack up to the Boxster' off the line at a stop light??

[KevinH1990]

[QUOTE=Wulf190;429427]

Originally Posted by BruceH

This package arrived to a rather different "reception" from the two differing parties in the household. Maybe there IS a Santa?! And I think he goes by Woodie...either way, my once quiet cockpit now has tunes for the first time since I got it. :dance:

I've been slowly upgrading my Boxster since I bought it. Over the course of seven-plus years of ownership I've had several packages arrive at the house to a reaction of "What did you buy now?" Fortunately, I'm usually able to sell the part I'm taking off to someone else on one of the boards or through Craigslist. So, the net cost of the upgrades is usually not too bad.

Regarding the sound quality of the OEM stereo, many people tear out everything and start over. However, replacing the dash speakers will make a big difference without a huge cost. So, I recommend that you search on the term "dash speaker" and find out what other people tried. You can always upgrade the other components later and your investment in the dash speakers won't be wasted.

[Luv2Box]

I bought a pair of the OEM clip on cup holders that go into the side vents. The first, and only, time I used one I had a tall cup of Starbucks, with one of their carry out lids on it, and hit a pothole. At least a quarter cup of the coffee came out of the drink hole and landed in my lap. I bought a pair of the "Ultimate Cup Holders" and now only water comes into my car and it's down on the floor where it can only get the carpet wet if anything happens.

[BoxsterSteve]

Originally Posted by Wulf190

A simple run out for milk and water yesterday turned into taking "the scenic route" about 10 miles out into the country on winding, empty country roads to test things out, including the newly installed CDR 210.

Only 10 miles?
Dude, you're just not trying hard enough.
Pour what's left of that jug of milk down the sink and try to go at least 35-40 miles for th next one.

[Wulf190]

[QUOTE=KevinH1990;429671]

Originally Posted by Wulf190

I've been slowly upgrading my Boxster since I bought it. Over the course of seven-plus years of ownership I've had several packages arrive at the house to a reaction of "What did you buy now?" Fortunately, I'm usually able to sell the part I'm taking off to someone else on one of the boards or through Craigslist. So, the net cost of the upgrades is usually not too bad.

Regarding the sound quality of the OEM stereo, many people tear out everything and start over. However, replacing the dash speakers will make a big difference without a huge cost. So, I recommend that you search on the term "dash speaker" and find out what other people tried. You can always upgrade the other components later and your investment in the dash speakers won't be wasted.

Lol, was about to post the old cdr unit up for an eBay parts auction.

I will probably install a set of alpines in the dash speakers later, when it's top down weather and better sound is required. Nice that 4" speakers arent crazy expensive.


Steve, I like the thinking there I went with my wife on a 56 mile journey today in the SUV and the whole time I am thinking how much better it would be in the car

Luv2, I "had a bad experience once" involving a cup of Starbucks, a lap and an inadequate lid installation. I would like to unremember it. I sort of like having the car be so unfriendly to unwanted intrusion of food and drink. Saw a nice 911 in the McDonalds drive thru on Tuesday and went kind of

[BIGJake111]

You would assume those that are picky enough about their cars wouldn't join the Durango crowd at a food venue like Micky D's

[KevinH1990]

[QUOTE=Wulf190;429731]

Originally Posted by KevinH1990

Lol, was about to post the old cdr unit up for an eBay parts auction.

My motto with the parts I take off is "One man's trash is another man's treasure."

There are a lot of aging Boxsters out there that would benefit from some gently used items. Provide as much information about the condition as you can and be reasonable with the price and you might be pleasantly surprised. I understand that your CDR may not be working, but someone may be able to use your faceplate to replace a scratched or damaged one on his or her unit.

[Wulf190]

I thought about opening the head unit up to see if anything was immediately apparent. The On button would light up, but the moment the faceplate was installed, it would blow the radio fuse (B2) in the box...so it's shorted out somewhere inside there as the new one works as it should. Unsure if opening it up would get me any further than a chance to break stuff even worse or not, especially since my electrical testing skill set is not well developed. I wouldn't be able to tell what to fix unless there were an obvious brown toasty sign of electrical short or broken connection somewhere. That kind of fix isn't so user friendly.

[nefarious986]

I guess if I bought the car new and paid the "retail" price, I would be a bit more anal about food / drinks in the car. I wonder if you guys would be as strict if it was a newer Accord or S2000 instead of a "Porsche", both of which would be more expensive than what your average used 986 might cost. Don't get me wrong, I think the 986 is a great value and a great car which is why I own one, though sometimes I wonder if some might baby it a bit more because of the badge.

Congrats on the purchase btw.

[Wulf190]

I bought a new accord once, and even new it got eaten in/on.

Taking the advice posted earlier, I took a longer "diversion" on today's trip to the store........I am beginning to get the hang of this now...Took advantage of a couple of empty, very tight expressway ramps. I kind of fear how fast the thing could really go through those, but it once again proved how willing it is to ask you to try...so I gave it my best shot.

In discovery mode, I looked over the option codes today and found out the wheels were designated as turbo twists, so they were either a dealer or PO add on.

I have an OBD tool that I have been meaning to hook up to get some data on the engine, but I have no laptop and am a Mac user.. so may have to snag a laptop from someone

Also need to get rid of the airbag light with the OBD tool until I can grab a set of seat belt setups which seems to be the cause of it from checking around.

[BIGJake111]

Airbag light is really common on these cars, clear the code and it should stay gone.

[Wulf190]

Awesome. Good to know. I have been going after all the little things on it..replaced headlight bulb, radio, wiper blades, lots of polishing and cleaning exterior/interior, replacing lost tools and manuals, etc. Just things that don't cost a ton and bring up the value of the car. I am the 3rd owner and it has a clean car fax, but not a ton of service history with it, which helped make it affordable for me. I had driven a few before this one, so had a decent idea of what to look for and what it would take to satisfy me. My browsing order was as follows:

03 Base model, black on black, 35K miles asking 15K for @ dealer: The one that started me down this path. Great car, one owner, but more than I could come up with to make it happen.

00 S model, ocean blue metallic on gray int., 65K miles, everything done on it with full service history, great owner. A fantastic driver, and easily the fastest and most powerful of the versions I drove. 14K @ private owner. I grew to love the blue exterior color

01 Base model, black on black, 21K miles, like new, one owner, 15K...too much dough I thought.

99 Base model, burgundy wine on gray, 65K miles, had a couple of problems pop up when browsing at it, so it kind of knocked itself out of consideration. Nice car, good condition, but wrong color for me and not optioned up too highly. Regular wear for a car it's age.

After these, I arrived finally at mine....the cheapest and slowest of all of the above options except the last one maybe. But, as this one had the wheels, was in great condition and had a few small things I knew I could bring up to speed to improve it's value over time, I figured this one was everything I could want....and it has proven to be exactly that. :dance:

[Wulf190]

Wife has shown ZERO signs of softening on this stance. She is going hard on the "it needs to have 4 seats." Also mentioning "it would be nice if the top would come down also." I am not onboard with her ideas. I told her that in order for me to get that done with little money, I am going to have to find a better deal on a better car and that is NOT going to be easy to do. Also said that if she didn't like my first choice, that she is highly unlikely to like my second choice either. Seeing how this might actually be an opportunity to explore the market further, I DID look at a few other cars that might satisfy her.

Yesterday took a look at an '04, 86K mile BMW 325i 'vert. Like new condition, very nice car..and to trade, the number he tossed out there was....check this.... 6 GRAND!! I laughed and said 'no way' since I was at an even swap in my head. I have a sneaking feeling that's about where every dealer would be on a car that I would consider swapping for. Thus, this would be a 'sell it myself' decision then and would take some time. Just the fact that I looked might helped to alleviate some of the pressure, but she really hates that car (more that I just went out and bought it against her wishes). Maybe a different Boxster?? Who knows, but swapping this thing out for something else goes against every notion in my body at this time, and checking into it further seems to confirm exactly why that would be a terrible decision to me, and actually confirms the decision I made in the first place. I'm not in a spot to throw more money out the door on something that isn't even close to as good as this car, and it would upset me more to do that....pointless. So, I am like "WTFing-ever?" and keep driving and looking for a 99 Carrerra Cab...possibly the ONLY thing that will satisfy us both, and thats a long shot...but if you've got a 99 cab and feel like you want a nice Boxster, I will listen.

[BIGJake111]

You can get 996s cheap, but if your wife is okay with a 996 there is no way she shouldn't be okay with a boxster. It's too cold for top down right now anyways. The rear seats in the 911 can only fit amputees. You would be happy with a 911 but it's more money for not much more car, and anything non porsche will really disappoint you at this point and likely please the wife even less. No convertible is really as practicle as the boxster, and most alternatives are mechanical nightmares.

[Wulf190]

Originally Posted by BIGJake111

You can get 996s cheap, but if your wife is okay with a 996 there is no way she shouldn't be okay with a boxster. It's too cold for top down right now anyways. The rear seats in the 911 can only fit amputees. You would be happy with a 911 but it's more money for not much more car, and anything non porsche will really disappoint you at this point and likely please the wife even less. No convertible is really as practicle as the boxster, and most alternatives are mechanical nightmares.

Thank you Jake. I am beginning to see that with some looking. I also remember that I have driven the 2000 911 and, yes, nice car, but I liked the Boxster more I have to say. I think it will work out eventually, but it sure is difficult in the mean time.

That said, it snowed last night and I had to take my trusty steed to work this morning with the temp being -4 when I left. First time in extreme conditions perhaps. Roads were plowed and mostly clear of ice, but had some patches, and with the tires that cold, I was curious to see what kind of limitations that would put on it. I figured it would be pretty much as disabled as a Mustang or other similar car knowing others statements about this. Definitely it isn't good...but--as it has done so far in all other things--it does better than I thought it would. It gets me the 8 minutes to work and back despite that it might be frowning at me the whole time between warm up to shut down. Today was about as bad as it would get and still have to go to work in it. Anything more and I think I'm carpooling it.

[RayW]

I love to restore old cars, my wife had wanted a light blue convertible since she was 16 and her dad wouldn't let her buy one from a neighbor. I ran across a 90 Mustang GT convert that needed paint and some interior work. I dragged it home and told her I would build her a light blue convertible. Since than she's never given me a hard about whatever I drag home. I've done a 85 380SL and just got my first Porsche, a 98 986. I'm loving it so far, next year will be my first full summer with it.

Moral of the story, take care of momma first!

[Wulf190]

Thanks for commenting Ray. I had a 66 Mustang in high school that my dad and I restored. I loved that car. I owned it 8 years and sold it for twice of what I paid for it. So, I am similar in my interests and endeavors perhaps. One would think that might help to provide me some experience in dealing with the specific-interest type car..but, that's been pretty fairly dismissed by the significant other.

I know that wife simply does not want to 'validate the invalid', which would be to accept that it was--in the first place--ok to get rid of the car that is a money hole with no return and go against the 'rational, agreed-upon, keep throwing money at it" solution. The fact that the 986 looks like it's going 100mph just sitting there is just kind of fuel to continue this pathology. Forgiveness/acceptance might be a 50/50 proposition at best, but would be greatly accelerated if she would simply go for a ride.

I see that you are in Chicago. If you feel like a drive down Archer Ave. through the woods in Palos, or elsewhere sometime, just hit me up.

Mike

[Reddy Head]

Originally Posted by Wulf190

Wife has shown ZERO signs of softening on this stance. She is going hard on the "it needs to have 4 seats." Also mentioning "it would be nice if the top would come down also." I am not onboard with her ideas. I told her that in order for me to get that done with little money, I am going to have to find a better deal on a better car and that is NOT going to be easy to do. Also said that if she didn't like my first choice, that she is highly unlikely to like my second choice either. Seeing how this might actually be an opportunity to explore the market further, I DID look at a few other cars that might satisfy her.

What get's more practical than having TWO trunks?!

Since purchase in July, I have been daily driving my Boxster. Living in El Paso, Tx the weather is what I like to call bi-polar. The sun will be out and it's 95 degrees and within hours it'll be extremely windy and raining! Needless to say, good ol' Snow White handles everything like a champ, I have had absolutely no problems!

I am a teenager so my vision of practicality might not carry any weight on your decision making process. However, I must say my Boxster has proven to be just as practical as any other car I've driven - if not more... with one exception: The lack of cup holders! but as BIGjake111 said "Trust zee Germans!". I like to think that here in the US the cup holders are likely going to be used to carry a beverage from a fast food joint(namely soda) - and the lack of them often detracts me from going and scooping up fast food as it's a pain driving stick with a soda in-between your legs... And in the rare chance that I do go, I'll get a bottled water to save me the trouble. So I can truthfully argue the point that my Boxster has helped me lead a more healthy lifestyle.

Bottom line - DO NOT LET YOUR BOX GO! Hahaha, I hope your wife will cave soon and appreciate the little marvel. Cheers!

[KevinH1990]

Originally Posted by Reddy Head

I like to think that here in the US the cup holders are likely going to be used to carry a beverage from a fast food joint(namely soda) - and the lack of them often detracts me from going and scooping up fast food as it's a pain driving stick with a soda in-between your legs... And in the rare chance that I do go, I'll get a bottled water to save me the trouble. So I can truthfully argue the point that my Boxster has helped me lead a more healthy lifestyle.

Porsche obviously frowns on people snacking in their cars. I think there are two reasons:

1. If you have ever been in a car where the occupants have spilled drinks and left crumbs and food wrappers it is messy. If you have ever been to Germany, you know the Germans liker order.
2. It detracts from the driving experience. Snacking while driving a Porsche would be like going on a date with a beautiful woman and spending your time reading texts.