Hey guys,
very nice to chance upon this forum while googling.
background:
a little introduction about myself.. i recently bought an obviously pre-loved/abused 986 (1998) 2500cc TipS red boxster in singapore (mileage about 180,000 km)
singapore is emphatically the most expensive place on earth to own a car. to buy a car, you first need to bid for a permit and this permit can swing from 10k to 80k USD. and the permit will only last for 10 years, upon expiry you will need to buy it again for another 10 years. yes thats right. currently, this permit is at 41k usd.
a new 718 boxster-s today cost 260k USD and will only last you for 10 years.. (body depreciation a year is 26k USD at least)
as you can imagine, porsches are extremely rare in singapore given its steep price. this 986 is bought used at a fairly reasonable price... but i didnt know what lies ahead (read on...)
First Repair
when i bought it over, the seller promised to fix (via his mechanic)
- soft top (1 of the metal ?arm is broken)
- get me a second key with on/off toggle (he only has 1 set remaining)
in addition, the mechanic offered me to change a few items. he said it is optional but better to replace at one go. he didnt even quote me the price but proceeded to swap out some parts and bill me, just like that -->
approx 1USD $ = 1.36 Singapore $
i was shocked. this is my first car but really, is this price even normal for porsche 986?
i went to compare the parts at design911, pelicanparts and the prices quoted online are
so much cheaper ... i had no choice but to pay because my car is with him and this mechanic is the intermediary to ensure the seller make good of his promise to fix the soft top
Second Repair
during this time i was busy with work and could not test drive my car. my mechanic took it for a test drive and he realized the boxster overheated,
new problem found: radiation fan broke on one side. he fixed it and the seller had to pay *because i havent even driven it yet*
Third Repair
alas the time has come for me to pick up my precious ride. i drove it home that day and within half an hour, while stopping at a traffic junction, suddenly when i accelerate, the car would simply not move! there was no gear engagement! i had to tow my car back to the mechanic and they found that my ?ATF coolant box had broke and leaked. they ordered a replacement for me at seller's expense and did a couple of through and through ATF flushes. it took a week but they manage to get clear (and not milk) ATF output again..
i was concerned about gearbox damage but my mechanic told me all should be fine.. his view is that there would invariably be some damage but negligible.
Forth Repair
after the coolant box repair, i went back to pick up my boxster for the weekend. the mechanic told me to watch out for problems and let him know if anything's not alright
while driving, i realize the steering was so stiff i almost hit onto walls and oncoming pedestrians! i sent it back to the mechanic after 1 day and he found out that 1 of the hoses that ?transmit power steering fluid had broken..
in addition, my car died on the road thrice.
my mechanic diagnosed that the car died due to ?overheating because the radiator is ?choked and he flushed it/cleared it out again.
in addition, he replaced the hose that transmits power steering fluid.
all these happen over a span of 3 weeks. during these 3 weeks, i got to drive for around 2 days haha.
now im still without a car. the main reason im posting this is because i read up alot about porsches, flat 6 and 986 and im very keen to continuing renewing the pesky 10 year permit for this car and use it as my daily ride.
i want to learn more esp how to order my own parts from design911 and other stores and get some other mechanic who can install all these stuffs for me.
in singapore, it is hard to meet other 986 owners.. so, here i am!
hope there will be no more 5th repairs. fingers crossed!