Thinking of buying a Boxster ? - MUST READ !

[NickCats]

The following are great sources of information for those interested in purchasing a Boxster :

http://mike.focke.googlepages.com/mikesporscheboxsterwebpages

http://www.iwantaporsche.net/

http://www.986faq.com/

Happy hunting !

Nick

[dcporsche99]

I agree Nick! Should also add Randall's link on that must read list!

Edit: Nick beat me to it! It was already there!! Good catch Nick! Thanks for letting me know!

[t2-bxtrs]

Folks,
How much of a deciding factor would a Rear Main Seal Leak (final decision for purchase) after all checked out good on a low mileage(23K)03'S ??

[Perfectlap]

RMS is not the biggest expense you can have in a Boxster or Carrera but there is no gurantee that replacing the seal will fix the leak. You could end up with another RMS leak a short while later. The shaft could be out of center in a big way and throwing another seal at it is just a band aid solution. I would pass on this Boxster unless they offered you a substantial reduction, at least $4-5K or a extended factory warranty on the drive train.

[jarquis]

I have a 2004 Boxster that I've owned from new since July 2005.
In January I had the rms leak so had that replaced.
3 weeks ago, at only 10,181 miles the intermediate shaft did it's party trick and wrecked the engine. Porsche replaced it with a reworked one.
Today I take it for it's free detail after my recent 'inconvenience' only to have the/a power steering line break before I got to the dealer!
Am I really unlucky or is the reliability I can expect from Porsche?

[ROMES]

weird ive had my boxster for 5years now over 100k miles...only issues i had so far was the AOS @ about 80k and my "drain holes" were plugged apparently its our responsibility to make sure plugs dont get plugged! well anyways it ended up flooding into the cabin and my head unit for the security/key was ruined couldnt lock the doors and couldnt do it manually due to the fact there is no key hole on my doors :troll:

[Brucelee]

Originally Posted by jarquis

I have a 2004 Boxster that I've owned from new since July 2005.
In January I had the rms leak so had that replaced.
3 weeks ago, at only 10,181 miles the intermediate shaft did it's party trick and wrecked the engine. Porsche replaced it with a reworked one.
Today I take it for it's free detail after my recent 'inconvenience' only to have the/a power steering line break before I got to the dealer!
Am I really unlucky or is the reliability I can expect from Porsche?

My neighbor's 04 had the IMS at around 12K.

Go figure.

[embryoguy@mac.com]

regarding the RSL.

i recently took my car to a porsche event at the dealer and they gave me a "free" inspection. they told me i have a rsl leak. but ive never seen a drop of oil on my garage floor. how urgently should i take care of this?

i know its been discussed this is a common /major issue, but my question is im not sure if the dealership just told me to take some more money off of me.

thank you for your thoughts in advance.

[ekam]

I used to own a Toyota Camry and part of a the largest Toyota club online called Toyota Nation, out of all the people I know both online or off, I've never heard from anyone within that circle that have infamous engine oil slush problem which was all over the news at one point in time.

All of these are just fear-mongering from the media or from very selected few that have the problem and blow it up on the internet.

Again, you will never hear from people that have no problem with their cars.

[Brucelee]

Originally Posted by ekam

I used to own a Toyota Camry and part of a the largest Toyota club online called Toyota Nation, out of all the people I know both online or off, I've never heard from anyone within that circle that have infamous engine oil slush problem which was all over the news at one point in time.

All of these are just fear-mongering from the media or from very selected few that have the problem and blow it up on the internet.

Again, you will never hear from people that have no problem with their cars.

I will disagree with you on this one. If say, the Corvette owners had engines grenading, you would see it all over the forums. You don't.

You DO see it on all Porsche forums that I have seen, including our own.

Face it, these engines have issues. These issues have even hit the Porsche magazines, where the tech guys have illustrated the IMS and RMS design flaws.

Warranty takes care of that, if it is a good one.

[rick3000]

No one said that Porsche's don't have engine problems, which they shouldn't have. It is just debatable how often they actually happen. Of the 200,000+ Boxster's how many people have actually had a problem.
I have heard a lot of people talk about IMS and RMS but I have seen very few people post about having it actually happen to them. It does happen, but I think that the forums constantly mentioning it makes it seem as if it happens more often than it actually does.
Just my take on it!

[AddictionRacing]

It happened to me. Don't buy a boxster.

[Quickurt]

Originally Posted by AddictionRacing

It happened to me. Don't buy a boxster.

I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I would say your comment is unfair.
Every car, every manufacture has it's issues, it's good year models and not-so-good year models.
I did a lot of research and looking and searching before purchasing my Boxster.
No matter what price range I was in, I would not have bought any Boxster older than 2004, because of the plastic rear window and some more serious reliability issues. The IMS can happen on any of them, but I haven't heard about it as much on the 3.2. Ruled out a base.
I was going to pay cash for the newest one I could afford, but opted for doing a big down payment on a post 2005 with certification and financed the difference. I did this on the insistance of my oldest bestest buddy who is an 30 years experienced indy Porsche mechanic. As it was I waited nearly a year longer than I would have liked to keep the financing to a minimum, while being able to purchase a very new, low mile car with 89,000 miles and nearly 5 years of full factory warranty, precisely because I have owned expensive cars with expensive failure issues in the past. It's called high performance, which usually includes high risk on high strung, heavily stressed mechanical apparati which are also built as light as possible. If you note my avatar you will see I understand what I'm saying. Been there, done that, wrote the checks.
Buying a nine year old car with 66k miles on it, from any manufacture, that you have NO IDEA how many times it's been run to and above the redline, then taking it to a speed event yourself, where it failed, is a risk you should have understood before taking it.

[YellowS2000]

Originally Posted by rick3000

No one said that Porsche's don't have engine problems, which they shouldn't have. It is just debatable how often they actually happen. Of the 200,000+ Boxster's how many people have actually had a problem.
I have heard a lot of people talk about IMS and RMS but I have seen very few people post about having it actually happen to them. It does happen, but I think that the forums constantly mentioning it makes it seem as if it happens more often than it actually does.
Just my take on it!

Got to agree, how many boxters do you see broken down by the side of the road or on eBay being sold as spares or repair due to engine failure.

Im aware it can happen but its still better that driving a 1million % reliable toyota corolla.

Peter

[Dino986]

I've owned mine for almost 3 months and I'm at just under $700. But I'm not complaining.

[jdlmodelt]

If I had read this post ahead of time. I would never own the Boxster I own today. 1999 Boxster that at 37,xxx miles the engine blew in 2008 and the PO had a new Porsche replacement engine installed. I purchased it in 2013 with 57,xxx miles on it for $12k. I'm super happy I did what I did, even in ignorance. I was LUCKY that the engine had been replaced with the Porsche solution. Granted probably not as good as Jake Raby's but still. It's a pure joy to drive aside from worrying about deer jumping out in front of me or making sure I park way out in the south 40 parking lot so my car doesn't get door dings.

[Trakis]

Hey guys,

I'm new to the forums and am loving the breadth of information it has been in helping me in maintaining my late '99 boxster. It has been a great machine since I've had it however I've recently been fronted with the task of replacing the clutch and flywheel.
The car has done 95000kms and I was wondering what kind of life expectancy I can expect out of my new parts?

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advace

[alfastud18]

Hey guys,
I am looking at buying a '05 Boxster S with low miles (~20k).

Can anyone describe or point me to a good reference that can help me understand what I'm not getting by buying a 2007 or later car? I know that the power output changed in 2007.

And do the 987-series cars have the same potential to experience RMS and IMS issues?

Generally I'm wondering if I should be concerned by a 2005 car only having 20k miles as well. Too much of a garage queen?

Any info or pointers to a good reference would be much appreciated.

Thanks!
Andrew

[mikefocke]

I'm 67. Owned cars made by at least a dozen car manufacturers over the last 50 years and 100Ks of miles. Probably 30 cars by the time you count all my family has owned.

My 2 Porsche Boxster 986s, over a total of 6 years, have cost me less than $700 in unscheduled maintenance and never left me stranded. Could I have a major problem tomorrow, sure could. So could any car. But, compared to the 3 other sports cars I've owned (or even the sedans and vans and wagons), the Boxsters have had far and away the fewest trips to a mechanic per month of ownership of any brand I've owned.

I've documented what I consider to be the buying considerations in detail including the best and worst features and the common problem areas as well as the model year differences.

I've also commented frequently on how my experience has been positive.

Is it the car for everyone? No. It is a sports car and will be more expensive to maintain especially if you can't do some of the simple work yourself. And if it has a major engine or transmission failure, it will be more expensive than a Toyota to repair. You shouldn't buy one if you can't afford the potential repair bills. Just like you shouldn't buy a house if you can't afford the potential repair bills. It is only common sense.

And many Boxsters are getting just plain old ... 13 years old in some cases. You don't buy an older car with the same expectations of reliability as with a newer car. And of course newer cars probably have a warranty.

But I bought 2 Boxsters where I was the third owner of each. Well used in each case. My first had no repairs before I totaled it after only 6 months by driving on summer tires when it was too cold. Couldn't stop. My second I've owned for ~5 years now and it hasn't had anything done to it in the last ~3 years but an oil change each year and an Oxygen sensor I elected to change....didn't need to..no CEL.

Tires more expensive than for my Honda..you bet. But the Oxygen sensor for the Porsche was cheaper than the one for the Honda... and the Honda needed one 10k earlier in terms of miles on the engine.

I didn't buy new nor pay near full price when I did buy, cheap for the fun I've had in them. I drive the trash to the dump in it and volunteer to go to the grocery store...and my wife knows I'll always take the longest way to the furthest store.

If it failed tomorrow, I'd get it rebuilt. Probably cost me more than I paid for the car because I'd want everything possible done to the car. I wouldn't whine or go looking to blame. Stuff happens.

It was my decision to buy, and I accept the risk of owning an older ('01 in my case) sports car with some by now known design issues. I rationalize every car has some, I just happen to know all about the one I own because I frequent the online forums.

It sits waiting in the garage, and every time I walk by it I run my hands over its flanks. And every time I take it out, I get some favorable comment about it (and it is nothing special, just a 9 year old car in the most common color, Arctic Silver)

Now if the weather gets warm like it is supposed to, it will go out with its top down this weekend and I'll enjoy the heck out of it. It sits waiting.

[RandallNeighbour]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

My 2 Porsche Boxster 986s, over a total of 6 years, have cost me less than $700 in unscheduled maintenance and never left me stranded.

You really know a lot more about picking choice used Porsches than the average guy like myself. My car has cost me nearly ten grand in repairs, and it had a reconditioned motor put in it weeks before I purchased it.

I budget $1500.00 a year for repairs, and most years I spend every dime of that and more. Readers of this thread should not get the impression that Boxsters are cheap to own long-term. They're far more expensive than other kinds of cars owned, unless you're coming down from a Ferrari, Maserati, or Lamborghini.

There is a bright spot though. My Porsche repairs make my BMW repairs look like a bargain.