Can an IMS be avoided?

[mikes_box]

Thinking of getting back to the boxster family and have found a nice low mileage S year 2000 but am worried to hell about an ims or slip sleeve issue. Is there any way to do preventatvie maintenance to avoid this such as replacing the IMS with a newer one. I guess a few hundred buxs in an upgrade is not as bad as 15k and a new motor right? thanks

[ChrisZang]

I don't think there is anything you can do, it's like playing the lottery

[Quickurt]

Originally Posted by ChrisZang

I don't think there is anything you can do, it's like playing the lottery

Looking at your signature lines, I would have LOVED to get 27 speed events out of 11,000 dollars of engine expense, let alone 50 thousand miles street usage with all the mods you have.
We budgeted $500 per event for Formula Ford motors and $1200 in Formula Atlantic, and that was when they didn't play popcorn and I didn't over-rev them. Not once.

[gregdacat]

You guys have me so paraniod over this IMS deal. Tuesday I am sitting at a red light in my box. The radio is cranked up and the A/C is going full blast. Underneath all the noise I hear the tell tale marble in a coffee can sound. Immediately I think, Oh No, its the dreaded IMS failure. In denial I think maybe it's just the radio. So, I turn off the radio but the niose continues. So then I think well maybe it is the A/C. So, I turn off the A/C. No good the rattle continues. I look to the dashboard expecting to see the final CEL light, when my eye catches the rear view mirror. Right on my rear bumper is the biggest Peterbuilt diesel dump truck I have ever seen. The traffic light changes. The truck driver hits the accelerator and the rattle stops.

Now I am thinking. Those turkeys at the 986Forum have me psyched out! :chicken:

[blinkwatt]

Just make sure you don't get a low mileage 3.2L,keep it above 45-50ish and I believe you will be o.k. from all major manu. defects.

[Quickurt]

I had the same conversation with Brucelee.
At the RX8 forum the few guys that had problems freaked out everyone else to the point of my leaving the site, along with quite a few others. I went back a couple of months later to see if things got back to people having fun and talking about things they were doing to enjoy their cars.
I was sadly disappointed that the site had become a "********************ing Post" for those who were unhappy and Mazda was bending over backwards and replacing engines considerably out of warranty.
I'm not saying the problems should not be discussed or Porsche could not be doing more to cure the problem, but someone having 50k miles and 27 speed events calling Boxster motors playing the lotto is not exactly fair. I'm not picking anyone out, just the latest example.
The majority of Boxster owners will enjoy many years and thousands of miles with their cars, with little or no trouble.
My dealer says 8 out of 10 Boxster trade-ins have been for newer Boxsters. That says quite a bit to me.

[JCL12]

Originally Posted by Quickurt

I
I'm not saying the problems should not be discussed or Porsche could not be doing more to cure the problem, but someone having 50k miles and 27 speed events calling Boxster motors playing the lotto is not exactly fair. I'm not picking anyone out, just the latest example. .

Kurt...just to make sure I interpret the meaning of this correctly, you are trying to state that anybody who can get 50,000 regular miles out of their car AND 27 track/autoX events where they abuse the car like hell got their monies worth out of the engine?

[pbanders]

Originally Posted by mikes_box

Thinking of getting back to the boxster family and have found a nice low mileage S year 2000 but am worried to hell about an ims or slip sleeve issue. Is there any way to do preventatvie maintenance to avoid this such as replacing the IMS with a newer one. I guess a few hundred buxs in an upgrade is not as bad as 15k and a new motor right? thanks

Get a Boxster that either has an existing warranty or is new enough and has low enough mileage to get an aftermarket warranty. Have all regular Porsche mandated maintenance and keep records, as well as make sure that you get all oil leaks repaired and keep the motor clean - this will avoid issues with aftermarket warranty companies looking to avoid paying for major repairs.