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Old 12-30-2004, 06:54 AM   #1
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'97 owner's pows and wows

I'm now experiencing very expensive problems with my boxster after just six months of ownership. You get what you pay for, so if you're in the market for a higher mileage 97 due to the low price, just remember that what you do not pay now for a newer one, you'll potentially pay later in repairs...

Pow #1- A intesifying squeaking sound emitting from the front driver's side was metal on aluminum due to a worn out lower control arm. Dealer quoted $800.

Pow #2 - The engine was replace before I bought the car, but the previous owner didn't get 1st gear worked on, so transmission work is in order. Dealer quoted $3800 for remanufactured tranny & installation.

Pow #3 - The top leaks like a horse drinking beer around the window and from a hole on the top created by the latch in the front side of the metal bit that goes up and down and hides part of the top. I did not know one must insure that this part of the top is folded in like the crease in the window to prevent this... the elastic straps inside are all worn and not retracting the top as it should. Ebay has one for $425.

:ah:I will now stop whining as I hate it and I will get to the really good part of this story!

Here's my wow to end on a great note - A mechanic I have come to know at a local dealership has agreed to work on my car after hours at his home shop... he has a 30K tranny that will work and said he'd sell it to me for $600 and tear it down and mine too and insure he uses the best parts from both. He also said he had a spare control arm he'd install for me and do my back brake pads while he has the car.

I've been searching for someone to work on my car that truly loves Porsches and is not a dealership or rich man's garage. I think I've found this person. His father was a Porsche mechanic from Germany, and he learned in his dad's shop as a boy and immigrated here, where he's been working on Porsches for 25 years. The guy seems to love Porsches more than anything, which is exactly what I want... someone to care for my car as much as I do. And he'll save me a pile of money over the long haul.

I'll keep you posted on this thread as to how much the final bill from him was to correct #1 and #2 and how long it took.

PS - I always knew Boxster ownership was not going to be cheap and anticipated much of this. I just wanted to post this to educate newbies who are surfing Ebay, etc.!

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Old 12-30-2004, 09:31 AM   #2
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good luck with the repairs, I bought a 97 with only 23000 early aug. The pervious owner took good care of car, and hope I dont have the problems like you have encounter.
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Old 12-30-2004, 01:28 PM   #3
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Funny how those repairs work...I just got back from a 170 mile drive to Jackson, Mississippi, which has the closest Porsche dealership to me.

60K Service.
New front suspension (more or less)
New top
Body work
4 new tires
New Oxygen pumps
Alignment
Re-spraying front bumper.


I bought it cheap 6 months ago, and have paid over $12K since then.

Good luck with your mechanic, Randall!

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Old 12-30-2004, 04:02 PM   #4
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These cars are wonderful but buyers need to check on the history before buying older Box. I personally don't deal with older Box, say 97/98 as Porsche was still sorting out the car back then.

And, it takes a lot of work and patience to check these out correctly. If you find a "steal" on an older Box, I would be very wary.
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Old 12-30-2004, 06:44 PM   #5
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Why the new top Subanez, did the plastic window break?
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Old 12-31-2004, 12:10 PM   #6
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well if u bought 97 with a higher mileage and thru ebay, ur just asking for trouble. I think their's a reason why they sell those cars thru ebay they don't wanna deal with the buyers after selling it.
second a seven year old car with a higher mileage will definitely starting to have tons of wear and tear replacements. control arm, clutch,roof, I think everycar will naturally have.
a replaced engine then you don't even know work on it, very wary.
I also read at pete's post that the reason why their a tons of replaced 99 engines because the casting machine broke down a certain period of time and they used the rejected engines and fixed it up, to keep up with the production... not smart.
01-02 engines reliability on consumers reports is below average.
I read some 97 replaced engines and some 97 with tons of mileage good realiability.
porsche boxster is an wonderfull machinery but do your homework it's not a perfect car.
just my 02cents and what I learned since owning a boxster.

I have a 97 silver with 11 k miles on it. bought locally, owner really took care of this car and so far so good. not guarantee-ing anything but a good start. I also bought a extended warranty on it for a little piece of mind, a little cheap cause of the low miles.

tells us how it work out.

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