Thoughts from a Newbie - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

rpbrouss · 12-31-2008, 10:21 AM

I recently purchased an '01 Boxster base from a distressed teenager for $16K. Of course it wasn't exactly pristine - I replaced the front windshield and it needs a new top. Still, all in all I feel like it was a pretty good deal, having only 44K miles. I have been reading all the 986 websites, trying to overcome the learning curve. They have been a great help. I already have had to replace my ignition switch, which was very accurately covered by numerous threads and diy's. Of course suspending my 240 pound body upside down under the dash was no picnic. Still for a $15 repair, having that switch on hand was invaluable.
I also had my gearshift linkage slip off my gearbox, luckily in my driveway. After some research on the web, I was able to snap it back on and ty-rap it in place. A trip to the dealership for a permanent repair was a staggering $1400 quote to replace both cables. I politely declined, but made a mental note to shift a little more gingerly. These kids in Civics try to provoke me to no end!
While I was chatting with the service manager I managed to bring up the IMS, RMS, D-chunk, etc. engineering issues to get some feedback. I asked for a percentage of cars that experienced that, but he refused to guess. I asked what is the bottom line on the worst case scenario - replacing the engine after a catastrophic engine failure. Without blinking or any embarrassment, he said he could get me out the door for $16K. He said the new crate engine has "solved" the IMS issue.

Anyway, the 986 is a blast to drive. I've had two 350Zs, a BMW Z3, a corvette for 3 days (I got my money back!) a Mustang GT and a couple of Bimmer and Audi sedans. The Boxster is the slowest of the bunch but the fun factor is off the chart. I have found out the hard way for me that having a sports car for my daily driver has never worked out. Luckily I have my 4 door sedan with the baby seat for my grandson in the driveway.
Thanks to all for an informative, helpful website and people willing to share their experiences. Happy new year!

vath2001 · 12-31-2008, 10:44 AM

Mine is put up for the winter, but I do plan to sign up for AAA in the Spring. I know it will eventually be needed for the tow home. My neighbor smacked a bridge on the ice and it cost $250 to deliver her car to the house. AAA will cost me alot less.

djomlas · 01-01-2009, 02:28 PM

congrats on the purchase.
and you will b able to tell people that you do your own work on your porsche hehe.

i drive my car daily, and its a lot of fun, but sometimes not too much fun when theres a foot of snow haha , feels like sled with 275s lol.

but overall, its a great car, and this is a great site to ask advice on many things, car and non-car related, and it has to be the coolest forum, since a lot of people post almost daily and others just shime an and it feels like i know some of these guys very good and met quite a lot of people off-site for autocrosses and things of that nature.

dont stop posting, have fun, and ask

have fun out there

blue2000s · 01-01-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpbrouss

I recently purchased an '01 Boxster base from a distressed teenager for $16K. Of course it wasn't exactly pristine - I replaced the front windshield and it needs a new top. Still, all in all I feel like it was a pretty good deal, having only 44K miles. I have been reading all the 986 websites, trying to overcome the learning curve. They have been a great help. I already have had to replace my ignition switch, which was very accurately covered by numerous threads and diy's. Of course suspending my 240 pound body upside down under the dash was no picnic. Still for a $15 repair, having that switch on hand was invaluable.
I also had my gearshift linkage slip off my gearbox, luckily in my driveway. After some research on the web, I was able to snap it back on and ty-rap it in place. A trip to the dealership for a permanent repair was a staggering $1400 quote to replace both cables. I politely declined, but made a mental note to shift a little more gingerly. These kids in Civics try to provoke me to no end!
While I was chatting with the service manager I managed to bring up the IMS, RMS, D-chunk, etc. engineering issues to get some feedback. I asked for a percentage of cars that experienced that, but he refused to guess. I asked what is the bottom line on the worst case scenario - replacing the engine after a catastrophic engine failure. Without blinking or any embarrassment, he said he could get me out the door for $16K. He said the new crate engine has "solved" the IMS issue.

Anyway, the 986 is a blast to drive. I've had two 350Zs, a BMW Z3, a corvette for 3 days (I got my money back!) a Mustang GT and a couple of Bimmer and Audi sedans. The Boxster is the slowest of the bunch but the fun factor is off the chart. I have found out the hard way for me that having a sports car for my daily driver has never worked out. Luckily I have my 4 door sedan with the baby seat for my grandson in the driveway.
Thanks to all for an informative, helpful website and people willing to share their experiences. Happy new year!

Welcome. If the plastic snaps at the shift lever are the problem with the shifter, you don't need to replace the cables. The snaps come with the shift lever. You can buy a standard 987 lever for about $160 and you will get new snaps and an improved shift action. It's an easy DIY job.

rpbrouss · 01-01-2009, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue2000s

Welcome. If the plastic snaps at the shift lever are the problem with the shifter, you don't need to replace the cables. The snaps come with the shift lever. You can buy a standard 987 lever for about $160 and you will get new snaps and an improved shift action. It's an easy DIY job.

No, it was on the other end, where the cable connects to the gearbox. I ended up stuck in reverse. I pushed the car back up the driveway, jacked it up, and after taking off a metal bracket I could easily see where one of the cables had come disconnected. It's kind of like a ball and socket - I just pushed the hollowed out donut back over the stem. It snaps in place. There is a hole in the bracket where you can get a ty-rap around the whole assembly. I don't have a warm fuzzy knowing that it can slip off again and leave me stranded. I think I need AAA or else make sure I have towing on my insurance. Luckily for me, in the Houston area, I can drive year round. No snow, just the occasional devastating, earth shattering hurricane!

edevlin · 01-01-2009, 06:43 PM

"I also had my gearshift linkage slip off my gearbox, luckily in my driveway. After some research on the web, I was able to snap it back on and ty-rap it in place. A trip to the dealership for a permanent repair was a staggering $1400 quote to replace both cables. "

When I first got my 2000 base boxster and took it to the dealership for its 40K service, they said the shifter seemed a little loose. They suggested they replacace the shift cables, explaining that the tranny end could snap off and I did not want to be stranded with no way to select gears.

Foolishly believing they had my best interest in mind, I had them do it. I think it was 600.00 for parts and two hours labor. The car seemed to shift the same way it did before they replaced the cables. That was also when I found out that an oil change was something like 100.00+. Needless to say, I have not used the resources of dealerships (except to drool over new cars) for the last two years....

Ed

Brucelee · 01-02-2009, 06:46 AM

Certainly if you have mechanical skills, tools and the facilities, the Box will reward you for your competence. If the engine weren't so hard to get to .......

23109VC · 01-02-2009, 09:10 AM

congats on the purchase! I just bought my boxster - a 2000 base - about 4 months ago.

I don' thave any problems with my shifter, but it is a bit "loose"...so I bought that 987 shifter console from ****************************************************.com. mine should arrive in themail today or tomorrow. i am hoping to get it installed before the work week starts up for me on Monday (and my two week vacation grinds to a halt!)

once i get it in, i'll let you know how hard it was. from the other posts here - it's not a very hard job. i already found a really good DIY set of instructions for a short shift kit that does a great job explaining how to get the shifter/center console out. mine is already half way out in anticipation of the shifter arriving..

enjoy the car. like you - i have either owned or test driven a multitude of sports cars - and there is nothign out there that I drove which had the FUN factor of the boxster. A lot of cars that I expected to LOVE, I was let down by. some cars that I was not expecting a lot from were piles of fun.

for the money - a used boxster is a lot of bang for the buck. the only dangerous part is there will be some people who get hit with a lot of repairs and that stuff is $$$. on an older car like mine, a motor failure would mean just dumping the car as fixing the motor costs more than the car is literally worth.