How to tell - early vs late model 1999
 

I have a 1999 boxster and have read on the forums that the 1998s and early 1999s have had the most engine trouble. Can anyone elaborate on this? Did the late model 1999s not have as much engine troubles? Also, can someone tell me how I can figure out if mine is an early or late model 1999?

The specific troubles that are referred to are slipped cylinder liners and porous block castings. If your car has more than about 40,000 miles, either of those issues would have shown up by now.

My 99 (not S) has white gauge faces, that doesn't seem very common.

Aftermarket addition.

The white gauge faces where a factory option. If you want to check for slip sleeve, check the sticker on the driver's side door. The known dates for engines affected by this are between 10/98 and 3/99, however my 99 is right in the middle of that and at 50k miles I have not suffered a catastrophic engine failure (or a minor engine failure) and my engine has never been replaced.
(Knock on wood.) :cheers:

According to the original owner it was factory.

Interesting.

I have a 2000 Boxster (2.7 engine) and it was made in 10/99

Does it aply to 2.7 engine as well?
Also don't car manufacturers make cars a year before?
ie all 1999 cars are made in 98 and early 99, mid 99 they already start selling 2000 models..

Thanks
Sasha

It only affected 2.5L engines, and they do make them starting in the later end of the year before, but not all the cars. Unlike the other car companies that release a 2010 model in June of 2009. That is why a Boxster sold as a '99 might have a sticker on the door with a 10/98 build date.

More people custom order their Porsche versus just buying one off the lot, so building them all in advance wouldn't make much sense. For instance, my Boxster was custom ordered by the previous owner in 1998, it arrived in March with a January build date. :cheers:

How to tell - early vs late model 1999
 

Okay - mine was made in January 1999. What can be done to prevent engine failure? New to the porsche community and feel stupid for not researching this issue prior to buying my Boxster. I have 99K miles, so hopefully won't be an issue.

Change the fluids regularly and just enjoy the car. The 99 model year engine issues all self destructed in the first 20k miles so you are well out of the danger zone.

There were less than 16k of these defective engines worldwide, this against nearly 49k produced. They've all been culled from the herd by now.

Cheers!