It is very disheartening checking new posts

[Perfectlap]

^ so true. I've had Italian bicycles that were less reliable than my Boxster.

one great thing about the Miata, you could modify every inch of that car for a song. Meanwhile upgrades on Porsches (for very little improvement) will cost you dearly.

[coreseller]

The numbers of failures will never be known, my guess is ~ 2% to 3%, AS OF NOW. You could play the numbers game and drive it, or pay for the retrofit for piece of mind. Jake charges $3500 which includes dyno time, new clutch kit, new RMS (I think?) and the new bearing install. He then logs some miles on the car to ensure the job is done correctly. He also has the most experience and knowledge concerning the M96 motors, that is worth something also. If you do the fix yourself you'll be in about $1200 (Bearing and install Kit $600, Clutch Kit $400, RMS $20, Misc tools/sockets/stands $150 to $200). I did mine since I had to yank the transmission anyway, otherwise I'm not sure if I would of tore into it just for the IMS. Scenarios like MTS's and others do have me glad I did it though....how's that for waffling?

[kpm]

When I decided to get another 2 seater, I thought long and hard about getting a restored TR-6.

Then I found out that for the same money, I could drive a 9 year old Porsche instead of a 40 year old British Leyland product.

I don't reget my decision at all. I love my Boxster. And better yet my wife loves our Boxster !

We are getting ready to drive to Watkins Glen for the Indy Car race, can't wait to open her up on Rt.14 from Trout Run, Pa. to Watkins Glen !!

Enjoy the car...and drive it !!

[Viper5]

I remember reading something in a newspaper a few months ago about how porsche got the highest rating for all automobiles. It was a well known paper, I just can't remember which one.

[CenterIsl]

Originally Posted by Viper5

I remember reading something in a newspaper a few months ago about how porsche got the highest rating for all automobiles. It was a well known paper, I just can't remember which one.

JD Power & Associates "Initial Quality Rating" for 2010 has Porsche #1.

[CenterIsl]

The JD Power thing got me checking their site for "Powertrain Dependability", and out of 5 "stars" (they acutally use circles), where 3 stars is "about average", 4 is "better than most", Boxsters have:

2001 - 4 stars
2002 - 3.5 stars
2003 - 3.5 stars
2004 - (not given), awarded "Most Appealing Premium Sports Car"

In 2004, the 911 (M96 engine) was also "Highest Ranked Premium Sports Car in Initial Quality"

Looks like JD Power isn't too hung up on detonating engines either.

[23109VC]

you only live once..... if the boxster is what you want, go for it.

I was in the same boat you were in - I could afford anice used boxster and can afford the repairs, but an engine failure would really really be pushing it... i'd likely just sell it as parts at tha tpoint.. but knowing all that i bought it anyway and have never looked bad.

i have never had as much fun with a car. there are other nice sports cars... .the S2000 is nice and likely more reliable, the RX8 is plenty of fun, has back seats and they all now have a 100k mile warranty on the engine..even if you buy it second hand used! mazda stuck it on them ALL. not bad!

BUT - none of them are as fun as the boxster. at least not to me.

if my boxser blew up tomorrow...i'd try like hell to get another Porsche.

[Pirate50]

Originally Posted by SeanZ4

My little brother's '04 Honda with less than 20k had it's transmission go out on the beltway in DC. Nice experience for him I'm sure. Also wasn't there some issue with S200's and major engine problems?? I'm a boater and I've been getting it ready for the season for the past couple of weeks. Now that's a real love/hate relationship. It has a small block chevy (mercruiser magnum) and it's caused me more grief over the years than the Boxster ever will. It (the boat) frustrated me so bad last weekend, I moved it out of my driveway and put it back in storage. That way, I could get the boxster out, drive it, and improve my mood.

I hate that boat sometimes but I've never hated my Boxster :-)

sean

You had me laughing so hard on this post as I can say I feel EXACTLY the same way about my boat - Boxster relationship.

[eightsandaces]

Oh Sean, boat, Bring Over Another Thousand. I used to own a 26 Sundancer 454 Bravo 2. It was the biggest engine you could get, as such getting to different places in the engine bay required a small trained monkey.

[Bobiam]

It will never have the reliability of a Honda. And the repairs and maintenance will cost much more.
I regard mine as a toy. Hard to believe that guys use these as a daily driver, but they have my applause. Consumer Reports really likes the Boxster these days, but they aren't driving one that's 8-12 yrs old!!!!!
I like the status of driving a Porsche, but would have gladly bought a Miata or S2000 instead if I could fit into them. And I would have saved a lot of money too.
Again....threat it as an expensive toy and you will be OK.

[Gray Ghost]

Well my 01 (owned three months) is a dream for driving to and from work. Sometimes it is difficult pulling into the parking lot after that top down morning drive. I drive 70 miles round trip every day.
To me, if would be difficult having another daily driver and the Boxster for weekends and occasional evenings.
Like many have said, if you don't forget about the possibility of a breakdown, you will not enjoy the attributes of the most enjoyable road machine I have ever driven.
Wife and I just finished a 1500 vacation from Oklahoma through Arkansas, Mississippi to Alabama and back. Had plenty of room for week's luggage. The only downside was not having room for all my cleaning gear once we got to our destination.
Wife if trying to figure how long before the smile goes away from this trip. Still there.
Have driven many of the competition and nothing comes close to the Boxster.
In life we all have priorities. If reliability rates higher on your priority list than the satisfaction of driving a fine automobile, then look elsewhere. If your soul is touched after a wonderous ride, nothing will keep you away from this little roadster.

Bob
2001 Boxster
Seal Gray
Oklahoma

[Lil bastard]

I don't want to even validate posts like this!

I don't want Porsche to start making cars for everybody!

They're not for everybody and a thread like this tells me it's not the car for you!

Mazda MX-5's and Z3's need love too... go see them!

Cheers!

[Bradster]

I have never owned a car that makes me smile like my Boxster. 97 Base with 79,000 miles. While it has been perfectly dependable thus far, I did not make the purchase thinking nothing could ever go wrong. All purchases have risks. If a risk exceeds your risk threshold, don't take it.

For me, I'll take the smiles any day and if something happens to my Boxster, I'll get it fixed like I do with anything else.

[ElementAI]

Uh excuse me for livin!

PEOPLE HAVE HAD TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE WITH 15,000 miles
on a $60+ thousand dollar best engineered car in the world..
They may be few and far between but I don't think it's asking
too much for $60,000 to reach 100000 miles on it 95 percent
of the time without having to UPGRADE internals of Their engine
they built and sold!

I came on this site to do my homework in preparation of taking delivery
of a very well maintained family member owned 2000 boxster S triple black with 44,000 miles on it for family price of $12,000. Sounds like a deal compared with local autotrader sites and stopping at lots only to see 1998 boxster with 108,000 miles for $14k or 2003 with 128k on it and all sun faded and abused for $12 k. These used dealers are smoking some good stuff I guess

Reading posts taught me alot and I was prepared for the increased maintenance cost and other breakages that may occur... But who cares about that because I would be driving a Porsche. I loved every minute I drove it the day it was loaned to me.
I couldn't Get the permagrin off of my face for a week. When opportunity knocked for me to get this from my brother I jumped because I know it's history for real unlike buying from anywhere else. I was ready to pamper the new to me baby and care for it in exchange for the fun it would provide. The wife even got a new leather jacket in preparation of cooler fall top down evening drives.
What I wasn't prepared for was this car hasn't had the IMS bearing UPGRADED so I have this vision in the back of my head of six months down the road the deal is up to $26,000 due to the new engine I had to put in it.

Well what do you know It blew up two weeks before I was to go and get it! Two weeks! 44k on the odometer and it has IMS failure and needs a new engine for $14k. What are the odds? Talk about bit o luck! Saved me from some serious buyers remorse.. Or did I jinx it by reading new posts on here about IMS failures? Either way I don't get my deal or the fun.

Not for everybody huh! I have just as much right to buy one as you! Volkswagen means?

Ten years old .. 44k on the clock and it's dead because it didn't get it's bearing upgraded because the factory one was ****************. You shouldn't have to upgrade!!

Just very ironic that this happened the way it did. Just a little soured.

[jotoole]

That DOES suck.

[coreseller]

Originally Posted by ElementAI

Uh excuse me for livin!

PEOPLE HAVE HAD TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE WITH 15,000 miles
on a $60+ thousand dollar best engineered car in the world..
They may be few and far between but I don't think it's asking
too much for $60,000 to reach 100000 miles on it 95 percent
of the time without having to UPGRADE internals of Their engine
they built and sold!

I came on this site to do my homework in preparation of taking delivery
of a very well maintained family member owned 2000 boxster S triple black with 44,000 miles on it for family price of $12,000. Sounds like a deal compared with local autotrader sites and stopping at lots only to see 1998 boxster with 108,000 miles for $14k or 2003 with 128k on it and all sun faded and abused for $12 k. These used dealers are smoking some good stuff I guess

Reading posts taught me alot and I was prepared for the increased maintenance cost and other breakages that may occur... But who cares about that because I would be driving a Porsche. I loved every minute I drove it the day it was loaned to me.
I couldn't Get the permagrin off of my face for a week. When opportunity knocked for me to get this from my brother I jumped because I know it's history for real unlike buying from anywhere else. I was ready to pamper the new to me baby and care for it in exchange for the fun it would provide. The wife even got a new leather jacket in preparation of cooler fall top down evening drives.
What I wasn't prepared for was this car hasn't had the IMS bearing UPGRADED so I have this vision in the back of my head of six months down the road the deal is up to $26,000 due to the new engine I had to put in it.

Well what do you know It blew up two weeks before I was to go and get it! Two weeks! 44k on the odometer and it has IMS failure and needs a new engine for $14k. What are the odds? Talk about bit o luck! Saved me from some serious buyers remorse.. Or did I jinx it by reading new posts on here about IMS failures? Either way I don't get my deal or the fun.

Not for everybody huh! I have just as much right to buy one as you! Volkswagen means?

Ten years old .. 44k on the clock and it's dead because it didn't get it's bearing upgraded because the factory one was ****************. You shouldn't have to upgrade!!

Just very ironic that this happened the way it did. Just a little soured.

I agree. You don't want to be an alarmist but IMO sticking your head in the sand is worse.