should I buy this 1997 Boxster?

[dirkdiggler]

I am curious what it means when the check engine light flashes for a little while and then stays on solid??? anyone know??

also..... assuming the rear main-seal leak is the cause of the decent size oil leak.......... can i just check the oil very often and add as needed untill I get it fixed?? asking becasue I dont want the motor to blow on the drive home with it or something. Pretty much what can occur if the rear main-seal is leaking besides a little oil drippage?

I am willing to get dirty and work on the things I can myself ...... I generally only take my cars to buddies shop if there is no way I can possibly do it in my garage. I actually hate asking friends that own shops to do work for me. I use to rebuild sportbikes in college so I am pretty mechanically inclined .... not saying a sportbike is anything like a Porsche though.

I am also not one of those guys that needs everything on his car to be mint so some of the issues on this particular porsche dont bother me ..... such as the top being sorta message up. I have no problem getting out of the and putting it up and down carefully.


The guy is selling it so cheap becasue he is very very wealthy and moving out of the state very soon....... he really said he just needs it gone and doesnt really care. He is not a auto dealer or anything like that
My Girlfirend works for a automobile auction company and ran the car through for him already last week and the bidding got up too $6k for the car...... at that time the seller was hoping to get $7k-$8k out of the porsche so he declined the offer. Now as time has been getting closer to when he has to leave and the issues the car has have been brought to his attention he just has been letting it go for less and less. Now that I am interested in it my GF has been able to negotiate with him and pretty much giving me first crack at it at this point.

He obtained the car 2 years ago to help a friend of his out of a financial jam. He is very good friends with my Girlfriend but ..... the guy knows nothing about cars so isnt much help regarding the issues or maintenance.

Issues I know of?

keep in mind, car seems to run good and shift through gears normally.

- computer under seat got wet ... may be able to save but not sure.
- Flashing and then solid check engine light
- Autozone code scanner says missfire on couple cylinders and O2 sensor
- Rear main seal leak I think?? will change clutch regardless so these can be done then too
- 2 new tires needed
- converts top needs little work .... not a issue for me to fix this janky style
- Brakes soon


Can the the computer getting wet cause the check engine light and miss-fire issues?



If I can get it for $3k, I feel it will be a pretty good deal ........ worst case, motor blows and it becomes a $3k piece of garage eye candy I guess!!

[JTP]

A steady CEL is telling you there is a problem but you can drive on. A flashing CEL indicates there is a problem that could cause catastrophic damage to the engine and it means pull over and stop the engine ASAP. You should seriously look into this problem before going any further with the deal.

[hosickjg]

Dirk, its seems very obvious that your not actually asking for advice about whether you should buy this car or not, you have already decided to buy this car.
With that said, here is my 2 cents, DON'T BUY THIS CAR!
A month ago I was in a similar situation with a 1999 Boxster. I bought it, I regret it EVERY DAY and I do all the work myself. I can't IMAGINE having to pay a shop to do work on it. EVERYTHING on a Boxster is OVERPRICED and these engines are FULL of major problems. The only reason I have not sold mine as parts is because I LOVE the Boxster look and drive and am willing to sink HUGE amounts of money into my engine to upgrade and improve it so I can enjoy it (at a high yearly cost) for years to come.
Dirk, if you don't believe me you will, I have only been heavily involved in Boxsters for a little over a month and have already experienced a D-chunk #3 cylinder on the one I bought(81K). Then went to buy a used block that had a slipped sleeve I was not told about(67K on it) (refused the block after driving 12 hours to pick it up). Then bought another used block that I have now discovered has a catistrophic IMS bearing that has done damage to the IM Shaft main sprocket(81K)(drove 9 hours for this one). Luckily now I have 2 blocks that I can build into 1 and keep my bearing carrier with a good block to avoid RMS issues (fingers crossed).
Doesn't it seem strange to you that I have found THREE low mileage Boxster engines that have CATISTROPHIC DAMAGE? Its not strange, these engines are GARBAGE and unless you like this car enough to drop more money into it then its worth in the first place, walk away. I have to replace my piston rings after splitting my block, they are $900 for the set and there are no aftermarket rings available!!! I've never spent more then $300 on a set of piston rings in my life! Just another expense that you will soon be taking on (if your lucky and thats all you have to do) if you buy this car.
I am an experienced mechanic and this is not a simple little engine to do work on and it WILL need work done on it!!
Unless your willing to buy this car for $3000 and then send it to Innovative 6 and spend an additional $15k to have the motor built the way Porsche should have in the first place, don't do it!
Okay, I feel better, Ive said what I need to say..... I need a cigarette and I don't even smoke!

[GTA_G20]

hey Peterborough, wanna build a second motor while you're at it lol

[hosickjg]

Originally Posted by GTA_G20

hey Peterborough, wanna build a second motor while you're at it lol

HA, very funny. My block comes back from the machine shop Monday and then I can start re-assembling. Talk to me after I've scraped and cut my knuckles for a while and you might have a deal. LOL

[husker boxster]

Originally Posted by dirkdiggler

also..... assuming the rear main-seal leak is the cause of the decent size oil leak.......... can i just check the oil very often and add as needed untill I get it fixed?? asking becasue I dont want the motor to blow on the drive home with it or something. Pretty much what can occur if the rear main-seal is leaking besides a little oil drippage?

Yes, many just keep an eye on the oil level when RMS first appears as a little drip. If the issue is more than just a drip (which it sounds like this one is), be aware that you're dumping $5-$6 a quart oil into your engine / onto the ground. You don't want to do this for very long from an expense stand-point.