914 Owner wants a 986...

[RangerRhett]

All,

I own a gen 1 Porsche 986: aka the Porsche 914...
I am very interested in a 986 as a daily driver (even in the winter). I am attempting to get an idea of maintenance costs and what I can expect as a Boxter Owner.

The plan is to purchase the hard 'Coupe' Top, as well as a second set of wheels for winter tires.

I will probably be purchasing (what I am fortunate enough to find) a 986 that is <=$30,000 USD.

I would really appreciate any input on the maintencance costs as well as any reliability issues that I should know about.

Rhett

[RangerRhett]

Anyone?

What does an oil change run?
What does it cost to swap the tranny fluid?
Bleed the brakes?

What do plugs run? Plug Wires?

Anyone?

I know what my 914 costs, just want to figure out the add-ons...

[Brucelee]

Maint costs vary by who does it and how much they charge.

As an example--I have my local guy do an oil change for me. I buy the parts.

Costs are $15 for change, $45 for oil and $10 for filter.

If you have dealer do it, usually runs $150 or so.

Rule of thumb on an 01

15K--$300

30K--$450

45K-$300

60K-$900

Plugs--$4 at Pep Boys, $17 at dealer.

The more you can do yourself, the more you will save.

Originally Posted by RangerRhett

Anyone?

What does an oil change run?
What does it cost to swap the tranny fluid?
Bleed the brakes?

What do plugs run? Plug Wires?

Anyone?

I know what my 914 costs, just want to figure out the add-ons...

[RangerRhett]

Brucelee,


Thanks for breaking that down for me. I keep hearing folks saying that it is going do be $800.00 (per change) every time I drive 3000 miles.

I am weighing all of my options as far as reliability/insurance/licensing/winter driving/and whatnot. It can't be as volitile as my 1974 914 LE....but the 74 doesn't touch the snow...

[Brucelee]

You can see by the long service intervals that the Box is not a huge investment in service, esp for a car as fine as she is!

[RangerRhett]

Brucelee,

Has your Boxster been a pillar of reliability? How many miles have you put on yours?
I can only handle working on one car at a time (and that is the 914)...

I am only concerned about snow driving, so I will need new wheels and tires for the winder months...which I can live with.

I am very capable on the end of a wrench, so I won't mind doing the easy stuff myself.

[tqtran]

Originally Posted by RangerRhett

I own a gen 1 Porsche 986: aka the Porsche 914...

How is the 914 "Gen 1"?
Since the 356 and Speedster were the "parents" of the boxster and the 914 is a "TARGA" with no "BOXER ENGINE" ????

[RangerRhett]

I guess I have always referred to it that way with the 2-seat mid engine 'Affordable' Porsche. That was my def. of "Gen 1."

[Ronzi]

Heck, I agree with you, RangerRhett. I think the 914 is the true predecessor of the Boxster.
Porsche, and Porsche elitists, have always dispised the lowly 914 for it's lack of the proper pedigree, i.e., no Porsche engine (except for the uber-rare 914/6), and the fact that it was built in a VW plant. The fact that the 914/6 in it's homologated GT configuration pretty much kicked the snot out of the 911s whenever it had the opportunity was an inconvenient fact best consigned to the dustbin of history.
On the "boxer" engine topic, ALL the 914s had boxer engines, including the 4-bangers. A boxer engine is one that has an opposed cylinder configuration, with the pistons pumping back and forth horizontally, like the fists of a boxer. As such the 4 cyl. VW engines in the 914 qualify as boxer engines, just like the opposed sixes in the Boxster.

[Brucelee]

The first 911 was built in a VW plan I believe. Indeed, without VW parts, there would have been no Porshce's at all.

[Brucelee]

BTW-the Subaru has a boxer engine.

Does that make it with the Porsche purists?