Taking my car to the shop.......
 

I have 4 issues with the car that definitely need to be dealt with. Anyone have any idea how much it will cost? I haven't gotten the official estimate yet my mechanic is waiting for me to bring it in but I know it will cost quite a bit and I'm trying to save for it.

Most important #1 = Brakes
Apparently they have 20% left (all around) and the rotors need to be changed. Although I would like a second opinion before I give the go ahead because the cost of 4 rotors is quite high (I can get 4 OEM brake pads for 250, but rotors are difficult to find for cheaper than retail).

#2 = Convertible roof = When I press the roof button the cover comes up, the roof does not catch and if the button is continually depressed the cover will just retreat back to the closed position. Must be the 2nd motor.

#3 = Temp control = It doesn't work at all, I have a feeling it's the unit as my brother spilled some sort of syrup substance that got into all the buttons.

#4 = water leak = This one problem I don't understand. I was told that there was a leak on the drivers side, when it rains heavy that water will get into the car and into the electrical system. My mechanic checked it out today when I took it for a checkup and he said he couldn't see anything but still not sure wha the culprit could be.

Depending on how much it will cost, the brakes and water leak are 2 things I will 100% get done. The convertible roof still works manually (press the button until the cover reaches climax, manually pull off the roof and close the cover) and the temp control is only an issue in the winter (or really hot days). My mechanic is very fair but I have a feeling this job will cost ALOT of money.

Brake pads and rotors are an easy repair to do yourself and there are many tutorials on this site and others. Water leaks can come from a number of sources but a common source is the two drain holes below the clam shell getting clogged. Easily checked and remedied with blasts of air.

Get urself a Bentley repair manual
it will pay for itself in no time
if u r a DIY guy (do it yourself)
Cheers
Chris

You can get parts quite a bit cheaper from places in the states like Suncoast in Florida. Make sure they ship by USPS and not UPS.

There's an excellent resource on this forum for convertible top problems. If you post some details Maurice might just help you fix it yourself. You need to tell us the year of the car.

Oh, and shoot your brother. :cool:

Thanks, will definitely tell him to check that out. I'm unable to drive my car in the rain and since it rains every other day in Canada it really is getting annoying.

I've never worked on a car before, only simple interior things like replacing the cup holders and such. I wish I was a DIY guy but unfortunately it's not in my DNA =(

Maurice? I'll look for him and send him a message. Just a question though, there are 2 motors for the convertible top correct? One for the cover and one for the roof? If that's so the one for the roof doesn't even operate it's like its off.

And yes I will shoot my brother lol, especially if the unit has to be replaced which I'm sure it does. I've found some on ebay for under 200 but I want to be sure that's the problem first.

If you're a PCA member you get discounts at the dealer for parts. Something like rotors are just too heavy to have them shipped from the US.

Yeah yo're right, just checked some shipping quotes and it's well ove 100 to have them shipped. I'm going to see if the rotors can be salvaged or not, I'm guessing no. My guy has a hookup on Mercedes parts not sure about Porsche I'll have to give him a call today. Noob question but what's pca member?

If you're getting water into the car and it's into the area under the driver's seat where the computer is, you should get that looked at ASAP. If that computer fries, you're looking at big $$$.

On convertible top issues, Maurice's forum handle is schoir. There's only one motor, which drives 2 transmissions (1 on each side), which use cables to open and close the top. The trannies also drive levers, one of which operates the lid (clamshell).

There are (at least) 2 concerns with getting a HVAC control unit from Fleabay: does it work? And will it work in your Model Year. They're not all interchangeable.

I've had (front) rotors shipped to me in BC from Cali. That was maybe 4 years ago and I don't recall the shipping being outrageous. It was certainly a lot cheaper than what I would have paid at the local stealer, PCA discount or not.

I can get a pair of pads and rotors from tirerack (rotor blanks are $145 a piece) with shipping to B.C. for about $450. Should take no more than 2 hours of shop time (that's very generous) to replace, so figure maybe $650.

Confirm you definitely need rotors....oftentimes, you will not need them....

Yea Joe, definitely am going to want a second opinion on the rotors, he took a quick look (qbout 3 seconds) saw one scratch and said they all need to be replaced. I smell bull**************** to be honest.

@clickman, so you think it could be the levers? The top doesn't catch at all when the button is pressed, the cover just opens and retreats.

Yeah I'm definitely aware of the ocmplications associated with water leakage. The car hasn't seen rain in 2 years because of my paranoia. I'll be taking it in on the 15th to get things checked out. The convertible top may be something that I don't end up fixing if i will cost a lot of money. I really dont mind doing it the old fashioned way (really only half the old-fashioned way).

For the temp contol you can try something. My son did the same thing with a coke. gummed up everything. I removed the unit and washed and soaked the unit in rubbing alcohol. disolves the syrup and it does not hurt the internals.

I thought you said your mechanic was fair? If you can't trust him you're in a whole nuther ballpark.
The only real way to tell if the rotors have to go is to put gauges on to check thickness and runout. Although pros might be able to get a good idea on thickness based on feeling the wear ridge at the edge of the rotor. Runout problems, on the fronts at least, could mean shuddering when braking.


It could be one of the microswitches. But I'm guessing. Maurice is your best bet.
And you still haven't told us the model year of the car; there are differences in the tops from 99-00.


As someone mentioned, the drain holes should be checked that they drain. There's also one in the frunk by the battery. Any good Porsche mechanic or DIYer will check these regularly.

:eek:
You've got way more guts than me!!

On the other hand, if you know the unit's useless anyways ...

Seriously over-simplified but....

If your rotor has a thick ridge on it's edge, it's more likely to need replaced. If it has a thin ridge (i.e. it can catch your fingernail, but it's easy to skirt over too), it almost definitely is still good if it's never been machined. Surface scratches don't mean you need a replacement unless it's super deep (very rare). A gauge measurement is the only way to know for sure.

Rotors are the expensive part - figure without rotors, you are talking a $200 or less job for a shop to do.

Are the rotors drilled? If so, look at the holes as they are prone to crack and it is said that if enough of the cracks connect, it is possiable to break. Also they can not be turned.

If it is standard rotors, pull them off and they can be turned at brake check for 9$ each.

but unless they are bent or at/past minimal thickness they are fine.

Pad replacement honestly takes 15 min each tire. Stupid to pay someone to do that.

Yea I can trust the guy who owns the shop, him and my father are good friends but the guy I was speaking to was just someone who works for him (the owner wasn't there at the time).

Thanks guys, I think I'll have the rotors checked and machined or repelaced, whatever is necessary. I have no mechanical prowess so changing brake pads is something I wouldn't try to do even though with directions I probably could.

Since my AC unit is quite useless I may as well just try it, quite gutsy though.

Sorry clickman, it's a 2001 boxster (not S).

I will have those drains checked, wehre the convertible top meets the driver side door is likely the culprit.

For Sticky Buttons.

http://docwilenracing.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/sticky-boxster996-ac-control-unit/

There is only ONE electric motor for the convertible top, located under where the center rear of the clamshell cover ends up when the clamshell is sitting on top of a completely open, stowed top.

If your clamshell is operating correctly through its entire cycle, the fix is relatively easy and cheap.

The problem is that both of your plastic ball cups are either broken or have popped off their respective steel balls under the base of the B-pillar.

To have a look, press the button until the clamshell is in the rearmost, 45 degree position, and then take a look straight down between the sheetmetal just inboard of where the pointed ends of clamshell are normally located when the clamshell is down and the fat black arm of the B-pillar. If see a shiny steel ball there, with nothing on it, or a plastic ball cup that is not attached to a metal pushrod arm, that is your problem.

Be careful if you have operated the top with those plastic ball cups broken or popped off because the V-levers will still go through their cycle and the dangling front pushrods can dig in an tear the foam drain trays. That will lead to an expensive repair when water finds its way to the immobilizer under the driver's seat. If they are torn or ripped, you can seal them up effectively with Permatex Black Silicone Sealant.

Porsche only sells the complete pushrod assembly with the plastic ball cups attached. If you want a source for just the plastic ball cups, send me a PM and I'll send you the info.

Don't take the car to the dealer because of the top. We can fix it.

Regards, Maurice.

I just read through your original post and the rest of the posts on this thread, and your description confirms 100% that you will find that the plastic ball cups have broken off or popped off their respective steel balls.

The canvas portion of the top will still operate with only one plastic ball cup attached, but the top will lurch forward or trail behind, depending on the particular part of the cycle that the top is in.

In your case, since nothing is happening with the canvas portion at all, both of your plastic ball cups are suspect.

Also, because you must have operated the top with the button at least once (as you explained), that is also the cause of the water intrusion into the cabin, where it ended up under your driver's seat.

Finallly, because you have the "B Version" transmissions (2000 and later 986's), the double relay gets its signal from the inside of the driver's side ("Stehle" brand) transmission and thus does not depend on the earlier version's B-Pillar microswitch, thereby allowing the top to go through its entire cycle, even to the point of turning off the idiot light on the dashboard.

Here is a photo of where you should be looking for the plastic ball cups, in this photo with the canvas top halfway up and the rear main bow in the 45 degree position. They will be either red or, more likely, in your case, white plastic. Do not remove any remnants of either plastic ball cup from the front metal pushrods onto which they are screwed until you mark where the base of the plastic meets the pushrod threads (with nail polish or masking tape). That will save you time and aggravation of having to re-adjust the overall length of the pushrods once you replace the plastic ball cups or the entire pushrod.


Here is another photo, with the red oval showing the area to check for tears of the foam liner.

The Permatex Black Silicone Adhesive Sealant is available at Pep Boys, Autozone, etc., and it's part number 16BR. Works great for this application. If you find that your tears are very large, you can back up the foam drain material with duct tape and then seal it with the Permatex.

When you get the new plastic ball cups (or the pushrods), I can walk you or your brother through the installation.

If you are even the least bit mechanically inclined, or have a friend who is willing to help you, we can fix this for under $50, including the Permatex Sealant.

Regards, Maurice.

Maurice, I appreciate the response very much. I'm definitely willing to give this repair a try if it isn't very mechanically difficult. I'll pm you for where to find the plastic cups you're talking about. Thanks again.

PM Sent.

Have you taken a look down in that area to see the plastic balls broken or the shiny steel balls showing?

It isn't mechanically difficult, and can be done in less than 1/2 hour. I'll give you my phone number when you get to that stage and we can get it done while you are on the phone, especially if your brother is around. :D

PM me your e-mail and I'll send you my phone number.

You are going to need a LARGE flat bladed screwdriver, or, preferably one of those pry-bar type of black-handled screwdrivers that has a little angle on the end of the blade. You can get those at Harbor Freight or at Pep Boys, etc...

You will also have to seal the foam liner, so get that Permatex sealant ASAP.

That's about if for the tools for your particular repair.

Regards, Maurice.