need some advise on a 2003 boxster

[clickman]

I hope I'm not jinxing myself, but I guess I've just been really lucky.

I bought my '01 base in late '06, and have spent very little on fixing things over the 5 years of ownership. The only real problem I had was the a/c compressor.

Other than that, the money I've spent on it is preventative maintenance: oil & filters, water pump, fuel filter, motor mount, front brakes, serpentine belt, brake/clutch flushes, coolant flush, air filters, front rad cleaning. Plugs and tubes in the spring.

It's needed one battery (Walmart), and I've replaced the LCD in the climate control with the excellent repair kit available cheap on-line. I've also had to replace the gas door hinge, one of the plastic trim pieces in front of the rear wheel well and the rear emblem (the PO had broken a bit off).

I've also done some mods: the "S" oil cooler, the LN Eng low temp t-stat and mag drain plug, 9x7 short shift kit, cupholderectomy, iPod integration, rear speakers, garage door opener integration, rain sensor wiper control, Senoff wind blockers, coolant cap upgrade, the "red clip". Of course these were optional.

Other than the compressor, I've done all the work myself. Parts pricing is pretty good from Suncoast. Castrol oil from Walmart, Wix filters from Fleet Filter.

Between the Bentley manual, this site and others like renntech.org, Pelican Parts and Pedro and Mike Focke, there's tons of DIY info available. These are pretty easy cars to work on.

I'm thinking of doing the clutch, IMS and RMS myself, but not sure if I want to spend the money on the tools, lifts etc. (If the engine goes boom, I'm going to do a 3.4 or 3.6 transplant myself.)

Started at 52,000 km, currently at around 96,000 km.

Knock on wood...