To keep or sell, serious maintenance problems - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

recycledsixtie · 02-25-2012, 05:42 AM

The wisdom of all these posters above me simply amazes me. I will add my 2 cents worth as a newbie having owned my 2001 Boxster base for less than a year. I am in my 60's and retired and went from a '99 Miata Mx5 to my Boxster. I did a huge amount of research. I got a PPI done, small rms leak etc(no oil on garage floor), auto spoiler disabled. Got some $$$ off the asking price and I will probably have the rms, ims done in the next couple of years. Have had the cv joints overhauled. I knew that I could not run this car for the cost of the Miata but the Boxster is so much more car. Only u can make the decision to keep it or not.

truegearhead · 02-25-2012, 06:03 AM

I'm certainly not new to the used lux car market, and believe it or not the boxster are parts are very reasonable compared to the BMW M parts that I'm used to. My 2002 M3 for example had a $750 water pump fail! I'm also religious about preventative maintenance. The thing about the Porsche that I hate (when compared to older BMWs I've owned) is that the Boxster keeps getting me stranded. Waterpump, shift linkage, ignition switch all left me dead away from home. I think I'm going to keep the car because I really do enjoy it! I need to identify what else could fail in the next 20,000 miles and then go ahead and replace it. The wheel bearings are a great place to start. Any other suggestions?

Beelzy · 02-25-2012, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truegearhead

I'm certainly not new to the used lux car market, and believe it or not the boxster are parts are very reasonable compared to the BMW M parts that I'm used to. My 2002 M3 for example had a $750 water pump fail! I'm also religious about preventative maintenance. The thing about the Porsche that I hate (when compared to older BMWs I've owned) is that the Boxster keeps getting me stranded. Waterpump, shift linkage, ignition switch all left me dead away from home. I think I'm going to keep the car because I really do enjoy it! I need to identify what else could fail in the next 20,000 miles and then go ahead and replace it. The wheel bearings are a great place to start. Any other suggestions?

^^^^^^ Now THIS is a True Porsche Owner....I applaud you Sir.

truegearhead · 02-25-2012, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beelzy

^^^^^^ Now THIS is a True Porsche Owner....I applaud you Sir.

I was hoping it was going to be more along the lines of this, but I guess I'll take what I can get.

-Side note, I searched for "Porsche Girls" to find that picture and got mostly wrecked Porsches. True story, search yourself.

husker boxster · 02-25-2012, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truegearhead

They like it cuz it's orange.

landrovered · 02-25-2012, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truegearhead

I searched for "Porsche Girls" to find that picture and got mostly wrecked Porsches. True story, search yourself.

That is what you get if you let any of these lovely ladies drive your Porsche. Ha ha although I would have a very hard time saying no to the Miss Daisy Belt.

LAP1DOUG · 02-25-2012, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truegearhead

I'm certainly not new to the used lux car market, and believe it or not the boxster are parts are very reasonable compared to the BMW M parts that I'm used to. My 2002 M3 for example had a $750 water pump fail! I'm also religious about preventative maintenance. The thing about the Porsche that I hate (when compared to older BMWs I've owned) is that the Boxster keeps getting me stranded. Waterpump, shift linkage, ignition switch all left me dead away from home. I think I'm going to keep the car because I really do enjoy it! I need to identify what else could fail in the next 20,000 miles and then go ahead and replace it. The wheel bearings are a great place to start. Any other suggestions?

Truegearhead: I don't know if you have done any or all of the work on your car yourself, but in case you have not, let me interject - The Boxster is much, much easier to work on than a BMW M3. I have a 2002 M3 also, and it seems like everything is a huge PITA to get to, compared to the 986, where most things are fairly easy to get to. the P-car designers did it right.

Bala · 02-26-2012, 02:58 AM

And i forgot the new front original bumper, shocks for hood and trunk, collant flush.

What a money pit!

KevinH1990 · 02-26-2012, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truegearhead

I'm certainly not new to the used lux car market, and believe it or not the boxster are parts are very reasonable compared to the BMW M parts that I'm used to. My 2002 M3 for example had a $750 water pump fail! I'm also religious about preventative maintenance. The thing about the Porsche that I hate (when compared to older BMWs I've owned) is that the Boxster keeps getting me stranded. Waterpump, shift linkage, ignition switch all left me dead away from home. I think I'm going to keep the car because I really do enjoy it! I need to identify what else could fail in the next 20,000 miles and then go ahead and replace it. The wheel bearings are a great place to start. Any other suggestions?

I understand your frustration with being stranded. I had a lot of initial problems with my car. I think some of them may have been related to the fact that the previous owner didn't drive it very often during the 2 or 3 years immediately before he sold it to me.

Since you live in Richmond, I suggest that you take your car to Luftechnic and ask them to check it over. I realize that asking a mechanic if anything needs to be repaired on your car is liking asking a barber if you need a haircut. They are both likely to say "yes". I was experiencing a lot of problems with my car when I bought it. I found that while I did spend more than a few dollars on it, that they communicated very well with me and gave me a good idea of what I was facing.

I think that Luftechnic's labor rates are a little lower than Euroclassics and that they are willing to work with an owner who does some tasks on a DIY basis.

Good luck.

recycledsixtie · 02-26-2012, 08:09 AM

[QUOTE=KevinH1990;279895]I understand your frustration with being stranded. I had a lot of initial problems with my car.
Since you live in Richmond, I suggest that you take your car to Luftechnic and ask them to check it over. I realize that asking a mechanic if anything needs to be repaired on your car is liking asking a barber if you need a haircut. They are both likely to say "yes".

It takes a very brave man or woman to do this but great if you can find that suitable garage that would work on your behalf and not go town to it. I credit your great advice. Too bad that insurance requirements prevent the customer from occasionally looking over the mechanic's shoulder. From another thread I believe this is frowned on. My worst nightmare is to find later for example that my new replacement ceramic ims was sitting on the workbench and had never been installed