Clutch effort
 

Ok, I did my search and came up with nothing so here's my noob question.

I'm looking at used Boxster S' and have noticed a few things that I would like to understand better.

1. Is there a difference in the clutch effort between the years 2001 and 2004?

On a 2003 with 37,000 miles the clutch seemed heavy and didn't have nearly the same feel as an '04 with 15000 miles. The '04 clutch felt lighter and I noticed a slight notch or point where it got lighter, almost like passing the fulcrum point. You could also hear the actuator from the outside of the car when you pressed in the '03 clutch. I didn't notice that on the '04. In looking at these cars in the past I've noticed that some have very stiff clutch pedals. Is this a sign of worn bushing or a throw out bearing being on the way out?

Note: the '03 was not running, the '04 was. Is there power assist on the clutch pedal? (I know, it's a really dumb question but on one of the threads here I saw mention of a tech note for clutch power assist springs)

2. I've had many older Porsche's, the last being a 1989 911 turbo so I'm used to some oil smoke on cold start but I was surprised to see this on the '03. Is this normal after the car has sits for a while or a sign of bad things to come?

Of course both of these cars have factory warranties remaining so some of these things I would either take to the dealer of have the selling dealer do it for me prior to my purchase.

I've always lived by the motto, "Buy the newest Porsche you can afford" and the '03 Boxster S can be had for $36K, only about 3 or 4K more than many of the '01's I see on the market. It's a 2 owner car with a few minor issues but otherwise in great shape. What are some things I should look for / check out if I decide I really want this car?

Thanks,
Mark

1. Is there a difference in the clutch effort between the years 2001 and 2004?

On ppbb.com, I read that the clutch was redesigned in 2003. PPBB.com user Stefan(Boston) said that the new clutch was lighter and more controllable in his opinion.

2. I've had many older Porsche's, the last being a 1989 911 turbo so I'm used to some oil smoke on cold start but I was surprised to see this on the '03. Is this normal after the car has sits for a while or a sign of bad things to come?

A puff of smoke is normal if the Boxster has been sitting awhile. Still, getting a Pre Purchase Inspection is the right thing to do.

Good motto!

The pre purchase inspection by a Porsche mechanic not associated with the seller would be good. I should have had a 4 wheel laser alignment done to my car before purchasing it as well as it would have told me a lot. I had a bent strut in the back on mine, but it was a lot older and not in good condition.

There are lots of things to be wary about with a used boxster, but this one appears to have factory warranty left on it, right? That covers a bunch of mechanical problems you may encounter.

What are the minor issues you mentioned above?

The only other issues I could see are:

Needs new front brake pads (rotors in good shape)
Needs new front tires
Marginal battery (possibly) When I looked at it the front trunk wouldn't open, the rear would but not the front. When you turn the ignition on the dash would light up but no ignition. When you turned it off 2 of the idiot lights would stay on. When I was looking at the car, before they had the keys the dash was lit up. Ofter then popped the front trunk by jumpering the pullout in the fuse box then put the jumper on the battery it fired right up and seemed fine. It's certainly something I would have the dealer look at under warranty.
Pretty base car, no heated seats, no PSM, no Litronic, no wind stop.
Triple Black (I live in Florida and the car would be out in direct sun a lot)
Relatively high mileage, 37K

On the plus side the body, paint and interior are in great shape and the price is <$35K (I'm pretty sure I could get it for around $33,500.

So many decisions ;)

When you get the PPI have them measure the rotor thickness. They may look good, but there's only 2mm of wear available on new ones.

That funky stuff with the lights, etc. sounds like the common ignition switch problem. If you can get them to put the updated switch and lock mechanism in you'll save yourself a few headaches in the future.

Get the windows tinted and put one of those windshield visors in or get the cover that only covers the soft top and windows to keep her cool. Works nicely.

John,

Thanks for the heads up on the ignition. I'll make sure to get that looked at if I decide to go that route.