No Porsche for me...

[Morelli]

1999 Boxster

The time has come ladies and gents. After less than one year, I have had my fill of dealing with my Boxster. I had my fun, and she was a blast to drive when she was working...but I've just been through too much and I am done.

I bought her with 57k or so. At 59k I did the 60k tune up, oil change, and perforated my airbox. That one ran just under $1000. My convertible top also only worked when it felt like it, so I had them look at that. They replaced something in there, and it worked for them. That was about $300. Then shortly after, I crashed it. My fault completely, but I used the occasion to put on a 996 front bumper from NR Auto. Big mistake. The bumper was crap, it hung down WAY too low, scraped on everything, and then the areas where it was bolted on, on the left side, gave way. I then put on a Boxster S front bumper, and lowered the car one inch on H&R springs, and also installed H&R front and rear sway bars. It then became the best handling car I had ever driven. That whole thing ran me a couple grand. Oh, and did I mention the top still didn't work right? They replaced another part, at no cost of course. Then I needed new tires. Slapped on some S-03's, and almost $900 later, we're golden. Then shortly after, she died on me one day as I was about to leave to go to a club one night. Turned out to be the MAF, and an O2 sensor. $600 and change later, it's fixed. Oh, and by the way, the top still doesn't work right. Then a couple weeks later, as I am exiting the freeway, I come to rest at idle...but my idle is jumping violently between 1250rpm - 2100rpm...like I am revving it.

I had officially reached my breaking point.

Took her right to the shop. Dropped it off with the full intent of never picking it up again. I told the shop to fix the problem, and contact one of their wholesalers to pick it up. I don't even want to look at it...I cannot deal with it any more. To make things worse, the only shop I trust is 10 miles away. Doesn't sound too threatening...but I live in LA. Even worse, their business hours are the same as mine. That means that I can drop my car off on Friday (I leave work at noon on Fridays), and pick it up the next Friday. In the meanwhile, I get to put miles on my cousins NSX. Fun, yes...but it is not my car and I don't like driving it too much...because it's not mine to have fun with. I have had my cousins car now for almost three weeks as I wait for Bank of America to send my payoff slip...did I mention I just paid her off with refi money? Fun.

So, looks like I am going back to Lexus. I think I am going to pick up another SC300. I have had two in the past, and they are one of the best all around cars ever produced. Just cannot go wrong with that car, and if I can find myself a 5-speed...I'll be the happiest man alive.

I had my fun, but I don't think I could own another Porsche without a warranty on it...talk about leaving a bad taste in my mouth...

That sucks. Sorry to hear the news.

I am so skeptical of cars with higher milage and even more so now. I have friends that have similar stories with used sports cars. I think the typical life of a Porsche starts with someone who doesn't really know how to drive the car and drives it really hard and sells it. The second owner thinks they got a deal on their hands and takes the extra money to modify the crap out of the car. The third owner is the proud owner of a screwed up car with a whacked out stereo, tricked out bumper, exhaust systems, 20 inch tires, and a perforated intake? (what the hell is that?).

[mjw930]

Let rationalize this post for a moment. From what I read there were 2 things wrong with the car (a high mileage, 6 year old car at that). A finicky top and a MAF/O2 sensor issue. The first should have be fixable by a competent shop with knowledge of the top mechanism and the updates since '99. The second was the failure of 2 components that are common to ALL EFI equipped cars and fail at a similar rate regardless of make (yes, your Lexus will be just as vulnerable). The idle issue sounds like the result of a botched EFI diagnosis IMHO. There's probably another sensor that either caused the MAF error, was masked by the MAF error or the MAF / O2 sensor installation was botched, just like the "top fix".

ALL of the other issues and money spent were the result of customizing, i.e. self induced. :ah:

Enjoy the Lexus, it sounds like you're better suited to that level of performance and style.

I've owned 9 Porsches in my lifetime from my original 914 2.0 through my '89 930 and now my Boxster S. Each one of them had a unique charactor. Every one of them had it's quirks but ALL of them put a smile on my face that no other car I've owned (20+) could ever come close to.

[Porschekid]

Yeah, it doesn't really sound like all that much went wrong with the car. Faulty top should have been fixed but it sounds like the dumb shops fault for replacing the wrong thing. 2 bad sensors... they go bad in all cars and it might have gone bad if you put in a K&N filter when customizing. Possibly could have just been cleaned instead of replaced. All of the other money when to routine maintenance, customization, and accident repairs.

[Brucelee]

I would echo these comments.

You had two things go wrong with a 6 year old car. I guess I am curious why you did not look into a warranty as you clearly seem like the type who would find this comforting.

RE: the Lexus SC.

I have owned 5 of these over the past decade. They are fine cars AND I have had to repair issues on several of those that I have owned.

To wit:

Timing belt, tensioner, water pump, power steering ( A known problem on early models) ECU, cam sensor etc. etc.

No used car is bullet proof! Having said that, the Lexus SC is a fine car indeed.

Good luck.

[Morelli]

No need to defend your honor people, as it seems that this is what you are doing.

I am simply disappointed with my experience. Bottom line. I'm not necessarily looking for your worlds smallest violins or rolled eyes, as it is somewhat childish. Personally, I am a man with no patience, and this car happened to wear mine thin...membrane thin...I honestly expected more from it, and even though everything that went wrong was somewhat routine, it all fell in a way that made me just not want the car any more. I am very, very picky about cars. Put it like this...I live in LA. I drive to Vegas all of the time...and I would NOT feel good driving it to Vegas. There is no way I would entertain the thought of driving it to Vegas. That is pretty much my deciding factor. That means I am no longer comfortable with it, simple as that.

Plus, I am entertaining the thought of dropping a 1JZ-GTE into the SC300, that's the Japanese Toyota Soarer engine, 2.5L turbocharged...with a small amount of tweeking, she'll run past 911's. The SC is a severely underrated car, with an engine that routinely runs past 200k miles.

Hell, at least I can have back seats again. :ah:

[Porschev]

Morelli I am sorry to hear this.
And definitely I can understand this, I just remember my face holding those bills. Even the simplest problem, O2 sensors. Why to put 4 of them there, look to other cars, 1-2, but not 4, the total expense is around 430$.
However I can really understand the other point of view, for which purpose you need all those additional cost. In my humble opinion, they all perfect, the inspirational point for all other cars. The picture is painted, and dyes are dried, that all, use it.
Another idea, i think Porsche are not primary cars, they should have a substitute, that save you energy, money and most important your mental health. I am pretty sure that if you have a back up, you will fill yourself more secure. Something happened, and you have no energy to deal with it, put to the garage, and drive your toyota corrolla. One day, then you will fill inspiration, go and solve the problem.
In sense of Lexus, better buy Toyota, at least they are not overpriced, and less problems. But then you are buying porsche, or other horses from scuderias, expect that they will have a bigger problems. DDDDAAAAAA.
From now you can say, I was once a PORSCHE OWNER, and it sound much more different then saying I am a LEXUS OWNER.
With wishing you many years of excellent health and success
porschev

[Porschekid]

You complain about routine problems on your last car but are thinking about doing a JDM turbo engine swap into your next one? This would be a good time to bring out the rolled eyes...

[gRed04]

Morelli I hear you loud and clear on this.

I don't understand all the maybe your not the right person for the car BS.

I don't consider a 6yr / 57K mile car to be some dinosaur, high mileage, over the hill vehicle. That others just accept all the problems as it is the price you pay for such a technical wonder is a joke.

As you can probably tell 1st time owner here but have been driving other German cars for the last 10 years including my DD 02 330Ci ( 67K without a single problem ).

I hope that that my pcar will perform to my expectations ( both performance AND RELIABILITY ).

I do really like the pcar but will drop it like a hot potato if I start experiencing problems. My time and patience are worth more to me than an insignia.

[Brucelee]

"I don't consider a 6yr / 57K mile car to be some dinosaur, high mileage, over the hill vehicle. That others just accept all the problems as it is the price you pay for such a technical wonder is a joke."

I am not here to defend the Boxster nor to slam Lexus. I am a fan of both. And your opinion about Porsche is based on some very limited data on one 6 yr old car.

The comments we made about a 6 yr old car are valid however. Whatever car you buy that is 6 yrs old or has 57K miles on it, it WOULD NOT be surprising to have something like an O2 sensor or MAF sensor go bad. If you are skeptical of that, simply pick out a car, go to a forum on the car and sample the owner's comments.

As I pointed out, I have had a number of issues with older Lexus' autos (SC in particular) and if you go on the SC forums out there, there are TONS of repair issues that folks deal with everyday with older SCs.

This does not knock Lexus reliability, as the JD Power data is clear on who good these cars are. Then again, that same data has Porsche near the top most years.

So, all I have been saying is that there IS NO PERFECT USED CAR! THEY WILL ALL NEED REPAIRS OF SOME TYPE.

I do think you are not temperamentally set up for a Porsche and that is fine by me. There is no one car for everyone and you will just have to find yours elsewhere.

Again, good luck to you!

[Morelli]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

This does not knock Lexus reliability, as the JD Power data is clear on who good these cars are. Then again, that same data has Porsche near the top most years.

I'm going with a 1997 SC. It has 5 stars across the board in all JD Power ratings. The 99 Boxster I have has 3 stars in some, and 5 in others.

The main reason that I am getting rid of it is because I only really have two choices on who fixes my car. 1) dealer, or 2) Porsche tuner. The dealer costs far too much, and the tuner takes me an hour to get to, and is only open during my work hours. As I mentioned, even for the SMALLEST problem, I am carless for at least a week. It just doesn't pencil out for me. Anyone can fix the Lexus, and it can be done the same day at the mechanic around the corner. But everyone I take the Porsche two save for these two places...have no clue what they are looking at. That is the biggest deciding factor...as much as I love driving an NSX, it's not my car and I don't like driving cars that I don't own.

I too am surprised at the fervent defense from some of you. The car isn't the right car for me...it's not the end of the world. =)

PS: And if I decide to drop in a JDM 1JZ-GTE, it'll be fine...I know my way around those engines like the back of my hand.

[gRed04]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

I do think you are not temperamentally set up for a Porsche and that is fine by me. There is no one car for everyone and you will just have to find yours elsewhere.

Hey your not going to make me give it back already? I just got the damn thing

You are right on with this though. Patience and understanding has never been my
strong suit.

Hoping to be a long term pcar owner.

[RandallNeighbour]

Morelli, I think you made a good decision, although I'm sad you are no longer a Boxster owner. If you don't have a dependable daily driver, life is full of angst and woe. My Honda or my Lexus do a great job of getting me back and forth to work every day in comfort... the Lexus being the more comfortable ride without a doubt, but the fuel economy is so much better in the Honda that I drive that most of the time.

If I had purchased my old boxster as a daily driver, I think I would have sold it months ago. It was simply an undependable car when I took posession of it, and I would have had more time off from work getting it fixed than I could tolerate, and I am the boss of my own company and I can come and go as I please.

But, my old Boxster is very dependable now (and by "now" I mean this very minute, not tomorrow when my aging radiator fluid reservoir cracks and fills my rear trunk with liquid gold or radiator fluid as it's commonly known)... although I'd never drive it every day in Houston. Every time I have to sit in 95 degree bumper-to-bumper traffic for an hour I arrive home in a very bad mood indeed. My back hurts from all the clutch use, and my backside--especially the skin near my wallet--hurts from the thought of all the clutch wear! My 2.5 also guzzles fuel in stop and go traffic. and if I'm going to burn 3.20 premium, it's gonna be while driving nice and fast on a deserted road somewhere!

But I like it and won't sell it unless I get in terrible financial condition. It's paid for and far too much fun to drive when the weather is nice! I hope you can get another one as a second car, one that needs little and is owned as a pleasure ride!

[Morelli]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Morelli, I think you made a good decision, although I'm sad you are no longer a Boxster owner. If you don't have a dependable daily driver, life is full of angst and woe. My Honda or my Lexus do a great job of getting me back and forth to work every day in comfort... the Lexus being the more comfortable ride without a doubt, but the fuel economy is so much better in the Honda that I drive that most of the time.

If I had purchased my old boxster as a daily driver, I think I would have sold it months ago. It was simply an undependable car when I took posession of it, and I would have had more time off from work getting it fixed than I could tolerate, and I am the boss of my own company and I can come and go as I please.

But, my old Boxster is very dependable now (and by "now" I mean this very minute, not tomorrow when my aging radiator fluid reservoir cracks and fills my rear trunk with liquid gold or radiator fluid as it's commonly known)... although I'd never drive it every day in Houston. Every time I have to sit in 95 degree bumper-to-bumper traffic for an hour I arrive home in a very bad mood indeed. My back hurts from all the clutch use, and my backside--especially the skin near my wallet--hurts from the thought of all the clutch wear! My 2.5 also guzzles fuel in stop and go traffic. and if I'm going to burn 3.20 premium, it's gonna be while driving nice and fast on a deserted road somewhere!

But I like it and won't sell it unless I get in terrible financial condition. It's paid for and far too much fun to drive when the weather is nice! I hope you can get another one as a second car, one that needs little and is owned as a pleasure ride!

My sentiments.

The Porsche is paid for, and I could just as easily buy another car but I have no need for an extra car, and no room for one. And yeah, mine was a daily driver, and I drive in LA traffic. No fun.