ims rms maintenance costs GIRL CAR
 

After a 109,586 miles on a 02 box s all is a mute point, porsche is the bench mark. After shopping for other p cars cars i've decided to run this as long as i can then let Jake put something really sick in it 3.6? all smiles all the time. I think ....BUY IT DRIVE IT BREAK IT FIX IT... period . P.S. no ims berring replacement YIKES! dont tell Jake. however i do remember reading that Pedro didnt change his till 107,000 on a track car.

That's ok. my neighbor's 99, has 155k on the odo with the original IMSB and clutch :eek:
still go strong. He doesn't know about the IMS issue, and I'm sure not gonna tell him About it :D

Just depends on if you want to gamble with an expensive motor. I'm doing mine for peace of mind (2003 S/88,000 mi.).

interesting. I have the opposite feeling after pouring well over $10K in repairs and maintenance into my Porsche that's well under 100K miles and was always garage kept driven only on weekends. And I've still got another $3K in repairs to do... (water pump, rear control arms, new top, rotors, probably motor mounts and some repainting at $500 per panel). Granted, this is keeping the Porsche up to a higher standard than the typical higher mileage Boxster owner who probably isn't keeping up with the car.

My lesson: don't hold onto to a Porsche for more than couple of years. Find a lightly used one, avoid mods as much as you can (money you don't get back), and if you go higher mileage try to buy it from a warm climate. After a few years switch to a newer model when used prices for the newer series hits the sweet spot -- best to stay on the early side of 50K miles. But not having a monthly payment is DARN NICE too ...just don't think you're ever going to get away with NOT putting at least $1,500 into the car each year. If you're holding onto it for more than 4 years/60K miles all those years will catch up to you and possibly all at once or a very short time period.
As they say with Porsche, you can pay now or you can pay later but you will pay.

p.s.
The IMS gamble is not a good one if you don't have a dual row bearing (those older Porsches rolling around with 100+K miles were not single row).
At the end of the day the cost of upgrading the IMS is small relative to the price of a new engine. And if you bump up the clutch job to get the IMS out of the way, you still have the utility of a new clutch which you had to replace eventually. So if you discount something you're going to do anyway, it's really a $600 no brainer. Most guys probably spend more on mods.

I just replaced the clutch on my 98 with 70k on it and did the IMS/RMS at the same time. My mechanic only charged the parts for the IMS/RMS since removing the clutch is the hard part anyway and cost's the most. The RMS was wobbling slightly, feel soooooo much better now!

Any rough idea on the cost of a clutch replacement along with the IMS / RMS from a dealership? I don't really have a wrench that I trust or know anyone with P-car experience.

1997 Boxster - Chicago / NW Indiana area

How about some middle ground. Just bought my '97 with 96K miles. If/when I need a clutch I will put in a Pelican IMS bearing...guessing around $300 installed with my mechanic.

have you called these guys?

Midwest Eurosport
630-595-5577
Eurosport - The Midwest's Largest Porsche Specialty Repair Shop

I'm not aware of many dealerships installing aftermarket IMSB's.
And if they do I'm sure its pricier than an indy.

perfect lap
 

I hear you loud and clear ....I think im just trying to stay positive after my 8000 spent after purchase in 14 months but the car is pretty close to perfect.Drove an o9 box for a week ...liked the 02 better, even the sheet metal was different (stamped hood) Really I get sick just thinking about the repairs. But I drive alot ...175 miles today ,always over a hundred mph ,tons of grins, never happy to reach my destination so I keep telling myself and now you guys BUT IT DRIVE IT BREAK IT FIX IT. They really are great cars.

I also took the "drive it until it breaks" path and didn't do anything about the IMSB. That was 30 months, 40,000 miles, and 55+ track days ago. Still running strong at 122,000 miles. Ignorant bliss isn't always a bad thing. :D

Flat6 Innovations posted recently that they believed the 1999 m96 engines (if early build) were the best engines they've cracked open as far durability. More chains, dual row IMSB, and other stuff presumably but they wouldn't go deeper.

The single rows that came a year later (some 2000's have dual row) are considered by them to be the worst of the bunch. Which I guess is a great coincidence for the folks racing the 2.5's.

Well I guess I put a number in my head: cost of car and cost to get it good to go and divide that by the number of years I intend to own. If the number makes sense relative to the same cost for a regular type car like Honda or something, then its not an issue. No matter how you look it at it any car driven hard or often is a money pit. The only cars holding value are the cars that you have to treat with kid gloves and that you need to part with once the odometer starts getting hot because each 5K miles means a $5-$10K hit in value like these 964 guys have to deal with.
Porsches were meant to be driven so if you want to pamper one that's better done with a second Porsche and not your only Porsche. Or you can go buy the new Stingray Corvette in a couple of years :D Once that car depreciates some it will be hard to beat if you're headed for the autocross or track.

[QUOTE=Perfectlap;325835]Flat6 Innovations posted recently that they believed the 1999 m96 engines (if early build) were the best engines they've cracked open as far durability. More chains, dual row IMSB, and other stuff presumably but they wouldn't go deeper.

I believe this is a inaccurate summary of what Jake Raby posted about the 1999 996.

Make up your mind... is it a nice car or girl car?

Also can find a good independent mechanic via Porsche Repair Shops - Find a Porsche Mechanic | PCarShops.com.

Contact | Midwest Performance Cars

Excellent shop; they do tons of Porsche work, and did my IMS / clutch / flywheel...