first thread! - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

tommy782 · 09-29-2013, 04:18 PM

Hi everyone,

this is my first thread on this forum. I sold my audi a4 and now I check for a box 986 or 987. before I post this thread, I read about 3 month on the 986, I read a lot of post and I see different place to buy parts and to do do-it-yourself job. I'm good in mechanic and I have a garage so I think I will be able to do a lot of repair on the boxster if she need it. now, at this time, I try 2 boxsters.

1- triple black 2003 boxster and she have 100000km on it. this is an american car
(I'm from Qc,canada) and I see the carfax and carproof and she never have an accident. but the guys have never done big repair like water pump, belt, clutch, ims bearing etc. I see a lot of bill from the dealer because the guys have an electric trouble and all the door light, panel light don't want to turn on. he told me that the problem is solve. he repair an air bag problem and he told me that is a belt problem. the car seem to be clean but I'm afraid with the maintenance that I will need to be in the future because he do nothing......

2- a 2001 red boxster with 154000km. I try the car and he have a loose on the steering. the rear top window was crack and the car not seem to be in good condition. but he change the clutch,flyweel, ims bearing, water pump serpentine belt brake etc.. but the road test not impress me so..

I want to buy the car next spring so I want to try a couple of car and I want to buy the perfect one for me.

I think I will go with a boxster S 2003 or 2004 or a standard boxster 2005 or 2006.

I want to know if its dangeurous to buy a 100000km boxster when the guys had
never change the parts who know to be problematic on the boxster..

thanks,

sorry for my bad english, this is not my first language. I try to do the best of me

urban · 09-29-2013, 04:25 PM

Just do a PPI first. You should know if the car is ok afterwards. (don't skip the PPI, or your wallet may regret it!!) I don't think that even the problematic parts have to be changed, specially if they are still working.

NewArt · 09-29-2013, 06:15 PM

At 100k km there is no reason why the original (or current) owner should have had to change major parts. That said, you always need to budget $ and time for any problems that may arise down the road. I bought my 2001 S this spring with about 124k on it (it did have the IMS bearing upgraded as a preventative measure). It's a 12 year old car, it didn't cost that much, and I don't expect perfection. But it's a hell of a lot of fun to drive!
A pre-purchase inspection (PPI) will cost about $200 and is absolutely money well spent! It will at least be a refresher course on your car's history and will familiarise you with any issues.
Il devrait en avoir un spécialiste à Québec qui n'est pas un concessionnaire. Sur un autre forum j'ai vu "Garage Rosaire Lebrun (418)624-9455" (à vérifier).

BYprodriver · 09-29-2013, 06:29 PM

Tommy 782, welcome & thanks for searching & reading so much. Sounds like you have learned alot already & are on the right track. Just keep at it & keep reading & test driving. When you get a PPI I think you will want to spend $300 for a more through inspection.

tommy782 · 09-30-2013, 04:53 AM

thanks everyone. yeah I learn a lot with forum with my other car (a4) That I keep during 5 years. I do a lot of do it yourself and I love to work with german car. so yes its sure that I will make a PPI before to buy the car because I see a lot of people who buy a car with close eye and this is not my habitude.

I think I will begin a love story with this type of car and with this forum!

another question: when I will do the PPI, I want to know if the garage can do a stetoscope test to see if bad noise come from the IMS bearing?

thanks NewArt for the info and I continue to read all the post on the forum and if I have question that I'm not able to find I will post a new thread!

thanks!

urban · 09-30-2013, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tommy782

another question: when I will do the PPI, I want to know if the garage can do a stetoscope test to see if bad noise come from the IMS bearing?

You can do that, or have the cam deviation differences between both engine banks checked, or... you can change it for a LN retrofit as soon as you buy it.

tommy782 · 10-01-2013, 07:56 AM

ok thanks, I'm sure is more exact with a cam deviation. the guys can do that with is laptop and program?

when I buy the car, I will buy a code reader for the car. with my audi I had program with my computer (VAG COM) and I think this is a "must" when you have this type of car.

thanks,