OK, I'm about to be ostrisized from the group, but...

[Gary_d]

I think I'm possibly going to say what many on her feel and were afraid to say. I'll probably never hear another answer from the "pros" after this rant but, why do the regular folks on here at least try to give a legitimate answer to help with a problem, and the 'professionals' throw up fluff? There are quite a few on here who really know their stuff, and you know who they are. Several give real time and good answers for the problems we have, others do the 'cryptic thing'.
Cryptic answers tell me "I know more than you". I understand that, it's why I ask questions here. Ask me a question about anything from a 948 Bugeye Sprite to a 1995 Jaguar V12 and I'll help. I'm (semi) old school. Not familiar with many of the aspects of the Boxster, and come here for answers. I love to share my knowledge with others. I know that, if they ask, they are enthusiasts and willing to try, not (necessarily) just looking for the cheap way out. If they can't handle the task, they will bring it to my garage. I have enough large projects (early British restorations) to pay my bills, the small stuff just fills the parking lot and adds to the fray...

OK, rant over... Peace out folks.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Gary_d

I think I'm possibly going to say what many on her feel and were afraid to say. I'll probably never hear another answer from the "pros" after this rant but, why do the regular folks on here at least try to give a legitimate answer to help with a problem, and the 'professionals' throw up fluff? There are quite a few on here who really know their stuff, and you know who they are. Several give real time and good answers for the problems we have, others do the 'cryptic thing'.
Cryptic answers tell me "I know more than you". I understand that, it's why I ask questions here. Ask me a question about anything from a 948 Bugeye Sprite to a 1995 Jaguar V12 and I'll help. I'm (semi) old school. Not familiar with many of the aspects of the Boxster, and come here for answers. I love to share my knowledge with others. I know that, if they ask, they are enthusiasts and willing to try, not (necessarily) just looking for the cheap way out. If they can't handle the task, they will bring it to my garage. I have enough large projects (early British restorations) to pay my bills, the small stuff just fills the parking lot and adds to the fray...

OK, rant over... Peace out folks.

It happens because "the pro's" often utilized tools and techniques that you don't have access to, so telling you exactly how we do it is not going to work for you without spending a couple grand to obtain the tools used, as was the case with the Porsche pin out box in your example.

But by telling you the probable causes of your specific issue, you could employ some ingenuity and more basically available tools to get to the same place.

[Gary_d]

Understood, and I apologize if it sounded 1 sided. Don't want to lose you as a serious knowledge base. It was just that the answer I gave to the question (what I've done) seemed to be sent back in the same format that I presented it. I'm going through the wiring diagram in the Bentley now. I guess what I was asking was, do you think it's wiring, or the immobilizer? I was just looking for a quick(er) answer/less to troubleshoot. Good thing I don't know where you are in PA. Joking, Dude!

Thanks JFP,
Gary

[Davev]

This seems like a cryptic post

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Gary_d

Understood, and I apologize if it sounded 1 sided. Don't want to lose you as a serious knowledge base. It was just that the answer I gave to the question (what I've done) seemed to be sent back in the same format that I presented it. I'm going through the wiring diagram in the Bentley now. I guess what I was asking was, do you think it's wiring, or the immobilizer? I was just looking for a quick(er) answer/less to troubleshoot. Good thing I don't know where you are in PA. Joking, Dude!

Thanks JFP,
Gary

I don't think it is the immobilizer as the P1570 code indicates the unit is active but the signal is implausible, indicating either a possible interruption or a short in the wires.

[Nine8Six]

Deleted

(just saw your other post where the same blah appears)

[Nine8Six]

deleted this 2, covered in your other post

[thstone]

Overall, I'd say that everyone on this Forum is helpful, newb to pro alike. Everyone has their own style, some people will just spell out the answer and other people will make you work a little for it - nothing wrong with that.

Quite a few other forums are full of hot heads, axeholes, and trolls looking for an argument. I'll take this site, even if someone isn't perfectly helpful, over that any day.

[dbear61]

Originally Posted by Gary_d

...Cryptic answers tell me "I know more than you". I understand that, it's why I ask questions here...

Maybe if they told you, you would know as much as them and no longer come here.

DBear

[Timco]

Professionals aside, I think the DIY guys answer questions that they have dealt with. Ask me anything about brakes or bearings.

Personally, I read every complaint and make mental notes what the issues were and how they were fixed. Sooner or later I will have that issue too.

As for the pro guys, it must get old seeing "I hear a tapping sound in the engine, how long can I drive it like this?" or "What is that sound" when there's only thousands of parts to an engine. And no one wants to hear the 'best guess' that starts right off with valves or chain guides. Everyone wants it to be an easily accessible vac line that's slipped off.

Issues like "HELP!! WON'T START!!"could be dozens and dozens of issues. Same with most problems. Sometimes you get lucky and someone has been there and did that, like my headlight question. By the time it passes the DIY crowd and needs a pro, it's admirable folks will take these things on, but a pro can get it done in a fraction of the time from experience.

Best o luck with your issue.

[linderpat]

Good post Gary. I have noticed this too, and have been tempted to raise the same observation. And JFP, for the record, I find your responses always to be very helpful and insightful, and you never are reluctant to step up and offer good advice.

I do however find some of the other gurus on the Boxster boards are often criptic or evasive when responding to questions, not necessarily just as to describing how to precisely fix something, but more so in diagnosing the issue to begin with. The diagnosis is where the true value of these boards are, and if the best and brightest among us hold back because they don't want to let slip their secret sauce contained in their knowledge, then the purpose of these forums is frustrated.

I am a frequent poster on rennlist in the 928 forum (among others). We have some of the icons of those cars from all over the world frequently post there; these are the folks who also earn their living fixing them and designing new and improved bits for them. I never get even a whiff of holding back knowledge with those guys. Not only are they helpful in diagnosing, but they do describe how to fix things, and do share little secrets along the way for doing just about any job on the car. Indeed, I could not own one of those great cars without the advice recieved on the 928 forums. The differences between the professionals posting there and in the Boxster world are noticable on this very subject.

[seningen]

I've been messing with Boxsters for 6 years now -- if it wasn't for the collective community knowledge (pros and shade trees) -- I'd have given up long ago.

I fall into the -- well if I have done it I'll pipe up category. Occasionally my mechanic buddy will contact me with symptoms and I get to teach him a thing or two because of something I read up on the boards.... how cool is that!

I hope I don't come off as vague.

I have a very good paying gig, a family, and 9 Porsches to maintain :-)

They all demand time -- and if I was smart -- I wouldn't be wasting my time
reading and posting on forums :-)

Alas, I'm here typing away......

Mike

Originally Posted by linderpat

Good post Gary. I have noticed this too, and have been tempted to raise the same observation. And JFP, for the record, I find your responses always to be very helpful and insightful, and you never are reluctant to step up and offer good advice.

I do however find some of the other gurus on the Boxster boards are often criptic or evasive when responding to questions, not necessarily just as to describing how to precisely fix something, but more so in diagnosing the issue to begin with. The diagnosis is where the true value of these boards are, and if the best and brightest among us hold back because they don't want to let slip their secret sauce contained in their knowledge, then the purpose of these forums is frustrated.

I am a frequent poster on rennlist in the 928 forum (among others). We have some of the icons of those cars from all over the world frequently post there; these are the folks who also earn their living fixing them and designing new and improved bits for them. I never get even a whiff of holding back knowledge with those guys. Not only are they helpful in diagnosing, but they do describe how to fix things, and do share little secrets along the way for doing just about any job on the car. Indeed, I could not own one of those great cars without the advice recieved on the 928 forums. The differences between the professionals posting there and in the Boxster world are noticable on this very subject.

[peterbrown77]

Yeah, Flavor987 gives everyone a bad name, doesn't he?

[Gary_d]

My apologies to everyone for that post, never should have happened. I'd had a bad day, and I let it get the better of me. Not my norm.
Like Tim and Stone said, everyone is helpful on this site. I can always find the answer, usually without having to ask the question (search).
And technically, I did get the answer to this one, just probably didn't ask the question correctly, my bad.
To be honest, I don't really even contribute much to the forum. I check in at least twice a day and really never give advice, just take it.
Again, my bad, and I take it back.
Thanks for being here folks,
Gary

[Brad Roberts]

Bad days happen. They have an app for your phone (of course they do) that keeps you from posting on FB and other sites when you are drunk.. lol you have to apply one to web forums when your having a sh_tty day!!

I'm going through the wiring diagram in the Bentley now

This line alone tells me not to help you. Seriously. Get the factory manuals. Bentley does NOTHING but strip out what **they** believe is not vital information in the factory manuals.

Jeff is correct in many ways. I sit (when I sit) with a 32inch monitor on my right with factory Porsche PIWIS software running in a virtual environment, and PET running in a virtual environment. The same computer has all the factory manuals until Porsche moved them to the PIWISII. There is NOTHING I cant look up (right now)

Now, that being said? I skip 90% of the questions (or I give short answers) because of TIME. You run a shop? What benefit do I get by answering questions for people who typically won't listen anyway?? LOL I know what the benefit is, but you cant not quantify it.

[gmboxster]

For the most part I've found almost everyone here quite helpful. But as with all forums there will always be a few that dont want to be "bothered" with a newbie's question.

[Slate 01]

Originally Posted by gmboxster

For the most part I've found almost everyone here quite helpful. But as with all forums there will always be a few that dont want to be "bothered" with a newbie's question.

Ditto that

[Timco]

Originally Posted by gmboxster

For the most part I've found almost everyone here quite helpful. But as with all forums there will always be a few that dont want to be "bothered" with a newbie's question.

Many times because the newbie asks about the bullet shaped thing in the lower grill, or which oil to use, without searching for the 10,000 existing threads.

Many times it's the newbie that can't be "bothered".

Having said that, I usually try to answer threads with no replies.

[JayG]

This is a good thread

I am happy to share what knowledge I have and help others as they have helped me.

I try to do a search before I ask a question and have found I gain a lot of extra knowledge by doing that.

It does not take much effort to search a little before you ask the same question that has been asked many times. That being said, I have noticed that when a question on Oil, tires, IMS, etsc does get asked, it does get answered, often with new info.

Just take the time to do a little research and read the whole thread before you post. Case in point, the radio code thread. I found a link that will generate the radio code and have it in the tread a few times, but more often than not someone asks for the code, often as their 1st or 2nd post. Its not that I mind generating the code, but come on, the instructions are a few post above yours! Give it a try and then if you were not successful, ask for help and it will happily be forthcoming

There is an immense amount of knowledge in the forum members and so many offer their help without anything in return.

A big thank you to all

[Brad Roberts]

I search here frequently!! and I have 8-10 Boxster's in the shop at all times!! LOL

I'm not a *great* street car guy! I don't know a lot about ALL the micro switches and interior lights etc!!

I'm a dumbass for not taking over the site when Bruce Lee offered it to me back in 2005!! I could kick myself!!