The smart ones resist this temptation.

91k I got the car in June. Oddly enough my accident with a bronco was May 5 last year. May is not my month.

Or option number 3 - get a 928 (or a 944 for that matter). The engines are virtually bullet proof. They are good for 300k plus miles, with routine maintenance and regular driving. And contrary to popular belief, the 928 engine is fairly easy to work on. Easy to get to - open the hood, and there she be. Keep up with regular maintenance and they really are trouble free cars with exceptional capabilities. And the more you drive it, the better it runs and the reliability increases - these cars like to be driven, and not just to the ice cream cone stand!

The big issue with 928s on post - '85 automatics is thrust bearing failure, but that is easily checked at home, and an external clamp takes care of it entirely. And it is a very small percentage issue, not like IMS or RMS, or lifters, or separating cylinder sleeves or the other myriad issues that the M96 presents with.

Don't get me wrong, I love Porsches. And many of them are the best designed cars in the world, but this one group seems troubling, and the evidence seems to bear it out. A later year Boxster will eventually fill my driveway (or better yet - gasp - a Cayman - I think that is the most beautiful car of Porsche since the 928). Just got to wait for that depreciation thing to work its magic.

I had a similar sound, but I didn't lose engine power. I lost all other power though. The tensioner fell off so I threw the belt. Got the car home and to my surprise, I found every part of the tensionser and the belt didn't have a nick on it. Hoping you have a similar issue.

well you love it because the Cayman is a Boxster. Simply a variant but for marketing they sell it as a being a different car. The 911 Cabriolet is still a Carrera and not a Porsche Riviera or something catchy sounding that is even placed on a different page of the website configurator like is the case with the Coxster as Jeremy Clarkson coined it.

The 928 is a beautiful car but its an entirely different driving proposition to a small mid engine car. At least the 944 is near 50/50 weight distribution but neither car are practical daily drivers for the typical owner who does not wrench on his own car...and you will be wrenching if you try to drive thosr cars year round like a water cooled Porsche. Perhaps the 9A1 cars will check All these boxes some day. But for now I don't think you can have your cake and eat too. Maybe if you live in a perfectweather oasis with perfect roads...but good luck on perfect taxes there. :)

944 reliable? Lol I will take the ims and any day over 30k timing belt changes fun car but the engine was not very well though through. 968 is a better bet

Did you smell rubber burning when this occurred, by chance?

The car actually did have a rubbery smell both when I stopped at a gas station and an odd smell right after it went. I am less sure of when the car broke as my first action was to walk back up the road and check for anything that had fallen.

However I did stop at a gas station maybe 10 miles before it happened and smelt rubber, I assumed it was just the tires.

What you were smelling was the main drive belt as the alternator was seizing.

Pull the drive belt and see if the engine will turn over.

How sweet would it be if it was just a seized alternator? I hope Jake is right.

Please, please let that be it. :)

Fingers crossed for you buddy. Let us know what you find out.

Let's hope so... You can only imagine how often I assist people with this. The key is the burning rubber, which is why I asked that specific question.

BIGJake,

The first thing I will do tonight as soon as I get home, is to open this tread, looking forward for the good news... :)

A seizing alternator makes a rocks in the blender sound too?

Likely no news tonight as the tow truck just got it back today and it's at the dealer. But there will be news tomorrow. My fingers are crossed for sure! Thanks jake.

The car had a tick before this, most noticeable at idle for the past week or so. And it was centric to the right side of the car. Right inside of the passenger air vent and seemingly near where the belt is.

Sound of an alternator on the way out. Man that would scare me...


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The bearing went out on my alt long before it lost any power. It made a crunchy or squishy sound at startup. As I spun it by hand you could hear the bearing skip and chatter.

A lot of up and down emotions here!
I wish the best for you Jake. Look forward to hearing a good verdict.

I was thinking, it can't be that bad sounding, its only an alternator.

I was wrong. I'd have soiled my pants hearing that while driving. :o

Hoping for the best!