what does it take to be a satisfied porsche owner?

[ghoonk]

Funny I only just noticed this topic; I'd just blogged a short article about my love-hate relationship with my '99 Boxster (it's at http://ghoonk.blogs.friendster.com/my_blog/2006/05/the_boxster.html) and just a couple of hours ago had a chat with a very close friend of mine about the Boxster vs the S200 (yes, it's come to that again).

I'd been bugged out about my creaky clutch and that weird clattering from the engine that's loud when cold, and a tad quieter when warmed up (yeah, the one that sounds like a 911 -- only while talking about it did I realise that the Boxster's engine was the same as the 996's, just detuned in some way), and only just realised through BruceLee that the clatter is normal (leaving me to sort out the creaky clutch next).

But the more I reflected upon it, the more I realised that the S2000 was more the wife, and the Boxster the illicit lust affair.

The S2000, like a good wife, is reliable, understanding in spending my money on oil changes and replacement brake pads every now and then, and, well, downright sensible -- my wallet and watch say I should settle down with her, but I can't help feeling that something will be missing somewhere down the line.

My '99 Boxster, on the other hand, is like an expensive mistress, throwing funny tantrums every now and then (the experts in this forums are akin to her best friends, advising me on what I need to do when she's acting up), needs more time and attention -- I know she's just bad bad bad for me and my pocketbook, but I can't help this twisted love affair. Once the tantrums are over, she just sings when I put my foot down. I wouldn't complain about another 40 bhp, but I guess that's not in the cards for now. And like a twisted love affair, I just keep coming back after every drive.

I think I need a shrink.....

[Perfectlap]

LOL

your curt mechanic may be right. The 911 owners love ths short shift,
Boxster opinions are mixed.

I've been on the fence but I find the stock set up to be to nothchy already.

I have a similar take on most things expensive. I expect it to be top notch right out of the box and they better not give me one iota of slack cuz I could have simply gone elsewhere with my dinero. Unfortunately Porsche know their owners emotions about their cars let them get away with mistakes and they don't need to bend over backwards for their clients. Annoying for sure but Germans do have a rap for arrogance.

But a recent trip to the mazda parts desk where a chain smoking truck cap wearing toothless angry parts guy made me wait 10 minutes just to tell they didn't have what I wanted made me realize how cushy the Porsche experience is.

by the way you didn't actually say you were thinking of giving up the Porsche for the "ultimate tanning machine"? That's a nice nice car but NOT a sports car.
M3 Cabriolet ok, a sports car albeit a structurally compromised one...


If its any consolation my Boxster is ready and I have nice $700 bill waiting for
me at service pick up tonight. I hope that includes the two day rental car.

i ve been driving boxes for the last 4 years now and i can't believe the amount of problems some guys have with their cars on this forum, first had a 97 2.5 tip and frankly all the problems encounter by the guys on this forum i had, maf. rear window whitening and broken waterpump which snap the belt but otherwise 3 pairs of rear tyres for one pair of front in 3 years ownership, have the S since last year and had no problem whatesoever, drive around 15000 km per year on mainly ****************e wet roads, i still can't believe the amount of problems some guys have on this forum with their cars, if i had the same i would buy japanese build cars but hey i am driving my second Porsche and frankly i can say safely that my next car will be......a Porsche!

[mach schnell]

[QUOTE=ghoonk]Funny I only just noticed this topic; I'd just blogged a short article about my love-hate relationship with my '99 Boxster (it's at http://ghoonk.blogs.friendster.com/my_blog/2006/05/the_boxster.html) and just a couple of hours ago had a chat with a very close friend of mine about the Boxster vs the S200 (yes, it's come to that again).

just read your blog - funny and accurate. man, if the box had the s2000's shifter and an rpm range of 9000 - holy f$%K!!!!!! asian women are hot and nasty, but there's something about these german wenches!!!

[ghoonk]

[QUOTE=mach schnell]

Originally Posted by ghoonk

Funny I only just noticed this topic; I'd just blogged a short article about my love-hate relationship with my '99 Boxster (it's at http://ghoonk.blogs.friendster.com/my_blog/2006/05/the_boxster.html) and just a couple of hours ago had a chat with a very close friend of mine about the Boxster vs the S200 (yes, it's come to that again).

just read your blog - funny and accurate. man, if the box had the s2000's shifter and an rpm range of 9000 - holy f$%K!!!!!! asian women are hot and nasty, but there's something about these german wenches!!!

Seems my German wench has rims that are out of shape. And the clutch needs to be replaced. Brake pads and rotors are due for replacement in the next 2000 km. And another minor service due in 4000 km.

Total cost? I've just been told to stand by at least $3,000 for parts and labour, and goodness knows if anything else needs to be changed. And that still doesn't include the rims (tyres are fine, though)

For that pincely sum, I could switch over to the 2004 Honda S2000 with the improved chassis but using the original F20 engine (yeah, the one that revs to 9000 rpm), and with only 12,500 km on the odometer, a year remaining on the original warranty, and an option to extend it by another 3 years when it expires sometime next year.

I'm toying with the idea of downgrading to the S2000 for a couple of years and then saving to get a 987 Boxster S - preferably new, or not more than 2 years old.

It's been a heart-wrenching 6 months for me -- I bought my Evo IX last July and having moved to Dubai, I'd just sold it; and now less than 2 months after I pick up my 99 Boxster, I may be hard-pressed by budget constraints and a 'black box' issue on repairs and replacements that may be required over the next 12 months on a 7 year old car. And one thing I've learnt is that repairs and parts in Dubai cost more than what I'd originally budgeted for based on Internet pricing with a 20% margin

My appointment with the dealer will decide the next steps tomorrow. Unless someone's planning to unload a Boxster S for a really good price, it looks like I may be out of the game for awhile

That said, if you guys are going to be in Dubai any time, drop me a PM so we can catch up for a drink (or the nearest equivalent -- there's a zero tolerance policy here on drink and drive)

this sounds good the rest of the world should follow suit, here it is a bank holiday week end and as it stands and you have to consider that it is not saturday yet we already have seven dead people on the road and the carnage rolls on, i realise that this sounds like nothing to the US where this is probably a minute rating but here it is a lot.
otherwise it seams that this is a very high amount of repair for your boxster was this car badly looked after before you bought it?

[ghoonk]

Originally Posted by olly986

this sounds good the rest of the world should follow suit, here it is a bank holiday week end and as it stands and you have to consider that it is not saturday yet we already have seven dead people on the road and the carnage rolls on, i realise that this sounds like nothing to the US where this is probably a minute rating but here it is a lot.
otherwise it seams that this is a very high amount of repair for your boxster was this car badly looked after before you bought it?

The car's in okay shape, but the clutch, brake pads, rotors, and rims need to be replaced. I'm getting clutch 'groan', brake pads were 60% when I collected the car, and it's down to around 35% remaining, and rotors have been skimmed by the previous owner three times already. Rims were slightly out of shape (could not be balanced, even without the tyres, and steering wheel was vibrating badly at speeds of 120 kmph).

It's not so much the repairs, but the number of parts that need to be replaced, especially the rims (and if the rims are bent, chances are that the tyres have not worn evenly either, and those need to be changed with it.

I spent most of yesterday driving around the in Boxster, and I must say that I will miss it terribly. It's a fantastic car.