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Old 06-06-2006, 05:45 AM   #1
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Lightbulb Boxster Oil Change...instrutions with pics...

I've been umming and ahing about buying a Boxster because of how complicated some of the basic engine maintenance seems. Oil changes in partiular as I can't afford to pay hundreds for Porsche to do it.

I found this article on the web, from those of you who have done it yourself, is this accurate? It doesn't seem that bad at all. I thought I read somewhere that you have to unhook the back of the roof in order to get to the top of the engine etc.

\Linkky dink

What do you think?

-Adam

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Old 06-06-2006, 07:08 AM   #2
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You ask several questions.

1-The oil change is a piece of cake. You do NOT have to get to the engine to do an oil change. However, you do need 9 qts of synthetic oil and the filter. Figure $70 in parts if you do it yourself.

2-You DO have to get to the engine for much of the rest of the maint. issues and it IS a pain as compared to a conventional car.

3-Boxsters ARE expensive to maintain and repair and the require both.

4-If you don't have a lot of dough to do #3 above, my advice is to stay away from the car.

Hope that helps.

Good luck
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Old 06-06-2006, 08:53 AM   #3
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My oil changes cost $120 and I do them once per year.

My honda and my lexus need them once a quarter at $40 each... $160 total per year.

You do the math. The boxster oil change, done yourself or at an indpendent shop that doesn't rape you like the dealership is CHEAPER than oil changes on most every other car.
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Old 06-06-2006, 11:17 AM   #4
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The Boxster oil change is quick (sort of) and painless. Not any worse than most any other modern car as far as difficulty, but you do need time to let the oil drain.

Some people with older, high-mileage Boxsters (like Randall) do the more industry standard length of 7500 miles (which for my 2001 Honda Prelude was the normal oil change schedule). I plan on just following Porsche's recommendations of every 15,000 miles or 2 years, and doing them myself. Based on my driving habits, that will work out to probably about $70-80 every 18 months or so. Not bad.

There are some who don't even bother with the 15k services and just do everything themselves; only taking it to Porsche for the big 30k services (30, 60, 90, etc.). You can even do alot of the 30k service yourself (such as the aformentioned oil change) like replacing the spark plugs, air filter, etc. and saving yourself a few bucks at the dealer.

It is true that getting to the engine is a bit of a challenge with this car. The process works thus:
1. Put top in service mode (open/close the top until the front is about 10cm from the top of the windshield.
2. Remove the key.
3. Lift up on the back of the top slightly until you can reach down and unlatch the cables on each side. They just snap on and off with a sort of ball-and-socket type connector.
4. Unclip the back of the top from the retaining lip (just follow the top fabric to the back until it stops).
5. Now fold the back of the top forward until it essentially "catches" and stays up.
6. Twist the plastic cams that are now exposed to remove the storage box (if you have one) and remove it. Then repeat with the carpet cover. Set these aside. This is a good time to clean the carpet in the back of the car if you feel so inclined.
7. Finally twist the metal cams to release the engine cover and VERY carefully (so you don't scratch your car as it's a bit heavy), lift it out and set aside.
8. Hopefully, you should now see the boxer engine. If not then you either
a. have a magical car that needs no engine
b. have an engine that only exists in hyperspace and therefore cannot be percieved to our primitive 4D minds (yes time is a dimension)
c. you just got seriously ripped off or
d. you took apart the wrong car.

You can also get to more of the engine (including the polyrib belt) by folding the front seats forward and fliping down (removing?) the rear panel. I think it works in a similar way, though I have not done this myself.

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Last edited by Wintermute; 06-06-2006 at 11:22 AM.
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