Bloody boxster falling apart

[RandallNeighbour]

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

I believe that this is one of the reasons for the rapid depreciation of the Boxster and why so many people can pick them up cheap. But people need to know that a $20k Boxster can become a $30k Boxster with no warning, and for $30k, there are a lot more reliable Sports Cars to be had.

Well, I gotta chime in and say Amen! to this statement. Paid $15,500 for mine and I've put $10k into it thus far and just last night I heard some loud squeaking from the front end... it's probably a control arm or something else in the suspension. I'll drop no less than $500 getting it repaired.

I'm so deep into this car money-wise I can't see bailing on it now. However, if I have another $3k repair year after another and another, the car will be sold to the highest bidder on Ebay!

I'm not giving up on Porsches though. I just bought one that was too old.

[MikenOH]

"It's really too bad because I expected more of Porsche. My 912 and 914 2.0 of years gone by were much more robust, and frankly I am disappointed that Porsche actually seems to have gone backwards in terms of reliability than they were 25 years ago."

This is one point that has not been discussed enough. Are there any other Porsche models (911/944/928) that have the same type of weak points in engine design that the boxster seems to have that takes the engine with it when it fails (inter. shaft/ sleeved engine/porous block)?

I haven't owned an earlier 911 (993 and earlier) or a 944, but most of the owners in our club that bring their cars to track events have put lots of miles (+75K) on them without major rebuilds or , more importantly, engine failures.

The comment about a $20K Boxster becoming a $30K Boxster without warning seems spot on.

[Iatros]

My question to all of you is...

Are these problems more prevalent in the older ones? I expect out of any car that's 7 years old to have maintenance requirements, but out of.. say, a 2003?

[Perfectlap]

I'm coming from a bullet proof Miata with lots and lots of tweaks.

After 20,000 miles I have needed only one reapair: new throttle body.

The Boxster WILL NEVER be up to Japanese standards of reliability.
They just make tooooo many cars, the more you make the better it becomes.

Although they have their issues as well. The 1.8 Miata engine had the
most irritating lifter tap that no tinkering with oil could cure. It was enough
to make me want to sell the car that very same day to the first guy who
would offer me Ferrari 355 for it.

If you decide to get a Boxster(s) get at least a 2000. It sounds to me like most of these rants come from people who bought 97-99 Boxsters. Lots of changes were made begining in 2000 but the typical Porsche problems that effect even the 911's are still there. Try and find a car that has an extended warranty from Porsche or a related company and concentrate on finding a model with the lowest possible miles.

I can say that no other material object has done more to enhance my lifestyle.
I've made friends through Porsche Club, particpated in great events and generally taken for granted what many people have descirbed as their dream car.
To me its just a roadster that has excellent feedback and throttle response.
There are few alternatives of this quality.

[Ronzi]

If you dig hard enough you will find that every Porsche has weak points. Probably every CAR has weak points.
There is a whole book by Paul Zimmerman concerning the weak points of each variation of the 911. I think it is called "The Used 911 Story", and is invaluable if you are looking for one of those.

Basically what you've got here is a bunch of Toyota drivers who haven't yet adjusted to the fact that a Porsche is a whole 'nother ball game.

Oh, one other thing. If I remember Randall's story, he bought a Box for fifteen five when the going rate for his car was about twenty-five. What's the Pennzoil slogan, "Pay me now, or pay me later"?

[Brucelee]

"The Boxster WILL NEVER be up to Japanese standards of reliability.
They just make tooooo many cars, the more you make the better it becomes."

Sorry, that logic is NOT borne out my experience.

To wit:

The original Lexus ls400 was reliable from the get. Blame a great corporate culture, ie Toyota simply gets it right or fixes it right.

Porsche has made many thousands of Boxster engines over the 10 year run.

It is the culture that allows for the engine defects to go uncorrected, not the volume. It is simply an aspect of the German auto culture that blames picky customers rather than their engineers.

[Perfectlap]

yes you are right the Japanese are very demmanding when it comes to things working as close to 100%, 100% of the time. But they've also got some cars on the list of lemons. So maybe the German/American idiference is starting to creep in. And the prices of those Accords is getting weird.

I guess with the Japanese approach and the fact that a company like Toyota makes sooooo many cars, it has a trickle down effect to all their model lines. They have solutions for every conceivable gremlin that can surface which they can apply not only to their Lexus line but to their tercel as well.

Porsche building so few cars and insistent on manufacturing so much of it on their own even with a Japanese level committment to quality, will simply never meet the same end result if low cost maintenace and reliability is a paramount concern. The budgets just are too out of proportion. For what Porsche has done on such a limited scale compared to Honda's S2000 is not bad at all.

But of course if I have an RMS leak I will surely be singing a different tune.

[longislander1]

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

I am SERIOUSLY contemplating trading my Boxster next spring for a late model Miata or Corvette, probably an '06.

Uhhh, you might want to go over to the C6 forum and read about some of the problems there. Roofs are flying off for no reason and GM has been painfully slow to replace them.

I looked at a C6 before buying the Boxster. The salesman was all pumped up about showing me the heads-up display. Of course, it was crooked -- yet another symbol of GM's "craftsmanship."

Believe me, I'm no fan of Porsche and its arrogance, but I wonder if a 'Vette is really an improvement. Now, a Miata, that might be a different story. I've always found Mazdas to be bullet-proof.

[Brucelee]

In my experience, the Corvette C5 and C6 are much more bulletproof than the Boxster.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

In my experience, the Corvette C5 and C6 are much more bulletproof than the Boxster.

Didn't the C5 have a major oil burning issue? And didn't you get a bath thrown in the deal when the C5 convertible got a wash?

[Perfectlap]

I always wonder about cars being more reliable than others when some makes are usually only Sunday drivers. It wouldn't surprise me that the Corvettes have fewer issues reported because they are probably sold to 2nd hand buyers with very few miles.
I don't know, I tend think more people drive a Boxster everyday than a Corvette.
Boy would I love to take a ZO6 for a lap at the track or autocross. This one guy is winning every week with a c5 at one local autox club. That much power on such a wide track must purty cool.

[Brucelee]

No oil burning issues with the C5 that I am aware of. I have had three and all have been error free totally.

[Pablito]

Miatas are a good choice but they also have had their headaches....as a former 99' miata owner that year Miata's were having a problem with their mainshafts that needed and entire engine replacement and as you may imagine dealers were not too happy in performing this factory service....and back in 1990 the old 1.6L engines had the nasty habit of chopping off their mainshaft damper.......How about the 2001 Honda Odizzey and their failing transmissions and the extended warranty they gave on a failing check valve........even the most "Bullet-proof" cars have had their mishaps.

[eslai]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

In my experience, the Corvette C5 and C6 are much more bulletproof than the Boxster.

The oil pump on my friend's very-new C6 failed and he lost all oil pressure. After examining the motor, GM would only replace the caps and a few other bits--they would not replace his engine. We looked at the cylinders and the scoring was NOT typical, as GM claimed.

In the end after much haranguing he got them to pay for one month of his car payment and give him an extended warranty.

So there ya go. Along with that there are myriad squeaks and rattles from his center console, targa top and door panels. His center stack also seems to be slightly misaligned, with the edge on the driver side seeming to not be popped properly into place behind the dashboard. He's also experiencing the same problems that many other C6 owners have complained about where you somehow end up shifting into an imaginary third gear--you seem to get hung up on the syncros. Can't really explain that one as well as he does.

The newest Corvette is far from bulletproof.

[eslai]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

Although they have their issues as well. The 1.8 Miata engine had the
most irritating lifter tap that no tinkering with oil could cure. It was enough
to make me want to sell the car that very same day to the first guy who
would offer me Ferrari 355 for it.

Don't forget about their thrust bearing problem back in 1999. But they at least took care of that one!

http://www.miata.net/solo/99miatathrustbearingfailure.html

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

No oil burning issues with the C5 that I am aware of. I have had three and all have been error free totally.

http://www.idavette.net/hib/02ls6/page5.htm

[Brucelee]

I guess I would ask if the Corvette introduced in 1997 is subject to consistent problems equiv to RMS and full engine failure.

If so, I would like to read about it, since I have not to date and have not experienced any issues over 6 yrs of ownership.

[mikefocke]

Sounds to me like you bought a clapped-out car, got a PPI that was less then thorough, tried to skimp on maintenance and now are paying the price.

I bought a 2001 S with 42k miles, now 8k miles later my per month maintenance costs (not counting scheduled maintenance and wear and tear items like tires and brakes (which I did a week after purchase even though I could have gotten away with waiting) AVERAGES $7 PER MONTH.

Sorry your experience is not more positive.

Brucee your sounding very nasty about our little boxsters of late, do not forget you run the show here, and because usually nobody gives a hoot about my threads i will just have to say that mx5 sucks! would take anyone of them anyday on any track!! mx5=miata i guess this is what it is called here, just another sissi car!! and you all laugh at ricers!! makes ME laugh

Originally Posted by olly986

Brucee your sounding very nasty about our little boxsters of late, do not forget you run the show here, and because usually nobody gives a hoot about my threads i will just have to say that mx5 sucks! would take anyone of them anyday on any track!! mx5=miata i guess this is what it is called here, just another sissi car!! and you all laugh at ricers!! makes ME laugh

I care what you have to say Olly986!