Am I ready for a Boxster?

[NoMoreVWs]

Hello from RI,

I have been a car nut since before I could drive due in part to my fathers obsession with early RX7's and datsuns. for the past 15 years i have been exclusive to VW golfs and have owned about 15 of them. Currently I am restoring a MK1 Rabbit GTI and will be done with it soon. I feel that I've done all that can be done with VW's and have out grown them as enthusiast cars and unless my rabbit completely wins me over i plan on selling it to move on to a more refined obsession.

After a 10 year career as a VW/Audi Tech I have left the car business and have almost completed my training in Network Administration. When I start my new career I plan on selling my over priced snap-on tool box that's taking up space in my garage, the specialty tools I don't need and my restored VW to get a Boxster.

My budget should be around $12000 and would prefer to get a Boxster S if possible. I wouldn't have a problem working on the car as long as I dont have to remove the drive train since I don't have a lift at home.

Is the $2000 yearly ownership budget accurate If you do the work yourself? What are some good sources for parts? At what mileage is it due for any major service that would motive previous owners to sell it? Do Boxsters have a engine-out service?

Basically, would a $12000 boxster with 50-75k be reliable for a year or two until needing any major work? I feel that i deserve a nice car I can just toss a nice set of wheels and exhaust on and just cruise without worrying about breaking it.

Sorry for the long post but I have lots of questions that need answering.

[steved0x]

I bought a 2000 Boxster S in Dec 2012 with 103,000 miles on it. The previous owner had had the car for the last 6 or 7 years and did not skimp on maintenance. Most of the little stuff that goes wrong with these cars had already happened: AOS, front motor mount, ignition switch, window regulators, MAF, coolant bottle, etc... The PO had also put in a new clutch at around 90 something thousand miles. He didn't do any of his own work, and from looking at the service records it cost him a small fortune.

Since I got the car in Dec 2012 I have done the following:
IMS retrofit with the duel row ceramic bearing - $1350
2 new rear tires - ~$250
(I don't count these first two because this was factored into the purchase price)
Jan 2013 - new wipers - $25, no smoking tray added to center console $30
August 2013 - oil change, Castrol 5W40, Magnetic drain plug $60 (got sweet deal on oil)
September 2013 - Replaced cabin air filter and engine air filter $30
September 2013 - Brake fluid flush $15
September 2013 - Installed litronics $1,000
September 2013 - New ignition switch and headlamp switch $110
October 2013 - Dropped oil filter and replaced to resolve oil overfill $10
October 2013 - Replaced windscreen slips with new design $5
January 2014 - Changed MT Oil $90, Fuel filter $20, Front rotors $100, Spark plugs, tubes and O-rings, $50, o2 sensor, $75
January 2014 - Front hood shocks $20
April 2014 - Replaced front hood cable - parts $15, swaging tools $75. Rear brake/transmission scoops $20, Front GT3 brake deflectors $20
May 2014 - Oil change, $110, KN Spin on Adapter $75, installed EBS Oil Baffle $175, new tires Hankook RS3 $800 with installation
May 2014 - Break down on way to Sebring, tow $360, replace crank sensor $500 (part $140, the rest markup and labor from shop, did not do myself because towing company would bring me all the way home as it was too far)

Around $5,000? Take away the Litronics, $4,000, take away the new tires, $3,300? Take away the IMS (since,I kind of count that as purchase price), brings me down to $2,000 and if I could have gotten the car home and changed out the crank sensor myself that brings me down to around $1700.

Some of it is upgrades (New headlights, non smokers tray, GT3 brake coolers), some maintenance (oil changes, transmission oil change, spark plugs) and some due to failures (crank sensor, headlamp switch, ignition switch). I could have gotten farther on my existing tires but I wanted to upgrade.

For calendar year 2013 my cost was $1395 covering ~7k miles and most of that was litronics. The big service I did January 2014 was only $330. To date in 2014 covering ~1k miles my costs are $2365 and the bulk of that is new tires, and my breakdown (towing and the new crank sensor).

I have probably bought around $500 worth of tools in this time period as well, floor jack, stands, brake bleeder, and other various tools, torque wrenches etc...

If I hadn't done the work myself it would have been hundreds more in labor (thousands? at least hundreds for sure ) and my parts cost would have been much higher as well (witness the $500 for changing a $140 crank sensor, the parts cost for that bill was $250, a significant markup, and the labor part was $250) once you figure diagnostic time to figure the problem, and account for warranty etc) Edit: I am jus tre-reading your original thread, it sounds like you would do most of the work yourself. Big savings there.

This is kind of a long post, and if you search you will see other threads about maintenance costs and the various breakdowns (both vehicle breakdowns, and breakdowns of costs). I think the $2,000 per year is probably pretty accurate.

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by NoMoreVWs

Basically, would a $12000 boxster with 50-75k be reliable for a year or two until needing any major work?

I think yes, if the previous owner kept up with the maintenance like they should have. My previous replay has the list of what all I have done in the 1.5 years I have had mine.

Steve

[Davev]

Originally Posted by steved0x

"...would a $12000 boxster with 50-75k be reliable for a year or two until needing any major work..."

I think yes, if the previous owner kept up with the maintenance like they should have. My previous replay has the list of what all I have done in the 1.5 years I have had mine.

Steve

I agree with Steve- maybe it will be good for 2 years, or maybe not. You can never know what ANY car will do in the future. The very best car could fail in a week. Or that cheap high mileage junker could go for many years.

Everybody likes Vegas- roll the dice and have fun!

[NoMoreVWs]

I would do most work myself. One of my good friends family owns German motors in providence and they happen to be the best Porsche shop in the state so if I can't do it they would.

Which model year is least prone to this ims failure?

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by NoMoreVWs

Which model year is least prone to this ims failure?

The dual row is more robust than the single row. The single row started to be introduced late in calendar year 2000? Others can chime in, but I believe all 97-99 Boxster had the dual row, some 2000s, and possible even some 2001s. After that they had the single row. And earlier cars that had engines blown and replaced by Porsche would have gotten whichever bearing was current at the time.

I got what I feel was the best of both worlds, 2000 S with dual row.

This article has more details but really the only way to tell 100% is to drop the transmission and take a look.

IMS 101

Steve

Edit: however if you get a car with the single row there are several choices available for retrofits, the IMS Solution, and there is also now a dual row bearing retrofit for single row cars, both developed by Jake Raby, details at the site linked above. I personally have their dual row ceramic retrofit.

[Davev]

You can also just drive the heck out of a single row and 95% chance you'll be just fine. You don't have to do a retrofit to a single row to enjoy the reliable car.

[woodsman]

I've never heard of an engine- out service but I think the chain guide replacement is and it's a fairly common problem over 75000 miles. Extreme camshaft deviation values can warn of this problem. I've owned my car 4.5 yrs and have averaged $5000/ yr in maintenance and upgrades, this while doing most work myself. When purchased it had 65000mi.

At a garage: LN bearing install including HP clutch, aluminum flywheel and 2 rear tires- $4500
AOS replacement-????
Myself:

MO30 OEM SPORT strut(4) and anti- roll bar kit - $1400
Wheel bearings (4) $600 including paying a shop to press in and out the bearings
OEM fr rotors, Akebono pads all round, stainless flex hoses, upper strut bearings-$6-700
OEM Short-shift 997 shifter (BIG improvement)$421
Two FR tires- $500
OEM fuel filter/ pump- $500??
Aftermarket RR tie rod links $300 (required due to lowering struts in hub carriers .625"
Left rad split open so: OEM L Rad, $370, WP $270, 4 gal. of OEM coolant $125, Low temp Therm LN ENG. $65, LN ENG. oil filter adapter ( no bypass!!!) $ 145

I'm sure I forgot something but you can see how an older car can really cost you. All-in, I've spent $19000 in 4.5 yrs. I've driven 33 000 miles. The car needs new rear tires next spring and should have a new roof.
This is a lot of money to me but I still feel and have always felt that this car is the most-satisfying thing I've ever done with money! For ME-- this car is the best car for me NOW. It's a GT car when I want it and an absolute world- class sports car when I want that. Besides that , it imparts the feeling of quality and precision that I crave- I'm in love after 4.5 years!

[BIGJake111]

As for reliability either the car needs something or it doesn't, everything could all go out at once and cost you easily upwards of 6k within one year, but also people go 2 years without anything but oil changes. Goodluck hope you find the right car!

[SeaNile31]

I must be the lucky one here because I have owned 4 of these cars and only ever needed to replace 1 alternator, and that was in the 99 Boxster. All the others have been completely trouble free, no IMS issues, no RMS leaks, nothing at all. And since I drive like a total wimp these cars always get me 24-28mpg.

These are so fun I hope to have my 5th Boxster by the end of next week. Nothing like coming home with a convertible when the forecast is a high of 38!

[papasmurf]

91k miles on it (bought at 33k) and it was a daily driver for about the first 4-5 years that I owned it. I have been putting about 5k on it a year the past few years and drive it about twice a week except for spring and fall where it may be driven more. My experiences so far have been fairly frugal as I have had to replace one set of front tires and two sets of rears since purchase, an AOS, motor mount, power window motor, water pump, convertible top and rotors/brake pads. Really, maintenance has not been any more than any other car I have owned and if you can do the work your self, you can save a bundle. I am going to need new tires within the next year more than likely and the rear track arms are getting noisy so they need attention too but that will be after 8 years of ownership. I think people tend to overshoot the costs on average but if you are looking at getting the IMS/clutch done it can get $$ in a hurry.

[mikefocke]

Originally Posted by woodsman

I've owned my car 4.5 yrs and have averaged $5000/ yr in maintenance and upgrades, this while doing most work myself. When purchased it had 65000mi.

Wow.

Owned 2. Used nothing but the best (Optima, PS2S N-rated, etc). One at 26k, other at 42k.

The first cost me nothing beyond an oil change. $60 parts, $39 labor.
Owned 6 months, totaled.

The second cost me brakes and rotors, a 45k service, 2 sets of tires ($600 used 50 mile take offs from a dealer taken off because of age, not wear. And $1,100 new), an alignment, oil changes, a battery.

Unscheduled: a single O2 sensor $120 parts, $40 labor. A seat belt warning light maybe $150 which took 3 trips to fix but the second two were free.

All the work necessary at 42-45k was known as the result of a PPI.

Owned for 5 years. Stranded never.

Depreciation from $26k to $13.5 was far more than repair/maintenance expenses which, even having someone else do most of the work and buying only the best, couldn't have averaged more than $1k per year.

I don't count upgrades because those could have been done without and were optional.

[Matchbox01]

I just spent $11500 in June for a 2001 Boxster with 75000 miles on it. It's my first. Bought it from a "friend". Took it to a luxury car dealer for inspection before I bought it (not a Porsche dealer). If I had it to do all over again, I probably would. Really fun car to drive. I use it to commute on city streets about 50 miles per day. BUT... My advice? Take yours to a Porsche Dealer and have it inspected. It costs a little, but it's worth it. While you may want to bet on someone else's problems, it's nice to know the odds, first.

Since I bought mine I've put about 5000 miles on it:
Replaced 2 rear tires, $500 (The inspection said they were at 40%. Getting it up on a lift said they were showing cords)
Blew the AOS, $950.
Lost the right front strut, $500
Lost the left front strut, $500
Right front wheel warped (They're "soft". Watch out for pot holes. I inherited this from the seller), $150
Check engine light is on (not the MAF sensor - probably a fouled intake system from the AOS problem. I need to clean that out and try again.)
Now it's sitting in my garage with a burnt clutch or transmission problem, $???
Wife isn't happy. I'm not happy. Sheesh!