New owner of an '02 986S

[Nmbrsix]

Hello!

2 time watercooled P-Car owner (owned a 944S2 many years ago). Recently sold this:

'94 R-Package with lots of upgrades...

For this:


2002 Boxster S, 67k miles, I'm the 4th owner per the CarFox; most recent PO has owned it for 3.5 years. He's a 60 y/o guy who has had a lot of classic cars (and a couple of 911's before the Boxster). He got insulted at the trade-in offered by Porsche on a new Cayenne and sold it privately. Options: Litronic headlights, 18" SportDesign wheels, Bose, power seats w/memory, OBC, etc. The PO had a high end Pioneer navigation HU and Passport remote radar detector installed along with a new top with a glass rear window.

My original plan was to save $ for the next couple of years and build up a healthy down payment on a 981 Cayman S. This year, though, I realized that the Miata wasn't getting driven nearly as much now that I've gone from a 9 mile RT commute (mostly on surface streets) to 30+ mile RT on ugly stretches of highway. Even after a foamectomy on the stock seat, my head was still uncomfortably close to the roll bar. After nearly getting rear-ended twice, I decided if I was to have a fun Summer car, I wanted something I didn't feel quite as vulnerable in. I'd also like something better for long distance trips.

It's currently at one of the best watercooled Porsche specialists in the area getting a fair bit of PM work:

-RMS
-LN Single Row Pro IMS replacement
-Clutch/flywheel
-Gbox 2nd gear popout detent
-Water pump
-Thermostat
-Coolant flush
-AOS

The PO had the front motor mount, alternator, right halfshaft, rear tires + 4 wheel alignment, driver's window regulator, 60k service, and a few other items done in the past 2 years/7k miles, so I'm hoping with all of the work I'm doing it should be fairly reliable for quite some time.

I think it'll need some suspension work--rear track rods + maybe tie rod ends up front--but that's not critical right now.

I've already started buying the little stuff it needs--missing fasteners for trunk carpet, replacement piece for the gas door, undertray air guides, etc.

Excited to get it back and really start enjoying it.

[Giller]

Nice upgrade! You are going to enjoy! Welcome.

[kk2002s]

If it wasn't for the black top (mine is grey) I would think that was my 02 S. Pretty much the same option list
Seal Grey all the way

That is a fair amount of PM work.

Enjoy the summer and welcome

[Nmbrsix]

Thanks!

Per the build sticker, the color is Meridian Silver. Black leather/top. I did the smoked side markers and tail light lens upgrade the first week I had the car; generally speaking I'm much more about go than show, but I couldn't stomach the DOT-mandated orange.

The Miata was a lot of fun, especially with the upgrades I'd done; but it's much happier on an autocross course than it is serving as a fair-weather commuter car (which is what it had become 90% of the time).

Car's at the shop now...waiting to hear what they find. I had a PPI done by the shop that serviced the car the past 3 years, but I've already caught at least one thing they missed (I don't think they did an extended road test) so I'm wondering what else might be found.

[Ptnl986]

I'm considering buying a 2003 Boxster S with ~ 30k miles. The dealer just installed new IMS and RMS seals. The RMS was reported leaking a little bit before the seal was fixed and the preventative IMS bearings were installed when the RMS was fixed. All the other standard maintenance is documented for the car. Question: Now that the IMS and RMS work has been performed. Will this completely prevent potential future issues associated with those seals? Thanks

[jsceash]

Originally Posted by Ptnl986

I'm considering buying a 2003 Boxster S with ~ 30k miles. The dealer just installed new IMS and RMS seals. The RMS was reported leaking a little bit before the seal was fixed and the preventative IMS bearings were installed when the RMS was fixed. All the other standard maintenance is documented for the car. Question: Now that the IMS and RMS work has been performed. Will this completely prevent potential future issues associated with those seals? Thanks

I'd like to say yes but a dealer may have been limited to just installing another original stock IMS single row with 2 seals and chrome steel balls. You'll have to post some pics.

[Ptnl986]

Originally Posted by jsceash

I'd like to say yes but a dealer may have been limited to just installing another original stock IMS single row with 2 seals and chrome steel balls. You'll have to post some pics.

I think they performed a Single Row IMS retrofit with a part with a name like "LNE". I can't post pics as I haven't bought it yet.

[Giller]

Originally Posted by Ptnl986

I'm considering buying a 2003 Boxster S with ~ 30k miles. The dealer just installed new IMS and RMS seals. The RMS was reported leaking a little bit before the seal was fixed and the preventative IMS bearings were installed when the RMS was fixed. All the other standard maintenance is documented for the car. Question: Now that the IMS and RMS work has been performed. Will this completely prevent potential future issues associated with those seals? Thanks

Why would the dealer do this installation and then sell it? Most dealers will put as little into a car as they can - there really isn't any profit for them in doing the IMS. Sure, might sell the car a bit faster, but really.

I would be cautious - did they fix it cause the old one had already exploded and there's little bits of metal now throughout the engine?

I would want some form of warranty to ensure the IMS was preventive and not reactive. Always good to ensure there are some KM's on it after the IMS has been changed to provide a bit more piece of mind.

[Nmbrsix]

The LN Engineering Single Row Pro kit is what is going in my car, and is considered to be one of the best options for IMS bearing replacement (short of the LNE IMS Solution, which eliminates the sealed IMS ball bearing unit entirely--for $1700+).

So that's the good news.

The question posed above is a good one, though. Why would the selling dealer do any more than they had to? The IMS Single Row Pro replacement kit is $799, which is a LOT for a dealer to spend if there wasn't a reason to replace the IMS. I'd want to see the work order and talk with the tech who performed the work (ideally) to understand why it was done.

As stated, if there was metallic debris in the oil filter (one sign of IMS bearing failure), that same ferrous metal has circulated through the motor--including bearing surfaces + the many complicated oil passages in the M96 motor.

I wouldn't want to chance it that they caught the IMS bearing in time before it threw a LOT of metallic debris through the oil system.

[Ptnl986]

Thanks for your input, it is much appreciated. It was my understanding that during the standard annual inspection that the RMS was noticed to be leaking. While access was available during the fix of the RMS, the LN IMS Single Row Retrofit was performed as a preventative measure.

[Nmbrsix]

I'd still ask to talk with the tech that did the work.

But if the story is legit? It sounds like that's a dealer that knows these cars and isn't afraid to make the right investment in prepping them for sale. Could be a very good sign. Are they known to be that kind of dealer in the regional Porsche community?

I'd still have a PPI done. I did on my car and was able to negotiate some $ off the ask due to the water pump and leaky RMS.

[Ptnl986]

Thanks for the advice, it is in fact, much appreciated and is sound.

Now... back to you Bro! Congrats on your new Porsche. Absolutely GORGEOUS! Man, that is a beauty. Quite a machine. Very nice.

Drive safe... have fun!