boxsternewbie

I'm seriously considering a late 90s Boxster (even checked insurance prices) but everyone I've asked (mostly BMW owners) has said Porsches are extremely expensive and difficult to repair. I have a little car knowledge, I've installed water pumps, headers, and spark plugs on chevy 350s, but I don't consider myself a gearhead or anything, but I like to work on my own cars because I've had some bad mechanics in the past tack on repair costs for items they didn't really repair/replace.

So what about it? Are Porsches really that bad? I will also have access to a full garage with a lift so I should be able to access the engine underneath the car. I will also have a second vehicle incase repairs take awhile.

Also, are their any repair manuals available?

RexColtrain

Sounds like you would have no problems working on a Boxster. The repair manuals are like $500+ and difficult to find. Also, not very helpful anyway. I get most of my tech how-to's from the PPBB.com archives.

boxsternewbie

ahhh... so that's where all the information's at. Thanks, I've been looking for a good boxster forum, but I kept searching for "forum" instead of "board" and found very little.

sasilverbullet

Definately hang out there, I do, and I learn a LOT! (www.ppbb.com)

On your first question, don't shy away from the Porsche's because of maintenance fears. ALL cars break sometimes, and Porsche's, IF MAINTAINED properly, in my opinion, break less often.

Doing all the normal maintenance is NOT hard. I've got about the same mechanical skills as you, and with a neighbor next door with a lift and ALL the tools I could dream of, there isn't anything I don't think I couldn't tackle, including a new clutch, etc...

Get the Porsche!

Vampyre

You will not have any pproblems working on Porsches, they are just like most cars. Check E-bay for some used repair manuals they are nice to have around if needed. I would stay clear of any repair CD-ROMS, these usally contain stuff that is free on the internet.

Most Porsches when treated right will not give you any major problems.
Get the Boxster and have a blast with some top down driving this summer!

JeffES

FWIW, I've alway put the "Porsches are too expensive to.... whatever" comments down to envy, or worse. For the most part (of course there are exeptions), I've found that my P cars have been no more difficult than any other brands. I do belive that some are intimidated by the badge, and that more people are more familiar w/other brands simply due to the quantity on the road. Having grown up (I know.... I'll never grow up) in a VW/Audi/Porsche family, I'm more used to "how P does things" than I am in say, a Chevy (GM underhoods scare the c*** out of me, even though I know the parts are supposed to be cheaper).
I find the Boxster to be quite "user friendly" when it comes to maint/upkeep.
Enjoy!
J
PS - I second the use of Rennlist & PPBB as excellent resources!

boxsternewbie

GM V8s are pretty simple, it's the smaller engines that scare me! I believe the mid-90s Lumina had the battery UNDER the windshield washer tank, so you'd have to remove the tank just to change the battery Now that's scary.

gearhead

I professionally work on the Boxsters, To pull the fire wall out and remove the clamshell is not hard. Then to work on it usually is no problem, however everything takes more time to repair than any Chevy.

JeffES

Gear... Try a Malibu/M Maxx!!! There's some wild packaging!!
J