ChemMan

I have been looking into getting a porsche. At first I wanted an older 911, but from what I have read on this forum and responses to my previous post, I seems like the 911 may not be the best car for snowy weather.
I have test driven a boxster at the dealership and loved it. I would like to get one this summer, but I have some questions:
1. Is it true that with a good set of snow tires the boxster will do well in snow? (I live in Michigan)
2. What is the RMS????? I did a search and found a lots of posts that scared me. I understand there is some kind of problem with it, but what is it? Also is it true that with a vehicle with over 30000 miles, there is less of a chance of having this problem? How concerned should I be about this?
3. What are common problems associated with the boxster?
4. Should I stay away from 1997 models? Were there significant problems with the first year models?
5. I generally keep my vehicles for a long time. Currently my mercedes has 175,000 miles on it and still drives like new. Are porsches known for having a long engine life? If I get this vehicle, I plan on using it as my daily driver for at least 5 to 7 years. I am very particluar about maintenance. Can I expect the same mileage as I got out of my old benz?
6.Have any of you had to have an engine rebuild? What does this cost? Who do you recommend for this service?
7. Regarding the baby seat from Porsche: Any problems with it? What ages are they recommended for? Can the seat be easily removed and stored in the "trunk"? How fast can they be removed? Cost?
8. Is it true that the warrenty is until 100,000 miles? Is it transferable? After how many years does it expire?
9. For those of you who drive in cold climates with the soft top: Is the vehicle warm/comfortable?
10. Is there a hardtop available? If so, is it difficult to change the soft top to hard top?
11. As boxster owners, is this a vehicle you would recommend?
12. Is this a vehicle that I could work on? I like to do my own work, but I am no mechanic. Is there a repair manual available?


Thanks in advance for your responses

dennis a from pa

1. Yes
2. Rear main seal..problematic, but just whay %, no one knows. Mileage plays no role. they have failed at low and high miles..
3. Top relays, RMS, small number of interermediate shaft issues, Top mechanism pre 2000, wheel bearings.....the dreaded slipped sleeve(mostly on a small run of '99s.
4.No...97s are no more problematic...top cables are a more likely issue though.
5.I've seen one or two with 150K...history is limited.
6. have not heard of one...wear is NOT an issue with thes motors and synthetic oil....other things can get you though...intermediate shaft etc.
7. don't know
8. no 50K, you can get a certified pre-owned and get an extended warranty to 100k...you'll pay though.
9. Yes it is tight and from 2002, all Boxsters have top liners.
10. Yes and I recommend...2 person job, but not difficult.
11. I loved all 3 of mine.
12. As well as any other newer car...brakes (easy) oil change (yes) top issues (yes) Engine (????) replace yes, rebuild, don't know anyone whose done it.

Mongo

I am a potential Boxster owner also, but won't be making a purchase until next year in spring. I can answer some of your questions based upon the knowledge I've gained about the car.

1. A Boxster shouldn't have much trouble in the snow. Though I live in California and don't see any, not to mention despise snow and salted roads which will potentially rust your chassis out from underneath you; the Boxster would be a great car in the snow. Afterall, doesn't it snow a lot in Germany too?

2. RMS is a short acronym for Rear Main Seal. The RMS is located just behind the flywheel on the front of all engines (or on the back if your looking at a 911 motor or Boxster engine from the rear, *nyuk* *nyuk*) A defective RMS will result in oil leaking. This seal typically about $3-$15 for a new one can cost you up to $2,000 in engine work since the motor and transmission will have to be removed from the car in order to get to it. It's best to have pre-purchase inspection done to insure that it isn't leaking. If so, be prepared to spend $$$ eventually. It isn't uncommon for rear main seals to leak though on 911 engines and Boxster engines. Chances are if the car was maintained meticulously, the RMS was already replaced.

3. Common problems I have seen with Boxsters at my friends Porsche shop are:
- rear main seal
-water pump
-abused clutch
-leaking valve covers
-worst of all of them; the dreaded engine failure due to a main bearing or rod bearing spinning.
-oxygen sensors
-mass air flow sensor failures (usually a K&N filter or something flying into the intake past the filter will cause the MAF damage)
-convertible top motor failures.

4. 1997 models are subject to the above just like all other cars. Again it's important to know how the car was maintained and driven. I know a guy who is an original owner of a 1997 Boxster that has had zero problems regarding the motor and was lucky to not have the rear main seal leak on him. The top mechanism hasn't failed on the car. Out of reccommendation he even said I should look at a 99 and newer; 2000 being the best choice since the displacement is bumped up to a 2.7L along with more torque, HP and a better powerband.

5. Mercedes cars are like rocks. My ex-fiancee drove an '81 240D that had over 400,000 miles on it. I used to have a burgundy 1984 944 that had 185,000 miles on it and NEVER had an engine problem thanks to doing timing belts, tensioners and waterpumps at the specified mileage increments. I'm willing to bet that a Boxster engine can exceed 200,000 miles easily if WELL MAINTAINED.

6. I haven't heard of any prices yet for engine rebuild's for Boxsters. But, I've seen engine rebuilds on 911 motors from displacements of 2.7 to 3.6 litres range from $3,000 - $10,000 (the 10 grand being a dealer charge or modifications to the engine parts e.g. bore and stroke)

7. sorry I have no clue on this one.

8. Porsche's warranty on Boxsters I believe is still 4 year/50,000 mile. If they had made changes to the warranty to make it 100,000 miles I'm sure the car will have to be purchased from the dealer and have "Porsche Certified" stamped on the sticker in order to be eligible for that warranty. Mercedes has done this with their "Starmark" warranty.

9. can't tell you this one, sorry again

10. Porsche makes a hard top for the Boxster. You can pick one up at the dealer for about $3,000-$4,500 depending if they are having a sale on parts or not. The top includes a rear window defroster.

11. Not a Boxster owner yet, but I'll tell you that I'm looking forward to being one as well as a 993 owner.

12. I haven't worked on a Boxster but I know that this midengine is probably a PITA to work on since it's conceiled under the top and you have to access it through an engine cover that is no bigger than 3 feet wide.

Good luck on your search and purchase

dennis a from pa

Mercedes "tank like" only true up until 1995 or so....My 1994 E-420 (older style) was one of those, the next generation, however...not so much.

ChemMan

I agree on the Mercedes. My 1990 is awesome. High quality wood etc. My wife's ML320 is not even close. Hard to believe the start out in the $40's.

ChemMan

What is a responsible price for a pre-purchase inspection? Are there any good companies out there any of you would recommend or is the dealership the way to go?

Mongo

I've seen PPI's range anywhere from $50-$130 (130 being the dealer). If you made friends with anyone at the dealership that's a technician, I'm sure they can give you a bang up price for a PPI.

arenared

I have a 2000 Boxster S with 20K something miles.

1. I live in California--no snow, but Porsche has approved snow wheel/tire recommendations.
2. RMS as indicated is Rear Main Seal. It is not a catastrophic failure, affects 986/987/996/997 models. Some live with it. It appears to be due to a concentricity issue with the case/crank bore. From what I've read of it, it tends to appear early in life. Replacing the RMS often doesn't solve the problem because the bore is still out of true. There are different revisions of the seal itself. I don't believe it is $2K, but around what you'd pay for labor to do a clutch since removing the tranny to get to the seal is essentially the same. From statistically biased polls I've seen it does not affect the majority of engines. Knock-on-wood, mine doesn't leak a drop or burn a drop of oil, and I don't drive like a wussy.
3. See other posts. I have not experienced any.
4. I think the main issue with 1997s is that they are not approved by Porsche for 18" wheels. '98 and newer have additional reinforcement. If you plan on modifying the suspension/tracking the car, better to stick with the '98 and newer. 2000 and newer have significantly bigger engines and noticeable cosmetic material upgrades, but they are not showstoppers depending on your budget.
5. I don't think any cars are as reliable as the old Benzes, certainly not the new Benzes. I have yet to hear of anyone wearing out a Boxster to the point of needing a rebuild, etc.
6. If and when it comes time to rebuild, drop in a more recent/bigger engine or a 911 motor.
7. There are several baby seats, and at least some are made by Britax. Buy the cheapest you forsee needing (the booster seat) from Porsche so you get the airbag deactivation bar installed free. The buckle you remove and put on any baby seat you choose.
8. See other posts.
9. Be very careful with raising/lowering the soft top in lower temperatures. A lot of folks have cracked the rear plastic window. Not an issue on latter glass rear windows.
10. See other posts.
11. A Boxster is not for everyone. There are definite trade-offs: 2 seats, arrogant dealers, relatively stiff ride, expensive to maintain if you pay someone to do it. On the plus side, with some minor mods, it can easily out handle the best cars in the world costing many X more, it's a drop-dead georgeous and timeless body, and the flat-six song is sweet. All the neighborhood kids say "Wow, Cool car," even though they may be driving in their parent's cars which actually cost more.
12. I do all my own work. True you can't get at the engine easily, but all the "serviceable" parts are reasonably accessible. There are no repair manuals that I've found except for the factory ones which are over $5K, so your best bet for routine service are web forums. For moderate stuff, you'll need the dealer, and the real tough stuff like engines, the dealer swaps them out with the factory.

Good luck!!!