OK guys, I'm thrilled to be a Boxster ower. Bought it Thursday and went on a long road trip Friday - the car is awesome. A white '99 with hardtop and 110K on it - still in great shape. I can't believe a guy can get a car of this quality at such a cheap price (10K).
Now I have some questions and you guys are great at advice (Macster are you listening?) Sorry for being such a "newby" here... but I got the car from a dealer with no owners manual - I'm a little lost on a couple of things.
1) The key has two buttons on it - one to lock and unlock the doors remotely - what the heck is the other one for? The key is worn and the little pictures are gone or worn off.
2) I've heard there is a gauge on the dash to read the oil level - sorry guys, I'm not seeing it... where is it?
3) How do you manually raise the rear spoiler - or, can you even do that? Do you have to be doing 75mph+
4) Air bag light is on and engine light is on - the PPI inspection did inform me of these issues so it is not a surprise. But, I see on this forum guys talking about "codes" - where do you get the diagnosis codes? I noticed software for sale I can get through Pelican Parts for about $280. Is that what I need?
5) I need an owners manual - I found a new, orginal one on the web but it cost $170! Yikes! Any ideas?
I hope to have this car for a long time and do most of the work on it myself... You'll probably be hearing a lot more of me in the future.
Thanks in advance for your help!
FYI... Bentley manual is ordered and should be here next week.
Joel

 

1) second button probably to pop the hood
2) should come on when you first start the car, or if you toggle through the menu choices on the computer in your dash (was in the tach on my 02 carrera, should be in similar spot on the boxster)
3) should be a switch down by your left leg under the dash
4) If you had a proper PPI, they should have read the codes and told you what they were, and what problems they were indicated - if you had a check engine light and an airbag light but don't know the reason for the problem, they didn't read your codes. Too late now, since you bought the car, but you should have the mechanic read the codes for you. I hope it's not serious...
5) eBay prob your best bet

 

Thanks man! That helps... but, that oil level gauge comes on when you start it? Hummm... is there a **** or control button that you toggle through for different choices?

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=VOw...0check&f=false

this link shows the oil level on a boxster

 

Yep, when you first get in, don't start the car, just turn the key to the run position. You'll see an oil gauge appear on the instrument cluster display with a countdown. (Takes a few seconds. Sometimes longer if you just turned the car off.) When it counts down, you'll see your oil level.

The spoiler will automatically extend when you hit 75mph and retract when you slow past 55mph. If you want to put it up/down manually, there's a button near the floor by your left foot for it. The owner's manual says to only use it when the car is stopped. (It's hard to reach while you're driving.)

FYI, check out http://www.renntech.org , they've got all the manuals and stuff online.

If your remote only has one extra button, it's probably a 911 fob and works the front trunk. Hold it down for about 2 seconds to pop the trunk. My key has 2 buttons- one for the front, and one for the back.

Your local auto parts store will read the emissions codes for free and you might get some good info this way, but you'll need to go to the dealer to read all the codes.

 

My old Boxster had that air bag light come on too. It wound up being the seat belt connector sensor. Who would have thought. The part where you stick in the clip part into the anchor, where you push the red button to release. Parts were about $80 from what I remember and I had my neighbor fix it, its been a few years. Just sayin...

I always enjoyed that car too.

 

I just finished gutting my 986 to convert to a spec boxster race car. I have the complete manual set and "leather" case that I could be persuaded to sell. Also, if there are any other items you needs let me know. Mine is a 99 and was a pristine example so there are a lot of "new" quality pieces.

 

The second button on the remote is to open the rear trunk. If you press and hold it for a second the trunk should pop, if not the solder connection inside the remote may have broken and might be repairable with a steady hand and a small soldering iron. Later Boxsters have three buttons and the third is open the front trunk.

 

you can buy a obdII reader for about 50-70 if you decide to buy one.

 

Suncoast has the manuals brand new for $ 28.95. Bought one for my 01 Boxster here. Same as originals.

 

If that's all you need it's a good deal. But if you want the entire owners manual set and binder you will have to resort to eBay or the like.

 

You had a PPI done but they didn't pull the codes? Not very thorough of them.
The whole point of a PPI is check for issues. I guess you didn't want to know what the issue was before you bought?
Enjoy the car man.

 

I found that, even with the countdown, my oil level wasn't measured accurately unless I read it cold. Hot reads seemed to be too low. FWIW.

Congrats on the car btw.

 

Hot reads should be somewhat low as more of the oil is in the upper parts of the engine and has not drained back to the sump/pan.

 

Not necessarily. These engines don't drain a lot of oil back to the pan/sump due to the engine's layout.

The heads have scavenge pumps to transfer oil from under the camshaft covers to the oil sump. About all there is is what oil can drain from the crank/rods/pistons (which are fed oil from oil jets).

With engine and oil fully up to operating temperature when I check my Boxster's oil level the level is a bit higher (1 bar maybe 2) cause the oil's hot and has expanded.

This doesn't take long either. I almost always check the engine's oil level after filling the gas tank (down to between 1/2 to 1/4 full though closer to 1/4 full most of the time). And the count down timer requires just 5 seconds to display an oil level.

When I check my Boxster's oil cold -- like in the morning before leaving for work -- the level will read a bar or two lower cause the oil's cold. This even though the engine's had 10 or more hours to allow whatever oil can drain back into the oil sump to get there.

Sincerely,

Macster.