Looking at my first Boxster...and my first Porsche
09-11-2012, 04:51 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Looking at my first Boxster...and my first Porsche
Hey guys, I was looking at a few things and realized that for what I'm paying for my '11 Mazda2 in payments, insurance, and gas, I could be looking at about ~$20k worth of Boxster. I'm going to test drive this example tomorrow:
http://www.porschebeachwood.com/deta...d-9296618.html
I've printed the checklist from Motorsport Report and I'm bringing it with me. Any thoughts or suggestions from you guys?
http://www.porschebeachwood.com/deta...d-9296618.html
I've printed the checklist from Motorsport Report and I'm bringing it with me. Any thoughts or suggestions from you guys?
09-11-2012, 05:10 PM
#2
Drifting
09-11-2012, 05:15 PM
#3
Racer
Thread Starter
09-11-2012, 06:36 PM
#5
Racer
Thread Starter
Duly noted. I understand maintenance on a premium car is considerably more expensive than maintenance on my other cars. I'm also a little uncomfortable with the prospect of owning a car that I can't perform my own maintenance on.
09-11-2012, 06:52 PM
#6
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since I bought my Boxster, I've done an oil change, replaced the sway drop links, changed transmission oil, installed (hardwired) a Valentine One and replace a headlight switch. Working at a GM dealer, it's the same stuff, just a different location.
09-11-2012, 07:00 PM
#7
Racer
Thread Starter
It's not hard to maintain a Porsche. it's not much different than another car. speaking from first hand experience. Things are just located in an odd place. Get a bentley manual or the 101 projects book, and you'll be fine.
since I bought my Boxster, I've done an oil change, replaced the sway drop links, changed transmission oil, installed (hardwired) a Valentine One and replace a headlight switch. Working at a GM dealer, it's the same stuff, just a different location.
since I bought my Boxster, I've done an oil change, replaced the sway drop links, changed transmission oil, installed (hardwired) a Valentine One and replace a headlight switch. Working at a GM dealer, it's the same stuff, just a different location.
This car would be replacing my daily driver, which means that it would have to perform that duty flawlessly. I'm not married to the idea or driving a Boxster every day and I think that will help when I go in for my appointment tomorrow. Trust me, I've purchased many a car in a fit of youthful exuberance, and I'm still stuck with many of them. This will be a measured, carefully considered decision. I'm also open to the idea that a Boxster may be right for me, just not this one.
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09-11-2012, 07:25 PM
#8
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BTW, if that's not an S, you can get it for less than that. I just bought my 2002 S with 43,000 miles on it for less than that. Negotiate with em, see what you can do.
As a daily, it's great. Fuel economy is the best of all the Porsches I've had (I'm averaging 22 mpg or so, my 924S got 19, my 951S got 14...). For winter I drive a BMW 540i. so long as you don't need a lot of room or a back seat, hell, it's an awesome daily.
Love my Boxster. not as fast as my 951, but a hell of a nice car, and amazing to drive.
As a daily, it's great. Fuel economy is the best of all the Porsches I've had (I'm averaging 22 mpg or so, my 924S got 19, my 951S got 14...). For winter I drive a BMW 540i. so long as you don't need a lot of room or a back seat, hell, it's an awesome daily.
Love my Boxster. not as fast as my 951, but a hell of a nice car, and amazing to drive.
09-11-2012, 07:30 PM
#9
RL Community Team
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In the pictures, the car looks very nice. The fact that it is being sold at a Porsche dealership also means that it is a nicer specimen and it is probably premium-priced. I say nicer specimen, because at least in these parts, the official dealer only keeps the nicely-presented cars with good service history and lets the others go to auctions (where they end up on B-lots for less $$). The flipside is you pay a premium typically when buying from the official dealer. I do not know anything about Beachwood, good or bad, but I recently bought my Boxster (2004 S) from the local official dealer and I was really pleased with the level of pre-delivery service. My two other P-cars were bought privately and that is a route that has its plusses and minuses too.
As for the particular car: The 2.7 and 3.2 986 cars seem to do well overall. My own personal experience of talking to local owners indicates that the majority of 996/986 cars are very reliable. However, serious failures, such as the IMS bearing are real and do happen. On the one hand, there is a good chance that you will never have that level of an issue, but on the other hand, it is possible! The problem with IMS is that the collateral damage is extensive and hence, the cost is a killer. Pcar964 alluded to this. In fairness though, when I first came on Rennlist in 2004, the consensus was to stay away from 964s because of their “numerous serious issues”. The internet is a good resource, but a lousy place for putting negative things in perspective. I have spent too much time researching on the topic of IMS (online and in real life), and have reached my own, personal conclusions and don’t care to argue with anyone on a forum about it. If you are interested, this would be my OWN recommendation:
1) If the car checks out (and I would recommend an independent PPI if you are really serious about it), then I would certainly consider it. The Boxsters are great machines.
2) Due to the expensive collateral damage issues associated with an IMS failure, I would not be comfortable accepting the small risk of a problem, but with the large cost. I would recommend treating the IMS as a replacement item and have it replaced with an LN unit straight away. Done at a shop, this will be around $2K. At the same time I would also have the RMS replaced and the water pump. These are items that I would replace on a periodic basis (say every five years).
3) Adopt a high-quality maintenance focus. The M96 motors are not junk, like some might say. They actually have a lot of very advanced features and are complex and have a high power density. They are, by design, NOT maintenance-agnostic. The cooling system should be operating at 100% efficiency, not 80% (just for example), oil should be vigorously monitored etc. etc. etc. Adopt this type of focus and you should achieve great service life out of the vehicle. If you want something that you can forget about, you will be better off with a different type of car.
That is just my own view. I have been around cars a lot, taken them right apart to a shell (and put back together) and have a strong engineering background. I am comfortable with my own opinion, but it is JUST my own opinion.
As for the particular car: The 2.7 and 3.2 986 cars seem to do well overall. My own personal experience of talking to local owners indicates that the majority of 996/986 cars are very reliable. However, serious failures, such as the IMS bearing are real and do happen. On the one hand, there is a good chance that you will never have that level of an issue, but on the other hand, it is possible! The problem with IMS is that the collateral damage is extensive and hence, the cost is a killer. Pcar964 alluded to this. In fairness though, when I first came on Rennlist in 2004, the consensus was to stay away from 964s because of their “numerous serious issues”. The internet is a good resource, but a lousy place for putting negative things in perspective. I have spent too much time researching on the topic of IMS (online and in real life), and have reached my own, personal conclusions and don’t care to argue with anyone on a forum about it. If you are interested, this would be my OWN recommendation:
1) If the car checks out (and I would recommend an independent PPI if you are really serious about it), then I would certainly consider it. The Boxsters are great machines.
2) Due to the expensive collateral damage issues associated with an IMS failure, I would not be comfortable accepting the small risk of a problem, but with the large cost. I would recommend treating the IMS as a replacement item and have it replaced with an LN unit straight away. Done at a shop, this will be around $2K. At the same time I would also have the RMS replaced and the water pump. These are items that I would replace on a periodic basis (say every five years).
3) Adopt a high-quality maintenance focus. The M96 motors are not junk, like some might say. They actually have a lot of very advanced features and are complex and have a high power density. They are, by design, NOT maintenance-agnostic. The cooling system should be operating at 100% efficiency, not 80% (just for example), oil should be vigorously monitored etc. etc. etc. Adopt this type of focus and you should achieve great service life out of the vehicle. If you want something that you can forget about, you will be better off with a different type of car.
That is just my own view. I have been around cars a lot, taken them right apart to a shell (and put back together) and have a strong engineering background. I am comfortable with my own opinion, but it is JUST my own opinion.
09-11-2012, 07:36 PM
#10
Racer
Thread Starter
In the pictures, the car looks very nice. The fact that it is being sold at a Porsche dealership also means that it is a nicer specimen and it is probably premium-priced. I say nicer specimen, because at least in these parts, the official dealer only keeps the nicely-presented cars with good service history and lets the others go to auctions (where they end up on B-lots for less $$). The flipside is you pay a premium typically when buying from the official dealer. I do not know anything about Beachwood, good or bad, but I recently bought my Boxster (2004 S) from the local official dealer and I was really pleased with the level of pre-delivery service. My two other P-cars were bought privately and that is a route that has its plusses and minuses too.
As for the particular car: The 2.7 and 3.2 986 cars seem to do well overall. My own personal experience of talking to local owners indicates that the majority of 996/986 cars are very reliable. However, serious failures, such as the IMS bearing are real and do happen. On the one hand, there is a good chance that you will never have that level of an issue, but on the other hand, it is possible! The problem with IMS is that the collateral damage is extensive and hence, the cost is a killer. Pcar964 alluded to this. In fairness though, when I first came on Rennlist in 2004, the consensus was to stay away from 964s because of their “numerous serious issues”. The internet is a good resource, but a lousy place for putting negative things in perspective. I have spent too much time researching on the topic of IMS (online and in real life), and have reached my own, personal conclusions and don’t care to argue with anyone on a forum about it. If you are interested, this would be my OWN recommendation:
1) If the car checks out (and I would recommend an independent PPI if you are really serious about it), then I would certainly consider it. The Boxsters are great machines.
2) Due to the expensive collateral damage issues associated with an IMS failure, I would not be comfortable accepting the small risk of a problem, but with the large cost. I would recommend treating the IMS as a replacement item and have it replaced with an LN unit straight away. Done at a shop, this will be around $2K. At the same time I would also have the RMS replaced and the water pump. These are items that I would replace on a periodic basis (say every five years).
3) Adopt a high-quality maintenance focus. The M96 motors are not junk, like some might say. They actually have a lot of very advanced features and are complex and have a high power density. They are, by design, NOT maintenance-agnostic. The cooling system should be operating at 100% efficiency, not 80% (just for example), oil should be vigorously monitored etc. etc. etc. Adopt this type of focus and you should achieve great service life out of the vehicle. If you want something that you can forget about, you will be better off with a different type of car.
That is just my own view. I have been around cars a lot, taken them right apart to a shell (and put back together) and have a strong engineering background. I am comfortable with my own opinion, but it is JUST my own opinion.
As for the particular car: The 2.7 and 3.2 986 cars seem to do well overall. My own personal experience of talking to local owners indicates that the majority of 996/986 cars are very reliable. However, serious failures, such as the IMS bearing are real and do happen. On the one hand, there is a good chance that you will never have that level of an issue, but on the other hand, it is possible! The problem with IMS is that the collateral damage is extensive and hence, the cost is a killer. Pcar964 alluded to this. In fairness though, when I first came on Rennlist in 2004, the consensus was to stay away from 964s because of their “numerous serious issues”. The internet is a good resource, but a lousy place for putting negative things in perspective. I have spent too much time researching on the topic of IMS (online and in real life), and have reached my own, personal conclusions and don’t care to argue with anyone on a forum about it. If you are interested, this would be my OWN recommendation:
1) If the car checks out (and I would recommend an independent PPI if you are really serious about it), then I would certainly consider it. The Boxsters are great machines.
2) Due to the expensive collateral damage issues associated with an IMS failure, I would not be comfortable accepting the small risk of a problem, but with the large cost. I would recommend treating the IMS as a replacement item and have it replaced with an LN unit straight away. Done at a shop, this will be around $2K. At the same time I would also have the RMS replaced and the water pump. These are items that I would replace on a periodic basis (say every five years).
3) Adopt a high-quality maintenance focus. The M96 motors are not junk, like some might say. They actually have a lot of very advanced features and are complex and have a high power density. They are, by design, NOT maintenance-agnostic. The cooling system should be operating at 100% efficiency, not 80% (just for example), oil should be vigorously monitored etc. etc. etc. Adopt this type of focus and you should achieve great service life out of the vehicle. If you want something that you can forget about, you will be better off with a different type of car.
That is just my own view. I have been around cars a lot, taken them right apart to a shell (and put back together) and have a strong engineering background. I am comfortable with my own opinion, but it is JUST my own opinion.
Thanks for all of the responses, guys. Keep 'em coming!
09-11-2012, 07:46 PM
#12
Racer
Thread Starter
09-11-2012, 07:56 PM
#13
RL Community Team
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