So far so good w/my 02 Base Automatic...
09-13-2012, 02:30 AM
#1
So far so good w/my 02 Base Automatic...
The long story is, I wanted a TT convert, but wasn't satisfied with the prices, for the pretty rough and/or high miles examples I found. All along, I wanted a Boxster anyway, but it really doesn't make a great only-car.
So, now I have a better budget, and a paid-off Tiguan 6m w/APR & A3 springs. Once I decided on a Boxster as a "better value", the only other question was MANual or Automatic. My Tig and my wife's Opel Astra are both manuals, plus I had a nasty ankle surgery a few years ago, and it gets sore when it's stressed to much. Also, I live now in a 5x25mi valley. All stop n go until you get over the mountains.
After searching out 30 cars, I had to toss most of them after deciding on an auto.
This is what I came up with....
2002 Auto 42k Dark Adriatic Blue with grey, asking $13,900 and a roadside car lot in south central PA. I'm farther north, here and North Jersey are rougher on cars. Potholes, curbs, stopngo, short trips... So I prefer cars from south of me. This car originally came from Vienna, VA. Other contenders meant a ride across NNJ to Long Island.
http://harrisburg.craigslist.org/ctd/3193059114.html
Not having much to go on from the ad, I took a chance and rented a Versa one-way with the wife. The good part is the body looks clean and unmolested (great colour), solid ride, ok tracking, very good trans action, and decent engine performance w/no noises.
I talked him down to $13,500 on the phone. When I get there, the problem is the d/s window is stuck down....it "just happened". He knocked off $500 on the spot, another roll of the dice, but I still took the car. It turns out the other window is stuck up, too.
Upon delivery, I drove it 2 miles up the road to the local redneck garage, and had them do an oil change, with my filter and my strait HD 30 oil, offering $30, a few dollars more than they normally charge. I wanted to inspect the filter for metallic particles, maybe giving an idea of the IMS bearing was ****ting the bed. The oil and filter were dirty, but everything came out fine. The canister cover was crazy tight, I may not have been able to get it off.
It needs brakes and tires and the windows fixed, both are dead. I'll check fuses and relays asap. idk if I want a dealer alignment for the heck of it.
It has 17"s, which is what I want. I ordered Cooper RS3-A for the rear, and for the front a single Falken ZE-912 to match the ONE good tire on the whole car....$80 shipped from DTD! It looks like 215/40-17 might make a good front size, I may try it next time. I'm not very attached to the Falkens.
I got may work cut out for me. Back in Philly is my BOSCH mechanic with a full comp licence, here I have my VW Audi Porsche dealer where they love me. Also there is another posh BOSCH Centre w/sales right by me. They stock a number of nice Porsches at any time.
My DIY skills are pretty good, but the Boxster is all new to me. fwiw, I grew up in 914s, my dad had about five. I even learned to drive on one. lol, got pulled over at 9 years old doing it. Trooper told me dad I was driving fine, he just couldn't see anyone behind the wheel.
I'll be around, obviously.
Oh, I used dino oil, and will again this winter.
So, now I have a better budget, and a paid-off Tiguan 6m w/APR & A3 springs. Once I decided on a Boxster as a "better value", the only other question was MANual or Automatic. My Tig and my wife's Opel Astra are both manuals, plus I had a nasty ankle surgery a few years ago, and it gets sore when it's stressed to much. Also, I live now in a 5x25mi valley. All stop n go until you get over the mountains.
After searching out 30 cars, I had to toss most of them after deciding on an auto.
This is what I came up with....
2002 Auto 42k Dark Adriatic Blue with grey, asking $13,900 and a roadside car lot in south central PA. I'm farther north, here and North Jersey are rougher on cars. Potholes, curbs, stopngo, short trips... So I prefer cars from south of me. This car originally came from Vienna, VA. Other contenders meant a ride across NNJ to Long Island.
http://harrisburg.craigslist.org/ctd/3193059114.html
Not having much to go on from the ad, I took a chance and rented a Versa one-way with the wife. The good part is the body looks clean and unmolested (great colour), solid ride, ok tracking, very good trans action, and decent engine performance w/no noises.
I talked him down to $13,500 on the phone. When I get there, the problem is the d/s window is stuck down....it "just happened". He knocked off $500 on the spot, another roll of the dice, but I still took the car. It turns out the other window is stuck up, too.
Upon delivery, I drove it 2 miles up the road to the local redneck garage, and had them do an oil change, with my filter and my strait HD 30 oil, offering $30, a few dollars more than they normally charge. I wanted to inspect the filter for metallic particles, maybe giving an idea of the IMS bearing was ****ting the bed. The oil and filter were dirty, but everything came out fine. The canister cover was crazy tight, I may not have been able to get it off.
It needs brakes and tires and the windows fixed, both are dead. I'll check fuses and relays asap. idk if I want a dealer alignment for the heck of it.
It has 17"s, which is what I want. I ordered Cooper RS3-A for the rear, and for the front a single Falken ZE-912 to match the ONE good tire on the whole car....$80 shipped from DTD! It looks like 215/40-17 might make a good front size, I may try it next time. I'm not very attached to the Falkens.
I got may work cut out for me. Back in Philly is my BOSCH mechanic with a full comp licence, here I have my VW Audi Porsche dealer where they love me. Also there is another posh BOSCH Centre w/sales right by me. They stock a number of nice Porsches at any time.
My DIY skills are pretty good, but the Boxster is all new to me. fwiw, I grew up in 914s, my dad had about five. I even learned to drive on one. lol, got pulled over at 9 years old doing it. Trooper told me dad I was driving fine, he just couldn't see anyone behind the wheel.
I'll be around, obviously.
Oh, I used dino oil, and will again this winter.
09-14-2012, 03:31 AM
#4
No PPI. Window power seems to be the only issue.
3 bottles of Techron and 12 oz of 2 cycle oil later...it's running (and shifting) great.
Tires come tomorrow, then I'll start working on the brakes.
I applied some striping today...
It was dark in the pic, but the stripe is flat grey, matching the interior.
3 bottles of Techron and 12 oz of 2 cycle oil later...it's running (and shifting) great.
Tires come tomorrow, then I'll start working on the brakes.
I applied some striping today...
It was dark in the pic, but the stripe is flat grey, matching the interior.
09-14-2012, 12:27 PM
#6
I didn't get to that yet. As funny as it sounds, PepBoys does great brake work for cheap. Their products are Raybestos, no problem. FLAPS brake pads are excellent these days.
09-14-2012, 02:57 PM
#7
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
That is a nice color combination. Hopefully you will have a chance to get some pics in better light, as I am sure the grey of the stickers will play off the interior color very nicely.
That Adriatic blue is beautiful.
That Adriatic blue is beautiful.
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09-14-2012, 03:16 PM
#8
Rennlist Member
If you are going to run nonsynthetic 30 weight oil in your Box we are wasteing our time trying to help you! Time that could be better spent actually helping someone else
09-14-2012, 04:15 PM
#9
Ok, well I have an extensive Tribology background and routinely pull Caterpillar Labs UOAs from my vehicles. I don't remember asking for help with that.
Referring to my manual, there's a w i d e range of visc options and ancient API certs like SG/SH! This chart appears in a recent Euro Porsche manual...
If asked, I could simply explain that strait weight oils have better film strength and HT/HS than Multiweights, allowing a lower running viscosity. This is an HD oil, with a great add pack...hell, it's Chevron Delo!
Frankly, Rotella's 10w-30 HD "T5" oil is one of the best products on the market for Euro engines, and it's cheap.
30 weights can range from 12cSt to 14cSt at +100c, and have HT/HS of >3.5cP, making the A3 spec. We do remember German Syntec 0w-30...Porsche Approved.
Here's a good place to plod around for those interested in lube specs, strait from the horse's mouth.
http://sas-origin.onstreammedia.com/.../pc/index.html
...and here. http://www.pqiamerica.com/
Nevertheless, the thing runs and sounds better every day.
I'm off to mount tires.
Dealer rep is checking tech info for the pwr windows for me.
I still have to get over the hump.
Referring to my manual, there's a w i d e range of visc options and ancient API certs like SG/SH! This chart appears in a recent Euro Porsche manual...
If asked, I could simply explain that strait weight oils have better film strength and HT/HS than Multiweights, allowing a lower running viscosity. This is an HD oil, with a great add pack...hell, it's Chevron Delo!
Frankly, Rotella's 10w-30 HD "T5" oil is one of the best products on the market for Euro engines, and it's cheap.
30 weights can range from 12cSt to 14cSt at +100c, and have HT/HS of >3.5cP, making the A3 spec. We do remember German Syntec 0w-30...Porsche Approved.
Here's a good place to plod around for those interested in lube specs, strait from the horse's mouth.
http://sas-origin.onstreammedia.com/.../pc/index.html
...and here. http://www.pqiamerica.com/
Nevertheless, the thing runs and sounds better every day.
I'm off to mount tires.
Dealer rep is checking tech info for the pwr windows for me.
I still have to get over the hump.
09-14-2012, 04:33 PM
#10
Consider the new Conoco products like Kendall with titanium additives, it's no joke. iirc, Edge has it now too.
http://www.conocophillipslubricants...._titanium.aspx
http://www.conocophillipslubricants...._titanium.aspx
09-16-2012, 10:12 PM
#12
After struggling to get the front boot open, I found the lug key in there, so I was able to M&B my tires.
One front Falken 912 to match the only other good one on the car. It was almost new and the match was only $80 shipped. fwiw, my 2 255/40-17 rears are Cooper RS3-A. Not a bad price for a primo tire like this, about $130 ea. WalMart did the work, as usual....more than a good job. It looks like the Contis that came off were original, at 43k. Oddly, on the rears, I have the 8" wide wheel, but the old tires were 235/45-17, with the "S-Pack" 17" upgrade. Who knows why there were more narrow tires, maybe because of it being a Base, but with upgrade 17"s? All the reference I saw was 255/40, none speced 235/45. I checked, they are same diameter.
Brakes look orig too, 75% rear, 25% front. I'll repad the fronts soon, and bleed.
lol (or wtf), the battery in there was 1/2 sized and NOT fastened to anything other than the leads. With 2-3 inches of tether, and not strapped down, it was a real piece of work, bouncing around 2ft from the cabin. I tried my $80 go-to batt for Euro cars, #41(4)...but it didn't have the mounting feet on the bottom, for some reason. Reference manual unit was a full-sized MAXX, I forget the number, $109. I was wondering why the cranking was so lame, and sort of delayed after I turned the key.
I'm in no rush to fix the electro-release. There's not much storage up there anyway. I topped the washer fluid.
I haven't taken a pic with good lighting yet. The stripe and interior are both light flat grey.
One front Falken 912 to match the only other good one on the car. It was almost new and the match was only $80 shipped. fwiw, my 2 255/40-17 rears are Cooper RS3-A. Not a bad price for a primo tire like this, about $130 ea. WalMart did the work, as usual....more than a good job. It looks like the Contis that came off were original, at 43k. Oddly, on the rears, I have the 8" wide wheel, but the old tires were 235/45-17, with the "S-Pack" 17" upgrade. Who knows why there were more narrow tires, maybe because of it being a Base, but with upgrade 17"s? All the reference I saw was 255/40, none speced 235/45. I checked, they are same diameter.
Brakes look orig too, 75% rear, 25% front. I'll repad the fronts soon, and bleed.
lol (or wtf), the battery in there was 1/2 sized and NOT fastened to anything other than the leads. With 2-3 inches of tether, and not strapped down, it was a real piece of work, bouncing around 2ft from the cabin. I tried my $80 go-to batt for Euro cars, #41(4)...but it didn't have the mounting feet on the bottom, for some reason. Reference manual unit was a full-sized MAXX, I forget the number, $109. I was wondering why the cranking was so lame, and sort of delayed after I turned the key.
I'm in no rush to fix the electro-release. There's not much storage up there anyway. I topped the washer fluid.
I haven't taken a pic with good lighting yet. The stripe and interior are both light flat grey.
09-17-2012, 10:12 PM
#13
Took it into the shop today and going to leave it for the week. It's pretty far, so I don't want to come back anytime soon.
Fixing the power windows, coolant flush and plugs. It's an auto, so no rush on doing the trans fluid.
Am I overlooking anything?
Nice GTC car at my shop, Woodlawn.
Fixing the power windows, coolant flush and plugs. It's an auto, so no rush on doing the trans fluid.
Am I overlooking anything?
Nice GTC car at my shop, Woodlawn.
