sbelles

I upgraded IMS barrings and the the AOS went out leading to catastrophic failure. That as at ~140K. 80k of which were track miles.

Brockmeister

I replaced mine at 71k along with the clutch. No failure

Flat6 Innovations

Too bad your timing chains aren't happy about that.

Nothing wrong with an IMS, Porsche started using the technology with the 547/1 in 1955 and every flat 6 aircooled engine also had one and they NEVER gave issues. The IMS is not an issue and it was used for a very good reason. The problem is a sealed ball bearing inside an engine.

ep3_lol

I know I am just one example, but I always point out that mine has been trouble-free, easy to work on, and inexpensive to maintain. I have a friend that bought a 986 a few months ago, and he has had a similar experience thus far, so I am hoping to have two accounts of these cars being no more trouble than a Civic or Corolla. Not as cheap as them, sure, but considering all of the other ownership costs, the difference in parts price has been negligible so far.

gfl

The poll will not let me vote twice ( i have two boxsters to report).

1. - replaced with LN at 40k, IMS is OK condition
2. - replaced with LN on replacement of motor (150k on original motor, 197k on original car, 27k on "new motor - you tell m the mileage :-))

note: original motor jumped time. Original diagnosis was failed IMS. I took the IMS out - it was fine. Chain show on bank A failed - one side jumped time. Beware, this indicates there may be mis-diagnosed "IMS" failures out there.

Grant

Flat6 Innovations

Tons of them. In the early days no one other than us was working with these engines internally, so the IMS was the assumed failure and the engine never came apart to quantify that. As I stated in 2008, "ALl IMS Bearing failures are not IMS Bearing failures"

MikeBat

No failure. Upgraded the IMS three year ago.

I drive it on street and some track.

Flywheel showed more wear and tear than the bearing when it came out. Clutch was still in good order. Replaced the flywheel while he was in there.

Cefalu

You can be assured that Porsche management was soberly aware that potential buyers had become sufficiently wary about the whole IMSB issue, and it was becoming a sales and marketing challenge.

Even if it wasn't a material issue, the power of the internet has made it so.

What better way to manage than to say, voilà, no IMSB! All better now.

San Rensho

I agree that the sample bias and small size taints the survey, but the sample bias argues that the failure rate of 5-6 percent is actually high. Logically, those with failures will be the most vocal on forums, so the actual rate should be less than that reported in surveys.

pjq

Yes IMS failure.
2004 Boxster S 40,000miles. 2nd owner since Nov 2010 - 23,400 miles at time of purchase. Oil changed every 6,000 miles (Mobil 1 0W40). Not track driven. After engine was warmed up rev's were kept at 3200 and above.
Nov. 2012 my wife and I were heading south for warmer temperatures and approx. 4hrs into the trip, when I came off the interstate and stopped at the stop sign the engine quit. Lights on the dash came on as if I had stalled. Prior to this absolutley no indication there was anything wrong, I was driving 75 - 80.
When I started the car the noice was horrible! I now know it is known as the "death rattle".
The car was towed to "european auto surgeons" great group. They diagnosed the problem then I had the car towed to the nearest Porsche dealer, Portland Me. (stay away!) whom also agreed with the original diagnosis. Between Porsche Portland and PNA they didn't offer what I thought was a fair enough settlement so the car was towed home to my garage where I'll see what I can do with it.

Mighty Shilling

8.5% failure in this sample gives me confidence

bronston

I had an '04 40th anniversary purchased in '07 with 10k miles. At fifteen K the IMS failed. I was just a couple of blocks from the dealer, so I went right to the shop. As my engine wasn't yet trashed, I got a field overhaul. My research showed that IMS failures were addressed with factory reman, which wasn't offered to me, not pleased. A year or so later the car wouldn't hold a charge, two separate trips to dealer for that repair as a needed cable wasn't ordered the first time. Two years later repeat of same problem with cable and alternator, only this time CPO expired and I was going to cost me a thousand dollars to repeat the earlier repair. The most expensive car I've ever owned was the most unreliable, on its fourth alternator at less than forty-thousand miles. Three major failures that put the car out of service for days, in the case of the alternator and weeks with the IMS. Reading the boards, this is yet another of Porsche's many "known problems" . "Known problems" are simply long standing problems that Porsche is content to leave unaddressed. What kind of company puts out such a terribly flawed engine for years and leaves it's customers on their own after warranty and continue to manufacture that engine for years, eventually leaving it to third party shops to solve. Toyota/Lexus would stop production once such a serious flaw was discovered, and make it right for those already affected.

I realized I could not trust this car for a cross country trip, the prospect of a Porsche breakdown, with the attendant delay, expense and being at the mercy of unknown shops etc. meant I couldn't happily use the car for travel very far from home.

I'm happily done with Porsche and now drive a Lexus IS F, which has given me no trouble whatsoever. The power/weight ratio is right up there with the Porsche, it's quieter, smoother and more comfortable, and delightful to drive ( I bought the Lexus ten minutes into the test drive). In case some would conclude that I was so unsophisticated that I couldn't appreciate how wonderful a Porsche is, I would note I regularly take my Ducati Panagale to the track, track days on four wheels are interesting, but on two with a power /weight ratio of 1/3, now that's a challenge.

perfectlap

^ Seems I've read more than a few failures with the 550 edition Boxster and similar with the Carrera anniversary car. It's probably more anecdotal than anything else but being a factory special edition that fails nowhere near 100K miles is none the less embarrasing for such a premium price tag.

Peter_S03

I had mine replaced last year at a Boxster "expert" , in S. Pasco co. Fl.
and had to replace again , because it was over torqued by 300%. Have pics to show this blundering mistake.
I had my share of nightmares in N. Pinellas Co. garage also. Write me I will be happy to share this BAD experience , and $$$$$ badly spent .

Bruce In Philly

2000 S Boxster

1st engine failed at 47K miles, 2nd failed at 150K miles engine/197K miles chassis. The 2nd killed the car and I sold it to someone building a track car.

Issue: Are you sure it is the IMS that failed? In both of my failures, the mechanics "thought" it was the IMS and they were pretty sure... For the first, the engine was crated and shipped back to Germany (replaced under warranty) however for the second engine, the new owner pulled the bearing and it was fine. SO...... how many IMS failures are not?

I know it is too late to change the poll, but frankly, I think it should be "engine failures" not just IMS failures as there are other failure modes at play.

Just for the morbidly curious....

Symptom engine failure 1: 10 hours into a 13 hour drive on interstates, my oil light popped on. Yikes, pulled over and shut down the engine. No leaks, no issues that I can see, checked dip stick, no odd sounds, no performance changes, all looked good. Called Porsche dealer "must be a fluke". Started up and light was out. All fine.... 1 week later, while driving in a parking lot, the engine started making noise like marbles bouncing in a hard plastic box. I drove home for another 3 miles.... sound got louder and had some power loss, no loss of fluids or dash lights. Shut down car, flat bedded to dealer. Tried to start at dealer and it made a loud metallic racket. Shut off…. New engine… may be IMS.

Symptom engine failure 2: Driving about 55 on highway, big miss like engine shut off, engine immediately returns to normal… happens again about 15 seconds later… I throw in the clutch and start to drift off to the side…. Dash lights up, engine stalls out. Can’t restart, engine appears seized. Next day, engine would turn over but one bank skipped time… mechanic said IMS failed.. dead. Wasn’t IMS, but still don’t know what it was.
Peace
Bruce in Philly