Tim_944

I have been on these forums for a long time and i had a 944 for almost 10 years. My 944 got hit last year and was totalled and I bought a lexus as a daily driver to get to work. I am now looking to get a fun sports car again.

I have done my research on the boxster / 996 and i understand there are many issues that could come up with the motors (ims, slipped cylinder sleeves, chain tensioner failures, and cracked cylinder walls).

I also know that the 2009+ cars don't have an ims and are going to be the most reliable. I am only interested in a 986 boxster.

I am considering getting an early 97-98 2.5l boxster. I understand these have the dual row ims bearing and failure rates are low.

My question is what year and model 986 is most reliable and best car to get?

also, I did all my own repairs on my 944 but now i am very busy with work and i most likely won't have time to do major repairs like ims bearing replacement myself and will have to pay a shop.

i'm hoping more cars will be up for sale in the summer. i'd prefer to buy a car that has all the major service completed (clutch, ims etc).

mikefocke

If you are going to pay for the IMS to be replaced (either having it replaced or buying a car with one already replaced with a reputable product), then there is no need to limit yourself to the 2.5. I'd say the 2003-2004 2.7 with IMS replaced for the improvements outlined here in this list of model year changes.

My process would be to find a Porsche shop that has an excellent reputation, then tell them you are looking. They often know of cars whose owners are ready to move and the reason they are. It is most important to understand that reason and not be buying where the owner/seller knows the car has expensive problems.

Macster

If you are considering a 2.5l Boxster generally the cars built towards the end of the production run are the best cars.

These cars have the benefit of what was learned from building the earlier cars.

I think I would prefer to buy a car that has been well-maintained and with records to show it and a car that is stock as it came from the factory.

My preference is if the car needs to have the clutch done, or other work of that sort, to have it done at a place by a tech I have confidence in. And at the same time he can advise me on other possible issues that need addressing.

Schnell Gelb

Tim,
In view of your 944 affections I have one recommendation and I hope you are not dyslexic ;
968
Be quick because they are appreciating fast

Tim_944

thanks for the replies guys. I'm also interested in getting a 986 boxster S.

Schnell, I'm from Vancouver, B.C and 968s are super rare here. I've only ever seen 1 or 2 for sale and one was tipronic. I was also interested in a 928 but this will be my daily driver and I am a bit scared about getting such an old car as a daily driver. My 944 was reliable but there were times when it was down for months for major repairs (transmission blew once, torque tube broke etc.

I just saw a boxster listed by a dealer today for $16,500 cnd. It's a 2001, boxster 2.7L and has the ims and clutch replaced and new soft top. I think it's still a bit overpriced for a non S.

Macster

My 2002 2.7l Boxster -- built in late 2001 -- has been a fantastic car. Odometer currently at a bit over 307K miles.

A year or so ago I had to have the original top replaced. I went with a GAHH top -- with the plastic window just like the factory top -- and the quality of the GAHH top appears to be real good.

The IMSB and clutch are original.

Tim_944

oh wow that's amazing, 300k miles? weird how some people claim engine failures at low kms and then some cars can go high miles with no problems.

Macster

No doubt about it, my Boxster has been a pretty good car. (I feel sorry for those owners who have not had the same or better experience with their Boxsters as I have had with mine, though.)

Just what I expected when I decided to buy a Porsche. It has had a few problems over the years but not too many. Fuel pump. Water pump. CV boots. Wheel bearing. Brake, clutch switches. Window regulators. Door lock/latch controllers. Spark plug tube o-rings. Oh, RMS, but this was at 25K miles and covered under warranty. Needed a new top a year or two back. Radiator fan motor in there somewhere, too. These are all "wear" items though, really, when the miles start to get big.

The "biggie" was the passenger side VarioCam solenoid/actuator failed and had to be replaced. That ran around $3K to have fixed. (Solenoid/actuator replaced.)

BTW, I saw another poster offer up a "968". Not too long after I bought my Boxster (in Jan. 2002) I wanted a 2nd car to use in bad weather -- I lived/worked in the KC MO area -- and came upon a very nice low miles 968 at the Porsche dealer where I bought my Boxster. The salesman begged me to buy the car. He told me an older woman owned it and didn't drive it very much and it was in for no start -- dead battery -- issues often. Apparently the dealer was eating the battery replacement costs but wanted out from under this but didn't want to upset the woman. She might have been an otherwise good customer, possibly having bought other cars from this dealer (it also sold M-B's and Jags.)

I was tempted but I wanted a car to drive in the bad weather but really couldn't bear to subject this pristine 968 to the snowy/icy/slushy slop that winter KC MO streets/roads offered up. So instead I bought a 2002 VW Golf TDi. (Had the same excellent corrosion protection the Boxster came with.) But believe it or not I ended up driving the Boxster year 'round. It was impossible to stay away from the Boxster, impossible to not drive it, even when the weather was bad.

But I still kind of kick myself for not buying that 968. However, not sure I'd buy one now, though. They are really getting on in years.

Tim_944

yeah. I like the 968 but i don't think i'd get one as they are getting really old now.


i am going to be patient and wait until i find a really nice boxster. I'm pretty picky when i buy a car and want it to be perfect. I noticed a lot of 986 boxsters have really worn out seats. The leather looks faded and really worn even with lower mileage cars.

i'd also prefer to buy a car from a rennlist member that has taken good care of the cars and already replaced the ims bearing.

Macster

The seats take a beating. The car is quite low. Watch someone who hasn't been in Boxster before (or for a while) get in the car. The low seating throws her/him for a loop and often the person just drops the last few inches.

Heck after I spend time in my Turbo and then switch back to driving the Boxster the first time I get back in the Boxster it feels like the seat bottom is way way down. I get down about as low as I would getting into the Turbo then just give up and fall the remaining inch or so.

(My driver's seat is a bit beat up but I don't keep my billfold in my pants pocket which has helped keep the seat in better condition than it otherwise might be in at this time.)

There is also the issue of body oils/persperation. Some humans have a rather toxic mix of body oils and persperation. The seat material can really suffer from being exposed to this over the years.

I've never had to have it done but when I was having my Boxster's top replaced at an auto upholstery shop I got to talking to the installer there and he told me they can replace just a section or two of badly worn seat material with new material that comes pretty close to matching the original material. 'course it won't have the same patina at all sections of the seat afterwards but any tears/cracks/splits and bad padding will be dealt with so the seat looks and feels like "new" again ignoring the patina differences.

If I was in the market for a used car and came upon an otherwise nice example save the seats were a bit worse for the wear i wouldn't let the condition of the seats scare me away.

RennPart

We like all Boxsters, but our 98 2.5L shop car has been holding up pretty well. It does have a few small issues, such as the alarm/keyless doors not working, but for $5000 it is a lot of fun and a great parts runner, and it came with a hardtop! Also the early 97-99 cars are candidates for club racing Spec Race Boxster.. FWIW the 99 Boxster has a bigger gas tank out of the 2.5L cars.




On her way back home from NoVA

Shred

These cars are reliable if looked after.
I had no problem with mine, only really wear items needed replacing and they were easy to do.

If you are looking for a socal car with all the important things like IMS etc done, I have my 03 S currently listed.

Good luck!

Schnell Gelb

Shred is too modest ,so here is a link to his Listing:
https://rennlist.com/forums/vehicle-...l-records.html

pcarfan944

I'll echo what everyone else says, pretty simple cars that are easy to work on and reliable when maintained.

Not sure what your time frame for purchase is, but come Spring I'll be tentatively selling my '99 2.5 to fund a 996 purchase. It's a beautiful stock example in Ocean Blue over Savannah Biege. Original window sticker, full service history, factory hardtop with a fresh clutch, water pump, and most of the known 986 issues addressed during my 4 year ownership.

NewArt

Shred's car looks really nice. I see that you are in Vancouver so we're dealing in CAD. Canadian cars are a good deal right now when compared to buying in the US, with our 75 cent dollar plus the cost of importing and taxes to be paid at the border. I bought my car in California but that was 4 years ago when our dollar was at par. I will be listing mine soon and it will be listed in the US as well for the foregoing reason. ( mine's a tiptronic and it's a great car, ims done, etc, etc.,but I'm looking for a manual).