extanker

the boxy got its moniker [a chicks car]from a TV sitcom........the 996 are called the hairdressers car from the TV news

grrrmonster

With the suspension goodies we put on my sons Boxster it's almost as sweet as my GT3 on track- just missing 180hp

extanker

^^^ tru dat......they do need much much more torque

paulofto

The Box is still more fun in the twisties and up & downs then any car I've driven. Back in my youth (the late '70's) I had a Fiat X 1/9. People back then said it wasn't a real sports car. Until they drove it and had more fun than you can imagine.

The Boxster may not have the power of the 911 but it is way more fun.

GVA-SFO

Hello Austin Mickelson,

..A 5'000.00 IMS !!!!!!
I did the IMS on mine, using the LN "Doubble Row Pro", for 2'700.
5k seems to be very high to me.

About About Porsche been expensive, ..I do have a different view:
First, you can buy any used cars and be ..very lucky, but you can also be very unlucky. This all depend of the car itself, and also the way it was operated and serviced before you got it.

OK, with a Porsche of these series (986, 996, and etc..) you have to deal with the Porsche M96 engine, that could be a tough animal, ..but it could be also a very nice one.

I had many 911 during 30 years, and now, beside a Panamera, I have an old (2001) Boxster S and love it big time. The 986 have in my opinion a much better handling than the 996 and I really prefer it, particularly on track use.

Also, to my view, in general, the highest cost of a car, ..is the depreciation, i.e.: you bought it at one price, and later, you sell sell it at another price.
In the case of a Porsche, I think this is a brand that gives you one of the best ratio of efficiency on the depreciation.

The only problem, is to buy one ..that is a good one and have been well maintained.

Do not buy one without having the PIWIS (Porsche computer reader) scanned, read the R1 and the R2. And for example, if you have R2's, keep your money and run as fast as you can !
You can also check the total engine hours, and check these against the odometer, to see what is the average mph. this should let you have a check about the potential truth of the odometer (i.e.: if less than 20mph average, I would raise doubts !)

Also do a "PPI" and have a good talk with the tech that did the inspection.
I.e.: ask him if he would buy it

I can add that these cars (i.e.: a 986) should give you SPM (smiles per mile) ratio, that should be also higher, ..than the "other cars" !

..my two "cents" !!
(and with all my deep respects for your work)

Mike Murphy

^^ Funny, I just checked my engine hours for the first time today. I'm at 1768 hours and 51,500 miles (29mph)

ace37

If $1-2k per year for maintenance is concerning, you might be happier with another car. They are great to drive but you do have to spend money to keep them great to drive.

If you DIY instead of paying a shop for everything, you won't have to spend nearly as much over the long term. You pay by the hour when you have a shop do work for you, and the easy regular jobs add up quick so if you start with simple stuff like oil, fluid, and brake changes you'll get a lot of labor cost savings without needing to learn a great deal. Just get a service manual, google and youtube the processes for extra confidence, and then follow the manual to do the service. Your costs for most issues are now reduced to fluids, parts, and a few new tools now and then.

I think the $5k figure was for an IMS and full clutch job; I'd expect an IMS only change to cost something more like half of that.

If you want a fun ragtop and maintenance costs are an issue you might check out Honda S2000s. I had one years back and loved it. Great cars, a lot of fun to drive, great motor, great shifter, reliable, and you can find them fully depreciated so you get your money back when you sell it.

petee_c

I'm a DIY type guy, I maintain my Porsche myself... I don't really follow the maintenance schedule on my vehicle anymore as it's 16yrs old now, and it's on the road about 7-8months /yr

I have a 2001 Boxster S that I bought in June 2009. My maintenance records were good when I first got it, but not as good now.

In 8 yrs of ownership and about 40,000 miles, (going by memory here)
- 2 pairs of rear tires, fronts still have good tread left, but will be replaced in the next 6 months when I need to put my 3rd set of rears on.
1 alignment
1 AOS
1 MAF
- dissasembled and regreased sticky bendix gear on starter
1 Pedro Motor mount
1 HVAC screen from Ebay
fixed microswitch on passenger door (? loose connection)
CV boots on both axles
forward control arms on the rear suspension
- oil and filters...
1 air filter
- one battery
-spark plug tubes, and spark plugs
- couple of light bulbs
- one or 2 brake flushes

I think I've had maybe $1000-$1500 (CDN) in parts, and maybe $1200 in rear tires so far, this is into 8 yrs of enjoyment. I have a spare motor mount sitting on the shelf in the garage, and a serpentine belt waiting to be changed. I've been lucky so far - no wheel bearings or brake work needed.

For tools I bought a Motive brake bleeder (not needed, but nice, and it fits my VW and Audi DD) - maybe $150 IIRC, I also bought a maxjax lift in 2011 from Costco Canada for ($2300 delivered, taxes in) and about $400 of concrete.

I will need to replace the top soon as the rear window has 2 small cracks in it (budget $1500CDN) and will address the IMS bearing sometime ($1500 in parts?)

So including parts, tools (lift included, although jackstands are perfectly doable), and tires... lets say $5500cdn in 8 yrs. US online prices seem to be cheaper for the most part, so I would guess maybe $4000USD if you can find an online US retailer (suncoast, pelican etc). We get dinged on duty and shipping if ordering from the US....

I've owned a Boxster S for about $700/yr maintenance, free labour, and I learned a bunch.

Mike Murphy

^^ It's the labor that allowed you to save about 1/2 there. You could easily double that 5500 CDN if you paid someone else to do it.

I agree, though, these cars are surprisingly easy to work on. I replaced both horns and cleaned out my radiators last week by taking the front bumper and wheel well liners off. These cars are works of art, the way they are engineered and assembled. They can be fun to work on.

AnthonyGS

I was a nuke in the Navy a while back. When I was young I considered stretching my finances to buy a Ferrari 308/328 or a Porsche 911SC. I didn't do either and I regret not getting both today. Get the Porsche and a $3000 Toyota or Honda to drive back and forth to work and enjoy yourself.