Debating over winter projects

[e_room_matt]

I'm just finishing my first year as a boxster owner and the car has been running great. The first snow has just fallen where I live and will probably be here till the end of February so I'm looking for some potential garage projects to keep me busy and make sure the car is running great when spring hits.

There are several minor things I'm considering tackling but would love to get some guidance. I'm a novice, and some of these may be over my head or not worth doing.

Any thoughts are appreciated.


1. Split CV boot. Debating about replacing the whole rear left axle. Doesn't show any signs of problems, but I assume you are supposed to address this in advance.
2. New Stereo. Original is failed.
3. Cruise Control inoperable. Not sure if this is a switch or what
4. Clean polish or replace headlamp. Glass is foggy.
5. 3rd gear is tight and difficult to shift into. Not sure what to do. Probably above my pay grade.
6. Replace failed front hood struts. This seams simple enough.
7. Some preemptive maintenance just for experience. Change oil, filters, etc.
8. Check break pads and replace if needed. No idea how to measure wear, but I'd like to know.

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by e_room_matt

I'm just finishing my first year as a boxster owner and the car has been running great. The first snow has just fallen where I live and will probably be here till the end of February so I'm looking for some potential garage projects to keep me busy and make sure the car is running great when spring hits.

There are several minor things I'm considering tackling but would love to get some guidance. I'm a novice, and some of these may be over my head or not worth doing.

Any thoughts are appreciated.


1. Split CV boot. Debating about replacing the whole rear left axle. Doesn't show any signs of problems, but I assume you are supposed to address this in advance.
2. New Stereo. Original is failed.
3. Cruise Control inoperable. Not sure if this is a switch or what
4. Clean polish or replace headlamp. Glass is foggy.
5. 3rd gear is tight and difficult to shift into. Not sure what to do. Probably above my pay grade.
6. Replace failed front hood struts. This seams simple enough.
7. Some preemptive maintenance just for experience. Change oil, filters, etc.
8. Check break pads and replace if needed. No idea how to measure wear, but I'd like to know.

1. you gotta do with a quality boot. Aftermarket axles are worthless (generic universal replacements)

3. Cruise control will not work if any lights are out. Hopefully you have a bad bulb.

4. Yes
5. May be a bad front engine mount
6. Yes very easy unless the hood hits you in the head, try to find something to prop up the hood while working underneath.
7. Always good to change oil & filter before long term storage.
8. Some times you can see how much pads are worn thru the wheels but definitly replace before pads are 1/4" from rotor surface.

[e_room_matt]

Originally Posted by BYprodriver

1. you gotta do with a quality boot. Aftermarket axles are worthless (generic universal replacements).

So are these considered an aftermarket axle?
https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/1046/POR_1046_SUSAXL_pg1.htm#item1

[e_room_matt]

So are you referring to these types of axles?

https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/1046/POR_1046_SUSAXL_pg1.htm#item1

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by e_room_matt

So are these considered an aftermarket axle?
https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/1046/POR_1046_SUSAXL_pg1.htm#item1

Yes, I didn't know Pelican sold any, they are probably good replacements, I would call them to see if anyone there has any experience with them.

[husker boxster]

#5 - you're probably due for a trans axle fluid change. Not hard to do but:
Top tip 1 - make sure the car is level when changing fluid.
Top tip 2 - make sure the fill bolt is loosened first before the drain bolt. Want to be sure you can refill before draining all your fluid. Doh!

#8 - another easy way to gauge pad life is to compare the brake pad material left to the steel backing plate thickness of the pad. If they are the same or brake pad is less, time to change.

[Brian in Tucson]

If it isn't broken, don't fix it. You can buy new boots for your axles, it's not a difficult process to replace them. Just messy as heck. I got some from Rock Auto, inexpensive and included grease. I have a parts cleaning tank, but you could clean the cv joints with many good (the blue ones) paper towels and a bunch of cans of brake cleaner. My cv boots were shot at 74,000 miles, not a glowing endorsement for the OEM boots!

I looked at those axles on Pelican, a thousand bucks a side! BTW, you should replace both sides if you are going to do one side. So that's $2k. If my cv's were worn out, I'd probably look for rebuilt ones.

Merry Christmas, you all!

[e_room_matt]

How is the Porsche genuine parts axles are $950 and the generics are $64?