Not looking at Boxster's... but

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

I had a 2002 standard 986 with a manual. Its was an excellent car, and I would own one again.

My only advice would be that if you plan on using it as an all year round car, I would track down the factory hard top. I had one, and it made the car much more livable in the winter. Also much quieter. The rag tops on that generation were very thin. That changed with the 987.

If/when I get serious I will look on eBay for a hard top, I had one on my Miata and almost never took it off.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Matt, I'm glad we had this discussion. Thank you. You made me go look (I jacked up the back to look for the ABS sensors), and you talked me into taking it for a drive. It does, in fact, have ABS - I stand corrected.

Amazing. Amazing in that I have put a couple of sets of brake pads on it and never noticed the sensors. They are inboard of the discs, but not that that is any kind of an excuse. Amazing too in that while I have only had it on a track twice (I promised my wife I wouldn't "ruin it" by turning it into a track rat like my 911), I have managed to well and truly lock up the brakes. We're talking full-on smoke show, not unlike a Funny Car burnout. Never felt the typical ABS shudder in the pedal.

On my drive today, I took advantage of our freshly sanded roads (it snowed pretty heavily a few weeks ago) to try to make the ABS engage. Sure enough, shuddering pedal and all, I got it to engage. I still got it to skid on the sand, but it sure was trying not to.

So I learned something today. That said, I'm a slow learner, so I am now a bit baffled. Did I just manage to over-power the system when I locked them up on the track? Should that even be possible, or is there possibly some kind of a fault? I mean, it did what it was supposed to do on my little test drive today.

Honestly Jeff I'd say that's mostly a function of the system being pretty darn good. Sometimes ABS, especially earlier systems, was pretty obtrusive. You have to really be in a bad way to feel it functioning on these cars. As for your track experience, maybe it was a unique set of circumstances and the ECU just got confused?

Originally Posted by scottmandue

If/when I get serious I will look on eBay for a hard top, I had one on my Miata and almost never took it off.

The hard top is nice but not required by any means. I always felt the 986 to be a pretty quiet and well sealed car even with the early soft top with plastic rear window. Also took mine through touchless car washes in the winter and never had issues with leaks. So while the hard top does make it quieter and better temperature insulated, it isn't by any means a necessity.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by Halm

Also, I DD’ed a BRZ for 18 months. Not once did a comparison with any 911 come to mind. It is a really good car, but an air-cooled 911 experience it is not.

The claim was that FRS is more 911 than a modern Cayman with 385hp.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

The claim was that FRS is more 911 than a modern Cayman with 385hp.

So.........slow?

I kid, I kid.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Honestly Jeff I'd say that's mostly a function of the system being pretty darn good. Sometimes ABS, especially earlier systems, was pretty obtrusive. You have to really be in a bad way to feel it functioning on these cars. As for your track experience, maybe it was a unique set of circumstances and the ECU just got confused?

That could be it. The only other car (truck, actually) that I have ever driven as my own that has ABS is my '93 Land Cruiser. My God, there is no doubt that damn thing is there. Remember those old "flab vibrators", those machines with the big wide leather belt that women would put around their waists in an effort to shake the fat off? That's what this thing feels like. It makes your whole body shake. The Boxster is, in comparison, completely unnoticeable. As my latest discovery would indicate...

[jhynesrockmtn]

If/when I get serious I will look on eBay for a hard top, I had one on my Miata and almost never took it off.

This I don't quite get. The beauty of the Boxster for me, a 2001 S was my first Porsche, was to be able to quickly drop the top as long as it wasn't raining hard and enjoy the car that way.

I do miss it. The color combo on this car is one of my favs. The only issue I had with the 1st generation was it was a tad small for me at 6'1" and 34" inseam. I always wanted a bit more leg room. Great drivers car!

[onewhippedpuppy]

For my last Boxster, which was a daily driver, I picked up a mint used hard top in KC for $800. If you can find one semi close they are typically in that price range, shipping tends to be cost prohibitive. I like the hard top, my only knock is that it's awkward and you need two people to install it.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Jrboulder

There's a lot of 996s you could get for boxster+hardtop money.

Oh yeah... there is a reason a 996 has been at the top of the list for a while... for some reason I got distracted by the cheap Boxters I saw on CL.

And yes I get the irony that Jeff is fine with a convertible in the PNW and spoiled little Scotty wants a hardtop in sunny SoCal. Long story short I spent a lot of time at the beach growing up and then ten years working outdoors so this old noggin doesn't need anymore sunshine.

[Hockey fan]

Just curious up to what year was a hardtop available?

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Oh yeah... there is a reason a 996 has been at the top of the list for a while... for some reason I got distracted by the cheap Boxters I saw on CL.

And yes I get the irony that Jeff is fine with a convertible in the PNW and spoiled little Scotty wants a hardtop in sunny SoCal. Long story short I spent a lot of time at the beach growing up and then ten years working outdoors so this old noggin doesn't need anymore sunshine.

I am the same way. My 911 that I have owned since 1995 has a sunroof. I opened once in San Diego while cruising the old town area, and once in Acadia National Park in Maine. It is a useless appendage. I drove a 914 for 25 years. I have had my complete fill of convertibles. BTDT, just the t-shirt, and I don't want to do it again.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Hockey fan

Just curious up to what year was a hardtop available?

All years of the 986 and 987 had a hard top available as a factory or dealer installed option. If you have the money you might still be able to order one, but I'm sure they aren't cheap.

[Hockey fan]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

All years of the 986 and 987 had a hard top available as a factory or dealer installed option. If you have the money you might still be able to order one, but I'm sure they aren't cheap.

Thanks! I seem to recall seeing them quite frequently on the earlier years but not as much later on.

For some reason a white Boxster with a black hardtop has always appealed to me.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

All years of the 986 and 987 had a hard top available as a factory or dealer installed option. If you have the money you might still be able to order one, but I'm sure they aren't cheap.

Originally Posted by Hockey fan

Thanks! I seem to recall seeing them quite frequently on the earlier years but not as much later on.

For some reason a white Boxster with a black hardtop has always appealed to me.

The list on those was close to 4 grand. They used to be all over the place my now they aren't and the used prices have hit 2K.

Last I looked. Actually, if anyone has a 986 top for sale I'd like to know about it.

[sugarwood]

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/d/riverside-fully-loaded-porsche-boxster/6834416279.html

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/d/carlsbad-1999-porsche-boxster/6832144367.html

https://bakersfield.craigslist.org/cto/d/bakersfield-2002-porsche-boxster/6808055454.html

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/d/hawthorne-1997-porsche-boxster/6819709007.html

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/d/redlands-porsche/6812589526.html

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/ctd/d/north-hollywood-1998-porsche-boxster/6810782328.html

https://ventura.craigslist.org/cto/d/ventura-porsche-boxster-ims-upgrade/6817112793.html

https://ventura.craigslist.org/ctd/d/fillmore-2002-porsche-boxster/6822350460.html

[sugarwood]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/323712730272
https://www.ebay.com/itm/202613306875

[fastfredracing]

here is my 2k boxster. I just pulled it in out of the snow this morning, I am going to start pulling the trans in the next few weekends as soon as I get this damn rental house back under control .
I'll probably flip this one, but I am going to drive it this summer and enjoy it first. Tip leaks really bad. I am assuming it needs a convertor, and front pump. I am going to try to repair it, but if I have to buy a transmission , so be it.
I'll do the ims , rms, air oil seperator, and a good tune up , fluids etc ,while I am in there .

[rfuerst911sc]

Arrest me red ....... nice color Fred . You are not going to lose money on that one even with the $$$ you will put into it . With so many people having a deaf left foot a tip should be easy to sell . Have fun with it .

[jhynesrockmtn]

This sold on BAT today with the hard top, looks like a pretty well kept car

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1999-porsche-boxster-24/?utm_source=dailymail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2019-03-08

[Halm]

I scanned the verbiage fairly quick and didn’t see anything about IMS and clutch. Did I miss it?

[jhynesrockmtn]

Doesn't look like it so due for a clutch soon I would guess. My 996 had one done around this mileage.