Why does Boxster get a lukewarm reception?

[CJFusco]

Originally Posted by DaveE

On the other hand my hard driven much abused '97 Box has 219K miles on it now with the original IMS bearing as far as I know.

My SC with 125K miles has a broken head stud.

219K miles!! Are you sure there's not a Volvo engine in there?!

[DaveE]

I must have the outlier. Apparently all other Boxsters have a POS engine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by CJFusco

Not sure I follow. Are you saying that it's ironic that I'm talking about "brand snobbishness" w/r/t a brand that's inherently snobbish? I guess I should have worded it slightly differently: "intra-brand snobbishness"?

That would have been more accurate...

[sammyg2]

This seems like a heck of a lot of car for the money ....

craigslist:

PORSCHE BOXSTER '99 - Blue - $6700 (Carlsbad/La Costa)



This 1999 Boxster features:
* 75K miles
* Dark blue w/ blue/gray interior
* Dark blue automatic convertible top
* 5 speed manual transmission
* New tires!
* AM/FM/CD player radio
* car seat+booster (turns off passenger airbag)
* service records for the last 20K miles/5 years
* IMS bearing replaced with high quality LN Engineering ceramic bearing
* just passed smog and is ready to be yours

More detail about this car:
My father is a Porsche fanatic. His website is: JM Engineering | Motorsports Engine Development. At 53,000 miles he serviced the car as follows: "the engine was rebuilt with new bearings and piston rings. Installed a deep sump and stainless headers. All filters were new at that time. Oil air and fuel filters. It received new brake pads and maybe new front brake rotors. A new vacuum pump was installed. The intermediate bearing that is the most prevalent failure was replaced with a ceramic bearing with 4x load capacity. The clutch was replaced with new everything (pressure plate, disk, release bearing). The flywheel and p plate were balanced. Some other minor hoses were replaced. The water pump was replaced. Some plastic under covers were replaced. Probably more but these are the highlights."

Also of note, the convertible top was replaced by the previous owner at 45K miles.

Runs great, really fun car!

PORSCHE BOXSTER '99 - Blue

[sammyg2]

Or maybe a $2k body kit ...

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

This seems like a heck of a lot of car for the money ....

craigslist:

PORSCHE BOXSTER '99 - Blue - $6700 (Carlsbad/La Costa)



This 1999 Boxster features:
* 75K miles
* Dark blue w/ blue/gray interior
* Dark blue automatic convertible top
* 5 speed manual transmission
* New tires!
* AM/FM/CD player radio
* car seat+booster (turns off passenger airbag)
* service records for the last 20K miles/5 years
* IMS bearing replaced with high quality LN Engineering ceramic bearing
* just passed smog and is ready to be yours

More detail about this car:
My father is a Porsche fanatic. His website is: JM Engineering | Motorsports Engine Development. At 53,000 miles he serviced the car as follows: "the engine was rebuilt with new bearings and piston rings. Installed a deep sump and stainless headers. All filters were new at that time. Oil air and fuel filters. It received new brake pads and maybe new front brake rotors. A new vacuum pump was installed. The intermediate bearing that is the most prevalent failure was replaced with a ceramic bearing with 4x load capacity. The clutch was replaced with new everything (pressure plate, disk, release bearing). The flywheel and p plate were balanced. Some other minor hoses were replaced. The water pump was replaced. Some plastic under covers were replaced. Probably more but these are the highlights."

Also of note, the convertible top was replaced by the previous owner at 45K miles.

Runs great, really fun car!

PORSCHE BOXSTER '99 - Blue

There ya go...run it until it blows

[CJFusco]

Originally Posted by DaveE

I must have the outlier. Apparently all other Boxsters have a POS engine.

Has there ever been a consensus reached about what percentage of 986s and 996s ended up with an IMS failure? I had heard something like 7-10% (and about 1% of M97 engines), but I wonder if that number has been revised since the dust has settled.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by CJFusco

Has there ever been a consensus reached about what percentage of 986s and 996s ended up with an IMS failure? I had heard something like 7-10% (and about 1% of M97 engines), but I wonder if that number has been revised since the dust has settled.

The lawsuit was for 2000+ model years, and I think it was 911 only and referenced something like 6%. The Boxsters seem to have a much lower failure rate, which is typically attributed to the fact that it is the same block as the 996 but with less power, so the entire thing is less stressed.

[sammyg2]

Ideas...ideas ...

[Paul_Heery]

PCA Spotlight: An in-depth look at the 718 Boxster S

[BE911SC]

Originally Posted by wayner

I would drive the piss out of that and not give one damn about what anyone thought about it.

[bivenator]

There was a thread about the sound of the new 4 cyl boxster recently. I talked to a guy that has heard them and his description was not a positive. He said that it "has a lot of mechanical pinging" he then tilted his head and squinted while saying "kinda like an old VW Beetle" He hasn't driven one out of the transport mode so he couldn't give me any tales of smokey burnouts.
They should hit the shelves in mid June.

[sugarwood]

If you buy a Boxster, you can pay $1500 to $3000 to quash the IMS/RMS once and for all, and get a new clutch as a bonus.

[Jeff Higgins]

I bought my son's '03 Boxster S as a daily driver, and when it became apparent my '72 911 hot rod was going to be down for some time undergoing major rust repair. I figured I would drive it for a year or two and start looking for something else.

Well, I'm here to tell you, that Boxster ain't goin' nowhere. Yes, it is an entirely different Porsche than what I am used to, but it is an incredible car in its own right. I absolutely love the thing.

I finally really got to know it on a recent 3,000 mile road trip to Palm Springs and back for our annual R Gruppe get-together, our little "Treffen". Yes, I showed up at an R Gruppe event in a Boxster (gasp...). Guess what? It was not just well received, but it turns out the Boxster may very well be the semi-official R Gruppe "other Porsche". I was amazed at just how many of my brothers have one.

While our early cars have taken off into the stratosphere in value, they certainly were not always that way. As a matter of fact, the real core of the club, the old farts who first started buying and hot-rodding the early cars, did so for one simple reason: they were the only Porsches we could afford. Nobody wanted them. SC's, Carreras, 993's, etc. were completely out of our reach - so we settled for the early cars and made the most of it. Most of us still can't believe where they have gone...

So, the Boxster (at least to me) represents where the early 911 was 20 years ago. People "settle" for them, and secretly wind up with a pretty damn good car, and one they have so little into that they are not afraid to "molest" them, mechanically with aftermarket hop-ups, or in driving them like they stole 'em.

Maybe someday there will be a Boxster gruppe of some kind, having a ball with these cars, not caring what anyone else thinks, hated by one and all who are not sharing in the fun. Wouldn't that be something...

[Soterik]

Jeff,

I just bought a 2001 today. It's getting a 2.9 by Marco from TLG. Emory just bought one 2 months ago. You're right, it's a car we can afford to buy and play with. Both Emory and I have "ideas" for our Gruppesters.

Eric

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I bought my son's '03 Boxster S as a daily driver, and when it became apparent my '72 911 hot rod was going to be down for some time undergoing major rust repair. I figured I would drive it for a year or two and start looking for something else.

Well, I'm here to tell you, that Boxster ain't goin' nowhere. Yes, it is an entirely different Porsche than what I am used to, but it is an incredible car in its own right. I absolutely love the thing.

I finally really got to know it on a recent 3,000 mile road trip to Palm Springs and back for our annual R Gruppe get-together, our little "Treffen". Yes, I showed up at an R Gruppe event in a Boxster (gasp...). Guess what? It was not just well received, but it turns out the Boxster may very well be the semi-official R Gruppe "other Porsche". I was amazed at just how many of my brothers have one.

While our early cars have taken off into the stratosphere in value, they certainly were not always that way. As a matter of fact, the real core of the club, the old farts who first started buying and hot-rodding the early cars, did so for one simple reason: they were the only Porsches we could afford. Nobody wanted them. SC's, Carreras, 993's, etc. were completely out of our reach - so we settled for the early cars and made the most of it. Most of us still can't believe where they have gone...

So, the Boxster (at least to me) represents where the early 911 was 20 years ago. People "settle" for them, and secretly wind up with a pretty damn good car, and one they have so little into that they are not afraid to "molest" them, mechanically with aftermarket hop-ups, or in driving them like they stole 'em.

Maybe someday there will be a Boxster gruppe of some kind, having a ball with these cars, not caring what anyone else thinks, hated by one and all who are not sharing in the fun. Wouldn't that be something...

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

If you buy a Boxster, you can pay $1500 to $3000 to quash the IMS/RMS once and for all, and get a new clutch as a bonus.

I'm not sure that the IMS fixes are 100% permanent fixes. There was a really great thread on Rennlist about this. The consensus is that the 2007- redesign was the real fix.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I think it all boils down to a strategy. When I had my 944, I replaced my timing $7 belt yearly. When I had my 951, I replaced my $7 timing belt yearly. Now that I have my sc, I will probably need to pull my engine and replace the engine studs at some point. I will (of course) put in new seals and some new cams just because! (they havent broke yet....) Am I going to split the case? NO. Will I post pics of me and a blowtorch heating the broken stud? NO. Why? those are just inconveniences. I will instead look onwards to the next "top gear" fracas( i hate that word btw)
I am not too concerned because with the help of pelican and my dad's *****en set of tools, I can handle it.

It's all about a strategy.There have been some awesome boxster pics here. As long you have a strategy- It is all good.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Soterik

Jeff,

I just bought a 2001 today. It's getting a 2.9 by Marco from TLG. Emory just bought one 2 months ago. You're right, it's a car we can afford to buy and play with. Both Emory and I have "ideas" for our Gruppesters.

Eric

Ha ha, I love it - Marco and I had a wonderful conversation about Boxsters at Treffen this year. He is an owner and as big of a fan as I am.

I guess the only thing to worry about now is the "secret" getting out, and the same thing happening with Boxsters as happened with our beloved early 911's (and 356's for that matter).

I can't wait to see what you and Gary come up with for your outlaw "Gruppesters"...

[sugarwood]

Excellent post, Higgins.

The Boxster S has 250HP, is the same 2800 lbs, and is center engined. The quantifiable metrics simply can not be denied.
I am sold on Boxster, and am actively searching for a 2nd weekend car.
It's also a joy to shop for this car. There are tons for sale, most are in excellent condition, and offer a ridiculous value compared to a 911.

I agree that Boxster isn't going anywhere, and it's the next hotrod track platform, if it isn't already.
I bet for every one aircooled car being track prepped, there are 20 Boxsters.
As air cooled gets too expensive to mod, and maybe even drive, and transition to full-time trophies, the future seems increasingly Boxster.
While the internet engages in hairdresser wars, I will be driving the snot out of mine, with zero guilt.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

I agree that Boxster isn't going anywhere, and it's the next hotrod track platform, if it isn't already.

Boxster's have oiling problems when raced hard. Correctable. (Don't know the year range and may have been mentioned previously)

Their engines are not the same as your 911. Oddball steps and tools are required to take apart and put back together. But, hey, my 81 requires a 37MM crows-foot wrench to get into, a 67 Chevy does not.

I drove one 98 Boxster in a little bit of anger. Every bit as fun as my 81. I would love to drive an early 2000's Boxster S. Betting a big step change.

Beyond that I have coin limitations.