How Much Does Maintenance Cost On A Cheap Porsche Boxster Over 5 Years
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- Опубліковано 21 жов 2018
- In this video David tells how much it cost him over 5 years to keep his affordable Porsche Boxster on the road. With this information you can see just what it costs to run a Boxster over a decent amount of time.
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Filmed with a GoPro Hero 4 Black Edition and iPhone 6S
Edited with Adobe Premier Pro
Disclaimer: This video is for informational purposes only. We are not responsible for any problems or injuries that happen to anybody that has watched this video. - Авто та транспорт
I have had my 986 Boxster 9 years now (a year 2000 2.7 model). I do not have tons of money, so I personally have several golden rules
to maintain the car well, without spending a vast amount.
Rule 1: NEVER GO TO, OR BUY SPARES FROM A MAIN DEALER!!!
Rule 2: An owner should be at least mechanically competent enough to do the basic maintenance, and preferably a good deal more,
such as oil changes, disk/rotor changes, brake pads, filters, and even more work when necessary, such as replacing front radiaters etc.
There are so many superb UA-cam clips available about many.many tasks, and this can encourage even the less confident
mechanic/owner.
Rule 3: Find some good suppliers of Boxster spares who do not charge the earth - here in the UK there are a number of value for money
suppliers such as Design 911, (and Pelican in the USA). Online is usually best value.
Rule 3: If it is necessary to have some garage work done on it, find a local garage who is willing to tackle the Boxster, (and has the necessary
savvy to work on it). Not always the easiest task to find - I am lucky enough to have a great place which is ultra-sympathetic.
Rule 4: Do not be too proud to use good used parts. There is a good supply of reasonably priced parts from crashed or end of life motors.
Rule 5: Drive it hard and well!
Thanks for sharing your experience with maintenance.
hi mate, I'm looking at buying a used boxter 986 in the UK. Ive compiled a huge list of part prices and the likely mileage at which they need addressing, but I'd love to get in contact with you to see if theres anything I have missed!
Great comment!
Doing our own oil changes? Not in any modern state or country that has pollution or disposal regulations.
For those of us not mechanically inclined, I can say that, for me, FINDING an amazing non-dealership , reputable, certified Porsche shop will save thousands over the life of your used 2000 Boxster.
I've had my 2000 Boxster (55k miles now) for 9 years AND , I've done annual service (including oil changes) every year.
I'm in San Diego, so I've used Black Forest Automotive for everything... INCLUDING the ooooh IMS bearing paranoia.
They installed a magnetic oil pan plug that would attract metal shavings, if the IMS was starting to fail.
Every annual service while changing the oil, they inspect the oil drain plug. $50 solution....
Ask your local Porsche dealer if that option is available vs. a $5000 IMS, clutch replacement. ...
@@coolkid123456100how much are you budgeting for maintenance?
Great information! Thank you very much!!
Glad it was helpful.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment.
I just bought a 1998 986 base (arena red) in super excellent condition. 80k miles. I was a bit worried about the ims horror stories but after seeing your video I am at ease. I was planning to change the ims but I decided not to do it, at least until I need clutch replacement. Thank you for the info on cost to own..
Glad it was helpful and I hope that you have years of trouble free driving.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Dude, great video! Thanks for the info.
Glad you found it useful.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Awesome vid :) keep up the great content.
Thanks very much and glad you enjoyed it.
I’m looking at purchasing one sometime soon and I usually do most the work myself so it’s a relief to hear that maintenance isn’t as expensive as a had thought. I am scared about the IMS bearing issue since it is a 2000, however if I have to get clutch or rear main seal replaced I’ll do an aftermarket solution with it.
Hope you find a good one. One thing about the 2000 model is there is a chance that it will have a dual row bearing that is less likely to fail. In 2000 Porsche started to change to the more failure prone single row bearing, so some 2000 models will have that, but others won’t. I had a car with almost 100K miles on the original dual row bearing, but had planned to get it done when I changed the clutch just to be safe.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
I ended up buying a 2003 and so far it hasn’t been the worst. I did have to have the combination valve replaced which was quite a bit of money but not like if the IMS bearing had gone out
@@erikwithak6555 I'm 2 years late but how was maintainance costs?
@@andrewsanchez25733 Maintenance cost was surprisingly low and even lower than that of the crown vic I used to have. The main consideration is the price of the parts that would eventually need to be replaced, however these cars are quite durable. For porsche to replace the valve and a few other vacuum components it was $1000 including labor.
Awesome video man👍🏽
Im gonna research more on the 986
If you get one, hope you find a good example.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for watching.
Thank you for your informative honest video .
Glad it was helpful.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Good information! Thanks
Glad you found it useful.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for watching.
Been thinking about pulling the trigger on one of these, but love my mx5 too...oh well have to have them both LOL 😀 good video mate.. cheers from new Zealand...
Both is always the right answer.
Hope things are well in New Zealand. I heard of the terror attack the other day and my thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected.
I lived in New Zealand when I was young, in Palmerston North.
Daniel Thomas get it mon ! They are wicked to drive ...big ups !
If Porsche was as reliable as the MX 5, It would be a bargain.
MX 5 build quality is legendary. Porsche a risker motor too won.
Love the video, thanks man. Thinking about buying a Convertible 2000 Boxster for 13 grand CAD. 133,000 KM. This video helped a lot
Glad it was useful. Hope you end up with a good one.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
How did the buy go?
Great video man! Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
They are going up now. I love my 2003 standard. I have had it 5 years and it’s been trouble free.
Sounds like a fun ride. Enjoy it as often as you can.
Just got an 03 99Ker.
Here we go!
Exciting.
Awesome! Hope it is a dependable fun car for you.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Use Pelican Parts for all maintenance items, that will save you so much money over the dealership prices, plus they have how to do it videos, great company and easy to deal with.
Good point. I’ve used them as well as getting parts off of Amazon. Pelican Parts gives better advice and if you use Amazon you need to make sure you know exactly what you are buying.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for watching.
My Dad has a 2000 S model. It has 30k miles on it. The car put him through a loop only a year after buying it. We had to replace the head gaskets and IMS bearing. We just pulled the motor out to get to everything. His Boxter is a blast to drive and it is a great great vehicle. Decent tires are a MUST on the Boxters, otherwise the ass end likes to slide on turns.
I have an 83’ 944 and it’s much more refreshing to work on. I can get to and see and everything lol. The manual steer is really fun too on corners.
The Boxster is a great car, but if some of the bigger things need to be done it can cost quite a bit.
I had a 1983 944 before the Boxster as well. It was a great car and I’m thinking I may need to get a 944 again before the market gets even crazier.
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience.
Your IMS clue was the mileage, any 996/986 with that low mileage is a virtual certainty for IMS bearing replacement. It’s the prime indicator.
@@eddherring4972 that is a very good point. If the car isn’t driven much then failure is more likely to happen.
That RSX doe at 8:00 👀
Looks great
Thanks very much. Boxsters are very good fun to drive roadsters.
Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts.
You spent just under $3000 over 5 years, of which half is normal maintenance. I took a wild-assed guess as to the labor costs. Assuming about 26 hours of labor at $100/hour (if one had to use a mechanic), plus the parts expenses, you've spent about $5500 total, or about $100/month
That’s probably pretty close to the realistic number for labor hours. I know the convertible top took me about 12 hours, but that was with filming and not being an expert. The Air/Oil separator was probably the next most difficult jobs and that took me about 2 hours or so.
If you go down to the month, I paid about half that amount with doing my own labor.
Thanks for watching and doing the math.
Update on the car since originally posting? Thanks for making this video.
Since making this video there were only routing maintenance items that needed to be done for just over six years of ownership. After that the water pumps started to go out, so I was planning to replace that, but one thing led to another and I ended up selling it and eventually bought a 1999 Porsche 911 to replace it. Replacing the water pump wasn’t a hard job and it would have cost about $200 in parts to do the job (a bit more for what I was planning as I was going to replace a number of hoses just to be safe).
All in all it was a dependable car for over six years of ownership and it didn’t cost me a ton in maintenance. Of course some have not had great experiences with Boxsters, so it is a bit of a case by case basis and maintenance from previous owners is very important.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Realistic dream car.
Yes it is, but even though it is affordable, it is still quite a ride.
Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts.
thanks for the great video looking at a 99 boxster with 88 K miles drives well auto triptronic anything in particular to look for ? seems that your experience with maintenance has been a good one do the seats hold up and are the side panels of the seats adjustable or just the back and seat itself thanks much and what would you think a fair price would be in good condition inside dirty but body in good shape
I haven’t done much with the automatic Boxsters, but I do know that you need to change the automatic transmission fluid and filter regularly to keep them working well. The biggest thing is to buy a well maintained car, so you don’t need to do a bunch of maintenance to start out. Getting a pre-purchase inspection is also a very good idea.
Most things for me have been fairly easy to replace and thanks to UA-cam you can watch someone do just about anything. It does like to eat rear tires if you drive it like you should, so expect to pay a bit more for that.
My seats have held up well, but make sure to keep them conditioned. Only the seat back and bottom are adjustable, the side bolsters don’t adjust, but most can fit in them comfortably.
If the car you are looking at is in good shape at that mileage, $5K - $6k would be about right. If the IMS Bearing is still original you may be able to get $1K off the price for that. The 99 has the less failure prone dual row bearing, but often sellers will take a little less if it is the original. Being an automatic will often cause the prices to be a little lower, so going closer to the $5K price would make sense.
Hope it all turns out well for you.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Hello David, the convertible top motor on my 986 doesn't stop at the minimum and maximum positions. It just keeps grinding the gears if i don't stop it in the right place.
Would you know what the fix for this would be?
Great video by the way!
I’ll have to do some research on that one. But it sounds like a faulty switch or perhaps something broke in the gear assembly that tells it when to stop. I believe there are a number of plastic parts that can break. I’ll let you know what I find.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Thank u I have a 1998 boxer
Glad you enjoyed the video. Enjoy your Boxster as often as possible.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Cool car
Thanks very much and thanks for sharing your thoughts.
stop making videos of the car before i get my hands on one lol
I’ll try to cut down :)
Do you have it now? :)
Question on the top, where can I get one and do you have an install video for it?
You can get it at: www.autotopsdirect.com/1997-2002-Porsche-Boxster-Convertible-Top-p/10-07-box-030.htm
I also have a video of the install. It is about an hour long and goes through the entire process. The actual time it took me was about 12 hours over 2 days, but that was with filming, so it would be faster without that. ua-cam.com/video/gVn03aylJDM/v-deo.html
Any advice you can give on leg and shoulder room? I am intrigued by the cars but at 6'2" I worry about how I may fit in it. Gotta be comfortable! :)
Thanks!!
For a Boxster a lot of taller drivers do the center console delete that is found in the 996 GT3. It allows more side leg room. The one issue that taller drivers have is that the seat can only go back so far due to the engine placement.
Best advice would be to test drive one and see if you can get it in a comfortable position for yourself.
If a Boxster doesn’t work, the you might look at a 996 generation 911. Because of the rear-engine placement you have more seat adjustments available. Downside is that the price will be $5K-$10K higher than the equivalent, in regards to mileage and condition, 986 Boxster.
Both are great cars, the Boxster has more neutral handling and the 911 has more horsepower. It just depends on what your budget allows.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
I have seen a few Porsche cars in the UAE, many of them are selling for low prices but I wanted to ask if refurbishing worn out interiors is expensive. Some of the eye sores in old cars are the door upholstery being dirty. Would you have any advice for how much would it cost to make it look good?
I’m not sure about pricing in the UAE, but some of that depends on how much you will do yourself. If you need to put new leather on the seats, I’ve seen kits with a leather substitute material starting at $500 for the front seats. Real leather will be closer to $1,000 and you’ll need to install it yourself to keep the cost down.
Another option would be to buy good condition seats from a wrecked car. Those may be available for $300-$500 per seat, but you have original Porsche leather. The same can be said for the door cars, etc. If just a few things in the interior need to be done then it should be too bad, but if it needs a lot of work, then you may save money in the long run just buying a nicer example.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Change your brake fluid and bleed buy the bleeder it works
Thanks for pointing that out.
Thanks for watching and for sharing.
If you were going to get another Boxster, what years would you suggest? I would prefer a back up camera, which i feel is worth it.
I’m personally a fan of the 1997-1999 cars because of the dual row IMS bearing. I owned mine for over six years with little issues (it had just over 60K miles when I bought it and just under 100K miles when I sold it).
If you want a car with a factory backup camera then you are probably going to be looking at a 981 generation (2013 model year) and it would just be an option on the early cars. However, it was all cars sold in the USA after May of 2018 required a backup camera as standard equipment.
A number of people have put aftermarket cameras on their car and this can be done on any generation of the Boxster as long as you put in a modern 2 din stereo with a backup camera setup. Many of these attach to the license frame, they aren’t that noticeable, but also aren’t that attractive if you do notice it.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Hello there ...have you had any problems with smog tests? Greetings from California
No problems with smog in California. I recently had a check engine light that would have been a problem, but I was able to fix it for $7.99. I made a video about it here: ua-cam.com/video/avgAP7XflZw/v-deo.html
Our Ride Life Thanks much !!
I found a 2008 porsche cayman S 987 with 119k miles carfax look fine except for a front end that got fixed does not seem like structural damaged and got 6 owners, but still do you think is a good option for $21,977? Or rather something with less miles which means higher price?
The price seems good, but always a good idea to have a pre-purchase inspection to have a good idea of any potential maintenance items that will soon need to be addressed. In a PPI they should also be able to see how well any damage was repaired.
Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts.
Hi there. Can you do some explanation on the IMS?
The IMS Bearing is an issue that affects 986 and 987.1 Boxsters / Caymans (as well as 996 and 997.1 Porsche 911s). Different years have different bearing designs and the rate of failure changes.
The Boxster that I had in this video and my current 911 both are 1999 models. From 1997-1999 the Boxster had a dual row IMS Bearing which had a less than 1% chance of failure. Of course this does mean that it still can fail, but it is less likely to happen. The 2000-2005 Boxster models used a single row bearing that wasn’t able to handle as much load and they have an 8-10% chance of failure depending on the figures you look at.
2005 and earlier models have a serviceable bearing that can be changed without splitting the case. From 2006 onward the IMS Bearing was internal and no longer serviceable without splitting the case. This bearing is a more durable bearing with a less than 1% failure rate, but you aren’t able to change it out for a retrofit.
The Boxster in this video was on its original IMS Bearing from the time I bout it at over 55K miles until I sold it at just under 100K miles. For me it was never an issue.
I did inspect my oil at each oil change and did a shorter oil change interval at 5K miles. Not sure if that actually changed anything, but I told myself it did, so never worried about it.
I hope that helps.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
I’ve heard people say as long as you get the IMS bearing done or whatever it is, the car will be reliable with basic maintenance. I still feel like I’d be gambling buying a old Porsche.
The IMS Bearing is the most publicized issue and the chances of that failing depend on the year (1999 and older had a dual row bearing that was less prone to failure), but getting it replaced with a good quality retrofit is usually the best option.
With any old car you do gamble a bit. I always feel the key is buying at the right time in the depreciation curve. Right now the 986 Boxster is gaining in value (as well as the 996 generation 911). But if you can find a well maintained example for under $10K, even with the risk it could be worth it.
For me, budget wise I could have bought a newer Porsche, but I bought older because I love the character of the car and miss out on most of the depreciation. On my latest purchase (a 996) I bought it low enough that based on current values I could replace the engine and break even with the current market value. That isn’t always the case, but even with an expensive rebuild you would still have less in it than buying a new Boxster. So, a lot depends on your other options and what you want in a car.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
I missed it maybe but how many miles were on the car when you bought it and how many did you add in 5 years?
In the five years I had done about 35K miles and I had the car over 6 years before selling it and buying a 996 generation Porsche 911. In that time it was very dependable, but did need the water pump replaced right before I sold it. I bought it with 58K miles on it and sold it with 99K.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Reading between the lines am i right in saying you have sold the vehicle now? If so did you a good return on it? Cheers.
Yes, I recently sold it after over six years of ownership. I got a fair price, but did loose money as a good Boxster was going for about $10K when I bought it and closer to $5K when I sold it. I think if I had waited to purchase one I would have come closer to selling for about what I bought it for.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
How much would it have been if you had a dealership do all of the repairs? Double?
The parts prices could be as much as twice as much as I spent. This is due to them only using OEM parts and I often purchase aftermarket if the quality is good (reviews and asking others their experience with a product is helpful for this).
Where much of the cost will be is labor. I had to take my car to the dealer once for the radio code. They charged my a half hour labor to get that and it was $75. This was about six years ago, so prices may be more.
What many enthusiasts that don’t work on their own car do is find an independent shop that specializes in Porsches. This often costs much less and there are a lot of good shops. I find that one easy way to find a good local shop is to contact the local Porsche club. They will usually help you find a good shop that won’t cost a crazy amount.
I hope that helps.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
How do I get a pre purchase inspection please help
The best way is to contact a good shop in your area that is familiar with the model you are looking at buying. First check with them to make sure they will do a pre-purchase inspection (most will do so happily).
If you aren’t sure of a good shop in your area and you are looking for a Porsche, then the local chapter of the Porsche Club can usually point you in the right direction.
Once you have a good shop lined up, you ask the seller if they would allow you to do a pre-purchase inspection. Most will not have a problem with it and you can arrange with them on transporting the car to the shop (some owners let you take it, others will meet you at the shop). If an owner does have a problem, then it is usually best to walk away as they are probably hiding something.
Often there is some agreement before you get a pre-purchase inspection, such as I will buy this car for an agreed price as long as nothing is found during the pre-purchase inspection. If anything major is found then either a new price is agreed on our you walk away from the car with only the cost of the pre-purchase inspection coming from you.
Thank you so much for responding back so quickly much appreciated that’s why I follow this channel your the best keep up the great vids and I am looking forward for much more great info, Thanks to you I’ve learned so much about Porsche, hopefully soon I will make a purchase of a 986 S or just regular model, Once again thanks so much
Thanks very much and glad you enjoy the videos. Subscribers like you are what makes this worth doing.
Hope you find a good 986 and have fun driving it.
Thanks for the kind comments.
👍
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
2002 boxter with a rebuilt title I'm offering 5000 is that a fair price the guy is asking 7500 but I see some that are going for that with a clean title so what is a good offer?
Part of it depends on maintenance and mileage, but without a clean title a few thousand less than the going rate for a similar car would be fair. Depend on all of this $5,000 is likely a reasonable price as for just a few thousand more you could get a well maintained fairly low mileage example with a clean title.
Thanks for watching and hope that helps.
@@OurRideLife yes it does thanx!!
How often would u say the Tiptronic fluid should be changed
I would change it every 80K miles. I’ve heard some say as long as 110K miles, but I would do it a bit more often to be safe. Hope that helps.
Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts.
@@OurRideLife Yes it does help, Thanks
Is there anyway to get in touch with you? I live in Southern California as well. I’m in the market for a used Porsche.
On my about tab there should be a way to email me.
Unfortunately, I don’t live in California anymore as I moved to Florida about a year ago. But if you have any specific questions feel free to email and I’ll do what I can.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
I'm thinking about buying a 2006 porsche boxster with 65000 miles, I know its a differnt year than yours, but anyways the car is 16k BUT I DONT SPEND 16K MAINTAINING IT OVER 4 YEARS😂. 2 questions, how long till I will need a clutch replacement (and how much), and what other costs am I looking at ( how much for scheduled maitence, and average repairs). THANKS.
With the 2006 you should be good on the IMS Bearing which is one thing that always comes up. It has one, but it is an internal bearing that has proven to have a very low rate of failure compared to the 2000-2005 models.
The clutch partly depends on how hard the previous driver was on the clutch. Some people can burn through a clutch in 60K miles. In my 1999 it was still on the original clutch when I eventually sold it at just under 100K miles. So, all depends on how it is driven.
There are a number of items that are potential issues beyond the normal. The Air / Oil separator is one that tends to go, but the parts aren’t too expensive if you choose to do it yourself
In general parts will cost more that models that where less expensive when new, but unless you have a major issue the maintenance cost isn’t too bad.
Where the expense can get very high is in labor costs if you aren’t very mechanical.
To keep potential costs down, try to get a well maintained car with documentation of the maintenance. A pre-purchase inspection from someone that is familiar with Boxsters is also a very good idea as it can help identify potential issues that could end up costing you a small fortune.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
@@OurRideLife i also subscribed and liked
@@OurRideLife whats the chance of the ims bearing going on the 2006 model, I heard its a hefty fix.
@@deadpoolphantomjohn265 by most accounts on the 2006 models with the stronger internal IMS Bearing and the failure rate by most accounts is less than 1%. The one issue is you can’t do preventative maintenance on the bearing without splitting the case. Before 2005 you can replace the bearing when changing the clutch, but for 2006-2008 you aren’t able to (2009+ have no IMS Bearing).
@@OurRideLife thats good news I'll change the oil every 5000 miles too. Thanks now I can sleep tonight when I buy my boxster later on tonight. :)
"I knew the previous owner... so it was worth a bit more than it should have been"
mug
Thanks for watching and sharing.
Hopefully that made sense. I simply meant that I was willing to pay a little more than the going rate because I knew it had been well taken care of.
@@OurRideLife Some people are nasty. Take no notice of her!
Rottie Thanks very much.
Don’t worry, I get a lot of good comments and then some bad. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so I try to be polite and use it when it is constructive criticism. When it is just a comment that isn’t as kind, I just try to be polite. The only time that I’ve reported anyone was when someone commented with a death threat on myself and my family. Other than that, I don’t think about them.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
@@OurRideLife You're welcome. Be safe out there. Cheers! 🙂👍
how many hours of your effort do you think it took to make these repairs? Assuming $100/hour, that's an easy way to estimate how much it might cost a mechanically-challenged individual to make these repairs.
Boxsters get a 60$ classic discount at dealerships in Canada for labor. Recently I had gotten done a bunch of work to my own, this makes it more viable for people who don't have the time or space to work on their car. If you get a car for around $10K Canadian, expect to put another 3-5k in it for any nuances. If you are grabbing one for $7K US then expect something around the lines of $3k on top of the car. Make sure you pick one up that has the hard top and all of its trim. Make sure the water cap in the back is blue, make sure the engine hasn't been running before you test drive it. The starter motors are starting to give out, some were equipped with a 75KW starter as an option to last longer. Water pumps are giving in right now too
@@allbrancereal_ nice! Thanks for the tip!
Just got quoted $175/hr in central Florida for Audi service. I’m sure Porsche is equally as expensive.
@@sndguy01 Porsche is around 165$/hr ($125/hr) before discount here in Canada. It depends how far you are from a Porsche Warehouse for part prices, labor seems a little expensive for your Audi. Consider a different Audi Dealership to see if they charge the same rates! I am sure that Volkswagen dealers are also equipped to fix your vehicles or at least order parts in through the supply chain. At $175 USD I would personally consider paying for renting a garage spot and getting things done faster with a friend, as it seems like you are being nickel and dimed for your cars faults.
@@sndguy01 nope! $85 hr and $90 hr non dealer mechanics and reputable. Bern using them last 9 yrs. $125 for an AOS? You got taken dude!
Good for a first car ?
It can be a good first car, but you do have to be prepared if something major goes wrong. They are cheap right now, but they still use Porsche parts, so it can be expensive if something major goes wrong.
I never had any issues with my Boxster over the six years I owned it before buying my latest Porsche. I also did all of the maintenance myself, so I saved a lot in labor. If you are mechanical then it can be reasonable since labor is a major cost for maintenance and repairs.
If it is your first car, I’m assuming you are fairly young. If that is the case another thing to find out is insurance costs as it will be more than many other cars.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
You still have the car, how is it running. update?
Still have it and it is still running well.
Since this video I did get a check engine light, but was able to fix it for $7.99 (you can see what I did at ua-cam.com/video/avgAP7XflZw/v-deo.html)
Other than that, I’ve replaced the front hood struts ($20, you can watch that at: ua-cam.com/video/ZEVPn9bGdZM/v-deo.html) and it’s about time for another oil change.
Currently, the only other major issues to take care of are replacing the window regulators (parts are about $130 a window and I’ll put together a video when I do it) and I’m about to need new rear tires again.
Preventative maintenance that I’ll be doing this year is to clean the radiators (they get very dirty) and replacing the water pump.
I’ve got some other things planned as well, such as installing a ducktail style spoiler that I currently have in a box and I’m planning a brake upgrade.
The car now has just under 95K miles, but I’ve had no big issues so far. Once the clutch gets worn down, the plan is to replace it and the IMS Bearing with a retro fit bearing. This is just for peace of mind. If the IMS Bearing does go before this (1999 has a dual row design and a low failure rate, so normally they last a very long time, but you just never know) I’m planning on trying to get a 3.4-liter engine from a 996 generation 911 and doing an engine swap. If I can’t find a good 3.4, then I’ll put in a 3.2 from the Boxster S.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
I want to get a 2006 any tips?
For 2006 you won’t need to worry about the IMS Bearing as it is an internal bearing that is more durable than the 2000-2005 models. In order to replace it you would need to split the case, but failure is very low at an estimated 1%.
A good pre-purchase inspection is a good idea with someone that knows the 2006 Porsche Boxster well. I would also look for a car that has been driven. Lower mileage can be good, but you don’t want it to have sat for too long as more issues tend to pop up.
A car with detailed receipts of maintenance may be worth a bit more money as you have proof of the work done and know what has been done and what hasn’t from a maintenance stand point. If there is no receipt then you have to assume it wasn’t done (although in some cases you can call shops where you know work was done and they can help you get an idea of the history).
Usually the best advice is to buy the best car that you can afford. However, if you do find a lower price example and are able to have a good amount of cash set aside should anything go wrong can be a good way to go.
Hope that helps.
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@@OurRideLife thank you so much!
Sometimes some spare parts of Porsche brand very costly toward some owner that don't have strong financial belonging.
That is true. I personally haven’t spent much over 5 years, but if you get a car that needs a lot of items it can cost a small fortune.
this makes me realize how inflation has destroyed us in 2022
Prices have gone crazy for sure.
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Is 44k miles considered good buy
That is not bad mileage. The one thing with a car with under 50K miles (depending on year) is has it been sitting. A car can look perfect, but if it was sitting a lot there may end up being a lot of maintenance that pops up.
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So say I want one and looking at one, I have my own job and make pretty decent amount. Should I go with it and treat my self
Porsches are too common, buy an Aston Martin Vantage V8 and enjoy hand built British luxury up to the point you need to fix it.
They are a good deal right now and as long as you get a well maintained one you should be able to enjoy it for a while.
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You do have a point about the Aston Martin Vantage standing out. Repairs will likely end up costing you more, but they are beautiful cars.
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Elijah Montgomery buy mine
Porsche 550 Spyder : )
Now that’s a cool car and the Boxster is as close to one that Porsche currently makes.
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is it hard to work on the mid engine ?
The Boxster and Cayman are pretty easy to work on. There are two access panels to get to the front of the engine and the top of the engine. It does take a bit more time to get to than just opening a hood, but it isn’t too bad and once you’ve done it a few times you get pretty quick.
I have a few videos about the access panels, but there are better videos out there (they were made before I purchased studio lighting, so they are kind of dark).
I had the Boxster for over six years with no major issues. I did sell it when the water pump went out. Not because of it being hard or expensive to replace, but because I thought it was a good time to look for the next Porsche and since at the time I didn’t have enough garage space to keep the Boxster, it had to go. I now have a 996 generation 911 and it is very good. However, there are some things, like the accessory belt, that I think are easier to replace in the Boxster, thanks to the access panels.
Hope that helps.
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Help me find a 996 / 911. Manual !! Help
Searching the usual places car work. But Autotempest can search the most popular sites at once. I’ve in particularly found Facebook Marketplace offering some interesting cars.
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@@OurRideLife thanks.. i live in wisconsin and few 996 porsche 911's around. Its hard to send out a 20k check to someone for a car you have not seen close up. Even feeling under the driver seat of a 986 or 987 to see if its wet.. common on a boxster. Hard to tell from 2200 miles.
Even if you have a PPI done they are not as interested as I am in getting a good car..
porsche911 some good points. Living in California I don’t have to worry as much about things like water under the seat or potential rust issues. I guess that is why some people will travel half way across the country to buy a car in a dry state.
Hope you find a good one and good luck in the search.
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How many miles does it have?
It has just over 91K. It had about 65K when I bought it.
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10 cents a mile of maintenance is not bad at all
How much does your beard cost to run!
If you have to ask you can’t afford a beard like this :)
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But when that IMS, RMS goes or worse yet, bore scoring, the engine is a write off.
That is a true statement. RMS tends to be less worrisome as a little weeping isn’t a big deal (but if it really goes then it needs to be addressed). IMS Bearing and Bore Scoring are the bigger potential issues.
There are preventative maintenance for both and the IMS Bearing is relatively cheap to do. However re-sleeving the cylinders to prevent bore scoring isn’t cheap.
You can reduce your risk by purchasing certain years and engines. For example the 2.5-liter 986 Boxster engines appear to be less prone to bore scoring than the 3.2-liter engines found in the S model. The 2.5-liter engines also have a dual row IMS bearing which has a very low rate of failure.
The big issue with these is that the cost of an engine rebuild if one of these issues happen is more than what the cars is often worth. You can get a used replacement engine for less, but you never know for sure how long that will last without issue.
For me, I owned my Boxster for over six years before selling it and buying a 996 generation 911. I purchased it with about 65K miles on it and sold it with just under 100K miles. In that entire time I had very little issue with it and was able to do all of the maintenance myself. It was dependable and never left me stranded, but I know there are horror stories from some owners that didn’t have as good an experience. This is magnified more than it should be due to the internet.
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@@OurRideLife Yes, I was referring to an IMS failure or Bore Scoring issue as far as a write off goes. A main seal replacement is a no brainer.
Thanks for the clarification.
@@OurRideLife You should be aware of the main reason Porsche changed from double to single race IMS bearing.
Firstly ask yourself why, if the double race bearings were so much stronger than singles, why didn’t Porsche just go back to the double race bearings?
The answer is that the double race bearings cause a larger amount of torque on the timing chains which eventually stretch and snap, this gives the appearance of the IMS bearing having failed as the results are the same. The single race bearings reduce the torque on the timing chain by taking more torque through the bearing. Basically servicing the IMS bearing when changing the clutch is an hour more work. Replacing the timing chains is a whole different procedure and vastly more costly.
The false economy of buying an older double race bearing vehicle is very clear, unless your happy taking the engine out and stripping it down every 60-80K miles go for the single race bearing and change it out with the clutch.
The upside of the dual race bearing is that you can happily let your vehicle rest for months, say over winter or just drive it on occasional sunny weekends, where as single race bearing vehicles should be driven very regularly and all year round.
@@eddherring4972 those are some good points. Thanks for the added information about the dual row bearing.
Nearly free...!
Yes, not too bad. Mine was a very dependable car that cost me very little to keep on the road for over six years.
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Damn your in turlock lol
Good eye. I’ve lived all over California (outside of living in New Zealand for a while when I was younger), including the LA area, Fresno area, San Luis Obispo area and the Modesto area. I did live in Turlock when I filled this video and currently live in the general area.
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$125 for an AOS? Way to much! These car's maintanence and cost is simply based if you are mechanically inclined, and do it yoursel, or you pay to get work done. Be very very careful who you chose to work on your car. They see you in a Porsche and want to charge you tons. Find a reputable non dealer mechanic and you will save thousands. And even then some use tactics to rip you off!
That is a good point about being careful who you have work on the car.
For the Air Oil Separator, I payed $125 for the genuine Porsche part. If you buy another OEM part (from someone like URO parts) it can cost more like $85.
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I did not find this video helpful at all. I don't think that most people who have a Porsche or are thinking of buying one are going to do the maintenance on it themselves. You were only able to keep your maintenance costs down so much because you weren't paying for a mechanic's labor. I've heard that normally, even something as basic as an oil change can cost over $400 on a Boxster. I also don't know where you got the idea that the 986 is least likely to have IMS problems, when from what I've seen online, just the opposite is true. In fact, anyone with concern about the IMS bearing issue on Boxsters should probably avoid not only the 986, but the 987.1, and look to the 987.2 or later, which did not have IMS bearings at all. Instead of doing this video from inside your car while driving, it might have been more helpful to viewers for you to have shown us how to access things such as spark plugs, oil filter, etc and what needs to be removed in order to gain access to things in the engine.
Thanks for the feedback and this is an older video, so I have learned a lot since this about showing instead of just telling.
While it is true that most folks don’t do their own maintenance, things are pretty easy to work on, but if you go to a shop then maintenance can be very expensive. I didn’t go into details in this video but around this time did make other videos showing things like how to change the oil and get to various things and have a few for the 996 more recently.
As for the IMS Bearing issue, the early 986 2.5 (as well as the earliest 996 3.4) have a dual row bearing that weren’t named in the class action lawsuit against Porsche due to their low rate of failure. This information is also confirmed on the LN Engineering site and they are trying to sell you on an IMS Bearing retrofit, so want you to buy a retrofit.
The later 996 models with the single row bearing are the most prone to failure. The 997.1 and 987.1 (outside of the earliest examples) have a better reinforced single row IMS Bearing with a rate of failure similar to the early dual row bearings. However, these are internal bearings so they can’t be replaced without splitting the case unlike the 996 models. Now the 987.2 and 997.2 went away from the IMS Bearing design that was troublesome, although bore scoring is a bit more prevalent with those (they also cost more to purchase one).
Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts and I’ll keep them in mind when making further videos to help them be more helpful.
This was not helpful, if you’re replacing the whole car, that’s not what the average person does
Sorry it wasn’t helpful for you. Just put together what it cost me. I had the car for over six years and it didn’t cost a lot to keep on the road for me, but I did most the maintenance myself.
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I don't understand why you would change your oil every 5 thousand miles it is recommended at 20 thousand or every 2 years ? It's you money I do it every 10 but I live out in the middle of America ND I don't have traffic issues like I see in the video. The roads here were made for a Porsche and I have a blast driving. Indiana!
My year Boxster was originally every 15,000 miles. However, Porsche later revised this to every 10,000 miles after the IMS Bearing issues started to become more common. I personally do it every 5,000 miles as I only put about 8,000 miles a year on the car. Changing it more often allows for inspection of the oil filter for any warning signs of engine issues, such as early IMS Bearing failure. Since it only costs $70 to change the oil, it is a small price to pay. I also live in a warm area of California that gets over 100 degrees for much of the summer and fresher oil provides better protection.
Enjoy the lack of traffic. I wish it was more like that here. This area has much worse traffic than it should, but at least the coast is just an hour drive away. So, it could be worse.
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Dude change you oil at 5k or once a year.
Omg 🤮😴😴😴
Glad you enjoyed it.
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