Chris_in_NH

that 'new' Boxster looks good. no problems that i can see. although, i'd prefer clear headlights because if you want to upgrade to clear headlights it will cost quite a bit (~$1400 new - and that's for non-Litronics!). but if you're happy with the amber headlights, no problem. but i honestly wouldn't pass on a great deal just because of the headlights. ;) did you end up making money on the first Boxster? did you keep the hardtop? as far as swerving or not to avoid the deer, the end result would have probably been the same (totaled), except you might have had a deer for a passenger. :lol: good luck with the new Boxster!

yup, MOST. you could buy a used MOST amp from someone who is getting rid of MOST. funny, MOST people are trying to get rid of MOST. ;) i would just get a good aftermarket stereo (like my Nak CD-500) that will work with your existing wiring/amp. Becker stereos are highly over-rated anyway, and as of late, Porsche will no longer be using Becker stereos in future cars. here's a pic of my beloved Nak. :)

i've responded in the original thread where you asked me to PM you, i've PMed you twice, and i've sent you an email. if you are not interested in the tail lights, just let me know. i am waiting on you. if anyone else is interested in my 986 OEM clear tail lights for a discount please let me know. 'lucky topher' is first in line for them, but since i have not heard back from him... ;)

sounds like it certainly could be coil packs. the fact that the car 'kicked back in' at 1500 rpms could be a symptom of bad coil packs. was it raining when this happened? it could also be the MAF. an easy MAF test is to unplug the MAF's wiring harness (leaving the MAF in place) then disconnecting the neg battery cable for at least 1 minute (you will need your radio code), then reconnecting the battery (but not the MAF). see how your car behaves with the MAF unplugged. usually if the MAF *is* the problem, when you disconnect it (and then reset the DME by disconnecting the battery) the car will run perfectly. be advised, you may get a CEL with a P0102 code when the MAF is unplugged, which is normal and expected. if your CEL hasn't lit up, then chances are you don't have any codes to read. if you think the CEL bulb might be burnt out, just turn the key to the first position to see if the CEL lights up during the bulb test. i would give the MAF test a shot. you will know instantly if the MAF is the problem or not. if it does turn out to be coil packs, i just replaced mine and can tell you it's very easy. here's the thread. http://www.ppbb.com/boards/ppbbphp/showfla...;Number=1289587 warning: horrific pictures like this are included! these were mine at 11 years old! :o ;)

actually, yes.. PM me a price :) PM sent. ;) hey topher, i sent you another PM. please let me know what you'd like to do. edit* just sent you an email, too. ;)

how many miles are on this car? has the Air-Oil Separator been replaced yet? (you will eventually need to replace it, so you might as well do it as 'preventive maintenance', as opposed to 'reactionary repair'. ;) the AOS is a quite common culprit for the codes that you have listed, although the P0102 makes me think that it really could be MAF-related. this post may help you diagnose the P0102. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=3216 as you mentioned, unplugging the MAF wiring harness and then resetting the DME is a good idea. see if the other codes come back. you should also get a P0102 when the MAF is unplugged. you want to see if the other codes come back. as far as getting the MAF's wiring harness off of the MAF, you should just be able to squeeze the clips on both sides of the harness to release it. if it's stuck, you can use pliers/channel locks to apply more squeezing power to the clips. a flat-head screwdriver may also help to gently pry the clips away. Loren's advice about cleaning the MAF is good advice, but in my experience if cleaning the MAF does work, it is only temporary. here's a link to the MAF cleaning DIY (down towards the second half of the page). http://mike.focke.googlepages.com/checkeng...ssairflowsensor also, if you have a local friend with a Boxster, you could swap MAFs to see if the problem/codes follows the MAF. a new MAF is an expensive part if you don't really need one. many people spend money on MAFs only to find out that it wasn't the MAF to begin with. just do your homework (and it sounds like you are) before you spend the money on a new one. ;) if you do need a new one, AutohausAZ.com has the best prices on MAFs these days.

yes, you could try those bulbs. you know that they are not 'real' HID bulbs, though, right? it says right on the package 'simulated 7000K HID look'. i would also worry about what if something *does* happen to your headlight lens as a result of these bulbs. if you want REAL HID (Xenon) system you have to do a wiring conversion so that you can use REAL xenon bulbs. like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/H7-HID-CONV...tem120229376883 it's really cheap and for ~$150 you get real HID! eBay, Boxster forums and Porsche dismantlers are your best bet. what kind of headlight unit is it - the one with the amber baked-in, or the 'clear' headlight pod with the amber insert? i have an extra set of the baked-in amber ones if you're interested. there is a list of dismantlers on this page down towards the bottom. if you haven't seen this site, it is Mike Focke's site and one of the best Boxster sites in existence. BOOKMARK IT! you will need it, trust me. ;) http://mike.focke.googlepages.com/mikespor...boxsterwebpages

you can also just use a hex driver (allen wrench). i can't remember, but i think it's a 6mm.

see this post. it seems like it may have something to do with your situation. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...entry9056 also search this forum for 'radio code protect'. *edited my previous answer since the 03+ cars don't have radio codes. ;) see this one, too. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=11598

yes, cast rotors are less prone to cracking. how MUCH less prone is the question. and cross drilled rotors are going to crack whether you track or not. i'm not 100% sure, but i don't think you can use the S rotors on your base. hence the need for aftermarket non-S drilled rotors. ;) have you considered slotted rotors?

glad to hear it. you don't need to leave the cable off for more than a minute. once the power's off, it's off. ;)

the cylinders are laid out like this (view from above). 'X' is the steering wheel in a LHD car. front of car X 4....1 5....2 6....3 rear of car

yes, i would. especially if the hesitation was happening with the previous MAF. it sounds like the car is still running on the old MAF's parameters. just disconnect the neg battery cable for at least 1 minute, then re-connect. have your radio code if your radio needs one (it does).

thanks for the pics. yes, those are better. i have found a few sellers of these lights on eBay,so there shouldn't be any problem getting a pair. here's a pic of somebody else's car with the non-smoked version that i will be getting. for your car, have you considered the LED 3rd (raised) brake light? i have the 'clear' one on mine, but there is also a smoked version. i got it from Bumperplugs. com for $80 or so. i think it would look good on your car. here, i doctored one up for you. :)

actually, yes.. PM me a price :) PM sent. ;)

cool! yes, if you could take some night pics as well as a close up of the entire rear end (so i can see both lights at the same time) that would be great. honestly, they don't look too different from the OEM tails. are yours smoked or clear? i can't tell. does anyone want to buy my OEM clear tails for a discount? ;)

can you tell me (us) how you fabricated the subwoofer enclosure/mount? can you post some other (interior) pics of it? i'm curious to see the rest of it, how you mounted it to the armrest/rear firewall, quality of construction, etc. ;) also, what do you think about making the LEDs flash instead of the turn signals? also also, what do you think about the LED tail lights i asked you about in this thread? http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...ost&p=95568 you are a tough guy to get answers out of. ;)

ok, thanks for not answering. you forced me to search for your LED post. ;) http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=18042 so know i see why you did it. i do kinda like it, and it does kinda look 997 turbo-ish. i think that you should disable the headlight pod turn signals (or just remove the bulbs) and make the LEDs flash for turn signals. that would be awesome! and it should be pretty easy to do! but i am still interested in knowing about your sub. maybe i should search for that too. ;)

have you considered the LED tail lights on eBay? some of them are very 'rice', but this is one set that i could live with. i've read about one person that bought them and he really likes them and says that they are plenty bright. i may give them a try.

ok, so it sounds like they fit and work. what do you mean you can't notice the difference? do you mean you can't notice the difference compared to a normal non-LED bulb? regarding the AutoZone bulbs, what do you mean you couldn't really tell even in the dark? do you mean the bulbs were not bright enough? or that you couldn't tell that they were LED? sorry, i'm a little slow today... ;)

juniinc, it seems that the 1156 can substitute for the 7506. did you have any fitment and/or power problems, or did you just plug it in and it worked? i remember once trying to fit an 1156 or 1157 into the bulb holder, and on one of them (i can't remember which) the metal 'nubs' didn't line up correctly with the bulb holder. so i wanted to see if you had this issue with the 1156 or if it just worked perfectly. i see that the 1156 can also substitute for the 5007. but in the Boxster's rear lenses, you need to use a 5007 because a 7506/1156 won't fit thru the bulb hole. i wonder if this LED bulb is small enough to fit through the 5007 hole in the rear lenses. i suppose you could Dremel the 5007 hole a little bigger if so inclined. ;)

cool pics! i don't understand what the front LEDs are for, though. i think you mentioned it in another post, but i'm lazy. ;) do the LEDs do anything (flash with turn signal, etc.)? do you have a switch in the car to turn them on/off? if so, can you post a picture of the switch? that sub looks like it puts out a lot of bass. i may have mentioned before that i like it, but that i think it would take up too much room for me. did you do it yourself or buy it ready-to-go? how much was it?

the 'cutting out' of power around 4000-5000 frequently is the beginning of a bad Mass Air Flow meter (MAF). see this thread concerning 1128/1130. scroll down to my post about the easy MAF test and do it. see if that fixes the problem. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=18146

change the polyrib belt whenever you want. mine lasted 110K miles before it broke. (i wanted to see how long it would go.) ;) if the belt does snap, you'll lose the alternator, water pump, power brakes, a/c, etc. the fuel filter is a 60K mile replacement. i would just do it all at 60K and keep the old polyrib belt (in the car) as a spare. you can change the xmission fluid if you want, but it's not necessary. if you are having shifting/transmission problems, i would do it. otherwise, let it go until 90K. i just recently changed my xmission fluid at 125K and it looked just like the new fluid.

i'm interested to know why as well. ;) is your car running hot? or is this for the turbo project (in which i am VERY interested!)?