Chris_in_NH

Sound like PITA indeed. Would they look bad if I leave the louvres in place and paint the whole thing in silver? Im afraid there will be too much contrast with the center vent still in black. like this, except the whole thing in silver. i'm not sure how they would look in all silver. but i think the black/silver contrast would look good (silver housing/black louvres). they're not all that difficult to remove. try removing one louvre and you'll see what i mean. but in the interest of a good final product, i would remove them. and won't the louvres in the center air vent be black - or were you going to paint over those, too? (since the center louvre pieces are larger than the hole that they occupy, they swivel up/down. when the person is painting them, they would have to swivel them up/down during painting to make sure the whole swiveling pieces get painted). no, you won't need to disconnect the airbags to remove the pocket lids. there are two hinges and one spring. you need to tap out the little metal bar in the hinges with a thin punch and a hammer, and you can just wiggle/coax the spring off of its mounting point inside the door pocket (the other end is connected to the door pocket cover. leave that in place.) also, my little metal hinge bars were very difficult to remove and took quite a bit of effort, as they had never been removed and the car is 10 years old. when i replaced them, i put a little anti-seize on them so they would be easier to remove if i needed to remove them again. just be careful with the anti-seize, it will stain. you could also use graphite. i know the answer because i already asked him. ;) he sprayed those dash trim pieces while they were installed in the car. brave man! :o ;)

someone on this forum had the issue of the door lock not working (mine has been broken for years now - i just haven't gotten around to fixing it yet) and they called for roadside assistance (AAA, etc.) and they were able to unlock the door using that giant coat-hanger thing. so there *is* a way to get in if you're locked out. might be a good idea to pick up a giant coat-hanger thing. but where would you keep it? :lol: here's that thread: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=14541

Yes, the factory alarm will arm/disarm when you use the key in the lock. Correct, the transponder is for the immobilizer. Yes, the key needs to be programmed to the car (immobilizer). The immobilizer is (in a way) independent of the alarm system, but both functions are contained in the same box (the alarm/locking computer under the driver's seat). As far as the dead battery/trunk issue, you can re-route the front trunk emergency release cable to the tow hook cover so that if your battery dies, you just need to pop off the tow hook cover and pull the cable. I'm not sure if you can do this on 987s, but I'm pretty sure that you can on all 986s. I just did it on mine yesterday. This entails taking off your front bumper, which is pretty easy. While you're in there, you can clean out your radiators which probably have a ton of road debris in them. Here's a how-to: http://www.realtime.net/~rentner/Porsche/R...r/Radiator.html

that sounds like quite an interior! :lol: can you post a pic? i've never seen one as you describe. i think that silver will be a good choice to offset all the black. i considered doing silver as well. i have another set (well, 90% of a set) of trim pieces, and i am going to paint them silver to see how they look. then, depending on my mood, i can have a blue set and a silver set. it will be nice and keep the car from getting boring. i'm actually very surprised that i've had this car for over 8 years and i'm not bored with it. it is the first time i've ever kept a car so long! of all the pieces, the side air vents are by far the most fragile. unless you want the louvres/slats in the vent housings painted, you will need to remove them. it's not that difficult, but it is a PITA. the louvres are numbered on their undersides, so you really can't put them back in wrong, but taking them out and putting them back in (along with the little plastic hinge that moves all the louvres in tandem) is frustrating. maybe yours will be easier than mine. also, on the inside of the air vent housing, the first section of air duct is attached to the housing via 4 plastic tabs that are very easy to break. the air duct itself had 4 plastic slots that these tabs fit into, and they are very easy to break, too. i broke a number of mine, but super glue saved me. ;) you'll see what i mean when you get in there. the second most difficult pieces are the inside door handle covers. there is a plastic tab (what's with all the tabs, Porsche!?) that is very easy to break. i think most people that remove these pieces break the tabs. i did on both of my door handle covers. this tab is mentioned in the door panel removal instructions link that someone posted above. the good news is that the pieces will still fit securely even if you break the tabs (which you probably will ;) ) and it makes them much easier to remove next time. :lol: other than that, everything else is pretty easy. you will want to tape up your handbrake with a good, thick tape when you remove the center console (if you are removing it) as the plastic will scratch the handbrake up pretty good during removal. let us know how it goes!

What are you trying to say? ;) My pieces were 'semi-professionally' sprayed (by me) using Ocean Blue exterior paint from Paintscratch.com ($25) and it is a PERFECT match. You can pay someone else to do it, but it is much cheaper and much more fun to do it yourself- and quicker. I had everything done in a day. One thing, when you are removing screws and other pieces, put them in separate plastic bags (sandwich bags, etc.) and label them so you know what goes where. I ended up with a number of 'extra' screws, so please learn from my mistake. ;) On my pieces after I did the actual 'painting', I used a matte (flat) clear coat. I was doing so many pieces that I thought if they were all super-shiny clear coated, it might be 'too much'. But you could use a high-gloss clear coat if you wanted to. This would make the color really 'pop'. Just keep the 'shine-factor' in mind if you are doing many pieces. I'm guessing that it will cost a lot to have these pieces professionally sprayed. I would DIY and if you don't like the result, you can always send them out to a professional. ;) If you are going to DIY, make sure you wipe the pieces with alcohol first and dry them, then use a tack rag to remove dust. My total cost on this was $50 for the Ocean Blue paint (2 cans @ $25) and $7 for 2 cans of clear. Super-cheap! Good luck!

the two speakers on the left (dash and door) and the two speakers on the right (dash and door) operate as single full-range speakers, except split into two components (speakers). so you get highs and mids from the dash speaker, and lows from the door speakers. if you use the balance function to move all the sound to one side, it will sound *louder* than if you had them perfectly balanced L+R. i don't think the balance function is actually controlling the dash speaker separate from the door speaker (unless you have some crazy-a$$ radio that i'm not aware of). ;)

just see this post. you probably don't need a whole alternator, just the regulator which is a super cheap part. you'll need to be logged-in to see most of the (important) pics. Alternator DIY

you mean like THIS?: i don't think there is a 'guide' per se, but if you have the Bentley manual much of it is covered. if you want to shoot me a PM, i can help you with some of the removal instructions.

i didn't actually cut into the leather backings (the leatherette storage compartment). the leather flaps are 'open' in this pic and there is a piece of wood that i sized and painted to fit into the opening in the rear storage compartment. when the flaps are closed, the speakers are completely concealed. however, i have seen an installation where the person actually cut holes in the flaps and added a screen material to serve as speaker grills. it looked pretty cool, but i like my install better. ;) the subwoofer doesn't really get in the way. passengers lose maybe 6" of legroom, but as you can see from the pic, the sub doesn't take up a lot of room at all. it pretty rugged as well, so i suppose they could put their feet on it if they wanted.

so the issue is that the plastic piece rubs the tension cable? is the plastic piece getting hung up on the tension cable or is it just rubbing, but the top open/closes normally? the plastic pieces are purely cosmetic, they just hide the clamshell arms when you are raising/lowering the top. you could just leave them off if you want. mine have been off for the last 5 years. i know that's probably not the answer you were looking for... as you may have noticed, they just clip on to the clamshell arms. unless you can push the plastic pieces on a little more so that they don't contact the tension cables (we are talking about the ~8" cables that hold down the rear of the conv top - not the conv top drive cables that are clipped into the sides of the rear conv top area, right?), i can't really think of a solution. regarding the top latch hitting the windstop, another post on the same subject had suspected a bent conv top frame. that would also explain your issue with the clamshell arm cover. did you replace the top canvas yourself or did you have a shop do it? is it possible that you or the shop could have bent the top frame while installing the glass-window canvas? here's the thread i was talking about; you've probably already seen it: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=14562 as for your worries about top failures, 99.9% of them have to do with the conv top drive cables' outer covering (sheath) stretching due to heat. the sheath stretches and effectively 'pushes' the inner drive cable out of the conv top cable motor. usually, one side comes out of the motor first, while the other side still works. so the motor raises one side of the conv top while the other side is basically locked down. this is when the terrible snapping noises occur. if you ever hear these terrible noises, or something just doesn't seem right, LET GO OF THE CONV TOP BUTTON! ;) supposedly, in later models Porsche used reinforced cables so they wouldn't stretch. the reinforced cables appear textured, while the older cables are flat black (like a cable-TV cable). you can periodically check your cables by pressing the conv top button like you are going to put the top down, so that the clamshell raises, then stop pressing the conv top button (top should be unlatched, but still in the 'closed' position). under the clamshell, in front of the 3rd brake light, there is a small black box (conv top cable motor) mounted to the rear firewall with a cable going into each side. unclip the brass clips that hold the cables into the motor and remove the cables. check the ends of the cables to make sure there is at least 3/4" of inner drive cable sticking out the end of the cable sheath. 3/4" is the magic number. this thread explains quite a bit and has some good pictures of the parts i'm talking about (you will need to be logged-in to see all the pics). Conv Top R&R as far as the engine failures, treat your engine well and (hopefully) it will treat you well. here are a few good ideas: -frequent oil changes (at LEAST every 15K miles, but some people change it every 7.5K) including air/oil filters -new spark plugs at recommended intervals -premium gas -don't let the car warm up to operating temp at idle -don't 'lug' the engine -don't go over 4K RPMs in any gear until the car is fully warmed up (10-20 minutes of 'normal' driving) -when starting the car, wait 10-20 seconds before driving off so that oil can get to where it needs to be -run a bottle of Techron fuel system cleaner thru the engine prior to an oil change hope this helps. congrats on your Boxster! :)

Hi 986Jim, I saw your earlier posts where you mentioned that you've been running the car for a year since cleaning the MAF without problems and it gave me hope :) I just wasn't sure if I should clean it now or wait until the CEL comes back on. I am not sure why it went off to begin with, since I haven't cleaned anything. Basically my dilemma is this: clean the MAF now or follow the wise-man saying "If it ain't broke don't fix it"? I suppose your advise is appropriate, though, because it won't cost me anything to clean the MAF, unless it makes it worse, in which case I will need to replace it (which would have happened anyway, in the near future). Did your CEL come on and then went off on its own (and then you cleaned the MAF anyway) or you had to clean your MAF for the CEL to go off? Thanks! i would leave it alone. but that's just me... by the way, it really helps if you tell us the model year and mileage. ;) *most* 1123/1125 and 1128/1130 codes at first glance point to the MAF, but it is RARELY the MAF that is causing them. but *sometimes* it is. just make sure that you KNOW it's the MAF before you buy another one. i can't tell you how many people have purchased MAFs because of these codes, only to find out that it wasn't the MAF to begin with - and they're out $300+.

$430 dollars for a $30 part that takes 10 minutes to install is but one of the reasons i do not frequent the 'stealer'. as Maurice mentioned, this is a cheap part and simple to install.

you don't need to remove the side panels to remove the CD holder or cubby unit. if you ever DO need to remove the side pieces, grab them at the back and pull away to the side to release the back tabs, and then push from the back towards you to release the front tabs. they basically pop off, and i doubt you could actually break anything. to remove the CD holder, open one of the CD trays, grab it close to the CD holder's face and pull. if that doesn't work, you're not pulling hard enough. ;) if you feel like you're going to break it that way, you can cover the end of a flathead screwdriver with a cloth and pry a little bit around the edges to get it started. there are tabs in each corner.

i had this same problem when i installed my Schnell short shifter. i was able to eliminate some of the play by tightening the bolt that the shaft pivots on. that actually helped quite a bit and took all of 10 seconds. the remaining play in the shifter (mine anyway) is due to the side ball socket (sorry, i don't know the actual names of the parts - but it is the arm on the left side with the ball on the end of it that controls side-to-side movement) being smaller than the Porsche part. the ball fits into that white plastic piece that lowers when you move the shifter to the left, and raises when you move the shifter to the right. because the ball is smaller, it has a few mm's to go before it actually contacts the white piece to move it. if you could enclose the ball better within that white plastic piece, i think that would eliminate most of the side-to-side play.

the door speakers in Boxsters are (crappy) mid-subwoofers. they only put out low frequencies. you would be 10x better off installing some rear speakers (which will move the soundstage) and a real subwoofer. don't even bother with the door speakers. it would be a lot of work for very, very little gain. this is what i did... made a mount for some aftermarket Pioneer TSA878s (they had the best frequency response that i could find in a 3.5" speaker - and they were only $50: and i added a Kenwood KSC-SW1 compact sub in the passenger footwell. $120 for it on eBay. and this thing rocks!!! really fills out the low end nicely.

this post may help... http://www.ppbb.com/scgi-bin/boards/986/main.pl?read=1238456 you can use Zerex antifreeze 50/50 with water to get to the mechanic. http://www.valvoline.com/zerex/

is this Boxster a manual transmission (stick) or an automatic (Tiptronic)? was your Z3 manual or automatic? that could be the difference. are you used to driving a stick? the Boxster has the most low-end torque in 1st, 2nd and 3rd, especially above 4000 RPMs. if you try to 'gun it' in 4th or 5th gear at low RPMs, you will be disappointed because the car is a dog in those gears/RPMs. try driving above 4K RPMs and see if you notice a difference. it might just be that the car is new to you.

there should be 4 loose wires (the wires that you would connect to the back of the toggle switch to do the Pelican Parts hack). if you touch the ends of two of the wires together, you should be able to cycle through the OBC 'pages' (functions). don't worry, there isn't enough electricity flowing thru the wires to kill ya. ;) once you get to the function you want (miles left) tape the ends up until you are ready to install the toggle switch.

here we go is right! as are you. i have left your entire text this time. yes, all the above is true. and they are all cheaper than engines, clutches and transmissions. not to mention 'necessary'. you are correct. but i did not say that. what i said was now who is taking whom out of context? what about in a turn? with a mid engine/rear wheel drive car? and for the record, i never said that i don't engine brake or downshift. i do. but i am aware that it causes more wear to the components we're discussing. AND i rev-match EVERY time. oh, i didn't realize you were guessing the whole time. your posts seemed very authoritative. you would also need to change your brake pads/rotors 25 times before it equaled the cost of an engine. look, we're not going to agree on this subject and i am tired of this 'battle of wits' with you. let's agree to disagree. you are a worthy opponent. but for the record, i did not resort to personal insults or ad hominem attacks. as i mentioned before, you have a way with words. please drive safely. ^_^

ie., Tailgater. Probably didn't care about the car too much. ie., didn't care about the car or himself too much. ie., didn't care about the car or himself too much. :rolleyes:

i prefer NOT to engine brake in the wet as the abrupt speed change can cause the wheels to lose traction, and then it's all over. i agree about downshifting when the police enter the highway so you don't have to use your brakes and alert them to your car. ;) OK. so you AGREE that rev-matching minimizes wear on the clutch, engine and transmission. but, as you state - these parts are 'designed' to take the extra wear of not rev-matching - but for HOW LONG? rotation=wear. more rotation=more wear. if the idea is to minimize wear to extend the life of the engine/minimize repair costs/drive the car as long as possible, then engine braking is opposed to that idea as it creates MORE wear. now who is being 'obtuse'? you can't agree with this concept in one sentence, but then disagree in the next! if there is more wear then there is more wear. period. it also comes down to the fact that brakes and rotors are far less expensive to replace that clutches and engines. you seem to be fairly knowledgeable about this subject, but the real question is 'does engine braking cause more wear on the clutch, engine and transmission?' and you have admitted that it does. so what is left to argue about? whether the increased wear is 'significant'? by your reasoning, clutches, transmissions and engines should last forever. if you disagree with this statement then you admit that at some point the wear becomes significant.

are you trying to say that rev-matching creates the same amount of wear as 'slipping' the clutch into the next lowest gear? i would have to disagree. the example given was of getting off the highway onto an 'offramp' (where there are no intersections or oncoming traffic) and was made to illustrate a point. the engine and transmission components will experience much more wear over a lifetime of 'engine braking' compared to actual braking. while we're agreeing, let's add the engine in there too. you certainly have a way with words. engine=go. brakes=stop.

this link should explain it all. you need to repair or replace your cables. you should also start a new thread for your specific issues. btw, 95% of the posts in this forum are due to the same problem that you are having. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=68

he's talking about downshifting in a TIP, though. are you saying that if he blips the throttle before the TIP downshift then everything is ok? i can only imagine that even this provides extra wear on the transmission compared to using the brakes to slow down.

if that's the way you want to do it, i can't stop you. but i can tell you it's like the 3 blind men touching the elephant, each thinking it's a different animal. your top issues are all related (except for the roll bar question) and would be best kept to one thread. also, if you have conversations offline and don't update, it makes it more difficult to help you. i know you can't do anything about it now, but in the future it would really make things easier. as for your cables, whether they are the new ones or the old ones, they NEED 3/4" sticking out the end. if there is not 3/4" sticking out the end, then there is your problem - as i said previously. i am guessing that your missing pin and all the other problems are also cable-related. how much cable is sticking out the end of each of the cable sheaths?