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stickshiftnz

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Everything posted by stickshiftnz

  1. "Side light" sounds like British terminology; if that is the case, the side light would be the front parking lamp.
  2. That can happen to automatic cars when parked at an incline. Try this: - Stop the car, keep foot on the brake. - Shift to Neutral, engage the hand brake, then release the brake pedal. The weight of the car is now borne by the hand brake. - Foot on the brake again (so the car doesn't buck), then shift to Park, ignition off. The weight of the car is not borne by the gearbox's Park gear, making it easier to shift out of Park. Getting stuck in Park on a slight incline is like on a manual gearbox when you can't get it out of gear and you need to push the car a little to ease the load off that gear.
  3. A friend told me that if I ever fitted a towbar to a Boxster or any Porsche for that matter, he would come over and kill me with his bare hands :) Well, I understand his point, but in many places outside North America, for one, many of us only have car park space for one car (whether or not you could afford another vehicle). The odd few times that you need to carry something not necessarily heavy, but bulky, it's easy enough to hire a trailer off the gas station for NZ$20 (about US$13) than have to hire a van just to take home a Christmas tree, or the odd sheets of plywood. That towbar fitment looks pretty good, would even be better if it were removable.
  4. I believe the logic behind having only one rear foglamp (some Opel/Vauxhall manuals refer to it, I think properly, as a "fog tail lamp"), is that in fog or very bad weather, the driver behind can tell the driver's side of the car he's following. From what I can remember, from a BMW 5-series manual in the '80s (English language, general export), in the Federal Republic of Germany, the rear foglamp is only to be used when visibility ahead falls below 50 metres (164 ft/55 yards) to reduce glare to the driver behind, and front foglamps if visibility falls below 100 metres (328 ft/110 yds). For the rear foglamps, that's about 10-11 car-lengths. Also, from the manual, as the 5-series ROW cars had 7-inch outer (high/low beam) headlamps and 5-inch inner (high beam/driving) headlamps, the front foglamps are wired only to operate with the low-beam outer lamps. The manual said that in Germany, only four headlamps are allowed on at the same time, hence the wiring. (But it didn't say it was because high beams are useless in fog)
  5. For daily driver tyres, also take into account the noise. It is not so much of an issue in countries with smooth paving materials, but where coarse chip asphalt is used, like NZ, driving over these surfaces causes a drone inside a car. Over fair distances, it makes me drowsy or fatigued. Changed tyres on my Audi from Yokohamas (the car was a Japanese market vehicle imported second-hand into the country), to Dunlops, and immediately the drone was diminished.
  6. How is it a girly colour? I say, you buy what looks and feels good to you. Colour is very subjective, and to each his own. And also what the situation is, like here in NZ, the predominant car colour is silver, and since many new cars are leased or bought under business names, once finance is approved, they want a car available right then and there. They can't wait 3 months for a special order. So the importer brings in only cars which it knows will sell immediately -- silver, black, navy blue, maybe gray or the odd red, with black leather. For me, if I'm buying an expensive or otherwise special car, I wouldn't want to have what everyone else has got. If I were to buy one now, I'd get a coupe in Malachite Green with a sand beige two-tone with black or dark gray interior (haven't decided), Aqua Blue with gray trim or Cream White with cocoa, just because I know it isn't going to be common here. The Targas are rare here, but I've seen one, and the chrome trim that extends atop the windows to the back looks really smart, but the glass roof I fear will make the car too hot to get into if parked out in the sun in summer. But with a targa, I'd definitely go Malachite Green or that burgundy metallic because the chrome stands out so nicely. I like that colour, nothing wrong with Nordic Gold. Enjoy it.
  7. One thing too, cleaning all the surfaces may take care of much of the cigarette smell, but you may want to have your air conditioning evaporator cleaned too, since the fins may hold some of the smell. There are shops which specialise in this, they hook up the machine to the recirculation source vent and run the apparatus with the airconditioning on.
  8. When I first saw the 997.2 in photos earlier on, I too had my doubts about that tail light design. But after having seen it in the flesh, and getting a Porsche brochure with photos at the correct angles, I must say I'm OK with it now. But it looks better from the rear in some colours than others. While the older tail lamps kind'a plant the units firmly onto the bumper base, on the new car, the lines from the sides of the rear window coming straight down and bending under the tail lights I think makes it look a little spunky. Looking at them from the rear, this is just my opinion but the red reflector strip on the C4/C4S models actually detract from those lines; I quite like the purity of not having the reflector there. But that's just me. The rear lights that, so far, I do not like, are those on the new Cayman and Boxster. I'll wait to see it in the flesh, but there's something "un-German" about it. A little too organic (I'm thinking of the word, I hope that was it -- for blobs) for my liking.
  9. That's good, the item I read mentioned something about oil coming from the PCV system hitting the hot head and baking it on, and with fuel not coming in contact with it, is not able to clean it. If such is the case, then I suppose it's really a matter of diligent maintenance and checking/replacing the PCV valve or similar component periodically, if it's what keeps oil from getting in to start with. Re: the Mercedes 123 diesel (I assume all older diesel engines with mechanical low-pressure injection systems), would they have this PCV valve?
  10. It's widely accepted that when a basically all-new engine or component is introduced, there will be teething problems unforseen by the manufacturer until it's used in the real world. The new Direct Injection engines powering the 997-2 has gotten rid of the intermediate shaft, one of the problems which though hopefully not too common (no official figures released), is still a worry; that should eliminate one source of expensive grief. The DI engine of course will help improve economy and help comply with near-future emissions regulations (or else get legislated out of existence). However, the direct injection engines so far available from other manufacturers (notably Mitsubishi, VW & Volvo in Europe) have seen a spate of problems with carbon build-up in the valve/head area. I've read two or more comments about that being a common problem of direct injection engines. Now, I will not profess to be an expert in this so feel free to correct me, but in some articles and blogs I've read, the more common engines (port injected?) make use of the detergent in fuel to keep the valves clean of build-up. DI engines, however, inject fuel directly into the cylinder, so the valve stem areas don't get cleaned by fuel. I'm hoping that this doesn't end up being one of the problems of this new engine. Any thoughts on the matter?
  11. Using the jump starter as a trickle charger will mean that the radio won't lose its coding. You keep the battery charged, and as the jump starter runs out of juice, just take it indoors and plug it into your home power outlet, ready for action again the next day.
  12. What about using one of those portable jump-start devices, hooked up to the cigar lighter as a surrogate battery? It should have enough juice to keep the car charged for two or so weeks, then while the car's battery is still fully charged, take the jump starter in and recharge it overnight, then put it into the car again the next morning? I've seen some of those jump starters on special here in NZ for as little as NZ$50 (about US$27).
  13. When the ignition is off, and you step on the brake pedal, do the lights come on normally? I was going to suggest there may be a grounding issue with one of the lights, but if all three of them turn on, it would be something centralised. If the car has some lighting system black box, you may wish to check that out.
  14. So does this mean that the latest direct-injection engines on the 997-2 and the incoming facelift 987 Boxster/Cayman could still have "catastrophic engine failure" even when the new engines do not have the intermediate shaft? Too bad there's no way to check or access the tensioner. So basically we can just hope and pray that the engines don't blow up in the meantime, and when time comes to get it overhauled, then strip it all the way to the tensioner. It makes me wonder then -- this IMS problem seems to be this mysterious disease that doesn't seem to have a logical or easily pinpointed cause (be it driving style, maintenance, mileage), highly unusual. Is it possible that Porsche, who should have a fair few engines shipped back to them from around the world during warranty repairs, knows about your discovery and has just kept mum about it and perhaps snuck in updated fixes into the new engines?
  15. I've got a JVC KD-SDH707 in my Galant, which I've had now for almost three years. Full aluminum front, Germanic look, bells and whistles including motorised face angle adjustment etc. I have read that JVCs were not very reliable, and kept my fingers crossed, simply because my unit was a top-line one a few years earlier, costing something like NZ$800 (US$464 at current rates), which I got "shop-soiled" for only NZ$200, complete with box and manual. I've been very happy with it, very flexible system. What I can perhaps say though is that my unit's build quality (even the feel of the buttons when you press them, or turning the volume) appears to be much better than the typical JVC units now out for as cheap as NZ$300 new. Mine may have been expensive but over-engineered. The unit you like I believe is currently the top line model thereabouts, so if they didn't scrimp to get the price too low, then it may turn out to be OK. Simply judging the book by the cover (if they take THAT much effort into what the cover looks and feels like), the internals may be equally good. Cheaper JVCs just don't look right even.
  16. And expense/complication. I personally prefer normal halogens, because when something does go wrong, the ballast and associated components are yet more expensive components to fail. Adding to that, I used to think Xenons were cool until I had a few of them behind me. The self-levelling system (required by law on Xenon headlamps outside Nth America and Japan, in addition to headlamp washers) is too slow to react. I always need to flick my rear-view mirror to antiglare mode. They're probably fine on level, smooth, multi-lane highways, but on busy suburban hilly two-way roads, they're a nuisance to other drivers.
  17. Whoa....no intermediate shaft? Unless they've replaced that problem with another yet undiscovered and equally debilitating one, it looks like redemption is at hand! I haven't read much about the update, which usually focuses more on the PDK gearbox and the direct injection. Just from what I could quickly find, if it's got 40% less parts than the older engines, then hopefully that means better reliability. Also looks like if the engine is almost totally new, then perhaps the engineers thought that the ongoing problems could not be fixed by simply modifying the existing design. Perhaps this also means good-bye to RMS problems.
  18. I think there's merit in it. I call it the "Mercedes 200 principle." (Americans haven't got a Merc 200, of course). Thinking in 1970s/80s terms, not everyone needs or wants a Merc 280E, especially those who live in Rome or London. But a car which seats 5 comfortably, not too small to be unsafe, not too large to be difficult to park, one put together well, dependable, and doors that thunk shut, with an adequate engine, and one which you could happily keep for a long time without feeling the need to upgrade when the new one comes. Enter the Mercedes 200. No autobahnsturmer, but even with manual seats and sunroof, does the part, but feels far more substantial and special than the equivalent (European) Ford Granada/Opel Rekord. The 911 is, of course, the quintessential Porsche to own. But you don't need to appreciate it only because it can top 260 km/h -- to the eyes of anyone, it is a beautiful car, comfortable, agile, and sturdy. It's pretty well-built too, and bar the cabrio, has a traditional hardtop body. Of course, anyone wanting a Merc 190E version of a Porsche can get a Boxster or Cayman. But as rigid as the Cayman is, I personally don't like the cut of the rear quarter glass, just doesn't look as proportional. One of the reasons people also aspire for Porsches is that they age gracefully. In the same Mercedes principle, if you could only afford to do the exercise once in your life to save up and buy the car you want that will fill your needs adequately, how would you like to be stuck with a 1987 Toyota Cressida GLX, as opposed to an '87 Mercedes 200E, same mileage, both in good condition? Same with a Porsche. Twenty years after, if you look after it (and it looks after you), you're still happy with no compromise in function and looks. Still feels special. And if it will be a 911E, so be it.
  19. While picking up my Galant from routine servicing at my mechanic (specialises in BMWs and Euros), we talked about MAF sensors. He said that as a rule they've been doing many of those, and said something to do with how the newer ones were designed which contributes to the failures. I thought to myself, great -- yet another engine item to add to the cost of motoring, even for those of us who care for our cars and don't trash them. I'm just starting to do some research on it. Will admit, I haven't searched this site for MAF-related incidents. I'd be keen to find out exactly WHAT (or what factors) cause it to fail, is there a manufacturer (i.e. Bosch) whose products seem to be getting more problems and why, is there a preventive way of keeping it from failing if you're stuck with that brand, and if OEMs are available from different brands which are more reliable/dependable.
  20. Therefore, do what is most pressing, if you can't have both. But keep a healthy interest in Porsches. Keep reading these forums and be aware of any developments. But go for your house deposit and student loan, you won't regret it. Porsche will be around. The time isn't right, but nothing stops you from standing behind a fence looking in.
  21. Lightfall, I'll post a reply similar to two others I've posted elsewhere in this blog. I'm aiming to get a Boxster someday, second hand, unless I win First Division Lotto (in which case it'll be Guards Red, Cocoa Top, Beige interior; or Meteor Gray, Metropol Blue top, Blue or Beige interior). Yes, all cars have their faults, they're far more complicated these days. But there's only a threshold of comfort you can be happy with. The periodically-repeating problem which is easy and reasonably cheap to fix, you can put up with. But the rare, and seriously (financially) debilitating problem is not something to take lightly. Some people could take a $10K engine replacement like it was a mosquito bite; to others it's far more serious. A warranty is the way to go, I'd certainly do that. You are well within reason to expect a very expensive car to be good AND dependable. Certainly, Rolex wouldn't be where it is if they sold watches at $10K and the movement fails for no reason and you need to spend $5K on a new one, not knowing if it will happen again. The odd diamond that falls off the "12" is probably just a matter of new glue, but you can live with that once in a while, if you're really wanting a Rolex. People are like cars. You don't want to marry someone just because she knows how to cook. You want to marry someone you really like. But if you're not James Bond or a Green Beret, if you can't tell if a girl you'll marry will try to stab you in bed one odd evening for no logical or apparent reason, because some of her relatives have done so, maybe for now stay single. Until they discover medication for it. Or take up Karate. Good luck, and may you find the "girl" of your dreams, and a very good sansei. And live happily ever after.
  22. If you decided on creating a poll, there is one advantage for Porsche/s vs. other cars: limited variety of mechanical variants will give a more realistic statistical sampling. A B5 Audi A4, for instance, has something like 10 petrol/gasoline engine variants plus X number of manual and automatic gearboxes around the world. A 986 Boxster, however, has practically two engines (S and non-S), and two gearboxes (manual + automatic). So any problems logged that includes details as vehicle year, mileage when it happened (first/subsequently) can be easily compared. We just might learn something from it. BTW, just re: Mike Focke's post, I've read that sometime ago, that solution for the Intermediate Shaft problem. Without double-checking, I think that's one solution which is still under observation (waiting to see from experience, that is, if it will hold for good). Elsewhere, I have read of another observational fix where a metal plate has been placed somewhere in the engine hear where the seal/bearing is, where it is assumed oil is being thrown at it at very high pressure from the chain (or something), possibly causing a premature wear. Can't remember where I read it though. Given that Porsche keeps upgrading parts including several renditions of the coolant tank and fits them ASAP instead of waiting for facelift opportunities, I reckon that with respect to the intermediate shaft/bearing problem, even they don't really know what is causing it. That, or the only fix would be a total engine redesign, which they can't afford to just do. And then again, their next step is a direct-injection engine, presumably to meet environmental regulations, so perhaps they might add some new-found IMS or RMS fix.
  23. I've been reading through these Porsche forums for just under a year now, as I was hoping to eventually buy a second-hand Boxster. Being a car freak and owning 5 used Audis in the past, I am well aware that all cars will have their faults or common problems. More often than not, after a few years, a model's common problems become apparent, and normally the cause for it is diagnosed, be it a faulty batch of parts, a shorter life span for a part than expected, or a repair/maintenance procedure which is not carried out properly. I'm aware that a few years after some car makers fitted 120K km cambelts, many of them fail prematurely and you simply need to change it every 60K km (expensive, but cheaper than an engine). Some cars that have water pumps with plastic impellers will need them changed as a precaution at 100K km/5 years or something. Most common problems found can be circumvented by either precaution (albeit at a cost of newer parts installed sooner than initially expected) or fitting the redesigned part at the next opportunity. The Boxster, on the other hand, from my non-expert observation, appears to NOT have the common problems that lesser cars have, despite having the same parts suppliers -- no batches of faulty coils/fuel pumps/ABS units, no water pump or thermostat design problems, no ECU's that seem to burn out prematurely for no apparent reason. No automatic gearbox design problems either. The common parts are not as expensive as one imagines either, and for most repairs, access to the part is usually the cause of an expensive labour bill. The most common nuisance is perhaps the Rear Main Seal, which though expensive to put right, is not a matter of life or death. The one single problem that can happen for which no cause could be pinpointed accurately, is the intermediate shaft failure (or is it the bearing of the shaft?) From what it appears, it is not an inevitability in owning a Boxster, and it is not as common even as an RMS leak. But because its failure has no warning and no precaution can be taken, plus the only solution is an eye-gougingly expensive engine replacement, I would feel better if I could improve my chances of avoiding it, by observing, reading, researching, and keeping tabs of the matter. Had this been a normal car (even an Audi) where a snapped cambelt could cost NZ$5K in repairs, at least it's contained at that. I've once mentioned that this intermediate shaft problem is one I liken to cot death (sudden infant death syndrome). I'm not giving up on a Boxster someday just because of this.
  24. With many (most?) cars these days, the compressor cuts off when accelerating (or if the engine thinks you are) often via a vacuum solenoid, so the compressor does not sap any power. When overtaking, you need all the juice you can get. Even more critical for small, low-powered cars, where you can really feel the difference.
  25. OK -- 9.8 L/100 km = 24.3 US MPG highway, and 18 - 30 L/100 km = 13 - 7.8 US MPG (yes, in L/100 km, lower figure is better) urban for Michael from Athens.
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