larez2

It really depends how much peace of mind you'll get from it. Personally, I'd pass on the warranty and save the $5k. You should still have some of the original 4yr/50k mile facotry warranty left anyways. Once you are out of warranty, if you are the type of person that will lie awake at night wondering if your car is going to break, then maybe you should get the warranty. I've seen several higher mileage Cayennes for sale in local ads, and with proper maintenance you're car will likely easily go 40k more miles without any problems. Another thing to consider is a warranty with a per incident deductible - they are cheaper and still provide peace of mind. Also, extended warranties are negociatable, so see if you can get them to come down in price. Good Luck and Congrats on you're new purchase!!!

Hi Darren, I think i read your first post incorrectly and thought you were asking if California cars specifically included an extra or additonal factory warranty to cover catastrophic engine failures... Anyways, I have a Repair Master, aka Warrantech extended warranty. www.warrantech.com. They have been decent so far and the warranty covers all engine internally lubricated parts, so they could be worth checking out. Good Luck!

There is no extra or additional warranty that covers catastrophic engine failures only for California cars. I believe there is an extra or longer warranty for some emissions equipment on California cars though. As a 10 year old car most if not all of any sort of original warranty is going to be expired. You could look into buying a aftermarket warranty if you need the peace of mind a warranty can sometimes provide. Good Luck

A good car detailing shop may be able to take them out for you. If you want to DIY, as long as they aren't too deep they could be buffed out which could be quite hard to do by hand. Using a DA polisher or buffer and high quality products are the way to go, but if you've never used one you should try it on a crappy car first. Here are a couple of good articles on scratch removal: http://www.autopia.org/publish/articles/21...uide/Page1.html http://www.autopia.org/publish/articles/26...ches/Page1.html Good Luck!

Does the front hood switch still work? Has anything sticky been spilled on or around the buttons recently? Does it still illuminate at night? It sounds like just that switch might be broken or sticking. Try wiggling the switch back and forth a little bit and pushing it kind of harder than normal (but not too hard) to see if opens...

Yes, just make sure to turn off the car first. You don't have to let the car cool, you can take the coolant cap off as soon as you turn off the car. Turn the cap slowly, you will hear the pressure release, once the pressure has released, take the cap off the rest of the way. You should wear gloves and safety glasses/goggles as a precaution. Good luck! PS. Congrats on your purchase!!!!

With those marks lined up and the passenger side tranmission re-installed and the black ball joint on that side plugged back in, the clamshell is about 9cm open measured from where the trunk meets the rear fender to the top of the clamshell. Keep in mind that the red ball joints and the other driver black ball joint were not hooked up, and the passenger side tranmission, although screwed back in, was not hooked up to the convertible top motor. I then turned the driver side transmission and visually lined it up with the passenger side one, and plugged back in the driver side black ball joint. I measured in the same place on the driver side and adjusted until is was 9cm as well. Then I hooked up the black ball joint on that side and hooked the transmissions up to the motor. The red ball joints were still disconnected. I cycled the system several times and watched the clamshell go up and down. I measured the height on both sides at several different points and made sure that they matched up each time. (the top obviously did not move since the red ball joints were still disconnected.) I hooked up the red ball joints this way: I plugged them back in, but only on the ball joint side, I did not screw them back into the tranmission right away. The tricky part: the back of the soft top in the service position, but the clamshell closed. This is so i could easily get to the red ball joints and screw them back in. You can do it with the top fully closed from the inside, but you won't be able to see what your doing. I tested opening and closing the top several times to makes sure everything worked good and lined up, and it did! HTH, Larez2

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=5308 I did a search on synchronizing and found nothing, but I found stuff by searching for realign. I haven't actually tried but i am about to. I don't have a picture handy but on the tranmission there is a line up mark on the metal. I'll try to add a picture tonight. I was just going to make sure both tranmissions are on that same line/mark when I reinstall, and hopefully that will work. peace,, here is that pic of the marks/lines that i was talking about

My top got stuck in the up position today. I used a different method to get the balljoints disconnected. Only the passenger side was stuck. It took me about an hour, but if I had to do it again, it would only take 15 minutes. I started by pushing the convertible top down button until the driver side of the clam shell came up about 2-3 inches. I'm not sure how safe this is or if it will cause any damage, it worked in my case. That was as far as it would go. Then I gentle yanked the passenger side of the clamshell and wedged some towels under it to keep it up. The next 3 pictures are of the other end of the black ball joint. The other end of the joint is connected to a thingy that is connected to the clamshell. I used a flathead screwdriver to loosen the clip a bit, and then needle nose pliers to yank it off. The next picture is of the red ball joint. I used a flathead screwdriver to pry it off. It's really easy to lower and raise the top will all the ball joints disconnected, but the clamshell would bounce around because theres nothing holding it in place. The culprit: I'm going to try a new set of cables first. If that doesn't work then new transmissions. This got me thinking. After I fix it, I'm inclined to just disconnect the ball joints and use my top in manual mode only. I would just need to figure out a quick and easy way to secure the clamshell without the ball joints. The reason is, I rarely put my top up or down on a trip or errand. I either leave with it up, and it stays up until I'm home, or I leave with it down, and even if I park somewhere, I usually don't put the top back up unless it's for an extended period or a sketchy area. And since I'm still a plastic window in the back, even if I do lower or raise it, I'm getting out of my car anyways to Boxster chop it. HTH, Larez2

I was browsing some other threads about sewing in a new plastic window, and people said that sewing in a new plastic window requires removing the whole top (and reinstalling it after the new window is sewn in). The prices that people were getting for that were in the $300-$400 range. It's funny because this one place i called said it would be $425 out the door to sew in a new plastic window including the new plastic window - and the guy mentioned that the whole top would have to be taken off, but if i wanted them to install a new top, it would be $550 (installation cost). I figured it cost more than putting in a new plastic window because there were extra parts they had to use, but the reality is there aren't. Maybe i am missing something, but it does seem that is should only cost $300-$400 tops to have a top professionally installed, and the quotes we are receiving indeed inflated. Larez2

That's roughly the price range i'm getting from good quality shops here in San Diego - the lowest quote was $550. A shady place might save you a hundred or 2. Have you thought about DIY? http://986forum.com/forums/showthread.php?...6&page=3&pp=20& check out Porscheguy05's post with the helpful tips. You can get either the Gahh or Nachos Upholstery glass window top off e-bay for $650-$700. Good luck, larez2

I noticed a similar thing. I have 99' with 21k miles. I have the 18" turbo twist wheels. I had Porsche check it out, and they road tested it and checked all the suspension and steering. They said everything was fine and any vibrations are just the road and the responsivness is what is felt in the steering wheel. It is hard to say if it is just feedback from the road, because I have never owned a sports car and my last car, a Jeep Wrangler has steering that feels very disconnected. I don't know how bad your vibrations are, but the feedback i feel is only noticeable at speeds above 20mph. It does not seem to worsen as I go faster, and it never violently shakes even at 120mph (kids, do not try this at home :)) One thing i did notice, during high speed turns, the feedback is defninitely lessen. I would like to try putting some 17"'s on to see if it feels the same, because the 18"'s are so low profile, i thought that might be part of it. Good luck, and let us know what happens if anything. Larez2

Here is a link to the wiring diagram: http://www.directechs.com/directwire/print...Remote%20Start# It says that it's for a 97', but it worked on my 99' don't know for sure about other years. I have some pictures of my install too, which i have been meaning to get off my camera. I'll see about doing that tonight so you can have something else to go by also. The Boxster's that came without Keyless entry are a rare breed indeed. Tool Pant's nicknamed them "the no option Boxster, $399 lease special" or something like that. LOL. Larez2

From the spec's i found about the viper 300, it should support unlocking your doors. Because only the driver side parking lights flash, it makes me think corners were cut by whoever installed the alarm. The alarm needs a little splitter thingy to make both sides flash. The alarm needs to splice into the central locking system (best place is under the driver seat) in order for the keyless entry to work. I have a wiring diagram if you are interested. The buttons may need to be reporgammed. If you want to take out the drivers seat be sure to disconnect the car battery, otherwise the airbag light will come on and there is no way to turn it off unles you have a pst2 tool. Also, make sure you have the radio code for when you re-connect the battery. Congrats on getting a Boxster. Good luck. Larez2

Congrats on getting a Boxster, welcome to the club :) Regarding the convertible windows, do a search on this site for additional information, search for "rear window" Basically you can just have an upholstery shop put in a new plastic window. Price ranges vary, but I have seen posts stating that is costs in the $400-$800 range. It's worth it to take it back to the dealer to see if they will cover the cost of a new window. You could buy a new top, but I don't know of any instructions to do the install, and the dealer wants a lot ~$1800 for a new top + install. Depending on the tear size you can use clear thick tape on the inside of it and then put a bumper sticker or decal on the outside of it, this of coarse is temporary. Look up "Boxster Chop" also. You may see a picture of some dude using and axe on the rear window (you don't actually use an axe or hachet :eek: ) It is just a way to ensure the rear window folds properly. Sometimes when opening the top the rear window gets all bunched up, this will shorten the life of the window drastically.... Larez2

Sometimes with the engine: http://www.pca.org/tech/tech_qa_question.a...D-BB4F445F5A8F} The fuel tank size increased in 1999 from 15.3 to 17.2 gallons in the US. How much fuel it needs depends on how empty the tank is :P For all years, there are some options that are near impossible to add or very expensive (factory keyless entry). Probably best to look for a car that has all the options you want. Good Luck! Larez2

Where did you see it for $99, the link says it $149. It think it's worth $99 for that convienence. Couldn't a 3 position rocker switch just be installed in the place of the existing switch? Click in one direction to open, click in the opposite to close and then the center position is neither. You would just need to be sure to switch it back to center after opening or closing or you could risk burning something out. Then no need for timers etc. Does that sound feasable/practical, or unwise? Larez2

Bummer dude, do you really think the factory retrofit is not worth it? I actually have a $35 aftermarket crime stopper keyless entry unit that i just put in it temporarily because it will take several months to get the retrofit kit. I just used some in line wire taps - I didn't have to cut any wires, it's the first one I've ever put in and it was disturbingly simple to install. The only thing i sort of screwed up on was that i didn't disconnect the battery before I took out the front driver seat and now the airbag light is on. (I read in another post from "Loren" that if you do that, then then the airback light will come on and the only way to get it turned off is with a PST2 tool.) Anyone know of another way to turn it off, like disconnecting the battery or something? Thanks, Larez2

Thanks for the info. I'm am probably going to buy the retrofit kit and try to make it work on my car; I really want to keep the factory look that has everthing integrated into the key. If it doesn't work, I might try to go smart key or proximity key - just walk towards your car and it unlocks, or walk away and it locks automatically - anyone ever do that? That German board is in German :huh: guess i could babelfish it... You know, Tool Pants, you are very highly regarded in the Boxster world. Every board I have been on refers to you as the one who knows :notworthy: Thanks, Larez2

Hi guys, I am a new owner of a 99' Boxster. I purchased a "no option" Boxster, but am a proud owner none the less :rolleyes: . It didn't come with keyless entry/alarm. I asked a local dealer how much it would cost to add factory keyless entry, and he said it would be impossible for less than $10k, yes that's a k, and that basically the wiring harness of the car would have to be replaced. Then the search began, I saw a posting from Tool Pants for this part: 000 044 900 32 and this description: boxster retrofit remote control interior monitoring anti-theft device. It's a $520 part. No one i have talked to knows anything about this part though. Whether or not it is indeed the keyless entry/alarm (although the description sounds like it) I have another local dealer checking out what the part actually does. He told me that there is only 1 available in the whole world and that it is in Germany, but that it could be ordered. Does anyone know anything about that part? Has anyone out there added factory keyless entry/alarm to their Boxster that did not originally have it? I do not want to go with an aftermarket keyless enter/alarm. Thanks, larez2