Jay H

BoxstaNZ

Thank you for your reply and your input on the newer Boxsters.

I'm still sorting out an oil leak with my local dealer on my 2002 (it's under warranty) and need to get that fixed before I sell mine. From the very few 987's that I've driven, it seems to be the typical Porsche way of making improvements applies to the 987's. Nothing major has changed, but all the small little things seem to add up to improve the car over the previous generations.

There are several 2008's around on dealer lots that are new cars... It's temping due to the low pricing on these cars, but none of them are in the colors I would like or have many appealing options... They have been sitting since at least last fall, if not longer. I've bought two new cars that have sat quite a while on lots before I came around to buy them as left overs and I've had problems with both cars that made me wonder if sitting around for so long is hard on these things. Keep in mind that in my climate, every time it snow, these cars get cold started and moved to plow the lot, or they sit idling for quite a while until they are cleaned off and moved in place again. That makes me hesitate...

Thanks again to all that have responded! I'll keep everyone in the loop on what happens...

Best,

Jay

09 986

90 911

84 911

While trying to find the sight glass for the A/C (unsucessfuly, does it exist?) I noticed that the cabin filter doesn't seem to have a cover over it, should it have? All replies gratefully recieved.

It's my understanding that once you remove the plastic shield that allows you access to the cabin filter, you'll notice that the filter has no cover. It just sits in it's housing without anything covering it. It's easy to swap out as well due to this fact.

Hope this helps,

Jay

02 986

90 911

84 911

Reminds me of an oil change I did on my old Ford Escape a couple years ago. I wasn't really paying attention, so I didn't notice the O-ring from the old filter had stuck to the car when I took took it off. I screwed on the new filter and completed the oil change never knowing what was in store for me.

When I cranked over the engine to back the truck out of the garage, oil began spraying out from under the car in every direction. I shut it off quick, but wasn't fast enough to get out of the car and get the already sloshing-full oil pan back under it before it dumped at least another quart on the driveway.

Not my finest work.

I've been wanting to try that screw-on adapter. Sounds like a time saver.

I did this on my wife's (long gone) '04 PT Cruiser. The oil pump on that motor emptied 4.5 quarts of the 5.0 quart capacity of the oil system in about 3 seconds. Amazing efficiency of the motor to lose all it's oil in mere seconds.

The stain on my driveway lasted a good 3 months too.

My kids learned/heard new words that they shouldn't ever use until they are at least 18.

Made for good conversations and ribbing from my idoit brother-in-laws.

F, was I pissed when I did that...

Jay

02 986

I've researched the forums and found the following to be suitable alternatives to Pcar parts....

- ebay LCD replacement module for the Climate Control

- non N-rated tires from Tire Rack / local supplier / Costco

Looking for suggestions on reduced dust brake pads, rotors , other maintenance parts etc.

I did the LCD replacement from the eBay vendor. It takes about a 1/2 hour sitting at your kitchen table or work bench. Super easy and really cheap as compared with a new Porsche ventilation control. The fonts and display graphics are different from the factory display, but it shows the exact same information and is amost a bit more legible to my eyes. This one is a no brainer if you don't care about having the exact same symbols on your ventilation display.

There are plenty of good non N rated tires that fit Boxsters. It's usually a safe bet to go with N rated tires, but you can find decent sets for quite a bit less if you shop wisely.

I found a like new headlight at the Hershey swap meet for $40 (go price one at a dealership and see how much I saved). I paid just over $500 for a very straight set of 16" Boxster rims for my winter tires at a Porsche dismantler. Even my local Auto Zone has the OEM brand Hengst oil filters on the shelf boxed up in their STP brand boxes for about 1/2 of what the dealer wants. So, it pays to shop around if you are on a budget.

As others have said, I refuse to skimp on oil, oil change intervals, tires, internal engine parts and other very critical components.

There is a reason that these relatively simple cars cost $50k when new and not $23k like Honda Civic Si's or VW GTIs and all the other cheaper cars that have similar times on paper, but don't compare well when you drive them or keep them a long time. The components specified by Porsche that make up these cars are of much higher quality and are built to much high tolerances than most aftermarket parts or the parts found on lesser brands. You can never go wrong with OEM parts from the dealer other than maybe on pricing. After 12 years of Porsche ownership, I learned that the hard way...

Hope this helps,

Jay

02 986

90 911

84 911

I'm putting a set of Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus on my '02 base Boxster on Friday. My experience with cheaper tires is that they are typically O.K. until you get 5000 to 7000 miles on them. Flat spotting and balance issues sometimes come into play. I've had enough Khumo tires that did this that I've learned to just pony up for the Michelin's (or your other favorite high end brand) and be done with it. Though, I'm pretty picky about my cars - some say obsessive - and my stuff has to run like new all of the time.

I've got a set of Goodyear Eagle F1 All Season on the car right now (came on the car when I bought it). Good tire in the wet and even did O.K. in the snow in stock 17" sizes last fall. They have about 5/32nds of tread left on the rears (10/32nds is new tread depth) and 6/32nds on the front. The tires can no longer be balanced out and they are insanely noisy to the point I can't even hear the motor anymore. They still grip well and are O.K. in the wet (I drive conservatively in slippery conditions). But, the balance issue and the noise issue are making me toss these things.

The Sumitomos mentioned above are really cheap price wise and seem to be rated well on the Tire Rack's site. I have a friend who just put those exact tires on his base Boxster in the 17" sizes. They needed a lot of weight on the rears to get in balance. It'll be interesting to see how they hold up.

You can run summer only tires in cold temps and snow if you feel you'll never be in an emergency situation where you have to brake moderately to heavy or have to maneauver quickly to avoid something. If you can guarantee that you'll never have to do stuff like that, then summer only tires are O.K. for temps under 40 to 45 degrees (4 - 7 C). ;) In other words, take Mike's advice above and stick to dedicated snow tires in colder temps and snow or at least use high performance All Season tires.

However, I always feel that one should spend the money and get decent tires for your Porsche. N rated tires are at least up to Porsche's standards. I can't see skimping on tires and oil in a Porsche...

Sorry for the ranting. No offense meant to anyone.

Jay

02 986

90 911

84 911

So Porsche is now using their "latest" IMS bearing solution on all the rebuilt M96 engines and new (replacement) M96 engines then ? Interesting....

That seems to be very typical Porsche behavior. Quietly modify the offending part, then release only that part.

I just had my RMS replaced. I was led to believe Porsche is on their 4th revision of that seal...

I'll bet that in time, we'll see the 2006 - 2008 Boxsters as extremely reliable cars with this new IMS bearing update...

I'm really late to the party here, but I have Goodyear F1 All Seasons too (Boxster S sizes) with about 6/32nd of tread left in the rear and 7/32nds of tread depth in the front (new tread depth is 10/32nds). They are insanely loud on most surfaces at this point. I'm trying my best to leave them on until they really wear out, but the noise is quite annoying...

The only thing that alarmed me this morning was, the car seemed to sway more on the highway. I t made me nervous to hit 90.

BUT it was 35 degrees out this morning and i don't know if these cars hate the cold weather or if it was b/c i just completed the cv boot service.

Your tires require some break in before they deliver max performance. This article at the Tire Rack may explain why the tires performed like they did. I'd recommend breaking in these tires at moderate levels before going 90 mph at 35 degrees...

Breaking In Tires

I have a set of Goodyear F1 All Season tires on my base Boxster in the 205/50/17 and 255/40/17 sizes. The rears are nearing the end of their useful life and are getting quite noisy. Traction levels are still very high and wet weather driving is still exceptional. However, you may wish to avoid the F1 AS's since they do generate a pretty good noise level after they wear a bit.

I'm running a set of Bridgestone 760's on my '84 911. Quite quiet, handle well and are reasonably priced. Due to their very quiet nature, they may be of interest to you. I probably will switch to those on my Boxster. They are a 3 season only tire.

Hope this helps,

Jay

02 986

90 964

84 911

I check the mpg at every fill up on my 2002. In winter with very cold temps and winter blended fuel, I was seeing 22-23 mpg on average. After I changed the air filter shortly after I got the car (the original filter was still in the car with a 2002 date code), I instantly noted a 1 mpg increase in mpg. Same driving, same cold *&^% weather, but I was averaging 23 to 24 mpg. Once the weather warmed up earlier in March, I was up to 26-27 mpg.

Do you have young/small children? The reason I ask is because the 2005 987 did NOT have smart air bags. The 2006 and newer does.

So, with my young children, I safely used a booster seat and the current seat belts in my 2006 S. The airbag automatically turns off, based on the weight of the occupant (about 90-100 pounds is the cut-off). This is also in accordance to my State laws.

Just a thought.

Very good point. I do have small kids yet, so I agree that the 2006 or newer is pretty much mandatory for me. I test drove the 2005 S I mentioned above just because it was 5 miles from my house and at a used car lot.

You also need to check those oil lines on the right side of the car to insure neither line has been crushed. Even a small looking crimp in those hard oil lines will impede oil flow and affect the flow of oil to the front cooler.

The external oil thermostat is located in front of the rear passenger side wheel. At this age and mileage, I wouldn't be surprised if that oil thermostat is no longer working properly. Or, you could have both a crimped line and a non functioning external oil thermostat. Once the car is warm, feel those lines on the bottom of the car, closer to the front of the car (even in the front passenger side wheel well). If the oil is circulating correctly, one line will be very hot to the touch, another will be much cooler. Of course one line is supplying hot oil to the front cooler and one line is returning cooled oil back to the motor.

It's probably worth it to have the external oil thermostat changed regardless of what is wrong.

I agree with Richard on where the oil temp gauge should read during normal operating conditions.

A quick update...

I drove the 2005 S on Friday. It was a cold day, about 38 degrees F, so I didn't want to push too hard in the corners with the summer only tires on this car. Other than the cosmetic issues and the rear tire wear that I noted in previous posts, this car seemed to be in pretty good working order.

As all of you have said, the increase in the audible portion of the engine is fantastic. Of course the S is faster than my aging '02, but for everyday driving as a commuter car, it probably wouldn't do much to improve my drive. With the 18's, the car road very similar to my car with 17" tires, though I can easily tell what a 8500 mile suspension feels like verses a 37,000 mile suspension on my car. Stuff wears out/wears in and the '05 I drove was just slightly tighter in it's feel. Ride quality was virtually the same as my car. Rattles were the same as my car. The wider tires seems to wander just a bit more than mine does. In typical Porsche fashion, the improvements are slight and not massive. For me and how I use a Boxster, it's not a huge change from what I already have.

All in all, I don't think it would be worth it for me to move up to an S if the pricing is significantly more than a comparable base car. It'll be interesting to find a base car with 17" tires to see how that setup handles and rides.

Again, I appreciate everyone's time that was taken to clue me in on the 987s.

Jay, then be willing to expand the search area for your Boxster (200, 300, 500 miles away). And, during the drive home with your new baby, the two of you can bond. :)

Agreed. I bought a 1984 Carrera 3 years ago sight unseen from the Philly area (800 miles away) and had it shipped home. My 964 comes from North Carolina.

My only issue is that I wish to trade the '02 Boxster, so private party sales are a bit more difficult unless I want to finance the new car until the old car is sold. Then there is the time it takes to sell a car privately (which I don't really wish to deal with), sales tax implications, etc.

And in 2007 they upgraded the parts associated with the IMS.

It was my understanding that Porsche did another upgrade in 2006 to the IMS...?

That does not seem like that good of a deal compared to what I have seen. And for $33k with very little warranty and what appears to be neglect. I am selling my '08 S (see classifieds) and looked all over for pricing information - mine is priced to sell compared to what I see on the market now, which is a better deal than a new one, even more warranty than a new one.

Bob, I agree that the pricing seems a tad high and at 8500 miles, I would expect this car to have a few less flaws. However, there are so few 987s around in my area that I think the lack of competition drives prices higher than what is probably the norms in CA, FL or the east coast. I'm still going to take a spin in it tomorrow. I'm in no rush, so time is on my side...

Thanks to everyone that has offered their opinion and experience. I appreciate all the input and have listened to your advice.

I looked at a 2005 "S" today with 8500 miles. 2 months of factory warranty left, needs rear tires, seems to be washed with sandpaper, some decent scratches in the driver's door, no records, but interior is like new. I do agree with renzop that it's not good to let these cars sit...and this car may be too low of mileage for it's age. Local used car dealer has this one and he's not moving much from ~$33k on the price. I'll try to drive on Friday to see what I think as compared to my '02.

There are 2008 new base Boxsters around for $39,900... Not sure my budget can stretch to $40k, but it's tempting to own a new one for $10 to $12k off sticker.

If you're considering a newer 987S, wait until you can afford a 2009 or newer S with the new engine and DFI, or you will be lusting after one in no time.

Best to all,

Jay

White987S, thanks for your explanation of why an "S" might be warranted.

Renzop: I also appreciate your feedback and first hand experience on PASM.

Even my relatively "weak" 217 hp '02 seems to be plenty for the street, so an "S" might not be worth the slight premium, though there doesn't seem to be huge pricing gaps between a base car and an S if you compare the same year and same mileage.

However, there sure seems to be pricing difference between the sub 10,000 mile cars and stuff with 20-25k miles on them. They tank quite a bit once they hit 20,000 miles...$5,000 or so is what I'm seeing as far as asking price differences.

Great time to buy! There are a ton of cars for sale. Have cash-in-hand and you will get a great deal. Be patient.

I agree, I'm taking my time and doing my homework!

Thanks to everyone for their replies. I appreciate the feedback.

Jay H, if I were you, I'd buy a 2006 Boxster S over an 07 or 08 base.

White, I'd be interested to hear your reasoning behind your statement.

Greetings to all. I currently have a 2002 base Boxster and have been looking at nearly new 987 non S cars (2007 & 2008's). My '02 runs well and drives great for an aging sports car. I use it for every day commuting all year round. I enjoy the looks of the newer generation and while I have yet to drive a 987, I'm wondering about some items on the newer car and if it's worth it to upgrade.

There are very few base 987's in my area to test drive other than one or two at the dealers and I'm avoiding the trip to the dealer at this point in order not to be pestered too much by sales staff (they all know me from PCA events)... I also hate wasting a private party's time on tire kicking test drives until I have my act together and know what I'm looking for.

1. Roads in my area are horrendous. Lots of broken concrete for pavement and frost heave cracked roads are the norm. Are the 987's any more complient or sophisticated in terms of ride quality than the older 986 cars? Or, is the 987 cars set up even more stiff? It feels like my poor '02 is going to shake itself to death at times. Everything seems to be within spec on my '02 as far as the suspension goes.

2. Will PASM help in the above situation for a more compliant ride? I do enjoy driving the car hard at times, but 98% of my driving consists of daily commuting in freeway and in town driving. The PASM system seems intriguing as a system that may allow for compliant ride quality during my normal commute, but provide some additional damping when I'm driving the car hard on the back roads. Any advice/comments on PASM would be appreciated.

3. Is there much tangible difference in the greater power output of the 987's as compared to the 217 hp in my '02?

4. I enjoy audio, but switch cars too often to spend several thousand on decent aftermarket systems. Did Porsche improve the basic audio systems in the 987? I have the slightly upgraded factory sound system in my '02 with the CDR220 head unit, 4 channel power amp, 130mm door speakers and of course the dash top speakers. Do the newer systems have more fidelity than what was used in the 986's? This point is really a non issue, but I'm just curious...

Any comments and thoughts between the 986 and 987 would be appreciated. Flames, jabs and "do a search you idiot" will be welcomed too...

Thanks!

Jay

02 986

90 964

84 911

I ordered a basic model with PDK and it should arrive in a few weeks! I am a little obsessed right now.

Have you taken delivery of your '09 yet?

If so, how long was the wait from dealer order to arrival?

They resized them. I did mine last year. There's no more shaving of the parts or anything complicated. It's plug and play now with great directions. But you're right in the fact that the numbers and icons on the display aren't EXACTLY the same.

Yep, I just replaced my screen in November and it was plug and play. For the budget conscious, it's a really good way to go. If you want the display to be stock, then this option isn't the best.

I got a brand new HVAC Control Unit (my old one's digital readout screen was almost dead) - $241.00

Keep in mind you can order a replacement LCD screen for your ventilation control unit from eBay vendors for about $52. You have to disassemble the control unit, but the replacement is easy (even for an idiot like me) and the new display works well.

I'm expecting a boat load of parts for my '84 911 next week from Sunset. They are BY FAR the cheapest place I've found for OEM stuff. Great service and their prices can't be beat.

Thanks for the tip on Mobil 1 0W-40! I'll be getting my next oil change stuff from them!

Those rims on a black car are hot.

I'm taking off the 16" winter rims and tires and putting on the 17" 'S' rims tomorrow. I can't wait for warmer weather!!

Jay

02 986

90 964

84 911

I'm a very critical listener and haven't found much in the way of modern automotive speakers that sound balanced and don't rip your head off from over emphasized metal tweets. It seems most manufactures are going to metal tweeters and other odd components in order to have higher power handling to minimize warranty claims from blowing drivers. I still can't understand why one would want to listen to metal as a source of reproducing music. But, that's just my opinion and doesn't mean much.

I've used Hertz speakers with great results. Being a European speaker manufacturer, they tend to drop right in to German cars without the need to cut or modify stock openings. Keep in mind that a USA spec 5.25 inch speaker is slightly bigger than the European 130 millimeter speakers. I've got a set of Hertz Hi Energy HCX130 co-axials (130mm in size) in my 911 and they are stunning for a $220 set of coaxials. Extremely musical, very efficient and have excellent power handling capabilities. They take a few hours to break in before they smooth out. Hertz uses fabric tweeters.

Here's the main site: Hertz Elettromedia

Certain Focal components sound quite good and drop right into European cars. Recently I put a set of Memphis Car Audio speakers behind a newer stock GM stereo and they sound exceptional for a set of cheap Chinese made coaxials. I was quite surprised on the results.

Also, call Rod Birch at www.caraudioinnovations.com for some suggestions on what to use. I purchased my Hertz and other gear from him. He's a straight shooter, has tons of Porsche audio experience and can sell you Hertz and other good gear. If you like smooth, musical systems, he's a great source.

Here's one of Rod's Boxster installs: Boxster S Install

Just for fun: Rod's own 996...

Good Luck!

Jay

02 986

90 964

84 911