Jump to content

Welcome to RennTech.org Community, Guest

There are many great features available to you once you register at RennTech.org
You are free to view posts here, but you must log in to reply to existing posts, or to start your own new topic. Like most online communities, there are costs involved to maintain a site like this - so we encourage our members to donate. All donations go to the costs operating and maintaining this site. We prefer that guests take part in our community and we offer a lot in return to those willing to join our corner of the Porsche world. This site is 99 percent member supported (less than 1 percent comes from advertising) - so please consider an annual donation to keep this site running.

Here are some of the features available - once you register at RennTech.org

  • View Classified Ads
  • DIY Tutorials
  • Porsche TSB Listings (limited)
  • VIN Decoder
  • Special Offers
  • OBD II P-Codes
  • Paint Codes
  • Registry
  • Videos System
  • View Reviews
  • and get rid of this welcome message

It takes just a few minutes to register, and it's FREE

Contributing Members also get these additional benefits:
(you become a Contributing Member by donating money to the operation of this site)

  • No ads - advertisements are removed
  • Access the Contributors Only Forum
  • Contributing Members Only Downloads
  • Send attachments with PMs
  • All image/file storage limits are substantially increased for all Contributing Members
  • Option Codes Lookup
  • VIN Option Lookups (limited)

jfoxny

Contributing Members
  • Posts

    124
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by jfoxny

  1. The weather is warming up and I'm looking to get a new set of summer tires for my 2005 987. I'm looking at a few sets of tires on TireRack.com and want to see what you guys think.

    - Pilot Sport PS2 - $1278 - $70 (mail in rebate) = $1208

    - Bridgestone Potenza R-11 - $1,050

    - ContiSportContact 3 (3 not 2) - $988

    - Goodyear Eagle F1 - $856 - $80 (mail in rebate) = $776

    - Sumitomo HTR Z III (3 not 2)- $542

    I do drive "aggressively" but I do not track my car. Based on my driving style, the reviews on TireRack from Porsche drivers, and the feedback in various forums, I'm leaning towards the cheaper Sumitomos. But, I'm just not sure based on the price difference and want to see what you guys think.

    Thanks in advance,

    Jason

  2. I finally got all the tools I need to change my wheels. I loosened the lug nuts, jacked up the car, took out one lug nut, put in a wheel hanger, removed the remaining lug nuts and then I found that there is one lug nut per wheel that is different from the others! A 19mm socket worked for all of the other lug nuts but there is one lug nut per wheel that has a gear like shape to it. I've attached a picture below. What is this and what tool do I need to remove it?

    Thanks in advance,

    Jason

    post-44766-12679145758_thumb.jpg

  3. Just wondering if anyone has used one of these alarm clips. It clips into the convertible top latch when the top is down to make the car think that the top is up. I didn't realize this, but, there are motion sensors near the home link buttons that activate when the alarm is armed and the top is up. I guess the sensors are there in case someone tries to cut through the top (?). It sounds like a good idea, but does it work well?

    http://cgi.ebay.com/...9#ht_1376wt_941

    Thanks,

    Jason

  4. Correct 19 mm.

    I would buy 6 point sockets - they are stronger.

    Great, thanks Loren. Any idea where I can get a "soft" 6 point socket that I can use with an impact wrench? A lot of the soft sockets seem to not be compatible with impact wrenches and I'm guessing it's because the "impact" from the wrench will break the "soft" socket. I'm just worried about scratching the wheels or lugs while using the impact wrench.

    Thanks again for the quick response,

    Jason

  5. jack, as long as the jack pad fits securely on one of the jacking points and does not "slip off" sideways (or front to back) the jacking point as you lift that side of the car. Take a look at the shape of the jacking points and you will see that it has a hole in the middle. Some vendors sell jack pads that specifically fit that profile.

    After you have safely lifted the car by one of its jacking points with your jack, you should place a jack stand under an appropriate part as a safety, back up feature in case your jack fails. If you are replacing your wheels with winter wheels, it is a good safety practice to place one of the wheels (that is not at that moment mounted on the car) under the car in an area near where you are removing a wheel.

    Great, thanks for the response. I think I'll get a low-profile Craftsman floor jack from Sears and a jack pad for a 987 from eBay (and a jack stand too just in case).

    Thanks again!

    Jason

  6. I bought a 986/996 jack from a breakers , personally I think its the best and cheapers option as many trolley jacks wont fit under the cills of a porsche particularly with the adapter plate also in use.

    Thanks for the reply. Does a 986 jack fit a 987?

    Also, thanks for the tip. I read that in the owners manual but thought I'd skip that step :-D. I guess I shouldn't! ;-)

    Thanks again,

    Jason

  7. I decided to buy some winter tires and wheels after some good discussion from the guys here on the forum as to whether or not I really needed them. The tires just arrived and now I need to swap them out. So, I went to grab the jack thinking it would be in the usual place, i.e., the trunk, but, to my surprise there is no jack to be found; nothing in the other trunk either. I cracked open the owner's manual and found on page 224 that the 987 does not come with a jack but (of course) one can be purchased at your local Porsche dealer. Doh!

    My question is, do I need a Porsche-specific or even 987-specific jack or will any old car jack do? I saw on eBay that some people sell 987-specific "adapters" for generic floor jacks which leads me to think I really do need a specific jack for this car. Is this the case or can I just use the jack from another one of my (non-Porsche) cars?

    Thanks in advance,

    Jason

  8. \ have Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2 on my 987, they are first class for cold weather driving.

    This year have driven down to -21c.

    Thanks for the response. I think I'm going to get the same tires. The old version of the Alpin are on clearance now at TireRack.com. I think I'll also get a second set of rims. TireRack's own Sport Edition Cup 4 rims look good and people who have purchased them seem to like them from what Google tells me. :-) Anyone have any experience with them?

    Thanks,

    Jason

  9. $1100 here at stevens creek porsche, $700~$900 at some indies.

    most items are easy to DIY, even the spark plugs job is doable.

    Thanks for the reply. I assume you work for a Porsche dealer based on your response. If so, or even if not, I was wondering if you could give me any advice on what I should be looking for in a Cayenne that has 68k miles on it. I've read through the forum and found the common issues like cracked ignition coils, plastic coolant pipes cracking, and drive train issues (?). Is 68k miles even "a lot" of miles for a 2005 Cayenne?

    Obviously it depends on how the car was treated, what type of miles it has on it, etc. But, 68k miles just doesn't seem like a lot to me regardless. I should mention the car was CPOed by Porsche 2 years and 30k miles ago.

    Thanks again,

    Jason

  10. About 1300 bux. Wipers, cabin filter, oil change, plugs, engine air filters and go over the car I think. Look at the documents section for the full details.

    IMHO, go for an inspection which should be 1 hour labor for $129 or so. Porsche should know the cars, so there inspection should be pretty good.

    Then take to a good mechanic and have them do the major maintenance. Some of the things are so easy it is ridiculous how much they charge. I think to change the cabin filter is 300 - 400 dollars, cost me 25$ for the bosch filter and took me all of 10 minutes. Same thing for the wipers, they will charger 150 - 200 dollars, you can get the bosch ones which are EXACTLY the same for the Touareg for $40 or so and change them yourself.

    Great, thanks for the advice. I'm going to try to use it as some negotiating leverage since in less than 7k miles I'd *have to* (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) spend $1,200 on the car. So, it's good to know that I could get away with doing the maintenance on the cheap. We'll see if this tactic gets me anywhere. :-)

    BTW - I've read through the posts here and found the most common issues that seem to arise in Cayennes, e.g.,

    * Cracked ignition coils (seems to affect 2004 models more than 2005s)

    * Plastic coolant pipes cracking (replace with aluminum ones)

    * Drive train issues (not 100% sure what the deal is here)

    Besides these seemingly common issues, what else should I look for on a 2005 Cayenne with 68k miles? Is 68k miles really all that much? I'll of course have Porsche perform a PPI on it. I should also note that it was CPOed 2 years and 30k miles ago by Porsche.

    Thanks again,

    Jason

  11. Get 2 sets of rims with Winter tires on one set and Summer performance tires on the other. I bought a used set of rims with new winter tires from another party for $600 plus shipping. Check the Mass. Craigslist sites out. They have good stuff for winter driving at great prices.

    Thanks for the response. Quick question, do you change out your wheels yourself, i.e. jack up the car in the garage twice a year, or do you bring them somewhere?

    The problem I see with having two sets of rims and/or tires is that you can't transport them in the Boxster, so, unless you're changing them out yourself it seems like a major pain in the neck as you need a second car to bring the tires/wheels with you. Like I said, I've never used winter tires before on any of my cars, so, perhaps it's just par for the course, but, it seems like a lot of trouble. Are there places that will keep tires/rims for you in a "locker" so you can just pull in when the seasons change and have them slap them on? Seems like it would be a nice feature for people who drive sports cars like Porsches.

    Thanks again,

    Jason

  12. I think the answer to whether you need dedicated winter tires depends on several

    things: 1) where do you live (ie. how much snow do you see); 2) even if you don't PLAN to drive in

    the snow, what is the likelihood that you could get caught needing to drive home in snow/freezing rain/icy conditions.

    If any of the above are true, then you should seriously consider winter tires.

    PS: I've used all-seasons quite happily on my M3 and 911 (996 C2, currently Mich Pilot A/S Plus)) for winter driving

    in the Boston-area for several years, without any real issues. I do try to avoid driving it during storms, but the roads are

    generally well-cleared within hrs of a storm around here, and I'm OK for the occasional light snow.

    IF I needed to depend on this car for any-time use including regular snow driving, however, I would definitely get winter tires.

    Thanks for the response. I live not too far away from you in upstate New York and as you probably know we see our share of inclement weather here (though not much this year :-/). Based on your response and the responses of others, it sounds like trying to squeak by with summer tires in light winter driving is a bad idea as our temperatures regularly fall below freezing.

    Regarding all season tires, I noticed on TireRack.com that none of the "all season" tires that fit the Boxster are "Porsche Rated," i.e., N0, N1, etc. The high performance summer and winter tires are Porsche rated, but not the all seasons (at least from what I saw). Does it really matter?

    Thanks again,

    Jason

    PS - Do you use your Pilot A/S Plus tires in the summer too, i.e., all-year-round, or do you swap them out. If you do swap them out, do you have two sets of rims and do it yourself or do you lug the tires to tire place/dealer in a separate car (a set of tires won't fit in a 911 or a Boxster) and have them swap them out?

  13. So, here I find myself in between winter and spring in need of new tires. I've never used winter tires on my other cars opting for "all season performance tires," but, I think it's probably not the thing to do with the Boxster. I drive my 05 Boxster at least once or twice a week during the winter, but, never in the snow.

    Now, I know that the high performance winter tires, such as the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s, often state that they are not designed to operate at "near-freezing" temperatures, but, just how much does it matter? Do I really need to get winter tires and then in a few months another set of summer tires? Can I just get the Michelins and not drive like a crazy person in the cold or are they going to implode?

    If the answer is yes, you need to get a set of winter AND summer tires, I have another question. How do you guys manage the two sets of tires? I mean, do you keep two sets of rims with mounted tires and jack up the car twice a year in your garage to change them yourselves? Do you just have two sets of tires (one set of rims) and lug them to a tire place/dealer twice a year to have them put one? Seems like a ton of trouble.

    Thanks in advance,

    Jason

  14. Wow Jason, thanks so much. You have given me a lot to think about. Currently, I have Marks Autowerks (Independent Mechanic) doing the PPI. He was recommenced to me by other owners online. I thought about doubling that up with a PPI done by the Dealership in Destin, but that maybe excessive. Not to mention the reviews for that dealership are terrible. What do you think? I just got off the Brian from Direct Automovers. GREAT TIP. He is ready to roll for Friday if I can get this PPI done.

    PS - When I was looking to buy a Boxster I came across two scams on Autotrader (none on eBay Motors despite it's reputation). The first was someone selling a rebuilt (from a totaled car) as a plain ol' used car. He didn't come right out and say it when I inquired about the car but when I ran the Carfax there it was in black-and-white. When I questioned the seller about it, he never replied. The other scam involved a car that had the price and text "Buy it now" super imposed over the picture of the car. The price in the picture was lower than the price it was listed for on Autotrader. I believe people do that in order to get around automated checks that Autotrader has on car listings to fight scams. The seller gave me a story about how he was leaving the country and needed to sell the car quickly, yadda, yadda. I asked him to give me a picture of the VIN on the car itself and he never replied; total scam. You probably don't have anything to worry about, but, just figured I'd share this since you are using Autotrader.com.

  15. Wow Jason, thanks so much. You have given me a lot to think about. Currently, I have Marks Autowerks (Independent Mechanic) doing the PPI. He was recommenced to me by other owners online. I thought about doubling that up with a PPI done by the Dealership in Destin, but that maybe excessive. Not to mention the reviews for that dealership are terrible. What do you think? I just got off the Brian from Direct Automovers. GREAT TIP. He is ready to roll for Friday if I can get this PPI done.

    Hey, glad to help and hopefully saved you some time and money. I can't speak for Marks Autowerks specifically, but, I would ask for their PPI checklist and then get a copy of the one from the Porsche dealer. That way you can compare them and see what the overlap is.

    Brian is a good guy and I was very happy with Direct Automovers. He went out of his way to help coordinate my move which was from a place in Northern California where not a lot of cars are shipped out from.

    Good luck and enjoy the car! Don't forget to post pics when you get it!

    Jason

  16. I'm new here, and could really use some advice. I found a 2005 Boxster online on Autotrader that I am in the process of buying from a private seller. I am in TX, the seller in Florida. I am a first time car buyer (used public transport) so I am realizing that I dont know anything about buying a car out of state from a private dealer, much less a Boxster. I have yet to see the car in person. Only pictures.

    I purchased my 2005 987 on eBay Motors from a private seller in California, I live in New York (this was during this past summer). I paid Carchex (~$200) to go take a look at it and test drive it for me as I wasn't going to fly all the way out there to do it myself. While the Carchex visit ensured that the car was in fact real and present where it was supposed to be it, had an engine, and ran was definitely not as thorough as Prosche's own Pre-Purchase-Inspection (PPI).

    After receiving the car I took it in for a PPI at my local Porsche dealer. They found the following small but somewhat costly problems:

    * Sport Chrono "clip" broken - $550

    * One of the three Homelink buttons broken - $100

    * Cigarette lighter broken - $50

    * Ash tray lid broken - $200 (I found this one)

    * Air vent lever broken - $300 (I found this one too)

    * Cup holder door broken - $300 (I knew about this one before I bought it but thought it would be "cheap" to fix)

    * ....and one or two other small things that I can't recall right now.

    As you can see they are minor things but it adds up quickly since Porsche just replaces entire items like the Sport Chrono unit if there is even a small problem with it like a "broken clip." Thankfully there was nothing *major* wrong. I did, however, just have the clutch replaced and a leaking RMS replaced (under warranty) for a total of about $1900 (that was with a 40k maintenance as well). I also need new tires which will be about another $1,000. I guess the moral of the story is try to get a Prosche mechanic/dealer to look over the car before you buy it, not a generalist, and also to be prepared for the costs associated with owning a Porsche.

    The other piece of advice I can give you is around shipping the car (if you're going to do that). Shipping is another whole area that you need to research and it's sort of a sketchy business IMHO. I spend a lot of time researching shippers and shipping costs (www.transportreviews.com is a good site for this). I finally settled on Direct Auto Movers (a broker and a carrier - yes there's a difference) based on price, reviews, and just a good feeling for the guy I was dealing with (Brian if you opt to go this route). Shipping across country from Northern California to Upstate New York was $1,100. If you do have the car shipped in an open air transport make sure to request that it is *top loaded.* Top-loading ensures fluids from other cars on the transport won't drip onto your soft top. Top-loading will cost a little more, but, it's worth it.

    Also, don't forget to vet the seller themselves. In addition to the standard eBay vetting (good rating, good feedback, etc. - does Autotrader have something similar?) you can do simple things like Google him/her. I Googled my seller, his business, found his home on Google Maps, etc. to make sure everything "added up" that he'd been telling me.

    Overall I've very pleased with my sight-unseen, cross-country, Porsche purchase. With a little due diligence a long distance purchase can work. Here's a similar post requesting general advice for buying a Boxster.

    Hope this helps,

    Jason

  17. But with the mileage on your car you could be due for a clutch (depending on how you drive..)

    Never heard of any special way to "break in" a new clutch. Just be "nice" to it and it should last another 40k miles or more.......

    The new clutch feels waaaay different than the old one in a good way, so, I don't doubt it was ready for it. Plus two people owned it before me, so, who knows how they drove it. :-/ Thanks for the reply!

    Jason

  18. Well, I received some good news and some bad news regarding the RMS job. The bad news is that I need a new clutch. Apparently the clutch is just about worn down to the bolts. The good news is since it's the same work to get to the clutch as it is to get to the RMS and the RMS is covered under warranty I don't have to pay the usual 8-9 hours of labor. So, regardless of whether or not they were not being forthright about the RMS failure, at least it saved me some money on the clutch repair. Of course, they could also have been lying about the clutch, though, they said they'd keep it to show it to me (and of course there's no way to prove the clutch they show me is my clutch, but, the conspiracy can't run that deep... or can it! =-O).

    Got any advice for breaking in a new clutch?

    Thanks,

    Jason

  19. Correct - do not drive a car with a flashing CEL. It will damage the cats.

    Without reading the fault code(s) it is hard to tell.

    Thanks for the reply.

    Yeah, that's what I figured, so, I had the car towed to the dealer this morning. They just called me and thankfully nothing is wrong - FHEW!

    The dealer said that there were a few misfires and that he thought it might have been caused by the car getting "loaded up" when I pulled it out of the garage to wash it and then pulled it back in without driving it. I'm not exactly sure what he meant by "loaded up," but, I figured he meant that the engine didn't get a chance to properly burn off the fuel or something of that sort. Thoughts?

    The dealer also noticed, while looking into the issue, that the seal between the motor and the transmission is leaking. Is that is the notorious "RMS failure?" Luckily it's covered under warranty but it will take a few days to fix. :-(

    Jason

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.