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CA_Boxster

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Everything posted by CA_Boxster

  1. Yeah. I don't know what you asked for so maybe this stuff is in line with what you were expecting, but it seems they overdid it with the keys, shop towels, etc. Some of the other prices look about the same as what I've seen for individual services (brake fluid flush, oil change, etc.) so it isn't that their pricing is out of line but dealerships generally have specials available for basic maintenance like oil changes and 10% off parts. Some of those jobs, when combined, probably reduce labor time on other jobs in the list so just adding all the standard labor time together inflates it a little. Maybe all that work was justified and was reasonable to do but for a bill that size on a 2003 car that you're still bringing to them rather than going to an independent they should have thrown you a special on the oil change plus 10% off parts.
  2. Have you checked the water pump? I know it's not located closest to the rear seats but leaks can run in different directions. If you haven't replaced that yet (you mentioned having a lot of miles on the car) then this could be starting to go.
  3. Interesting list. If you flip it upside down you pretty much have the reverse list of pros & cons of what people describe about why they really like Boxsters from the handling to the linearity of the engine, livability and build quality, then acceptance of the functional simple interior and good looks. Maybe just not a car that fits what you like to drive.
  4. Looking at that size on tire rack I don't see the Pilot SS. I have those on my Carerra (but not long enough to have an opinion) and had them on my M3. They were good. The statement about them being cheaper that PS2 is correct. They're also supposed to be better. I believe the SS is branded PS3 in Europe... +1 on the Hankook Ventus V12. I had them on a 2000 Boxster when I was playing around with trying off-brand tires for price and was really impressed. I tried the Sumitomo HTR ZIII prior to those and they just weren't very good. Were a little too squishy. Kumhos get good reviews for a low price point tire but they looked to be really bad for wet traction and I stayed away from that. I'd give the Hankooks a shot. I would have put them on the M3 at the time but couldn't get the correct rear size. Search google for the Car & Driver tire test that included the V12. They were pretty high on them.
  5. I bought the car but the center wind deflector that installs behind the seats is not with it. I've been told there are 2 parts, an original equipment one and a "replacement" part, both from Porsche. Is this true, is there a difference, and does anyone know the part numbers? The prices were very different between the two. Thanks!
  6. OSCAAC, Did you have a PPI done prior to buying it? I'm just curious. Seems that some of those things you had to replace could have been flagged. I recently bought an '08 997 and the PPI turned up some maintenance that needed to be done but at least I knew that going in.
  7. The storage bin does just bolt in though I don't know exactly how. I had one on my 986. It's not much use for storing things and I would have traded it for the Bose sub any day. Try an auto dismantler to see if they have a storage box they can cell you. Make sure you tel them the upholstery color because the storage box (at leas on the 986) was carpeted on top and it will show.
  8. The dismantlers are always a smart first stop but I've found that they frequently only want to sell the bigger assembly rather than parting out the smaller pieces so you'll probably end up buying a new part from a dealer. My local dealer seems to have a perennial 15% discount on parts so my cost there is about the saem as I find at other dealers online. You may find that your local dealer does the same.
  9. Another vote for Marvin Weitz in Santa Clara. I've had a few things done in his shop and he's where I'm taking my car from now on.
  10. I waited for that comparo to come out to pick tires because the last time I chose their winner (Goodyear Eagle F1 GS D3) I was very happy with them. That Goodyear doesn't come in the 205/50-17 for my fronts any more (neither does the comparo winner Dunlop) so I decided to give some bargain tires a try this time because they seem to be getting pretty good and worst case, at those prices, I can just replace them next year if I don't like them. I was on the verge of ordering the Hankooks but chickened out because the V12 is too new to be able to find many reviews and the thing about the C&D review I didn't like was that even though they performed well they said the Ventus didn't feel like it. I think soft and imprecise might have been what they said. I didn't want to be disappointed by the way the car felt for the next year (track times aren't my biggest criteria). I ended up ordering the Sumitomo HTR Z III for a similar price from Tirerack so it's good to see the comment from Dennis. If I didn't get one of these I would have gone for the Bridgestones in the comparison. We get enough rain in the Winter in NorCal that one lesson in half-worn Pirellis during a downpour got my attention. The 3rd place Kumhos in the test were ruled out for that reason. For what it's worth, there is a $50 rebate from Hankook if you buy 4 of those. You can find the form on their web site.
  11. Put a little felt tape or some other cloth around the plastic pieces that the brackets hold on to and it will stop the rattle. I had the same issue. I do notice a difference between having the windscreen in or out. I own one so I use it. If I didn't own one I wouldn't pay the $500 Porsche charges to get it. If you found one for less I think it's worth putting in. As far as I can tell if you're comfortable aligning and tapping holes into the roll hoops it's not hard to install.
  12. I'm interested in finding one of the Bose Base Box rear deck speakers to add to my 2000 Boxster but I've had little luck finding one or even getting many hits on Google searches about them. Does anyone know a part number, official name or anything else I can use to search for one of these?
  13. Mine also reset on their own after a a couple starts. It's never been a problem so I haven't counted, but it seems like 1 on/off cycle does it. The next time I start it up the windows are fine.
  14. I pulled mine off again today to take a last shot at getting rid of my rattle. Mine sounds like wires bouncing on metal and happens even worse when I run the A/C, presumably because the stuff all gets cold and hardens. If yours is really a creak like something rubbing together and is not a rattle then try these steps after removing it: 1) Clean all the dust out of there 2) Put cloth tape (friction tape or felt tape) around all the edges. It won't show once you put the POD back on. 3) There are a handful of points where posts on the POD snap into the dash, and where some small posts on the dash stick into the pod (on the back). Put a little of the cloth tape on those as well to keep plastic from rubbing on plastic. This cloth tape is what most of the TSBs say to use for problems like this. The trick is finding the right spot. There's no harn in just covering them all to be safe.
  15. I've gone through a few of the GAHH tops as I was one of the early adopters and I had all the reported warranty issues, including the glass separation. My current top is about 18 months old and it's solid. I think that issue is a thing of the past. When this current top went on the car I could tell that they had made a number of changes to the overall design. Aside from the new process for sealing the glass in the top material they changed they had moved some of the seams and they were more heavy duty seams as well. I assume they did it to change the pressure points in the top to make it more durable. I could tell it was better than the earlier versions. I don't know anything about the other brands but I think the GAHH top is good if you choose that one.
  16. Try driving the car over whatever favorite bumpy road you have while putting pressure in the cluster with one hand. Just push on the overhang hard to hold it in place so it won't move and see if the creak goes away. I did this and it helped me isolate a rattle to that cluster. Still working on figuring out exactly what the rattle is, but holding the cluster pod firmly in place while driving does keep it all tight and makes the rattle go away.
  17. I would pull the HU and check the wiring harness as well. It's easy enough to do. You may find a loose connection. If the connections at the dash speakers are good and the doors aren't cutting out then the only other connection points are the HU and the amp. You can pull out the wiring harness behind the HU pretty easily. Is it the stock head unit? Yes, stock H/U...CDR220. Ihave pulled out the H/U and replaced it with one I bought on ebay...both exhibit the same issue. Also, had a look at the amp and all the connections seem fine. Goint to keep my eyes open for an amp on ebay. Who knows!! You may be able to run the dash speakers directly off the new HU.
  18. I would pull the HU and check the wiring harness as well. It's easy enough to do. You may find a loose connection. If the connections at the dash speakers are good and the doors aren't cutting out then the only other connection points are the HU and the amp. You can pull out the wiring harness behind the HU pretty easily. Is it the stock head unit?
  19. They probably flipped the airbag light on when you didn't take the bait on the Cayenne. The Cayman with get you when they quote a new control processor :) You probably expected to get bit by dealer pricing on the top repair but it doesn't look like they got you too bad. Take a hundred bucks off the labor and about 15-20% off the parts and that's probably the cheapest an indy would be able to go. Those are going to be parts that probably don't have a lot of alternative sources.
  20. I had a similar thing after getting my front brakes done. It sounded like a clap of the pads on the disc or something. It happened a few times but I haven't heard it lately. I didn't think about it but it was always as I was backing out of the garage and then going forward as described in the post above. It also happened a couple times after washing the car and pulling into the garage but also per the post above I had probably backed the car out before washing then went forward to put it away afterward. Anyway, I don't think it's happening any more. Yours may go away over time.
  21. The only thing that you'd likely appreciate more about an S in daily driving is the torque curve that kicks in at lower RPM. It will feel a little more powerful. The other stuff (trans, brakes, suspension, etc.) are going to be better, but aren't going to add anything for you unless you're pushing the car quite a bit. I drive a 2000 base because when I bought it 4 years ago I had a target price range and a S missed by about $5k (would have had to buy a 1999 if I wanted an S and I didn't want to do that). I chose to go with the base in order to get the latest model year with the lowest miles under my budget. If I were buying today I would tend toward an S just for that torque but I recently passed up a deal on my friend's 2000 S (pretty similar to mine in most other ways) because I like my car too much to sell it and I know what's already been replaced for maintenance. It's that close of a call for me. That said, a 2006 base has enough of a power advantage over my 2000 base to make it a pretty nice ride. If you like the base better for some reason (options on the car, whatever) you won't regret buying it. One other thing to consider: The stereo. If you get the base you might find that it disappoints and you'll end up putting $1k into that eventually. The Bose stereo in the S with the sound bar on the back deck (especially if this is the model year they added the sub woofer in the bar) if pretty good and can be left as-is. Just one of those things you notince while living with a convertible...
  22. Spot repair on a windshield can sometimes be pretty cheap at a shop and the one windshield I had it done on (years ago) had no obvious marks after having cracks filled in. They put the solution in the hole and heat it to cure. If you drive up to a shop that isn't busy and ask how much $ for a quick fix I bet it's not a lot. Unless you just feel like trying out the kits...
  23. Does anyone know the route the wires are run through from the head unit to the dash speakers? I have a rattle in my driver's side dash that won't go away and has gotten worse over time. I've been all through it from underneath and also pulled out the gauge cluster to look behind there and everything I've suspected as the culprit and dealt with has apparently been wrong. It sounds like a loose connector or metal part is banging against another metal area. The sound gets gradually worse as the dash gets colder (i.e., when the a/c is on) and only happens over bumps or during braking. My dash speakers were replaced by a shop a long time ago and I suspect the original speaker-end connector has come loose from wherever they may have taped it off but I can't find it.
  24. I disagree on the company and the product as I've had a good experience with them, but I understand what you're saying. I have the older version of that cupholder with 4 pins in the back that go into the carpet rather than the shim that goes up under the trim. The cupholder itself stays in fine if I insert it at the right height to have the floor carpet keep the bottom snug while the pins hold it against the console carpet. I would never put any container with an open top in there, though (soda can, cofe-shop cup, etc.) as they do wobble around. Even if I squeezed the cupholder to be smaller the wobble is just a function of cups standing on the floor and being topheavy. I only put travel mugs and cold rink lids (with straws plugging the holes) in the cupholder. I still like the thing. It's the best I was able to find and has been fine for a couple years now. I recall that I emailed the store with a qwuestion before buying the cupholder ans it turned out to be just a guy running this operation out of his home designing the cupholder and sourcing out the mass production. He was cool. He also might be able to suggest another way to install it or possibly send you one of the older models like mine.
  25. I have a Boxster with Eagle F1 GS-D3 tires that I like a lot. They're quieter than the stock Pirellis were and they're great in dry and wet conditions (the wet grip was something I was specifically loooking to improve over the Pirellis after losing traction too esily in a heavy week of Bay Area rain). I'm really surprised at the tread life on these things as well. This tire would work for what you describe, but it might come down more on the performance side whereas you're looking for better all around. I think they would also get a little squirrely if you ever drove in near-freezing weather (i.e., to Tahoe or over the Santa Cruz mountains in Winter when we get those dustings of snow) as they actually come with warnings about the rubber compound and tread pattern being pretty bad for that. There was a good comparo in Car & Driver (possibly the same one referred to in an earlier post) that helped me choose these, but it's probably dated by now. I think it was in a 2006 isue. Goodyear has recently launched an all-season version of the same tire that would be worth consideration. I can't tell you anything about it but based on my experience with the ones I have I would look at them myself.
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