number9ine

Every Porsche I've driven loves to be opened up. I personally drive mine like I stole it. I think that many on this board drive their cars hard, and it's perfectly OK (even good!) to do so as long as you're careful with a few things: Keep it under 35-4K RPM for 10 minutes or so to get the oil temps up. Watch your gauges and listen to your car. Not only does it make a fantastic howl, but you'll hear it when something's amiss. If you heat the brakes up, make sure you don't stand on them at a stoplight, and don't apply your parking brake until the car has a chance to cool off. Make the last mile or two home a leisurely one, so the car isn't soaking in heat when you park it. Check your fluids at each refuel--oil, coolant, and windshield washer for all those bugs you'll kill. :) Flush your brake fluid every two years as the manual states, every year or sooner if you track the car. Watch your tires for uneven wear, especially if you're "power sliding." An alignment is relatively cheap insurance against premature tire replacement. Keep a pressure gauge in your car if it doesn't have TPMS, check it once a week. If you're tracking the car or driving it hard in short trips every day, I recommend changing your oil every 5K. Learn to do your own maintenance. With a set of jackstands and some patience you'll be able to see every wear item outside your engine and inspect it. I am less handy than your average shade tree mechanic and managed to do pads, rotors, brake flush, oil change, spark plugs, air filter and e-brake switch replacement on my wife's boxster. Cost me about a third of what it would've at an indy mechanic, and about a fifth of what the dealer would charge. While opposite lock can be fun, these cars are really made to carve a corner. PCA has a great driver education program, if you haven't tried yet I recommend you sign up. Autocross is also a strength of the Boxster, for $30-40 and some gas you can have a lot of fun. Mark

Is there any moisture at the bottom of your driver door card? My car pooled water in the same place after a wash or heavy rainstorm, and it turned out to be the seal behind the door card.

Hi, Looks like I need my wife's radio code: CDR-220 Model: 4462 Serial Y5037578 Thanks for the help. Mark

An old buddy of mine used a water jet to cool the turbo on his Gen II MR2, an aftermarket unit the size of a small watermelon. It was a hack, he rigged a windshield wash reservoir and pump to a plastic hose routed just inside the side intake. Never seen a setup injected at the valves. The Porsche flat six engine family members are expensive and unique beasts. I imagine it would take someone with deep pockets to try something like this, along with the extensive modifications it would take to make it work with the engine management system, etc. I imagine racers might use it if it was legal in their class, but it's certainly not mainstream.

Sounds right to me too.

Did you buy mounting hardware for your hardtop, and if not, were they already present? My friend recently purchased a hardtop for his '03 C4S cab and the hardware wasn't installed. It's the bits that are installed under the fabric fascia behind the rear seats and used to secure the spinlocks at the rear. Absent those two parts, your hardtop definitely wouldn't seat well. If your top isn't properly seated it could lead to problems with locking the car, a "beep" for an alarm fault related to the front latch, for example. I don't know if it would make your key stop working entirely though. If you remove the hardtop, does the key work again? If you use the key blade in the door to unlock the car, does the remote work after that? Does the alarm LED at the front of the dashboard pulse fast when you press a key on your fob? Does the test light on your key light up when you press a button? Mark

Bob, I can easily operate my 997's remote from 40 feet away in my living room, which is two rooms and a fire door away from my garage. I'm sorry I wasn't clearer--I was suggesting that one of your keys may be operating without your knowledge, transmitting with no button press at all. Since the issue has only occurred in your home environment, it stands to reason that it will be difficult for your dealer to reproduce at their shop. Modern P-car dealers, just like every other dealer, will throw parts at any chronic issue on an in-warranty car until things go right. They do this to minimize return trips for the same issue (lemon law concerns), and because just about everything on your Porsche is considered a replacement item, not a repair item, by the factory. That means for a simple unlocking issue, your car may spend days or weeks at the dealer. My suggestion to remove the batteries for a spell is a simple troubleshooting step that doesn't cost you any time or effort. One last thing to keep in mind. If any part of your car is unlocked (trunk or doors) and not opened in a short time (I believe it's 30-60 seconds), the car will automatically lock. So, an unlocked car that has its trunk "popped" by the remote and left unattended will lock its doors after the waiting period. That will leave you with what you describe, a popped trunk and locked doors. Best of luck, let us know what happens. Mark

I just had a look at the GT3 TSBs (which you can browse if you become a Contributing Member) and it looks like Pirelli and Michelin are the only two N-spec manufacturers for your OEM wheels. There is a winter tire, the Pirelli Winter 240 Sottozero Serie II N1. Even though you don't see a winter, I'd assume that the wet grip of this tire is superior to what you have now. Let us know what you go with! Mark

I don't know if there is an N-spec (OEM-approved) tire with the specific size you need for your car, but I always recommend Bridgestone Potenzas as a good compromise between tire wear, wet grip, and dry grip. If you plan on fitting any tires it's best to match the front and rear sets to avoid unwanted handling issues; tires this size are very sensitive and represent the few square feet of grip keeping your very expensive (and beautiful!) car out of the weeds. Since the RS is a unique beast I'd talk to the dealer, Tire Rack, or an indy who works on cars like yours on a regular basis. Wheel Enhancement may also be able to make a recommendation, they're very knowledgeable about Porsche wheels and in my dealings with them it seems tires are an extension of that knowledge. Whatever your decision, know that the RS suspension setup means that your car may still be a handful in the wet. Or, for the price of an extra set of wheels and tires you could buy a lightly used midsize sedan with all-seasons, which will carry you on those rainy days without complaint. :) Welcome to the forum! Stick around, it's a great place to learn about your car. Best of luck, Mark

If there are no fault codes present as Loren suggests, I would suggest removing the batteries from both your key heads for a week or so and manually locking/unlocking the doors, to eliminate them as a possible cause of the faults. As PAULSPEED mentioned, the key fobs are very sensitive to pressure, especially the trunk button. It could well be that one of the fobs is somehow damaged internally and periodically emitting the signal needed to lock or unlock the car. If a week passes with no further evidence of the ghost in the machine, try putting a battery back in one key for a few days. If that's trouble-free then do the other key. Whichever key causes the issue is likely your problem. If the system still misbehaves with the remotes disabled, perhaps something near your car is causing radio interference. Does the problem only occur at home, or does it happen when you're out and about? Mark

I don't think there's any independent evidence to rely on, you might ask the manufacturer of the exhaust and cats. Since their numbers have been shown to be optimistic and based on limited testing, I'm not sure that will do much for you. Unless you want to be out-of-pocket for extensive and expensive testing I'd just rely on what most people do to gauge the effectiveness of these mods--the butt dyno or lap time. While the high-flow cats might make a difference in power, they may not pass a visual or smog inspection depending on your state. They could also interfere with the engine management, which isn't designed to accommodate them. As for the performance exhausts, it's worth noting that Porsche's "sport" exhaust option is just a "loud valve" with no performance effect; I take that as a sign that the stock exhaust is designed for maximum efficiency and power delivery within regulatory, noise and packaging constraints. If you find some numbers please post them, I'm curious too. Mark

It's tough to talk weight with all that AWD hardware underneath you, slowing you down on a dry track. :) But in all seriousness, there are plenty of things you can remove without too much effort, and probably reinstall in a weekend's time: -Passenger seat -Door cards -Rear seats -Center console (there's a nice OEM delete kit for this) -Rear console -Instrument binnacle (I think the gauges will mount without this, not sure) -Carpeting -Rear belts -Radio -Amp -Changer -Spare tire -Toolkit -Airbags (be ready with a tester for a reinstall) -Speakers -Glovebox assy -Headlamp assys (assuming your class allows this) Then of course there's the slippery slope of "adding lightness" via lightweight parts: -Racing seat -Battery -Lighter wheels (you can get the Turbo hollow-spoke versions of your wheels, or an inexpensive but quality aftermarket set) -2-piece rotors -Straight pipe exhaust (for weight reduction, possibly not performance enhancement) -CAI in place of stock airbox -The list goes on and on... Since weight reduction measures are most beneficial to experienced racers for those "precious tenths," or those gutting a car to make a dedicated racer, I'd question the need for serious weight reduction if I were in your shoes. I may start with removing the big and heavy bits like the passenger seat, and spending my money on a lighter set of wheels and a harness-compatible racing seat. Lastly, I know I can stand to lose a few (20+) pounds, how about you? Might be wise to go on a diet as the car does. :) I've never done a competitive timed event outside of an autocross, so I'm not sure what sort of competition you'll be seeing out there. I imagine there are those out there with deep pockets who will outdo your efforts handily on their dedicated track toy. Perhaps the most important question is: Have you reached a plateau with your car in stock form, where you consistently hit the same time on the track? Maybe then is the time to start losing weight. Otherwise, how will you ever gauge your progress as a driver? Let us know what you do. I love to see things get taken apart... Mark

The dealership will "punch" (they call it RDR, for Retail Delivery Record) a car when it has sat on their floorplan for over the holdback period, which is typically one year. Holdback is money the manufacturer will pay the dealer abve and beyond their profit for a timely sale. Most manufacturers require demos to be RDRd for warranty in-service date tracking, I dont know if Porsche does. 650 untitled miles sounds like a demonstrator, the factory will only put double-digit miles on the cars post-build. I hear that some states require a vehicle over certain miles (250?) require the car to be titled as used. I'm not sure if that means the dealer trades the MSO for a title in the dealer's name and the transfers that tile to the new owner, or if there is no middleman title to the dealer. Either way, if the money's right you're getting a lot of car and extra transferrable warranty to boot. Enjoy it!

Based on taking apart both my 997 and 986 doors, I think the mount points are the same incl. the harness and the only parts you'll need are the 2-piece mirror assembly and the door trim. A caveat: The new mirrors make a nasty whistle with the window down that I never had in my boxster with the old style, and the Boxster's profile doors-forward is the same as the 996. Best of luck and post pics of your swap if you're brave enough to dive in!

Congratulations on your purchase! Sorry to hear about your battery but at least that's an easy fix. Many happy miles lie ahead... Show us some pictures! Mark

That's the saddest drawing I've ever seen man, sorry for your loss. and I'm glad that no one was hurt, I hope that you can find a way to avoid driving in a condition that would prompt a seizure again. Anything can be fixed, but it's hard to make it exactly what it once was. There are few scenarios where it would make more financial sense to bring the car back to life vs. buy another, but here's hoping you find your way back into a 911 sooner than later. Mark

A perfect explanation, thanks Paul. Sounds like a worthwhile upgrade. My definition of 'better' on the street would be to reduce the plowing that takes place during hard cornering with a stock suspension. I find that my car is sharp and direct on the street, and throttle cures any hint of understeer I experience. On the track, it's noticeable after the tires have been heat cycled a few times and are run hot, but not particularly before. I run stock camber too. Mark

That worked! The only reason I switched to mobile was so I could hammer out a message. The links are still a little "tricky" but I'll survive. Thanks again Loren. Mark

With the very latest updates to the board, I can't reply to topics from my iPad without switching to mobile version of inboard using the menu at lower left. When I attempt to click in the reply text box, it highlights paragraphs of text and doesn't allow me to place my cursor in the box anywhere. The links in the forum thread list don't work properly either. I must tap and hold, or tap very quickly to launch a thread, anything in between just doesn't work. I had none of these issues with mobile safari on the full version of 3.0 when it first rolled out. Please help! Mark

Is this an ultimatum? Most of us have a lot of driving to do to catch up. :) Awesome shot of the odo. I love hearing about high-mi P-cars and I hope that mine gets there one day (but not too soon). Mark

Paul, I'm curious about this upgrade. Can you clarify what you mean by "better" in terms that I might understand? Is it steering feel? Sharper turn-in? Weight transfer under load? I find that I run out of tire before I run out of chassis control, but I'm on street tires. Do you run race tires or neg. camber? Mark

No one has hard data on IMS failures, and that's why it scares the hell out of everyone. This is the internet, so keep in mind that 99% come here only to complain. :) I do see some good souls who occasionally post here about how their car is trouble-free after miles and miles. Porsche designed these cars to last, but like every mechanical device ever made there are some common failure modes. A common anecdote around here is that driving the ***** out of your car will prevent catastrophic failure. There's some justification in that; Porsche's durability testing involves driving the cars hard, and one assumes their tests don't include a man in a tweed cap garaging the car for 18 months at a clip to avoid bug splatter on his windshield. Neglecting any car will ultimately involve failure of some sort due to breakdown of seals, lack of active lubrication, and the odd cobweb, and these cars were designed to run. May I ask, why not take it to track? It's a heckuva good time and safe to boot, try out a DE with your local PCA chapter and learn how to get the most out of your car. IMS failures are often catastrophic, bent valves and/or high-speed release of bearings inside your motor usually spell a quick death. Plenty of talk about it on all the boards, and a few resident experts will be more than willing to indulge you with sad tales of IMS misfortune. A new engine for your car will probably cost more than the car is worth. Sad but true. In light of that a warranty's not such a bad idea, provided you project the per-mile cost over years of ownership and decide it makes sense in your P-car budget. The alternative is that you look at it as an opportunity to fit a 996 motor for similar money to a 2.5 replacement. You have no reason to talk about resale value because you're in a car that's just about hit the bottom of its market. All things being equal I'd prefer to buy a car that had a warranty to one that didn't, but don't expect to get your $3500 back when you sell the car. I'd expect your warranty to give your car a $1000-1500 premium over a comparably-equipped car with similar mileage and condition, the day that you purchase it. Buy it for you, not the next owner. My $.02: Maintain your car, drive it like you stole it, and take the lumps as they come should they happen to you. The reward of owning such a fantastic car as your Boxster should outweigh the risk, provided you're in a financial position to assume that risk. Enjoy! Mark

I believe the top color options on the '99s are Graphite Grey, Metropol Blue, and Black. Since your car has a grey interior I'd lean toward the Graphite top. If it's showing a tan color then the top color is fading. A pic may confirm. there are products out there for dyeing the top, that others have used with varying degrees of success. A good soak 'n' scrub with car soap and a microfiber mitt may help pull out any contaminants that mask the factory color, so I'd start there first. Porsche and others make top protectants and conditioners with UV protection to help keep the top in "tip-top" shape. Mark

I'd say it depends on how much the car shudders. When you activate your AC the clutch on your compressor engages, which will change the engine's operating state slightly due to the increased load. On most cars you can feel this engagement briefly, but not for long. If it's very hot out I notice the additional noise and load from the compressor in all my cars. Your car is about 20k short of a polyrib belt maintenance according to the book, but your car is over 10 years old so it may be worthwhile to do now. If the belt is worn, it could contribute to what you're experiencing. Since the belt is cheap and the process can be done DIY, I suggest you start there. While you're in there you can check the accessory drive items for play and examine the car in a running state with the seatback engine cover off. Should the symptoms persist with a belt change, it could be your compressor--years of hard duty in the AZ sun could be causing it to fail. Get it checked out before it packs up. Mark

The clutch release bearing is a common culprit of a stiff clutch pedal. The pedal is also hydraulic, so it may make sense to flush the fluid. Mark