wizard

Apologies. I earlier referred to the "driver's side rear tail light" without allowing for the fact that yours is likely a RHD.  The cable should be under the rear tail light on the passenger seat side on a RHD.

If you haven't been looking there, the emergency release cable should be located under the drivers side rear tail light, taped to the bodywork. You will probably have to use a torch and look closely, and you should see a steel cable. Carefully extract it, and give it a smooth but forceful pull.

This cable is a feature originally built into all Boxsters, including UK spec.

Good for you. If you have the service history on the car, you may want check to see if the work on the TSB mentioned above was carried out.

That TSB was specific to the car that you now own and appears to have had something to do with the problem you encountered.

There's a good write-up on this board under the title ' How to manually lowering convertible top'. (I don't know how to link!) It relates to a 986 but I imagine they're pretty similar.

1schoir is particularly knowledgeable on all things concerning the soft top and its mechanisms. 

http://www.revolution-porsche.co.uk/faq/convertible-roof-stuck-working-can-closeopen-manually/

It could have something to do with the warning given at the end of the attached.

You might want to rule out that it's not something as simple as a fuse, first.

Try carefully triggering the microswitches in the roof locking mechanism. Nothing to lose!

Are the windows dropping when the switch is depressed?

TSB 2/06 1912 Warning light For Coolant Temperature Gauge Activated -- dated April 18, 2006.

The foregoing TSB may be relevant.

On the assumption that the engine was not overheating immediately prior, you may well find that after the car has cooled down, the gauge will start working again as normal.

I don't recognise that code but if you can clear it with your reader, try that and see if the code recurs. 

Is there any evidence of water damage beneath the carpeting under the seats?

If yes, it could well be a problem with the electronic control unit under the seat.

Open your key fob and replace the battery.

Have you physically checked that you have enough fuel in the tank?

Looks like one of the drain pipes. If you do a search, there's a diagram showing their locations - two under the bonnet, either side of the battery and two towards the rear of the car where the soft top meets the body.

Pushing a trombone cleaner (not in everyone's toolbox!) or a stiffish piece of electrical cable carefully down the drain hole where the leak is should establish whether or not it is the drain pipe.

As it's the rear right, it might also be an idea to put a small cup under the leak to collect sufficient drips to check if it is indeed coolant.

Front numberplate secure? 

I believe the issue is related simply to a fuel supply interruption - sloshing effect of a low fuel level upon acceleration away from lights.

On a side note, you really should change the oil back to that recommended by Porsche.

Not sure about 05 Boxsters, but mine needs the handbrake to be applied/lit up on dash before the top will operate.

Yes, Westerwald.

Don't forget that the fluid needs to be at a temperature of 40C in order to get the fill level correct.

I got mine recently from contorion.de ... Stahlwille INHEX-Einsätze 17. It was reduced to 9.75 Euro, I think. You won't find cheaper for that quality. Of course, there is a cost to send unless you spend more than 50 Euro - which I did as I needed other things from them.

Yes. Hex ... 17mm.

In the absence of a code reader, cleaning the MAF would be my first course of action. Not too difficult a task, but care in handling and the appropriate cleaner needed.

O.K.

After battery disconnection, the upper and lower limits for the windows need to be stored once again. Whilst I have my doubts it's related, have you done that?

A worn ignition switch is known to cause all manner of electrical 'abnormalities'. Is there any stiffness in turning the key? Do your AC, radio, windscreen wipers, fan blower work as they should? 

If not that, the relay would be the next thing I'd look at. Do you have a Durametric cable for reading faults?

If all was working before storing the car, I'd check the battery as the first step.

You earlier stated compression at 170 on all but one cylinder. Hot engine?

Unlike others, I'm no expert by any means, however, if compression is more or less equal across all cylinders but the problem affects only 5 cylinders, then perhaps it's something else.

As both banks are affected (but not all cylinders on at least one bank), then it still suggests injectors to me. You have replaced and checked all coils and spark plugs presumably?

If you're still on the original injectors at 140,000 miles, then I'd suggest running a good injector cleaner through the system, after cleaning all your new plugs. Cheap and easy.

If that doesn't do anything to resolve the situation, then at least it will shut me up (-;

Have you checked your dipstick?

Indeed ...... misfire codes.

I would have thought that five 'rich' cylinders from the eight (with three cylinders normal, presumably) surely suggests an injector problem on each of those five cylinders?