geoff

I've had my Boxster since 2001, and the longer I have it and more I drive it, the more I realize what an engineering and driving marvel it is :) . I've noticed in the past year or so, aftermarket parts are starting to become available for the 986 Boxster and 996 Carrera models, probably due to a combination of age and number sold.

Yes, there are less expensive options out there for a number of parts, replacement bushings for suspension components, and alternatives you can use. From the posts I've read here and elsewhere, some of the parts are better if you are building a competitive track car (and you will lose some driving comfort), some of the parts don't hold up as well as OEM, and some add dubious value at best. The big ticket item is whether and when your engine will decide to self destruct, at which point you can either scrap the car (at which point non-OEM parts are worth less than $0), put in a used engine from a wrecking yard, trade your dead engine core for a Porsche remanufactured one, or get a more bulletproof Raby rebuild (approx. the same price as the Porsche remanufactured). All the other costs pale by comparison.

If your motive for buying the Boxster is for a gourmet driving experience, and you can live with the cost risk, you will be ecstatic with the Boxster. If you are looking for a fashion accessory / ego statement, in the long run you'll find the Boxster expensive, uncomfortably, scary to drive and unsatisfying, and would probably be happier in an AMG something or BMW M. Porsches are designed and built lighter than most other cars, because they don't have humongous engines, and light parts tend to wear out and break more often. Replacing the parts with heavier aftermarket items could start having a noticeable effect on performance as you add more and more weight. You have to understand the tradeoffs and decide your priorities

As you have probably figured out by now, renntech is a fantastic resource and you can save considerably on maintenance costs. No matter how much you save, your Boxster will still cost quite a bit more to maintain than a Camry

One of the Jake Raby posts somewhere (not sure if it was on this forum or elsewhere) alluded to the more solid front mounts being one source contributing to engine failure. I can't remember where I saw it, and never saw any follow-up after that. Maybe if Jake sees this he will chime in and elaborate on his latest findings. My Boxster has just a hair under 60K miles, so the original front motor mount is probably history based on what everyone says, even though I don't notice the telltale 3K RPM vibration or problems shifting. I've avoided looking at my motor mount until hearing what Jake discovered.

I can answer a few of these

Alignment - the suspension shop I go to in LA (they do lots of Porsches) charges more because it takes more time to do an alignment, but they also are more precise in how they do the alignment. $150 for my Boxster vs. about $90 for a Camry. I'm finding you probably should do an alignment more often than a typical passenger car.

Tires - they wear. Misaligned suspension makes it worse. You will go through rear tires faster than front tires. The rears only last about 8K miles for some people, need changing more often than the oil (if you stick with Porsche's recommendations). I got over 25K miles on my original rears. Lots of tire options, but Porsche "N rated" ones are not cheap. Discount Tire/America's Tire, Tirerack and Costco have better prices than the dealer. Not sure what your options are in Canada

Climate control LCD - somebody on eBay sells just the replacement LCD, search here for details. Or you can get a used unit from an auto wrecking yard, or a new one from the dealer. Sunset in Oregon (look at the top of every page for "Porsche Parts at Dealer Cost") usually has the best dealer prices.

Swirl marks - check out one of the bazillion car detailing web sites. The process is basically wash, clay, polish and wax. Everyone has an opinion on their favorite brands

Curbed wheels - lots of mobile wheel repair guys, or you can send the wheels to someplace like Wheel Enhancement to have them made like new. There's a DIY article here and elsewhere on repairing curb rash. Wurth silver followed by clear coat is the matching color

Radio - I don't think the computer (PST2 or PIWIS) can connect to the fine radio in my '01 Boxster either. Unless you have a fancy nav system, it's a pretty basic radio

Brake flush - reservoir is easily accessible in the front trunk

CV boots - most Porsche dealers have a one or two year warranty on repairs and OEM parts come with a two year warranty

The longer I have my '01 Boxster, the more I enjoy driving it and appreciate how well engineered the car is :)

2005 997 tip - 4+ years old, 53K miles - out of warranty on both time and mileage. My wife's daily driver. Zero engine problems. The car has been basically bulletproof mechanically. I don't have an extended warranty, nor do I have one on my 2001 Boxster. I change the engine oil every 7.5K miles on both cars. Drive it and enjoy it!

Thanks I've already read the throttle body DIY. But what I don't understand is why would I get rough idle now after cleaning the MAF as it was fine before when the car was having hesitation?

Do I need to reset the ECU (unplug battery?) at all after cleaned the MAF? There was no CEL by the way.

A few weeks ago I commented here there seems (to me, at least) to be an unscientific correlation between cleaning/replacing MAF and rough idle afterwards. If you do clean the throttle body and that solves the problem, please let us know

I think you should only need to unplug the battery to reset the ECU if you swap in a new MAF, but it couldn't hurt anything to try it anyway

A few months ago the catalytic converter was stolen from my '88 Toyota pickup when it was parked near LAX. I stopped by the Toyota dealer in Marina del Rey on my way home and they said OEM replacement would run about $1400 just for the parts, but the suggestion was to go aftermarket from a muffler shop. I called around and ended up getting a new catalytic converter installed at Pettigrew in Oxnard. Original estimate was $280 installed, full warranty, but ended up costing $400 because the vandals did other damage while sawing off the cat (Magnaflow, which doesn't show a Porsche replacement part). My truck runs much better than before, and I was very pleased with the quality of the installation

I'm not sure I would do the same thing for my Boxster or Carrera, but might depending on the circumstances. It's clear OEM catalytic converters are a lot more expensive than the aftermarket ones. Also, starting January 1 2009, all replacement catalytic converters in California have to be certified for a specific, so the number of "universal" replacement options is greatly reduced

I've heard horror stories about Midas, and Meineke are supposed to be complete crooks. If you want to go OEM, maybe try calling Sunset for pricing and have a reputable independent muffler shop do the install (lower labor prices than Porsche indy mechanics, and all they do are exhausts). Most high quality independent muffler shops will send you somewhere else if they don't think they can do the job right

Hello, I own a 2001 Boxster.

Ever since I got my car I've been hearing rattling noise coming from the convertible top whenever I am going over bumps or other imperfections in the road, even very small ones.

The noise is usually more pronounced on cold days, and after long driving sessions.

Is there any solutions to that without having to get the whole top replaced?

The top is still in a very good condition and I have never had any problems with it.

Any input is welcome...

I helped a friend replace a broken piece on his 996 cab, and while researching, found a TSB for creaks/groans that applied to my 2001 Boxster. Boxster TSB 3/03 6110 dated 5-23-03 discussed new part number 986 561 605 01 A09, centering peg, that supersedes the old part. Most of the groans/rattles on my car are gone now. The parts from Sunset in Oregon weren't very expensive. Definitely try this before replacing your top. Several others here have reported that a little bit of Krytox in strategic locations eliminates the last few noises

My original post on the topic was here

I bought my '01 Boxster off the dealer lot when it came back after a few months on a trade-in for a new Turbo. We were going to do a build-to-order Carrera for my wife, but found a brand-new '05 someone ordered, didn't want, and was 95% of what we would get. We couldn't find a Cayenne we liked anywhere, so did a build-to-order on an '08 Cayenne S.

In hindsight, the Cayenne is just about exactly what we wanted except for wasting $75 on the useless compass display. We added satnav to the Carrera, which cost more than ordering from the factory, but it's been great. I love my Boxster, but have changed a number of things over the years to get it close to what I want (Litronics, sport suspension, etc). If you are in no hurry, get exactly what you want but keep in mind the options start pushing the price up quickly. Dealers order (or are told to order) options that the "average" buyer will find satisfactory. In general, you get some of what you want, and pay for a few things you couldn't care less about. You have to decide what your priorities are.

If you do a build-to-order, it's highly likely you will have to wait until the 2010 model year, which means you won't be one of the the first to find out what Porsche didn't get right on the new '09 Boxster engine design. Good dealers will definitely negotiate price on a build-to-order, especially if you've done your research and understand what the markup between dealer and sticker price is for all the options (I think I used the Edmunds web site)

You can get the connectors so you don't have to snip anything. See Replacing dash speakers post

I had bookmarked the following threads on the Bob Is The Oil Guy web site that talk about mixing oils and calculating the resulting viscosity a while ago. YMMV

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbth...p;Number=826268

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbth...p;Number=734304

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbth...p;Number=175127

In case you haven't seen it, take a look at http://www.986fix.com/ to see how one guy fixed his cracked cylinder head

22K-24K on the rears, WOW!! that is just about unheard of on a 996...

My wife got 28+K miles on the original rears in her 997

I recently had my car aligned for the first time since having the ROW M030 suspension installed on my Boxster (about 1 1/2 years prior). When they say everything settles for a few months after having the suspension changed out, believe them! I couldn't believe how much better the car drove after the alignment. If your suspension installer gave you any option to bring the car back and have the alignment checked in a month or two, it's worth it. Otherwise, you might want to plan your next alignment sooner than you normally would to really enjoy your new suspension

I have used the local Porsche dealer for my alignment at about $250 each time. I tried a tire store once and they had some issues so I never went back. The ROW supposedly lowers the car about 20/10 mm front/rear from my understanding. I know I need to get one I just wanted someone to say no so I wouldn't have to fork out money that I just spent on an alignment 1 month ago.

You might want to check with the local PCA guys for recommendations on independents that do vehicle inspections and alignments for the Auto-X set. I think the world of my dealer service department, but take my cars to an independent suspension shop that is highly regarded in the local Porsche community. About 1/2 the cost of the dealer, and they will set up for your particular taste and driving style instead of only the factory recommended settings. It still takes them a good 90 minutes to get everything dialed in just right. From what I observed, it's more precise and involved than aligning a Camry or a Buick

At what range of mileage does the MAF usually fail?

From personal experience on my '01 Boxster and what I've read here and on other forums, it's common for the original MAF to go out somewhere between 45K and 65K miles. Nothing scientific in my observation, just seems to be a regular occurrence. It's common to get a check engine light and P1128 and/or P1130 codes, then cleaning the MAF with contact cleaner makes the CEL go away. Lots of MAF information (but not expected life) at Mike Focke's MAF page.

I bought my replacement MAF (new OEM in Porsche box) from Sunset and was very happy with them (as always) - see link at top of each page, but a lot of people have said good things about AutohausAZ prices. Personally, I would never buy an MAF on eBay, since you never know what you will get or whether it will work.

I had the ROW suspension installed on my Boxster with full alignment. Then waited about 1 1/2 years for my next alignment. I couldn't believe how much better everything felt after the recent alignment - the car drove the best since installing the ROW suspension over a year prior. Everything settled a bit after the initial install, even though I didn't measure any difference when I checked. If your suspension/alignment shop tells you to bring the car back in the next few months to have the alignment re-checked, definitely take them up on the offer

If you don't smoke, it's actually a piece of sheet metal pushed in to the plastic ashtray assembly, and can be easily removed with fingers or pliers to make more room for storing little things or holding a cell phone. Less expensive option than going for the non-smoker tray. Applies to the 9x7 ash tray as well. Coins will still fly out when turning, though

My '01 Boxster driver seat did this for the first few years. Dealer periodically lubed the mechanism, but it continued to groan until they replaced it under warranty. I haven't had any repeat noises after the mechanism was replaced (over 4 years ago), so I assume it's inherent in the seat mechanism

Was this for real or an April Fools joke?

I went through this decision on the front not too long ago, but the dealer warrantied the original shock. Otherwise I would have gone for the Bilstein HD shocks. I think the Bilstein sport shocks have a shorter travel. The HD shocks are sportier shocks than OEM and have a lifetime guarantee.

shox.com has a buy-3-get-one-free Bilstein deal right now. Unclear from the Bilstein web site and shox.com if it applies to all shocks, or just the Bilstein truck shocks.

This past weekend I noticed a bunch of black stuff dangling down from the front of my wife's '05 997 (non-S, tip). I got under the front and saw the black rubber front lip spoiler sticking down from being scraped on low driveways, and managed to push some of it back in to the rectangular slots, but several rubber tabs were destroyed so it didn't fit very well. Here's what it looked like (part highlighted in yellow):

Looking at the online PET, I found this parts diagram

and part 17 is listed as 997 505 557 00 01C (spoiler, satin black), and the renntech price search says MSRP $48.74. Is this the correct part number (several 997 505 557 spoilers are listed)? Do I just pull the old one out and the press the tabs on the new one in to the rectangular cutouts on the bottom of the front bumper to replace? Is this the only part I need, or is there something else I'm missing?

You didn't indicate how many miles on the car. When the alternator died on my '01 Boxster, a few dash lights came on intermittently for a week or so, then one day the whole dash full of idiot lights came on and the car died. Happened when the car was about 4.5 years old around 35K miles. Dealer replaced the alternator and all has been fine ever since. Be forewarned rebuilt Boxster alternators are expensive, and new ones are outrageous. Later I replaced the battery, and it wouldn't hold a charge at first. Put it on a maintainer for a few driving (actually parking) cycles, and now it holds a charge just fine. Dealer said it was normal and some new batteries don't hold a charge initially.

Like you said, you've seen all the ignition switch posts. Lots of weirdness attributable to bad ignition switches, so if you have the original style, that might be a good place to start.

I did the Hollywood Park event last Tuesday and it was a total blast! Very well run, and like you said, it's clear I can't drive my car fast anywhere near it's potential. The laps with the Porsche instructors driving us around in the new cars was very instructional. Two very big problems with the event: 1. I really want to do the Porsche Driving Experience now (costs $), and 2. I really would love to have a new Boxster (direct injection, IMS-less engine) (costs lots of $)! The PDK transmission is impressive and vastly superior to the tip, but I'm not sure I would give up a manual transmission for the PDK - somehow it takes away some of the sports car feel. Or maybe I'm showing my age with that comment, since video games don't have clutches either

We had 2 LA Clippers cheerleaders at our driving event. Did they bring out any notable talent for yours?

I used the QD Electronic Cleaner that says it leaves no residue, same as you, and it seemed to clean my MAF fine. I didn't notice any residue. After driving with a few tanks, I determined that solved my CEL, so I bought a new MAF. I followed the directions on Mike Focke's excellent web page, including the electronic cleaner. I don't doubt the MAF sensor cleaner Loren referenced would probably work a little better, but I couldn't find the stuff when I went to AutoZone. Either spray can will probably do more MAF cleanings than you could possibly need in a lifetime

I have an '01 base Boxster 5 speed, and have driven a few 987s with tip as dealer loaners. Better quality interior, louder exhaust noise, but not noticeably better handling (ROW M030 on mine) and the tip cancels any performance gain from the newer engine. I hadn't driven a stock 987S until yesterday

Yesterday, Porsche did the 2009 Boxster and Cayman launch event in LA by setting up an autocross layout in the parking lot at Hollywood Park. Only cars were 'S' models with new PDK transmission. No comparison between the old Tiptronic and newer PDK transmission, and if you're looking at an automatic, don't bother with an older tip model - wait until you can afford a newer PDK model. New engines with no IMS and direct injection feel like they have more power than our '05 Carrera with tip. Drivers said they got just over 30 MPG driving from Ontario to the event on the freeway. Up until yesterday, the only Boxster upgrade that was interesting to me was when I drove a friend's RUF-ized 987S with Carrera S engine. 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. The PDK definitely removes some of the driving experience, but for essentially an automatic transmission, it's a huge advance.

The newer cars are stiffer, or maybe my car is looser with age. Crappy surface in the parking lot for an autocross setup, and it wasn't clean. Ride quality wasn't noticeably better than my car (my car and yesterday's demos all have 18" wheels). No PASM, but the stability control kicked in a few times. Our '08 Cayenne S has PASM, and we can't really tell much difference driving around between normal, sport and comfort modes. We always leave it in sport mode at the lower suspension height setting. Not sure how this compares to the Boxster PASM

At the end, we got to do a ride-along with the Porsche Driving Experience guys supporting the event. One of the local PCA guys who runs the autocross events said he would have been at least 30 seconds slower around the course, and I realized I can't drive these cars anywhere near their potential. I haven't autocrossed my Boxster, but the new ones are definitely fast. There's a lot more potential to get tickets and lose your license faster with a newer 987S than a base 986.