Boxster Wheel Centres and Crests

[CPU]

Hi All,

The centre crest on my front wheel came off (again) [] while I was luckily washing her at the weekend. Last time I lost it while driving.
Anyway a couple of questions.

1. It took an age to remove the centre cap, is there a special tool for this to get inside the removal holes or am I missing something here?
2. Has anybody glued and screwed the centre crests on rather then just glue them on? I have arraldited it back on at the moment but was looking for something more secure.

Thanks in advance for any help.
Dave

 

[Robin M]

I would be nervous of Aralditing them on as the centre hole is needed by most tyre fitters to balance the wheel so the centre cap does need to be able to be removed. If they are not put in straight they can bend back one or more of the clip parts which engage wth the wheel and this allows them to move and fall out. I have the standard black faced ones on my Boxster and they do tend to move around a little but they have never fallen out. You could try putting blue tack or something similar on the part of the clip that should meet the wheel and see if this works. Whatever you do use needs though to withstand some heat as well obviously.

I am sure there will be a tool to fit the holes but I always take the wheel off to get them out and put them back on so I can make sure they go back straight.

 

[Mark_Bennett]

I think Dave means glue the crests back on to the caps.

On the colour ones the crest is made separate and glued on. Unfortunately it soon becomes a separate item again!
I haven't got them*, so can't speak from personal experience, but I think people usually end up trying araldite.
Or they have a standing order for new ones in with Porsche... [&:]


* The conversation went:
Salesman "How about some coloured wheel centres - will look lovely"
Me "Do they make it faster?"
Salesman "...Um... I'm not going to convince you am I?"
[]

 

[channella]

A piece of bent coat hanger makes a successful cap removal tool. It also doubles as a tool to take the tensoin off the removable chain link on my mountain bike. Or did it start life as that and became a cap removal tool...

After the centre fell off one of mine I reverted to the painted ones, and decided they looked better (on a silver car)!

 

[TimEwins]

I have a Standing Order :0(

I replaced all 4 caps 1.5 years ago, and so far THREE have fallen Off.

Porsche give a 2 year warranty on parts, so every time one falls off, I get a new one (for another 6 months anyway)

This is one aspect (however small) about the marque that really bugs me .... its time they sorted this out ... they are cheap an nasty, and designed to fail .... no exactly your German Engineering is it ?

BTW the 550 Caps are the most expensive caps Porsche sell :0(

Tim

 

[CPU]

Mark and Tim,

I agree with you both. The 550 caps are the dearest ones Porsche sell. I bought 2 about 1 year ago and didn't know they came with a warranty. I'll be back at porsche at the weekend. []

They are a pain though for falling off. You would think Porsche would have something better to hold them on with.

I have got some small black screws that should fit so i may screw them on using one hole so I can use the other hole to get them off.

At over £70+ a set they ain't cheap. []

Cheers guys

 

[pattersonoxford]

My 986 Boxster S was delivered in October 2000 with the enameled centre caps. 83,000 miles later they are still fine. I just hope I'm not tempting fate by posting this.

Jerry

 

[Mark_Bennett]

What do you clean your wheels with Jerry?
Just wondering if there's any correlation between certain wheel cleaners and failure of the glue used?

 

[Black80XSA]

Mark - you are correct, certain wheel cleaners reek havoc with the factory adhesive, in particular Virosol or MC2 as it was called for a while. A lot of valetting companies also use caustic based cleaners. Wonder wheels is highly acidic.

The 550 badges do seem a lot worse than the norm however, perhaps a different supplier for the seal grey painted ones.

I sealed up the small holes in mine with araldite to prevent any low life pinching them, I just used the TomTom windscreen sucker mount to remove them thereafter. I never lost a badge on my old 986 in 15 months of ownership (half of which time i used MC2 wheel cleaner), and in 3 years with my 987 (minimal MC2 use, predominantly just plain shampoo solution). I knew one 550 owner who had his car regularley valetted with MC2 that lost 3 wheel crests in the first 6 months of ownership.

 

[spyderman]

I lost a crest after about three months of ownership; asked OPC Silverstone for a replacement under warranty only to be told they weren't covered. Someone on another forum very kindly sent me a crest which I Araldited in place. I noticed that two others were also a bit wobbly, so I pulled those off and Araldited them too.

Although I too have a 550, my Carrera Classics are "plain". Am noticing some corrosion on them now though, so I can see a trip to the wheel refurbishers in MK soon. I've never used any wheel cleaner on them - the brake dust seems to wash off quite easily with car shampoo.

 

[TimEwins]

The warranty applies if you purchased the parts. I don't think it applies if you buy a S/H vehicle and they fall off.

I was suprised too, but I was told that all Porsche Parts are warranted for 2 years.

The last two I have had replaced have even gone through the workshop, even though I originally bought and fitted them myself. I think my Porswche Centre (Reading) is in need of some work, and they can charge Porsche direct for warranty work.

Another thing of note, is that Porsche UK don't keep a lot of these caps for the 550 in stock, and that their quality varies. Every time I've had a new one, I have asked for them to look throught what they have and pick the best of the bunch. I am a perfectionist unfortunately. It is however annoying that after all this effort they fall off again so soon.

I am just wondering what will happen when Porsche stop making the caps?

Just for the record .... I use Zymol Wheel Cleaner, and I never use a Power Washer (on the wheels or the car), so I would like to think my conscience is clean, and its a Porsche manufacturiong defect?

Tim

 

[spyderman]

ORIGINAL: TimEwins
The warranty applies if you purchased the parts. I don't think it applies if you buy a S/H vehicle and they fall off.

That explains it - thanks, Tim.

 

[kenwoods]

Hi,

I bought some crests from ebay and have glued them on myself after loosing a couple. I can not remember how much, but they were not expensive.

Ken

 

[pattersonoxford]

Mark,

Nothing complicated, I just clean my alloys at least every week with soap (currently Turtle Wax Zipwax) & water.

Jerry

Arctic Silver 986 Boxster S

 

[CPU]

All,

Thanks for the advice guys. I use the Porsche alloy wheel cleaner on mine (this is the same as R222 wheel Cleaner).
I went back to porsche and after a few protests they are going to replace the one that fell off. They said they get a fe back from the 550.

Anyway I have found somewhere that does locking ones, but how much, they must be having a laugh. []

https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/996J/POR_996J_MISCLL_pg11.htm

 

[CPU]

ORIGINAL: TimEwins

The warranty applies if you purchased the parts. I don't think it applies if you buy a S/H vehicle and they fall off.

I was suprised too, but I was told that all Porsche Parts are warranted for 2 years.

The last two I have had replaced have even gone through the workshop, even though I originally bought and fitted them myself. I think my Porswche Centre (Reading) is in need of some work, and they can charge Porsche direct for warranty work.

Another thing of note, is that Porsche UK don't keep a lot of these caps for the 550 in stock, and that their quality varies. Every time I've had a new one, I have asked for them to look throught what they have and pick the best of the bunch. I am a perfectionist unfortunately. It is however annoying that after all this effort they fall off again so soon.

I am just wondering what will happen when Porsche stop making the caps?

Just for the record .... I use Zymol Wheel Cleaner, and I never use a Power Washer (on the wheels or the car), so I would like to think my conscience is clean, and its a Porsche manufacturiong defect?

Tim

Hi Tim,

I never used to use a power washer but i was also a perfectionist. Then i joined www.detailingworld.co.uk then my skills went up and my money went down. My Porsche 550 has never looked so good and smelled so gorgeous.
Do a search for CPU and you will see a few pics of the boxster.[]

 

[TimEwins]

Hi CPU

I do own a a Power Washer ... but I stopped using it when I blasted the decals (and paint!) off my old 924.

I think if you keep things generally clean, then you don't need to use one very often ...

might I add that one of my Wheel Crest fall offs was due to Porsche Reading using a Jet Wash on the car ....I said a few words !

Yes ... detailing world ..... good stuff ... I use a wash mit, and the 'two bucket' method now .... takes longer, but lower risk of swirls, etc

I like Zymol though ..... the car is worth it :0)

Cheers

TIm

 

[CPU]

Hi Tim,

I also have some zymol Carbon and Zymol Clasur (made for Porsche) along with numerous wash mitts, microfibre drying towels, wheel wax, sealents, you get the picture. [] My wife can't understand the fascination for the best waxes, but when you save hard for the car you have always wanted I think she's worth every penny.

If i'm ever in reading i'll look you up.

Cheers
Dave