Buy a high miles boxster, ok?

Guest · Mar 6, 2007

Hi all,
Appologies if the pre/post facelift question has been asked 100's times before!
This has a more mechanical reliability slant to it!!
Looking at a high miles boxster (over 100k) its an 03 facelift, fsh etc (must be motorway miles) but fairly cheap as a result.
Just wondering if its a good or bad idea? I am a believer of cars doing serious mileage these days without a problem but i know values do take a beating as a result!
Should there be any issues mechanically with this amount of miles?
How hard would it be to move it on in a few years with say 150k on the clock?
Or would i be better getting a pre facelift 01 car with 50-60k for the same money!
Any opinions greatly appreciated!
Thanks

Simon

Rodney Naghar · Mar 6, 2007

Cars well above 100k are pretty rare, so predicting values will be difficult imo.
One point is that you wont be able to get a warranty on it after 125k
Another point is you might need a re-build at some stage over the next 20k or so, certainly the chains will need replacing.
Maybe have a word with Baz Hartech or someone at Autofarm and discuss what might need doing before you take the plunge.
It's a bit of no-mans land, although I have no doubts 100k, especially motorway miles, should be ok.

Mark_Bennett · Mar 6, 2007

ORIGINAL: Rodney Naghar

Another point is you might need a re-build at some stage over the next 20k or so, certainly the chains will need replacing.

What makes you say that?

Rodney Naghar · Mar 6, 2007

When we were at the Autofarm day out we were told that although the chains are supposed to never need replacing, the guys there begged to differ, and IIRC around 100k+ and certainly at 120k they may need replacing. When asked, they were not sure when a rebuild would be necessary, as it differed on a case by case basis,and they didn't see too many high mileage examples,but would have thought at around 120k (IIRC) you may need one.

My memory isn't great, but that's the gist of what I remember.
Don't rely on my words though, please feel free to call them to discuss what they think may need to be done.

Mark_Bennett · Mar 6, 2007

Ah. I was a tad late so missed that bit [

]
Had a long discussion with the chap about the SilSleeve solution and cracks though. He didn't mention it then.

Your post was the first I've heard of it hence the query [

]

No hard and fast examples then. I wonder how we know it's due - by the time it's gone bang it's too late... [

]

For what it's worth, in answer to the OP's question, it's likely to have spent most of it's life stress free on a motorway to acheive that milage in such a short time - it's probably barely run-in compared to some cars [

] (To give another slant on it [

])

Rodney Naghar · Mar 6, 2007

Hi Mark,

It was quite difficult to pin him down really to numbers, as might be expected as not many have experience of higher mileage cars.He did show us how loose the chains got and how painful that could be! So they should definately be inspected at some stage over 100k.

I would agree though, that motorway miles won't be too bad for the car.....it's all just a bit of an unkown...if you could get the engine inspected and it passed then why not....but what of future buyers.....how many would be willing......I guess if the price was right![

]

jr2015 · Mar 6, 2007

Hi,
A lot of people will be frightened off by the mileage so you could get it really cheaply. An OPC won`t be very interested in taking it as a part-ex and would offer the owner an insultingly low figure- its probably happened already.Whether the chains need replacing or not, if you get it for beans, spend some money with a good independant to have the engine and anything else fettled up as its cheaper to prevent rather than cure a problem usually.As you`re in the North, Independants charge a more reasonable labour rate than in the Home counties, where they seem to work with golden spanners.There are hundreds of Boxsters for sale at any one time so its a buyers` market out there, in South Wales they`re finding their way on to the wire compound, Portacabin, alsation dog end of the dealer network these days.
good luck with it.
jr.

JCB.. · Mar 6, 2007

ORIGINAL: Rodney Naghar

When we were at the Autofarm day out we were told that although the chains are supposed to never need replacing, the guys there begged to differ, and IIRC around 100k+ and certainly at 120k they may need replacing. When asked, they were not sure when a rebuild would be necessary, as it differed on a case by case basis,and they didn't see too many high mileage examples,but would have thought at around 120k (IIRC) you may need one.

My memory isn't great, but that's the gist of what I remember.
Don't rely on my words though, please feel free to call them to discuss what they think may need to be done.

I fail to see how they can predict that rebuilds are required after 100k given that they don't see too many examples?

burrow01 · Mar 7, 2007

ORIGINAL: JCB..

ORIGINAL: Rodney Naghar

When we were at the Autofarm day out we were told that although the chains are supposed to never need replacing, the guys there begged to differ, and IIRC around 100k+ and certainly at 120k they may need replacing. When asked, they were not sure when a rebuild would be necessary, as it differed on a case by case basis,and they didn't see too many high mileage examples,but would have thought at around 120k (IIRC) you may need one.

My memory isn't great, but that's the gist of what I remember.
Don't rely on my words though, please feel free to call them to discuss what they think may need to be done.

Click to expand...

I fail to see how they can predict that rebuilds are required after 100k given that they don't see too many examples?

Can you rebuild a Boxster engine? I thought they were replacement only?

Pete

Rodney Naghar · Mar 7, 2007

I fail to see how they can predict that rebuilds are required after 100k given that they don't see too many examples?

I think they said a rebuild may be necessary around 120k depending on each case, but the chains may need to be replaced sooner. This was probably a guesstimate based on the engines they saw at lower mileage, by extrapolating their wear rates.

As such it should only be used as a guide.

Can you rebuild a Boxster engine? I thought they were replacement only?

There are a few specialists around now that can rebuild a Boxster engine.
Porsche themselves do not rebuild yet.

jr2015 · Mar 7, 2007

Hi, Autofarm`s silisleeve solution would require a rebuild and they`ve been offering that for about a year.If Porsche don`t offer rebuilding perhaps its something to do with guaranteeing the work of each OPC who are franchises after all.
jr

JCB.. · Mar 7, 2007

ORIGINAL: jr

Hi, Autofarm`s silisleeve solution would require a rebuild and they`ve been offering that for about a year.If Porsche don`t offer rebuilding perhaps its something to do with guaranteeing the work of each OPC who are franchises after all.
jr

More a case of fleecing from Porsche AG.

From my own experience I wouldn't trust a 21st Century OPC to do more than change an oil filter. [&:]

jr2015 · Mar 8, 2007

Hi John, I wouldn`t disagree with what you`re saying, but what I meant was, rather than have OPCs rebuilding engines Porsche seem to have decided to rebuild them themselves and crate them out to OPCs who send back the busted one in the crate. The engines all get rebuilt by the same people and there`s less variation in the quality of the rebuild and complaints presumably.Oh yes, and more profit.My local OPC didn`t have anyone who could rebuild a 928 engine, so they gave the work to a local independant and the factory guaranteed the work.
regards,
jr.