Concerns regarding 3.2 S clutch.

Amacs · Oct 25, 2009

Hi, I have been looking to purchase a Boxster S 03-04 plate with around 50-60k on it, but have noticed quite a number of them advertised on the trader site with around 70k on them that the owners are saying has had a new clutch in it.

As I have not owned a Porsche before, so would that seem to be a normal occurance or should I be a little concerned by one having a new clutch in it at that kind of mileage? And in the groups considered opinion if the car is driven sensibly what kind of mileage would you expect a Boxster S to need a new clutch...and how much would it cost, as I do intend to keep the car for a good few years once I have purchased one.

Your advice will be much appreciated as I dont want to make a costly mistake with my purchase.

Cheers.

Rob.

berty987 · Oct 26, 2009

Nothing to do with driving sensibly or not , more the roads you drive. A car that does a lot of town and traffic driving is more likely to have a new clutch sooner than one thats driven harder but on open roads. FYI I had a new clutch in my car at 26K along with a new dual mass flywheel , I bought the car used so have no way of knowing the type of driving it had previously.

akwaugh · Oct 26, 2009

Don't know if I'm right or not but a new clutch may be as much an indicator that the Rear Main Seal (RMS) has been replaced also. You will see this topic elsewhere in the forum but as I say, no idea whether this was rectified for the 3.2 or the dates you are looking at. Certainly the 987 doesn't seem to have this problem.
At the end of the day, the Boxster is a car which cries out to be driven, sometimes hard. A new clutch would be one of the many important aspects you would need to check such as service history, tyres, bodywork, number of owners etc. It's probably a good sign if the car has a new clutch so long as the work has been done professionally. For 50-60k miles you should be looking at the big service 48k(?) having been carried out, then a decent set of boots, all N rated. As mentioned elsewhere run for the hills if you see a cheap set of tyres since if the owner can't be bothered to put the right ones on, what else has been skimped on. Overall my experience with two cars is good - for instance an ignition coil pack went u/s on me a few weeks ago, knocking out one cylinder. The car still drove (sounded rough) and I was able to get the thing fixed within a few hours at moderate expense. Stuff happens! Other than that, all I have needed this year is petrol, tyres and some brake pads. Just like "ordinary" cars. Which would you rather have?

Keep looking around the forum, but remember that usually less people talk about all the fun they are having than those who have problems.

colinbythesea · Oct 26, 2009

My car is a 2.7 not an S. It has a full Porsche history from previous owners and one did have the clutch replaced at 60,000 miles. It now has 105,000 on it with no other record of a new clutch since.

berty987 · Oct 27, 2009

Most garages will not replace an RMS unless its leaking , as refitting can be as much a cause of the leak as anything else so don't assume a new clutch indicates RMS replacment. In most cases the RMS isnt a bad enough leak to justify replacing until the clutch needs replacing so often they are left unless covered by a warranty or goodwill from porsche. Obviously some garages may take the opportunity to suggest a clutch change whilst the gearbox is removed to replace an RMS.

Amacs · Oct 27, 2009

Thanks to all that commented, but the more I read, the more fragile it seems the car is...which does concern me greatly, which is a shame, as it's not what the motoring press or TV reviews lead us to beleive.

Cheers.

colinbythesea · Oct 27, 2009

I wouldn't say the car is fragile. Most cars have issues and weak points. The clutch life is around 60,000 miles which is reasonable for a car with this performance. The RMS does seem to weep but this is an annoyance rather than a failure. Most older Boxsters have had a clutch and RMS replacement and the newer ones have improved parts, whether it's fixed owners of newer cars will have to say.

The car is well built and a joy to own and drive. The problem is because it is a Porsche it has a lot of proud owners who will write on forums and share experiences so any problems get highlighted. You average Ford Focus driver doesn't tend to do so.

We own a driving school and see a lot of small hatchbacks take abuse. Each model has common and expensive failure points. Nisan Micras gear linkage cables tend to break, the whole gear lever needs replacing because the cables don't come separately. The part alone costs over £500 with VAT. There is one very prestigious small car that doesn't get used a lot in schools because the clutch can't last very long at all, under 10,000 miles. My brother in law leased an Alpha spider new as Porsche wouldn't give a guaranteed buy back on a Boxster. Probably an unfair example, but it is living up to Alphas reputation.

My Boxster has 105,000 miles on the clock. I have owned it nearly 2 years. It has a big fat file of receipts from Porsche centres from the day it was new and reading through it has probably cost very little more to run than a family sized hatchback. Yes it has some worn bits on it which I will replace but no worse than any other car with the same mileage. Any excuse to replace suspension bushes with urethane ones.

If you like them buy one. I don't think you can buy such a useable car with the same performance and prestige for the money.

911sse · Oct 27, 2009

I've owned my 3.2S since 2005, its been the most reliable car I've owned.

The clutch was replaced around 60k, with the updated RMS at the time. 75k on the clock now......

Amacs · Oct 27, 2009

What kind of price would the clutch replacement be? if you dont mind me asking.

Thanks.

berty987 · Oct 28, 2009

Clutch prices vary depending on whether you get a genuine porsche boxed part or the item direct from Sachs. Porsche parts are about £400 , Sachs prices closer to half that. There is about 6-9 hours labour involved in replacing a clutch , so again it depends if you are talking main dealer prices or an independant. If the flywheel needs replacing , factor in another 400. For a clutch I'd say the cheapest is going to be about £500. I dont think the boxster is a fragile car , but there have been some elements of the design that have needed development. The RMS really isn't something that should worry you , its a light oil leak in most cases and just requires a keen eye on oil level once a week to compensate until the clutch is replaced. In many cases Porsche have replaced RMS seals free of charge on newer cars. The Intermediate shaft problem has a high profile on forums as its usually a new engine when it fails. The occasions of failure are in terms of engines built , relatively low , in many cases Porsche themselves offer goodwill and pay some of the costs , especially if the car is low mileage , under 5 years old and has a full dealer history. If your car is older than 4 or 5 years and doesn't have full dealer servicing , a warranty is a good idea. Porsches are expensive cars , so parts and labour are going to be higher than your average Ford or VW. Having a warranty can easilly pay for itself if you need new radiators (these can rot if leaf debris is not removed from the intakes regularly) or suspension parts that fail. Dont expect to run a boxster on the same budget as a Lotus or Caterham , but you can run them for reasonable money if you do your homework.

akwaugh · Oct 28, 2009

Sorry to note you think that the Boxster is fragile, I hoped to point out that "remember that usually less people talk about all the fun they are having than those who have problems." and you will see that colinbythesea said "The car is well built and a joy to own and drive. The problem is because it is a Porsche it has a lot of proud owners who will write on forums and share experiences so any problems get highlighted. You average Ford Focus driver doesn't tend to do so." All true!

We Porsche owners are probably the most critical and demanding owners you will come across. That's because the product is generally excellent so if any issues arise we want to know why and how it's fixed - preferably free and by Porsche!!

I could go on, but let's say that after owning 32 cars, from Austin to Vauxhall and almost everything in between I can safely say that the Boxster has been the best buy I ever made. Fragile it most definitely is not. This is such a good car I'm on my second in 3 years, upgrading from the 986 to 987, (even my wife is pleased) and my aim is for a Turbo in a year or two. (she doesn't know anything about that yet!)

Be sensible, take the advice you see here and elsewhere, much as you would for any major purchase, and go for it.

Good luck.

Ian Mills · Oct 30, 2009

In my experience the Boxster certainly isn't fragile, quite the opposite. I bought my first in 2002, a '99 2.5, my second in 2004 was a 3.2S and in 2007 I bought a new 3.4S.
In 20k miles the 2.5 only required normal servicing. The 3.2S had a new battery and front discs. The clutch was replaced at 48k miles, with plenty of life left as it transpired. My brother is now running this as a second car and it remains totally reliable. After 20k miles the 3.4S has blown 3 brake light bulbs, as a result PC Nottm. replaced the light assembly.
The nature of the Forum seems to attract the negatives, no one posts, "just completed another reliable and enjoyable 10k miles".
The only failure I have experienced was the battery simply giving up on my drive, Porsche Assistance had me going again in a couple of hours. Not bad in 70k miles of the most enjoyable motoring.