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Do I buy a £10k Boxster S???

B

boonstock

New member
Hi folks,

I'm currently in the "˜umming and arrring' phase just before making a new purchase which could be an early Boxster S. I wondered if I could share my thoughts and gain your advice.

Firstly, my background as this possibly helps with context:
I've got an ultra reliable 53 plate BMW320d M-Sport Coupe which is use for business miles. It's just turned 100,000 miles and other than tyres, services and one set of brake pads & discs it's not needed anything. It still has a tight gear box, tight suspension and squeaks or rattles "" so I've decided to hang on to it (it seems to be worth nothing now anyway).
I also have a motorbike "" A Suzuki GSX-R 750. It's all the fast road bike you could ever want. Again, it's fairly old (52 plate), but hasn't done many miles and I've no desire to change it right now.

What do I want? .... Plainly and simply a "˜new toy'!

My thought process:
Build a catherham roadsport "" I've decided against this, as they are more than I wanted to spend and really it's not that different from the motorbike (not very comfortable and would never use it in the wet).

Lotus Elise S2 "" Slightly more comfortable, but they all seem to have been tracked/thrashed and I hear bad things about the K-Series engine's head-gasket.

Porsche Boxster S "" I thought I had found what I was looking for. I'm aiming to spend about £10k and there's a few around with 60-70k miles. It looks slightly more civilised than the above. Only problem is this RMS sensor issue. It seems that if it fails (and it looks like a lottery) then it's £10k to replace the engine. Start's to seem worse that the Lotus' head-gasket issue!!!!

My plan was to buy a car that wouldn't depreciate too much over a couple of years and I thought the Porsche would/could be the one, but with the RMS issue I could lose the whole £10k due to a silly seal!

If you look on autotrader/ebay there's a few around for the £10k (ish) even one with a new engine (due to RMS failure!!!) .... I'm I barking up the wrong tree here? At £10k would I be buying a world of pain?

Anyone got any advice????
 
OK - I'm afraid there is a mix-up here.


RMS == Rear Main Seal (it's not a sensor).
This is the crankshaft oil seal and they leak now and again. If it leaks nothing much happens apart from a spot of oil on the driveway now and again. It's pretty rare forthem to leak enough to cause a problem. Many have had multiple replacements with no issues, although unless the owner has an extended warranty to pay for it it's normally safe to leave it until the clutch needs replacing and do it then whilst the gearbox is off.

The Engine is only likely to need changing due to a failure of the Intermediate Shaft - this does trash the engine but is thankfully rare.

Boxsters are not the only car with RMS issues, the 996/997 also have them, and even the latest GT3. Again unless oil is actually being lost it's not an issue.
 
Hi Mark,

Wow - thanks for the quick reply.

I see - you're right, I have got the wrong end of the stick here, re: RMS.

Can you tell I'm a newbie? [:)]

So, RMS is fine
Intermediate Shaft = BAD NEWS ... & no warning.

Thanks!!!!
Do you think £10k(ish) is likely to get a doggy car (Boxster S)

Rich
 
I spent less than £10k on a 2000 Boxster S last August. I insisted that it went through a pre-purchase check with an OPC before i parted with any cash. This highlighted a number of things that Porsche would want to fix (Porsche cost estimate came to around £3.5k). I used this to negotiate the price down and then got the most of the work done by a specialist.

Porsche did highlight a very small RMS leak, but my specialist's advice was that "unless you are very protective of your garage floor I wouldn't fix it until you change the clutch". So total bill for repair and major service came to around £1,000 - hige saving on the OPC estimate (but then the RMS was a large part of that).

Have been enjoying it ever since. Great car and very good fun! As for the IMS....I think we're all just hoping for the best - as you said no way of seeing it coming as far as I understand.
 
There is a company claiming oil testing can predict IMS failure, but I think it would have to be pretty close to the fail point... And who is going to test oil every few 100 miles?
IMS failure does happen, but it's not endemic - Porsche have only just changed the design to eliminate the IMS, it would have cost them a fortune if a large number of cars were blowing up as a matterof course.

One thing to look out for is rusty brakes - not on the outer disc surface, but the inner face. I often get new or recent owners call me and say the brakes are rubbish.
Now they do need a good push compared to most modern hot-hatches becase they are designed for feel rather than being over-servoed, however if a good push is not retarding the car dramatically then the brakes are probably rusty on the inside disc face. This is usually due to washing the car and then putting it away for a few days in the garage without taking the car for a run to dry the discs. If the car is put away with the discs wet then they corrode HORRIBLY. Usually replacement is the best course if they have gone too bad (they can sometimes be skimmed but that is not cheap in itself).
So have a good look if you can under the car and see if the discs are ok. Make sure the test-drive includes a good hard brake application - if the owner is driving ask how the brakes are and ask them to demonstrate...

The brakes are normally amongst the best when you read reviews in magazines, so if they are rubbish there is a problem!
 
Thanks for the info guys!!!

Mark - I'll deffo check those brakes!!!

Paul - Mind if I ask what kind of mileage yours is? I'm trying to work out whether they have depreciated much over the last 6 months .... I'm thinking a tidy Boxster S if bought without too many issues could be a sensible buy .... I mean, surely a good example is always gonna be worth over £8K even after a couple of years????

You've been a big help guys "" Due to my own misunderstanding of the RMS issue I now feel more confident this might be the car for me.

If you or anyone else has any advice, I'm listening :eek:)
 
Bought my year 2000 2.7 2 years ago. At the time I got it for £10,000 when these cars were typically £12,500. I was looking for an early 2.5 but leapt at the chance of a later model. Why was it cheaper, corroded wheels, cracked front spoiler and 90,000 miles. Otherwise good and it came from a dealer so he had legal obligations to sell a good car and it had a full Porsche history.

I took the chance and the car has been fine. The wheels were repainted last year and the spoiler was glassed from behind so the gaffer tape was removed and it needs finishing when the weather get better. We have done a long continental trip in it to southern Spain and France. It has had some common problems occur, notably the coolant tank in the boot splitting.

All cars have their weak points we just hear more about cars like Boxsters because they are more cared for. Rarely do people write about common expensive fixes on hatchbacks. So look for a good car and get it inspected if you are not confident about looking over it yourself and enjoy a fantastic car.
 
Mine had 63k miles on the clock when I bought it. I agree on the residual value - I expect it to hold the value quite well now.
 
There are a lot more boxsters that are happily running round than those that have had IMS failure. The general pattern is that if the car has done more 50,000 miles it's gone past the danger point but there's no guarantee of that. No one really knows why an IMS fails. It all seems to be down to bad luck if you do get a failure.
 

ORIGINAL: Steve Brookes

No one really knows why an IMS fails. It all seems to be down to bad luck if you do get a failure.
Click to expand...

Steve

I was not aware that Porsche could engineer good or bad luck[;)] - I guess Porsche know what's wrong but that's kept Top Secret since a recall for
Boxster 996 etc would be huge.
 
thanks for the advice guys - I'm getting more comfortable about the thought of owning a Boxster now.

In terms of RMS, is there a specific mileage/age that these seem to need replacing? Or do some seem fine forever?

I'm trying to work out whether a 60k-70k milage car that's had the RMS replaced is worth that much more than one that hasn't - I know the obvious answer from a risk point of view is yes. But, if there's plenty of 100k'ers out there with origninal RMS then it might not be a big deal?!?
 

ORIGINAL: boonstock


I'm trying to work out whether a 60k-70k milage car that's had the RMS replaced is worth that much more than one that hasn't - I know the obvious answer from a risk point of view is yes.  But, if there's plenty of 100k'ers out there with origninal RMS then it might not be a big deal?!?
Click to expand...

I have been told that RMS failure is not just down to the condition or design of the seal, but also due to the alignment of the surfaces it is suppose to seal. I have heard of several Boxsters requiring more than one change of this seal. Hence, I suspect that if the seal does not leak after 50K miles then it possibly is a good one. That said, this problem has been addressed a number of times by Porsche so the later the car the less chance of failure. Not that an RMS failure is the end of the world. They always said of the English Electric Lightning that if it was not leaking, it must be empty!

Personally, I would go for a 2.7 anyway, unless you are looking for untimate performance. You will get a younger Boxster for your money if you go for the 2.7.
 
Just to add reassurance - I bought my "toy" last year. Like you, I wanted something to drive around in on a weekend and was looking at various cars til' I saw I could afford a Porsche Boxster and started to look around for prices etc. Bought the second car I looked at - 1997 2.5 Boxster in Red with 69,000 on the clock and private reg. number - a steal at only £6.500 (well under my budget of £12k) but took a chance as the car was imaculate and would have money left over for any repairs. Have had the car nearly a year and hasn't cost me a penny except when I had it serviced it needed rear anti-roll bar at £60. Sailed through the MOT last August and tyres etc. like new. Have just bought a glass window hood as the plastic one cracked in the recent frost. (getting it fitted this week at £100 by my friendly garage who looks after any problems) I've also just had the seats connolised at £100 as were looking tired and didn't want to go to the expense of full retrim. This car is one of the best things I've done "on whim" and as long as it doesn't start to cost money will probably upgrade to a 911 as could do with the extra seats in the back for my son. Oh, forgot to mention, the car won boxster concourse last year at Blenheim Palace so I now have the bug for more competitions coming up. So, happy motoring. John
 
Thanks for the continued advice folks ..... I'm in sponge mode at the moment, soaking all this information up and looking at what's currently available.

I will have a more serious look at the 2.7's (and possibly 2.5's) ... I guess since it's a toy I wanted the best I could get .... I'm sure if I got a 2.7 a little part of me would be wondering just how much quicker the 3.2 is .... I think I probably need to try to get a ride out in both.

I did spot this one for sale last week and thought it was perfect for me .... but, sadly I was too late and it's sold

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1478707.htm
 
"I'm sure if I got a 2.7 a little part of me would be wondering just how much quicker the 3.2 is "

and then the 3.4 would be quicker......and before you know it youre in a 997TT!![:D]
 
Regarding the IMS failure I do remember in a previous thread on this sthat if they did fail it was usually between 25k and 35k miles so I would have thought that if it was going to fail it would have done so by now.

I may be wrong however
 

ORIGINAL: boonstock

Thanks for the continued advice folks ..... I'm in sponge mode at the moment, soaking all this information up and looking at what's currently available.

I will have a more serious look at the 2.7's (and possibly 2.5's) ... I guess since it's a toy I wanted the best I could get .... I'm sure if I got a 2.7 a little part of me would be wondering just how much quicker the 3.2 is .... I think I probably need to try to get a ride out in both.

I did spot this one for sale last week and thought it was perfect for me .... but, sadly I was too late and it's sold

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1478707.htm
Click to expand...

that one actually looks like it was worthy of a look but all too late! The right sort of write up, itemsattended too whenthey'veneeded them etc etc. But beware despite the good reports above there are some real dogs around that haventbeen maintained as they should due to the costs. Too many buyers jump at the chance due to the attracticeused prices but rarelybudget enough to get theinitial issues fixed never mind things that crop up. A well sorted car isntgoing to drop hugely in value so use what would be the depreciation of a newcar as your maintenance budget.
 

ORIGINAL: 911sse

At that age, I'd buy a Boxster S every time.

Not for the engine but for the brakes.
Click to expand...

I will second that - drive the models in the range and then make a choice - I bet you will want the S[8D]
All ways buy on condition and service history. PPI is not optional in my book - its a must - also start thinking
about what spec you want in a car - the best advice I ever took was to buy one with 'heated seats'
A month ago one frosty morning we set off at 0730 drove to Club Office and returned home in the dark covering 220miles
with the hood down all the way - I dont think we would have lasted that long without the heated seats! Glorious[:D][:D].
 
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