Porsche Boxter running costs excluding service

[chaz1]

Before we talk about cost we need to talk about the car
The best mid engine roadster according to most car magazines.
No doubt when you drive one you will understand the following these cars have.
So you need to balance the cost with the enjoyment the car delivers.
So to cost of this car these may not be total typical but most 987 this age will need a lot of these parts.

Car 2007 3.4S registered 2007 just two owners.
I met the previous owner and can verify the car was never mistreated and had no over revs recorded in the ECU.

Car purchased 2016 mileage 47,000 full Porsche service history.

Previous Owner spend at Porsche not including services
2012
21/11NSF control arm failure 217.00
2013
05/01 clutch failure 1222.54
2014
13/08 Exhaust bolts failures plus new O2 sensor. 832.00
??/?? Battery Bosch approx. 150.00


2nd owner
This is for parts only as they were owner fitted.

2016
24/09 Front brakes pads/discs and hardware. 330.00
29/10 Rear tyres Bridgestone Porsche approved. 275.00
30/10 Rear discs pads wear sensors damper shims. 230.00
2017
06/01 TPMS sensors x4 fitting balance activation. 440.00
06/01 Coil packs x6. 231.00
18/05 coolant pipes and coolant due to failure 240.00
18/05 front tie bars rusted. 80.00
18/05 4 wheel alignment after above. 50.00
18/05 N/S wishbone and cam bolt failure corrosion 376.00
23/07 Air con pipe failure re gas and dryer etC. 350.00
01/09 under tray due to stud failure 329.00
01/09 front arch rust repaint. 300.00
01/09 front passenger wishbone ball joint failure 276.00
01/09 clips for front bumper broken due to corrosion 12.00
17/09 Porsche battery to comply with warranty 165.00

coming up

29/11 Rear wishbones rebushed. 300.00
29/11 any other suspension bushes ?...
29/11 rear coolant hoses Coolant 240.00
29/11 rear gearbox mount plus labour 1000.00

Common failures that can and do occur quite often
Gearbox selection issue to second gear after 50,000 pricey replacement of gearbox mount or even gearbox
Road spring failures not uncommon but cheapish to replace.
Bore scoring due to short cycle or incorrect warm up Oil change or incorrect oil On both 986/987/981.

My advice would be to get an inspection of bores prior to purchase of any flat 6 Porsche engine.

981 seems to suffer more for body shell rust than the older 987 quite why this should be is still unclear
Hoping to get to the end of this list and start enjoying the car.

 

[Peter_Bull]

Car 2007 3.4S
This is for parts only as they were owner fitted

to be continued

???? What's this all about? I don't follow what you are trying to say.

 

[Geoff_Fields]

I guess the thread will be added to as and when expenditure on parts occur.

 

[CLIFFWILKINS]

Yes all very confusing as to your running costs .
Depends on mileage you intend doing age of the car how many miles its done lots of factors to take into account.
Previous work down etc a really hard one to calculate to be honest.

 

[pse_SC]

Sounds like your Elise is a better bet for you - might as well sell the Boxster... pointless thread really [8|]

 

[chaz1]

We will see Boxster had a lot of time and money spent on it.

The reason for the thread is I do not believe the buying guide for the 987 provides enough clarity of all the common faults which are age and mileage related.
Most users of 987 Gen 1 and 2 will shortly be facing these bills.
In the cars defence it is a junior super car so you should expect the higher cost of parts and it's a 10 year old car but it has a cosseted life. No expense spared at the Porsche dealers

Most if not all the issues are acknowledge by Porsche dealers and independents as fairly common.
This can be seen that my local Porsche dealer has never had to order the parts they have all been available off the shelf.

 

[Boxstercol]

My 2005 987 has really took advantage of my wallet this year, costing over £2k & I doubt I've even driven it 2k miles. ??

 

[jdpef356]

I appreciate every car is different, and owners are certainly more diverse..

My 2004 550 Anniversary is used on a regular basis, has minimal running costs and very little depreciation. I'm chuffed with her.[]

On purchase in 2016 would a PPI not have shown up many of the faults you've reported in your first post?[8|]





.

 

[CLIFFWILKINS]

Yes I concur with John Tracy ran a 987 for 3 years everyday driver in that time it only ever needed services and consumables
Such as tyres a new battery pads etc.
As John has said every car and owner are different my experience is buy a good car in the beginning as low mileage and as much as your budget dictates and get it checked before purchase.

 

[chaz1]

Interesting Cliff but how old was you car when you had it.
The faults below are common across all 987 at 50,000 miles 10 years ish
The coolant pipe failure if checked and caught early means only the hoses need replacing otherwise it will mean the transfer pipes as well and an expensive labour bill 1,000.00 quoted.
Coil packs fail due to seals splitting and water ingress.
wishbones delamination of bushes various other suspension bushes it's a high performance sports car so expected running costs.
Studs snap commonly on the exhaust and the under body that is also why Porsche dealers recommend under body shield protection every service.

John a vey valid point for any car regular use is key to smooth running of these cars.
Alomg with sympathetic warm and pull away from stand still.
They do not like being left and certainly helps keep costs maintenance down .
Mine gets used regularly at least every other week until it's warmed up no short journeys.
They do not like short duration journeys or heat soak in traffic.
Also after every wash they need a drive to dry brake discs, but do you need an excuse to use it?

 

[CLIFFWILKINS]

I think the buyers guide covers most of the things that can go wrong I say can go wrong .
It's well known Gen 1 can suffer bore scoring and IMS problems not so on the Gen 2 DFI engine
It's well known you should keep your front air intakes clear of debris routine maintenance it's not uncommon for rads or condensers may need replacing after a few years. Ditto rust on the inside faces of discs with not much use or damp climate.Coil packs can corrode or crack due to being over tightened but a lot of the above are deemed consumables after a good few years.
Guess it depends on the cars history and useage a car that's had a hard life can suffer more with worn parts.
Tracy cars is driven all year round after a bad winter I might suggest cleaning the underside of salt to try and prevent corrosion.
Things can go wrong with any make of car a good service history and looking after your pride and joy is key if a cars bought used do we really know how it was used in the past I.E tracked driven really hard can be factors in wear and tear.
My advice to any potential buyer get your car checked by OPC or a good indy a couple of hundred quid can save you lots of money and heartache.
Hope that's of some help .

 

[chaz1]

Good advice about cleaning the salt off the nderneath of the Porsche.
I have noticed 981's seem to suffer more corrosion than 987 quite why that should be as they are newer?

Acces to my sons 3d printer will resolve some issues at low cost.
eg.
Extra grills for the front condensers air intakes.
A new design of nut for undertray stud so if you snap one of the undertray studs (quite common) a new stud is not needed.

Just ordering a new Porsche branded Battery.
Almost done now.

 

[Boris the spyder]

I have done over 2k miles this summer and all I have done to my 987 is an oil and filter change (don't believe in oil sitting in a car for 2 years) and the handbrake adjusted. Apart from a weeping o ring on the camshaft solenoid thats it. Found it to be almost faultless mechanically and I dont spare the horses with it.

 

[Pezky]

Owned my 2005 987 Boxster S for a year now, 4500 miles done. About £1.5k spent on repairs... generally cooling related
Front coolant crossover pipes and front hoses replaced - due to leaking
Both radiators replaced when car went to fix another coolant leak - corroded so needed doing
Yet another coolant leak - pipe between front & rear replaced
I wish I could afford an air cooled 993....would've saved a fortune