Brave pants on - The 4K Boxster

Brave pants on - The 4K Boxster

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bennno

Original Poster:

12,756 posts

276 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
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In a moment of boredom fuelled madness I decided to buy a 1999 2.5 Boxster for 4K from a Facebook ad last weekend. Owner had had it 16 years.

78k miles, reasonable condition for age, good history up till 6 years ago since then it’s only done 400 miles and had very little use.

Rolled the dice, 5 miles after purchase the EML light on and its spluttering. Thankfully northway Porsche took a quick look and swapped a cracked coil pack which made it much better but still bad enough 10 miles later for another EML illumination, so I set off with trepidation on the 250 mile drive home.

Super unleaded seemed to do the trick, so I’m presuming it was the cracked coil pack plus bad fuel. It got me home and is now purring away.

Service pack, coil packs, fuel filter, two new rear tyres cost me £350 and will be fitted this weekend.

Biggest fault so far is a errant car horn that sounds at random - but apart from that it it’s good fun. Updates to follow.






Twinfan

10,125 posts

111 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
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Fantastic work - I love stories like this! Way more than I dare do with my limited DIY car skills.

Keep us updated!

Bright Halo

3,251 posts

242 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
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Well done, welcome to Boxster ownership!

Heaveho

5,654 posts

181 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
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Yeah, it is brave, but hopefully the old adage that fortune favours such behaviour will work in your favour. Lot of car for the money. Good luck with it.

bennno

Original Poster:

12,756 posts

276 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
quotequote all
Heaveho said:
Yeah, it is brave, but hopefully the old adage that fortune favours such behaviour will work in your favour. Lot of car for the money. Good luck with it.
Certainly seems to be, feeling it’s right on cusp of becoming more of a classic than an old Porsche.

Remember in the 90’s when 3.2 Carreras were cheapo Porsche’s.

Andyoz

2,905 posts

61 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
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Great way to learn to fix a 986 platform and alot carries overs to the 987. Work away at a cheap one!

egor110

17,367 posts

210 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
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Is anyone else now scouring eBay/marketplace ?

Heaveho

5,654 posts

181 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
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egor110 said:
Is anyone else now scouring eBay/marketplace ?
All the time, and for all kinds of madness! laugh

edc

9,316 posts

258 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
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Plenty of DIY help on boxa.net

Billy_Whizzzz

2,139 posts

150 months

Sunday 5th September 2021
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Pics??

croyde

23,955 posts

237 months

Sunday 5th September 2021
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Another thumbs up for Boxa.net. Was always on there when I ordered a 987 back in 2005.

Nice work OP btw.

unclepezza

790 posts

150 months

Sunday 5th September 2021
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Often the rubber bump stops on the steering wheel frame fail, so any slight knock or bump and the horn sounds.

Plenty of DIY guides to replace it, or even try some rubber washers/bungs to replace the failed ones.

bennno

Original Poster:

12,756 posts

276 months

Sunday 5th September 2021
quotequote all
unclepezza said:
Often the rubber bump stops on the steering wheel frame fail, so any slight knock or bump and the horn sounds.

Plenty of DIY guides to replace it, or even try some rubber washers/bungs to replace the failed ones.
Thank you, for the moment I just wedged a small bit of cardboard in.

bennno

Original Poster:

12,756 posts

276 months

Sunday 5th September 2021
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Completed the charity County run today without hitch. It's growing on me....

Being totally honest always been a bit dismissive of boxster having had a few 911's,, tvr's and the like but its good. Steers, handles and goes well enough to be fun, engine smooth and soundtrack reminds you it's a porsche.

Can't believe an MGB is twice as much, similar money would only buy a very leggy 1.8 mk3 mx5 - I think these are criminally undervalued.

ATM

18,960 posts

226 months

Monday 6th September 2021
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I've just bought a 3.2 after years and years of looking and waiting. Great little cars. The 2.5 has shorter gears so there isn't much between them. I had a run out chasing a 2.5 tip on a boxa.net meet a couple of weeks ago and I was surprised how well it shifted. Pop over to here and say hello.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

bennno

Original Poster:

12,756 posts

276 months

Monday 6th September 2021
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Been in for garage check over / service today.

Got a thumbs up from garage, who said all good given age, no rust to pipes, no oil leaks, suspension all good.

Fuel filter hadn’t been changed since 2007, explains why it was running like a dog initially.

ReverendCounter

6,087 posts

183 months

Monday 6th September 2021
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Mental to think you can *still* get a N/A six cylinder mid engined two seat Porsche for that sort of money.

LordHaveMurci

12,099 posts

176 months

Monday 6th September 2021
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Brave man, great purchase!

Having owned a 996 for 12yrs I would love an early Boxster to run alongside, such great value at the moment.

soxboy

6,778 posts

226 months

Monday 6th September 2021
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bennno said:
Been in for garage check over / service today.

Got a thumbs up from garage, who said all good given age, no rust to pipes, no oil leaks, suspension all good.

Fuel filter hadn’t been changed since 2007, explains why it was running like a dog initially.
Good news on the pipes and suspension, they're the jobs that cost.

I bought blind a 987 2.7 tip four yeas ago. 130k, no service history, £4.5k.

Probably spent most of the purchase price in the meantime, some of expected and some not!

Royal Jelly

3,762 posts

205 months

Tuesday 7th September 2021
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ReverendCounter said:
Mental to think you can *still* get a N/A six cylinder mid engined two seat Porsche for that sort of money.
This!

Sounds like you’ve found a good example - let’s see it!