981 S...what to look out for?
Discussion
My next car search has almost come full circle back to a boxster. With a budget of 30k ish i can get a 981 s with pretty low miles and decent spec. Is there anything i need to be aware of? I seem to recall wire mesh/or something similar being needed for the front vent holes to prevent radiators being punctured by stones.
Are the roof mechanisms reliable? Do the roofs have and weak spots where they leak?,
Cheers
Stu.
Are the roof mechanisms reliable? Do the roofs have and weak spots where they leak?,
Cheers
Stu.
I've owned a 987.2 Boxster and a 981 Cayman GTS so hopefully I can provide a little info.
You don't have to fit grilles over the rads, yes you will get stones, leaves even cigarette butts in there from my experience but they never caused any issues, just ensure everything is clear that's all I did.
981's suffer from the heating/air con fan sticking which has been covered here previously, only seems to happen in winter when you need it the most, it's a 5-10 min job to remove the covers and spin the fan which will buy you another 12 months before it will need doing again.
Tyres crab terribly when cold and at full lock.
On my boxster (albeit a 987) the drain holes were blocked, this caused water ingress into the cab which killed the ECU under the passenger seat, the roof had to come off, seats out, carpet out to dry out and replace the ECU, luckily all covered under warranty and the drain holes should have been cleared when serviced, that would have been a bill into the thousands. So I would imagine similar drain holes will exist on the 981 and will require clearing/checking.
When the roof was refitted it didn't open/close correctly, it was at an angle, there are velcro straps which can be adjusted to straighten this, again this may or may not be the same on the 981, but I never had any leaks regardless.
If you are planning on getting a Porsche warranty you will need it inspecting by Porsche, be mindful that you will need N rated tyres, given the age of the 981 it may have had a battery replacement, it will need to be a Porsche battery also.
You don't have to fit grilles over the rads, yes you will get stones, leaves even cigarette butts in there from my experience but they never caused any issues, just ensure everything is clear that's all I did.
981's suffer from the heating/air con fan sticking which has been covered here previously, only seems to happen in winter when you need it the most, it's a 5-10 min job to remove the covers and spin the fan which will buy you another 12 months before it will need doing again.
Tyres crab terribly when cold and at full lock.
On my boxster (albeit a 987) the drain holes were blocked, this caused water ingress into the cab which killed the ECU under the passenger seat, the roof had to come off, seats out, carpet out to dry out and replace the ECU, luckily all covered under warranty and the drain holes should have been cleared when serviced, that would have been a bill into the thousands. So I would imagine similar drain holes will exist on the 981 and will require clearing/checking.
When the roof was refitted it didn't open/close correctly, it was at an angle, there are velcro straps which can be adjusted to straighten this, again this may or may not be the same on the 981, but I never had any leaks regardless.
If you are planning on getting a Porsche warranty you will need it inspecting by Porsche, be mindful that you will need N rated tyres, given the age of the 981 it may have had a battery replacement, it will need to be a Porsche battery also.
The steering rack on my 14 plate car failed out of warranty at 13k miles. £3k fix. The horn wasn’t working, again common issue on early 981 and 991. I’m unimpressed by claims of Porsche engineering quality. They knew the engines fitted to Boxster and 911 weren’t fit for purpose for years before revising them to fix issues.
£30k doesn’t buy you much of a 981 currently either. Nice cars, quick enough and the more options you have the nicer the experience. But they are a bit blunt as an engaging sports car. An Elise is more fun though not nice to daily.
Having had all generations of Boxster bar 718 when new or close to new, I wouldn’t have another.
£30k doesn’t buy you much of a 981 currently either. Nice cars, quick enough and the more options you have the nicer the experience. But they are a bit blunt as an engaging sports car. An Elise is more fun though not nice to daily.
Having had all generations of Boxster bar 718 when new or close to new, I wouldn’t have another.
Freakuk said:
I've owned a 987.2 Boxster and a 981 Cayman GTS so hopefully I can provide a little info.
You don't have to fit grilles over the rads, yes you will get stones, leaves even cigarette butts in there from my experience but they never caused any issues, just ensure everything is clear that's all I did.
981's suffer from the heating/air con fan sticking which has been covered here previously, only seems to happen in winter when you need it the most, it's a 5-10 min job to remove the covers and spin the fan which will buy you another 12 months before it will need doing again.
Tyres crab terribly when cold and at full lock.
On my boxster (albeit a 987) the drain holes were blocked, this caused water ingress into the cab which killed the ECU under the passenger seat, the roof had to come off, seats out, carpet out to dry out and replace the ECU, luckily all covered under warranty and the drain holes should have been cleared when serviced, that would have been a bill into the thousands. So I would imagine similar drain holes will exist on the 981 and will require clearing/checking.
When the roof was refitted it didn't open/close correctly, it was at an angle, there are velcro straps which can be adjusted to straighten this, again this may or may not be the same on the 981, but I never had any leaks regardless.
If you are planning on getting a Porsche warranty you will need it inspecting by Porsche, be mindful that you will need N rated tyres, given the age of the 981 it may have had a battery replacement, it will need to be a Porsche battery also.
Thank you. Very useful, especially around the grills for the cooling ducts. I had heard about draining holes being blocked. Definitely something to check each time the car is cleaned. How long can a Porsche warranty be had for in terms of age of the car? You don't have to fit grilles over the rads, yes you will get stones, leaves even cigarette butts in there from my experience but they never caused any issues, just ensure everything is clear that's all I did.
981's suffer from the heating/air con fan sticking which has been covered here previously, only seems to happen in winter when you need it the most, it's a 5-10 min job to remove the covers and spin the fan which will buy you another 12 months before it will need doing again.
Tyres crab terribly when cold and at full lock.
On my boxster (albeit a 987) the drain holes were blocked, this caused water ingress into the cab which killed the ECU under the passenger seat, the roof had to come off, seats out, carpet out to dry out and replace the ECU, luckily all covered under warranty and the drain holes should have been cleared when serviced, that would have been a bill into the thousands. So I would imagine similar drain holes will exist on the 981 and will require clearing/checking.
When the roof was refitted it didn't open/close correctly, it was at an angle, there are velcro straps which can be adjusted to straighten this, again this may or may not be the same on the 981, but I never had any leaks regardless.
If you are planning on getting a Porsche warranty you will need it inspecting by Porsche, be mindful that you will need N rated tyres, given the age of the 981 it may have had a battery replacement, it will need to be a Porsche battery also.
Royal Jelly said:
There’s loads of stuff on here about 981 buying, they’re pretty robust things.
For 30k from what I can see, that’ll just about getting you into high-milers with a lesser spec - but I wouldn’t let that put you off.
Annoyingly like all sports cars these seem to have gone up by 5k ish over the past year. I am in no rush so am waiting to see what happens to the market as new car production ramps up again next year as more micro chips slowly become available etc etc.For 30k from what I can see, that’ll just about getting you into high-milers with a lesser spec - but I wouldn’t let that put you off.
stuno1 said:
Freakuk said:
I've owned a 987.2 Boxster and a 981 Cayman GTS so hopefully I can provide a little info.
You don't have to fit grilles over the rads, yes you will get stones, leaves even cigarette butts in there from my experience but they never caused any issues, just ensure everything is clear that's all I did.
981's suffer from the heating/air con fan sticking which has been covered here previously, only seems to happen in winter when you need it the most, it's a 5-10 min job to remove the covers and spin the fan which will buy you another 12 months before it will need doing again.
Tyres crab terribly when cold and at full lock.
On my boxster (albeit a 987) the drain holes were blocked, this caused water ingress into the cab which killed the ECU under the passenger seat, the roof had to come off, seats out, carpet out to dry out and replace the ECU, luckily all covered under warranty and the drain holes should have been cleared when serviced, that would have been a bill into the thousands. So I would imagine similar drain holes will exist on the 981 and will require clearing/checking.
When the roof was refitted it didn't open/close correctly, it was at an angle, there are velcro straps which can be adjusted to straighten this, again this may or may not be the same on the 981, but I never had any leaks regardless.
If you are planning on getting a Porsche warranty you will need it inspecting by Porsche, be mindful that you will need N rated tyres, given the age of the 981 it may have had a battery replacement, it will need to be a Porsche battery also.
Thank you. Very useful, especially around the grills for the cooling ducts. I had heard about draining holes being blocked. Definitely something to check each time the car is cleaned. How long can a Porsche warranty be had for in terms of age of the car? You don't have to fit grilles over the rads, yes you will get stones, leaves even cigarette butts in there from my experience but they never caused any issues, just ensure everything is clear that's all I did.
981's suffer from the heating/air con fan sticking which has been covered here previously, only seems to happen in winter when you need it the most, it's a 5-10 min job to remove the covers and spin the fan which will buy you another 12 months before it will need doing again.
Tyres crab terribly when cold and at full lock.
On my boxster (albeit a 987) the drain holes were blocked, this caused water ingress into the cab which killed the ECU under the passenger seat, the roof had to come off, seats out, carpet out to dry out and replace the ECU, luckily all covered under warranty and the drain holes should have been cleared when serviced, that would have been a bill into the thousands. So I would imagine similar drain holes will exist on the 981 and will require clearing/checking.
When the roof was refitted it didn't open/close correctly, it was at an angle, there are velcro straps which can be adjusted to straighten this, again this may or may not be the same on the 981, but I never had any leaks regardless.
If you are planning on getting a Porsche warranty you will need it inspecting by Porsche, be mindful that you will need N rated tyres, given the age of the 981 it may have had a battery replacement, it will need to be a Porsche battery also.
Going back to the grilles, I believe on some models that rads can rot if the debris isn't cleared, as mentioned I cleared mine at every wash so nothing really built up, I'm sure some Porsche dealers weren't happy when grilles were fitted also, I'm not too sure on that TBH... but if you intend to extend warranty and fancy fitting the grilles I'd check with the dealer first, just to be sure.
stuno1 said:
Thank you. Very useful, especially around the grills for the cooling ducts. I had heard about draining holes being blocked. Definitely something to check each time the car is cleaned. How long can a Porsche warranty be had for in terms of age of the car?
I believe up to 10yr old ,but before you do add warranty from any other source other than an OPC you will have to wait 90days before you can apply then you have to pay for a 111 point check.I Have had 6 Boxster currently have a 987 manual Spyder and a 981 2.7 PDK ,great cars very versatile 2 boots ,not had any issues bar the usual discs/ pads replacement had top mounts in a 986 .Porsche are not bullet proof just another prestige volume car maker .If it where me get a local indy to look over any potential car would not consider warranty with the the possible age you are looking at will be at least 8yr old car .Enjoy the search part of the fun ,most price wise are on the up but turning into winter soft top cars can be cheaper . highway said:
The steering rack on my 14 plate car failed out of warranty at 13k miles. £3k fix. The horn wasn’t working, again common issue on early 981 and 991. I’m unimpressed by claims of Porsche engineering quality. They knew the engines fitted to Boxster and 911 weren’t fit for purpose for years before revising them to fix issues.
£30k doesn’t buy you much of a 981 currently either. Nice cars, quick enough and the more options you have the nicer the experience. But they are a bit blunt as an engaging sports car. An Elise is more fun though not nice to daily.
Having had all generations of Boxster bar 718 when new or close to new, I wouldn’t have another.
Thanks for the reply. I imagine if you have had every model you are a bit done!£30k doesn’t buy you much of a 981 currently either. Nice cars, quick enough and the more options you have the nicer the experience. But they are a bit blunt as an engaging sports car. An Elise is more fun though not nice to daily.
Having had all generations of Boxster bar 718 when new or close to new, I wouldn’t have another.
Prices are stilly at the moment and that’s the case across the market, I am in no rush to buy so will be watching the market to see what happens.
Re the (Zunsport) grilles, I had them on a 981 CGTS but noticed they pushed up the oil temp. I was happier when they were taken off and I wouldn't recommend them. Just make sure the radiators are clear of crap. There is a stone-damage risk but I prefer to run that than have higher oil temps. And bit and pieces still go through the small holes in the grilles, accumulating in front of the radiators.
Maxym said:
Re the (Zunsport) grilles, I had them on a 981 CGTS but noticed they pushed up the oil temp. I was happier when they were taken off and I wouldn't recommend them. Just make sure the radiators are clear of crap. There is a stone-damage risk but I prefer to run that than have higher oil temps. And bit and pieces still go through the small holes in the grilles, accumulating in front of the radiators.
Sound advice. Ta.When these were in their low £20k price category they were a bargain for what you get. I accept prices have risen across all secondhand cars but I still think they are good value if you want the practicality of being able to use it all year round everyday.
I think Porsche warranty extends to 15yrs old (?) and it is half the price of 911 costs. That said servicing isn't cheap and given the age of the cars now I'd be looking at a good Indy to service it for a third of OPC costs but which will rule out the warranty option.
Build quality to me looks top notch (I might be biased as a GT4 owner) and whilst there can be issues like with any car they are (so far) not catastophic failures.
I wouldn't pay a premium for Nav as it was outdated when first introduced unless you hack it for Car Play.
I think Porsche warranty extends to 15yrs old (?) and it is half the price of 911 costs. That said servicing isn't cheap and given the age of the cars now I'd be looking at a good Indy to service it for a third of OPC costs but which will rule out the warranty option.
Build quality to me looks top notch (I might be biased as a GT4 owner) and whilst there can be issues like with any car they are (so far) not catastophic failures.
I wouldn't pay a premium for Nav as it was outdated when first introduced unless you hack it for Car Play.
Re: Grilles.
This is what one of my rads looked like after 15k miles...
I'd only gone to Zunsport for a pair of rear grilles to hide the exhaust boxes but Peter the MD asked if I'd like any others. On the lift to trial fit the fronts I saw the stone damage above and immediately said I'd have them, and the side intake grilles (already had a leaf stuck in there making the fan noisy).
Soon after fitting one of the front rads had a "vampire stake" sticking in it when I arrived home one day. The grille was undamaged but had it not been there...
I've had no oil temp issues.
Porsche GB will NOT allow an extended warranty on a car will these fitted (or any other aftermarket mods). I have this in writing after OPC Leicester "mistakenly" put such a warranty on the car. I got my money back two years later when they wouldn't repeat this on the same car, no changes. I prefer no warranty and to service outside of OPC network to the risk of a holed rad.
Other items to check:
See other thread on 981 recall for rear axle mounts.
Pirelli N0 tyres are crap. Mine were faulty (cracked). My Goodyears were good but faulty too (splits). Go Michelin PS4S.
Battery died after 6yrs. New Porsche one expensive - go Bosch if out of warranty.
Check wheels closely for hundreds of micro stone chips, especially larger diameter wheels.
This is what one of my rads looked like after 15k miles...
I'd only gone to Zunsport for a pair of rear grilles to hide the exhaust boxes but Peter the MD asked if I'd like any others. On the lift to trial fit the fronts I saw the stone damage above and immediately said I'd have them, and the side intake grilles (already had a leaf stuck in there making the fan noisy).
Soon after fitting one of the front rads had a "vampire stake" sticking in it when I arrived home one day. The grille was undamaged but had it not been there...
I've had no oil temp issues.
Porsche GB will NOT allow an extended warranty on a car will these fitted (or any other aftermarket mods). I have this in writing after OPC Leicester "mistakenly" put such a warranty on the car. I got my money back two years later when they wouldn't repeat this on the same car, no changes. I prefer no warranty and to service outside of OPC network to the risk of a holed rad.
Other items to check:
See other thread on 981 recall for rear axle mounts.
Pirelli N0 tyres are crap. Mine were faulty (cracked). My Goodyears were good but faulty too (splits). Go Michelin PS4S.
Battery died after 6yrs. New Porsche one expensive - go Bosch if out of warranty.
Check wheels closely for hundreds of micro stone chips, especially larger diameter wheels.
Armitage.Shanks said:
When these were in their low £20k price category they were a bargain for what you get. I accept prices have risen across all secondhand cars but I still think they are good value if you want the practicality of being able to use it all year round everyday.
I think Porsche warranty extends to 15yrs old (?) and it is half the price of 911 costs. That said servicing isn't cheap and given the age of the cars now I'd be looking at a good Indy to service it for a third of OPC costs but which will rule out the warranty option.
Build quality to me looks top notch (I might be biased as a GT4 owner) and whilst there can be issues like with any car they are (so far) not catastophic failures.
I wouldn't pay a premium for Nav as it was outdated when first introduced unless you hack it for Car Play.
Great reply and thank you. I am happy to use specialists if there are any local to me and will be looking soon. I think Porsche warranty extends to 15yrs old (?) and it is half the price of 911 costs. That said servicing isn't cheap and given the age of the cars now I'd be looking at a good Indy to service it for a third of OPC costs but which will rule out the warranty option.
Build quality to me looks top notch (I might be biased as a GT4 owner) and whilst there can be issues like with any car they are (so far) not catastophic failures.
I wouldn't pay a premium for Nav as it was outdated when first introduced unless you hack it for Car Play.
Porsche paranoia is not as bad on a 981, as say a 911 997 (trust me I have been there with both!).
PDK’s can fail and are an expensive fix, but it is rare, but not impossible. If you have PASM the dynamic engine mounts are also prone to failure and are about £1k to fix (you do both). The engines are pretty robust, with bore scoring a lot less relevant than say a 997 engine.
Blocked drainage holes aren’t uncommon, and not as easy to clear as earlier Boxsters either.
Have a look on Boxa.net where you will find lots of interesting threads. Good luck!
PDK’s can fail and are an expensive fix, but it is rare, but not impossible. If you have PASM the dynamic engine mounts are also prone to failure and are about £1k to fix (you do both). The engines are pretty robust, with bore scoring a lot less relevant than say a 997 engine.
Blocked drainage holes aren’t uncommon, and not as easy to clear as earlier Boxsters either.
Have a look on Boxa.net where you will find lots of interesting threads. Good luck!
Topbalcblue said:
Porsche paranoia is not as bad on a 981, as say a 911 997 (trust me I have been there with both!).
PDK’s can fail and are an expensive fix, but it is rare, but not impossible. If you have PASM the dynamic engine mounts are also prone to failure and are about £1k to fix (you do both). The engines are pretty robust, with bore scoring a lot less relevant than say a 997 engine.
Blocked drainage holes aren’t uncommon, and not as easy to clear as earlier Boxsters either.
Have a look on Boxa.net where you will find lots of interesting threads. Good luck!
Cheers, I’ll certainly look at the site. PDK’s can fail and are an expensive fix, but it is rare, but not impossible. If you have PASM the dynamic engine mounts are also prone to failure and are about £1k to fix (you do both). The engines are pretty robust, with bore scoring a lot less relevant than say a 997 engine.
Blocked drainage holes aren’t uncommon, and not as easy to clear as earlier Boxsters either.
Have a look on Boxa.net where you will find lots of interesting threads. Good luck!
stuno1 said:
Annoyingly like all sports cars these seem to have gone up by 5k ish over the past year. I am in no rush so am waiting to see what happens to the market as new car production ramps up again next year as more micro chips slowly become available etc etc.
It seems like everything has taken a fair jump over the last year, jury’s out on whether the market plateaus or collapses. However, life is short, so…You replied to me about where to look privately; sorry, I’m rubbish at quoting, but the usual suspects apply. AT, PH, owners club sites in FB and so on. As usual with a private sale, it’s about your comfort level with the seller. Some you can tell are enthusiasts, and petrol heads.
I would suggest a pre-purchase inspection at a local specialist. I had a couple done in my search for a 981 Cayman. They were both about 180 all-in and shed light on a few things in each instance, with videos and explanations. In my cases, neither highlighted anything massive, but potential future spend…
Any remaining extended warranty is obviously a big benefit for your comfort. Then it becomes up to you if you want to renew it. I personally won’t with mine.
I have grilles over my radiators and I wouldn’t be without them. They’ve caught all manner of grot and debris, while being the first line of defence for a bigger object. No issues with oil temp, I’d not heard of any cases of it before this thread. They aren’t nearly dense enough to affect airflow beyond the capabilities of the thermostat. Most specialist indies will sell and install them, which tells you everything you need to know.
Honestly, because they’re generally very robust, I’d be more inclined to start a discussion about what options would be most suitable for you!
Condensers, dynamic transmission mounts seem the most common failure points, along with the heater fan sticking. All are easy to spot. The rest is usual wear & tear. The mounts are entirely random.
Loads of far more knowledgable folks on here than me, so ask away.. there’s a PCGB (Porsche club) article about 981s so worth looking for that. Also, in my search, I spoke with a couple of indies who were very helpful with my amateurish questions.
Thank you for all the replies. I think I need to find a recommended local Indy for servicing etc. I will also be getting the intake covers. It makes sense to me! I would definitely take the advise of a PPI before buying privately.
Options wise I need to do more research as I know Porsche have many! I’d be after an s plus the following;
- Sports chrono
- PASM
- PDK
- Sports exhaust/pse
- Extended leather
- BOSE
- Memory and heated seats
- PCM
- Climate control
- Auto wipers and mirrors
- Rear parking sensors
There may have to be sacrifices. We shall see. Time is on my side. No rush at all.
Stu
Options wise I need to do more research as I know Porsche have many! I’d be after an s plus the following;
- Sports chrono
- PASM
- PDK
- Sports exhaust/pse
- Extended leather
- BOSE
- Memory and heated seats
- PCM
- Climate control
- Auto wipers and mirrors
- Rear parking sensors
There may have to be sacrifices. We shall see. Time is on my side. No rush at all.
Stu
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