The Boxster - What do I need to know?
Discussion
Hi guys,
Can anybody tell me which dates I should be aware of with regards to the 986-generation Boxster? What I want to know is:
- When did the 2.5 get replaced with the 2.7?
- When did the facelift happen?
- How much of an advantage is the glass window in the roof?
- Main services - at what mileage/age do these occur?
Cheers,
Iain
Can anybody tell me which dates I should be aware of with regards to the 986-generation Boxster? What I want to know is:
- When did the 2.5 get replaced with the 2.7?
- When did the facelift happen?
- How much of an advantage is the glass window in the roof?
- Main services - at what mileage/age do these occur?
Cheers,
Iain
- When did the 2.5 get replaced with the 2.7? 2001
- When did the facelift happen? Sept 2002
- How much of an advantage is the glass window in the roof? Massive
- Main services - at what mileage/age do these occur? Annual /12k miles I think.
The one to have is the facelifty from 2002 with 18" Carrera alloys that's the nuts. There's not alot between a 2.7 / 3.2s on price. Buy the 3.2 if you can. Sports seats are best if you are going to throw it around. The RMS is the Achilles Heel, google this so you undertsand the implications. Do not buy a car without the sound pack, climate, wind deflector or without an inspection. Metallic red, metallic beige, white or any shade of green considered difficult to sell on. Give the hood a good going over and make sure every thing works.
- When did the facelift happen? Sept 2002
- How much of an advantage is the glass window in the roof? Massive
- Main services - at what mileage/age do these occur? Annual /12k miles I think.
The one to have is the facelifty from 2002 with 18" Carrera alloys that's the nuts. There's not alot between a 2.7 / 3.2s on price. Buy the 3.2 if you can. Sports seats are best if you are going to throw it around. The RMS is the Achilles Heel, google this so you undertsand the implications. Do not buy a car without the sound pack, climate, wind deflector or without an inspection. Metallic red, metallic beige, white or any shade of green considered difficult to sell on. Give the hood a good going over and make sure every thing works.
I love the metallic red ones 
The plastic rear screen is fine, BUT you can't put it down below 5 degrees. That's not an advisory, it will split if you do.
Not a problem if you don't enjoy frosty top down hoonage but a bit of a bummer if you do.
Also, with the plastic rear screen you have to get out of the car half way through lowering the roof and do "the Boxster chop" to put a smooth fold in it or else it gets damaged.
The plastic rear screen is fine, BUT you can't put it down below 5 degrees. That's not an advisory, it will split if you do.
Not a problem if you don't enjoy frosty top down hoonage but a bit of a bummer if you do.
Also, with the plastic rear screen you have to get out of the car half way through lowering the roof and do "the Boxster chop" to put a smooth fold in it or else it gets damaged.
The glass rear makes a huge difference to the allround usability - although the screen itself is smaller with glass, the plastic ones can be difficult to see through so the glass actually improves vision.
There was a big improvement in the roof lining material in the MY03 facelift - fundamentally making hardtops redundant - you would hardly know you're in a soft top.
There was a problem with some early MY99 cars (late 98/early 99) where the cylinders were sleeved and the sleeves sometimes slipped - although I'd imagine most cars of this age have either blown by now or will be fine.
Remember the 2.7 didn't come with climate or leather as standard. If you're not paying the full price Bose is a lot better than the other options.
As for 2.7 vs 3.2 performance wise - the 3.2 definitely has noticeable low down grunt, but in outright pace you'd struggle to notice so long as you select the gears correctly in the 2.7 and keep it on the boil. Remember the 2.7 has only 5 gears - which I actually thought was a good thing - to some extent I feel the 3.2 might have been better with a 5 speed as the ratios feel wrong to me - you find yourself running out of revs and changing too often.
Servicing annually up to MY04:
at 1yr/12K - minor (about £364)
at 2yr/24K - major (about £582)
at 4yr/48K - major + plugs + fuel filter + drive belt (major + £130 + £59 + £25)
There was a big improvement in the roof lining material in the MY03 facelift - fundamentally making hardtops redundant - you would hardly know you're in a soft top.
There was a problem with some early MY99 cars (late 98/early 99) where the cylinders were sleeved and the sleeves sometimes slipped - although I'd imagine most cars of this age have either blown by now or will be fine.
Remember the 2.7 didn't come with climate or leather as standard. If you're not paying the full price Bose is a lot better than the other options.
As for 2.7 vs 3.2 performance wise - the 3.2 definitely has noticeable low down grunt, but in outright pace you'd struggle to notice so long as you select the gears correctly in the 2.7 and keep it on the boil. Remember the 2.7 has only 5 gears - which I actually thought was a good thing - to some extent I feel the 3.2 might have been better with a 5 speed as the ratios feel wrong to me - you find yourself running out of revs and changing too often.
Servicing annually up to MY04:
at 1yr/12K - minor (about £364)
at 2yr/24K - major (about £582)
at 4yr/48K - major + plugs + fuel filter + drive belt (major + £130 + £59 + £25)
Edited by GreigM on Saturday 14th April 10:53
Just sold a facelifted 2.7- It was a fantastic car-
The suspension settings on the facelifted 2.7 adopted the 3.2S settings. My car had the 18" carreras with this suspension and it was wonderfully balanced whist still riding well. Compre this to the 2.5 I had with M030 (thats the sports chassis option to you and me!)-that was awful on bumps to the extent it thew the car off line at the merest bump.
So-find a facelifted car-if its a 2.7 make sure it has climate and leather.
The window and better hood makes the car feel so snug and quiet on the motorway-mine was actually quiter than my daily car (Passat)
The suspension settings on the facelifted 2.7 adopted the 3.2S settings. My car had the 18" carreras with this suspension and it was wonderfully balanced whist still riding well. Compre this to the 2.5 I had with M030 (thats the sports chassis option to you and me!)-that was awful on bumps to the extent it thew the car off line at the merest bump.
So-find a facelifted car-if its a 2.7 make sure it has climate and leather.
The window and better hood makes the car feel so snug and quiet on the motorway-mine was actually quiter than my daily car (Passat)
Hi Iain
MY00 two new engines became available, due apparently to media critique (and Porsche owners) about lack of power. Have to say here I HATE the MEDIA with a passion!! probably fair to say that the change over spanned about 6 months or so. eg late 99 cars with 2.7 and early 00 with 2.5 MAKE SURE YOU CHECK!!!!!
MY01 new cloth lining (in the hood) for both Boxsters, previously only the 3.2 had this.
MY03 IMHO this is the model to have (I even put my money where my mouth is, I bought an MY04 2.7, they changed diddly squat from 03-04). Have to agree with the previous posts, don't discount the 2.7, but buy on condition and price, I seen a gorgeous 3.2 with a spec to die for (sport seats, bose, litronic, 18" carreras etc.) but an oily sump, the vendor refused to get it inspected "sounds like a lot of hassle to sell a £25k car" was his quip, it was the same money as my car (23.5k). I have looked at an August 02 with the glass rear screen and would recommend it over the plastic screen (do you really want to get out to perform "The Boxster CHOP"?), fit a smarttop and smile smile smile. The bumper update and indicator masking enhance the car no end too, not to mention the lockable glove box and horizontal switches!!
Servicing is a bit of a bone of contention, a friend has an 03 3.2 which he claims OPC have told him that 2year servicing interval applies, this is, at least what I thought, was the big difference between MY03 and MY04 cars.
Problems, now lets get one thing straight, I make my living fixing things much less complicated that a car. Now there isn't any doubt that a Boxster is a supberbly engineered piece of kit, but, they do break!!!!!
Valve spring failure, cylinder heads/liners (on early cars and one MY07 that I heard off). 3.2 brakes are known to be problematic. Ignition switch failure (I believe there was a recall in the states regarding this). High tone?, horn failure. Battery failure (lots and lots of electrification going on in there). Bonnet (front) switch (for interior light) failure. And last but by no means least, rear main bearing oil seal, Every car I looked at with the exception of the one I bought suffered from this, but do not worry unduly as the clutch will need replacing soon anyway and you can replace it then (he he).
Apart from the fact I DIDN'T get a 3.2 I do not regret buying mine for a minute and love driving it.
I refuse to enter any debate over colours as YOU will decide for yourself what colour YOU like.
There is also rarely any such thing as a standard Boxster, I quite like the heated seats (I have my roof down when it isn't actually raining or snowing) but see no point (re-sale aside) in the climate control. I like 18" alloys but rarely have the radio on at all so do not see the point in the Bose system. IMHO all the add ons become irrelevant when you start driving the thing!!!! The noise and smells (not all pleasant I might add) are intoxicating.
Hope my ramblings help. Feel free to ask for anymore advice (Re. dates etc.)
Steve.
MY00 two new engines became available, due apparently to media critique (and Porsche owners) about lack of power. Have to say here I HATE the MEDIA with a passion!! probably fair to say that the change over spanned about 6 months or so. eg late 99 cars with 2.7 and early 00 with 2.5 MAKE SURE YOU CHECK!!!!!
MY01 new cloth lining (in the hood) for both Boxsters, previously only the 3.2 had this.
MY03 IMHO this is the model to have (I even put my money where my mouth is, I bought an MY04 2.7, they changed diddly squat from 03-04). Have to agree with the previous posts, don't discount the 2.7, but buy on condition and price, I seen a gorgeous 3.2 with a spec to die for (sport seats, bose, litronic, 18" carreras etc.) but an oily sump, the vendor refused to get it inspected "sounds like a lot of hassle to sell a £25k car" was his quip, it was the same money as my car (23.5k). I have looked at an August 02 with the glass rear screen and would recommend it over the plastic screen (do you really want to get out to perform "The Boxster CHOP"?), fit a smarttop and smile smile smile. The bumper update and indicator masking enhance the car no end too, not to mention the lockable glove box and horizontal switches!!
Servicing is a bit of a bone of contention, a friend has an 03 3.2 which he claims OPC have told him that 2year servicing interval applies, this is, at least what I thought, was the big difference between MY03 and MY04 cars.
Problems, now lets get one thing straight, I make my living fixing things much less complicated that a car. Now there isn't any doubt that a Boxster is a supberbly engineered piece of kit, but, they do break!!!!!
Valve spring failure, cylinder heads/liners (on early cars and one MY07 that I heard off). 3.2 brakes are known to be problematic. Ignition switch failure (I believe there was a recall in the states regarding this). High tone?, horn failure. Battery failure (lots and lots of electrification going on in there). Bonnet (front) switch (for interior light) failure. And last but by no means least, rear main bearing oil seal, Every car I looked at with the exception of the one I bought suffered from this, but do not worry unduly as the clutch will need replacing soon anyway and you can replace it then (he he).
Apart from the fact I DIDN'T get a 3.2 I do not regret buying mine for a minute and love driving it.
I refuse to enter any debate over colours as YOU will decide for yourself what colour YOU like.
There is also rarely any such thing as a standard Boxster, I quite like the heated seats (I have my roof down when it isn't actually raining or snowing) but see no point (re-sale aside) in the climate control. I like 18" alloys but rarely have the radio on at all so do not see the point in the Bose system. IMHO all the add ons become irrelevant when you start driving the thing!!!! The noise and smells (not all pleasant I might add) are intoxicating.
Hope my ramblings help. Feel free to ask for anymore advice (Re. dates etc.)
Steve.
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