advice please--987 vs 986--value for money & reliability--ot

[carspath]

in addition to replying to what I have written in the posting immediately above, please would csmoose explain to a newbie , exactly what you mean by the sentence below :

'' The possible joker in the pack is the MY2006 3.2 987 which may have the final large single-row bearing, but opinion is divided on whether that actually happened - the bearing, not the car existing! ''

i'm confused , should I be seeking or avoiding a :

-MY2006 3.2 987

-the final large single-row bearing


on this basis , is a 1st march 2006 boxster S a car to seek out or one to avoid

thanks

[VladD]

carspath said:

in addition to replying to what I have written in the posting immediately above, please would csmoose explain to a newbie , exactly what you mean by the sentence below :

'' The possible joker in the pack is the MY2006 3.2 987 which may have the final large single-row bearing, but opinion is divided on whether that actually happened - the bearing, not the car existing! ''

i'm confused , should I be seeking or avoiding a :

-MY2006 3.2 987

-the final large single-row bearing


on this basis , is a 1st march 2006 boxster S a car to seek out or one to avoid

thanks

The point is that the switch over from one IMS bearing to the other didn't happen on a set date, we think. As a result you can't be sure what a car will have if it's a 2005/2006 car. I had my car serviced by a mechanic would thinks that the bearing on the 987 didn't change until 2007, so that's muddied the water even further for me.

[DavidJG]

A very early 987 *should* have single row IMS. IIRC, the dual-row was introduced for 2006 model year, so sometime in '05. My car is March 05 and has the upgradable bearing. A March 06 car will *probably* have the larger non-upgradable bearing, although this bearing has a much lower failure rate anyway, and wouldn't worry me too much if I had one. Bore score simply isn't known as a problem on the 3.2 of any age. 3.4 is a different matter though!

[CornishRob]

What about a BMW Z4m Roadster?

Better engine than the boxter, faster and a can get some decent toys on them for the long trips.

Generally reliable.

[VladD]

CornishRob said:

What about a BMW Z4m Roadster?

Better engine than the Boxster, faster and a can get some decent toys on them for the long trips.

Generally reliable.

They got criticised in the press for their handling a ride quality though. The Boxster is always considered the superior car in the press.

Hammond likes it though.

TG

Edited by VladD on Friday 7th August 10:01

[CornishRob]

VladD said:

CornishRob said:

What about a BMW Z4m Roadster?

Better engine than the Boxster, faster and a can get some decent toys on them for the long trips.

Generally reliable.

They got criticised in the press for their handling a ride quality though. The Boxster is always considered the superior car in the press.

Hammond likes it though.

TG

Edited by VladD on Friday 7th August 10:01

You are correct some did. But as a second hand purchase and what the OP intends to use it for, it would be worth a look I think.

I personally would be going for a Z4m over a boxter, but then maybe im biased!

Little more PH info to mull over

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

[el romeral]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Interesting what you say, the chassis code on my LHD 2000 Boxster S has an "S" as the 11th digit in the chassis code. Would this be what you refer to? The car was delivered new in Germany before living in the UK and now Spain.
Certainly, I have had no complaints so far and it has a very full spec. For just over 5 grand it represents a huge amount of car for the money.

As a strange aside, this letter S is causing me huge problems trying to register it as the V5 is wrong and has a 5 instead of an S. Attempting to sort it out now.

[el romeral]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Cool .
Sorry for mini thread hijack OP. Just extolling the virtues of an early 986S, especially one of German origin it would seem.

[DavidJG]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Quite right. But the larger bearing does seem to have a lower failure rate than the '00 to '05 item.

When I booked my '05 3.2 in for IMS upgrade, Russ (Revolution) took the view that he couldn't be sure which version of the bearing it would be without having a look, so may be that some later 3.2s did get the later bearing?

[evojam]

Coming from 2 Mk1 MX5's and then onto my current 987.1 Boxster 2.7 I can confirm they are fantastic cars for the money and look more expensive than they are.I'm currently halfway through a Euro tour in mine,visited Maranello today,38 degrees!the aircon was a lifesaver after I gave up trying to look cool and put the hood up too save myself from heat stroaksuprising how many people took an interest in the Boxster given the number of Ferrari's around!!

[hilly10]

Looking at a 03 3.2 with 43k and full history , I am just so undecided on whether to pull the tigger. I understand after reading this thread Bore score is not a big issue. Do I need to be worried on the other known problems and are they a really expensive fix.

[Halo in reverse]

Best budget £1200 to get the IMS &clutch changed....sorted!

986 is where my money would go 3.2, brilliant cars!

[edc]

hilly10 said:

Looking at a 03 3.2 with 43k and full history , I am just so undecided on whether to pull the tigger. I understand after reading this thread Bore score is not a big issue. Do I need to be worried on the other known problems and are they a really expensive fix.

If clutch good and it should have life left then I'd just drive it and when clutch needs doing in a couple of years of in 20k time then do IMS then.

[andygo]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

How do you ascertain the difference between 987.1.3.4 and 987.2.3.4? Mines an early 2007. I've just done 2200 miles popping down to the Dordogne and then to French Alps. It used a total of 400ml oil to keep the electric dipstick up to the full mark and is still showing full 300 miles later. Think mine's ok....- well I hope so!

[hilly10]

The seed of doubt was in my mind just could not bring myself to buy the Boxster, so this evening I pulled the trigger on a Z4 3.0 si 2008 50k miles in Abouslute concourse condition with nothing to do .

[edc]

andygo said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

How do you ascertain the difference between 987.1.3.4 and 987.2.3.4? Mines an early 2007. I've just done 2200 miles popping down to the Dordogne and then to French Alps. It used a total of 400ml oil to keep the electric dipstick up to the full mark and is still showing full 300 miles later. Think mine's ok....- well I hope so!

Gen 2 987 has the restyled lights and bumpers. Either way 2007 is gen1.