987 Boxster S Buying Advice
Discussion
Having just sold my TVR I'm now looking for a Boxster S and have kind of settled on it being a 3.4 as from what I have read the post late '05 engines are less likely to suffer the dreaded IMS failure, am I correct in thinking the 3.4 is the "safer" of the 2 engines of am I unnecessarily limiting my choice of cars?
What is the typical life of a clutch, I know it depends on how it's driven but I've seen some with fairly low miles that have had clutches?
Obviously good service history is important, are they meant to have a 1K running in service?
Any other advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
Nigel.
What is the typical life of a clutch, I know it depends on how it's driven but I've seen some with fairly low miles that have had clutches?
Obviously good service history is important, are they meant to have a 1K running in service?
Any other advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
Nigel.
I'd heard about bore scoring, I didn't realise it was more common than IMS, I had seen that you can have an inspection done for this, I expect that a car with scored bores will smoke too or can the scoring have started before a point when it will smoke?
So a late 3.2 might be safer, I don't think a 2.7 will have enough go for me, I drove a 3.2 and was quite impressed but am coming from a 4.5lt tvr, had a 320 bhp Subaru last year and my daily drive is an audi S3.
What about clutches, typical lifespan and cost of replacement?
Thanks
Nigel.
So a late 3.2 might be safer, I don't think a 2.7 will have enough go for me, I drove a 3.2 and was quite impressed but am coming from a 4.5lt tvr, had a 320 bhp Subaru last year and my daily drive is an audi S3.
What about clutches, typical lifespan and cost of replacement?
Thanks
Nigel.
Thanks for the replies folks, I drove a 3.2 a few weeks back but wasn't in a position to buy, I was impressed with it but it had patchy history so probably wouldn't have been for me anyway.
I looked at a 07 plate 3.4 a few days ago, low miler but not a great example and it puffed out a big cloud of oil smoke when I started it so I suspect it's not in good health.
When we talk about the gen 1 3.4 is that the first few years when it was 295 bhp? They are at the top of what I can afford, is bore scoring the only issue and what sort of percentage of cars does it affect?
I've read 3.4 boxsters were less affected than caymans, surely it's the same engine?
I'm hoping to look at an 07 3.4 tomorrow if the buyer is around, I am also considering a 3.4 with just over 70K on it but it's further to travel so not so easy for me to get to, there's also a nice looking 07 plate 3.4 with 35k on it but its at a dealer so is really pushing my budget.
I'm getting impatient but don't want to buy a money pit so will have to bide my time.
I looked at a 07 plate 3.4 a few days ago, low miler but not a great example and it puffed out a big cloud of oil smoke when I started it so I suspect it's not in good health.
When we talk about the gen 1 3.4 is that the first few years when it was 295 bhp? They are at the top of what I can afford, is bore scoring the only issue and what sort of percentage of cars does it affect?
I've read 3.4 boxsters were less affected than caymans, surely it's the same engine?
I'm hoping to look at an 07 3.4 tomorrow if the buyer is around, I am also considering a 3.4 with just over 70K on it but it's further to travel so not so easy for me to get to, there's also a nice looking 07 plate 3.4 with 35k on it but its at a dealer so is really pushing my budget.
I'm getting impatient but don't want to buy a money pit so will have to bide my time.
V tech is definitely not my cup of tea, I'm coming out of a 4.5lt v8 so revving the guts out of something isn't for me.
On bore scoring how frequent is failure, are we talking 1 in 10 or 1 in 100 sort of numbers?
I've been told to buy one that's been used so it hasn't sat with oil draining away from the bores,does this make sense or does it not make much difference?
On bore scoring how frequent is failure, are we talking 1 in 10 or 1 in 100 sort of numbers?
I've been told to buy one that's been used so it hasn't sat with oil draining away from the bores,does this make sense or does it not make much difference?
I guess you can be unlucky with either a 3.2 or a 3.4 and nobody wants to suffer either of the failures.
Both the 3.4s that I was considering have sold and there's little remaining in my sort of budget so I either wait or look for a 3.2 of which there seem to be a few with prices varying from 10 to 15K.
Is there much to choose between them in terms of performance, the figure say not but what about real world?
Both the 3.4s that I was considering have sold and there's little remaining in my sort of budget so I either wait or look for a 3.2 of which there seem to be a few with prices varying from 10 to 15K.
Is there much to choose between them in terms of performance, the figure say not but what about real world?
There seem to be arguments for either a 3.2 or a 3.4 which has me totally undecided.
I've spoken to a couple of dealers about one of each, a nice looking 3.2 which sounds to have been very well cared for during it's 65K miles, on for £12.5K and a 3.4 with FSH and only 39K (although is advertised as having 35K!!!) which is on for £16K.
Tbh I think the 3.4 is overpriced but is coming from a big franchise so perhaps I can get it for what I'm willing to pay.
I notice the 3.4 needs it's roof re-tensioning, this seems pretty common on 3.4 age cars and less so on 3.2, is it a big or expensive issue to put right?
I'm hoping to view both cars on Friday afternoon as they are about 30 miles apart.
Thanks for all the replies so far.
I've spoken to a couple of dealers about one of each, a nice looking 3.2 which sounds to have been very well cared for during it's 65K miles, on for £12.5K and a 3.4 with FSH and only 39K (although is advertised as having 35K!!!) which is on for £16K.
Tbh I think the 3.4 is overpriced but is coming from a big franchise so perhaps I can get it for what I'm willing to pay.
I notice the 3.4 needs it's roof re-tensioning, this seems pretty common on 3.4 age cars and less so on 3.2, is it a big or expensive issue to put right?
I'm hoping to view both cars on Friday afternoon as they are about 30 miles apart.
Thanks for all the replies so far.
It's a painful situation, pay 1200 quid and replace what could be perfectly good bearing or leave it alone and risk catastrophic failure or go for the 3.4 and hope the bores don't score.....
Forecast at the moment might stop me getting to drive the cars I was hoping to this weekend, can't see many garages handing over the keys in torential rain :-(
Forecast at the moment might stop me getting to drive the cars I was hoping to this weekend, can't see many garages handing over the keys in torential rain :-(
I thought I'd moved away for unique cars with the tvr, you never knew then what part you needed until you took it off the car...
Seems you have to move quickly in this game, the 3.2 I was planning to look at tomorrow has sold, looked lovely too, still going to look at the 3.4 that isn't far away from the 3.2!!
Hopefully the 3.4 fits the bill.....
Seems you have to move quickly in this game, the 3.2 I was planning to look at tomorrow has sold, looked lovely too, still going to look at the 3.4 that isn't far away from the 3.2!!
Hopefully the 3.4 fits the bill.....
So the car I looked at on Friday wasn't all I was hoping for....
It was a low miles 3.4 07 plate.
No smoke on start up was a positive, damaged front bumper was less attractive, they said they would have it repaired but I'd need to leave a deposit first. I checked the oil filler cap as I always would and found a small amount of emulsified oil in the top of the filler neck, the garage have said they would have a compression test done, I don't think this would highlight a leak between the water and oil jackets. Is it reasonable to see any emulsified oil and water in the filler neck if the car has stood around a bit?
The water filler cap also seemed to be under pressure even though the car had been running for less than 2 minutes.
I could also hear what sounded like a fan running on and off in the passenger side maybe from the footwell, any ideas?
It was a low miles 3.4 07 plate.
No smoke on start up was a positive, damaged front bumper was less attractive, they said they would have it repaired but I'd need to leave a deposit first. I checked the oil filler cap as I always would and found a small amount of emulsified oil in the top of the filler neck, the garage have said they would have a compression test done, I don't think this would highlight a leak between the water and oil jackets. Is it reasonable to see any emulsified oil and water in the filler neck if the car has stood around a bit?
The water filler cap also seemed to be under pressure even though the car had been running for less than 2 minutes.
I could also hear what sounded like a fan running on and off in the passenger side maybe from the footwell, any ideas?
Update as requested by SiT.
I bought a nice 07 3.4S, higher miles than I wanted but only 2 owners, good history and bills for everything it's ever had, at 70K its not had a clutch and the rear tyres have been on some 20-25K miles so I suspect it's been driven fairly gently by it's second owner!!
Its, basalt black, black leather sports seat, bose, 19" lobster claws etc etc and was sensibly priced so I went for it, yes it's at risk of bore scoring but shows no signs of it so I went for it.
Loving it so far :-)
I bought a nice 07 3.4S, higher miles than I wanted but only 2 owners, good history and bills for everything it's ever had, at 70K its not had a clutch and the rear tyres have been on some 20-25K miles so I suspect it's been driven fairly gently by it's second owner!!
Its, basalt black, black leather sports seat, bose, 19" lobster claws etc etc and was sensibly priced so I went for it, yes it's at risk of bore scoring but shows no signs of it so I went for it.
Loving it so far :-)
Si,
I wouldn't worry about chrono or pse, an owner with chrono told me he used the throttle less when he switched chrono on and a pse equipped owner told he he rarely switched it on.
coming from a tvr I'd have liked pse but was a desirable not a must have, my wife did say the boxster sounds quite, suppose compared to a tvr.
the boxster was the best compromise toy I could find, about fast enough, drives well, looks nice and so far is more useable than I was finding the tvr.
find a nice one and I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Nigel
I wouldn't worry about chrono or pse, an owner with chrono told me he used the throttle less when he switched chrono on and a pse equipped owner told he he rarely switched it on.
coming from a tvr I'd have liked pse but was a desirable not a must have, my wife did say the boxster sounds quite, suppose compared to a tvr.
the boxster was the best compromise toy I could find, about fast enough, drives well, looks nice and so far is more useable than I was finding the tvr.
find a nice one and I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Nigel
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