Porsche Boxster 986 2.5 - Is it just me???

[mrpenks]

About 9 months ago I stumbled upon a mint, low mileage silver Boxster 2.5 being sold privately whilst looking for a car to use at weekends as a break from the diesel boredom of motorway mile munching. The owner had maintained it fastidiously and it looked showroom fresh. I read up as much as I could and was put off by claims it was slow, unreliable and had the wrong engine. Yet when I test drove it I found a rapid, fantastic handling car that would run rings around most other 'fast' cars. So I took the plunge and purchased it for under £4k. The owner even included a hard top in the sale. I was certain it must have had an engine swap to 2.7 or have been tuned yet on inspection I found the engine was original.

Fast forward to today. I popped out for a spring blast yesterday and couldn't help thinking is it just me or is the 2.5 Boxster the bargain of the century and a true drivers champ. 150mph, 60 in 6.7 seconds, 30mpg, wind in hair driving, amazing chassis balance and great build quality. Mine is 17 years old and has no faults, no rust and the engine is like a Swiss watch. Moreover the 2.5 doesn't suffer with ims failure issues contrary to myth.

So I've turned to PH for a reality check. Am I mad, sad or blinkered in my view that my weekend motor is a great car or a wannabe Porsche undeserving of the badge that I'm viewing through rose tinted spectacles?

Edited by mrpenks on Saturday 16th April 11:19

[mrpenks]

[mrpenks]

Piersman2 said:

No, you're not mad. I bought a 2001 S a couple of years back. Ok I had to spend some money sorting mine out after a lack of 'investment' from a few previous owners but it's now just such a great car to actually drive. Even as a 3.2S it's not massively quick by modern day standards, it doesn't have the straight line grunt of my other cars, but that's not what the Boxsters were ever about, they were about handling, driver involvement, etc... Sportcars if you like!

Enjoy yours, sounds like you found a good 'un.

Thanks for this. Yes, it'd be on a par with modest hot hatches in a straight line and left for dead by some of the latest 300bhp plus ones but where I live in twisty road Wales, I can't help but think it'd leave most FWD hot hatches for dust, sounding better, feeling more involved and having cost peanuts to buy and own.

[mrpenks]

FELIX_5 said:

I don't think the 0-60 time is anything to shout about for a Porsche. But, do agree these are cracking value at the moment, and it would seem you've picked up a peach. An awful lot of car for the money, will follow this thread with interest.....

What's the mileage?

Hi there, yes the 0-60 isn't supercar but back in 98 it was in my view a quick car and still respectable today. I wouldn't claim it's the fastest but I can't help thinking what other used car comes close as an ownership proposition at this price and also can't work out why the 2.5 gets slated so often. The mileage is 75k

[mrpenks]

FELIX_5 said:

mrpenks said:

Hi there, yes the 0-60 isn't supercar but back in 98 it was in my view a quick car and still respectable today. I wouldn't claim it's the fastest but I can't help thinking what other used car comes close as an ownership proposition at this price and also can't work out why the 2.5 gets slated so often. The mileage is 75k

Yes I would agree with you. Absolute steal at that price! Enjoy.....

Thanks!!!

[mrpenks]

FELIX_5 said:

mrpenks said:

Hi there, yes the 0-60 isn't supercar but back in 98 it was in my view a quick car and still respectable today. I wouldn't claim it's the fastest but I can't help thinking what other used car comes close as an ownership proposition at this price and also can't work out why the 2.5 gets slated so often. The mileage is 75k

Yes I would agree with you. Absolute steal at that price! Enjoy.....

Think we need some more pics, interior etc....

Edited by FELIX_5 on Saturday 16th April 09:52

Sorry, not the best pics, I'll have to take some more....

[mrpenks]

FELIX_5 said:

Looks very tidy! Did it come with that number plate, or is it coming off?

Came with the car

[mrpenks]

Magic919 said:

You get a lot of car for the money. It's only the bork factor that scares buyers off. Looks like you've done the research and grabbed a good one.

Thanks. It's a good point, I did see one or two horrid examples when looking - one a 2.7 manual with bad accident damage and another 3.2 tiptronic which appeared to be made from several cars and rusting badly! For me, I found the fact the 2.5 has a better ims so engine less likely to blow was the real surprise from doing the homework...plus I can't honestly say it feels notably slower than the 2.7

[mrpenks]

egor110 said:

mrpenks said:

Piersman2 said:

No, you're not mad. I bought a 2001 S a couple of years back. Ok I had to spend some money sorting mine out after a lack of 'investment' from a few previous owners but it's now just such a great car to actually drive. Even as a 3.2S it's not massively quick by modern day standards, it doesn't have the straight line grunt of my other cars, but that's not what the Boxsters were ever about, they were about handling, driver involvement, etc... Sportcars if you like!

Enjoy yours, sounds like you found a good 'un.

Thanks for this. Yes, it'd be on a par with modest hot hatches in a straight line and left for dead by some of the latest 300bhp plus ones but where I live in twisty road Wales, I can't help but think it'd leave most FWD hot hatches for dust, sounding better, feeling more involved and having cost peanuts to buy and own.

I think you'd be surprised how capable £1500-£2000 worth of clio 172/182 would be on the twisty roads.

I doubt very much you'd give up your lovely interior or the fact you have a porsche but i think in all honesty the pure nimbleness and throw it into a corner and it just grips ability would surprise you on twisty roads.

For a budget of £5000 i'd seriously look at the boxster purely because i like the engine noise but i'd also look at the nissan 350z for the same reason, i couldn't not consider something french again like a megane f1 purely because there so capable for the money, but i'd be sacrificing the engine noise of the boxster/350z.

Yes I remember a passenger ride in an early 172 when I had an Alfa spider. It was much, much more capable but have to agree the interior and the fact most get Barry'd at Halfords puts me off. Never been in or driven a 350z but they do seem great value too

[mrpenks]

Tickle said:

Looks great OP. I like the early boxters, they are more compact and more suited to threading down a nice B-road.

Looks like a minter too, good buy.

Thanks, it's a good point that the B road brings out the best in it to be honest. I'm tempted to head out for a blat to Llandovery again this afternoon now...!

[mrpenks]

Bosshogg76 said:

Thanks for posting that, we're about to need a second car, and as it doesn't need to be a 4 seater. I'd stated looking at s2000 thinking Boxsters would be a no go. Certainly food for thought

My friend had an S2000 and it was a very different car. Less refined and a bit cheap feeling but lots of fun and very tail happy. It needed the right gear in the real world to be quick but was certainly quicker than the Boxster once wound up to over 6000 revs, just requiring concentration unlike the Boxster that really picks up from about 4000rpm and feels more flexible. if you were to go for an early 2.5 Boxster, I would urge you to ignore the opinions and drive a good, cared for one and form your own opinion.

[mrpenks]

egor110 said:

mrpenks said:

Tickle said:

Looks great OP. I like the early boxters, they are more compact and more suited to threading down a nice B-road.

Looks like a minter too, good buy.

Thanks, it's a good point that the B road brings out the best in it to be honest. I'm tempted to head out for a blat to Llandovery again this afternoon now...!

Are you going to the welsh pistonheads meet tomorrow?

I've never been - where is it held?

[mrpenks]

egor110 said:

mrpenks said:

I've never been - where is it held?

Its time that we all got together to blow the cobwebs off the Cars.
So if your interested lets all meet at Junction 30 services off the M4 at 9:30am, Leaving at 10am heading to the second meeting point at the horseshoe Bend towards Brecon on the A470 Sunday 17th April.

So normal rules apply!! This is not a Race its a gathering of like minded Folk that would like to enjoy the roads,the view and the cars. Any Bad behaviour will not be tolerated and you will be asked to leave the drive, we need to respect other road users, each other and others pride and joy.
Route handed out on the day.

Once we are at the Elan Valley we will find a spot to stop, have a chat take some good photos from the Ground and the Air, using a Drone and professional photographer.
Please Note this will be Weather Permitting, so fingers crossed this a nice sunny day. The drone does not like the rain.


Go to regions/wales for the welsh area forum and add your name to the list, looks like it's going to be quite a big meet.

Thanks, I should be able to attend :-)

[mrpenks]

Medic-one said:

I've recently 'fallen' for the Boxster and find myself constantly looking at them online.

I had a 2.0 Clio 182 which was great fun in the twisties, then got a 4.2 V8 supercharged Jag which i love, but it's missing that fun factor the 182 had.

Didn't want another 182 so testdrove a VX220 and an Elise, both great fun to drive, but then i realised i also want to be able to go for long journey's back home to the continent in them, and i do like a bit of comfort (and electric roof etc) so the boxster S seems ideal.

Just need to decide if i'm going to buy a 986 now or save up a bit more and go for the 987.

987 has a much nicer interior than my 986 but my 986 is surprisingly comfortable on a journey if it helps...

[mrpenks]

NinjaPower said:

mrpenks said:

Am I mad, sad or blinkered in my view that my weekend motor is a great car

A friend recently bought a 2.5 almost identical to yours, beautiful clean example with only 70k on the clock.

It shat itself with no warning after two months. Cost him about £3k to fix.

Another guy I know had a 2.7, which also spread it's motor all over the road during a run out.

Look on eBay at the huge number of exploded 2.5 and 2.7 engines for sale... And the number for sale that have been rebuilt.

I personally think you are mental!

Having said that, my mum had a 2007 987 3.2 with a full Remus exhaust system and it sounded epic and went very well indeed. Cannot fault the drive. Incredibly well balanced and an excellent sports car.

Shame they suffer so many problems.

Hmm sounds concerning - what caused the motor in the 2.5 to let go?

Also, has anyone else lost a 2.5 Boxster engine during ownership?

[mrpenks]

NinjaPower said:

mrpenks said:

Hmm sounds concerning - what caused the motor in the 2.5 to let go?

Also, has anyone else lost a 2.5 Boxster engine during ownership?

Google Boxster/996 engine failure and problems.

There are probabably hundreds of pages about it.

Intermediate shaft beating failure
Cracked cylinder heads
Cracked cylinder liners
Engine block becomes porous
Chain tensioner failures
Connecting rod bolt failures
Inadequate oil system problems
Oil-air seperator failures

Erm, yes I've read these but:
Pre 2000 ims was single scroll and don't tend to fail
Cracked cylinder heads very uncommon on smaller 'M96 engines
Cracked cylinder liners tended to be on earliest cars and was resolved promptly so rare (and most will have already failed and been repaired at this age)
Con rod, chain and block issues seem to hit the 3.4 911s, not the smaller M96 engines in boxsters
Never heard of oil system problems

Point in making here is whilst there's lots of smoke, I've never heard of many fires....

[mrpenks]

anomaly said:

NinjaPower said:

It was IMS failure that caused the 2.5 to pop.

Google Boxster/996 engine failure and problems.

There are probabably hundreds/thousands of pages about it on the Internet.

Intermediate shaft bearing failure
Cracked cylinder heads
Cracked cylinder liners
Engine block becomes porous
Chain tensioner failures
Connecting rod bolt failures
Inadequate oil system problems
Oil-air seperator failures

People will say "oh don't believe everything you hear on the Internet" and just tell you to make sure it's well looked after, but I personally know 2 people who have had early Boxsters explode and a mate whose 996 C4 put a rod through the block.

It doesn't matter if they've been driven carefully and serviced every 10k, these are inherent engine faults that WILL make themselves known at some point.

Hence why you can buy a 996 for £8k.

Edited by NinjaPower on Saturday 16th April 22:15

Even if the worst happens, so what? You've enjoyed a great sports car for next to nothing. If you factor in the cost of repair it's still not expensive motoring for what you get.

Absolutely, I've had my money's worth already so all good!

[mrpenks]

Some more pics of the car on today's South Wales PH run (which was superb)!

[mrpenks]

edc said:

What's with the hard top though?!

It was forecast to rain and it was a bit chilly! Turned out to be neither....

[mrpenks]

thecremeegg said:

But you have a fabric roof right? That stops rain and keeps heat in

I know, it was a bad call which I regretted almost as soon as I left...