986 Boxster S - What to look for
Discussion
Hello,
Going to look at some 986 Boxster's this weekend and wondered what current and past owners would advise i should check/look for and what they wish they would have known before buying last time!
I am looking at low to mid miles, good service history, 2003 onwards, spanish etc.
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks
Matt
Going to look at some 986 Boxster's this weekend and wondered what current and past owners would advise i should check/look for and what they wish they would have known before buying last time!
I am looking at low to mid miles, good service history, 2003 onwards, spanish etc.
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks
Matt
There are loads of Boxster FAQ's out there but for starters..
Listen for suspension noises, creaks & clunks - signs that arms / links will need replacing. More prominent once the car is warm.
A very heavy clutch will indicate one that is well worn
Check correct hood opening / window drops etc..
Check boot carpet for dampness
Check A/C works
Use plenty of revs as they sound great
Listen for suspension noises, creaks & clunks - signs that arms / links will need replacing. More prominent once the car is warm.
A very heavy clutch will indicate one that is well worn
Check correct hood opening / window drops etc..
Check boot carpet for dampness
Check A/C works
Use plenty of revs as they sound great
Thanks for that.
Yeah, but every year on owners discover new things that have gone wrong so always good to know!
The one i am particularly interested in has really low miles for the year and a full Porsche service history, looks great on paper but often you only discover things you wish you would have looked for later down the line!
Thanks again.
Yeah, but every year on owners discover new things that have gone wrong so always good to know!
The one i am particularly interested in has really low miles for the year and a full Porsche service history, looks great on paper but often you only discover things you wish you would have looked for later down the line!
Thanks again.
To add...
Check key fob(s) and central locking works.
Misfires and rough idle - could be coil packs or oil on the plugs (easy fix)
To reiterate the point about damp in the boot, check it after a vigorous test drive. Mine tended to steam and congregate as moisture on the inside of the bootlid after a bit of hooning. Eventually I was adding 2litres every 200 miles.
Listen out for binding calipers.
Detach the wind deflector screen and feel the carpet as it drops down into the recess. Gravity tends to route any water ingress from a leaky roof into this area. Mine used to steam up within a minute of being parked and locked up - another sign of leaks.
Check the integrity of the stitching inside and out of the rear window if it is plastic.
Accelerate hard at about 4000rpm - a vibration/judder suggests the top engine mount has gone.
Read up about symptoms of a failing clutch (as suggested above). The cheapest quote I got for mine was £1100 because of the amount of labour required to access it. All the money I saved when buying a cheap one evaporated.
Try and inspect the radiators for corrosion, leakage and blockage from crud.
Check key fob(s) and central locking works.
Misfires and rough idle - could be coil packs or oil on the plugs (easy fix)
To reiterate the point about damp in the boot, check it after a vigorous test drive. Mine tended to steam and congregate as moisture on the inside of the bootlid after a bit of hooning. Eventually I was adding 2litres every 200 miles.
Listen out for binding calipers.
Detach the wind deflector screen and feel the carpet as it drops down into the recess. Gravity tends to route any water ingress from a leaky roof into this area. Mine used to steam up within a minute of being parked and locked up - another sign of leaks.
Check the integrity of the stitching inside and out of the rear window if it is plastic.
Accelerate hard at about 4000rpm - a vibration/judder suggests the top engine mount has gone.
Read up about symptoms of a failing clutch (as suggested above). The cheapest quote I got for mine was £1100 because of the amount of labour required to access it. All the money I saved when buying a cheap one evaporated.
Try and inspect the radiators for corrosion, leakage and blockage from crud.
Mattygooner said:
Hello,
Going to look at some 986 Boxster's this weekend and wondered what current and past owners would advise i should check/look for and what they wish they would have known before buying last time!
I am looking at low to mid miles, good service history, 2003 onwards, spanish etc.
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks
Matt
Great bargain cars imho but they do suffer from several areas, good to look for;Going to look at some 986 Boxster's this weekend and wondered what current and past owners would advise i should check/look for and what they wish they would have known before buying last time!
I am looking at low to mid miles, good service history, 2003 onwards, spanish etc.
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks
Matt
- Cooling - Water Pump, radiators, and fans they should work properly. If they have been replaced recently, great.
- RMS - Rear Main seal, is it leaking? if its a very low leak, not a big issue but if its massive not good.
- IMS - See if its leaking again, does not matter if its been replaced, I think they do have to be replaced every 4 years.
- Clutch - Really depends on the condition and the driver. Some can even do 100k with the original clutch.
- Exhaust - CATS are big problems, they tend to go nearly 60k miles. The original ones are expensive and you do need to have a good set of spare to pass emissions on MOT! they should not rattle
- Suspension - This is again, depends on how its been driven? you would know if it needs work.
The rest is all cosmetic info imho...
OP, have a look at the online MOT history for the car...any advisories at the last test (that aren't documented as having been fixed) are an opportunity for negotiation on price including perished/split CV boots and also corrosion on the inner face of the brake discs due to the car being washed and then parked up for long periods of time (which can be a common problem).
Also check the tyres for their production date (on the side wall) & check for any early signs of cracking on the side walls and in the tread on the tyres as this can ultimately be an MOT failure/further negotiation opportunity as a new set of N rated tyres won't be cheap.
If the car is low mileage, it should still be serviced to the manufacturers recommended intervals and ideally have an oil change annually if it's been well cared for (dependent on whether it's an annual or 2 year interval car).
One final thing, the catalyst shields can rattle on them at start up as they corrode over time, regardless of mileage I've found.
Also check the tyres for their production date (on the side wall) & check for any early signs of cracking on the side walls and in the tread on the tyres as this can ultimately be an MOT failure/further negotiation opportunity as a new set of N rated tyres won't be cheap.
If the car is low mileage, it should still be serviced to the manufacturers recommended intervals and ideally have an oil change annually if it's been well cared for (dependent on whether it's an annual or 2 year interval car).
One final thing, the catalyst shields can rattle on them at start up as they corrode over time, regardless of mileage I've found.
Thanks all for the replies, great advice and gives me a nice list to turn up with, any tips for checking the RMS / IMS?
I have checked the past MOT's, none of which is really worrying, most seem to be tyre and brake wear and a non working horn.
It is low mileage, full Porsche service history, low mileage for its age, 1 owner and comes with a hard top as well.
I have checked the past MOT's, none of which is really worrying, most seem to be tyre and brake wear and a non working horn.
It is low mileage, full Porsche service history, low mileage for its age, 1 owner and comes with a hard top as well.
I spent about 6 months looking for the perfect 986 S.
Go for post-2003 facelift which includes glass rear screen and better quality interior.
Few things to watch out for from my experience when buying.
1. Low mileage cars can be problematic, I was advised 70k+ as the IMS is likely to have given up before it hits 70k. If it does fail, tends to be before then.
2. Check for water under the passenger seat. The car's body control unit sits in a well under there and blocks in the rear drain holes can fill the electrics with water. There are lots of guides to clear drain holes online.
3. Check under the rear boot carpet for moisture. Can be coolant leak from a tank split.
4. Get extended leather interior... It really brings the dash up a notch. The difference is substantial and worth the wait for the right car.
5. When I bought mine and took it to a specialist, they picked up on around 30 little faults or issues. Some minor, a couple more worrying. Check for rust on the front chassis arms under the car, mine had a little surface rust and needed treating.
6. Air con pipes run very close to the jacking points. They can be perforated easily by careless mechanics or tyre fitters. The air con radiators collect road debris and rot in the front.
Don't be worried by faulty air con screens that show signs of bleeding. They're a 15 minute replacement on eBay for about £40.
Good luck! You'll love it when you find the right one.
Go for post-2003 facelift which includes glass rear screen and better quality interior.
Few things to watch out for from my experience when buying.
1. Low mileage cars can be problematic, I was advised 70k+ as the IMS is likely to have given up before it hits 70k. If it does fail, tends to be before then.
2. Check for water under the passenger seat. The car's body control unit sits in a well under there and blocks in the rear drain holes can fill the electrics with water. There are lots of guides to clear drain holes online.
3. Check under the rear boot carpet for moisture. Can be coolant leak from a tank split.
4. Get extended leather interior... It really brings the dash up a notch. The difference is substantial and worth the wait for the right car.
5. When I bought mine and took it to a specialist, they picked up on around 30 little faults or issues. Some minor, a couple more worrying. Check for rust on the front chassis arms under the car, mine had a little surface rust and needed treating.
6. Air con pipes run very close to the jacking points. They can be perforated easily by careless mechanics or tyre fitters. The air con radiators collect road debris and rot in the front.
Don't be worried by faulty air con screens that show signs of bleeding. They're a 15 minute replacement on eBay for about £40.
Good luck! You'll love it when you find the right one.
Thanks all again for your advice.
Saw the car yesterday, and the dealer was pretty close on his assessment.
It's in great shape for a 2003 car, the mileage is low in the 50's and it's a 1 owner car with a full Porsche service history.
The boots front and back were dry, but the carpet behind the seats was very wet, apparently not the end of the world but would require immediate attention. The drains are blocked (a red warning on the Porsche assessment) but not sure why he didn't get them unblocked and how easy it is to do at home or at my specialist.
A little rattle from the exhaust, would suggest a heat shield needs attention.
Breaks front and back were in good condition, slight lip on the rears but after a test drive they cleaned up nicely and it pulls up quickly and straight.
The service history shows condensers replaced reasonably recently, and IMS done.
Roof works really well, but it is a little messy, fading and showing signs of being power hosed so looks a little faded in places.
Running gear felt good on the test drive, although there is an amber warning for top mounts and break lines, so will need attention at some point. Engine felt strong on the tes, sounded great, a little smoke on start up but ran clean from then on.
Now the worrying part, bite point is high and the clutch is a little harder that it should, 2nd to 3rd not great but not bad. It feels like a clutch will be needed in the next 2k miles, not adverse to it and have gotten a quote from my specialist, they don't last forever I know.
Overall, its feels like it is fundamentally a great car, loved it on the test, aware of the problems, and roughly what it would cost to get it right.
Seeing another tomorrow, thanks again for the great advice.
Saw the car yesterday, and the dealer was pretty close on his assessment.
It's in great shape for a 2003 car, the mileage is low in the 50's and it's a 1 owner car with a full Porsche service history.
The boots front and back were dry, but the carpet behind the seats was very wet, apparently not the end of the world but would require immediate attention. The drains are blocked (a red warning on the Porsche assessment) but not sure why he didn't get them unblocked and how easy it is to do at home or at my specialist.
A little rattle from the exhaust, would suggest a heat shield needs attention.
Breaks front and back were in good condition, slight lip on the rears but after a test drive they cleaned up nicely and it pulls up quickly and straight.
The service history shows condensers replaced reasonably recently, and IMS done.
Roof works really well, but it is a little messy, fading and showing signs of being power hosed so looks a little faded in places.
Running gear felt good on the test drive, although there is an amber warning for top mounts and break lines, so will need attention at some point. Engine felt strong on the tes, sounded great, a little smoke on start up but ran clean from then on.
Now the worrying part, bite point is high and the clutch is a little harder that it should, 2nd to 3rd not great but not bad. It feels like a clutch will be needed in the next 2k miles, not adverse to it and have gotten a quote from my specialist, they don't last forever I know.
Overall, its feels like it is fundamentally a great car, loved it on the test, aware of the problems, and roughly what it would cost to get it right.
Seeing another tomorrow, thanks again for the great advice.
I think the hood can be brought up to scratch with the various products on the market today, worth a consideration.
And an advisory on brake hoses will be surface corrosion on hard lines - rub down and treat with waxoil / stone chip yourself, soft lines may need replacement, but I'd consider them a DIY personally, for anyone who can hold a spanner in each hand and not get scared.
Following as I'm in the same position to you (after a 986S 3.2)
beers,!
HH
And an advisory on brake hoses will be surface corrosion on hard lines - rub down and treat with waxoil / stone chip yourself, soft lines may need replacement, but I'd consider them a DIY personally, for anyone who can hold a spanner in each hand and not get scared.
Following as I'm in the same position to you (after a 986S 3.2)
beers,!
HH
Not sure I'd call that a "fundamentally great car"!
Wet patches in a convertible would put me off straight away, and a new clutch isn't cheap either.
As for bringing a roof back to life, I tried various products on my previous convertible but eventually just forked out for a new one at £1k+ lol.
Take your time and try and see numerous examples to get a feel for what to look out for, there's plenty of choice out there!
Wet patches in a convertible would put me off straight away, and a new clutch isn't cheap either.
As for bringing a roof back to life, I tried various products on my previous convertible but eventually just forked out for a new one at £1k+ lol.
Take your time and try and see numerous examples to get a feel for what to look out for, there's plenty of choice out there!
Shaoxter said:
Not sure I'd call that a "fundamentally great car"!
Wet patches in a convertible would put me off straight away, and a new clutch isn't cheap either.
As for bringing a roof back to life, I tried various products on my previous convertible but eventually just forked out for a new one at £1k+ lol.
Take your time and try and see numerous examples to get a feel for what to look out for, there's plenty of choice out there!
The difference between the best & worst 986S cars is about £4k-£10kWet patches in a convertible would put me off straight away, and a new clutch isn't cheap either.
As for bringing a roof back to life, I tried various products on my previous convertible but eventually just forked out for a new one at £1k+ lol.
Take your time and try and see numerous examples to get a feel for what to look out for, there's plenty of choice out there!
If you're looking at a dealer car with sub 50,000 miles I'm assuming you're at the higher end of that bracket
The car sounds like a bit of a dog to me and you might as well buy one for £4k if it needs that much work doing
You could easily spend £3k-£4k sorting that lot out in the first 1-2 years of ownership
You'd be better off joining boxa.net and buying a cherished member's car that doesn't need any work doing for several £1000 less IMO
I would not consider it a good thing that such an old car has such low mileage either these cars like to be used hard
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