2001 Boxster S

[Chris Stott]

That’s so fking ridiculous it’s funny

[ATM]

ATM said:

ATM said:

I've got a ticket from Birmingham for driving through their clean air zone in this car. I assumed it was exempt because it is ULEZ. But they have still sent me a fine.

My Battle with DVLA to get this fixed has now reached an impasse. It seems that the docs from Porsche show my chassis number as WP0ZZZ98Z1S640444 where as all the DVLA docs have the chassis number as WP0ZZZ98Z15640444. I will repeat these below so you can see the difference more easily. It is 7 characters from the end. So it seems that the EUR status of the car's emissions is dealt with by one department and the chassis number type changes is dealt with by another.

WP0ZZZ98Z1S640444 - Porsche
WP0ZZZ98Z15640444 - DVLA

I have now successfully spoken to a helpful person at the DVLA. The process to get chassis number changed is to send a letter - no emails accepted. The letter has to include the old or current V5 and also the evidence showing the correct chassis number. The helpful person suggested a photo of the car - yes an actual printed photo as there is no email option. Letters to the DVLA can take 6 weeks to be processed apparently.

[shalmaneser]

I noticed a similar typo on my V5 and cert of conformity but luckily TFL didn't! Looks like you weren't so lucky...

What a ball ache but at least you know what to do now!

[RM]

Tried fitting the RTS yet?

[ATM]

RM said:

Tried fitting the RTS yet?

LOL

No

I'm already thinking it will just be stored away and never used. I mean it would look cool as F right. Especially with a Roof Box in matching Guards Red.

I have had some damp issues so right now I'm focused on keeping it dry inside. I have been accumulating bits and pieces for a brake refurb on the other P cars. Some of this may rub off on the Boxster but the brakes on this car are the best out of all my cars so I doubt it.

I do have a problem with the door catch on the driver side. Where the window doesn't drop until I've lifted the handle fully. I'm led to believe I need a new door catch mechanism to fix that.

And I still need to make a better more permanent solution for holding the lithium battery. But not sure that's staying on this car longer term, we'll see.

[ATM]

These are the pics I sent to DVLA

[delays]

ATM said:

ATM said:

ATM said:

I've got a ticket from Birmingham for driving through their clean air zone in this car. I assumed it was exempt because it is ULEZ. But they have still sent me a fine.

My Battle with DVLA to get this fixed has now reached an impasse. It seems that the docs from Porsche show my chassis number as WP0ZZZ98Z1S640444 where as all the DVLA docs have the chassis number as WP0ZZZ98Z15640444. I will repeat these below so you can see the difference more easily. It is 7 characters from the end. So it seems that the EUR status of the car's emissions is dealt with by one department and the chassis number type changes is dealt with by another.

WP0ZZZ98Z1S640444 - Porsche
WP0ZZZ98Z15640444 - DVLA

I have now successfully spoken to a helpful person at the DVLA. The process to get chassis number changed is to send a letter - no emails accepted. The letter has to include the old or current V5 and also the evidence showing the correct chassis number. The helpful person suggested a photo of the car - yes an actual printed photo as there is no email option. Letters to the DVLA can take 6 weeks to be processed apparently.

As an aside, this DVLA chassis number thing happens.

It happened to a mate, who had exported his car. Trouble is, it was only discovered when the car was going through customs in the destination country.

So - paperwork didn’t match, car can’t come in. DVLA can’t reissue a correct V5 as the car has been marked as exported. And lo, about a year later, the car is still in some customs pound somewhere, like a vehicular Tom Hanks in Terminal.

[LennyM1984]

How's the lithium battery working out? Has it been reliable?

[ATM]

LennyM1984 said:

How's the lithium battery working out? Has it been reliable?

Fine yes

It did go flat once which was a pain to deal with.

I've done some researching and I think you are ok using a standard modern AGM / Lead Acid charger. I think the main problem with modern chargers and a lithium battery is when dealing with a low voltage and it assumes the battery [AGM] needs some form of pulse charging to get it back to life. That should not happen with my lithium because it has a BMS inside which prevents it going flat. And so even when it is low it should not drop much. I think it was showing 13v or more when i attached my charger. It wont pulse charge unless below 12.8v.

I could buy a lithium specific charger but it might be frivolous purchase.

[RM]

ATM said:

RM said:

Tried fitting the RTS yet?

LOL

No

I'm already thinking it will just be stored away and never used. I mean it would look cool as F right. Especially with a Roof Box in matching Guards Red.

Yes, it would look fantastic I think. And even better with the roof down, though I realise that means fitting it after the roof is down and not being able to put it back up.

Is the windscreen frame / a pillar the same between 986/987? I know they did not make the RTS for the 987 but wonder how much work it would be to adapt a 986 one.

[ATM]

RM said:

ATM said:

RM said:

Tried fitting the RTS yet?

LOL

No

I'm already thinking it will just be stored away and never used. I mean it would look cool as F right. Especially with a Roof Box in matching Guards Red.

Yes, it would look fantastic I think. And even better with the roof down, though I realise that means fitting it after the roof is down and not being able to put it back up.

Is the windscreen frame / a pillar the same between 986/987? I know they did not make the RTS for the 987 but wonder how much work it would be to adapt a 986 one.

Dont know about the windscreen frame / a pillar on the 987 as I dont have one.

The RTS itself comes in has the curved supports which follow the window line. These will obviously be different on a 987 because you cant fit a 986 hardtop to a 987, right?

Now does that mean it cant work - no. It just means the lines are different. But it may interface or hit the 987 roof. It could work.

I'm not sure how much of an after thought the RTS was or if it was always in the pipeline in terms of design from when the 986 was first created. There are definitely receptacles in the windscreen frame / a pillar and I cant imagine any other reason for these to be there other than for the RTS. Which means if these are present on all these cars then they were added just for the RTS. You can see my assumption chain there.

[RM]

ATM said:

Dont know about the windscreen frame / a pillar on the 987 as I dont have one.

The RTS itself comes in has the curved supports which follow the window line. These will obviously be different on a 987 because you cant fit a 986 hardtop to a 987, right?

Now does that mean it cant work - no. It just means the lines are different. But it may interface or hit the 987 roof. It could work.

I'm not sure how much of an after thought the RTS was or if it was always in the pipeline in terms of design from when the 986 was first created. There are definitely receptacles in the windscreen frame / a pillar and I cant imagine any other reason for these to be there other than for the RTS. Which means if these are present on all these cars then they were added just for the RTS. You can see my assumption chain there.

Yeah my thinking was similar. The doors are the same between the 986 and 987, which suggests the A pillar is the same. I know the door window shape is different but as long as the window is down when the door is opened this shouldn't be an issue. I believe there are bolt holes in the A pillar in the 986 but assume these could be replicated in the 987. That just leaves the rear mounting points for the hardtop/RTS. I would like to believe they weren't changed but would have to try it to see!

[bolidemichael]

These issues with the chassis numbers are just bananas. Dealing with the DVLA is pathetic. They were too lax on their staff during covid, from what I understand and have accumulated a huge backlog in comparison to other government depts.

As for the 'exported' vehicle that is doing its best impression of Ton Hanks.

[ATM]

RM said:

I believe there are bolt holes in the A pillar in the 986 but assume these could be replicated in the 987.

Its not just bolt holes, it is the shape of the A pillar. I think there is a recess where the bracket goes. Without this recess being at the correct angle and what not the frame wont attach to it correctly.

I found this pic - maybe there isn't a recess. I'll try and get a pic from my car.

I'm not sure where this black piece - arrowed - comes from.

[RM]

ATM said:

RM said:

I believe there are bolt holes in the A pillar in the 986 but assume these could be replicated in the 987.

Its not just bolt holes, it is the shape of the A pillar. I think there is a recess where the bracket goes. Without this recess being at the correct angle and what not the frame wont attach to it correctly.

I found this pic - maybe there isn't a recess. I'll try and get a pic from my car.

I'm not sure where this black piece - arrowed - comes from.

Thanks.

The arrowed black piece is some sort of blanking piece that should already be on your 986, held with 2 cross head screws. You remove the screws and the plate then affix the bracket with 2 torx screws, apparently.

Here's what you need on your rts lol:

[ATM]

ATM said:

ATM said:

I moved this car yesterday and saw lots of mist inside as usual which was annoying. I decided to get dry it off so got out my chamois. When I went round and opened the passenger door I found a pool of water in the little cut out on the sill for the umbrella. I had a feel around and found some damp on the roof near the sun visor. So I think it is coming in between the hard top and the top of the wind screen.

Then today I found the bottom of the door card is damp so I am going to check the membrane first.

Now I have damp on driver side door card too. Still can't decide if drips I see from around Sun visor area are just general condensation or it's coming in the hardtop.

Just to keep this thread updated about my leak. I'm fairly sure this is coming in the roof now. Probably where it seals above the Sun Visors. After heavy rain I opened the driver side door and found some drops on the passenger seat height adjuster handle thing. It's a big chrome arm being a 987 seat. There was also a little puddle in the umbrella slot. So it is clearly dripping in from the roof area where the door window meets the A pillar and the roof, in that corner.

Some of the lads on the boxa owners club recommended I check for the grommets in place and these were missing. I believe it is number 8 in the diagram. So basically there are 2 pins - one on either side - which locate the roof to the car. These pins or tabs should have a rubber or plastic type cover or cap as Porsche call it. I've ordered a couple of these anyway as I'm fairly certain mine doesn't have them and they only cost £1.92 plus VAT.

[anthonysjb]

Trying to find an RTS myself, if you've no use for it then let me know

[ATM]

anthonysjb said:

Trying to find an RTS myself, if you've no use for it then let me know

I think I'd like to keep it just in case. But I'll keep an eye out for any more.

[KPB1973]

ATM said:

Now I have damp on driver side door card too. Still can't decide if drips I see from around Sun visor area are just general condensation or it's coming in the hardtop.

I thought this was usually attributed to the seal where the window retracts? Mine had gone on the driver's side and the bottom of the door card was sopping wet after heavy rain. It was less of an issue for me as it was normally kept garaged.

You might have a combo of issues to be fair. Does the carpet liner over the top of the engine cover get damp too?

[ATM]

KPB1973 said:

ATM said:

Now I have damp on driver side door card too. Still can't decide if drips I see from around Sun visor area are just general condensation or it's coming in the hardtop.

I thought this was usually attributed to the seal where the window retracts? Mine had gone on the driver's side and the bottom of the door card was sopping wet after heavy rain. It was less of an issue for me as it was normally kept garaged.

You might have a combo of issues to be fair. Does the carpet liner over the top of the engine cover get damp too?

I suspect a combo of issues because my car has basically been dry stored for 20 years before I bought it.