Anyone in 100k mile club

[pvaughan]

I am looking to hear from other high mileage owners. How many miles does your Boxster have and what have you put into it to keep it going.

I purchased a MY99 Boxster used from a dealer in 2004 with 30k miles on it. It has been great. Aside from routine maintenance (tires, brakes, rotors, etc.) I have only had to have it in the shop one time for CEL gremlins which turned out to be MAF and low radiator fluid. Today it is in the shop for the 90k service. It is also getting a new clutch, front brakes & rotors, and front engine mount.

I'm looking to 100k and beyond!

Happy motoring!

-pvaughan

:renntech:

[dr914jr]

I bought ny 99 996 c2 about 3 years ago with57k on it. Today it has 129k and counting. I've put alot of money into the car to keep it in top running condition but I've yet to see a failure of a major part. To date the most expensive repair has been a clutch and I've installed two so far along with a new flywheel. This car has been a blast and I'll be a Porsche owner for life. :)

[Bill_SoCal]

2003 Boxster - Purchased new in December '02 with mileage from the Port to my dealer here in So Cal (17 miles). I just changed my oil at 135,000 miles yesterday.

I've only performed standard maintenance and do most of it myself:

Oil and Filter (Amsoil 5W-40/Mahle Filter) every 15K

Front Brakes - 60K

Drive Belt - 60K

Front and Rear Brakes - 120K

Drive Belt - 120K

Clutch as not been replaced on the vehicle.

I have had to have my key reprogrammed on a couple of occasions over the years. I also had to purchase the shroud that must be removed to fill the transaxle twice due to road debris. I drive the car daily here in Southern California and drive a windy mountain road called the Ortega Highway to get from Southern California Wine Country to Orange County. I seem to replace the rear tires every 25K to 35K (I dumped the Pilots on my first tire change for a better wearing tire). Fronts about every two sets of rear tires.

Best car I've every owned. It's my daily driver and runs incredible. Other than rock chips on the front from Southern California freeways, you would think the car had 20K miles on it.

I just got in from the store...top is down and it's a beautiful day here today. Must be back in the 80's...heading back out to grab some carne asada for the barbecue. B)

All the best,

Bill_SoCal (Murrieta, CA)

2003 Boxster

2006 Cayenne

2008 Cayenne S

[Bill_SoCal]

2003 Boxster - Purchased new in December '02 with mileage from the Port to my dealer here in So Cal (17 miles). I just changed my oil at 135,000 miles yesterday.

I've only performed standard maintenance and do most of it myself:

Oil and Filter (Amsoil 5W-40/Mahle Filter) every 15K

Front Brakes - 60K

Drive Belt - 60K

Front and Rear Brakes - 120K

Drive Belt - 120K

Clutch as not been replaced on the vehicle.

I have had to have my key reprogrammed on a couple of occasions over the years. I also had to purchase the shroud that must be removed to fill the transaxle twice due to road debris. I drive the car daily here in Southern California and drive a windy mountain road called the Ortega Highway to get from Southern California Wine Country to Orange County. I seem to replace the rear tires every 25K to 35K (I dumped the Pilots on my first tire change for a better wearing tire). Fronts about every two sets of rear tires.

Best car I've every owned. It's my daily driver and runs incredible. Other than rock chips on the front from Southern California freeways, you would think the car had 20K miles on it.

I just got in from the store...top is down and it's a beautiful day here today. Must be back in the 80's...heading back out to grab some carne asada for the barbecue. B)

All the best,

Bill_SoCal (Murrieta, CA)

2003 Boxster

2006 Cayenne

2008 Cayenne S

Forgot...three window regulators R/H side, two window regulators L/H

[usaf-lt-g]

My 00' Boxster S I have done every single piece of work on it myself. It now has 85K and is running great. I have replaced the AOS, Brakes and rotors (front and back), routine Oil Changes and filter changes (Mobil 0w-40), Spark Plugs, a brand spakin new transmission and clutch at 75k as pre-cautionary. I have a brand-new fuel filter I need to eventually install but haven't found a good way to get under the car yet and replace this. I'd prefer a nice lift to do it, but don't have one of those ;)

[EZ Aire]

Just turned 105K on a 1999 986. Nothing but routine maintenance since I bought it in July of 2007 with 81K. Nothing but enjoyment. Looking for another 100+K...knock on wood and the good Lord willing. :D

[geoff]

Marc Warden in Livermore, CA has over 200K miles on his Boxster (2002?) with the original engine. I think that's the record. Nothing magic, but he's had to replace various items over the years, along with regular maintenance. He posts elsewhere on the Internet, but his experience gives hope to many more that not all Boxster engines will instantly self-destruct.

There seems to be a growing consensus that cars that are infrequently driven have more problems that the higher mileage ones.

[pvaughan]

This is fantastic! It's great to hear how well these cars can perform. I am a believer in preventative maintenance. The simple things like oil changes, filters, etc. Take care of your baby and it will give you many years and miles of joy.

Congrats!

-pvaughan

[kedf1]

i've got a 97 (197,000 miles) with a 99 engine (dont know miles)(replaced engine due to a supercharger explosion on sebring!)

some bits and pieces replaced, repaired and upgraded to keep it going. all in all, has held up very well, the guy i bought it from drove it hard as do i.

[secretagent214]

My '01 5sp. 2.7L Boxster has 130k miles. I've replaced the diagonal control arms on the front and rear (ball joints rattled), the water pump (it went out on a road trip at 120k miles), the convertible top (this was replaced with a GAHH glass window top after the plastic window cracked), and the exhaust system was realigned (loud exhaust rattle). The RMS leaks very very slightly...I'll replace that whenever I have to replace the clutch. It's still running strong, looks great, and is a pleasure to drive. I try to do all the maintenance myself and it's a pleasure to work on...those German engineers knew what they were doing.

[flipper]

I found myself excited when I hit 91000 miles last week. Whats wrong with us? shouldn't we be babying these things?.......... NAAAAAAAA

drive them till they blow!!!

[Jinster]

Bought my MY97 5 years ago with no obvious problems, now totalling 157000kms. Do all my own maintainence and simple replacements like waterpump and belts But:

1. MAF failures ×2 $700AUD each 5 years ago (before I got to know the car to know what's going on and how to work on it)

2. ATX case crack 2 years ago $7000 for diagnosis and rebuild

3. ATX seized 3rd gear this year $5000 for rebuild

4. ABS failure 3 years ago $3000

5. Some engine pulley/tensioner/bearing failure this year $3000

6. Yet to fix: central locking half dead, cracks in plastic rear window

Happy customer?

.................

Certainly not!

Edited December 21, 2008 by Jinster

[dstrip72]

Just went over the 100k mark in my '01 Boxster S. Looks fantastic and still runs great. Black with the tan leather interior always turns heads. Bought it about a year ago with 73K on it so not sure what the maintenance picture looked like before that other than dealer maintained.

Since I've had it, I've replaced the air/oil separator, the engine belt (precautionary measure), and a right rear wheel bearing. Coming up on the 105k service and am ordering new brake pads, plugs, oil/filter, air filter, particle filter, and manual transmission fluid. I'm starting to get noise from the left rear wheel bearing so that will also be changed. Also need to repair a leak in the windshield washer fluid reservoir.

Biggest concern is a very slow leak of engine oil. Not enough to worry about except for the couple of spots it leaves on the driveway. Doesn't require any topping off of oil between the 15k changes. Thought I heard of a TSB which called for replacing the seal on the flywheel side (looks like where it's coming from) but I'm assuming with the mileage, etc that I would have to foot the bill for that. Any one have any ideas?

Oh, also had to change out the headlight assembly where some dork had burned the lens with an aftermarket bulb. 400 bucks new but spent enough time on ebay to find a PAIR for $49 plus shipping :D It was missing a tab on one but a little epoxy fixed that issue. Looks brand new.

-Trip

Greensboro, NC

[masterbm]

My '99 986 is at around 113K. Bought it with 50K, it's my daily driver. Unfortunately my luck has not been so good, though I still love the car and think it's totally worth it. In addition to normal maintainence (sp?) like pads a few times, front and rear rotors, oil changes, normal filter changes, rear tires x 2, front tires x 1, I replaced:

1. Emergency brake sensor-cheap

2. Convertible top push rod-cheap

3. New roof-not cheap, but I was victim of burglary. Jerks.

4. Coolant reservoir-not cheap

5. Key battery-cheap

6. Plugs and coils-mostly cheap

7. Some kind of oil seal-not cheap

8. Lights in instrument cluster-cheap

All in all, Boxster experience totally worth it. I'd say the experience, just like marriage, has been not cheap, but certainly enriching. Since repairs were expensive I learned to do many things myself, and that has been great. Really helps you appreciate automotives and get into the excitement of the Porsche community when you're exploring your own car, fixing your own stuff.

Great in beautiful weather, adequate in rain, crummy in snow, expensive to fix, but worth it!

B

[PleGrange]

Gentlemen,

'97 Boxster 2.5, 6 speed, Guards Red, 200k km (123k miles) on the clock yesterday.

(Previous exact same model with 249k km (154k miles) on clock before a taxi drove right in front of me from a side road and the car was totalled)

Had the engine replaced @18k km (11k miles) under Porsche warrenty (porous block problem) (Both cars)

Normal Porsche services by Porsche SA every 30k km. (18k miles)

Replaced all 4 brake discs @ 100k km (62k miles) (Both cars same at same km's)

Replaced coolant expansion bottle @ 100k km (62k miles) (Both cars at same km's)

Replaced front radiator fans @ 159k km's (hot here in South Africa)

Replaced Climate control fan @ 159k km's (hot here in South Africa)

Tyres, brake pads and that is that! Cheapest cars I have ever owned.

Trying to get to 300k km's dodging taxi's and other strange occurances on SA's roads. (potholes the size of California, donkey's, bicycles, rocks, gunmen, street vendors etc... lol.)

But it is time now for the 3.4 996 engine!

Regards

Pieter.

[fdmbautista]

'99 986: 108k. Got it in '04 with 50k.

Replaced clutch (was worn when I got it).

Numerous tires, rear 3x as much as front.

All 4 brake rotors at 105k.

Front pads at 60k, then at 105k.

Belt at 60k

Rear pads at 105k.

CEL from MAF sensor at 65k.

Ignition switch at 60k.

Mobil 1 synthetic every 15k.

Plastic rear window replaced at 80k.

It's my alternating-day driver, driven every day when the road conditions permit. It's parked out in the elements, driven in every condition, although anything more than a 1/4 in of snow or ice and it's a sled.

For the past month there's been ice on the ground, I'm driving my other car, so the 986 has been sitting for 3 weeks.

Now the temp light is blinking, even though the car is running at normal operating temp. That's never happened before.

Geoff is right. It runs better if you drive it every day. If you let it sit, something stupid will light up for no apparent reason, letting you know

that you should've been driving it every day.

I would say it's been about as reliable as any other car I've owned. All I ever owned before this were high-mileage Hondas.

[Jpeterson]

I have a standard model Boxster 1999 with about 117,000 miles on it. I have just had it for about 3 months but was lucky and got the maintenance recors with the car and it appears that it was serviced by Porsche at the correct intervals. As far as I know there have been no engine parts replaced and there are absolutely NO oil or fluid leaks of any kind. It runs and drives like a new car. I have replaced the tires and put in a new battery as a precaution. I had a broken sway bar link at the ball joint in the front but other than that all is well. I also use Amsoil only and can tell the difference the oil makes as the car runs smoother and the heat guage seems to stay at a lower temperature even in very hot weather (I live in Florida). I have heard so many horror stories about the engine failures that it almost had me convinced that it was just a matter of time until mine blew up but I am very happy to hear that others have enjoyed high milage with no blown up engines. Thank you very much.

[PlayersExpress]

I have a 1997 Tip Boxster with 138k miles. My car was one of the first handful to be build in 96. I still have the original engine and tranny in the car.

My only problems are/were..

-Replace convertible top window @ 115k mi - $170

-Front control Arms at 125k mi - $1500

-Transcoolant Valve and Water Pump @ 130k mi - $1800

-Replace brake pads @ 137k mi - $50 (Own Labor)

-Replace struts @ 137k mi- $400 (Own labor)

Other than that my only maintenance is the regular oil changes, tires, fluids, filters, etc.

I guess Ive been pretty lucky so far :)

Edited March 8, 2009 by PlayersExpress

[mkelvin]

I got to 105K (97 2.5l) and then had a loud rattling noise appear. Carlsen Porsche charged me $2300 to pull the engine out, diagnose and replace. Unfortunately you will notice that did not include repair... They tell me there's a lot of wear and that the intermediate shaft bearings are very worn. $11K to repair what is broken, but they would suggest e refurbished engine for $15K. Not sure if these prices include the $2300 I'm already in for.

Any suggestions? The car is pretty tatty (daily driver) and the roof mechanism is broken, top needs replacing etc. I was not too worried about that when it moved - nice car to drive - but now that the engine needs replacing it looks like a write-off.

So are there any other options for me?

SF Bay Area CA if it makes a difference.

Thanks,

MK

[usaf-lt-g]

I got to 105K (97 2.5l) and then had a loud rattling noise appear. Carlsen Porsche charged me $2300 to pull the engine out, diagnose and replace. Unfortunately you will notice that did not include repair... They tell me there's a lot of wear and that the intermediate shaft bearings are very worn. $11K to repair what is broken, but they would suggest e refurbished engine for $15K. Not sure if these prices include the $2300 I'm already in for.

Any suggestions? The car is pretty tatty (daily driver) and the roof mechanism is broken, top needs replacing etc. I was not too worried about that when it moved - nice car to drive - but now that the engine needs replacing it looks like a write-off.

So are there any other options for me?

SF Bay Area CA if it makes a difference.

Thanks,

MK

Personally, I'd recommend a 3.4 engine swap. But there's tons of info out there for other engine swaps, re-builds, etc that would probably cost less and save you some benjamins and some clevelands ($1000 bills, but I don't think they make these anymore).

[Komplex]

99 Boxster just hit 117k miles. First clutch replaced at 87k, Fuel pump blew out at 96k and besides little things its been a champ (considering how I beat on it).

Little things:

-Horn rubber bushings rotted out and would cause the horn to come on when coming to a stop ($5 fix thanks to renntech)

-Ebrake detector switch went out ($2 part $3 shipping install instructions found on renntech)

-Lost a key (saved hundreds by taking a Renntech suggestions and buying one on ebay and had the dealer program it)

-Plastic convertible window started to crack (Covered under my insurance policy "glass" plan)

OH and @ Myles, you might just want to buy a used one. My brother just bought a 04 Boxster with 30k miles for $15k. If mine needed that much work I'd dump sell it for $5k and buy another one.

[Charlestonboxster]

Getting close to 100, 95k on my 98, owned since 65k, only minor things so far, a joy to drive and enjoy daily!

[dendux07]

My 1999 Boxster just turned 160,000 miles on Saturday while driving over the Continental Divide at the Eisenhower Tunnel/I-70 .... coming back from a bicycle tour near Aspen [see pic of custom bike rack I designed/built for the car; even tilts back for trunk access ... and still gets 34 MPG even in the mountains!!]; bought the car from the original owner 2 years ago with 152,000 on the odometer [complete with ALL repair/service receipts]~~~~~~ the engine was changed out under 'warranty' by Porsche at 98,000 miles AT NO COST...... added a set of SS Headers over the winter; did the conversion for OBComputer readout; turn signal mods; installed a short-shifter kit [off ebay]; installed an Optima battery [after the OEM / original battery died after not driving it for a month last winter...]...

I also have a 1977 911 steel Slantnose conversion with 157,000 miles on it! engine was prof. rebuilt at 90k w/all correct mods/updates done;tranny rebuilt 5 yrs ago [owned now for 16 yrs since first 2 owners]..... BOTH running STONG!!! what a pair to have to drive daily here in COLORADO!!!

Edited June 29, 2009 by dendux07

[arizonaboxster]

my '99 is coming up on 169000, i bought it with 166k.

[michaelsuder]

I'm almost there at 95,970 miles on my 2001 S. I have only done standard maintenance, other than a broken engine mount.