2000 Boxster Question (Newbie)

[GWPORSCHE]

Hi Guys,

Wow! what a good informative forum. I have been lurking for a few weeks (as I have been searching for a boxster). I have found a 2000 boxster 2.7 5 spd with the sport touring package with 55K Miles and will finalize my deal this weekend.

Please help with my questions below:

I have heard about some engine failures on the 97-99. Have they fixed the problem for the 2000 and up cars?

I would like to test drive the car one final time before signing on the dotted line. Please let me know what I should look for and how to confirm that the engine and transmission (or anything else) are in good condition (without taking it to the techs). Please note that the car appears to be in very good condition cosmetically and in terms of wear and tear.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Tool Pants]

Any year can have problems. You take a risk if there is no warranty. The rear seal leaking oil seems to be a big issue on some cars. You can check yourself by getting under the engine where it bolts to the transmission and see if there is any oil.

[HenryV]

We don't know the statistics - the RMS leak is somewhat notorious and affects a certain percentage, the engine replacement seems to be quite a bit lower. The engine failure for 97-99 models is very rare, and people have been treated quite well by Porsche if it did happen.

It wouldn't be such a nuisance if the cost was somewhat reasonable - I replaced two engines in two previous cars for less than $2,000 each. To do the same in the Boxster costs an estimated $8,000-$12,000 if done at the dealer, and aftermarket mechanics are much harder to come by.

Like Jeff says, check whether the car has oil at the lowest part of the engine (at the transmission side), and check the dealer records -- most dealers can search whether and when RMS replacements were done if you give them the VIN number. If the car is dry and RMS replacements are either non-existent, or were done a while ago - assume the car is fine. If the car is wet or the RMS replacement was recent (i.e. weeks), be alerted. I'd probably pass in the second case.

Many boxsters do reach 100,000 mile without engine failures, even if they have had RMS replacements.

FWIW, many '03 and '04 have had RMS failures, and even the newly redesigned '05 (both 997 and 987) are rumored to (will?) have RMS failures and engine failures.

[GWPORSCHE]

Thanks for the replies...I will definitely look for oil leaks under the car. Will the Porsche dealers release service history if given the VIN # of the car (even if it is not yet mine?).

[Tool Pants]

With the VIN any dealer can check the computer for work done under warranty, as that is shared with all dealers. For service work, like an oil change, that is not shared so you need to know which dealer worked on the car for the history.

Some dealers will not give you any info if you were not the customer, others will, and others want the authorization of the owner who owned the car at the time the work was done if it is you requesting the info. It varies.