½cwt

4 hours ago, map said:

Have an interior trim bundle available which would allow you to colour code your console, vents and some elements of the door trim:

 

 

Hmmm get thee behind me Satan, 'cos I've been thinking about leather covering the door handle and door bin covers too.

4 hours ago, Bluepork03 said:

Yes I did. I was looking for the thread I'd seen that was similar to how I did mine, but @allatsea beat me to it.

The most time consuming part is the prep and removing the soft touch coating.

I feared as much.  It scuffs up easily but I guess is then a sod to remove.

1 minute ago, Bluepork03 said:

Thanks. I almost went with silver to match the gear nob and handbrake but got talked out of it by another forum member. I've seen a console in silver and like it a lot, really lifts the interior.  

Did I get the right impression that you DIY sprayed it?  If so what was your process in terms of prep, prime, colour coat(s) and lacquer (if any)?

18 hours ago, Bluepork03 said:

Had a couple of days off work waiting for materials to arrive at work so had a go at painting a spare centre console body colour (Nachtblau/Midnight Blue) that I've had in the garage for a couple of months. It doesn't actually look that different to the black soft-touch (scratched) plastic one I took out, but I think it looks smarter. Also replaced the CD storage module with a storage tray I scored on eBay.

Interesting, looks good.  I've toyed with doing this body colour console this but my car is Arctic Silver and like you I have the ash tray delete.  Not sure how the black would work against the silver or do I get that painted too? however I do have to get the front bumper resprayed at some point.  Unfortunately I don't have a spare console so it is a one time decision.

2 hours ago, Menoporsche said:

I’m not thinking so much of the age of the tyres, more that the car spun out when you didn’t expect it. Anyway good luck. 

Not sure about the expensive saving then...  However it was at all of 10 mph, that was the 'interesting' bit when the car behaves quite well even in the wet at higher speeds.  1st gear, peak torque, low grip conditions. I caught it and sorted it in a split second, no spin as such, just got my attention.

2 hours ago, Menoporsche said:

Darkstar thought he’d delay getting new tyres to spend money on other bits. Then he wrote the car off. 
 

You may be making a very expensive saving. 

Typo above, 2018 actually rears, code 1318, (fitted by PO to pass MOT in May 2018) and 2019 fronts, code 1119, fitted to replace 5 year old Bridgestone's last May even though they had passed the MOT.  How new do tyres need to be? 

IIRC Darkstar's' were nearer 10 years old which is a different kettle of fish and I believe I put in my critique at the time...  I know the island that he tripped up on and it is also often treated with a nice thin film of diesel just to make it that bit more slippery in the wet particularly on old tyres.

7 hours ago, Danncus said:

I had s similar surprise last week on a small roundabout in the wet. Genuinely surprised me how little power it took to break traction. 

It was a surprise but all under control, so no underwear issues (sorry to disappoint @rowbos with his various fetishes), it was far from a lead foot amount of throttle!  I don't mind the odd little wiggle or drift or a roundabout when pushing on a bit, but a 90° Tee junction from standstill....

The rear tyres are not the greatest, Nankang brand (fitted by PO with a 2017 date code and still lots of meat on them but may be a contributing factor, year old GY Asymmetric 5 on front BTW.  Need to wear them all down though to justify the cost of rubber for the 18" rims I have already but need new rubber.

Working from home so took the Boxster out for a lunchtime shopping trip (still chaos for any long shelf life goods in the supermarkets..) picked up Plus Gas and some Pagid DOT4 brake fluid (£10.49 online for 1l, only £5.99 on the shelf in store) ready to do the brake lines and possibly callipers in the near future.   Rained whilst I was out and I promptly rediscovered the rear wheel steering effect of accelerating from standstill at a junction, I was pointing in the direction I wanted to go somewhat before I'd got the steering lock off 😀 😲

15 hours ago, Danncus said:

..sat in a petrol station with my fingers crossed waiting for the engine to decide to start...

Was that the Boxster or the MG??? one is more surprising than the other.

37 minutes ago, Darren Sapsford said:

Just cleaned out the radiators, easy and definitely worth doing.

Looks pretty fair condition for a 986 that has been used and sold on rather than cosseted.  Condenser doesn't seem to have rotted out yet either - they are an easy DIY job once you've got this far if they ever need doing.

PS - Update 'My Ride' on you profile?

23 hours ago, Darren Sapsford said:

Got the car up on a ramp for the first time since purchase. Needs all four coffin arms, an exhaust and some new coil packs as the others are cracked. Not too bad really.

DIY work for you or through a specialist?  If DIY, enjoy the work, otherwise at least enjoy the results.

2 hours ago, Sanky said:

Took it for its MOT...failed for emissions, lambda sensor was reading a little high.

Going to try some Cataclean and take it for a blast before a retest, only problem is that it has full tank of VPower in it.  So not sure if the Cataclean will do anything.

Cars been parked up for the last 4 months, so not sure if that has anything t do with it.

If it has been parked for 4 months a good blast putting lots of heat through the exhausts should clean it up and burn off any residues thay may have hardened on the lambdas without any additional special (snake oil??) products.

@Andy B that is some serious love you are putting into it. Good work!  Alas not got patience or time to achieve the same...

Got insurance renewal.  I thought I'd become a 'responsible adult' last year insuring a Boxster S, SDP only with European use for 8k miles and not agreed value, for under £250.  Renewal offer is only £213.  Thinking I can't be bothered trying to beat it...

55 minutes ago, the baron said:

Ive just installed the function first gear knob, great bit of kit

Not seen any pictures of this yet @the baron, beginning to think it is a mythical creature 😉

Fitted replacement front left ABS sensor.  Bit of a slog as the old one was seriously well stuck in.  A couple of online videos hint that 'some chipping' out is needed so with this in mind I started by removing the brake calliper, stone guard and the disc for better access.  The heads on the disc retaining screws unsurprisingly burred out so a bit of fettling with drill bits to remove the old screws and an M6 tap to remove the remains of the old bolts and clean up the threads got the holes in the hub back to how they should be; and then to the sensor.

The retaining bolt came out OK.  The sensor took a bit of 'persuasion' to break off the upper part, and then running a 4 mm drill bit down the sides between the hole and the core in 6 or 7 places and the core of the sensor finally came out.  Then I used a large stud extractor pull the rest of the plastic out.  A bit of emery cloth to clean up the bore of the hole, applied a bit of assembly grease and tapped the new one (an amazing £35 for original Bosch complete with Porsche part number for Onlinecarparts) softly home and bolted everything up again including new screws for the disc, fortunately I had two spare from a previous VW disk kit.  Cleared the ABS fault with my new iCarsoft V1.0 POR reader and went for a spin. 😀

MAF last week ABS this week, finally no dashboard warning lights.

Great weather in the South Midlands today so the car got a wash, polish and the screen got a refresh of Rain-X.

Then the obligatory drive just to check it is till working properly 😉

6 hours ago, naim22 said:

What's gummfledge?

Just search on Amazon or eBay, you'll find Wurth and at least one other brand.  Comes in 75ml bottles with a nice sponge applicator.  Dead easy to apply and stops all sorts of rubber seal creaks.  Wish I'd known you were interested yesterday as you were standing less than a metre from some!

Busy day:

Fitted replacement MAF, car runs smoothly, idles and starts more cleanly too. 

Cleaned throttle body as well, was absolutely filthy. 

Fitted new genuine rubber gasket under bonnet badge with new nuts as it has a plastic thing under it from when I bought it.  Now presents the badge properly.

Whilst everything was open I applied gummi-pflege to all the rubber seals.

Topped up with fuel and went for a spin in the sunshine. 

Only downside is now the seal squeaks have quietened down I'm hearing all the suspension creaks etc.  Suspect ARB bushes are required. If weather holds, possibly a wash and polish tomorrow.

1 hour ago, s3swiss said:

thanks - do you know if they give the Porsche Club discount on key head supply? Debating joining but need to justify the cost.... (last question on this I promise - will add the info to the key thread as well for posterity).

They gave me 10% off the parts as I've had quite a few from them over the last year or so.  I'm not PCGB so I don't know if it would be less with membership.  I have found that at OPC Silverstone they are quiet supportive of an enthusiast keeping an older Porsche on the road which is nice in this day and age of hard nosed business....

On 1/20/2020 at 2:20 PM, s3swiss said:

how much for the key if you don't mind sharing? Will need one for mine come spring..

Key head only, so no blade or immobiliser transponder as these were moved from the old key that had been through the wash..., just the transmitter and the plastic body, including coding £250.  Oh and a nice cup of coffee and a chance to look over some cars I will never be able to afford.

Got a nice newly.coded key from Silverstone Porsche and a code sweep.for.the ABS Light I have on. Good service, nice coffee and.lots of metal I can’t afford!

Key is fine, ABS has not stored a fault code... But then got a misfire too, which has now clear bur still have CEL on.

Also collected a new gasket and nuts for the bonnet badge which I'll fit when it gets a bit warmer...

Filled mine up at a new Shell garage in Wellingborough, V-Power at 130.9p/litre!!! and only 8p more than 95 unleaded. It's on the A509 Niort Way ring road, don't know how long the introductory pricing will last.

1 hour ago, GmanB said:

Replaced the struts on front and rear boots, no more sore head! 

Seem to be a popular job at the moment!

Finally got round to fitting the insulation material in the front (did the rear back in September IIRC) to help keep luggage compartment cooler when touring in hotter climates by not absorbing heat from the 3 rads and the a/c condensers.  Might yet line the underside of the bonnet and boot lids too.

Also my £21 food dehydrator (suggested by Jon at JMG to help dry out my key that went through the wash a few weeks ago but is still basically working thankfully) has finally arrived from an eBay seller.  Hopefully after a couple of days in it at 65°C it'll stop flattening coin batteries in a day or so as I'm currently taking the battery out after each time I use the car which is a real pain.  Mrs ½cwt might be able to dry some of the produce from our fruit trees next summer/autumn as well if the fancy takes her.  Just hope we refrain from letting the key go through the wash again as if this doesn't work its off to the OPC for a new key...