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PFX

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Posts posted by PFX

  1. Milton has worked well for me, I have applied it again after a year and intend to do so once a year going forth. Sadly, it does not help with what the infestation of pigeons around here do to my roof.

    14 hours ago, Pinewood said:

    3 Milton tablets are said to kill a mould and mildew problem

     

  2. Hi Glen, did you get the 8.4" option (Erisin ES8142C) - trying to work out if that one would fit my 987.1

    Also, have you used the SatNav yet, and if so - what is it like?

    They look well specc'd, just not sure whether to trust it as I don't know the brand...

  3. Agree with Lennym1984; spacers are going to impact the handling far less than 11" wheels on a 986 I'd think. Same as you perhaps, I'd been trawling through adverts for many months trying to find replacements for my non-OEM wheels (they are not bad at all but it did bother me that they were not genuine Porsche, slightly OC I know lol) and am glad I did not succumb to the temptation of buying wheels which are '...slightly off-fit but look REALLY good..' I bought mine from a dealer in Germany (not the one your photo is from :)) and apart from the slight hassle with the import formalities (all changed since Brexit, of course) I'm very happy with what I got for my money - meaning to say, perhaps shop around a bit more and get wheels that fit technically as well as visually.

    Tyres running low - I had the same issue, pressure was on as I needed new tyres while still looking for new wheels. My solution was - got a set of winter wheels (18" Porsche) with good tyres (would not be ideal in June I know, but still viable for a few extra weeks I'd think) to tide me over, so for an extra 400.- I now got a full set of winter wheels and bought myself time to find the exact wheels I wanted. Mind, I probably saved as much as the cost for the winter wheels through buying the summer rims from abroad (spoke with the seller and got him to keep tyres in exchange for free shipping)  :)

  4. Finally had a chance to put my new wheels and spacers on. 

    Next  - find house (affordable) with garage large enough to keep car away from pesky pigeons and road dust...

    Set of 19" lobster claws (non-Porsche) will be up for grabs soon (need to clean them up first) 😀

     

    wheels_BOX_SIII.jpg

    • Like 1
  5. 21 hours ago, Bayernlarge said:

    Thanks @Finbox

    This might seem like a really silly question, but how do you measure if there will be enough clearance with the wheel arch?

    I ran a straight edge vertically, top to bottom, touching the widest point of the tyre (the protruding part that protects the wheel rim) extending upwards to the highest point of the wheel arch. It didn't seem like there was any clearance, but of course the wheels don't travel anywhere near that far vertically.

    How have you guys judged it?

    I just trust the guys on here (having full faith) who run standard dimension 19" rims (i.e. Porsche standard - 8J x19 with 57 offset front, and 9.5J x19 with 46 offset rear; this is the largest dimension for (summer)rims on 987.1 as per Porsche's manual; note, 987.1 'S' and 'non-S' models appear to be identical as regards the largest rim size) and have fitted 7mm front/15mm rear without negative feedback.

    And, if it turns out these guys just couldn't be asked to tell use these don't fit, then there will be a nice Eibach spacer kit up for gabs on here or fleaBay in a few weeks...

    If I was to run non-standard 19" wheels then I suppose I'd take an educated guess (i.e. measure and extrapolate) and take a plunge (although would perhaps opt for a cheaper kit to mitigate the risk of losing too much money).

  6.  

    4 hours ago, DaveEFI said:

    The alternative is to have your own alternator fixed. Replacing the front bearing usually not too difficult a job. But of course that means the car off the road for longer. Or buy a good used OEM from Ebay, etc. If you can find the Bosch part number, a brand new one from a Bosch dealer likely to be cheaper than Porsche spares.

    Thanks that's good to know. I was thinking about it but was not sure how much of a fuff it may be to replace the bearing, and since I have to do it on my drive in the absence of a cosy garage I think I will opt for an OEM or stick with CPS.

  7. I am a petrol head ('tuned' my first moped at the age of 14 giving it a racing piston at the promise of gaining 0.5hp) and have had a history of riding reasonably fast bikes since the 80's (ranging from Yamaha RD350's and KTM LC 350's to Husky 650SM's and Honda 1000 Repsol). I had moved house and sold my Repsol and found myself craving for a new set of 'fun wheels' 18 months ago. Decided to take a punt at a Porsche whereby I've always liked the looks of some models but have never been a particularly big fan of the brand. After studying the field of Boxsters - I was also looking at Mercedes SL and SLK as well as BMW Z4's as I also fancied my first convertible - my good wife swayed me towards 'the more prestigious' brand. Found a 987.1 2.7 which was good value as I wanted the newer model of the 'older generation' without forking out too much (not even having considered 987.2 or God forbid 981's due to the unjustifiably high price tag for a set of 'weekend wheels') and the rest is history. I have learnt to live with the ever nagging IMS concern after a year of hitting every article I could find about it, and am by and large happy with it. Performance is acceptable, cornering is simply amazing. Roof down is great and close enough to riding a bike. CPS are an affordable and reliable maintenance partner nearby (the car has an exceptionally comprehensive maintenance history so there is not too much to do, hopefully), which helps me live with a slightly more dated car.

    I will never stop eying a 981 though as I like its shape even more, and may even try to get a cheap CAT N (fully repaired to high standard or do it myself) one day as I'd consider that a long term keeper. Or, go to the dark side and let it draw me to a reasonably priced 997...

    Meanwhile, my wife and I discuss moving house again as one niggle with this house is that the garage we have now is not really fit for purpose (why do we still bother building garages just small enough to fit Trotters' three-wheeler...) and the boxster has to live on our drive for now.

    So. Summing it up - I think 987.1 is the formula which gives you a reasonably priced car which is fun to drive, fairly reliable and very good looking in my eyes at least. Forums such as this here are incredible helpful as there is a true wealth of knowledge here and it helps deal with all sorts of niggles the older generation is inevitably prone to.

  8. IF anyone is worried about missing a London charge be it ULEZ or CC, you can set up automated payment for both. I think this link will get you to the TfL web site page which allows the creation for the required account: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge

    You can attach several cars to your account, and if like me you are occasionally driving into central London (and then worry sick a few days later about a fine, realising you forgot to check whether you crossed through either the CC- or ULEZ zone a few days ago) it will give you peace of mind. I was sceptical initially (I do not like direct debits 😦) but have had this now for quite some time and it has worked rather well for both my cars (Boxster being liable to CC charge only, the other car both needing CC and ULEZ) so that may be worth looking into....

  9. 13 minutes ago, DaveEFI said:

    The UK Lucas company ceased to exist many years ago. The brand is now far east owned, and many of the reproductions far poorer quality than original. Some alternators have alternatives from different makers, but to the same OEM quality.  A remanufactured unit - unless it comes from the maker - may contain non OEM parts, regardless of the name on the outside.

    That's great info, many thanks!

    Trying to get quality parts can be a minefield these days with so much being produced (and imitated) in cheap labour countries and without the same quality (control) standards of days past. Adding to this, it's not unusual for the retail price of goods of lower quality to be as high as the original or OEM counterpart.

    This is why I ask for advice and try to be selective rather than just take whatever someone tries to flog me as 'that'll do'.....😉

  10. On 5/17/2021 at 2:53 PM, Bradders59 said:

    My daughter who is a pretty severe Asthmatic and lives in central London, tells me that the worst place of all for poor air quality is the tube in busy hours.

    Its so bad she walks to work, which takes 20 minutes, rather than stand in a carriage struggling for breath.

    Little tin Khan doesnt seem interested in that though for some reason.

    Sorry to hear about your daughter's struggle.

    We have also moved out of East London some years ago to Oxfordshire, in an attempt to escape bad air quality and hoping that our children will grow up in a healthier environment. And, I can relate to the public transport statement - while still in London, I swapped District Line for a motor bike for my daily 10 mile commute (too far to walk and not safe to cycle in my case) into Central London. I don't mind paying the ULEZ when going back into London occasionally for work, but would very much like to see this kind of tax being purpose-bound i.e. being allocated to measures which help improve air quality- better public transport (including better air on the tube/underground), more subsidies for electric cars and charging networks etc.

    Air pollution in London is and always has been a problem, sadly it is an unpopular topic and being ignored by many people and even authorities:

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/30/air-pollution-girl-died-london-should-have-treated-emergency-ella-kissi-debrah

    As I understand it, road tax is dependent on how much CO2 a car emits:

    https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/consumer-news/88361/ved-road-tax-how-does-car-tax-work-and-how-much-will-it-cost

    ULEZ would be charged in a similar way, so as a VERY lose rule of thumb - the higher your car tax, the more likely you'll be liable to ULEZ.

    Hence, my 2.7 Boxster which costs 330.- road tax a year (paid annually) is exempt from ULEZ. My Mercedes ML (12 years old) however which costs me some 580.- is liable to ULEZ..

    On 5/17/2021 at 2:15 PM, dim33 said:

    I was surprised to see that my 987.1 3.4 doesn't have to pay a ULEZ charge.

    When I checked my old CBR600 motorcycle (600cc as the name suggests) it has to pay £12.50.

    I do not see how a 600cc motorcycle can pollute more than a 3.4 litre car.

    I can - your CBR600 probably produces close to 100 horsepower, and does not have a catalytic converter, right? Low engine displacement is not necessarily a guarantee for low emissions....what comes out of your exhaust depends on many factors such as displacement (big pots want to be filled accordingly), efficiency (how much or little fuel is needed to produce power), power output (the more power the more fuel needed if engine system is the same other than displacement) and exhaust gas management (catalytic converter which breaks down CO and nitrous oxide etc. and DPF i.e. diesel particle filter which filters microscopic solids from the exhaust gas) which keeps most of that cr*p out of the air and our kids' lungs....

     

  11. Hi,

    I've had a faint 'whirring/whining' sound coming from behind the driver seat pretty much since I bought my Boxster a year ago, and after a long process of elimination I am fairly certain it's the alternator (bearing or pulley, likely).

    Therefore I am planning to replace my alternator and am trying to source a replacement unit, preferably a remanufactured Bosch or Lucas (brands which I know and have learnt to trust over the years) in the absence of a recommendation for other brands, from someone who does not just flog alternators but can at least confirm with some certainty that the replacement unit will fit, which would be a rather useful thing.

    Has anyone replaced their alternator, and where did you get your replacement unit from? What brand was it, and did it fit as expected? And, did you encounter any major issues when replacing your alternator (apart from removing that one bolt which seems tricky to remove)?

    Thanks in advance!

    NB- I have had a quote from a company from Lancs, but unfortunately I think I have upset the poor guy on the phone when I started asking silly questions (I do that a lot) about the brand they'd supply as their quote did not say (he told me they get them from 'various sources' which I would not even have heard of, and so they sell them under their own brand; which I did not find particularly useful). And, when I said I'd  prefer to know what I'd be paying for (terrible, I know) and ideally wanted a brand such as Bosch or Lucas, the poor guy seemed to get even more upset, and told me they were twice as expensive (300.- he said, a real shocker) and pledged to send a new quote before ending the conversation rather abruptly. Not sure I want to risk upsetting them any further....🙄

  12. On 4/28/2021 at 11:23 AM, andygo said:

    Just got back from having my front wheels checked. Rims were absolutely spot on, nothing out of true. Tyres had a tiny amount of irregularity, but well within tolerances. Everything rebalanced, but they doubted they had fixed anything.

    Drove away and could tell it was better after about 100 yards, Went up the A5 and, er, pretended it was an Autobahn. All pretty perfect now. Pretty surprised it was all doen to balancing after all.

    Panic over, as you were. Thanks for the help, particularly PFX near Witney for his kind offer of a wheel swap.

    Fabulous, really happy for you - it's the type of problem which you just can't ignore and it gets you worried thus spoiling the experience....

  13. Bought an X5 4.4 from a dealer once, some 4 months later the auto transmission broke (very common, well known design weakness of the outer case where a spring wears through on E53 models. as I found out later). Went to a nearby dealer initially who quoted £8k for the transmission. The car cost £6.5k - go figure. Going back to the dealer I bought it from, they refused to take any responsibility and did not want to know whatsoever. Had the transmission reconditioned by someone in SE London who specialises in this kind of work, cost me £2200.-

    Now, I'm the last person to say all dealers are the same. I know there are great dealerships who honour client commitment and have built a good reputation. However similar to any insurance company you may use, you usually only find out how good they really are when it comes to claiming damages.

    If you say there's a £2k difference for similar cars as advertised by a dealer and a private person- 1) you could try haggling the dealer down (they know they are more expensive and may be inclined to drop the price a bit, particularly if you are not part-exchanging). 2) you could go with the cheaper private seller, and check if you could buy a maintenance guarantee for the difference (be sure to read and understand the contract and in particular what is covered and what is excluded).

    Personally I prefer buying from a private seller. They know their car, at least most do. Use your good judgement as to whether they come across as honest and open, or whether you feel they try to conceal problems - if the latter, walk away (fast).

    I've seen posts on Porsche forums where people had issues with their cars and the dealers' response was impeccable. If you can, check out a dealer's reputation (Google reviews can help as can forums such as this, just search for the dealership's name and see if they come up).

    PPI (pre-purchase inspection) sounds like a really good idea, however I'm not sure how practical this is; I've never done it, as with distance from the car it becomes increasingly difficult to organise etc.

  14. Good luck, hope they can help and if not, my offer stands.

    Just to say, there's good and less good balancing services. I had my ML wheels balanced after installing new tyres a few days before going on a long trip through Europe (through Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, then back via Switzerland and France) just to find the front was awfully off balance just around 75 mhp; the kind which is not stopping you in your tracks but annoys the heck out of you. Decided to have all 4 re-balanced in Austria, e voila - no more steering vibrations for the remaining 1000 miles home, or the 2 years thereafter until I replaced all 4 tyres a few weeks ago....

    (now, I know some will wonder why the tyres only lasted 2 years plus some; not my driving style, but Avon tyres on the ML are fabulous except the rather cr@p life expectancy; now with Michelin PS4 SUV which hopefully will far outlast the Avons). Note to self: Do buy Michelin shares 😁

    • Like 1
  15. Not really, in the past 35 years I had quite a few cars, none of which have had any problems with rusty brake pipes, ever. And, half of my cars have been daily drives through continental winters with salty roads the likes we don't get here in England, certainly not in the SE.

    Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my Boxster for many reasons, but I think Porsche used steel of low/unsuitable quality for some of their cars' brake pipes 15 years ago. 

    Personally I am glad I did not buy those shiny LED tail lights I was craving, so I had the money to get my brake pipes sorted instead.....

    .....not to say those LED tail lights are off my agenda though, just postponed lol

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1
  16. Had mine replaced after they failed my MOT. The garage did a great job making new pipes from scratch using  what I think is called Kunifer (copper/nickel alloy). Speaking to the man who did the job aesthetics is one challenge and routing them another. Connectors to the hoses were badly seized so he replaced the hoses too with Brembo's. Job (including MOT retest) took 2 days. Cost was 670.- and am really happy it's done as it had already flagged up in the last MOT and service - was advised to just clean them up with steel wool back then, but frankly after seeing my rusty pipes after they had been replaced I am glad this has been addressed properly now.

    This seems to be a common problem with earlier Porsches (mine is a 2005 2.7 with 98k miles and otherwise well looked after) I have seen on many MOT reports when I was looking for my new toy a year ago. 

     

     

     

     

  17. On 11/11/2020 at 4:07 PM, Verner said:

    I will 🙂

     

    Can I ask where you got these, please? And, how long have you had them? Am looking for rear LED's which are reliable, have bought a set (second hand) which throw up dash messages (for reverse and fog lights), and having tried to fix that with Philips LED Resistors did not work for me. Thanks!

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