Codfanglers

13 minutes ago, boer13 said:

Arguably this is nit picking. Recently needed to complete the annual red tape, and recall the question 'has this vehicle been modified in any way'? While better lights most certainly will assist to prevent incidents, I don't want to compromise my cover. I can check with them, but was hoping somebody here already knows the answer. 

Should I contact my insurance company about fitting reversing sensors and changing the speakers in the doors?

1 minute ago, boer13 said:

Would insurance companies regard a halogen -> anything else upgrade, as a vehicle modification?

Probably if it was a contributing factor into an accident but with projectors giving an accurate light pattern and brightness still less than modern headlamps why would it be?

2 hours ago, YorkshireBoxster said:

Hi Andy, do the ballast boxes fit nicely as I am tempted by them now that I've seen the prices etc. Thinking the 35w version as the 55 might be a bit bright. Cheers

The three boxes for each H7 lamp fit quite easily into the back of the light housing, but if you want main beams as well there won't be room to get another set of boxes in there. 

No CANbus errors. I went 35W for the same reason (see recent thread). 

Yellow wire is +ve, Brown is earth.

2 hours ago, Paul P said:

Check the detail.  The small print seems to suggest they have the built which (should) avoid flicker (but might not) but need additional “adapters” to fool the control modules that the lamps are lit

 

Therefore, we have developed smart solutions to overcome those challenges. Philips’ unique CANbus adapters* ensure the vehicle’s lighting systems function smoothly, for reliable electrical performance over time. Please use Philips Adapter CANbus to remove inaccurate error message on the dashboard and Philips Light Repair CANbus* to remove flickering issue. 

*Philips Light Repair CANbus is directly integrated into our new-generation LED bulbs (Ultinon Pro9000 and Ultinon Pro5000). No need for additional accessories to remove flickering! In some rare cases, an additional light repair CANbus might be required to eliminate the flickering completely.

 

Another £20 or so for these CANbus adapters to make their LEDs work, takes the price of the Philips LED system to around three times the price of HIDS4U Stealth HIDs kit that delivers the same brightness and colour.

Just under 3000 since March for me but defrosting, getting in and driving it to work at 6:30 on a dark frosty morning doesn't often appeal so choose the S3 instead.

40 minutes ago, JonSta said:

I love midnight blue.

So do I. Gentian blue would be my No.1 choice with a black hood and black interior.

10 hours ago, iborguk said:

Have a look at my last post.......that's a photo of the door slam area on the driver's side, that's where my colour code is shown......is yours?

You are quite right, the colour and code is on there 🙈(was using work laptop yesterday that blocks photos). 

Looked this morning and it is 39C

Thank you.

One more. Does anyone know if the location of reversing sensors is moulded into the back of the rear bumper?

I didn't see any label behind the carpets when I changed the headlights but believe (from t'internet) the labels were one stuck in the handbook and one left for the dealers to affix? Even BL used to stamp the colour on the VIN plate.

I seem to have found two basic "Night Blues" that appear to be different.

Is there a metallic and a pearl?

One seller lists options:

LM5F/M5F Midnight Blue Metallic

LM5F/M5F Night Blue Metallic

37W/39C Nacht Blau

Another seller that omits the years 2005-2013:

• Color Name: Night Blue
• Color Code: M5F
• Paint Type: Metallic
• Base Color: Blue
• For Years: 2014 - 2021

• Color Name: Midnight Blue
• Color Code: 37W
• Paint Type: Pearl
• Base Color: Blue
• For Years: 1989 - 2004

Another site entering model and year:

2007 Porsche Boxster

General consensus is 37W/L39C which seems to be different numbers for the same colour so I'll go with that.

Thanks for all the help and advice.

I'm trying to find the correct paint code for my late 2007 Boxster to paint a set of reversing sensors. Can't find it on the car and no original handbook. I've found four possibilities, could anyone please confirm which code it will be?

2 hours ago, Menoporsche said:

Fitted a HIDS4U kit to my family car with projector lenses. A pleasure driving at night now. (Boxster already has xenons). Remember it’s now illegal in UK. Luckily not with us, yet. 

Not the end of the world to re-fit the halogen candles if the HIDs fail the MOT, but the garage can't see them, shouldn't pick up on the warm-up delay in a well lit garage and I can't see why the MOT machine should disagree with the aim, so they will probably go through. I'm sure the MOT testers know the game. MOT and constabulary was one reason I went for the 300% brighter 35w kit instead of the attention attracting, retina singing 450% brighter 55W kit. Insurance implications may be a different matter...  I've never been flashed, so me now being able to see the sides of the road at night can't be causing too much annoyance to anyone.

I would say 300% brighter isn't too much of an exaggerated claim either. I have "before and after" pictures, but I've used up my picture allocation on this forum.

I ended up fitting HIDS4U Stealth 35w 5000k to the dipped beam and they have made a massive difference and produce a nice white light. No canbus errors and a sharp cut-off pattern due to the projector design of the lights. The three boxes fitted easily in the space behind the lights. £50 delivered. 55w also available.

HIDs do take a few seconds to reach full brightness. But a better option than fan cooled LEDs in my opinion.

On 12/6/2021 at 2:13 PM, Topbox said:

If you are feeling brave drive the car down to Halfords, you can look up the bulb type, its not special, and they will fit it for you, for a small fee, although its not difficult, I can manage it 😁 I'd buy two bulbs  at least. Oh btw we might get some stick for the term 'bulb' as opposed to 'lamp' 🤣

You could get more stick for using the term "Halfords" and paying one of their spotty youths to break the plastic holder clips ...

Beware the cheap eBay versions of these tail/stop lights. I bought 10 for £3 delivered, but the filaments were the wrong way round with a very bright tail light. The good thing about eBay is the easy refunds. So if anyone wants a box of dodgy bulbs that are no good to anyone...  

I don't want to turn this into another IMS debate but believe most if not all Model Year 2006 cars had the larger bearing. This will include some later 2005 registered cars I assume. I don't think even Vin/engine numbers is a positive indicator of what engine is in a car though! Lots of scare stories out there and probably overhyped and I'm not qualified to substantiate any opinion.

LOTS of opinion to be found on the internet but beware specialists with an axe to grind. Try to get over it and not worry.

https://autokennel.com/the-truth-about-the-ims-bearing-by-paul-kramer/

If you are after and expecting a high performance car though, the 2.7 isn't it. The engine doesn't produce a great deal of torque and needs to be pushed beyond 5000rpm if you want any spirited acceleration, but they do take corners rather well.

I'd guess any Porsche specialist would give you an opinion and a pre-purchase inspection if you pay for their time but it seems most specialists demand perfection and advise you should spend half the car's value on labour to have slightly corroded heat shields replaced along with at least £1000 of suspension work needed, then another £1200 to fit new discs and pads all round. If you do take your new purchase to a specialist and ask what needs doing, expect to have your leg lifted very high indeed.

I think they call it reassuringly expensive.     

46 minutes ago, BBB said:

Nothing really new to add, apart from a recent perspective. I bought mine about a year ago, from an “enthusiast” with lots of paperwork. The shine of the bodywork, the lure of my first Porsche, plus a thick wad of history and I bought it readily.

It turned out that “enthusiast” meant washing and polishing twice a week, no mechanical knowledge at all (he thought that the line up the centre of the windscreen meant it was heated for example) and an annual going over by a friendly indy who was concerned with failed items only.

Consequently anything that was “okay” was left and I’m now replacing all the components that have worn over the 16 years since manufacture - suspension, trunk/frunk struts, ill matched tyres, hood tension, exhaust etc. My first service recommended around £6k of things that needed attention.

So, check whether that enticing history of bills covers expensive items and if not, factor them into your man maths.

Oh, and buy a black one if you like them, just factor in paint if/when you get fed up of paint chips.

I bought mine to see what they were like to live with with a view to swapping my S3 for a new 718. 

I targeted a later 2.7 987.1 with an M97 engine. The reasons being:

It has the larger IMS bearing so less of a worry than a 2005 car. (you will still worry for the first couple of months).

A 2.7 engine that suffers bore score is apparently rare. Check out the price of a 3.2 engine rebuild!  

They are the bang for buck bargain of the Boxsters

You are looking at cars that are 13-16 years old that have done some miles so none are likely to be perfect. It depends what you are after, but I'd rather buy private from someone who can show evidence that they have looked after the car than pay an extra few grand to support a dealer's glass palace.

I do my own servicing, maintenance and repairs wherever possible, parts are a bit dearer than for they are for a eurobox. I bought a car WITHOUT full service history but with receipts for some fairly major common jobs and service work having being completed over the previous year, four recent matching Goodyear tyres and a lovely light clutch.  

A 987.2S with a few toys would be great, but dealers are asking four times what I paid for mine! Worth the difference for a car 2 years newer?

I drive it quite hard. It lives outside. It has collected a few chips and scuffs in it's 90,000 miles and I think I've washed it three times in the last six months. It gets what it needs to keep it going and I can live with a bit of whine and noise from the ancillaries. I don't mind where I leave it when we go out and if the engine lets go I could probably break it for spares and get my money back. 

Oh - and the 718? I test drove one thinking it would provide the best of the S3 and Boxster combined- it didn't. Think OLED tv without the soundbar. So I'm keeping the S3, treating it to an uprated clutch and a stage 1 tune to fully enjoy the power and torque, plus Ill keep the Boxster for the noise, chuckability and the way it feels to drive.

Should you go for it - yes, definitely. They really are THAT good to drive...

Would I spend £30k on a 987 today? Probably not. I'd expect prices to tumble in the near future. 

Done to tastefully disguise that big slab of beige?

On 10/13/2021 at 9:43 PM, rowbos said:

Finally got around to ordering a new low profile jack today...  

Sealey 2001 Low Entry Rocket Lift in orange

Looks decent and I know a few on here have the same model.

https://workshopping.co.uk/jacking-lifting/jacks/trolley-jacks/2-tonne-trolley-jacks-and-under/sealey-2001leor-trolley-jack-225tonne-low-entry-rocket-lift-orange

 

+1 for Sealey Rocket Jacks.

I paid £132 for a 3 tonne after a seal on my Clarke jack started to fail and slowly descend. Incredible lift height and the nylon wheels are actually big and wide enough to allow the jack to move when lifting a load!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332826706580

It's big, easy to use, stable and well worth the money. 

With the onset of winter I'm driving the car in the dark and to be frank, compared to the LED lights I'm used to, the headlights in my Boxster are useless. 

I've searched the forum but can't find much on this. A HID set-up I found is £150, there are Xenons from £20 or LEDs below for £22.(could be just cheap and nasty eBay rubbish)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184083743908?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338785333&toolid=10029&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1828pm8YPRbGRnG6hUPSSpw63&customid=s%3AGS%3Bgc%3ACj0KCQjwwY-LBhD6ARIsACvT72PrkFZX-JGy1r_mzFVpfoS1hczj8eMv_mmZulXG3D1HVAgdGEWy-tQaAhLnEALw_wcB

I know the MOT issues, not too much of a job to swap "just the bulbs" I already have crystal clear lenses after polishing them for MOT (the car passed with no advisories).

Question is, has anyone fitted an upgrade actually resulting in better headlights and any opinions on the best bang for your buck? 

6 hours ago, MickH said:

I'm going to give this a go on your recommendation.  Got the full kit for £40.  Cleaner, restorer, waterproofer and brushes

Tooth brush and W5 brought the green off quite easily.

The Protex colour restorer is very runny. I tried covering the bodywork with polythene, but it wasn't really necessary if you're careful. I just used a piece of polythene trapped between the hood and screen for the second coat. I used a 2" brush and small artists brush for the tight areas and wiped the excess off the rear screen surround. Started at the back under the screen and behind the door with the hood a little open, then started that side with the roof close then across the roof in lines so as not to get a dry edge. I used plenty of the colour restorer to wet the material. Obviously don't do it in the sun.

One coat looked ok, two was better but I was changing from faded blue to black. 1/2 a litre is ample for one coat, 1 litre will do three coats.   

A satisfying job.

My car lived outside when I bought it and still does. The roof especially at the back was getting quite green with mould and spots here and there that wouldn't clean off and was still marked even after using mould treatment and several goes with Gtechniq W5 cleaner.

After some research, and not liking the blue roof look anyway, I used two coats of Protex soft top dye to change the colour from blue to black. Four months on it still looks great and any old mould spots are only just visible if you look really closely. I'll be giving it a third coat before winter and then a coat of Protex waterproofer that I didn't use last time to finish the job off. 

I did buy a tin of Fabsil but won't be using it as it has been suggested that it could damage the waterproof membrane inside the roof and dye won't take in future if it has been treated with it.

A black roof on a Midnight Blue car looks soooo much better IMHO. 

8 hours ago, Davey P said:

Excellent stuff @Codfanglers I'm really glad you're still enjoying my old car 

If you're thinking about getting a Cayman sometime in the future, I would say at least go for a test drive in a 2.7 before you dismiss it as "lacking in power and torque".  Mine feels extremely powerful, with more than enough grunt for every day driving. 

It's a firecracker compared to Mrs C's three pot ecoboost Fiesta and I'd agree that the 2.7 is enough for normal driving. I've got used to the delights of 50% more torque than my Boxster ever produces though, and an engine that delivers it all the way from 2000 rpm. Apples and oranges maybe.

Accelerating and pulling out to overtake in the Boxster, even when revving the nads off it is a leisurely affair with speed building a lot slower than I would like.

I think I'd be far happier with a 718S than anything with a NA flat 6. Or wait for an electric Cayman which can't be far away.

On 4/9/2021 at 11:14 AM, Davey P said:

When I bought mine I was approaching my 60th birthday, and came to the sudden realisation that I wanted a Porsche. My preference would have been a Cayman, but the prices were much higher compared to a Boxster, so the decision was made based on my self imposed budget.  I bought the first one I saw, which is obviously a terrible idea, but quite normal for me   I paid £7K, which at the time made it one of the cheapest 987's in the country I reckon, probably because it had no service history.  Looking at a similar age and mileage Cayman they were £10K+ and I didn't want to spend that much - However, I ended up spending another £4K on various servicing and repairs, tyres, battery, coolant pipes etc in the first couple of months, so my man-maths didn't quite add up on that one.... Anyway, after the initial expenditure the car was brilliant and the only reason I sold it was because my father passed away and I wanted to spend my inheritance on something quite spectacular, which is exactly what I did.  I'm now the proud owner of the most beautiful 981 Cayman, and I've got a permanent reminder of my lovely Dad every time I drive it.

Well, My reasons were similar. 

Really wanted a Cayman but bought Dave's Boxster because it was newer for not much more money than a 986, has all the improvements (and looks) that came with the 987 and possibly would have less age related ongoing issues (expenses). Although the car came without service history which is obviously a big no no with Porsches it had a couple of recent services, some expensive common jobs done, been recently cared for and has the later IMS bearing (so I'm only 15% as worried that the engine will self implode as I would have been with a pre 2006 car). It runs and drives great and I'm over the anxiety of all the strange engine noises (even though internet research suggests they all make them) and the noises haven't changed in the last 1000 miles. I'm working through the few jobs that were needed and what I want to do on the car. All have been fairly straightforward. 

The bodywork and paint looks "original", shiny and no rust anywhere. It looks and feels like a £12k car. 

I bought it to see how these cars are to live with. The more I drive it the more I like it. The car is soooo comfortable and a joy to drive. There are plenty of things I like about it but the 2.7 is sadly lacking in the power and torque I'm used to. The main thing I have decided though is that if I do eventually chop the S3 for a Cayman, it won't be for a flat 6. Controversial view I know, but I don't think the noise is worth sacrificing the torque for everyday driving. Perhaps I should buy a TTS after all.

For now though, I'm using the Boxster more than the S3. I wonder why?