Picked up another 986

[RCS]

Having started our Porsche experience in a facelift 986S, moved to C2S 997.2  Cab, and sadly ('cos it kept having problems which Porsche kept mending but every 8 weeks in the OPC....) sold and but pleased with the diesel Cayenne replacement we missed top down motoring. I thought we'd wait until next year, but Mrs RCS wanted to go topless sooner, and we've just acquired a 2002 2.7 Boxster Tip in Basalt Black.  Cars in good order, some hopefully just minor things to rectify, and pictures will follow in due course.  It also has the PCM 1 , complete with working king size SIM card, I'd forgotten how massive these were!   

A quick question on brake calipers colour - i thought these were black on the 2.7? These need tidying up and look almost powered coat/ grey ali rough surface, whereas I've been used the smooth surfaced red 'S' ones, ( as is every You tube calliper paint video I can find) so what finish/colour should they be ?.

[r1flyguy]

Have you not got a bed to go too???

 

look forward to the pics, I have no clue or any help to your queries just thought I'd post to a fellow night howler!!! Mind you its 0804am here in Shanghai now and I'm off to bed

[Topbox]

Grey calipers are standard on 2.7 will most likely clean up a bit and new "PORSCHE " transfers are available from e-bay I believe, if required lettering is white. Its a dull grey colour with a baremetal type finish, enjoy.

[RCS]

7 hours ago, r1flyguy said:

Have you not got a bed to go too???

 

look forward to the pics, I have no clue or any help to your queries just thought I'd post to a fellow night howler!!! Mind you its 0804am here in Shanghai now and I'm off to bed

Yes suddenly realised how late it was!! Co incidentally its 8.04 am GMT as i write this

28 minutes ago, Topbox said:

Grey calipers are standard on 2.7 will most likely clean up a bit and new "PORSCHE " transfers are available from e-bay I believe, if required lettering is white. Its a dull grey colour with a baremetal type finish, enjoy.

Best methods on cleaning up?   Couple of quickly grabbed photos.

[MartinRS2K]

These are mine on our 2004 2.7 if this helps

[pgk188]

Hi Martin,

Can you let me know where you got those nice shiny wheel nuts from please?

 

[Topbox]

@RCS Gosh they do look a bit grim. No expert but might try a clay bar first with a detailing fluid as a lubricant (Halfords or on-line) and see what that does,

 Then try a polish of some kind similar to the Auto Glym Super Resin Polish. If they are still mucky maybe a wheel cleaner or, and this may make a few on here cry, CIF ( the kitchen cleaner formally known as JIF ) I know no better you see, but the CIF is slightly abrasive I think. Oh yes, nice nuts @MartinRS2K

[RCS]

2 hours ago, Topbox said:

@RCS Gosh they do look a bit grim. No expert but might try a clay bar first with a detailing fluid as a lubricant (Halfords or on-line) and see what that does,

 Then try a polish of some kind similar to the Auto Glym Super Resin Polish. If they are still mucky maybe a wheel cleaner or, and this may make a few on here cry, CIF ( the kitchen cleaner formally known as JIF ) I know no better you see, but the CIF is slightly abrasive I think. Oh yes, nice nuts @MartinRS2K

Yep grim they are, I'll see what happens with some of those techniques, all of which are in the cupboard in the garage (well the CIF is in the kitchen).  Interesting that the remains of the Porsche script on mine appears to be black, not the typical white such as on yours.

[edc]

Here for bolts https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360583756553 

you want the regular length ones as these are the longer ones for wheels spacers and 550. 

[Boxbrownie]

20 hours ago, RCS said:

but Mrs RCS wanted to go topless sooner,

 

      

[Mike G]

I actually like the black calipers on my 2.7 as much as I did the red brembos on my S boxsters... understated  ?

Red calipers were still relativley exclusive when I had my first Boxster many moons ago but now it seems the world and his wife are painting their brakes some colour or other

[pgk188]

On 16/09/2016 at 9:24 PM, edc said:

Here for bolts https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360583756553 

you want the regular length ones as these are the longer ones for wheels spacers and 550. 

Thank you, the listing has ended..........so can you remember the supplier please? Also, I had some similar ones that tarnished and went furry quite quickly, have yours been ok?

[edc]

tech_world_direct They've been on my car for 2.5 years and about 10k miles. Not furry at all.

[pgk188]

1 hour ago, edc said:

tech_world_direct They've been on my car for 2.5 years and about 10k miles. Not furry at all.

Great, thank you,I'll give them a try.

[jimk04]

Hi Richard.

There are two finishes of black. Gloss black on the 996. And the anodized finish as you have.

[RCS]

 

1 hour ago, jimk04 said:

Hi Richard.

There are two finishes of black. Gloss black on the 996. And the anodized finish as you have.

So any ideas on whether mine will clean up and how to do it or have they been 'stripped' over the years by various wheel cleaning stuff?  Hopefully this coming week I'll be starting work on it to sort out all the little things and give it a good clean.  May even do some before and afters.

[jimk04]

looks like yours were anodized.

Id just paint them black. Youll not be able to replicate the anodized finish successfully.

[RCS]

41 minutes ago, jimk04 said:

looks like yours were anodized.

Id just paint them black. Youll not be able to replicate the anodized finish successfully.

Thats the conclusion I was coming too

[ooid]

On 9/16/2016 at 0:47 AM, RCS said:

Having started our Porsche experience in a facelift 986S, moved to C2S 997.2  Cab, and sadly ('cos it kept having problems which Porsche kept mending but every 8 weeks in the OPC....) sold

Suprised to hear about gen2 997 issues? I'm currently looking at gen1 or gen2s actually to replace boxster.. What were the issues?

[RCS]

47 minutes ago, ooid said:

Suprised to hear about gen2 997 issues? I'm currently looking at gen1 or gen2s actually to replace boxster.. What were the issues?

Well firstly I think it was a 'tea break special' , most unusual.  I know quite a few people with both Gen1 & 2 997's all running fine, so i think it was something specific to this car.

Car was a 2010 997.2 C2S Cab, very nicely spec'd, bought 2014 with 17/18k on the clock from an OPC so had their warranty thank goodness!!

6 months into ownership lost drive going onto a roundabout after a short stop.  Fiddled about with pdk lever and managed to limp to nearby OPC who said they thought it was a faulty temperature sensor, and i'd be fine to carry on driving.  Switching on and off would reset everything if it did it again.  Booked it into local OPC for repair, they said it needed a new pdk box, which was duly fitted.

6/8 weeks later driving off a ferry from Ireland loss of drive!! Switch off and on restored it (with folks looking at the Porsche plonker apparently stalling) , back to OPC, not sure of exact reason but not the pdk, so it didn't need changing again - apparently 2 stored codes not pdk related, but no warning came on dash (on either occasion!!)

6/8 weeks later PCM started flashing the Porsche logo and a black screen - new PCM fitted.  Impossible to switch off when using car, but it did switch off when car was locked.

6/8 weeks later wouldn't start properly.  Taken away and returned on AA transporter having had a new high pressure fuel pump fitted (and they also spotted the coolant cap was leaking so that was changed)

6/8 weeks later PCM went black with rhythmic relay clicking as previously in background.  Impossible to switch it off and it flattened the battery in 2 days whilst i was waiting to take it in for examination.  Technician said it was too hot to handle at the back when he removed it !!

As said Porsche fixed everything under their Warranty no quibble, but it was only on the last occasion when looking back i spotted the regularity of the failures.  Mrs RCS had lost confidence in it and wouldn't drive it, and I too was less than happy, no fun getting in a car and immediately checking everything is working, before turning the key to see if it starts, and then holding your breath as you engage drive and hope it moves.  It also got embarrassing with neighbours asking where our car was given the regular stream of loan cars!!

As said very unusual, one of my thoughts are there might have been an underlying electrical fault with odd spikes which damaged/shut down components, and we were treating effect not cause, but with no error messages the Technicians can't do anything (and note no error messages when drive was lost!!).  

Given above we decided it had to go, rather than have it back on a ramp in another 6/8 weeks. but this did give us a depreciation hit we hadn't planned for, although supplying dealers were very very supportive and good.  We were looking at changing one of our daily drivers so px'd both for a KN, otherwise we'd have had to put a load of dosh in to get a similar C2S.   Interestingly dealer decided after lots of internal discussion and despite it having 14 months warranty left on it to put it out through their 'dealer auctions' rather than sell it again as a Porsche approved.  They said they didn't want another unhappy customer.

What did I learn through all this?

 -  If you have a PCM replaced under warranty it is apparently a 'remanufactured' previously failed unit that comes to be fitted, so possibly in my case the first replacement was just a badly repaired unit - but it did exhibit similar symptoms and sounds.  If your PCM does this i would recommend pulling the fuse to it in case its also getting hot like mine did (and also avoid flattening your battery). 

- PDK's are not a service item for OPC's, they can only change oils, reprogram and change some sensors etc , they do not open them up etc.  If its bust its a new one from Porsche (or 2nd hand), and the old unit goes back to Germany.  Doesn't seem to be any 3rd party menders of pdks last time I looked, and I don't know whether Indys can do a full programming of one or not.

- Given above if I have another car with pdk I would have a Porsche warranty, or ensure (as in double checked/belt/braces /velcro specific written confirmation) that it was fully covered by a.n.other warranty  - a pdk change is around £10/12k at an OPC and thats not a bill I want albeit failures seem rare.

The car when working was fantastic, a really nice car to be in and drive and v. quick when pushed, pdk box is a dream - we'd potentially decided early doors it could be a keeper.  Shame, and we'd pushed the boat out for Gen 2 as they seemed bullet proof and to avoid any bore score issues with a Gen 1.  Would we have another - yes.

So this shouldn't put you off, as said I think this was an exception, a rogue car for whatever reason.  I'd still prefer a Gen 2 so as to avoid any bore scoring issues and also for a pdk box, they are superb.

The one upside from this - got to drive on a regular basis different Porsche models as loaners- only a Panamera to go!!

Good luck in your search!

[ooid]

Thank you so much! Very unlucky situation indeed, but glad to know your engine was alright at least during your period!

A family member also suffered 997.1 engine replacement before hitting 50k so I'm a little bit cautious in the process, even though I like them a lot!

Looks like our bargain 986's not so bad than..

[RCS]

Well we missed the open air motoring hence the 986 acquisition, although the diesel KN is no slouch surprisingly  - so much for rationalising our 'fleet' and trying to keep costs down  - still at least i can now use a  'My other car is a Porsche' sticker, and appear an absolute knob to everyone