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Sub £3.5k Boxsters: Share your bargain buys


Mr96er

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  • 2 weeks later...
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http://ibb.co/hVn0Bk Tiptronic "S", an insurance write off after an accident during MoT testing. Notice the quality repair job on the bumper? Paid 3,330 on an Ebay auction.

My best buy was on Ebay classifieds: a 1999 2.5 with damage. Paid 2,000. Lovely past owner, great car. http://ibb.co/fQMJWk see the damage to the rear? 

Got a year 2000 low mileage 2.7 with IMS and doors' rubbers replaced. Seller was a perfectionist. Manual gearbox, well worth the 3,300 pounds. 

PPI is worth doing. Wouldn't you agree? It was recless, paying for cars unseen, based on some "gut feeling". Luckily, most people are decent...

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On 10.8.2017 at 8:05 AM, Loz987 said:

Really?? I suspect more... 

35667360983_ee5026e5f5_b.jpg

these are £5500 with marks and little tears. 

I'm always mindful of putting values on other people's things, but think these seats would be quite sought after. 

http://ibb.co/eX51j5 then there is hope? This is the seat on my "Future Classics" 944-S2 with 3.0 liter engine. Should be dry cleaned, TBH. http://ibb.co/jyOnP5 

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Well, I missed the topic. Y'all want to hear what to look out for?

* corrosion

*rotted aluminium (from the screws holding the rims to the coolers); check the car when its hoisted up! Exhaust etc. etc.

* bad repair & paint jobs. Look at the hoods, the bumpers and check the roof mechanism. "Manual" is an euphemism for an expensive issue.

* Then there are the annoying intermittent issues like when the 2.5 wouldn't start in the Eurotunnel's waggon for like 40 seconds. It only happened now and then. 

Resumee: 

I would now stay away from the high mileage cars. Surprise! The data readout indicates the cam chain tensioners are going. Now comes the big Q. Do you want to fix an old engine? My friend's mechanic took 15 hours swapping both, engine and gearbox on a 2.5. That was about 500 pounds! Mmm. Got a good moonlighting mechanic? The answer should rule out certain cheap cars, or make them more interesting. YMMV.

 

Chris

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My worst purchase: 1997 2.5 with >178 k miles @ 2,495 GBP

http://ibb.co/fSTJE5 my 84 y.o. Dad came to help when the alternator stopped working.

* Rust, cam chains lengthened (it shows on the diagnostics), rotting aluminium parts.

* The roof is on manual, the 2 back "sticks" that turn were removed and the cover is 2" higher on the right, as you can see.

* Got a ton of receipts, a new clutch and new brake disks. The radio & CD changer combo is rare and the rims fit the 924/944 and are sought after.

* Still, my loss will be only be a few hundred pounds. The car drove me reliably from the UK and then 800 km in a day. After sitting in a garage for a few months, the alternator went out and also drains the battery. Oh well.

The 986s are great cars and they can be broken, too

Chris

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  • 2 weeks later...

Back on track.

Brought mine for £2700 in July 2016.

It's a 2000, 986S with113k Miles.

I knew it wasn't great, but the overall 'condition' looked as though it had been a very loved car through 80-90% of its life and more importantly (to me) probably garaged through much of its life. Service History wasn't complete, but where it was, the service history, at the beginning and the end, had been done at main dealers, including recent'ish full major. Very clean in all the normal areas of concern, but test drive was only 5 mins as both outside front rads had gone (60 miles home I used the frunk and trunk full of the cheapest still water I could buy to keep topping the water up whenever I got stopped in traffic). Clutch and flywheel had gone, suspension was suspect. Lots of clunking and, as I'd previously owned (and spent a fortune on!) a 996, I knew, more or less, what the solutions would be.

Huge bill, nearly twice purchase price (see below), to get it into a decent state - although I've done the cosmetic bits myself.

Internal bits had been red carbon wrapped and door cards 'destroyed' with aftermarket 'wicked' large speakers....all now returned to normal.

I wanted a project rather than someone else's. When I brought it I didn't have the space to do any of the work so had to get it done at an indy. I wanted to know that the bits had been changed in my ownership, not 3k miles ago in someone else's and then not knowing what the car had done since.

It had a new 'glass screen' roof, which I think is Porsche OEM - but I might be wrong.

I had originally intended to strip it out, make it as light as possible, and wrap in Miami Blue, but this plan has got over taken by events.......

Will now start to look at doing mechanicals myself.

Then (after purchase)....

12K service

New ignition switch

Airbag system check

Replace 2 radiators 

Aircon condensors

New clutch

New Flywheel 

Spark plugs and tubes

Exhaust clamps

Front top mounts

Lower control arms (front and rear)

Alignment

CV boot

Fuel filler cap

New key

New (refurb) aircon head unit

New (Douglas Valley - DV) door cards

Replacement OEM door speakers (DV).

New (DV) and then paint centre console

Replacement gear stick (DV)

Refurbed Wheels, hubs and brakes

Respray rear bumper

To do - 'Needs'

Exhaust bypass or similar, it's too quiet.

New rubber - still riding on very cheap tyres brought (I suspect) to get through the MOT.

Possible re map

 

 IMG_1102.JPG?raw=1

IMG_3495.JPG?raw=1

 

AaS

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I am looking at 2 trying to decide which to get, a '99 Box 2.7L with 160k and decent condition and '00 BoxS 3.2 with 120k. I figure the 99 won't have IMS issues with the dual row bearing but it's £3,000 and the '00 has been beaten up a bit but is £4,000 and will need an IMS change. I'd appreciate any thoughts to consider. 

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20 minutes ago, ChubbMUK said:

I am looking at 2 trying to decide which to get, a '99 Box 2.7L with 160k and decent condition and '00 BoxS 3.2 with 120k. I figure the 99 won't have IMS issues with the dual row bearing but it's £3,000 and the '00 has been beaten up a bit but is £4,000 and will need an IMS change. I'd appreciate any thoughts to consider. 

Everyone always says buy on condition, not mileage.

I always say that it will be your car and you've got to be happy with it, if you're not and something goes expensively wrong it's very easy to fall out of love.

I posted my list to give an indication of what might, could, would need doing if you buy cheaply - much could have been left and done in the future.

You'll notice that I haven't changed the IMS bearing, I was advised against at the clutch change and took the advice (but my decision in the end). And that's quite a bizarre change of heart considering one of the reasons I sold my 996 was that I started to get nervous about one day explaining to my wife that my car needed a new £10,000 engine. With hindsight not sure why I didn't just get the 996's IMS done!

I am however much happier with the 986 than I ever thought possible, great fun to drive and I love being able to potter about doing things to it - £110 on new door cards and speakers had made a huge difference to the inside from when I brought it and I feel able to do that on the cheaper 'base car' that I brought rather than something newer.  Mine is as much about learning and doing as driving.

I couldn't have brought a 2.7, I'd have always wanted a 3.2, but there are lots on here that would argue the other way.  As I say, you need to buy what you feel is right for you. 

Good luck with the search, a great way to burn through any time off!

AaS

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1 hour ago, ChubbMUK said:

I am looking at 2 trying to decide which to get, a '99 Box 2.7L with 160k and decent condition and '00 BoxS 3.2 with 120k. I figure the 99 won't have IMS issues with the dual row bearing but it's £3,000 and the '00 has been beaten up a bit but is £4,000 and will need an IMS change. I'd appreciate any thoughts to consider. 

I'd tend to go with the one in decent condition irrespective of the mileage as long as it has been regularly serviced. The problem with buying a car in poorer condition is that over time you're likely to pay a lot of money getting it into decent condition and you'll never get that back when you sell a car with over 100k on the clock. I bought a 140k car as I only do 4K a year, if I did 10k a year I might have looked for one with closer to 100k. Mine shows no signs of engine wear so far, oil level hasn't moved in 4000 hard miles.

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On 29/08/2017 at 9:26 AM, allatsea said:

Everyone always says buy on condition, not mileage.

I always say that it will be your car and you've got to be happy with it, if you're not and something goes expensively wrong it's very easy to fall out of love.

I posted my list to give an indication of what might, could, would need doing if you buy cheaply - much could have been left and done in the future.

You'll notice that I haven't changed the IMS bearing, I was advised against at the clutch change and took the advice (but my decision in the end). And that's quite a bizarre change of heart considering one of the reasons I sold my 996 was that I started to get nervous about one day explaining to my wife that my car needed a new £10,000 engine. With hindsight not sure why I didn't just get the 996's IMS done!

I am however much happier with the 986 than I ever thought possible, great fun to drive and I love being able to potter about doing things to it - £110 on new door cards and speakers had made a huge difference to the inside from when I brought it and I feel able to do that on the cheaper 'base car' that I brought rather than something newer.  Mine is as much about learning and doing as driving.

I couldn't have brought a 2.7, I'd have always wanted a 3.2, but there are lots on here that would argue the other way.  As I say, you need to buy what you feel is right for you. 

Good luck with the search, a great way to burn through any time off!

AaS

Thanks for your input. Appreciated

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On 29/08/2017 at 9:52 AM, Nobbie said:

I'd tend to go with the one in decent condition irrespective of the mileage as long as it has been regularly serviced. The problem with buying a car in poorer condition is that over time you're likely to pay a lot of money getting it into decent condition and you'll never get that back when you sell a car with over 100k on the clock. I bought a 140k car as I only do 4K a year, if I did 10k a year I might have looked for one with closer to 100k. Mine shows no signs of engine wear so far, oil level hasn't moved in 4000 hard miles.

I guess I figure they'll both need lots of work so whichever I can live with...something to consider. Thx very much

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On 29/08/2017 at 1:13 PM, Menoporsche said:

I thought dual row bearing was only 2.5 models?

According to the Internet, really early 2.7 and 3.2 engines had the dual row IMSB.

My Jan '00 registered 2.7 has a dual row bearing, confirmed when I had the clutch and flywheel replaced. My own research has suggested that anything on a W plate or later is likely to be single row. Anything on a V plate can be hit or miss, although almost guaranteed to be dual row if registered in '99.

My 986 was slightly over thread budget so does not qualify, although I did haggle down to something starting with a 3. Coming up to our first year anniversary. It's been...interesting...

At first, the below seemed to be its natural habitat:

32466143915_b364d8e62c_b.jpgDSC_0857[1] by ash_ashy_mo, on Flickr

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7 hours ago, Anker BS said:

I have never heard of an S with a dual row IMS.

I believe early 986Ss with certain engine numbers had dual row bearings (Google is your friend).

My car (MY2000) is in this range, however the PO upgraded to an LN IMSB when changing the clutch the year before I purchased.

 

Cheers, Baggers.

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2 minutes ago, bagss2 said:

I believe early 986Ss with certain engine numbers had dual row bearings (Google is your friend).

My car (MY2000) is in this range, however the PO upgraded to an LN IMSB when changing the clutch the year before I purchased.

 

Cheers, Baggers.

Baggers,

Have you got a link to the engine numbers?

Thank you.

AaS

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21 minutes ago, allatsea said:

Baggers,

Have you got a link to the engine numbers?

Thank you.

AaS

See here (and scroll down to the Which Bearing is Inside Your Engine? section, which contains a table):

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/14-ENGINE-Intermediate_Shaft_Bearing/14-ENGINE-Intermediate_Shaft_Bearing.htm

 

Cheers, Baggers.

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Going by engine numbers can be a little hit and miss.

The only definitive way is to pull the gearbox and look at the IMSB cover:

Pic013.jpg

Deep depression (left) = single row

Shallow depression (right) = dual row 

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/14-ENGINE-Intermediate_Shaft_Bearing/14-ENGINE-Intermediate_Shaft_Bearing.htm

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 03/09/2017 at 9:54 AM, bagss2 said:

See here (and scroll down to the Which Bearing is Inside Your Engine? section, which contains a table):

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/14-ENGINE-Intermediate_Shaft_Bearing/14-ENGINE-Intermediate_Shaft_Bearing.htm

 

Cheers, Baggers.

My engine number sits firmly in the double bearing bracket which is somewhat reassuring, would be great if there was a more definitive list out there somewhere though.

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2 hours ago, jonnoshore said:

Seconded... thanks Baggers!

Need to check my engine number... now at 177k miles :)

Carefull, you may have a Schodinger's IMS bearing, you've only been safe upto now because you don't know.

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