The build quality and paint on the Boxster are excellent, so any imperfection should be regarded as a warning sign. It may well be poorly repaired accident damage or the result of the car being used for track days.
Make sure you ask for an explanation and for any supporting documentation if it has been repaired. Coil springs. An unlevel stance is the giveaway for coil spring issues, but knocking or groaning noises when manoeuvring or travelling over rough road surfaces are also a bad sign. Both and Boxsters are vulnerable to rear main oil seal failure, which is expensive to repair as the gearbox needs to be removed in order to fit the replacement seal. Fortunately, the consequences of RMS failure are generally nothing more serious than a small oil leak and a repair can usually be delayed until the car needs a bigger job doing, such as a clutch replacement.
But, it is well worth getting a Porsche specialist to assess the severity of any oil leaks before you actually buy the used Boxster. IMS failure. One issue you are certain to have read about when researching whether to buy a Porsche is the notorious IMS bearing failure, which caused catastrophic engine failure in some cars. Fortunately, it is unusual on Boxster s, as the standard factory fitted bearing was upgraded and relocated to inside the crank case in , and almost every available on the second-hand market has the new stronger bearing.
If you view one of the very earliest s from , ask whether the highly effective retrofit solution has been fitted. If not, it is well worth investing in an inspection by a Porsche specialist to check whether IMS problems are imminent. Tyre wear.
Rapid and uneven tyre wear is a major problem on Boxsters where the wheel alignment is not right. If the tyres appear more worn on the inside or outside edges rather than straight across, the car is likely to need wheel alignment work in the near future.
However, accelerated tyre wear can also be a sign that the suspension bushes are failing; if this is the case you are likely to hear a squeaking noise when going over speed bumps or potholes during the test drive. Either way, it is sensible to get an expert opinion before buying.
While the manual, tiptronic and PDK transmissions for the Boxster are all highly reliable, the long service intervals recommended by Porsche mean that problems can go unnoticed until they require extensive work. Among the signs to look out for during the test drive are clicking sounds and humming from the rear of the car, while on manuals symptoms also include stiff gear changes, a heavy clutch pedal and a clunking sound when switching off the engine.
A good Porsche specialist will be able to repair most transmission problems, but you will want to ensure the cost of the imminent work is reflected in the price you pay for the car. Scored cylinder bores. This issue is talked about a lot on the internet, but is relatively rare on Boxster s. It can be a problem on the 3. However, if the Porsche you buy is one of the unfortunate few you will be looking at a sizeable repair bill, so it is worth checking for signs such as low oil levels, sooty emissions on the exhaust tips and a tapping noise from the engine generally from one side of the engine.
Again, this is easy for a competent shop to check or indeed the DIYer using a handheld scanner. How hard has the car been driven? Taking the engine to the red line for RPM is a good thing, but going over the red line obviously can cause damage. A gear change at red line will actually cause the revs to increase slightly momentarily — nothing bad here.
But, if you select the wrong gear, the engine revs to go way over the red line. Thankfully, Porsche engine management records many things and one of the most significant is known as an over-rev situation. Data is permanently stored within the ECU showing running hours and when engine events occurred. There are six levels of over-revs recorded ranging from the engine being red-lined through to what would be a potentially catastrophically high RPM event.
Events in the first category suggests the car has been properly exercised, but events in the higher categories could be hiding a potential life shortening engine event.
Many Porsche owners like to go to track days. On the track, gear changes will occur right around the rpm maximum red line. These events will be recorded if they reach the lower levels of the over rev counter. Multiple recorded events in the lower over-rev categories could be a sign of how much track time the car has experienced.
We recommend you use the help of a Porsche Repair Shop to read this data and give you an assessment. There are some common areas where oil leaks occur on the Boxster engine. Most are easily fixed and are part of the normal wear and tear process. One of the most common areas for an oil leak is the engine rear main seal. See our common problems page for more information. Leaking oil used to just be seen as a annoying stain on the driveway and a potential fire hazard.
However, modern cars feature many electronic engine management systems that can potentially be severely damaged by oil ingress. Oil leaks should not be a barrier to purchase, but they should be considered in terms of the purchase price — what appears to be a minor oil leak could turn into an expensive job. Again, this is where a competent shop should be able to accurately asses and relay the cost of an oil leak repair. An integral part of the emissions system, the Air Oil Separator AOS is designed to extract oil from gases in the crankcase, recycle the oil to the sump and send the gas through the combustion path to be burnt and cleaned by the catalytic converters.
The AOS has caused numerous issues on Porsche engines. As the membrane in the AOS fails, oil is sucked into the air intake. Initially this can show up as a check engine light for fuel adaptations and the oil can be deposited on the o2 sensors and cause emission faults. Of course, once it fails completely and oil is sucked into the intake, the resultant huge clouds of white smoke are fairly obvious.
However, replacing the aos sooner, rather than later, is a good precaution. A failing aos is the likely cause of rear main seal failure, as it is in other VAG cars. Crankcase gas is not extracted well enough, pressure builds in the case under acceleration and escapes out of the rear main seal causing seal failure and the resultant oil leak.
A failing aos also causes oil pass into the intake and will cause the engine management to adjust fuel mixtures. The changing mixture can cause over fueling and lead to other more significant problems. Check to see when the last replacement of the AOS was completed on the car you plan to buy. If there is no record, plan to replace it as a precaution. Make sure you spend time checking the operation of the roof to ensure it goes up and down smoothly.
Most of the top issues are usually simple and inexpensive to fix, but can be annoying if you only discover them when you want to drop the top on your first sunny day. Porsche revised the mechanism that operates the top a few times during the life of the Boxster. Older original versions of the mechanism have parts that cannot be serviced.
They need to be replaced with the entire revised system. Worth checking the history on the car to see if any work on the top has been recorded. Importantly, look for signs of leaks from the roof into the cabin. Look behind the seats in particular. The rear roof drains can get blocked by leaves and debris over time. This results in rainwater dripping into an area of the cabin in which electronic control units are located.
It is simple enough to keep the drains clear, but failing to do so can be an expensive and annoying oversight. Check carefully for signs of cracks or degrading of the stitching around this window. This can be fixed relatively simply by a competent upholstery shop.
Corrosion is a rare item on the bodywork of the Porsche Boxster. Vehicles in the Midwest can exhibit some degrading of the lower panels if they have been subjected to road chemicals.
However, most Porsche owners store their cars over the winter to avoid this. The bodywork of the Boxster should be in perfect condition — in many cases the paint will have faded. Make friends with a good detailer who can do some paint restoration for you.
The suspension on the Boxster is very solid. Naturally, over time and mileage wear can occur in plastic or rubber bushings that help to cushion the ride.
Listen out for squeaks or clunks over bumps and check for leaks from the suspension struts. Worn suspension components typically exhibit some noise and will show up as uneven tire wear.
Check the tires thoroughly for smooth wear patterns and pay attention to the tire DOT date. Low mileage cars in particular have this problem — the tires do not experience wear because of the lack of mileage.
On any Porsche, make sure you get under the car and take a good look at the inner shoulders of the tires — this is the most common place for extreme wear and the most likely to be missed by a walk round the exterior. The manual and automatic transmissions on the Boxster are generally highly reliable.
Both should change gear smoothly and without any hesitation. The auto transmission can be scanned for faults but rarely has issues. Fluid services can be performed on both transmissions and the duration of the time interval is quite high. Look for previous indications this has been done or understand where the car is in terms of time related fluid changes for the transmission.
Typically, problems with the automatic transmission usually spell replacement — not cheap! The answer depends on who is driving the car!
Wear on the Boxster clutch should be very noticeable. Engine revs will increase while the car does not accelerate. This is usually associated with a nasty burning smell. A slipping clutch spells trouble. When the clutch slips it very quickly does damage to the flywheel. Check the used Boxster you plan to buy for clutch replacement history and plan to have to do the work at some point in the future. The brakes on the Boxster are generally excellent. Brake pad material does degrade over time, so again on low mileage examples check to see when the last brake service was performed.
The brake fluid should be changed every few years regardless of mileage. Again, a competent shop should be able to measure the moisture content in the brake fluid and recommend the next flush interval. If in doubt, flush the fluid. The first generation Porsche Boxster was produced between and with a minor facelift in and it is unrealistic to think that cars more than 12 years old will be entirely problem-free during your ownership.
The most common reasons for failure are minor headlamp defects and worn tyres. However, there are a number of expensive things that can and do go wrong with the Boxster The key to making a good buy is to check that none of the known major issues are imminent, that any work previously undertaken has been completed to a high standard and that the has been well maintained throughout its life.
When buying any used car a full service history is a must, as it demonstrates the car has been well looked after and that the recommended maintenance regime has been followed. It is particularly important with Porsches because the specialist nature of the cars mean they really need to be serviced and repaired by experienced Porsche technicians familiar with all the systems.
Ideally, the Boxster you buy should have been maintained and repaired by Official Porsche Centres and independent Porsche specialists following the recommended service schedule. If services have been skipped or non-specialist garages have been used, it is a sign that the car may not have been properly looked after.
Many owners keep all the invoices from services and repairs with the service book and this will allow you to check that the correct parts and fluids have been used. It should include a list of advisories about work that will need to be done in the near future and will give you an idea of the sort of repair costs you may incur during the first year of ownership, which you can then factor into your offer.
High mileage is not necessarily a bad thing on a Boxster, providing it has been properly maintained. In fact, a that has been well used may well be in a better condition than one that has an attractively low mileage reading.
Brake discs often corrode on Boxsters that are not used regularly, while low-mileage models can also suffer from oil leaks via perished seals, batteries that fail to hold charge and parking brakes that jam on. These cars were built to be driven not just admired, so a high mileage total on a with a full service history is nothing to worry about. The problem is nowhere near as common as the scare stories would suggest, but unfortunate owners who have experienced it tend to shout loudly because it can lead to catastrophic engine failure and a huge repair bill.
The issue is most common on pre cars and can be difficult to spot. The most obvious early sign is emulsified oil, but it is tricky to access the engine to check for it, meaning the problem tends to go unnoticed until the starts to overheat. If you want a thorough check on the condition of the bore liners, contact us about a pre-purchase borescope inspection at our Birstall workshop.
One potentially serious issue that is known to affect the Boxster and in particular pre models is worn chain guides on the VarioCam timing chain tensioner. Over time, friction from the chain can scrape material from the surface of the guide rails; the debris then gets into the engine oil and gathers in the filter, reducing lubrication of vital components.
If the Boxster you are interested in has gaps in its service history and has missed scheduled oil and filter changes, it is more likely to be affected by worn VarioCam guides. The guides are lubricated by the engine oil, which minimises the damage caused by the chain, and newer oil does the job more effectively. By that time, the potential repair bill is already mounting.
It is almost certainly not something you could pick up on during a test drive of an unfamiliar car, but an experienced Porsche technician will spot it during an engine inspection. If the guides are worn, they can be replaced easily enough. It is sensible to have the chain and chain tensioners replaced at the same time, as these can also fail with age and cause serious issues.
Porsche changed the tensioners it used for the M96 engine in to a more robust design, so if you are looking at an early ask whether the owner has already had the tensioners upgraded. If not, it is worth considering replacing them for the later design if you buy the car — if only for your own peace of mind. One of the most expensive problems you could encounter if you buy a Porsche Boxster is intermediate shaft IMS bearing failure.
This problem is not as widespread as the horror stories on internet forums would have you believe, but that will be of little consolation if you suffer it and are left with a bill to rebuild the engine that is higher than the value of the car. The failure is extremely rare on early s, which have a dual row IMS bearing. However, Porsche switched to a single row version between and and it proved to be nowhere near as durable and failure rates were significantly higher.
If you are considering making an offer for a post model, ask whether or not it has had the highly effective retrofit IMS bearing solution fitted. Many owners chose to have it installed as a precaution to avoid the possibility of problems with the bearing causing catastrophic engine failure. At Revolution Porsche, we have vast experience of fitting the IMS bearing upgrade often at the same time as a clutch change, to keep labour charges down. Give us a call if you need some advice about whether a replacement bearing is a worthwhile upgrade for the particular model you are interested in.
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