Front disks/pads replaced at 18000 miles.
Rear nearside wheel bearing replaced at 22000 miles.
This car lives up to all expectations.
Performance, handling and looks are truly awesome.
We managed to buy the car from a family friend with only 16000 miles on and full Porsche main dealer history, so I am quite happy that it is genuine.
The price I paid reflected the fact that the car was due a major service and full set of tires.
This work was all completed at (I think) reasonable cost.
During the service I was informed that new front disks and pads were required due to corrosion on the inside of the disks. Pads are 'consumables' and obviously wear which is expected. I am no mechanic and not in a position to question a Porsche trained mechanic!
We've just returned from a 3000 mile trip across Europe where the Boxster was an absolute dream. Surprisingly, the car offers loads of luggage space for two people.
However, on our return journey, the back end developed a whine which has now been diagnosed as a wheel bearing and is going to cost a tidy amount to replace. Is this amount of ongoing maintenance/repair costs to be expected.
I am now starting to panic that I have bought a car (as good as it is!) that I simply can't afford to own.
Any comments? (or reassurance)
Welcome to Porsche ownership.
It's absurd that you would have to replace wheel bearings so soon.
Most modern cars are designed with little regard to durability because the makers want to sell you new parts and make more money.
It is quite easy to design bearings and other components to last for huge mileages, but there's no profit in that.
Cheer up, read all the other Boxster reviews and comments on this site.
It will only get worse.
Congratulations. The Boxster is a good car. However, cars these days can get expensive to fix. And we're not just talking Euro here, even Japanese economy family sedans can cost a bundle to fix with brand-new original parts. Plus, the labour just to get to that part! Porsche is, from surveys I have read including the ADAC car club survey in Germany, the most reliable German brand, so you can only do your best, get a car with a full service history, follow the recommended service intervals, and everything else is luck of the draw.
Cars these days have electronics (whose solder will eventually crack), motors (for everything from mirrors to air conditioning vent flaps), etc. regardless of the brand. Best you start researching on good specialist independent mechanics, and join a club. That way, you can get to exchange info with other owners.
Many German brands are in the toilet these days, with respect to quality and durability. Porsche is no different. Both the Boxster and the 911 share a basic engine design that is fatally flawed. Something to do with the cranks. Also, real main seals, porous cases, etc. The engines are disposable boat anchors when something breaks because the factory won't let the dealers work on them. They make them replace the engine as a whole component.
The only exceptions are the top end cars like the 911 Turbo, GT2, and GT3 which have a different engine.
I love Porsche cars, but won't buy anything newer than a 1995 model year. After that, they lost quality to the point where the risk out-weighs the rewards of ownership.
Note: A Comments RSS Feed is available. New comments appear in the Members Area before the main site