Boxster

"Dakotahound" (dakotahound)
05/29/2019 at 08:06 • Filed to: Porsche, Boxster, 987 Boxster, Review

Like most kids of my generation, I had a fascination with motor vehicles that started well before I was legally able to drive. The attraction continues to this day, and it has been the motivation behind my owning some interesting cars and bikes over the years. None of them were exotic or expensive, but a lot of them were unique. Many of them also required repair and substantial maintenance, which I faithfully provided.

Last year, an opportunity arose to purchase a 2006 Porsche Boxster – a car that I believed to be out of my league. The price was right, the mileage was low, and the engine and transmission seemed sound. Minutes into the test drive, I knew that I had to have it. I now own an atlas grey metallic 2006 Porsche Boxster 987 with 19 in. sport wheels and a 6-speed manual transmission. It has a 6-cylinder, 2.7L engine with 240 HP.

2006 Porsche Boxster 987

Even after a year, I still cannot believe that I own a Porsche.

There were some issues (that is why the price was right). The convertible top did not align itself into the channel (without some external help) and the windows did not automatically lower and raise when the door was opened. These seemed like minor issues, and they did not affect the driving, but they were a little beyond my level of expertise. Some trips to the local Porsche dealership were required (which turned out to be a surprisingly good experience).

The Boxster is fast, and the 6-cylinder boxer engine sounds great. The 240 HP engine is more than sufficient to propel a 2,900 lb. vehicle. It is not super quick off the line (although 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds is not too bad), but it accelerates surprisingly fast from 40 mph to 80 mph. It definitely sits you back in your seat in all six gears. It is also extremely agile, and handles like nothing that I have ever previously driven. You practically just think about turning, and you are already through the turn.

So far, besides being our daily driver, we have taken the Boxster on several vacations. One was a 540-mile, 8-hour drive to Asheville, NC, with stops at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the Tail of the Dragon. The car is relatively quiet with the top up on the freeway. Of course, it is a convertible, so there is definitely some road noise, but we were able to easily listen to music and a recorded book. We experienced an average of 27 mpg for the trip (for every day driving it averages about 25 mpg). It also has 9.9 cu. ft. of luggage capacity, which is sufficient for a 6-day trip. The cargo space is oddly shaped, so regularly shaped suitcases may not fit well. We use duffel bags, and four large bags and a soft-sided cooler fit easily, with room to spare.

At Tail of the Dragon, April 17, 2019 (side view).

At Tail of the Dragon, April 17, 2019 (rear view).

I would be happy to answer any questions.

DISCUSSION (20)

Nauraushaun > Dakotahound
05/29/2019 at 08:53

Curious about the storage. It’s become a key metric by which I judge a mid-engined car. I’m sure it handles divinely and hearing the engine pump behind your ear is wonderful, but what about storage?

I’ve got a 2nd gen MR2. There’s some storage in the frunk, some behind seats, and a decent sized trunk. This means I can use it for shopping and weekend roadtrips, and keep it as my only car. Given I’m renting near the city and getting space to park 2 cars is far from assured, I need this. Later MR2s are more nimble, but with less storage I’d need a second car, which I can’t do.

Also, ever had it sideways in the wet? How was it?

bshappy > Nauraushaun
05/29/2019 at 09:13

I can’t comment on the Boxster but the storage in my ‘84 911 is not bad. The rear you can fit a few bags of groceries behind the front seats and if you fold down the rear seats you have a nice parcel shelf. The frunk is actually quite large but its fairly shallow, perfect for shoring luggage but not so good for anything tall. All in all it would make a nice road trip car if you’re staying in hotels, not so much for hauling gear.

Arrivederci > Dakotahound
05/29/2019 at 09:20

Awesome! I love the 987. How many miles have you put on it and what are your running costs (fuel, maintenance, insurance) looking like? Any issues outside the top alignment and windows? Do you wake up in a cold sweat at night worrying about the IMSB?

Dakotahound > Nauraushaun
05/29/2019 at 09:20

From what I have read, the MR2 has 1.9 cu. ft. of storage space, but that does not seem right - it must be larger than that . The Boxster has 9.9 cu. ft., so it is considerably larger. The rear storage (trunk) has a fairly conventional shape. The front storage (frunk) is dee p and somewhat narrow at the bottom , and then it widens near the top.

I will measure the two areas and post the numbers later this afternoon.

I have never had it sideways in the rain, but the wide tires would probably hydroplane fairly easily.

Nauraushaun > bshappy
05/29/2019 at 09:24

That sounds reasonable. Seems the engine being in the far rear means more cabin space. The MR2, being mid-engined, has small cabin space in front of the engine and an extra trunk behind it.

Nauraushaun > Dakotahound
05/29/2019 at 09:27

It must be more, the Boxster isn’t a big car and it has the folding roof as well!

There’s a pic here of the trunk which is behind the engine. It’s bigger, deeper than it looks.

Just quietly a lot has happened since Feb 2016. I’m no longer dating that girl and I’m burdened with many regrets. To be young again...

Haha, give it a shot, see what happens ;)

functionoverfashion > Dakotahound
05/29/2019 at 09:35

These really are underrated, and priced accordingly right now it seems. One just sold on BaT (not known for low prices) for $13k + and it didn’t seem to have any significant issues, nor especially high miles - 45k I think. Under $14 ,000 for a modern manual transmission Porsche!! I can’t imagine prices will go anywhere but up.

Congrats on the car and I wish I could join you in the P club. Unfortunately they don’t really accommodate car seats... I could afford one of these for sure. Not so much a Panamera. Also “no thank you” to the Cayenne.

Dakotahound > Arrivederci
05/29/2019 at 09:41

The Boxster is our daily driver, but our commutes are short. Last year, we logged about 8k miles. It generally gets about 25 mpg, and I do not baby it.

Porsches are expensive to repair but, thankfully, they are pretty reliable cars (a s they advertise, 70% of all Porsches ever built are still on the road) . Even an oil change at the Porsche dealer can cost $400.00, but Boxsters hold 8 quarts and only needs oil changes ever y 10k miles.

Speaking of Porsche dealers. I am used to car dealers where they have a line of duct tape- patched waiting rooms chairs that look like they were purchased when the local diner went out of business. When I arrived at the Porsche dealer, Tomas, my service representative , greeted me in the driveway by name and led me into the waiting area. The waiting area was stocked with soft drinks, coffee, and light snacks. There was free Wi-Fi and two different large screen TVs. One was tuned to a cable channel, and the other showed Porsche racing highlights. In less than 15 minutes, Tomas returned with a list of prioritized suggested service items. Since one of the parts was not in stock, they offered me a free loaner car.

The Porsche forums are also very helpful. About a month ago, I had an ABS light and ASM warning. People on the Porsche forum suggested that it was the brake switch. They were right, and it was a relatively inexpensive fix.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > functionoverfashion
05/29/2019 at 09:47

A 911 will accommodate car seats but it depends on the kiddos height and the drivers height. My 4 year old in a child seat fits behind me at 5’9”(but I like sitting close). If she had a booster, there’d be even more space for us.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Dakotahound
05/29/2019 at 09:50

Thanks for the write up! Great car. I can’t believe your mileage though. I get 16-17mpg in my 3.2 swapped(boxster s) 996 in 80% city driving . I know my FWD is killing 1-2 mpgs, and it could use a tune, but man if I could eek out 21mpg I’d be ecstatic.

Dakotahound > Arrivederci
05/29/2019 at 09:52

Oh yeah, the IMS bearing.

It is my understanding that the IMS bearing is only a problem on the 986 Boxsters (up to 2005). I read that 7% of the 986 Boxsters had an IMS bearing problem. The 987 Boxsters, with a larger IMS bearing, had less than a 1% failure rate.

In 2009 (987.2) , they redesigned the engine and eliminated the IMS bearing.

functionoverfashion > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
05/29/2019 at 09:54

True! I like your logic.

I’d need a garage first, too.

Dakotahound > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
05/29/2019 at 09:57

Well, we have a smaller engine (the 2.7L) and most of our driving is on county roads.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Dakotahound
05/29/2019 at 10:16

County roads would make a big difference. This morning I was stop and go almost the whole commute; a depressing use of a flat six engine.

Dru > Dakotahound
05/29/2019 at 14:22

Came here to ask about IMS issues, but I saw the answer in anther thread. Car looks great and I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I would really enjoy having one of these one day.

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
05/29/2019 at 21:17

I wonder how your mileage is that bad. My 996 C4 with the 3.4 gets 18-19 when I’m just doing city and 21 on highway drives.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!!
05/29/2019 at 22:56

I am going to actually try doing a tank or two where I calculate. On long highway drives I get close to 23mpg. But in the city it’s about 16-17mpg.

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
05/30/2019 at 05:35

That’s what I do, the little computer is never right.

superdave847 > Dakotahound
09/02/2019 at 23:12

That’s a beautiful Porsche. Will you wrench it yourself?

Dakotahound > superdave847
09/03/2019 at 07:33

Thank you. I do some of the work but, since it is a mid-engine, I am not p repared to do some of the major repairs.

The first thing that needed to be done (I knew thi s when I bought it) involved the window controls. With the top up and the windows closed, the doors and windows operate in a sequence. When you open the handle the windows drop about an inch, and then the doors open. When you close the door, the windows raise an inch to form a seal. Well, to make a long story short, getting that sequence correct was beyond my skills, and it required a visit to the Porsche dealer.