Porsche Boxsters: Are They Reliable? According to RepairPal, the Porsche Boxster frequently needs significant and unanticipated repairs. It ranks 12th out of 15 vehicles in the same category with a 2.5 out of 5.0 reliability rating. The Boxster, however, consistently delivers in terms of performance, handling, and ride quality.
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Breakdown of the Porsche Boxster Reliability Ratings
With a reliability rating of 2.5 out of 5, the Porsche Boxster is ranked 15th among 17 luxury small vehicles. It has high ownership expenses because the average annual repair costs are $952. The Boxster is more likely to need significant repairs compared to other automobiles since both the frequency and severity of repairs are higher than usual.
Porsche Boxster, third generation: 2013–2016
The third generation Boxster had the shortest lifespan of any Boxster generation, lasting only a few model years. The newest entry-level Porsche does away with a bulbous body in favor of a clean, contemporary design appropriate for the company. The Boxster S engine (a 3.4-liter flat-six) gains a small five horsepower bump and a 0-60 mph pace under five seconds, while the standard Boxster receives a new 2.7-liter flat-six engine delivering 265 horsepower.
There aren’t many significant complaints regarding the Boxster outside a few engine-related issues (ticking noise and burning stench for the 2016 model year). The 2014-2015 models receive a thumbs-up from Consumer Reports for dependability (no data is reported for the other years from this generation). Hood latch recalls for the 2014–2015 Boxsters and an airbag recall for the 2016 Boxster both affected these models. It is challenging to identify any Porsche Boxster years to stay away from because the third generation Boxster is unremarkable overall.
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Is the Porsche Boxster a trustworthy vehicle?
Reliability of a used Porsche Boxster sports With relatively few reported issues and those that have been are of a minor nature, this model of the Boxster has a remarkable reputation for exceptional reliability. In contrast, Porsche as a brand did not perform particularly well in our most recent reliability survey.
Which Porsche Boxster year is the most dependable?
As with any new cars, the Porsche Boxster experienced some issues after its 1996 release during the following few years. The best year for the Porsche Boxster was 2012, following a few redesigns, when Porsche found their sweet spot.
A used 2012 Porsche Boxter can be the perfect vehicle for you if you want to drive a two-seater sports car from Germany but don’t want to break the bank. They offer two powerful engine options, are fairly priced, and have excellent handling qualities.
Is it expensive to maintain a Porsche Boxster?
We looked at how frequently the vehicle required major unplanned repair over a three-year period to determine the frequency of major maintenance. This “serious” maintenance item is a costly system breakdown that needs to be repaired (often a part or component costing above $1,000).
It should be emphasized that even while we analyze this data by make and model, driving style, vehicle condition, and mileage undoubtedly affect outcomes. Different frequencies of maintenance are needed depending on the vehicle. While newer cars can go longer between services, older vehicles may require more frequent maintenance.
The frequency score can be used to determine how long a vehicle can go without maintenance. A frequency score reveals how frequently a certain vehicle needs major repair over a three-year period. If an automobile has a maintenance frequency score of 3, for instance, it needs major repairs every year because the score is calculated over a three-year period. The longer it can go without major maintenance services, the closer the frequency score is to 0.
The frequency score for a Porsche Boxster is 1.7399999999999998. This indicates that the Porsche Boxster performs much poorer than average given that the industrial average is 1.3. The breakdown of all manufacturers and models is shown in the chart below.
It’s important to note that there are many trustworthy cars that could also need frequent, yet reasonably priced maintenance. For instance, many domestic brands have higher maintenance visits but lower overall costs (since labor and parts expense are typically cheaper for domestic brands). This doesn’t imply that cars break down less frequently, but it does show that when they do, the problems are usually fairly simple to remedy, which is perhaps even more significant.
Which Porsche is the most trustworthy?
One of the most dependable vehicles in the whole Porsche series, according to PCarwise, is the 911 Carrera. One of the few Porsche models with comparatively few performance and reliability complaints from customers is this one. The Porsche 911 Carrera has consistently received accolades for being the most dependable vehicle the automaker has ever made throughout its long and illustrious history.
Porsche: Is it as dependable as Toyota?
The Porsche 911 tops J.D. Power’s 2021 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, an annual list that automakers frequently highlight in their marketing efforts.
It’s hardly a huge shock. Only Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus was more reliable than the Porsche brand’s entire portfolio of automobiles.
But nowadays, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a premium car to have a safe trip. In fact, the research conducted in 2021 found that car reliability had never been higher, with owners reporting 10% fewer issues overall.
This year’s research evaluates the 2018 model year, giving 33,251 owners three years of driving experience to evaluate how well they feel their cars have kept up.
Owners reported 121 faults on average for every 100 vehicles, which is a decrease from 134 in 2020.
The top score was achieved by Lexus, followed by Porsche at 86, Kia at 97, Toyota at 98, and Buick and Cadillac tied for fifth place at 100.
For the first time, Tesla was evaluated and found to have more issues than any other brand except for Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, and Land Rover. For every 100 Tesla cars, owners reported 176 issues.
The most reliable model in each important car sector is also identified by J.D. Power. General Motors earned four awards, Hyundai four, and Toyota five. (To view the entire list, scroll down.)
How far can a Porsche Boxster travel?
If properly maintained, a Porsche Boxster will last approximately 200,000 miles, though they can live much longer; some have even exceeded 300,000 miles. If you drive 15,000 miles per year, you can have 13 years of dependable service before the cost and practicality of repairs become too great.
Porsche: Is it as dependable as Lexus?
Consumer Reports and J.D. Power have continuously ranked Porsche and Lexus at the very top of the car reliability rankings for years, with Porsche occasionally holding a little advantage.
Porsche or Mercedes, which is more dependable?
Both Porsche and Mercedes-Benz are well-known brands, yet a January 2019 survey by U.S. News & World Report found that Porsche outperforms Mercedes.
What type of motor does a Porsche Boxster have?
A 350-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four (on the S variant) and a 394-hp 4.0-liter flat-six are the three engines available for the Boxster (on the GTS 4.0). Each comes with a supremely pleasurable six-speed manual transmission, however customers can instead choose Porsche’s perceptive seven-speed automatic. The base and S models were excellent in our testing and are a lot of fun. Although we haven’t had a chance to test the new GTS 4.0 model with our gear, we have great hopes that it will wow us on the track. Deep fondness is felt for the Boxster’s handling and steering abilities. The Boxster’s mid-engine configuration contributes to its sense of balance and stability through turns, and its incredibly communicative steering responds fast and precisely to even the smallest adjustments. Even the base-spec Boxsters behave exactly like we want them to, even with optional extras like Porsche’s adjustable dampers and a torque-vectoring rear differential.
Which Porsche requires the least maintenance?
The annual cost of maintaining some Porsches should be between $200 and $600 to be reasonable and affordable. Taxes, fuel, and bodywork repairs are not included. The price may exceed $1,000 if you take it to Porsche or Porsche-approved businesses.
One of the less expensive Porsches to maintain is the Boxster. If you continue receiving regular annual services over a ten-year period, the cost is between $550 and $700 annually.
Some of the fixes you might need to do are listed below. Additionally, costs will change based on your location, the age of the model, and whether you are taking it to a Porsche service center or a neighborhood mechanic.
In place of:
- Sensor for Cam Shaft Position
- Control Body
- Joint Ball
- assembly of the CV axle/shaft
- the control arm assembly
- Assembly of Struts
- Oil Pan and Gaskets for the Oil Pan
- Bulb Headlights
- hose under the power steering
- Spiking plugs
You must also complete the following:
cooling system cleaning
What model year of the Porsche Boxster has IMS issues?
The intermediate shaft bearing, commonly known as an IMS bearing, has a significant failure rate in the Porsche 911 and Porsche Boxster from model years 1997 to 2005. Its build and design cause the bearing to prematurely fail, which causes a catastrophic engine failure.
How much does Porsche Boxster insurance cost?
Porsche Boxster insurance prices typically run $105 per month, or $1,260 annually, which is significantly less than the national average. The annual insurance cost-to-base car price ratio is only 2.4% with a base price of $52,100.
We gathered quotes from insurance firms using this profile to get our anticipated cost:
- Porsche Boxster, 2017
- 10 001 – 15 000 annual miles traveled
- No mishaps in the previous five years.
- Vehicle anti-theft device
- Chauffeur based in New York
- decent credit
The minimal coverage required by the state, which includes uninsured motorist, bodily injury, property damage, and personal injury protection, is included in our projected cost.
What is the price of an engine rebuild for a Porsche Boxster?
The 996 and 986 engines had undergone numerous rebuilds by this point. The intermediate shaft bearings on every engine we’ve repaired failed. We once saw an early engine with a cylinder wall failure in the D chunk, but the customer decided against repairing the engine. The intermediate shaft can occasionally be updated to an LN engineering three row bearing or the IMS solution in the event that the intermediate shaft bearing fails. We need a workable intermediate shaft for this, the damaged bearing needs to be taken out, and the shaft needs to be perfectly straight. The damaged shaft in the last two instances was beyond repair, necessitating the purchase of Porsche’s most recent 997 intermediate shaft. The images demonstrate the significantly larger bearing that is present on this shaft. Although we think this is a good response, if we could obtain enough usable core intermediate shafts, we would probably go for the IMS approach. The 997 intermediate shaft is not yet compatible with the IMS solution. Under the 996 engine rebuild portion of this site, there are several additional images of one of these engine rebuilds. One of these motors has typically cost around $10,000 to dismantle, refurbish, and replace. With Porsche currently charging almost $20,000 for a rebuilt motor, many individuals are finding that having us rebuild a motor is a reasonable option.
When did Porsche experience engine issues?
The dreaded intermediate shaft (IMS) bearing failure is the most noticeable and well-publicized problem you’ll encounter on the used market. An IMS bearing failure can result in a loss of the engine timing, which would completely destroy the engine. A Porsche engine replacement is not inexpensive, as you might expect.
The M96 and M97 flat six-cylinder engines used in 911s, Boxsters, and Caymans between 1997 and 2008 frequently experience IMS bearing failure.
However, the 996-era Porsche 911s and 986 Boxsters experienced the most significant IMS bearing issues up to 2006. Despite the significantly lower IMS bearing failure rate in the later year samples, it is still feasible.
Before buying a car, it’s crucial to check the VIN and service records. It is best to budget for an urgent replacement of the IMS bearing if you locate a car in this time frame that you are interested in purchasing. It might cost up to $2,500 to have an IMS bearing replaced by a skilled mechanic.
The cost of replacing an engine, though, can be more than triple that. As a result, it is imperative to replace the bearing before anything else.
You would be hard-pressed to identify any significant failure areas of Porsche flat engines if the age of IMS bearing problems were excluded. Given their great performance, Porsche engines are known to be remarkably durable whether they are new or old.
Some more recent models hardly ever have “bore score,” which is the engine cylinder walls scraping together as a result of inadequate lubrication.
However, if a Porsche has been well maintained, you won’t likely encounter any significant problems.