Are Porsche Boxsters Any Good?

The Porsche 718 Boxster is a fantastic luxury sports vehicle, that much is true.

What is the conclusion?

“The Boxster won’t intimidate or overwhelm you. Simply said, it engages with you in a really satisfying manner.”

Driving a Boxster isn’t a “giggle,” unlike some other moderately powered sports cars. It is a more somber form of delight. It appeals to all of your senses and gives every small input a corresponding result. It won’t intimidate or overwhelm you. It merely engages with you in a really satisfying manner.

But despite all the discussion on the driving, don’t forget that it’s also elegant, strong, comfy, and useful.

A third of a million copies have been sold, and counting. As a result, there is a vast selection of secondhand ones.

Overview

With its joyful handling and hungry turbocharged powertrains, the 2022 Porsche 718 Boxster goes beyond the romanticism of most convertibles as a way to enjoy the open road. The similarly sporty 718 Cayman coupe shares its chassis and technical components with the Boxster, but the cloth top of the Boxster lets in more fresh air and the liberating sensation of the wind in your hair. Speed enthusiasts will choose the optional flat-six over the turbocharged horizontally opposed four-cylinder found in base versions. Although Porsche’s historic 911 sports car may have more cachet, the 718 Boxster is still one of the best-driving sports cars on the road thanks to its focused chassis and energetic temperament, earning it a 10Best award and a spot on our Editors’ Choice list.

Porsche Boxster 986: the verdict from Classic & Sports Car

A 986 Boxster is a fantastic and affordable way to acquire a Porsche; while most are dependable, entertaining, and inexpensive to run, maintenance costs can add up if the uncommon engine problems occur.

Purchase one with a comprehensive (particularly recent) service history to reduce risk. The 2.5/2.7 is the most practical; the 3.2 is the most enjoyable to drive; search for an interior with high-end features.

Porsche Boxsters: Are they worth it?

What Makes the Porsche Boxster Great? The Porsche 718 Boxster is a fantastic premium sports vehicle, no doubt about it. This roadster is among the best in its class for driving appeal because to its powerful engines, blistering acceleration, and agile handling. Its inside is more “fine” than “average.”

Engines in Porsche Boxsters are they reliable?

Although adequate maintenance and oil changes are essential, and there have been complaints of concerns with the quality of the paintwork, engines are often dependable

Are Porsche Boxsters suitable for daily use?

The 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 has several important characteristics of a daily driver inside. While 911 models may give older bodies cramping, the 718 Boxster is much more pleasant to drive on lengthy trips and in daily traffic. When you combine the front and back luggage compartments, you’ll get 270 liters of packing capacity.

Although the seating is designed with competitiveness in mind, our posteriors discovered that it was soft enough to ease any discomfort brought by by extended periods of driving while yet providing a reasonable amount of lateral support when necessary.

For the Porsche infotainment system to be completely user-friendly, there has always been a lot of room for improvement. Fortunately, Porsche recently carried out numerous effective modifications targeted at improving the system’s usability, and it is now easier to operate.

If you don’t add anything further on top, the 2021 Porsche Boxster 4.0 GTS will cost you $97,600 in total. Which is a significant sum of money for what was formerly thought of as a “entry-level Porsche.” But those times are long gone when the Boxster was viewed like a Porsche without its high-performance capabilities. With the GTS emblem on it, this model is exceptionally powerful and friendly.

Do Porsche Boxsters have high maintenance costs?

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.

Are Boxsters authentic Porsches?

Porsche is a German automaker that produces and sells mid-engine two-seater sports cars over the course of four generations. The Porsche Boxster and Cayman are available as two-door, two-seater roadster (Boxster) and three-door, two-seater fastbackcoupes, respectively (Cayman).

The first generation of the Boxster was released in 1996; the second generation, which included the Cayman, followed in late 2005; and the third generation, which debuted in 2012, was released. The two models have been marketed as the Porsche 718 Boxster and Porsche 718 Cayman since the fourth generation’s debut in 2016.

The plaque Boxster is a combination of the words “roadster” and “boxer,” which refers to the vehicle’s flat or boxer engine. A member of the alligator family, the nameplate Cayman is spelled differently from caiman.

How durable are Porsche Boxsters?

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.

What should I expect to spend on a Porsche Boxster?

Price of a 2022 Porsche 718 Boxster The base price of the 2022 Porsche 718 Boxster is $62,600. The Boxster S with the improved turbo engine starts at $74,600, while the Boxster T costs an additional $71,700.

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.

What model year Porsche Boxsters experience 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.

Are boxsters challenging to train?

You should think about inspecting a few additional components of your 986, particularly the cooling and ignition systems. While some of these places may be examined from the inside of the vehicle, some call for a little more effort. The Boxster 986 isn’t the most challenging car to work on, all things considered. You should be able to fix practically everything that comes your way if you approach each endeavor with patience and the proper tools.

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.

Is the Boxster a car for women?

We were faced with the inquiry, “Is the Porsche Boxster a girl car?” While some people—including myself—felt without a doubt that it was directed toward female drivers, others hesitated to make a decision. Nobody clearly stated, “No, this is not a girl automobile,” therefore the votes were divided in the end.

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.

Which 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.

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.