One Seriously Pricey Problem on this '99 Porsche Boxster

[@markmonroe7330]

Previous owner knew exactly what was up and dumped it in the nick of time. That is one nasty looking Porsche.

[@billycausgrove9657]

The buyer should've had the car look at by a professional. Yet, he didn't. He's paying the consequences for it

[@larryjohns8823]

Previous owner changed the trans fluid and flipped it...😮

[@lornestein7248]

@@larryjohns8823 Not even.. Wizard showed it was burnt.

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

@@lornestein7248 If the trans was really a stinker then the PO /dealer by changing the fluid for fresh disguised that... and then the new owner thrashed it for 2 weeks... fatally burning it up.

[@josueelombre931]

It’s an ugly generation of Porsche.

[@BuzzKill67]

I've owned a 2000 Boxster S - Trouble Free and a 2008 Cayman S that needed an air oil separator, $1,000 dealer job that I did myself for $125....also a clutch slave cylinder fixed under warranty. Both manual trans. When the air oil separator fails you will think your engine has blown due to the amount of smoke coming out the exhaust...if you are into yoga it will come in handy when working on these mid-engine cars. Both were purchased used. Keep up the great work Car Wizard and Mr.'s Wizard.....

[@montysport94]

I owned a 2000 S with the manual, spent $7k in repairs over the 2 years I had it. Sold it bottom dollar because the immobilizer got wet and I was done playing the sunk cost fallacy game. Obviously it depends on how well maintained the car was prior to you owning it, but don't go around here trying to tell people that owning a 25 year old P-car is going to be as reliable and cheap to run as a Corolla.

[@gordocarbo]

@@montysport94 Buying even the best maintained used German cars is always a roll of the dice

[@allenkranawetter9482]

@@BuzzKill67 I used to own a 1989 Volvo 760 GLE. I made the mistake of not checking your timing belt for wear . It cost me three grand for a new motor 🤬🤬

[@mytinfoilhat6865]

I have a toyota echo .....Good cars stay in the warehouse...

[@mytinfoilhat6865]

C

[@phillipwedin7380]

Puts a glove on to not get his hand dirty, then proceeds to rub his bare finger in the transmission grime. That made me chuckle, Thank you Wizard. Also yes, replace that IMS bearing "while you're in there"

[@allenkranawetter9482]

bearing failure

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

Sheer genius. Literally talks about the glove, then doesn't use it. LMAO.

[@smithiness]

At least he didn’t taste it.

[@ARNYKATZ]

And you know he tasted it off camera!

[@scottarmen9097]

He was trying to avoid using the Sleestak fingers.

[@KevinSmooove]

Hey Wizard I just spent 8 months having this this exact transmission and torque converter completely rebuilt using all the quality OEM internal parts from ZF and used a certified ZF master tech out of San Diego to do the rebuild. Many of the parts are now discontinued and most people just rebuild these transaxles with crap from China and they don't last very long. Even Porsche only has a very few new torque converters left (in Europe) and they won't even sell you one even if you ask. The Boxster I put it in took a hit in the front this past Spring and is now totaled so I'm now swapping it's engine into manual 986 chassis. The newly rebuilt ZF 5HP19FL that I now have sitting in my shop only has about 300 miles on it and isn't even out of its break-in period and shifts beautifully. It's basically brand new and would just be a plug and play direct replacement for your customer.

[@OmniaNihil]

Yeah, a gated manual conversion is sounding like the real solution.

[@CS-oe8og]

You need to call heavy D in the office.

[@evoman44]

It seems like in the future the best realistic fix is going to be to just do a manual transmission conversion. Older Ferrari owners have been doing the same with their F1 transmission equipped cars to not only make them more reliable but to increase the value.

[@CS-oe8og]

@@evoman44 If the customer can drive a stick, and if the customer wants to spend that extra money for the swap - because there will have to be changes made and the wizard may not want to do that work. So from an enthusiast POV, it’s a great idea. If it was mine I’d probably do just that if the stars and the moon aligned. That is your sticky area.

[@SuperDirk1965]

Why not use quality items from China instead of the crap? Or did you think the original parts ZF uses come from anywhere else?

[@81MercTurbo]

"Nothing is more expensive, than a cheap German car".

[@mph5896]

Friend bought a 10 year old BMW a month ago. Already @ $3k in work done and no signs of stopping.

[@oldrrocr]

I was betting that this would be one of the FIRST comments! Why do we insist upon learning this the hard way?

[@allenkranawetter9482]

How about a Volvo ? Repairs some those are not cheap

[@THX-vb8yz]

or a British car.

[@jamesburns2232]

BMW=BavarianMoneyWaster, BMW=BANGMYWIFE, BMW=BRINGMYWALLET. 🤑

[@Rgh71fish]

I'm always in awe at the luck of some sellers, to be able to time the sale of their cars within days of a catastrophic failure, and making it the next guy's problem.

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

Or changing out the burnt fluid for fresh and sucking in the new buyer.......

[@Devilacme]

I've had that kind of luck a few times. Lucky me.

[@TheQuestionableGarage]

It’s more patching it together just well enough to kick the can

[@petrosaguilar8916]

​@@Devilacmeyou deserve to be sued.

[@user-kc1tf7zm3b]

@@petrosaguilar8916 Bullshit. Do you accept repair cost claims from old cars you have sold to others? Of course you bloody don’t. Caveat emptor.

[@mds2465]

Yeah, I would do the IMS bearing as well as the rear main seal. I might also recommend new motor and transmission mounts as well.

[@jamesburns2232]

And new shocks and a new engine/transmission and new fluids and reprogramming the computers. Total = $36,000.00.

[@judih.8754]

​@@salvationbygracethroughfaith Not on these cars. Just pop a new battery in. We did it on our '99 Boxster. And on our '06 Cayman last year. Yes the newer models are much more complicated.

[@mds2465]

@@salvationbygracethroughfaith oh yeah, that's right. I forgot about that.

[@thefreedomguyuk]

1999 does not have IMS issues.

[@gregs8685]

@@thefreedomguyukyes they do. Actually one of the highest rates of failure.

[@TheodoreHopwood]

On Wheeler Dealers (Ant Anstead version) they replaced the failed IMS bearing on a Boxster with a special kit that eliminates the roller bearing a replaces it with a bushing and wet oil system connection. It cost back then about $1500.

[@SonEriccs]

11:07 if it was me, and I just got it not two weeks prior, I’d spend the money to get the bearing replaced while it’s already apart.

[@kennethhumphrey1439]

I knew a mechanic at an independent Porsche shop in the early 90s. He told me that unless you could drop $5k on repairs like it was nothing (what would that be now? $15k? More?), you can’t afford a Porsche, even it was free. His shop was constantly dealing with young guys with worn out 911s they’d bought real cheap, but couldn’t afford to repair it

[@petrosaguilar8916]

Perhaps they were overcharging?

[@kuebby]

@@petrosaguilar8916 Possibly, but repairing German cars has always been expensive and Porsche has the reputation of being even more than BMW/MB.

[@justinkase1360]

That's really too general of a statement to be true. It depends on which model you are talking about and how handy you are. Yes, it will save you more money to do your own basic work on a Porsche than a domestic or jap car. That said, reliability issues are exaggerated even on the worst models and very good on the best models.

[@wolfalaska7638]

Porsche has made a solemn promise to owners, whether the Porsche was bought new or used, to provide repair parts. Some American car mfgs. are cutting off parts support at 10 years. Porsche wants owners to drive safe vehicles that can perform as designed no matter the age of the Porsche. Did you know that Porsche does not condone repair of tires? If your tire gets a puncture Porsche advises replacement of that tire. This is an example of the Porsche philosophy. The owner must always be safe. If money must be spent to keep the owner safe; money must be spent. Porsche does not ever want an owner to be endangered due to a failure of the vehicle.

[@BubbaSmurft]

I'll second most of that. I was a Service Manager at a Porsche store a while back and you have to realize that's the reality. When an oil change is ~500$ (remember you're looking at 11l of synthetic, two filters and 2 h labour for a 993), try pricing pads and rotors for a brake job and if you're tracking the car a tech' sheet pass means you can't hit the track with less than 50% brake material.

[@jbreakstone]

Been there, done that with an ‘86 944 Turbo. Repairs were never ending and the cost was ridiculous. Never getting caught like that again. Thanks for warning your viewers that a cheap used German car is hardly cheap!

[@jeremym1158]

The good ole timing belt every 30k still gives me nightmares.

[@DaveGringo]

​@@jeremym1158 actually every 25k miles was the rating.... I had a friend with a non turbo 944 who lost the belt I think before 25k.... Of boy he was not happy, bought the car brand new too.... I had a 86.5 Turbo, yes expensive car if you don't do the work yourself! And let's not even talk about clutch replacement cost! 😮😮

[@jeremym1158]

Yup, been there and done that. Clutch was a nasty job. I got started and due to an injury had to step away for almost a year before completing it. Learned to box and label all parts during disassembly as a result. Drove that 86 951 from LV to NYC on that new clutch and Kennedy pressure plate.

[@davidsherrick898]

I blew up my '89 944 turbo. A long time ago... it's been sitting for a long time. No interest in spending $$$ in a money pit. Oh, wait my '88 Alfa Romeo Milano is one. I see why people 'junk' cars after the factory warranty is over. Way too much money.

[@maxxon99]

Haha... same here! There was always something wrong with it and it always cost at least $1000 to fix...

[@danknox9986]

I have a 911 with a manual transmission and 196,000 miles on the clock. I live in San Francisco, an area very hark on cliches. I have put in two new clutches and each time I have done so I have put in a new IMS bearing. What what? Both were is perfect shape. Really zero wear. I’m done replacing the IMS bearings. I have worried about this for 25 years. I’m done worrying about it.

[@michaelnotigan7796]

Owning one of these junior exotics is like falling in love with a tempermental woman. You know she's wrong for your paygrade and station in life and most likely will bankrupt you and leaving you ruined. Yet, you still run right into danger.

[@DarthVader1977]

leave* you

[@USAWILL]

Some can be a lot of fun and worth the headache later.

[@Gr8thxAlot]

It's a shame these are so problematic. They would be an awesome buy otherwise.

[@daleolson3506]

You mean any woman

[@slowery43]

clearly you've never owned a Boxster yet that doesn't stop you fro pretendng you know everything about them

[@FredrikFridsten]

I actually got that question when I had my clutch replaced on my -99 Boxster. I said no. That was for two reasons. First of all, the 2.5 litre engine has a stronger dual row IMS bearing from factory, and failure is extremely rare. The other reason is that *if* the IMS bearing should fail, I have an incentive to replace the engine with a 3.4 liter from a 996... 😁

[@SafeBandicoot]

These tip-tronics are Mercedes-Benz transmissions engineered in their golden era. They are very tough and durable units if you regularly service them. Most transmission shops actually can rebuild them as the kits are widely available.

[@ism671]

Not all of them...but the Merc box is the one to have..

[@detonator2112]

Yes very bad luck (or neglet) here. You rarely hear them breaking at all if you just change the oil regularly. This was probably "sealed for life".

[@johnash826]

This one would not have the Mercedes box. Also, irrespective of mileage, age is relevant and the transmission fluid and filter should have been changed way before the manufacturers mileage recommendation.

[@andrewthompsonuk1]

Only 911s have the Merc Box. The Boxters have a ZF5 HP19 ZF box. Should be easy to rebuild (Maybe not this one)

[@hokie9910]

Mercedes golden era was most certainly not the 90s. For those of us who remember, it was up until 1992…

[@asimrafiq174]

The attention to detail and how you troubleshoot the problem is amazing. Excellent work.

[@oibal60]

Two weeks! Moses, my 1996 993 is 28 years old, 6-speed manny tranny(G50), 66,000 miles. No CEL, no oil leaks. Runs like a Swiss watch. Yes, I do my own maintenance.

[@gprojectnoob4779]

Ex porsche mechanic here. You have a cel. My 964 has cel. Its on the oil pressure oil level guage .

[@oibal60]

@gprojectnoob4779 I did/routinely do -- an IBDii scan/check. Umm nope, no transient or persistent codes. Clean as a whistle my friend.

[@gprojectnoob4779]

@@oibal60 lol i thought you were saying your car didnt have 1.

[@oibal60]

@@gprojectnoob4779 Oh yep, it has the CEL 'light'. On when you key on engine off, then off with engine start. (And zero temporary or DTC codes.)

[@p1ckle0]

My 2000 Boxster S has the manual but has given my zero transmission issues. The only engine issues were when I bought it, it needed valve cover gaskets and an oil separator. It’s treated me really well and it’s really fun once you get a nice exhaust on it!

[@samuraisaint2360]

I was told the head gaskets very rarely go bad on them, interesting

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

@@samuraisaint2360 He changed the VALVE cover gaskets......

[@p1ckle0]

@@samuraisaint2360 head gaskets are perfect, the valve cover gaskets are sometimes called "camshaft cover" gaskets they're 10000x easier to replace lol

[@keithposter5543]

@@p1ckle0 Or even rocker cover gaskets if you're really old

[@Carlos1180]

I was lucky. My '03 Boxster diff exploded inside the gearbox. I got a good used 5 speed box for £400. Total repair was £800 ($1200). The noisy bearing didn't sound like IMS. Usually the first sign it's gone is the sound of valves meeting pistons when the bearing collapses

[@tomruth9487]

@Carlos1180, I think you might be right about the IMS, it goes at once. I've heard that you have to change the oil often and look at it if you're going to take the risk and not change the bearing?

[@Carlos1180]

@@tomruth9487 yes, early signs are glitter in the oil filter. As he says though it’s not that common to let go. My Boxster had 94000 miles on the original bearing and was fine. I’ve heard that very low mileage garage queens are more likely to have a failure. My car was still making 234bhp on the dyno. It was only meant to have 227 😂

[@yorbalindason]

I bought a Boxster and had the clutch done. The IMS fell on the floor when they took the transmission off. I pretty much saved the car just in time. I paid $4,500 for the car and another $4,000 for the clutch and IMS. Worth every penny. It’s still a great car for the money into it. I sold it for more than I paid after 2 years.

[@andrewthomason3857]

You can make a case for not doing the IMS bearing on this car. It has the early, double row version which doesn’t fail that often. The car is a “driver” example of the least popular specification of Boxster; it’ll never be worth much. Bite the bullet, put a used Tip in it, and enjoy the car. Use whatever the IMS would have cost for more pressing matters. The car is probably no more likely to be totaled by an IMS failure than it is by hitting a deer, getting rear ended by a texting teenager, or you running out of talent on a twisty road; do you obsess over those risks?

[@oldrrocr]

yep, went over to JDM, and never looked back.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

100% correct.

[@Pete-z6e]

@@oldrrocr,wise man.

[@sol-hb8zg]

@@oldrrocrif they were in Europe they’d get more choice in German cars that are great like the 1.8t engine etc

[@Celician83]

​​​@@oldrrocrI went JDM, bought a 2021 Corolla LE CVT after owning a 2014 Jetta for 5 years, and I want it back! This car is horrendous! Possibly the worst car I've ever owned, and I drove a 1995 Ford Escort LX 2Dr 5-speed for 8 years! And I'd bet that Escort would beat it in both acceleration and in gas mileage! I'm looking to trade the Corolla in for a new Jetta while the markup on used Corolla's is still outrageously high!

[@dkjens0705]

M86/96/87/97 engines can be rebuilt in USA for $10k. If you have cylinder scoring and get the cylinders sleeved and use forged race pistons, the rebuild will run you $5k more but you can increase engine volume by 200cc at no added cost. The lift brackets (one forward and one rear) on the engine is from Porsche and is always used when lifting engine around outside the car as well. Changing transmission, manual or auto in this car never takes more than one day or less, but Porsches were all I worked on from 2015 to 2021. With the flexplate off it takes maximum one hour to change the IMS bearing. You don't have to buy a complete kit, just a new bearing and you'll be well of consulting with reputale Porsche engine rebuilders about where and which one to get. An open bearing makes a lot of sense. And yes, change the bearing now. Not doing it is as stupid as not changing the clutch, if it had one, at this step. Had this been a manual the best place for it would be a conversion to race car in the BSR class, one of the most affordable and fun race classes. As an auto, well, I would never pick up an automatic.

[@tomruth9487]

@dkjens0705, If you were to buy a Boxster, what year(s) would you consider? I imagine one with the IMS already done would would be nice?

[@dkjens0705]

@tomruth9487 The early Boxsters were for short legged people only. I would go for an S model with 6 speed transmission. Don't worry about the IMS bearing unless it makes noise. If possible, park the car at a slant, nose down, this way oil does not seep into the IMS while parked. When having clutch serviced, change to an open IMS bearing.

[@richardcalon3724]

Bore scoring on the base Porsche engines is not very likely as the iron plating on the pistons is done with a different process than the higher performance engines in both the Boxster and 911, additionally D-Chunking is also reduced due to thicker cylinder walls on the smaller engines..

[@AtownCangri]

I've owned, maintained and repaired cheap German cars for years. I don't regret anything lol. However, if you can't do your own work, it can get really expensive. A $5k 1999 Boxster with 99k miles, to me is worth putting the extra $5k - $7k into it. It is actually worth it if the rest of the car is in good condition. Decent examples got for $12k - $18k

[@roadmasterthugmaster2738]

This guy is honest as fuck

[@richardcalon3724]

By the look of the car this will be never ending. If you can't do the work yourself regular guys can't afford to drive one of these cars. If the owner is willing to fix the transmission he/she would be nuts not to do the IMS bearing and rear main seal at the same time. I replaced mine with a roller bearing and new seal for roughly $800.00 in parts, the peace of mind of having done it is worth every penny.

[@wdbaseley7585]

Tough break for the new owner. Here's how I'd sell them on replacing the IMS bearing: fixing the gearbox adds $0.00 to the resale value of the car, whereas replacing the IMS bearing adds $some.value to a prospective buyer.

[@vnorvi]

Agree. The ims is really not that big of an issue. But it is PERCEIVED as a huge issue, and makes the value go down dramatically, if it is not replaced. So it should absolutely be replaced, even if just to provide a receipt to show it has been done. BUT Not a nice Porsche. And the least desirable model. Not worth the repairs. Maybe find a fellow who likes to race, and turn it into the track car to give it another life. Or scrap. Probably maximum value as scrap.

[@wdbaseley7585]

@@vnorvi Unless ICE cars disappear from the earth like the dinosaurs, a Boxster will always be a Boxster. Today I agree -- reluctantly -- that the best bottom line for the owner might be to part it out. And the world will lose a Boxster.

[@channell11]

And a major part of the IMS cost is typically labor, which they're already mostly paying for with the transmission repair.

[@user-kc1tf7zm3b]

@@wdbaseley7585 Petrol cars will most certainly disappear in Australia in the 2030s as Australian 2 petrol car households do not care to spend AUD $84,000 on petrol and maintenance over 20 years. EVs powered by home solar cost nothing to run. You cannot beat zero dollars. Ever.

[@mikethacker8558]

@@channell11 Nope. Mechanics charge the rate of the job in the book. Unless you get a cool mechanic to give you a discount.

[@boyracer3477]

It's common practice with Boxsters to wait until you need a clutch and replace it, the IMS bearing and the RMS (rear main seal). Of course you don't have a clutch here but the other two are a no brainer while it is apart. While you are in there replace the AOS (air/oil separator) and replace all belts. Maybe the coil packs and plugs. This car has 100,000 miles and seeming poor maintenance. Seems like a lot of money compared to the value of the car but will be good for another 100,000 miles then. Great video. Thanks Wizard. I have a 2000 Boxster S and love it.

[@PaulGinAZ68]

That statement around the 12:00 mark is literally the only thing that most people contemplating buying used European cars need to understand. The price may be 15% of MSRP, but the parts prices are rarely any cheaper unless you source used and do a lot of the basic stuff yourself. I've spent a lifetime trying to keep several used older VW/Audi/BMW cars on the road, and there's always a cost and always a surprise.

[@petrosaguilar8916]

What brand has cheap OEM parts nowadays??

[@dunebasher1971]

That doesn't apply in Europe, of course, where parts are much cheaper and plentiful. The large number of older (10 years+) German cars on the roads here are testament to that.

[@runrideread]

@@petrosaguilar8916 oh , damn dude don’t you read these comments

[@cytherians]

I've had my 2007 Audi A3 8P S-line since new... just hit 17 years. Never had a major mechanical or electrical problem. The only major cost outlay was the 80k mile service with DSG transmission and timing belt replacement. Also had to get a new A/C compressor. But amortized over 17 years... seriously low costs. Never had a more reliable car (beat Nissan, Toyota, Honda).

[@lancenutter1067]

I sold my 2002 Boxster S last Christmas because I knew nickels and dimes on Porsche are actually 100’s and 1000’s. Probably the best driving car I ever owned. Anyway bought a project 1975 C3 Corvette and haven’t regretted it. Chevy parts are cheap and everywhere.

[@OctopusTone]

present the option. Apparently the 99' with the 2.5 has a 2% failure rate, most that make it to that mileage are safe from ims bearing failure by now.

[@tomfaires1700]

Cars like that are supposed to be fixed in the home garage as a hobby.

[@marviosantos]

100% That's what I am doing with my 2004 cayenne. In the end it's just a car. take your time and you can do it. Like the wizard said, people forget this cars were VERY expensive when new, geez, my cayenne could have bought a modest house when new :) So fixing them is going to be a VERY expensive proposition if you take it to a shop, never mind a Porsche dealership!

[@breganzane]

Bad advice to change that IMS, leave it alone. On a 99 if it's original then it's a dual row bearing and if it's made it this far it is very unlikely to fail. The replacement bearings available now (other than the plain bearing conversions) are considerably lower strength, quality and life span than that original dual row bearing. The smart advice these days on a car worth the expense is to save the money for a strip and rebuild at about 200-250,000km to replace the main and rod bearings. When apart, you can then fit a 997 type shaft & bearing which while not really solving the reason for the failures (just dumb putting a rolling element bearing there in the first place) it makes the bearing of sufficient size that reliability is not an issue. As the wiz does correctly say though, the cost is not compatible with the value of this car. It's viable on a more valuable 911, and acceptable as a challenge / project for a skilled DIY'er to save a really nice Boxster. So for a car like this... just drive and enjoy it, change the oil often and warm it up well before thrashing it.

[@montysport94]

I mean, it's a clapped out 2.5 with the slushbox. The best option was to sell it as a parts car. The second best option would be to throw a used transmission in and dump it on marketplace.

[@alexandervanwyk7669]

From a 5 yard distance I would have turned around and ran away from this wreck. My '98 986 has done now ~145k miles (240k kms), and still run and looks brand new. (Has got 19"275/30 carrera wheels) Doing my own maintenance, me and the kids used to attend many club track day racing events. Every day rev it to often 6500, frequently flat out. Fantastic car. Only service it with fully synthetic oil. Apart from my 18000km service intervals during the last quarter century I replaced shocks, all rubber mountings, air oil separator, belt and pulleys, new water pump, thermostat and plastic window. Also pulleys, alternator and recon starter. PS I am a poor technician feeling like a king in this thing. That's about it. (I notice upon down gearing that in future it might require some syncro rings and the plastic tubes around the spark plug coil packs). Car is best of the best. PS. I did have an electric random window opening problem but after replacing the Alternator, that problem fortunately just disappeared. Love from S Africa.

[@steveh4837]

I would do the bearing. It’s worth it to save 95% of the labor the customer is already paying for to replace the transmission

[@GF-ok5yn]

I own a 2000 Boxster S with the tiptronic. I have changed the transmission oil once. Great little car, mind you I change the engine oil every year even if only driven less than a 1000 miles a year, it only has 65000 km. I monitor the oil filter for particles. I do see some small plastic brown bits and suspect that is from the chain guides. If there are no metal particles I would not spend the extra money for the IMS bearing replacement. No guarantee a replacement will be any better than the existing one. I doubt you would give a warranty on a replacement anyways. However maybe the engine oil was changed and signs of wear on the bearing are not evident. So it is a tough decision.

[@ianjay5301]

I have a 16 year old Ranger that is rust free. It doesn't leak, the a/c works. If something expensive breaks, I will get it fixed, even if the repair costs more than a book value. How do you value something that you like? Something that does the job? I have a brand new Maverick Hybrid too. It fills another niche, so the Ranger is still here. Does it make sense to repair? Of course not, vehicles are money pits. If I wanted to get full value to the last cent, I would probably just rent a truck when I needed it. Dumping a bunch of money into an old Porsche is entirely up to the owner. Keeps you busy and gives us great videos.

[@Stew-h4y]

Do the bearing!!!! Best practice and advice. Awesome Wizard.

[@jeroenvangastel9079]

These engines are rebuild wizard. Plenty of shops here in the EU. Costs are max 8k euro with all upgrades

[@nakoma5]

It's more expensive, probably double, to rebuild in the US.

[@DarthVader1977]

rebuilt*

[@gregjohnson2073]

What do you think it costs to ship it round trip.

[@situationalawarenes]

You are good at imitating the roaring bearing noise!

[@IronKotetsu]

I browsed for a local 986 early this summer, ended up getting an Mercedes SLK320 instead. Same 2 seater fun, but the SLK market was way softer for equal condition cars. When searching for any older "fun" car, look for decade plus ownership, and older well-off owners. In my case all the major risk areas had already been serviced.

[@thefreedomguyuk]

No, not same fun, not same sound

[@Elberoth]

This ^^^^^. A well off owner is a key. An older one is a nice bonus.

[@c-los4630]

Wizard you make the best car videos.

[@xclear1874]

I've actually had a similar situation happen on my old 99 Boxster but it was a manual and I did decide to do the IMS after a lot of thought. I had a shifter cable snap and a shift fork bend which required the transmission to be taken off and at that point I decided it was worth it to tackle the IMS bearing while in there just from a resale point. Ended up selling the car about a half a year later and the IMS being done made it MUCH easier to sell the car as that was just about EVERYONE'S first question.

[@iamchucky661]

If im not mistaken that tiptronic is also used in the mitsibushi fto . One of the issues people have is putting the wrong fluid in they put regular auto fluid in instead of dexron 6 fluid . I wonder if that is what caused the damage

[@PaulLemars01]

I just did the same with a very clean 04 LIncoln Aviator with 92K miles on it. I paid $3200 for it, not including registration fees and a pre-purchase inspection. Before buying it, I put my OBDII scanner on it and it reported a bad coil on cylinder 7. It also showed an EMC error that I thought was being caused by the bad coil. I took it over to my local shop to get a pre-purchase inspection and they confirmed that indeed it had a misfire on cylinder 7 probably caused by a bad coil. So, I bought the SUV and took it over to the shop where they took off the coil cover and replaced the coil and spark plug. Which did absolutely nothing for the misfire. So, they did a compression test on it and it came back with 84 psi where cylinder 8 and 6 showed 135 psi. They dropped a borescope in the cylinder and saw one exhaust valve heavily crusted with carbon and the other with white powder on it indicating pre-ignition. So, the valve head needs to come off and a valve job needs to be done on cylinder 7. And here's the kicker, the engine has to come out to take the valve head off. 23 hours in labor alone not to mention the machine shop. Total bill to do the job approximately $6,000. It's a really nice SUV but it's economically totaled and a pre-purchase inspection is an easy way to spend $175. Nobody in the shop thought it necessary to check on the database what the likely cause of a cylinder 7 misfire would be since they are known for this problem. I could probably sue them but it's not going to get my money back. Be careful out there kids. A cheap car is only cheap for a while. In my case it was an afternoon.

[@danmarjenka6361]

I have always lost money on Fords.

What's a "valve head"? I don't know much, only been an ASE certified Master for decades.

[@danmarjenka6361]

If cars can have a "fuel" line and a "brake" line, apparently they can have a "valve" head. But, yeah, it's usually just called a "head."

@@danmarjenka6361 Try "cylinder head". That's the actual term.

Unlikely you'd have a noticeable misfire with 85 PSI during cranking. Somebody doesn't know what he's talking about. And the whole "heavily crusted with carbon and the other with white powder indicating pre-ignition" is gobbledygook. Like I said...somebody has no clue.

[@morpheus3190]

I would put the oil fed non roller bearing assembly in. Plain bearing rides on oil. It will never go bad like a roller bed.

[@craigg4925]

I just had my trans replace with a used one, they did service it, but did not replace the seals on the out puts, and we drove across the street, and it start leaking, they did replace the seals and will never not change them again no matter how good they look.

[@DarthVader1977]

replaced* with started* leaking

[@craigg4925]

@@DarthVader1977 yeah I needed a little coffee.

[@JeffCD77]

I am so grateful to have a mechanic that only charges $75/hr labor. The only downside is that he is SUPER, CRAZY busy, and thinking that you're gonna get an appointment for a repair tomorrow is a pipe dream! But, I'll glady book my oil change and tire rotation 3 weeks out in exchange for a $30 bill! I had no idea that shops charged $175+ per hour! That's crazy.

[@eruc3ht]

I would replace the IMS while everything is out.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

I wouldn't. This car is looks like crap, despite the low mileage (which is probably wrong). If it was pristine, sure, but it's the opposite of that. Swap a used tranny in and drive the car. Get rid of the horrible chrome wheels, get the paint corrected and be done with it.

[@thefreedomguyuk]

Not on the 1999 M96 engine, the ims is just fine

[@timmusick9875]

Very informative and pertinent topic. Well done!

[@DuaneBrosky]

The market is full of these cars that cost a fortune new but thanks to repair costs are basically zero. Hoovie knows all about that.

[@cytherians]

Hoovie helped The Car Wizard buy a nice big yacht with all the repair work he has paid for him to do on his fleet of exotic cars.

[@BossaNossa1]

Great vid!!!! So thorough and clear!!!

[@karvast5726]

I just got a 99’ boxster about 2 weeks ago,i hope this video isn’t foreshadowing

[@shaunportlock4924]

I had a 99 booster S that had had it done with the warranty by the previous owner. They are generally very reliable car and are brilliant to drive.

[@karvast5726]

@@shaunportlock4924 i love mine,it’s a manual and the gearbox feels pretty smooth,the clutch is stiffer than my daily driver but feels great,brakes are also stiffer than my daily but it’s a pretty sporty and engaging ride and it’s really a good value for money in general

[@DukeFerris]

You'll probably be fine. They are actually very reliable, unless you get a careless previous owner or a very unlucky roll of the dice. If these haven't been fixed already, the two things that will fail for sure are: 1-- the air/oil separator ($70 part, you can do it!), and 2-- the mixer doors (your vents will start spraying foam, and you will only have one comfort setting: warm), which you can fix with 2 or 3 hours of tight work inside the dashboard.

[@keithposter5543]

@@DukeFerris This ^^^. Just enjoy it, wonderful cars

[@Elberoth]

Very much depends on how it was maintained. Change all fluids, INCLUDING transmission oil and filter, and enjoy!

[@LilYeshua]

I'd have a new transmission and IMS bearing installed just because I've never owned a Porsche before especially that model in that color plus the paint job can be addressed. That black Testerosa in the background sure looks the beauty even though it's a hoopty 😮

[@stephenglennan9963]

It is called the Porsche tax!

[@sdelling1]

Super great information! Thanks GW!

[@JasonFromCT]

Cylinder Scoring almost never happens on 2.5 or 2.7's, or even 3.2's. They used cast pistons.

[@BCNeil]

Shhhhh Wizard heard something on the internet

[@joepre-l8g]

I agree with you, time to replace the IMS bearing at that time

[@Sweetrides577]

This is why a Porsche for 5K on the marketplace is NEVER a good deal. 90% of the time the previous owner got rid of it for this exact reason. 🤣

[@robo1000]

Another great video. Y’all are killing it!

[@Rgh71fish]

I'm in a number of online/social media car forums, including one for the 986 Boxster. Of all these forums, the 986 Boxster forum is BY FAR the most full of daily problems/failures/please help posts than any other. It is actually shocking how bad these cars are. All of these cars suffer from some degree of bore scoring, even the "good" ones. I've wanted time and time again to get into one of these cars, but can't bring myself to do it. Its no wonder this generation has been so inexpensive to buy for so long, and I fully expect it to stay that way for a long time to come.

[@judih.8754]

Yes but people with troubles are always the first to complain. Folks on forums don't go on to post how great their car is. The vast majority are looking to solve an issue. There were a lot of these made. We've had several and haven't had any problems.

[@Rgh71fish]

@@judih.8754 yes, precisely, and the Boxster forum problem posts vastly outnumber those of other forums.

[@TassieLorenzo]

How do Honda NSX forums like the NSX Prime forum compare? I wonder if those cars are less troublesome?

[@Rgh71fish]

All car forums are full of owners trying to resolve problems, but the likelihood of those problems being catastrophic or otherwise financially ruinous just seem to be a lot higher on a 986 Boxster from my observation.

[@keithposter5543]

I've had 3 friends with 986 Boxsters, all with no problems beyond standard service items.

[@HDavidBraew]

Most definitely replace the IMS bearing. Adds value to the car. Use the LN solution, though. Also, replace the rear mainseal, the air/oil separator (to prevent hydrolocking the engine) and the cam chain tensioners. Likely adds about $4k to the fix but adds years to the life and likely most is recupable at sale.

[@royshaft]

If you ever go to buy a Boxter privately, you will be handed the “ phone book of receipts “ . You will realise the car cost more in repairs and parts than the whole thing . Run . Run fast , don’t look back !

[@user-kc1tf7zm3b]

The phone book of maintenance receipts will inevitably grow larger with passing calendar year, it never ends.

[@cytherians]

"JR Garage looks up and contemplates a cheap buy to flip..."

[@56radioboy]

We had a 2003, and it ran like a top! The wife loved it. I think it helps to have a great shop, which we did. It was cheaper to run than the last BMW we had!

[@planesandbikes7353]

So true. I owned one for 3 years long ago, lucked out as did not need much work but took a bath on trade in for a new merc. For me in the future the answer is: Miata. I have the means to own a fleet of porsches and ferraris but I do not want to be owned by my things and I really do not want to be frequenting any repair shop.

[@royshaft]

@@planesandbikes7353 Don’t laugh , i ended up buying a Lotus Elan instead , it’s been faultless , just usual care and maintenance. Worth double what i paid for it , not that I’ll ever sell it.

[@terrylessmann2274]

While it has the dual row IMS (that supposedly fails at 5% rate vs 10% for single row Gen II or 1% for Gen III), it would be wise to replace the IMS. Good for peace of mind and future resale value. Just remember, most replacement IMS bearings generally have a 'replace by' date too - very few are lifetime.

[@NorthernChev]

I’ve been a used car dealer for over 35 years, although it’s not always the case, 95% of ALL used cars you buy were originally traded in FOR A REASON. For the most part people don’t trade in a perfectly good car. It’s usually because there’s one or more problems that have accumulated over time and they no longer want to deal with it. Just keep that in mind when you buy a used car…

[@toyoracer33]

I know you won't use used engines, I wasn't sure about used transmissions. The tiptronics are reliable enough that you're comfortable installing a used one? Usually when a used transmission is so expensive it's because it's in high demand.

[@Thegowfer65]

Double row IMS should be fine. Replacing it can cause as many issues. Also 2.5 does not suffer from RMS issues.

[@cytherians]

Then there's JR Garage who finds non-working Porsche Boxsters, does a few clever DIY techniques and they've got a running car in pretty good shape that they'll then flip on the market for a major profit after some cleanup & prep. I wonder how many of them are ticking timebombs like this.

[@industrialmonk]

Replace the bearing

[@UraniumFever88]

more of this please 1:50 lol

[@louies109]

Wizards got crazy editing skills I see

[@mired914]

I have two 1999 Boxsters, my nice red one I've owned for 15 years and a shotty black one I bought a few weeks ago for $1300. lol

[@TassieLorenzo]

Parts car or fixer upper? :D

[@mired914]

@@TassieLorenzo Not sure yet, the guy I bought it from knew nothing about it but thinks the engine is bad. It was sitting in a warehouse for 9+ years. If I can make her run it'll possibly be a track toy or beater Porsche. If I can't make her run then it'll be parts.

[@slowery43]

not a sole cares, this is not about you

[@mired914]

@@slowery43 Seems you live a sad life if you need to make comments like this.

[@larrysorenson4789]

My dad traded in a 51 Buick on a brand new 1954 Packard Clipper. I LOVED that car. The Buick barfed up its guts within a week.

[@MetalVentor]

The thing that sucks is you can do all those repairs and in a week the alternator goes out. Or the fuel pump. Or the battery goes dead. It's got 150k. Slap back together and get rid of it.

[@mystisith3984]

I would sell for parts & be happy if I was down 500 bucks from my pocket. Hard lesson learned.

[@johnsiorek1630]

Same issue with my z28 camaro. Neverending repairs

[@wolfalaska7638]

No, have the alternator and fuel pump changed now

[@Gozar111]

The IMS ghost scares people so much and as a Porsche collector I have never even seen this happen once. I can however see that this car has been treated very badly in its life and as such I am not surprised that the gearbox went. And yes it’s expensive to repair but once it’s done it will last for years. Just do the regular maintenance.

[@happy543210]

That car is not worth fixing. The owner needs a mental checkup

[@KrustyKlown]

A used tranny on Ebay is less than $1000 ... $1500 labor (Wizard charges too much) ... a cheap IMS will add $500... $3000 total, could be worth it.

[@jonathanyang6230]

buying a beat porsche with no inspection and then spending the purchase cost of the car on fixing it. man's gotta take a step back and look at himself.

[@johnjobber2219]

Just send it to the junk yard

[@thefreedomguyuk]

It's worth fixing, in the right way . But, yes, this owner paid over the tip for the car, and is paying too much for the repair. Guy could have bought 3 good boxsters for that money 😮

[@thefreedomguyuk]

​@@jonathanyang6230Indeed, when having paid twice the value when buying the car .

[@stevethorn2108]

love your integrity Wizard

[@slagdemon]

My dad taught me how to do most of my mechanic work. He had a saying I live by. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The IMS bearing is making no noise. There's no glitter in the fluid. Leave it be. If it were a hundred bucks difference, maybe, but $1500 is a lot of money to fix something that isn't broken.

[@georgebettiol8338]

The old adage of "ain't broke, don't fix it" may have been OK in years gone by when engines were simple and engine bays were very 'spaciously generous' to work in. That adage is simply not tenable for complex modern cars that require lots or 'tear-down' when performing relatively simple parts exchanges. A customer who declined to replace a water pump whilst doing a timing belt paid the price of largely repeating the work when the pump started leaking some 2 months later. Needless to say, he wasn't happy with HIS decision.

[@TassieLorenzo]

That seems to be an argument against the preventative maintenance that is so often suggested for German cars. I wonder what the best approach is?

[@slagdemon]

@@TassieLorenzo No, not really. Maintenance is key to making things run correctly. Maintenance and fixing problems are two completely different things. Like I tell my kids, maintain the things you have and treat them well and most times they will treat you well also. Some things are just poorly made, but 2 of my adult sons have Toyotas and they maintain them so that they will continue to run. One has 330k and change on it, the other 170k and change on his.

[@charlesallanstewart-kl2op]

I watched a video in Wheeler dealers with Ant doing an ' lMS ' bearing including an Upgrade..... As wizard says it is not cheap. But you don't have to Worry about the bearing ever again ? What why how ? He replaced the ' lMS' then got the kit supplied Hose & drill bit the housing ,so now the IMS bearing will be Lubed forever never drying out ........ You need to watch the episode to understand it , have fun and enjoy !

[@T_Smooth_]

It's not that someone doesn't wanna pay for it, it's cause they can't afford it maybe. Not everyone has Hoovie money...

[@petrosaguilar8916]

That's why you don't buy high end cars from budget ballers.

[@tomjones4383]

Installing a magnetic drain helps to monitor the engine condition.

[@justinbryan595]

Who else can only think about Robb Pitts? Rest in Peace Rabbit ❤❤

[@ProtoType99468]

i loved the netflix show

[@jeremiahlyleseditor437]

I hear what you are saying about the cost of these. I'm not a Porsche fan however, in the past, mechanics have told me to stay away from any automatic and any boxer engine. If I ever did decide to buy Porsche, which I will not, I was told that the four cylinder engine with a stick are the only ones worth owning. Pricey but not a heart attack pricey.

[@chuckcts-v3460]

There is a reason used German cars are very cheap, this is a good example.

[@thefreedomguyuk]

Bullshit !

[@Pickchore]

Hey Wizard. Check out a kit for the Boxster called the Vale GT1. Looks amazing.

[@rayp7135]

Get a C5 it’s more fun than the boxster and cheaper to maintain

[@DigitalDissident]

Agree, LS C5 & C6 over this girly boxter all day, especially if it's a manual Vette.

[@milescarter7803]

Lol, mid engine Porsche is girly? Hilarious. Not only is it a mid engine the whole front half is same as any 911 based product. Takes the same upgrades as a GT3. Can't say I'm a fan of the looks exactly. But sitting in it I don't have to look at it. (same as the guy who hated the Eiffel tower for ruining the Paris skyline, so had his breakfast there every day). I'd rather daily drive the Porsche than a Vette. Do agree a Vette makes a killer go-kart if you Exo it.

[@milescarter7803]

Also just Subaru swap it with the flat-six. Get boxster with an already blown engine and a totaled Legacy, do the swap, best of everything.

[@richardcalon3724]

I own both they are as different as chalk and cheese. They provide completely different driving experiences. The Porsche seems lively and drives that way, in some ways feels delicate. The Corvette feels heavy, deliberate and durable. The interior fittings on both feel somewhat dated with the Corvette feeling cheap but roomy. The Porsche feel like better quality but cramped. Fortunately they are both relatively cheap to buy so you can own both for less than the cost of a new economy car. Corvette parts are inexpensive and available everywhere, Porsche parts are hideously expensive and sometimes not even available. Pick your poison.

[@heiner71]

And make sure you get a lawn chair with it.

[@andrewg2322]

99 early 911 with throttle cable, ambers, and in need of everything major. Top, wheel bearings, suspension, and the famous IMS 😂 dude got take for a ride got an 01 c2s and its a handfull

[@whatsay8406]

People invest money into cars all the time that aren’t worth it.

[@willb3018]

Worth is a relative concept. I know a guy who spent nearly $150,000 on a '57 Chevy 4 door 6 banger restoration. Certainly an emotional thing as it had been in the family since new, but that surely was beyond monetary value.

[@heiner71]

@@willb3018 , if everybody just buys cars with their head, everybody would drive a Corolla or a Camry or some other lame box. Not a very exciting perspective.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

Yeah, but this is not the one to do it with. If it were a pristine, manual Boxster S, sure.

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

@@heiner71 I love lame boxes because the money I save on not having to do repairs (just the basic maintenance) allows me to enjoy some other comforts in life (like having no mortgage).

[@Chris-cv4tt]

Not a Porsche fan but I dig that exhaust note! And yes, Alien: Romulus makes up for some missteps over the years. A real popcorn movie. If I had a Porsche I would understand the costs of having one and would have the bearing replaced while in there.

[@hotpuppy1]

'Accidental' car fire turned into insurance.

[@heiner71]

So all of our insurance rates go up even further. Great suggestion.

[@lornestein7248]

💯

[@peterdrury5627]

Yes, assuming the transmission will be replaced definitely replace the IMS bearing as well. Labour on the bearing replacement is almost free.

[@VampirusX]

Wizard: I don't want to touch this nasty stuff with my bare hands. Also Wizard: Touches the nasty stuff with his bare hand.

[@mcapps1]

Why don't you suggest the upgraded version of the IMS bearing. Oiled versus sealed bearing.

[@keithgreenwood-xb8vn]

$175.00 a hour for labor???? That is totally ridiculous

[@johnj.baranski6553]

Thank you

[@romulus_]

that's quite a reasonable rate, actually.

[@Tdaz250]

Yes do the bearing. Why no rebuild transmission option?

[@helluvatime4562]

Do the IMS bearing and overhaul the transmission.

[@CaptainFeathersword]

lol we used to call these transmissions "Newfie standards" 20 years ago back when I cruised around with my buddies in their Boxsters and my Saab 9-3 Aero.

[@420BudNuggets]

Definitely getting the IMS done if you’re already done this much

[@sunset986S]

The 1999 Boxster had dual row IMS bearings but my 2002 has only single row which is more prone to failure but since you already have it apart it's still worth it.

[@rudolphvanthoff1391]

Cars depreciate because of age. The reason is exactly this! It’s no longer new, and to make it work like new it’s going to cost! I know with my R36, if the transmission has to ever come out, the timing chains and tensioners WILL get done at the same time! As you said, it just makes sense…

[@aaroncostello8812]

This car is a '99 so I knew it wouldn't be the IMS or cylinder scoring. Both problems were common on 2001-up 911s and Boxsters. That said, Tiptronic problems are unusual as well.