New Boxster 987 Owner - Checking In

[thomas.lane]

Hi to the group - Just trying to work everything out.
PCGB Full member - Cheshire, North West

So I spent nearly 8-months trying to find the right car and I eventually found this 2005 987.1 3.2S reasonably local to me which was handy as I wasn't keen on travelling all over the country. I originally wanted a 987.2 due to the benefits of the DFi engine, however they are few and far between, I couldn't find a Guards Red model at the time and this car was much closer to my original budget.
Its a 2005 local car with only 36K miles, Full Specialist service history and had been confirmed that the later 2006MY IMS bearing had been fitted (I went into things in allot of detail, engine number etc and in the end decided not to worry about it). It's spec is reasonably basic - No PASM, Chrono, Dated Nav or Xenons. But it does have a manual box, Sports heated seats, 19'' Carrera Classics, Red hoops, Red Belt, Disc Changer, Full Leather Spec. The one option I really wanted was Sports Exhaust because I was looking for some drama. It's been looked after fastidiously and I intend on keeping it this way. It's been an ambition for me to own a Porsche and this is about making memories with my son.
Here are a few pictures and the start of the journey....

 

[CLIFFWILKINS]

Hi Tom

Congratulations on your car hope you can enjoy getting out in it if possible with current situation.

Enjoy []

 

[dpoynton]

Tom

Many congratulations. You never forget your first Porsche and many of us have "cut our teeth" with a Boxster., some still have one!

Enjoy, I'm sure you will.

ATB David

 

[Chappelle]

Excellent. Same age, model and mileage as mine. Prefer your colour! I've done little to mine other than change the head unit for a modern Pioneer double din unit that now has Apple CarPlay wirelessly and wireless phone charging (pic attached). This winter I've changed the halogen headlight bulbs for much brighter, quality, led bulbs (Philips and PIAA brands). The exhaust on mine has a fabulous sound. Son took his Boxster to Carnewal in Belgium to have his exhaust made noisier but I don't see the need

 

[thomas.lane]

Thanks for the above and appreciate the comments.

Nice mod to add wireless charging etc. I do have a job list for mine which I have copied below...

Whatever I do I want to keep the car as standard as possible generally.

Jobs I want to do in the coming 12 months....

1: Proper machine polish / detail / ceramic coating maybe.

2: Interior Detail.

3: Convert disc changer into bluetooth with the Mr12v unit

4: New overmats

5: Re-trim Steering Wheel, Shifter Gaiter and Armrest... leather with subtle red stitching

6: Sort out some rattles coming from the windbreaker.

7: I'd like to change the PORSCHE sticker on the inside of rear screen from black to RED.

8: Car needs a Full service and new tyres in new year.

9: Possibly do something with exhaust - Carnewal, Designtek or other... not sure yet.

10: Carbon Fibre Trim detail like I've seen ..... there is a place that will re-skim the dash inserts.

11: Take a look at front lights, trick fix to get DRL's

12: Possibly look at protecting front condensers although not keen currently on Zunsport Solution

13: Sort out sticky radio buttons

14: Porsche valve cap covers

15: Convert garage into man cave / proper home... paint, cupboards, 6ft LED battens on order

16: Private Plate - got about 20 options in my phone cant decide

Plus obviously drive the car as much as possible this year...

 

[pfowler1]

Hi Tom,

your car looks great and I was interested to note your registration plate. When I bought my Boxster S in May 2018 it had the registration MX05 XBZ.... only 1 letter different from yours.

by the way I sold my old plate to a Mazda MX5 owner which more than paid for my new personal plate....

my car just passed 100,000 miles in Sept. how many has yours done?

Paul

 

[JMR]

Lovely looking example that is Tom [8D]

You'll enjoy it I'm sure of that.

I've had my Boxster for 4 years now (first Porsche) and don't really see me selling it any time soon, particularly seeing as I only did 1100 miles in it last year []

Sticky radio buttons can be sorted with some tar/glue remover (autosmart tardis) on a cotton bud.

Just remove a little bit at a time, let it dry off, then have another go later one following day etc.

Although I've never had to do it on my own.

Its been garaged all its life so it doesn't sit out in the rain/snow/sun

Happy driving when you get chance []

 

[JMR]

This winter I've changed the halogen headlight bulbs for much brighter, quality, led bulbs (Philips and PIAA brands).

What LED headlight bulbs did you go for Chappelle?

And did you have to fit any heat sinks/resistors to avoid the bulb out message on the dash?

 

[JMR]

9: Possibly do something with exhaust - Carnewal, Designtek or other... not sure yet

3 months into my 4 year ownership I went the Carnewal route [8D]

Its great and decent value.

The only issue in my opinion is the fact that the trade off by getting such good value is you get a similar age exhaust to what you've got on at the moment.

i.e Gert would be sending you a 2005 exhaust with approx 36k miles on, but modified to remove two of the four rear cats.

Although he will have checked out the quality and suitability of the system before modifying it.

 

[Kaiser981]

Enjoy your new car and I'm looking forward to the updates as you tick off some of the items on that list.

 

[Hendy3023]

Welcome. Very nice colour. Enjoy the car. One recommendation if your car is garaged during the winter CTEK trickle charger / conditioner , had one for three years , use it whilst not using the car in the winter , brilliant piece of kit.

 

[Wollemi]

Hi Tom, good to see that you finally got a car and such as nice one too. It does look fabulous. I hope to be able to see it in the flesh one day! And the last item on your list, the un-numbered one, has to be the most important. Enjoy it!

 

[thomas.lane]

O hi there only just seen replies to my original post - Nice to meet you.

Thanks for the comments, really appreciated.

O really, that is slightly crazy... you car wasn't from Wilmslow Porsche originally was it? Wondering if they were part of a batch of cars registered at the same time. It can't be that much of a coincidence surely?

I never thought about selling the existing plate - I didn't realise you could do that... but now you say MX05... definitely got me thinking anyway.

My car has had a pampered life in the garage ... its only done 36K miles.

Have you got pics of your car? Where are you from?

 

[thomas.lane]

Lovely looking example that is Tom [8D]

You'll enjoy it I'm sure of that.

I've had my Boxster for 4 years now (first Porsche) and don't really see me selling it any time soon, particularly seeing as I only did 1100 miles in it last year []

Sticky radio buttons can be sorted with some tar/glue remover (autosmart tardis) on a cotton bud.

Just remove a little bit at a time, let it dry off, then have another go later one following day etc.

Although I've never had to do it on my own.

Its been garaged all its life so it doesn't sit out in the rain/snow/sun

Happy driving when you get chance []

Thanks for the recommendation of getting rid of the sticky buttons... I'd also read somewhere about soaking them in water over night.

Mine has also been garaged all its life... its not been wet for a very long time! although I had to drive it home in the rain.

Thank you...

 

[thomas.lane]

I think the Carnewal route is so tried and tested to me it feels like the right one.

My only issue is I'd like different exhaust tips... only for the simple fact I'd like to visually feel like I've had a new exhaust (silly maybe)!

Need to look into it all in more detail. Not sure how corroded the flange bolts are etc.

[/quote]

3 months into my 4 year ownership I went the Carnewal route [8D]

Its great and decent value.

The only issue in my opinion is the fact that the trade off by getting such good value is you get a similar age exhaust to what you've got on at the moment.

i.e Gert would be sending you a 2005 exhaust with approx 36k miles on, but modified to remove two of the four rear cats.

Although he will have checked out the quality and suitability of the system before modifying it.

[/quote]

 

[thomas.lane]

Couple of winter/tinker things I've done....

1) Upgraded the front bumper side markers to LED.

2) Completely upgraded the interior to LED's

 

[JMR]

I think the Carnewal route is so tried and tested to me it feels like the right one.

My only issue is I'd like different exhaust tips... only for the simple fact I'd like to visually feel like I've had a new exhaust (silly maybe)!

Need to look into it all in more detail. Not sure how corroded the flange bolts are etc.

I bought brand new twin round genuine Porsche tailpipes before the Carnewal arrived.

Cost me £230 but it looked miles better and at least then I knew I had all new brackets and connectors and everything else.

Heres a pic



P1020358 by *JMR*, on Flickr

 

[JMR]

Heres pics when I first bought the tailpipes in 2017

They still look mint now

Ceramic coated with Gtechniq C5 before fitting []



IMG_1210 by *JMR*, on Flickr



IMG_1212 by *JMR*, on Flickr



IMG_1211 by *JMR*, on Flickr

 

[pfowler1]

Hi Tom,

I will check the manual and see where it was first registered and let you know, but I do know it lived in Bristol for a few years. It now lives in Stonehaven (you may need to google that) near Aberdeen, Scotland.

My car is nowhere near as nice as yours which looks mint. Here is a picture of mine on the day I bought it with the original plate. I bought a Mazda MX5 magazine and advertised it in there and low and behold I sold it for £375.

One think I would recommend is a mesh grill to protect your condensers and radiators from leaves.

impressed by your led side repeaters and assume they don’t give error messages.

 

[pfowler1]

Hi Thomas,

just checked and the first owner lived in Wilmslow Road MA20, so it looks like it was supplied by Wilmslow Porsche Centre.

After that it went to Bristol with the next two owners, then Kendal in the Lake District for 6 months before I bought it and brought it to Stonehaven.

I’ve just had to replace two brake callipers pistons as the old anti-vibration shims were seized into them. I have also replaced the shims and am awaiting new wear sensors from Germany before I put in new Bremen pads.

next job is to clean the radiators and condensers then the dreaded crossover pipes, hoses and new coolant.