I have a 1.8 140hp MX-5 NB1 with a 160.000km/100.000 miles, pretty decent shape. Nardi Torino Edition, little rust and great mechanical shape. I am able to trade it for a 1996 Boxster with the 2.5 flat six, 204hp. Hopefully no money involved, but I may have to pay 500-2000 Euros.

Only problem is, the Boxster has driven 240.000km/150.000 miles and the owner says the engine “doesn’t run well when idling”, with a code on the engine and gearbox.

I have access to a workshop and have some experienced friends and family that can help me fix it. None of us know Porsches though.

I don’t drive too much, so it would mainly be a weekend and road trip car.

Would you guys get the Boxster or stick with the Miata?

  • ravasaurus@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    Run. Fast and Far.

    Cheap Porsche to buy=Expensive Porsche to set straight.

    Rough idle could be anything from plugs/coils/injectors/air filter to effectively a ticking time bomb of a blown engine.

    Only if you can diagnose the rough idle, confirm the codes and have confidence that you can address what’s causing the codes/idle only then would I consider proceeding with extreme caution.

    In no scenario is this an even trade. You’ll regret it.

    • CallenAmakuni@alien.topBEnglish
      1·
      11 months ago

      I’m interested in knowing how the rough idle can mean the engine is about to blow

      From what I understand, probable cause can be coils/plugs/injectors (rare), MAF (common)/air filter/dirty throttle body and valve or a faulty fuel filter. Bore scoring isn’t really an issue on a 986, so what else can cause that?

  • schwartzki@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    I bought a 80k mile 2000 Boxster S that “needed some work” but had already had IMS, Clutch and Flywheel done. It still took about 7k in parts and 1k in labor I couldn’t do myself to get it mostly sorted.

  • HGJay@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    I had a Boxster, and they’re buggers to work on. What might be a cheap and simple job on the Miata could end up costing thousands of a Boxster.

    For example a new clutch or flywheel is an engine out job and can cost up to 2k.

    Incredible cars but insanely awkward to work on.

    Run a mile. You could pay over double the purchase price trying to sort it.

  • boxsterrox@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    It might be a nice project car if you have access to cheap labor. I paid $3500 for a spare 986 Boxster S engine a few years back. If you can get it inspected and discover the rough running is related to something relatively minor I’d make that trade all day long. And I love Miatas. But the Boxster is a level above.

  • rotarychainsaw@alien.topBEnglish
    0·
    11 months ago

    Porsche engines of the time period have multiple ticking time bombs built in. Really research those before you get rid of a nice reliable Miata.