Re: Shaft failure

This is another chapter in my long story of my '01 base that failed in Jersey and has been in the shop for the last two years.

My local D.C. indy, who I trust, has finally gotten around to looking at my engine and pronounced it a shaft failure requiring an engine replacement (probably IMS, but it really doesn't matter if the engine must be replaced). The car has about 130,000 on the clock and I have not paid a dime for any of the towing, storage, etc so far, just have missed the car.

I'm going in to talk to him tomorrow. He has been looking at possible replacement engines and has found few that meet his standards. However, he found one with 80,000 miles that he thinks he can get for $4,500. He then says it would cost me like $5,500 or 6 to get the engine, service it and put it in.

Even if it's a little higher, this is much less than I thoiught and this guy has done tremendous service on this car and my wife's BMW 3 over the years, so I think I'm leaning toward going with this, even if I end up selling the car in a year or two.

Thoughts?

An old AOS? Old water pump? Belt? Idler pulleys? Old expansion tank and oil tank joints? Motor mounts? Clutch? Plugs? Coil packs? IMS? RMS?

My point is you'll be paying a lot just to replace the engine, how many common failure points easy to service when the engine is sitting on a stand will you want to consider getting done to set you up for long term reliability? And do you know exactly what the replacement costs above the engine purchase will include?

I'm rooting for this oldie but goodie to get back on the road with you having a grin and a dime in your wallet...

Also, wonder how much more you can get to sell the car for its parts? Add that to the $6,000 for the engine replacement cost to figure what could be in our checking account if you just junk the car and move on. That's not including two years worth of operating expenses you saved--oil changes, annual services, new tires, insurance, registration, etc. I might consider myself way ahead of the game and use all that money to move on to something different--Porsche or non-Porsche. If you've been without it for two years, it sounds like fixing it is for nostalgia sake. Weigh that against the monetary side of things and that may guide you to a decision.

My guy thinks the car is good for another couple of years. Does anyone out there think I should fix it?

My thoughts are that I lean towards fixing the car.

It is not worth much as it sits. You might get $3K, $4K or maybe more for the car but you'll not replace it with anything comparable for that amount not even if you add to it what you would have spent on the engine.

BTW, my advice -- just so you have fresh numbers is that you contact salvage companies that specialize in Porsches to see what you might get for the car. Give Oklahoma Foreign a call. There are other companies, too. Consult the ads in Panorama and Excellence for their names/phone numbers.

Anyhow, you sell the car and that's that. It is a clean break. You get rid of the car and can move on.

OTOH, as I touched upon above you will not be able to replace the car with anything like it for what you get for the car and probably not even for what you get for the car combined with what you would have put into the car getting it back on the road.

With this $4500 engine your trusted indy suggests the car is whole again, runs again, and you have a very nice car to use again.

As mikefocke touches upon, there's an argument for while the engine is out of the car doing the AOS, plugs, coils, water pump. OTOH, you might just cut this down to say the AOS (unless the AOS looks fresh).

For the plugs, I would probably replace the plugs unless they were (like I said above about the AOS "fresh", clearly so to your mechanic's satisfaction). At the same time he can make a call on the coils.

And the water pump is certainly accessible to at least carefully inspect. The pump cost is not much though so it depends upon what labor costs.

But if the water pump shows signs of fluid leakage or a wiggle test finds play, then replace the pump and t-stat.

Same goes for the idler and tensioner rollers. Check them for excessive play or roughness. Replace if the need to is obvious. Or you can leave them in service: they are not hard to get at/replace if they need it later.

My thought is then to fix the car. Spend what you must, but no more.

You can throw a lot of preventative parts/work at the engine and the radiator springs a leak, or the fuel pump quits. Or you throw nothing at the car and the coils misfire or the AOS craps out the next run around the block.

So no matter what you do or do not do, you have to steel yourself for the possibility that something will come up.

Best of luck in whatever you decide to do.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Marc,

Thankis; you've offered good advice lo these two years.

My AOS has been replaced, as has my water pump, so I'm leaning toward the repair.

Do you want to drive an '01 Porsche Boxster? If so, then fix it. I had about 150K miles on my 2000S engine before the coils and water pump failed. I am all for fixing and keeping a car running... always believing that it is way cheaper to do this than buy a new or late model. I also don't find the newer models that compelling over what I have now.

Good luck.
Bruce

My instinct is to repair it. Any last thoughts, please email me directly -- shirsch170@aol.com

Thanks.

Just a different spin on the subject - but have you looked at what used Boxster's you can buy for the same $10-12,000? Rather than just an engine with unknown integrity - you may be able to find a lower mileage car with documented service history.. Selling off the parts car lets you jump your target car price to $15,000. There's a lot of nice stuff out there if you go looking in that range. Just having your old car sitting in storage for 2 years would make me suspect of other mechanical components.

All this assumes you can let go of any sentimental ties.

See my other pastime at www.gothamcityracing.net

Good point. Over the last week, we were helping my eldest son find a new car. We located a very fine 98 Boxster with 28K miles for $13K asking price. Very, very nice condition, but no service records. If I was looking for a weekend toy and had the time and money to take a chance on service, however, the Boxster would have been a good choice. However, this wasn't for me and it was for my son's daily driver and he is poor as a church mouse. I scared him off with the difficulty of finding a service mechanic and the cost of repairs if something does go wrong, and no matter how good the car is, it's 14 years old and things WILL go wrong. He ended up with an 08 Miata with 16K miles, a folding hardtop, and a lot more equipment on it for $17K. That is a fun little car and cheaper and easier for a young man to service.

I just had my 05 s engine totally rebuilt with a doner block from the same year with an upgraded IMS and some other upgrades added which gave me some more horses....... much more power in the top end at lower RPMs. I would recommend the ladds at DC Auto in Rocky Mount NC to any one. Great service at a resonable cost.....$!4,000 in and out the door,for a better engine than the original. Hey! these guys are genius......they build racing engines for the pros. Buy the way, the head mechanic there, Mike..... is the guy who invented the tool to remove the IMS......although we all know who took the credit for it and turned into a huge production.......SHHH ! hope he's not listening.