Porsche 981 Boxster after 18 mths & 15,000 km - Problems, Costs, Likes & Dislikes
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 พ.ค. 2024
- I've owned my 2013 981 Porsche Boxster for nearly 18 months and have driven 15,000 km. This video explains the costs of buying, maintaining, fixing, and enhancing my car, and includes the ways I saved money.
It covers service costs, repair costs, modification costs, regrets, likes, dislikes, and my opinions on whether I'd buy a Porsche Boxster again and whether you should buy one for yourself. Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments below.
Discount code @ porschemaster.com for USD$30 off your order: PM2023
Driving is the Best Thing in 300,000 Years
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The Boxster is a Half-Priced 911
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Upgrading from an MX5 to a Boxster
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Why 911 Owners Love the Boxster
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Boxster/Caymen LED Light Strip
• Make your 981 Boxster ...
Porsche Steering Wheel Upgrade
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Fulfil Your Dreams While You Can
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3 Days with the 992 Carrera S
• 3 Days with an Icon - ...
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DJI Wireless Field Mic: geni.us/DJI-Mi
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Zoom H1N Field Recorder: geni.us/Zoom-H1n-Rec
Zoom F3 32-Bit Recorder: geni.us/zoom-f3-recorder
Canon DM-E1D Stereo Microphone: geni.us/DM-E1D
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RODE NTG2 Microphone: geni.us/Rode-NTG2-Shotgun-Mic
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Discount code @ porschemaster.com for USD$30 off your order: PM2023
Fantastic review. So clear. Straight to the point. Great balance between information and detail. Loved it.
Thanks a lot, Ray. I'm hoping to do more reviews like this. I just got my hands on a gorgeous Macan S about an hour ago, so looking forward to a weekend filled with driving and filming!
This is the gold standard of how to do a review - get straight into it. Can't stand the other channels who spend ages telling you what they're going to tell you and then spend ages dragging out a simple message as long as possible. Love your work Peter, keep it up!
Thanks, Cam! I’m the same - I hate it when people waste my time. I dunno when I’m gonna die, but I’m sure it’ll be sooner than I want!
Hi Peter, I really hope you see this. My name is Alfredo and I'm from Peru. Yes, that country in the other side. Bumped into your 981 Boxster video few months ago and got instantly hooked. Like you, I've always wanted a Porsche, but a 911 was (and will be) unattainable to me, actually any Porsche until I saw that video of yours. You have no idea how helpful it has been. I'm a proud driver of a BMW m140i, with a nice 6-cylinder B58. I've been searching for Boxsters in my country, and finally found one, a white Boxster S 2014, with 30 thousand Kms. I've test-driven it (first Porsche I've ever driven) and just got mad. But I'm just experiencing what you are mentioning in the video, the concerns of what the ownership could actually entail. There have been 4 owners of the car so far, I'd be the 5th, all services made in the main Porsche dealership here, but still not sure on what things to look or be careful about. I'm 36 yo, proud father of 6 years daughter. I have the financials to make the move, but being a 10 year old car I'm just not sure. I know you can't tell me what to do, and you have already said a lot of good things about the 981 in your videos, but just looking for any extra specific tip you make have on this. I will really appreciate it, as I do with all your videos. Thank you for the time you invest to get such quality. And thanks for the extra views on life you add into them. I feel you try to speak to people like me out there, and here I am listening. Anyway thanks again and all the best.
Thank you, Alfredo. The 981 series Boxsters and Caymans are renowned for their reliability, so providing the car has been serviced on schedule, I’d have no concerns. Make sure you get a qualified third party to perform a pre-purchase inspection of the car before committing, and if it all comes up okay, buy without fear. They’re a brilliant car, and actually 95% 911, anyway (literally, by part number). Thanks for the kind words, mate. 👍
I’m saving up for a boxster this Spring I love these updates thank you 🙌🏼
Good for you! Glad you like them. 👍
thorough video, great work. I'm currently doing researching about 981's and 991/992's. thank you for the insights 👍
Thanks, Claudiu.
Another great video Peter, keep ‘em coming. Always a bright spot in the week, and I appreciate the care and detail you put into your channel. :)
Thanks, Ian!
Great Video Peter. I’m over 4 years in now on my 981 and it still makes me smile when i open the garage door. ❤
Same here!
Thank you for the thorough retrospective. I’ve love how you’ve really made that Boxster your own.
Thank you. And thanks for watching.
Thank you for the best review I've seen to date!! I'm looking to buy a 981 Boxster S and this certainly helped a lot. You have a new subscriber and I'm looking forward to watching your other videos and following your journey 👍
Thank you, Mark - means a lot!
This is a fantastic video, full of useful information. I am also 55 and have been so lucky to have driven Porsches for 30 years now starting with a 911 SC Targa. The ownership journey has included Boxsters, Caymans, 911s, Cayennes and a single 944. I loved them all. I currently own a 2013 Cayenne GTS, a 2008 997 Turbo and a year old 718 GT4 RS. I have owned other cars alongside these but really Porsche are a cut above! What I love about this video is that you have encapsulated all that I have learned over the years about running these cars in one place. The balance of using Porsche main dealers and specialists, finding good local people who can provide things like tyres and batteries and searching out OEM parts to save money. I hope you continue to enjoy your journey with these magnificent cars!
Thank you so much for your generous comment. I'm very grateful, and loved hearing about your own Porsche ownership experience.
Hi - had a question for you. How much less rigid/stiff is the boxster vs cayman in general? I have a clk convertible and the flex is noticeable.. do you favor one over another?
@@chanjasonsk I had a CLK430 a while back. The Boxster is in a different league as it was designed from the outset to be a convertible. You’ll struggle to notice any difference in torsional stiffness between the Boxster and Cayman.
@@chanjasonsk I can’t give you a definitive answer due to the gaps in ownership between Boxsters and Cayman. The Cayman will logically be stiffer, however I can say that when I owned the Boxsters, I didn’t notice any undue flexing in road use.
Yet another great informative video Peter - Thanks!
Many thanks, Jeremy!
Great presentation.
Thank you.
Enjoy the ride.
Thank you, Julian!
Great job Peter, straight up honest review of a top quality car. 2.7 981 is the hidden and often overlooked Porsche. Flat 6 sound on these is amazing.
Many thanks, Steve.
such a good review, thanks from the UK!
Thank you, Jag!
What a great video! Informative, entertaining and with no time-wasting waffle.
Thanks, James. I'm too old to waste time!
At 57, so am I!
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO
Excellent excellent review. Straight to the point with the information everyone needs to know up front
Thanks a lot, Wil.
great video, thoughtful honest and factual.....keep makin em Pete😃
Thank you.
Great video. Thank you for your time.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Always great content Peter 👌
Thx, JB.
Excellent video, Peter! Thoroughly enjoying your videos. I am in the market for a 981 Cayman/Boxster at the moment for my 25th birthday coming up in August (as you say: life is short) and this has helped me on my search for the perfect one (although the market drop has also been helpful!).
Greetings from Brisvegas, QLD!
Good for you, mate. Enjoy!
Thanks for the very thorough and genuine review (purchasing mistakes and all). I had to Google "NVH levels" (noise, vibration, and harshness), but every day is learning day, right!
Thank you, Andrew. And sorry, yes, I shouldn’t use acronyms without expanding them. I sometimes forget. Thanks a lot for watching. 👍
Bought a 2013 Boxster S 2 months ago with Porsche CPO. Your videos helped me decide. Thank you because I’ve loved every minute of owning it. My son and I also took a 2 day drive up the east coast of Florida and had a great time with plenty of room for our stuff.
That's wonderful to hear!
Are prices stable or dropping? Seems like not as much as SUVs 😂
@@chanjasonsk I think they’re dropping a little - at least in Australia.
I bought a 2013 white boxster 2.7 with 73000km 2 weeks ago. I’m 55 and also decided what hell! Cheers from Cape Town!
Wow - we’re like identical twins!!
Can't wait for my 2014 cayman 2.7 in next week soon..getting it
@@jimmyliew7994 good for you, Jimmy!
Your videos are great Peter. FYI my mates are happy with their Bilstein B16 on 981 & 718 Boxters & Caymans, as I have been on an earlier car. My 981 Cayman S has X73 option & happy with that. If changing I would go quality coilovers or stay stock after similar experience to you. I have converted stock audio to carplay, not too expensive & works fine, have coded stop/start to keep last setting, & dashboard lighting on at all time as I hard to read the tach w lights off. Keep doing enjoyable & helpful videos & always keep driving, cheers Gary
Wow - thanks for that info, Gary - I really appreciate it!
Hi Peter, great video, the detail is really useful. Sometimes you learn from the Eibach springs and anti roll bar. And if you don't try you wouldn't know. Well done. Kirk in Scotland 987.2 boxster with upgrades.
Many thanks, Kirk.
Thank you for this video. I've seen a few of your previous ones with your Miata and this one sealed the deal with a subscription 🙂
I'm in the market for something new, and it's either the 4th Miata or my 1st Porsche (as it has always been a bucket list item for me).... after much research I settled on a 981 Boxster so I can still get the top-down experience, and they look amazing but knowing the maintenance costs is still difficult for me to swallow as my primary experience has been essentially maintenance-free from Mazda & Toyota land. Still need to mull it over, but I appreciate your wealth of info here breaking everything down!
Many thanks for the kind words. They’re a very robust car, and there are specialists throughout the world who can work on them easily.
Yep, I did the throttle response kit, my 987.2 is now the way it always should have been.
Awesome video! Thanks for your hard work. Hopefully I'll get a porsche soon in a few years. Enjoy your ride Peter!
Thanks, Kelvin!
One of the best car reviews I've seen. A true owner's story about his car. I owned a 2000 Boxster for 4 years and sold it in 2016. Missed that car a lot so a month ago I bought a 2001 Boxster S with the Porsche performance exhaust. The car is a dream to drive and with the sound of that flat six, I believe, like this video says the car will only become more valuable as time goes on. With the advent of EV's and the car manufactures changing over to more eco friendly machines (by government mandate), the golden age of true sports cars is going away. Hang on to these gems!
That’s very generous, Paul - thank you!
Peter, another great video. If you recall I have the same spec, color everything in a 2014 model. I have had several Porsches and this is my favorite by far. I am senior to you by many years and this car is my week -end psychiatrist. His nickname by my children is Freud. Keep the videos coming, very well done.
Haha - love that name!
FYI, I just switched from Pirelli P Zero to Michelin Pilots, a bit stiffer compound than the Pirrelli without any noticeable loss of cornering or ride quality. @@PETERFRITZPHOTO
@@FrederickRH1 Thanks for that. I had them on my ND MX5, and they transformed the car.
Impressive delivery. 😀
Great video. Your motivation to get the car needs to be said more often. You've worked hard and need to enjoy life. Good on you.
Thank you, Travis!
Great review and a nice Boxster. Hope you continue to enjoy it until you upgrade to the 4.0!
Thank you!
Thank you very much for your opinions and insights. Really appreciate the clarity and honesty. My rationale is very similar to yours and I don't want to wait until I am 50-60 to get it. I am forcing myself to get one now that I am turning 40 and I intend to keep it.
Good on you, mate.
I love your reviews Peter and your enthusiasm about the Porsche brand. You're straight to the point and provide lots of useful information. I am due to pick up a 2024 Cayman S in white in 4 weeks so can't wait and I'm from Vic. I was intrigued with the amount you saved on tyre and disc changes - I will definitely look into when the time comes. Are you able to provide the details of the mobile tyre service that replaced your tyres? Keep up the good work Peter!
Thanks a lot, Daniel, and congratulations! Maybe we should do a video/photo shoot with the two of them sometime. As for all the other stuff, here's an answer I gave to another viewer: The tyres were from tyroola.com.au. The installer was mobiletyreshop.com.au (organised through Tyroola). I purchased the brakes from runautoparts.com.au, and had them installed by Pedders in Campbellfield. They've done work on three of my cars, including a custom offroad suspension system for a Nissan Elgrand - highly recommended. Thanks for watching, Daniel. 🙂
Awesome and thank you for the useful information and resources. I’ve never done anything like it but yes we should consider a video/photo shoot.
@@Daniel-yx5zu No problem, Daniel. Re doing a photo shoot, it's food for thought - once you're settled in with the car and all that - and I reckon it would make for a beautiful bunch of video clips - especially car-to-car. I reckon a dusk shot of two white mid-engined Porsches would be fabulous, too. Plus, I'll print up a nice momento for you. Perhaps in the autumn or winter months.
Brill , thinckin of getting one when I retire .had 944s and 968 .love the sound of a cold start.❤
I love it, too. The 944S was a brilliant car. It’s so rare to see one on the road anymore.
Great video well presented
Many thanks, Stephen.
Love the interesting insights Peter - clearly independent minded thinking about Porsches! (I am 50 and just bought Cayman GTS 4.0 - my wife refuses to get in, but any of my three sons love to!). Ha ha. Enjoying your videos!
Haha - good stuff, Rhys! Did you see the one I did with the red Cayman GTS 4.0?
thanks for the chat. I have a 981, and have had a 944, 997, and a Cayman. I agree with just about everything you've addressed here --tho, I don't think I wanna mess with my suspension. Unfortunately, I drank the Koolaid on the PDK. Should have went with the manual. But otherwise, very rewarding car.
Thanks, Jerry. I still lust after a 944. I loved that car.
I really appreciate your honesty in this video. Still on track to purchase my 981GTS by September this year. Nothing wrong with my Infinite G37 convertible sapphire Blue which still turns heads I just have always wanted a PORSCHE!!! Thx again. Free Agent From Washington DC
Thanks, Derek. Life is short!
Indeed my Friend. YOLO…. No do overs!
You are a good boxster YT review channel. It isn’t a coincidence when every video is engaging and informative. Tq
Thanks, Jon!
Common theme here. I'm 57 and purchased a 997.1 Carerra S manual coupe about 9 months ago, also paying cash. I should have done it years ago. No regrets!
That's the spirit! And what a perfect car that is. The 997 will never age.
Thanks. After 3 years owning my inexpensive Honda CRZ 2013 model I finally put money into it... yep, that's right ... New tires ! Every other coin was spent on petro and the once a year oil and filter change. Oh ... for a fwd vehicle it also handles really well.
Yep - they’re a good thing!
5 stars for the video. I own a 2014 Nissan 370z. It's truly amazing. Some of the Porsche dealers make you feel like they are doing you a favor...More importantly, use your Porsche in Good Health...
Thanks, Mark. The 350Z was my dream car for a long time, and the Z32 was one of the best handling sports cars ever. I imagine the 370 is better than both of them.
Nice and honest review. I’m now thinking what items in my life I can sell to find enough for the 981 GTS 😂
Haha! That’s the spirit!
We both went from the same model of MX-5 to the same model (and year!) of Boxster. I love the car too. I also replaced the rear diffuser with a perspex one from eBay. I also bought the grilles. I did add a circuit board to the PCM to provide CarPlay (and Android Auto). It wasn't difficult and I love having the modern display of Google maps. You can plan a journey on your phone or PC and when you get in the car, the route is on the screen. Well worth it, IMO. The mod also provides an input for a reversing camera, which I bought but have not yet fitted. The view when reversing is poor, as you say, but the 2013 PCM cannot support a camera - this feature was added to the PCM 3.0 in 2014.
Brothers from other mothers. And continents! Thanks for the tip, Bob. I’m tempted, but I’m always paranoid about pulling stuff out of dashboards. Irrational, I know.
Focal bolt in replacement speakers are a must!
The Bilstein suspension upgrades are expensive but they keep the "feel" and make it sharper.
Have a look at Mantai racing upgrades (think i spelt it wrong)
Oooh, interesting! Thank you.
For the degradation of the cover, I used a heatgun very carefully and it reduced the the bad looks.
The sound of the exhaust gets better when in sports mode and it bubbles a bit
Ali - are you talking about the headlight covers?
As you said at the start of video we don't know when it will end for us and l hope this speed machine does not end things any earlier for you., enjoy it looks sweet..
Haha!! Good point! However, I was probably more likely to die on a motorcycle, but that was one of the things I sold to buy this, and I have no plans to buy one again. 😄
That's one of the few cars I've seen in white that I liked the look of.
Of course, any Porsche in any color is a good-looking car.
Nice review.
I wonder if you could find someone or at least a product to treat that top and maybe even put a dye on it?
Thank you, Werner. And thanks also for the tip - great idea!
I have tackled these headlights myself by replacing the lenses, heat gun and clip remover tool did the job wasnt easy I must say but it is doable
You're a better man than me.
Thank you for the info, the steering wheel is definitely a good idea. I think the combustion Boxster and Cayman may continue for some time alongside the electric variants. In a similar way the Panamera is still sold alongside the Taycan.
I heard they’ll stop taking orders for ICE Boxsters and Caymans a bit later this year, but this morning I read they’ll keep the ICE models going for a couple of years during the transition. Good news. 👍
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO if you look at the Panamera sales they're not far off the Taycan. So the combustion models still seem to be selling well. In the UK around 40% of people can't charge from home. So it will be intersting to see how things change.
@@ConquerDrivingYes, there are definitely issues with electric vehicles and the infrastructure (and space) required to charge them. I think EV ownership for me is a long way off.
Terrific video. My next car
Thanks, Roy.
A great review, no b.s. from an owner who clearly loves cars.
Many thanks, James.
great comments
As a huge boxster fan and porsche enthusiast your review is fantastic. The PCM carplay mod is pretty simple FYI, I've done it to many 991 and 981 I've owned, and a 958TT, same exact mod. It's down to a science now and there are many clones, they all work similarly. You get to retain the normal PCM look and feel and get CarPlay at the same time, best of both worlds.
Many thanks. Yes, I might bite the bullet and get it done at some point.
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO There's a version now that just has the one add-in board as well, no piggyback external box, and built in wireless carplay. Those seem to be the best one now. But I've tried joyeauto, some aliexpress clones, and the UK nmautomotive based kits which are all piggy back based cheaper models and they all are very reliable. Honestly the PCM3.x mod/add-in board system is more reliable than my PCM6 based 992 car which drops wireless carplay and/or crashes daily.
@@nerdtalker2 Thanks for all that. So which one would you recommend I buy?
I recently got a base model as well in China. I put around 3000km into the drive now, and I say it is worth it
Wonderful! Thanks for watching. 👍
Great informative video ! Thx👍👍 I think if u you went with Bilstien b8s you would have liked it! My mechanic recommended not to go lower than an 1inch with rhe eibach springs. I’ll be going with this setup on my 997 soon..
Thank you. I actually ended up ordering B16 coilovers. Just waiting for them to arrive. 👍
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO oh cool! I think it drops 1.2 inches with that set up.
@@shughes911 There’s a fair bit of adjustment, so I might raise it a tad from where it is now, and set the damping a little on the softer side.
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO great idea! Definitely keep us posted on how it goes👍👍
@@shughes911 Indeed, I will.
Great Review! - I like the 981 too - and, of course, the Ferrari F355 ...
Thanks, Toni. Yes, the 355 remains one of my all-time favourite-looking (and sounding) Italian sports cars. I’d love to drive one someday.
In early 202 I bought a late 2013 981S with pretty much every option ticked, I also arrived from an MX5 and was 55 at the time!
Still got it and had a brilliant 2 month road trip round the UK in 2022. Didn't get as much use out of it last year as the summer was a bit of a washout.
Really enjoyed your videos and funnily enough I was looking at 911's first but find the Boxster just suits me better?
Seems we have a bit in common, Nigel. I would LOVE to do a two-month road trip right now! My dad asked me yesterday if I still wanted a 911, and my honest answer was no. I’d love a 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 or a 25th anniversary, but my lust for the 911 has diminished greatly over the last year.
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO I was lucky as redundancy and a very good payout for 31 years service gave me the ability to not give a shit about money for a few years.
You are also my body double according to my girlfriend 😂
I also 100% agree with you about life being very short and just bloody enjoy it while you can.
@@MrOvershoot That’s a great way to live. The not giving a shit about money thing; not the body double thing…
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO Hey don't knock the body double bit 🙂 She loves me and your wife obviously does you too 🙂
Keep just being you and all will be good.
Thanks for the Video and your thoughts Peter, the 981 Spyder springs may be a better option, 10mm ish lower and not as harsh as the Eibach.
On the 987 the Spyder and Cayman R share the same springs.
Look forward to the next updates.
Have been researching this like crazy. Thought of X73 package, but getting the parts in from the US, and having them fitted here is an AUD $5.5 - 6k proposition. I’m now considering the Bilstein B16 coil overs. I’ll look into your suggestion, too - thank you.
Very welcome, some people say you need to buy the shorter dampers if fitting lowering springs, which is true on the extremes. Going 10-20mm lower is ok, fitting the Spyder springs will be ok with your stock dampers.
I also fitted Cayman R brake pads to mine, they compound is a bit more track focussed without being a full on track pad. Food for thought.
Good luck, B16 sound great, Ohlins do some nice kit as well.
@@spyder_man Good tips, thanks. Yes, I’m tossing between the Bilsteins and Ohlins. I’ve read the Ohlins are a little firmer, but it’s almost impossible to find a real comparison.
It never ceases to amaze me how disappointed people are when replacing just the springs. To optimize the ride feel and steering response to your liking, the only option worth having for a car like this is adjustable coil-overs. I would suggest considering either Ohlins or Bilstein. I personally had Ohlins installed on my Evo 7 and was very pleased with the quality.
It was a dumb move, I know. I installed coilovers on my ND MX5, and they were brilliant. I now have Bilstein coilovers on order, and expect to have them on the car in May.
Great review, miss my 2014 981. I now drive a 2022 992, fantastic car but service charges are brutal but you have to pay to play!
Hi Robert. Have you investigated the use of an independent? I did at first, but decided I'd pony up the cost of using Porsche for scheduled services, but use independent sources for other items like tyres, brakes, suspension, etc.
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO I had in the past for my 981 but use dealer for my 992. I miss my 981 so much that I’m actually on the configurator now looking at stuff!
@@robertgregory1927LOL.
had my stroke at 53, never expected that, enjoy your car you earned it.
Oh, sh*t - I hope you’re okay now.
Shockworks in Vic can do a custom coilover suspension set up for you. They have done a few lately for the Porsche range
Thanks for the tip. I've already ordered Bilstein coilovers, which should arrive in May.
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO if you have to reuse the standard top hats and bump stops, ask the shop who is installing them to measure if the bump stop needs to be trimmed to allow the shock full up and down motion. I have had two sets of bilstein coilovers and they always need a trim. Otherwise they sit on he bump stop at normal ride height and ride like poo
@@jigglerish Another valuable tip - thank you!
Hi Peter cool video. Regarding the Apple Car Play just wait. It will come from Porsche once 981 becomes Porsche Classic. Just like they did for the 987 gen. I have 981 2.7 myself and love it. Greeting from Stuttgart, Germany!
Good point, Jakub. Danke! 👍
In regards to the Eibach, you probably should have replaced the shocks as well, something like the Bilstein B8 work amazing with the Eibach and not to expensive, had them on my EVO.
The B8's are designed to work with a shorter travel spring. This is assuming you don't have electronic damper control, PASM or whatever it is called.
Great vid as always.
As soon as I saw your comment, I thought, "Of course - that's the answer!" But then I saw the prices, and realised it's actually cheaper to buy a set of B16 coil overs. They must be REALLY good (the B8s).
It's actually really easy to add a CarPlay module to the original head unit. It took me about 2 hours and the module cost about $250 USD. I did it to mine 981S 7 years ago and it was the only mod it has, absolutely worth the money and effort.
Thank you, mate.
Thanks for all your content, it's interesting and eye-opening, I have moved to an EV and looking at MG Cyberster 😅😅😂
Interesting… I owned the original MG-F back in the late 90’s. Looking forward to seeing a Cyberster on the road.
Great review Peter the Boxster and the 718 Cayman are the sexiest cars on the planet
Thank you.
As a 'slightly' younger quinquagenarian, I have done similar by buying a 2016 Cayman. My main like being the noise. Any tunnel or bridge, down come the windows & I start grinning like a teenager!
Yep. Refusing to fully grow up is a worthy attribute!
Great video and thank you for the real life figures. I agree with your reasoning about the standard minor service - paying what you did including the complimentary one year roadside assist is not bad. Having said that, Porsche have raised their prices this year and it's just under $800 for a minor service which to me feels a little too pricey so I may look at doing the oil change myself in future. Agree with the sound of the Flat Six - a beautiful noise. I have a 987 and it's at the age where my front suspension is buggered. I initially thought of doing some interesting stuff with it like changing them to Spyder springs or something, but I ultimately decided that since I don't track the car, Porsche designed it for road use, so I'm just fixing it back to factory. $3600 from Porsche themselves. Includes new OEM shocks. Could do it cheaper with after market, but suspension should hopefully only be a 20 year plus proposition if done right.
Thanks for your comments, Christopher. I've been tempted to simply refresh my suspension with stock components, but I love the new look, so I guess we'll see where I land in the end. Either way, these Eibach springs have to go, that's for sure.
Hi Peter, great vids. I just bought a EVC throttle controller for my 981 as well. Did you have to remove the accelerator pedal in order to remove the cable plug? In removed the bolt on the pedal assembly but cant get it to come out somehow. Appreciate your input.
Thank you, mate. Yes, I did. I can't recall how, but my brother-in-law helped. I think we just Googled it!
Cheers Pete ...tried Googling and searching on TH-cam but couldnt find anything useful. Anyway, not sure if you've come across forums suggesting recoding the Electronic Power Steering on the 981 to GT3 calibration for improved steering feel. If you ever get to that, Id be interested to hear your thoughts.
@@cykwong777 Ooh, very interesting! As for the throttle pedal, try this video: th-cam.com/video/mmXWWwwe30c/w-d-xo.htmlsi=4eyJi3VJC4HrX1to
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO thanks for the video link. Finally got the EVC hooked up and will be taking the car for a test run ! For the steering calibration i googled 981 GT3 steering rennlist has a forum on that. Need to find someone with a PIWIS to code it
@@cykwong777 No worries. Yes, I read up on it today. After I have the Bilsteins coilovers installed, I’m going to ask if Porsche Melbourne will do it for me. If not, I’ll ask an independent to do it. Thanks a lot for this cool tip. 👍
I always find prices in Oz insane, in Canada same car from almost no mileage to still far less than this one 35-64K CAD, and our currencies are pretty much on par. Excellent review though congrats!!
Oh come on, Cad35k for a 981 in Canada? Impossible unless it’s in the junk yard. A beat 987 maybe.
We do pay a lot for cars over here.
I’m in Canada and it’s hard to find a 981 under $50,000 Cdn ($37K US), maybe if it was a high mileage and a salvage title. Our Boxster/Cayman/911s tend to be lower mileage, since most owners put them away over the winter. My 987.2 S (2011), new from the dealer has 40,000 kms, 24,000 miles….mainly a weekend car.
Great video. Thank you. While listening to how much you spent on the car I kept thinking why didn't he just buy a better/newer car in the first place? That is a lot it of money you spent. I have a white 981 Cayman. It has black 911 wheels and a black Porsche decal with stripe along the bottom of the door. I had the wheels repainted which was money well spent. The combo of quality black wheels with the black Porsche logo door decal and black air intakes really makes my car look good. I typically don't brag about my stuff but when I saw this car for the first time I knew I would buy it. The car came from independent dealer. (I suppose my car is a Cayman R clone). That's who put on it the wheels and decal making the car really look exceptional for not that much more money. Be well
Thanks, Mats. A few reasons: almost everything I did was discretionary (suspension, transmission service, tyres, strut brace, etc). Only a small portion of what I spent was on rectifications (like the new battery and alarm module). The rest of the items were scheduled servicing and free items (like the steering wheel). As for the headlights, it’s common across all of them. And finally, when you buy used, your choices are limited. This colour/trans/options combo was exactly what I wanted.
What a review! Thank you for all the info. You know a passionate enthusiast is speaking when he states wiper blades at 188 Australian dollars (that’s 122 US $) is nothing. Great cars but not for me. Excellent work.
Haha! Thank you!
thanks for the video Peter, wondering if you could share the name of brake specialist and mobile tire installer, Porsche doncaster quoted similar figure on brakes and tires for my 991.2 during last service and i told them i'll get it done else where.
Sure thing - the tyres were from tyroola.com.au. The installer was mobiletyreshop.com.au (organised through Tyroola). I purchased the brakes from runautoparts.com.au, and had them installed by Pedders in Campbellfield. They've done work on three of my cars, including a custom offroad suspension system for a Nissan Elgrand - highly recommended.
Thanks Peter, much appreciated@@PETERFRITZPHOTO
@@s3048161 Happy to help.
Lovely car! Last Fall I picked up a Cayman which had that shiny interior trim that runs across the dash. I drove the car 2 days prior to putting in Winter storage & both days the sun managed to reflect off the trim & hit me in the eyes. I was on the highway at the time & it startled me so I decided to change the trim to brushed aluminum. Any issue along these lines?
So far, no. I must say, though, I would prefer the look of brushed aluminium. Wsa it difficult to change it?
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO Easy peasy, the only hard part was the cup holder assembly, it doesn't want to come out. But you look like a fit guy, sure you wouldn't have any trouble. James the "Auto Amateur" did a video about replacing trim
@@johngalt5411 Wonderful! Thanks, John.
Purchased a CPO 2015 Base Boxster with 16,400 miles in June of 2018 for my wife. The vehicle now has 45,500 miles after almost 6 years of ownership and daily driving this has been hands down the best car we have ever owned. The only service cost has been oil changes, brakes, tires and a battery. The Boxster is a joy to drive. I don’t see us ever selling the car.
Wonderful! Thanks for chiming in, Jeff.
You and I are cut from the same cloth. Very informative video, thanks for posting.
Many thanks.
2008 987.1 Base Cayman Flat 6 Manual.
Stiil on my perch.
Porsche - "Drive It Like You Stole It."
Haha! That's the spirit!!
Speaking of Soundtracks let us not forget the NA V8 Audi RS5 with the titanium factory exhaust. My 2014 high revving cross-plane crank 4.2L V8 makes great music. A great looking European GT with an American HotRod accent. Speaking of costs associated with a Porsche at best they should be termed as "Less Expensive" And lastly, the only mod I make to my Porsche on a regular basis is changing the cabin air by letting down the windows or ragtop.
LOL. I agree re the Audi. A few more: Lexus LFA and Porsche Carrera GT for V10s, and Lexus LC500 for another sonorous V8.
What would a new one cost? Very informative video.
Thanks, Stephen - but a new what? They don’t make the 981 anymore, and the base 718 that replaced it is a 4-cylinder turbo.
I don't know what a 718 cost. I forgot about the 4 cylinder issue. I bet that you could make a sound economic case for buying a used 6 cylinder Boxer.
@@stephenkutney9626 Yes, that why I did it. 👍
As a 981s owner (PDK), the extra urge of the 3.4l engine would negate the need for a throttle controller. Agreed the mesh wind deflector restricts the rear visibility. Get a clear wind deflector from Nick at Made in Garforth, (UK). with the Porsche Crest stencilled in the middle. They improve visibility and look sensational. Get a new board into the original head unit and you have full Apple Car Play functionality inc Spotify and Waze Maps. I have Michelins on the car and they are excellent. Apart from an Aluminium look fuel cap and stainless covers on the side vents that's the extent of the modifications. The standard suspension and ride height in my 981 did not need any work. Car is serviced at Porsche Gold Coast and they are a fantastic source of advice and expertise. So much so that I have on order a 2024 Boxster GTS (manual) from them with delivery in July. A modification I made to the standard GTS was ride height lowered by 10mm not the standard 20mm Get in quick for your order as the supply for Australia for ICE Boxster's (and Cayman's) ends in August.
Thanks for the insights, John. 👍
Cheers Peter, no critique intended on what you have done with yours mate. Trial and error, get that. As a 60s child like you I have attained enough financial independence to decide that x dollars sitting in the bank on a fixed term could be better spend by using those dollars to get the GTS. Financially you are worse off for sure but if the last of these ICE's retain values it may not be such a bad investment and Fun Factor , well- no comparison. Hope your video's inspire others, Life's is indeed short!
@@johnbambo9036 All true, John. Now I just have to get rid of my Harry Metcalfe pot!
Re the battery change Peter, our cars are stop/start so you will need to reset its charging rate with a diagnostic tool if you haven't already done this. Great video 🙂
I disable start/stop every time I get in the car. 🙂
You have to tell the car it has new battery as it may over charge the new one given the old one needed more. 👍🏼
@@D992 Interesting. Okay, thanks. It’s going in for service next week, so I’ll ask them to do that. 👍
🔹GREAT VIDEO🔹
Greetings from Florida 🌴 FEB 2024
Thanks again, Steve. I always appreciate your comments.
“Wipers… 188 dollars … that was nothing…”. 😂😂😂. I feel you man. I have a 718 GTS 2.5L and it has been glorious, albeit somewhat heavy on the wallet with servicing costs. That’s why it makes sense for us to DRIVE these cars…. Becasue if you don’t, you still have to do the same maintenance based on age. That was my biggest eye opening when I had to do my 4 year big service , when I only had 15k miles on the car (I bought it used with that)
Quick note about the battery: I believe it is wise to have the PCM/ software on the car updated to tell the computer that there was infact a new battery installed. Apparently the ECU adjusts itself with charging cycles etc…. I haven’t had to change mine yet, but I’m sure it’s on its way soon, so I did some research prior to.
Couldn’t agree more, Aaron. Thanks for the tip re the battery. 👍
nice video peter! any promo codes for us to use for porsche master?
Great question. I've just sent William at Porsche Master an email. I'll circle back when I know. 🙂
Good news! William said to use the code PM2023 @ porschemaster.com for USD$30 off your order. :-)
Thanks Peter & William! Just ordered exhaust tips for my 981, can’t wait
85000 AUD for this car? It’s costly in Australia. I bought a 2014 cayman, only done 39640kms, plus one year warranty, water and fluids flushed. It only cost me 48000 AUD in China. And I love it
Yes, cars are expensive here.
I'm currently looking at used base 718 Caymans, and the new generation of Subaru BRZ.
In your opinion, would it be better to splurge a little more for a 718 Cayman?
They’re both brilliant cars (from what I hear - I’ve driven neither), but there’s a significant ownership cost disparity, and they would both deliver differently on a range of metrics. You’ll need to drive both and decide for yourself. But only drive the Porsche if your budget allows, or you might become hooked! 👍😉
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO with what you’ve mentioned in your video, maintenance costs would be ok for me.
But as you’ve also said, that fear of something breaking is a big worry of mine. Thanks for replying!
@@patriksidiangco3692 No worries, mate. Good luck.
Back in 2016 I purchased a new Black addition 981 Cayman S PDK Sport Chrono Package . I decided to make it my daily driver as it was just too hard not to drive it everyday. The handling along with the sound this thing makes is just irresistible, it's also occasionally tracked. I just hit 150K miles and she has never left me hanging. Oil has been changed every 3k-5k miles (depending how hard it was driven) and PDK oil changed every 60K without fail. I would probably be broke by now if I had allowed the stealership to service the car (3K brake job quotes... lol) Purchased the extended warranty and took care of all recall issues with the dealer (Fuel Pump, Headliner and Internal door panel separation) before the warranty expired at 100K miles. With the total service costs that I've saved by performing the service myself, I was able to re-invest in lowering coilovers,, after market performance exhaust, aftermarket track wheels, performance brake calipers, IPD Competition Plenum, GT4 front bumper replacement and engine software tunning. I will safely continue to run this car down as much as I can.
Haha! Good for you, Henry, and thanks for sharing all that! Can I ask, which coilovers did you install, and how comfortable have they been on the road (vs the track)? Cheers.
The car purchase as intended for track use, but as stated it quickly became a daily driver, therefore I went with adjustable damping coilovers to suit both needs. I went with the brand "Ceika" which makes coilovers specific for the 981. They were recommended by friends and have held up thus far. 30 clicks of rebound and compression adjustment allowing for a wide range of comfort, sport or a rock stiff ride. Spring diameter on these coilovers also allowed me to run a 20x11 rear size wheel flush to the fender.
@@henrymagallon8578Interesting... (stroking chin slowly). I've never heard of Ceika, but will now investigate. Thank you very much for the additional info, Henry - I'm most grateful.
May I ask who you used for the PPI
It's hard to trust anyone
I used David Brennan: www.9xx.com.au
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO Oh thankyou, I genuinely appreciate that mate
I had a test drive in a Porsche Cayman and can echo all of the comments about throttle travel and heavy steering, indeed, I stopped the car after 200m because I was sure that the handbrake was jammed on. In summary, Porsche set kit cars. You need to add a lot of extras to make a decent car and they enjoy being snobby and ripping off customers - avoid Porsche and even thinking about one will make you go blind.
Thanks for watching, Derek. I disagree with your last statement, though. As I've already said, they car is brilliant when stock. I just can't help myself, though - I always have to fiddle with a car and make it a bit different - even if it's already 'perfect'. Also, I always thought something else would make me blind…
I prefer the original ride height. I disagree with lowering cars. The people at Porsche know the correct height, the designers.
I disagree with overdoing it, but Porsche does lower the Boxster and Cayman in the upper models, so it’s a set of Bilstein coilovers next. 👍
The answer is, yes. Buy one. Love my '13 911.
I don’t blame you. Such a gorgeous machine. 👍
Great intro. 😂😂
LOL. I should send the link to Harry.
Curious to know why the new headlights are supposed to last the rest of the life of the car when the original ones didnt last for even 10years or less Are the new ones remanufactured with different materials.
The car used to live outside and was driven daily. Now, it lives in a garage, and is driven only occasionally.
You might want to consider ppf these lights for peace of mind
Good suggestion, James - thank you.
These cars are quite simple to work on yourself. I buy Bosch parts instead of the Porsche parts which are just Bosch as an example. I’ve fitted exhaust, throttle control, pedals, shifter cables, usb charger, marker lights, air intake, battery, fluids, belt, etc. No need for a mechanic. You can replace the suspension yourself.
Good stuff. I did the suspension on the MX5 myself, but I’ll leave the suspension on this to the specialists. They spent a whole day on it last time, and I’d rather spend a day doing something else. But you’re so right about the parts. My Benzes were the same: Benz part, $500 - identical Bosch part, $200.
Holy snap! $85k AUS dollars for a 2013 Boxster? What are the import taxes in Australia, you can get a PDK 991.1 911 for that price in Canada.
Nice car but I guess the market in Australia is very different.
Yep, we pay a tonne of taxes and duties on imported cars.
@@PETERFRITZPHOTO yeah I was going to say, the CAD and AUS dollar are fairly equal, but I guess our import taxes are much lower.
Can I ask you which brand on the throttle kit you bought and why you chose that one? Hard to install? This is a mod the 991.1 gen 911 could use as the throttle response is a little slow, especially with the 7 speed manual when getting out of first. You have to get it just right or it seems you’re riding the clutch or under-revving it which leads to sloppy starts.
I’m a 991.1 owner and I really like your video and your detailed review on the car and your ownership experience. Great camera presence! I should make more videos this summer after seeing your video.
Edit: I realized I was already subscribed to your channel! Ha!
@@capitalexotics I purchased the EVC brand. I've had one before, and it was trouble-free, so I went with it again. It was pretty easy to install, and just piggy-backs off the existing throttle connection. Thanks for the generous compliments. 🙂