nac.. american engineering

[Grant Lenahan]

Agree with all of this.
Its refreshing.

The difficult parts come from the very tight packaging, and the low  
mounting point inherent in a mid-engined car with such a low center  
of gravity.

The good part is that compared to most audis its pretty simple.  2WD  
simplifies lots of things.  Plus fewer electronics.

I find changing the oil on my 2002 S6 to be a PITA. In fact, just  
removing the belly pan qualifies as a PITA. In less than that amount  
of time i can have the total oil change done on the 986.  OF is right  
there, upside down as God intended it to be. The drain plug is  
totally exposed, in the bottom center of the pan.

Once you get access to the top of the motor (Cody's a bit faster than  
me, I figure 15-20 minutes), the AF literally pulls out in an access  
tray.  The TB can be had in about 30 minutes.

All cars have problem areas. On 986s its stuff like the alternator  
and the washer fluid reservoir (or is it the coolant expansion  
tank?). Anyway, one of those two requires dis-assembling lots of  
stuff.  Boxsters also have a reputation for occasionally chomping on  
their motors in total, but these problems were only common in early  
cars, and once they get enough miles on them, you're safe. So look  
for that 1998 car with 125k miles!  A few eat intermediate shafts  
even today, but its a very small number from what I see.  I also  
think that some of the failures are from exuberant, clueless drivers  
who rev them to 6 grand cold.  revving a boxer 6 is sublime, so i  
expect it happens a lot.  but its still dumb.

Struts look much easier, but from what I can tell, neither CAs nor  
TREs nor struts themselves go very frequently, unlike C5/B5 audis.

Its also less sensitive to wheel balance.

Really a very nice car.  23 mpg long term 95% non-highway. Warms up  
fast (small cockpit). Comfortable car to drive.  And with winter  
tires, adequate in the nasty stuff.

A very pleasant surprise.

Grant


On Jan 31, 2008, at 8:52 PM, cody at 5000tq.com wrote:

> Getting to the top of the engine bay looks daunting to the un- 
> initiated, but is easy as pie and takes 3 or 4 minutes. Unlatch the  
> roof and open it a bit...like 25%-50% just so the metal cover lifts  
> up. Then you can access the two cables that hold the rear of the  
> roof down, they are ball sockets that pop right off. Then you flip  
> the rear 1/3 of the roof towards the front and can see the 3 layers  
> of covers that look like a major paint...but aren't. The storage  
> compartment (or optional Bose system) is held down by 2 1/4 turn  
> fasteners that require no tool, simply lift it out and set on the  
> roof. Then the carpet is next - 2 more 1/4 turn tool-less  
> fasteners, set it on the roof. Then you are at the actual engine  
> lid. 4 (or is it 5?) tool-less 1/4 turn fasteners and voila. Access  
> is nearly as wide as the car, and is longer then the engine itself  
> (not like a 914).
>
> Front of engine (ie serp belt change, water pump, etc.) is almost  
> easier, and is effing beautiful. Slide both seats forward all the  
> way. 4 plastic fasteners at the top edge hold the carpet in, then  
> something like 10 10mm nuts hold the aluminium cover on. This cover  
> is 4ft wide and about 2 or 2.5ft tall - you can see both over and  
> under the engine. Easier then service mode on an Audi for damned  
> sure!!
>
> Also they are pattern failure cars. If its running bad it needs a  
> MAF insert. If it smokes alot it needs a crankcase breather pump  
> diaphram (like a late model Audi or BMW - the generation after the  
> 'suction pump'). If it runs hot it needs a water pump - plastic  
> impellors like a 1.8t VAG product. Beyond that not much else seems  
> to break.
>
> -Cody Forbes
>
>
> Quoting Taka Mizutani <t44tqtro at gmail.com>:
>
>> Do tell about the Boxster- I've avoided them because I was afraid  
>> that it's
>> damn near impossible to work on without a real service lift.
>>
>> Taka
>>
>>
>> On Jan 30, 2008 5:13 PM, Grant Lenahan <glenahan at vfemail.net> wrote:
>>
>>> My 986 boxster is about 5x easier to work on than my C5 audi.
>>>
>>> Its VW, not Germans, nor Americans nor Toyotans.
>>>
>>> Grant
>>>
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>> quattro at audifans.com
>> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/quattro
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