My 2011 987-2 Boxster Black Edition

Top tip! I'm happy to whack a new pair of non OEM on every couple of years.

I got some from a badger on Boxa.net recently but not this chap directly, I'm going to lacquer them before I stick them on.

I got an update on the car today........the replacement coil pack has not cured the misfire :nooo: .........they think it is most likely a fuel injector......... but to be safe they are sending the car to their local OPC to fix the fault :thumb:

So the downside is I'm not likely to collect the car until later this week but at least I know it will be sorted properly and much better this happening pre collection than after collection :grin:

Now we know I like a bit of fun with car registrations :grin:

purchased.....

jonttt said:

Now we know I like a bit of fun with car registrations :grin:

purchased.....

Click to expand...

Jon T1T ?? :grin: :floor: :dont know:

Is that available :?:

Car is now sat on my drive :drive:

And I did my first 'mods" in the rain .......yep this is a proper hobby car :grin:

What was the misfire fault ? an injector ?

Nope ....... faulty spark plug from then recent service :roll:

On the misfire they had used their own mechanic (they are part of a large group but based at a Seat dealership where they have a bay and share mechanics), turns out they do not have diagnostic equipment for Porsche's :wack: so he thought it was the coil pack and replaced it. When that did not work they sent it to the local OPC and presumably they could see the problem straight away from the diag ie faulty spark plug. In my day the first thing you did was check spark plug (by swapping them over) and worked back from there, but obviously 'modern" mechanics are too used to machines telling them what the problem is and when they don't have that they are a little lost :dont know:

Anyway, its running sweet now

In fact I think I'll nip out for a blast now its getting dark to 'check the lights" :thumb:

So the car is now on my drive....

collection from Coventry after a 2.5 hour train ride...




and the view from my favourite bay window :cigar:

I'm due to go away for week on Saturday, so won't have chance to get stuck into the TLC / OCD remedial works ........but some quick jobs I had prepared for....

replacement of the rather sad looking wheel centres.....not bad for £20 delivered ......( I negotiated on it being a £200 job to replace these :grin: )....



I thought I would check the wheel bolts to decide whether to paint black or replace with Stainless black jobbies.......

Not unsurprisingly (based on experience) the "soft" OEM bolts where past their best :roll:




and so a full set of black stainless steel bolts ordered, they are not cheap but there is nothing worse than turning the head off an OEM bolt which has aged (ask me how I know :frustrated: )

I've already decided to give the OEM PCM interface a chance to impress me knowing that there are easy options to replace with android car play options. This is partly because I like the OEM look, my car has sport + which gives extra options on the OEM units for the personalisation of setting to each key (which would be lost) and I tend to not stream music that often, preferring the noise of the engine (not being able to stream is the main downside of PCM 3 to me).....

So I sourced a cheap Bluetooth music streamer. The beauty of this one is its very small USB device with a built in Aux audio lead which suits the multimedia interface of the 987 (hidden in the centre armrest) perfectly. As the USB is ignition switched my hope was that once synced to my phone it would simply connect evrey time and allow music streaming (I use Spotify) without any faffing about......it works perfectly...








Its setup (plug and play) where it simply powers up on ignition via the USB, syncs to my phone and so my phone is ready to stream automatically, it then powers itself down when the car is locked ie as easy as it gets.....I just press the DISC button on the PCM to switch source to AUX





I could have spent c£100 on a Bovee unit to give control of music from the PCM but I would rather do that from the phone (once I found a suitable phone mount) and this cost a lot less ....... in case I end up going for an alternative 3rd party head unit.

ps the BOSE system in the 987 is ace, plenty of depth to the music for my tastes :thumb:

So the dilema I have is the PCM 3 unit is on software version 2.20. This is pretty late (as it was a run out 2011 car in the model range) but 2.26 was the last version which gave 7 digit postcode searches (makes a big difference compared to 4 digit). The map is obviously also old, probably c2009/10 as originally installed.

I think you have to upgrade to newer 2018 maps to get the v2.26 software (which is fine I would do that anyway) but its a dealer only upgrade as it has to be activated via PIWIS :roll: ....... its a few hours job just shoving discs in which obviosly requires years of training so they charge full labour rates for it..... the cost is therefore c£400 I'm let to believe with most of that being labour :wack: .......so I need to think about that as it would pay a long way to a top replacement Android Auto head unit with all the bells and whistles. Therefore I'll see how I get on with the OEM unit for a while, maybe this year and decide next year :judge:

The other downside is no DAB radio. now I actually quite like FM over DAB as it is less "pure" but there is less choice so again I'll have to see how I get on with it.

Otherwise the Nav seems pretty good in a cute kind of way. It worked well on my way back from collection with clear instruction and display in the centre dial, it even had live traffic which seemed accurate which I was not expecting, yes WAZE/Google maps are better but so long as it gets me where I want to go efficiently I woudl rather stay OEM especially if I decide to upgrade to 2018 maps and 7 digit postcode search :?:

I won't get chance to really get to know the car on the road prior to a week abroad so will reserve judgement / fuller review for a while. It has a tough act to follow v the 981GTS, in fact it can only fail in that respect ie as a drivers car BUT all I can say is I'm lovin it so far. As always its about the ownership experience and to me I've been there and done it with the fastest and the best, its not all about that, I'm loving the feeling of going back to basics and having a toy that I can just play with and not have to get too precious about :thumb:

I'm hoping it fits in better between the classic aircooled 993 and my as modern as it can get luxury criuser daily. I got asked a lot which would I sell first ... the 993 or the 981GTS..... I think that question has been answered with some of the reasons above :bandit:

So I had a play with a little toy today to see if I could get it working...... I had picked up a <£20 bluetooth OBD reader..... the beauty of it is that its almost self contained in the OBD footprint and so in a 987 can simply be left in the OBD port under the passenger glove box. It has a button you simply press if you want to activate it.

So install could not be any easier (there is not even a cover on the OBD port to remove) and sync to phone bluetooth and setup on a c£2.50 app "Torque"....










it connected up fine first time and even has GPS route tracking / saving if you leave the app running on your phone....




I did not have time to play around with it properly, I just wanted to check it connected and I could get fault codes (there where none). It can be used to reset fault codes :thumb:














not bad for c£20 and a 30 second install which can just be left in situ :bandit:

I'm about to go away for a week so the boxster will be laid up. I'm not sure on the state of the battery given its been sat around over the past month or so through the sale process so I thought I would prep it for a Ctek charger so I can leave it on trickle charge whilst I'm away.

I got an extra flylead with battery monitor (it has flashing LED's to give an indication of the battery charge when not connected to the actual CTEK charger. They are <£5 and I can just leave it on the car for occassional use in summer and permanent use when the car is laid up over winter.

The only thing to be careful of with Porsches is that the battery terminal nuts/bolts are single use ..... so if you remove the nut completely (even past half way) you will not get it back on easily (they are designed to be replaced). So the trick is to adapt the connecting O ring to a C ring so it can just slide on without removing the terminal nut....










Dremmeled to a C fit (use pliers to hold whilst you cut, the metal is very soft so its like slicing butter)




Just loosen the temrinal nut slightly to slide the C fitting in nb you need to bend the C connector to form a 90 degree fitment....






and then just tuck under the battery cover so the head sticks out...




It can then just be left in place permanently with the waterproof cover on it. The beauty being you can just look at the flashing LED at any time to check battery state if the car has been stood a while not on charge :thumb:

So then it was off to swap over for another car needed for the airport run tomorrow. The Boxster will be left in secure storage at one of my offices, as we own the building its got more cameras pointing at my space than Buckingham Palace and 24/7 manned security, so its safer there whilst I'm away than at home :wink:

All tucked up and discretely on charge till I get back .....

You sold a 981 GTS to buy a 987?

:wack:

It's a very nice car though so congrats, best spec I've seen on a 987. Only thing missing is PCCBs. I'm sure you'll have fun playing with it.

Although I'm having fun with my plans for my 981 modding it!

Yep

The 981GTS needed up costing me next to nothing to own over 2.5 years (depreciation made up by profit on the private number plate sale), I loved it but time to move on.

I've already done more to the 987 than I ever did to the GTS, I'm lovin' it. I've gone from a car that was perfect with c15k miles on the clock to one that is sound but requires some OCD TLC and has 60k miles. I can use it, abuse it and love it. I've gone back to basics with my hobby cars and it feels so good :wack:

SWMBO has already spent the change :roll: ....... but has commented 'you like that car more don't you" as I've been so excited with it which says it all really. I loved the 981 whilst I was driving it, but thats all it gave me, the 987 is already giving me more than that :thumb: