Porsche Boxster 3.2S - Cobalt 2002

DubsterACS

RMS Regular
Messages
176
Location
Ballymena
Drives
911C2,ZX16v
So yes, I caught the bug well and truly for Boxster a few years ago. I picked this one up in Jan 2019, at the time I had a Lapis Blue 01 model ( Porsche Boxster 3.2 S 986 )so how did this one come about? Well that Lapis one impressed a couple of friends enough that they went and got their own Boxster's, but both were the facelift 986.2 models made from late 2002 to 2004. When I saw the differences between the 986.1 and 986.2 models I knew I had to have one. Some of the differences were:
Factory clear lights
Reshaped bumpers
Better quality plastics and materials inside
Cup holders!!!!
Glove Box!!!
Glass rear screen
Slight power improvement - 260bhp (compared to 252bhp)

Also, by that time I had a bit better knowledge of what options were available on Boxster's so drew up a shortlist of what I wanted to search for. So the new one had to have:
BOSE Sound System
Litronic Lights (Xenons)
Heated Seats
Aero Kit
Cobalt Blue
OBC with Cruise

After helping a friend collect a Midnight Blue 986.2 from England early on in Jan 2019, I started looking at the classifieds and couldn't believe it, nearly the exact spec I had shortlisted was at Ron Hodgson Specialist Cars in Wigan. I gave them a call and talked through the history of the car and it seemed like a decent one, it was at the higher end of the 986 market for one with 85k on it but it was quite a rare spec so me and a mate booked a return flight to go over and see it. When we arrived, we were left to properly look around the car and take it a test drive, it drove ok although the brakes were done. The only thing that annoyed me was that it didn't have Heated Seats as described in the advert, nor Cruise Control. I tried to use this as bargaining tool but the guy knew what he had for sale and wouldn't budge on price. We've all been there - knowing the spec of the car is quite rare and may not come up for sale again versus a seller who won't move on price. I made the call to go for it but with the condition we had to take it that day saving us a trip over again - deal was done, and we drove the car home to Ballymena from Wigan that day. Spec of the car is:

2002 (late) facelift 986.2 Boxster 3.2 S Manual
85k with full history
Cobalt Blue with Factory Aero Kit
18" Sport Design Alloys (GT3 design - split rim)
Black Leather with Electric Seats
BOSE Sound System
Litronic Headlights
OBC

Boxster S collection by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Untitled by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

The dealer had some other real nice stuff :

Untitled by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Home to join the others:

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Untitled by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Untitled by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

The car sat until getting it ready for Dubshed 2019 so in prep for that I MoT'd it - 4 Brembo Discs and Textar Pads were initially all that was needed but then it failed on Headlights washers not working (Xenons required by law to have Headlight washers).
At the same time I had the standard springs swapped for TechArt lowering springs, (30mm), was impressed with how the Lapis one sat with these springs fitted so went with them again. Also, the tyres on the Sport Design GT3 wheels were not great so swapped the alloys from the Lapis car onto this one, the 18" Turbo Twists and with the lowered stance I actually preferred them to the Sport Designs (opinions invited please!!). Other than that it was given a quick machine polish and my 'XVW' reg swapped to it for Dubshed:

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

After Dubshed I was really looking forward to using Cobalt a bit more but on the next outing in it a few weeks later I heard a weird noise happening when pressing and depressing the clutch, turned out to be a clutch release bearing. I couldn't fix it at the time so parked the car and concentrated on the Lapis one for the next few months.
2 Boxster's then became 3 in Aug 2019, see my other thread for details of my other project ( https://rmsmotoring.com/forum/threa...go-wrong-introducing-project-trackbox.213026/ )

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

The Lapis one was sold in Sept 2019, so was back to 2 and really didn't do anything for a good few months until the start of 2020. The car was sent to my mechanic and he got to work on the car. The following was carried out (all new parts sourced from Porsche Belfast who couldn't have been more helpful) :
Rear end completely stripped - bumper, exhaust, gearbox, clutch, flywheel
IMS Bearing inspected and thank goodness was ok
RMS replaced
Crank Seal replaced
Flywheel refitted with new bolts
New Porsche Clutch Kit fitted (clutch, fork and release bearing
Gearbox re-fitted
Full Service inc Spark Plugs and Mobil 1 oil
Drive Shafts stripped and rebuilt using new CV Boots etc
New handbrake cables fitted, new exhaust clamps and bolts. Hubs, struts, shafts re-fitted and car built back up again.

Boxster stripped by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

The culprit:

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Better:
Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

After this I was hoping to enjoy it more during 2020 but then covid hit etc etc. I did a few wee jobs to it during lockdown like replace a damaged inner arch lining, a weird knocking sound developed from the front suspension so changed the ARB bushes and couple of other items and it went away eventually. Other than that, when allowed to I had it out and continue to thoroughly enjoy it.

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

The only issue since then has been the garage.....we purposely put in a slight gradient away from the front of the garage to aid in water draining but its borderline with the front splitter of the aero kit:
Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr
Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Just have to remember to go real slow lol! But I'm pleased with the outcome of how it sits on the Turbo Twist wheels. Plans this year are to fix some annoying wee things in the interior and just hopefully drive it bit more as I've only covered 1500 miles in it in 2 years ownership! Lets hope for more road trips and car stuff happening this spring / summer.

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr
Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Boxster S Cobalt by Graham Thompson, on Flickr
 

DubsterACS

RMS Regular
OP
DubsterACS
Messages
176
Location
Ballymena
Drives
911C2,ZX16v
Seems like the Twists are winning, I just think they suit the look of the car better and sooooooo much easier to clean. I might put some decent tyres on the Sport Design GT3 wheels this year and get them cleaned up and try them again, might look a bit different with them on with the drop in ride height.
Thanks for the kind comments! Still patiently waiting for some decent weather and restrictions to lift to get out in it.
 

DubsterACS

RMS Regular
OP
DubsterACS
Messages
176
Location
Ballymena
Drives
911C2,ZX16v
Thread updating tonight, I sold this Boxster in August after my dream car came up for sale and I couldn't keep both. Managed to get out and about in it a good lot this year and really enjoyed it, anyone thinking of going down the convertible route should definitely consider the Boxster! Before it went, I messed about with the wheels after getting The SportDesign alloys refurbished, unfortunately bad corrosion had set in on them and so the company doing them were not able to do a great job on them. The front bumper, splitter and side skirts were also resprayed to freshen up the paint as it had become quite stone chipped and the paint was cracking on the side skirts in places. Also fitted a cut front plate to fit the plate holder exactly.

Cobalt 986 S by Graham Thompson, on Flickr
Cobalt 986 S by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Cobalt 986 S by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Cobalt 986 S by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Cobalt 986 S by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

Cobalt 986 S by Graham Thompson, on Flickr
Cobalt 986 S by Graham Thompson, on Flickr
Cobalt 986 S by Graham Thompson, on Flickr
Cobalt 986 S by Graham Thompson, on Flickr

And finally, when it met its big brother:

Cobalt 986 S by Graham Thompson, on Flickr
Cobalt 986 S by Graham Thompson, on Flickr
 
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