Porsche Boxster years to avoid

How we rated the best and worst Porsche Boxster years

To properly rate the best and worst Porsche Boxster years, our team first needed to obtain proven and verified information on the model’s reliability. So, we did some digging and found out a lot by going through NHTSA files and submissions regarding common complaints and recalls.

We also wanted to hear what owners had to say about the car, so we scrolled through the forums, as well as Boxster reviews on Edmunds, KBB, and Consumer Reports for more details on specific model years. By comparing and double-checking all these, we’ve created the following list of the best and worst Boxster years. We’ve since rechecked every model year against NHTSA, and owners have filed very few complaints about any Boxster (32 at most, for the 1998), so the table is based on known problems like the IMS bearing rather than a complaint ranking:

Most common Porsche Boxster problems

While the Boxster surely isn’t as good as the 911, many drivers are unaware that it shares a lot of engine construction aspects with its larger counterpart. While that’s usually a good thing, the downside of it is that the Boxster also struggles with the intermediate shaft bearing which degrades over time.

This issue, as well as a few other common problems of the Boxster, have made drivers look the other way when it comes to buying the affected model years, so here’s a brief explanation of each problem.

1. Problems with the intermediate shaft bearing

This was the common issue for Porsche cars back in the early 2000s, and it mostly caught up with the 996 and the first-gen Boxster. The early models of second-gen Boxster were also impacted by this fault and it’s a serious problem that sometimes required owners to completely replace or rebuild the engine.

It’s a bearing that helped synchronize the rotation of the camshafts and the crankshaft independently from each other. It’s a vital purpose for the engine and in theory, it should preserve the engine and make it last a while longer. However, it turned out to be one of the worst engineering decisions by Porsche since the bearing was prone to failure and required expensive repairs.

If you are going for an early Boxster model. at least make sure to get a 2009 or later one, where the engine no longer uses the bearing behind the IMS issue. On the other hand, you can do what’s up to you and have a trusted mechanic with knowledge of Porsche parts examine the bearing beneath the crankshaft to see if it needs a replacement.

2. Engine oil leaks

Another common problem of the Boxster is the engine oil leak, and this is dangerous since oil lubricates metal components within the engine. So, it prolongs the life span of the pistons and other components by reducing friction damage. While it’s also crucial to know what oil the car takes and refill regularly, it’s also worth inspecting the rear oil cooler seals and leaks from the oil separator.

The separator is also important since it redistributes oil back into the engine and a leak could cause smoke to come from the exhaust. In the worst-case scenario, oil leaks could lead to overheating engine, so it’s worth checking if the separators have ever been repaired before. Drivers have reported that these are prone to failure.

3. Airbag problems

The airbag problems specific to the Boxster model even triggered an official recall by Porsche and there were two common issues here. First, there’s a reported case of the SRS light glowing up on the dashboard for no obvious reason, and this one was usually caused by poor electric connections.

However, an even more serious issue is with the malfunction of the engine control unit (ECU) that collects data from various sensors and controls different car systems. On some 2016 and 2017 Boxsters, the airbag control unit itself could fail, which could lead to inoperable airbags that posed safety threats, and Porsche initiated a recall in 2019 (19V-533) to fix this.

4. Problems with car components

Finally, this issue may not be as serious as some other issues we’ve inspected so far, but it’s still worth checking into. Namely, the Boxster suffers from various faulty components like malfunctioning seatbelts that may cause them to loosen up while driving.

On top of that, we’ve found a fair share of driver complaints about a faulty hood latch. The latch issue sometimes caused the hood to rise in the middle of a drive, causing visibility and safety issues. Thankfully, Porsche issued an official recall (14V-698) in 2014 to fix the faulty hood latch on some 2014-2015 cars. We’ve also seen numerous reports regarding the leaking sunroof.

Worst Porsche Boxster years to avoid

The most important thing when buying a used Porsche Boxster is to know about certain model years that have proved to be less reliable than others. Most of these affect the first and second generation of the Boxster, so what are the worst Porsche Boxster years?

Honestly, owners have filed so few complaints about any Boxster that we can’t rank one year as the worst. What we can tell you is which years use the engine with the IMS bearing, so take extra care with these:

• 1997 to 2004
• 2005 to 2008

We’ll give you a helping hand by further explaining these model years and mentioning which issues they were affected with to save you the trouble of going for a bad model.

First-generation Boxster (1997-2004 model years)

The first generation of the Boxster was arguably one of the most problematic generations and there are several model years to avoid here. The 1997 to 1999 cars have the most NHTSA complaints of any Boxster (22 to 32 each), and the 2002-2003 model also received a fair share of complaints.

Some of the most common problems here include the issue of the intermediate shaft bearing as well as electric problems and there were even some problems with the transmission for the 1999 model year.

Second-generation Boxster (2005-2008 model years)

When it comes to the second-gen Boxster, the 2005 stands out with 17 NHTSA complaints, 12 of them about the engine. The 2006 to 2008 have very few complaints, but they still use an IMS bearing.

Most of the complaints were associated with electrical problems and the problem of oil leaks was still present. It’s also wise to avoid the 2005 and 2006 model years for their consistent issues with the intermediate shaft bearing and go for a 2009 to 2012 model.

Third-generation Boxster (2013-2016 model years)

The third generation of Boxster was sold here from 2013 to 2016 and there weren’t many reported issues for this generation. The intermediate shaft bearing problem was long gone by that time, and drivers have only complained about the airbag module faults and faulty hood latches.

The 2013 to 2015 cars were also recalled for a rear axle part (21V-679). If the recall work has been done, any of these years is more or less hassle-free for drivers in terms of urgent servicing needs.