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987.1 · 2007–2008

2008 Porsche Boxster

2.7 L flat 6 · RWD · Roadster · water-cooled

Power
245hp
Torque
201lb-ft
0–60
6.0s
Weight
2,954lb
lb / hp
12.1
Displacement
2.7L

Specification

US-market 2008
Power 245 hp
201 493
Weight 2,954 lb
2,778 3,212
Weight to power 12.1 lb/hp
6.5 lower is quicker 13.8

Where this car sits against every Boxster in the catalog.

Engine
Engine code M97.20
Layout flat 6, water-cooled
Displacement 2.7 L
Aspiration Naturally aspirated
Power 245 hp @ 6,500 rpm
Torque 201 lb-ft @ 4,600 rpm
Redline 7,300 rpm
Specific output 91 hp / L
Chassis & body
Drivetrain Rear-wheel drive
Body styles Roadster
Transmissions 5-speed Manual · 5-speed Tiptronic
Curb weight 2,954 lb
Wheelbase 95.1 in
Length 172.1 in
Width 70.9 in
Height 51.0 in
Performance & market
0–60 mph 6.0 s
Top speed 160 mph
Weight to power 12.1 lb / hp
MSRP when new $45,800 base

About the 2008 Boxster

2008Final year of the M96 and M97 engines, and of the intermediate shaft bearing.

Known issues

9 Specific to the Boxster

Cylinder bore scoring

Critical $12,000–$22,000
Affects

2005–2008 M96 and M97 engines. Not the 2009-on direct-injection cars.

What happens

The cylinder liner surface degrades and the piston skirt scores the bore. Oil consumption rises, compression falls, and the fix is a rebuilt or replacement engine.

Symptoms
  • Oil consumption past roughly a quart per 1,000 miles
  • Cold-start ticking that fades as it warms
  • Smoke on start or overrun
  • Uneven compression and leak-down
What to do

No preventive repair. Borescope every cylinder before purchase — the defining inspection on a 987.1 and the reason 987.2 cars sell for more.

IMS bearing failure

Critical $1,800–$3,600
Affects

2005–2008 cars only. The 2009-on 9A1 engine has no intermediate shaft.

What happens

The intermediate shaft bearing fails, sheds debris and lets the shaft move. Camshaft timing goes with it and the valvetrain meets the pistons.

Symptoms
  • Metal in the oil filter
  • Rumble from behind the seats at idle
  • Oil weep at the IMS flange
  • Often no warning at all
What to do

Later 987.1 engines use a larger bearing that cannot be replaced without splitting the case, so a 996-style retrofit is not universally available. Establish which bearing a given engine has before assuming anything can be done.

Parts for this job

Blocked drains and water ingress

Major $0–$3,000
Affects

Boxster. The Cayman has fewer drain paths and is far less prone to this.

What happens

Top and cabin-intake drains clog with debris, water backs up into the footwells and sills, and standing water reaches the electronics and the floors.

Symptoms
  • Damp carpets, usually the passenger side first
  • Musty smell with the top up
  • Electrical faults that track the weather
  • Water audible in the sills over bumps
What to do

Clear the drains annually — it takes ten minutes with trimmer line. Lift the carpets and check for staining before buying.

Parts for this job

Convertible top faults

Major $400–$1,800
Affects

Boxster only.

What happens

Drive cables fray and the transmission seizes, leaving the roof jammed partway through its cycle.

Symptoms
  • Top stopping partway
  • Grinding from the rear quarters
  • Roof not latching or sitting unevenly
What to do

Repair kits are far cheaper than a shop diagnosing it from scratch. Cycle the top fully several times at inspection.

Parts for this job

Air–oil separator failure

Major $600–$1,200
Affects

All 987, most commonly the M96 and M97 cars.

What happens

The separator diaphragm tears and the engine draws its own oil into the intake.

Symptoms
  • Heavy white smoke at start or under load
  • Rough idle
  • Oil consumption with no external leak
What to do

Replace the AOS — cheap relative to the failure everyone assumes it is.

Parts for this job

Coolant expansion tank cracking

Major $250–$600
Affects

All 987.

What happens

The plastic tank goes brittle and splits at the seam, dumping coolant. Overheating either engine family is how a cheap part becomes an expensive one.

Symptoms
  • Coolant loss with no hose leak
  • Low coolant warning
  • Residue around the tank seam
What to do

Replace the tank with the cap and level sensor. Effectively a maintenance item at this age.

Parts for this job

Ignition coil failure

Minor $350–$750
Affects

All 987.

What happens

Coil packs fail with age and heat, producing a misfire on one cylinder.

Symptoms
  • Flashing check engine light
  • Rough running under load
  • Single-cylinder misfire codes
What to do

Replace all six with the plugs. Owner-doable and cheap insurance.

Parts for this job

Radiator debris and corrosion

Minor $700–$1,800
Affects

All 987.

What happens

Low-mounted radiators pack with leaves and grit that hold moisture against the cores until they corrode.

Symptoms
  • Gradual coolant loss
  • Weak air conditioning
  • Debris visible through the bumper ducts
What to do

Grille screens and an annual clear-out. Replace radiators and condensers as a set once they weep.

Parts for this job

Interior soft-touch coating failure

Minor $250–$1,200
Affects

All 987, worst in hot and humid climates.

What happens

The rubberised coating on console trim and switchgear turns tacky and lifts.

Symptoms
  • Sticky console and switch surfaces
  • Coating flaking at the edges
  • Marks that will not clean off
What to do

Refinish or replace the trim. Cosmetic, and the first thing anyone touches.

Parts for this job

Service intervals

9
Item Interval
Engine oil and filter 5,000–10,000 mi or annually
Spark plugs and coils 40,000 mi
Brake fluid 2 years
Coolant 4 years
Serpentine belt 4 years / 40,000 mi
Clutch 60,000–100,000 mi
Convertible top drains Annually
Top mechanism lubrication Annually
Suspension bushings and mounts 80,000+ mi

What fits this car

34 Sizes, capacities and part specs

The answers you need when something has already failed — bulb sizes by position, wiper lengths, battery group, fluid specs and capacities. Sizes are for US-spec cars and are a starting point: options and mid-year changes move them, so check against your own car and its VIN before ordering.

Bulbs

10 The xenon bulb changed at the 2009 facelift — check the year before ordering.
Low beam — halogen H7 55W Shop →
Low beam — bi-xenon (987.1) D2S 35W Shop →
High beam — halogen H7 55W Shop →
Front turn signal PY21W Shop →
Front position / parking W5W Shop →
Fog light H11 55W Shop →
Brake / tail P21/5W Shop →
Rear turn signal PY21W Shop →
Reverse P21W Shop →
Licence plate W5W Shop →

Wiper blades

2
Driver side 24 in Shop →
Passenger side 24 in Shop →

Battery

3
Group size Group 48 (H6) Shop →
Location Front luggage compartment —
Minimum cold cranking amps 680 CCA —

Fluids and capacities

7
Engine oil — capacity (M96 / M97) 8.7 qt with filter —
Engine oil — specification 0W-40, Porsche A40 approved Shop →
Coolant — capacity 21 qt —
Coolant — specification Porsche pink G40, phosphate-free Shop →
Brake fluid DOT 4, low viscosity Shop →
Manual transmission 2.6 qt, 75W-90 GL-5 Shop →
Fuel tank 16.9 gal —

Wheels and tyres

9
Bolt pattern 5 x 130 mm
Centre bore 71.6 mm
Lug bolt thread M14 x 1.5
Tyre size — 17 in front 205/55 ZR17
Tyre size — 17 in rear 235/50 ZR17
Tyre size — 18 in front 235/40 ZR18
Tyre size — 18 in rear 265/40 ZR18
Tyre size — 19 in front 235/35 ZR19
Tyre size — 19 in rear 265/35 ZR19

Torque values

3 Safety-relevant. Verify against factory documentation before relying on these.
Wheel lug bolts 96 lb-ft (130 Nm) Star pattern, on the ground, calibrated wrench.
Engine oil drain plug 37 lb-ft (50 Nm) New sealing washer every time.
Oil filter housing cap 18 lb-ft (25 Nm)

Fitment for the 2008 987.1 Boxster. Torque values in particular are safety-relevant — verify against factory documentation rather than relying on this page alone.

Buying guide

7
  1. 01

    Decide 987.1 or 987.2 before anything else

    The 2009 direct-injection cars have no intermediate shaft and no bore-scoring epidemic. That single fact matters more than trim, colour or mileage, and it is why the later cars cost more.

  2. 02

    Borescope every cylinder on a 2005–2008 car

    Non-negotiable. On a car in this price range a scored bore is a total loss, and the inspection is a small fraction of the purchase price.

  3. 03

    Do not assume an IMS retrofit is possible

    Later 987.1 engines use the larger non-serviceable bearing. A seller promising to "have the IMS done" may be describing something that cannot be done to that engine.

  4. 04

    Lift the carpets on any Boxster

    Damp footwells mean blocked drains and possibly worse underneath. Costs nothing to check and rejects a bad car in thirty seconds.

  5. 05

    Cycle the top fully, several times

    A jammed roof is the most commonly deferred repair on these, and a seller will happily leave it closed for the viewing.

  6. 06

    The base car is not the consolation prize

    The 2.7 and 2.9 cars are lighter over the nose and, to a lot of people, better balanced than the S. You give up straight-line speed and very little else.

  7. 07

    Manual holds value the Tiptronic never will

    On the 987.1 the choice is stark: the 5-speed Tiptronic blunts the car and costs real money at resale. On the 987.2, PDK is genuinely good and the argument is closer.

Parts and gear

22 Chosen for this car, not for the commission

What a Boxster actually costs to keep, grouped by why you would buy it. Prices are typical US parts-only figures — labour is separate, and the DIY note says whether that matters. Where a link earns us a commission it costs you nothing and never changes what appears here.

Parts that fix a known problem on this car

7 Each one maps to an issue above
  • Engine $700–$1,900

    IMS bearing retrofit kit

    The fix for the failure above, fitted while the transmission is out for a clutch. Confirm the engine has a serviceable bearing first — many later 987.1 units do not.

    FCP Euro → Shop job
  • Engine $200–$450

    Air–oil separator

    The part behind the dramatic smoke, and the reason plenty of healthy 987s get sold cheap by owners who assumed the worst.

    FCP Euro → DIY or shop
  • Cooling $130–$300

    Coolant expansion tank

    Nearly every car this age needs one. Replace the cap and level sensor at the same time — an overheat is how this becomes an engine bill.

    FCP Euro → DIY or shop
  • Cooling $500–$1,200

    Radiator and condenser pair

    No repair once the cores weep. Do both sides and the condensers behind them while the bumper is off.

    FCP Euro → Shop job
  • Ignition $300–$550

    Coil pack and spark plug set

    Six of each. Coils fail on age, so replacing them as a set with the plugs turns a future roadside misfire into a planned Saturday.

    Link coming DIY
  • Top $180–$550

    Convertible top cable and transmission kit

    Drive cables and transmission parts for a roof that jams partway. Cheaper than a shop working it out, and the failure most likely waiting on a neglected Boxster.

    FCP Euro → DIY or shop
  • Interior $250–$1,200

    Soft-touch trim replacement

    Console and switch panels in a finish that does not go sticky. Cosmetic, and it is what your hand lands on every time you get in.

    FCP Euro → DIY or shop

Worth doing before it fails

5 Cheaper than the repair it avoids
  • Cooling $90–$220

    Radiator grille screens

    The cause of the repair above. Mesh in the ducts, fitted in an afternoon, guarding a bill ten times its cost.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Body $10–$40

    Drain cleaning kit and trimmer line

    A few dollars and ten minutes a year against flooded footwells, dead electronics and rotten floors. The best value on this page.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Engine $110–$220

    Low-temperature thermostat

    Runs the engine cooler in traffic and on track. Common fitment on M97 cars among owners who want thermal margin rather than an argument.

    Shop this → DIY or shop
  • Engine $25–$60

    Magnetic drain plug

    Catches ferrous debris where you will see it at every change. With a cut-open filter it is the entire early-warning system on an M97.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Chassis $180–$450

    Engine and transmission mount set

    Sagged mounts read as vibration and vagueness rather than as a broken part. Cheap, and it sharpens a tired car noticeably.

    FCP Euro → DIY or shop

Consumables you will rebuy

5 Ordinary running costs
  • Fluids $70–$140

    Porsche-approved engine oil

    Approved specification only. Around eight quarts a change, and the purchase a 987 owner repeats most.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Fluids $15–$45

    Oil filter and hardware

    Bought with every change, and on a 987.1 it is the thing you cut open afterwards.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Fluids $30–$80

    Porsche-spec coolant

    The correct pink specification, not universal green.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Fluids $18–$65

    Brake fluid

    Two years, annually with track use. The cheapest meaningful brake improvement there is.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Service $28–$75

    Cabin and engine air filters

    Quick jobs that shops bill properly for. Check the cabin filter box drain while it is open.

    Shop this → DIY

Tools worth owning

5 Bought once, used for years
  • Diagnostics $250–$1,000

    Porsche-specific diagnostic interface

    A generic reader cannot separate a PDK adaptation fault from a failing mechatronic, and on a 987.2 that distinction is worth thousands.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Inspection $50–$220

    Borescope camera

    Scope the cylinders through the plug holes before paying for a full inspection on a 2005–2008 car.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Inspection $30–$80

    Oil filter cutter

    Opens the filter so you can spread the pleats and look for metal. Cheap, permanent, and it works for the life of the car.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Lifting $150–$420

    Low-profile jack and jack pads

    A standard jack will not clear the sill and the jack points crush without a proper puck.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Storage $50–$130

    Battery tender

    These sit more than they are driven, and a flat battery brings module faults with it.

    Shop this → DIY