Reliability research

I would like to do research on what contributes to reliability. I would appreciate it if you can provide the following information. I will start. Model: 2010 Boxster S, PDK, bought new (if used, @ what mile) Avg miles per year: 7500 Track/AX days: 0 Stored in winter: no DD: yes One-way mileage to work: 13 Break-in driving: adhered mostly with occasional redline shifts during the first 2000 miles Oil consumption: 1 quart every 6000 miles, seems to be getting better as the car ages Engine mods: none Car problems: none Please feel free to add to the above list any other pertinent information. Thanks in advance.

Model: 2006 Cayman S, 6-Speed, 19" Carrera S, bought used in 2006, @ 15K mile) Avg miles per year: 12000, currently 58K Track/AX days: 0 Stored in winter: no DD: yes One-way mileage to work: 25 Break-in driving: N/A Oil consumption: Never have had to add oil between changes Engine mods: EVOMS Filter, IPD Plenum, Softronic flash, Dream 1, SSK Car problems: none, ever. 1 blown tire on pot hole.

Model: 2008 Cayman, 5-Speed, 18 Cayman II Wheels, bought new in 2009 sold in 2011 with 34,000 miles Avg miles per year: 15000, Track/AX days: 2 Stored in winter: no DD: yes One-way mileage to work: 40 miles Break-in driving: First mile kept it under 4K Oil consumption: No issues, changed oil once a year or at 12k miles Engine mods: None Car problems: None Model: 2011 Boxster Spyder, PDK, 19" Sport Design Wheels, bought used 2011 with 200 miles, currently at 14,000 miles Avg miles per year: 15000 Track/AX days: 5 Stored in winter: no DD: yes One-way mileage to work: 40 miles Break-in driving: First week tracked it, second week drag raced it, third week tracked it again Oil consumption: No issues, changed oil once at 12k miles Engine mods: None Car problems: None

Model: 2006 Cayman S, used, @ 45,000 miles Avg miles per year: 3500 Track/AX days: 2 Stored in winter: yes DD: no One-way mileage to work: n/a Break-in driving: n/a Oil consumption: oil change every year or 3500 miles (no oil consumption) Engine mods: none Car problems: Nothing to worry about, wet door carpet, trunk clunk.

Model: 2009 Cayman S, PDK, new Avg miles per year: 6000 Track/AX days: 0 Stored in winter: no DD: yes One-way mileage to work: 18 Break-in driving: not rigidly adhered to Oil consumption: oil change every year, no oil consumption Engine mods: Softronic, exhaust back Car problems: Warranty - Seals on intake plenum replaced, PDK software reloaded. No other issues

Model: 2010 Cayman S PDK (bought new) Avg miles per year: 10,000km Track/AX days: 1 Stored in winter: no DD: no One-way mileage to work: 15km Break-in driving: Under 4500 RPM till 2000km Engine mods: Fabspeed race exhaust, softronic tune Car problems: Passenger side door lock mechanism failed (replaced under warranty), fuel pump recall by dealer.

Model: 2006 Cayman S Manual - 2nd owner Avg miles per year: 12,000mi Track/AX days: 0 Stored in winter: no DD: yes Duration Owned: 1 year One-way mileage to work: 12mi Break-in driving: N/A Engine mods: none Oil consumption: none Current Mileage: 24,400mi Car problems: 1) Driver-side window motor regulator failed. Coincided with charging a drained battery (my fault). 2) CDR stereo sometimes will not eject CDs. Will not read all CDs at all times. 3) Some squeaks and rattles that come and go. 4) Rubber material on auto-climate temp control has worn off

Thanks for all your responses. Hopefully with enough samples, I can develop a model to predict reliability as a function of these predictors. I don't know how much explanation power these variables will have. My working hypothesis is that the car needs to be driven regularly over reasonable distance and a wide range of rpm to enjoy good health. Talking about good health, has anyone read "The Happy Body"? ( Amazon.com: The Happy Body: The Simple Science of Nutrition, Exercise, and Relaxation (9780982403815): Aniela Gregorek, Jerzy Gregorek: Books ) I've never seen a book with 100% 5-star ratings except THB. In it, the authors emphasize strength and flexibility (stretching the body over a wide range of heart rate or interval training) over endurance (long-distance running at the same heart rate). Substitute heart rate with rpm, and you have the equivalent in improving automotive health. Enjoy good health.

TrueDelta -- Real Car Owners Driving Real Car Information

Model: 2006 Cayman S, bought Aug 2010 @ 16,000 miles Avg miles per year: 17,500 Track/AX days: 19 :burnout: Stored in winter: no DD: yes One-way mileage to work: 35 miles Break-in driving: No clue, sorry Oil consumption: 1/2 quart every 5000 miles Engine mods: none Car problems: Slight water pump leak; proactively replaced around 39,000 miles

Model: 2006 Cayman S, Tip. bought Aug 2010 @ 31000Kms Avg Kilometres per year: 10000kms Track/AX days: 0 Stored in winter: No need, middle east has no winter and no rain DD: yes One-way mileage to work: 15 Kilometres Break-in driving: not sure Oil consumption: minimal Engine mods: none Car problems: 1. Starter Motor (twice) 2. Brake Switch 3. Interior paint peeling off 4. Some unidentified menahincal issue with gearbox, cant be diagnosed as it has to be sent to Germany....WTF! 5. Water pump leaking 6. Passenger window motor replaced

Model: 2007 Cayman 2.7 bought August 2011 @ 10,431 miles. Avg miles per year: 6500 Track/AX days: 0 Stored in winter: What's winter? No DD: yes One-way mileage to work: 7.5 miles Break-in driving: not sure Oil consumption: none Engine mods: none Problems: rattles

Yes, TrueDelta is already doing this. However, their sample appears to be very small vs. total production numbers. As a result, you can read their figures and assume it's totally safe to buy, say, a Boxster with an M96 engine in it when, based on the failure reports all over the web, we know it is not. Somebody needs to find a way to hack the Porsche archives to gauge true reliability.

Model: 2009 Boxster base, 6 sp manual, bought used 6/2011 with 600 miles on it. 5200 miles on it now. Avg miles per year: 7500 (estimated) Track/AX days: 0 Stored in winter: no DD: no, weekends or whenever we feel like it. One-way mileage to work: n/a Break-in driving: Took it easy for 2k miles. Oil consumption: 1 bar on the gauge first 5k miles. Engine mods: none Car problems: clutch interlock switch replaced, and then adjusted a month after the replacement to adjust (had to push the clutch so hard we thought it might bend.) Soft top cables adjusted, the driver side cable always wound up outside the notch of the window trim.

Updating my own thread after 8 years Mileage: 62,xxx Problem area: Alternator replaced at ~45K, new AGM battery installed at the same time Location: Silicon Valley to Austin, TX, 6 years ago with the car maintained at Porsche Austin One-way mileage now: 6-10 miles depending on route to downtown Oil consumption: little to none, no bar change during annual oil change (~5-6K miles) No change in driving style since new The car feels stronger and drives even better. Just tires, brakes (50K), and routine maintenance except for one occasion as noted above.