The Friendly Guide to the Porsche Cayman and Boxster: 986 & 987, 1997-2012

The Mid-Engine Dream is Within Reach - Don't Let it Become a Nightmare.

The Porsche Boxster and Cayman tempt you with supercar-grade handling and a German flat-six howl for the price of a basic sedan. But before you sign for a 986 or 987, you need to know exactly what is happening behind the driver's seat.

In this friendly, no-nonsense guide, Pop strips away the internet hysteria and provides a tactical roadmap for the DIY owner, a guided walkthrough on how to own a legend without being eaten alive by the Porsche Tax.

Pop performs an exorcism on the most notorious engine killers and ownership headaches:

• The IMS Bearing: Learn the real statistics of failure and how to strike first before your engine is lost.
• Scored Souls: How to diagnose cylinder pitting in the 3.4L engines and why the Tailpipe Test is your best friend.
• The Fog Machine: Why a $100 Air-Oil Separator can mimic a $20,000 engine failure - and how to fix it yourself.
• The Brain in the Basement: Why a few clogged drains can total your car, and how to prevent it.
• The Ragtop Blues: Synchronizing Boxster transmissions and replacing the fragile White Cup pushrods.
• The Detached Feeling: Upgrading brittle factory shifter cables and restoring sticky interior plastics.

Pop Weaver's guide provides the knuckle-busting wisdom to keep your car on the road and your retirement savings safe.

If you're ready to get your hands dirty learning the mid-engine Porsche, let's get to work.