Economy and costs

Service costs have been (including all parts and labour):

I've had to replace the rear tyres at 21,000 miles. I could have gone a little further before the TWI's became completely flush, but I thought it prudent to change early. Since I wasn't changing the fronts I had no choice but to use Michelin Pilots again, and they were £171 ($290) each, including fitting but excluding VAT. At 24,000 miles the fronts needed changing, but this may have been premature owing to odd wear. The dealer checked the geometry and found the camber and toe to be out of specification - this was then rectified (cost £76 +VAT). I put this down to the dealer having the entire steering apart 6 months ago...

Measured over 60,000 miles, the 968 did 24.5 mpg (UK). I've just done 600 miles in a 993 and averaged 17 mpg (UK). The Boxster averaged 25.4 mpg (UK). I have loads more Boxster graphs, and graphs comparing the Boxster to the 968 and 205 1.9.

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petrol3.gif (1566 bytes)petrol2.gif (2026 bytes)More of a problem (in the UK) is the fact that BP have taken over all the Mobil sites (in my area) and incredibly have stopped the sale of super unleaded. And that's the only fuel suitable for the car. I got so pissed off with BP I've banned any of my company vehicles from filling up at BP outlets. I asked BP to comment, but they've not even bothered to reply. The only company that seems to have a policy of selling super unleaded is Shell, and even they have declared that they're pulling out in 2000. Texaco only seem to sell it on their larger sites. The big problem is I have to start looking for a Shell station at about half full...

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Odometer Litres filled mpg (UK) mpg (US) Litres/100Km
118 - - - -
408 48.85 27.0 22.5 10.5
656 45.86 24.6 20.5 11.5
921 50.35 23.9 19.9 11.8
1184 48.44 24.7 20.6 11.4
1437 48.76 23.6 19.6 12.0
1692 49.74 23.3 19.4 12.1
1961 45.89 26.6 22.2 10.6
2169 47.88 19.7* 16.4* 14.3*
2383 42.79 22.7 18.9 12.4
2607 46.78 21.8 18.1 13.0
2871 50.61 23.7 19.7 11.9
3125 50.95 22.7 18.9 12.5
3366 44.60 24.6 20.5 11.5
3671 50.05 27.7 23.1 10.2
3968 48.62 27.8 23.1 10.2
4270 49.14 27.9 23.3 10.1
4574 50.80 27.2 22.7 10.4
4821 45.65 24.6 20.5 11.5
5120 46.09 29.5 24.6 9.6
5434 50.31 28.4 23.6 10.0
5688 51.03 22.6 18.8 12.5
5913 42.00 24.4 20.3 11.6
6134 44.95 22.4 18.6 12.6
6415 48.33 26.4 22.0 10.7
6696 51.42 24.8 20.7 11.4
7207 46.64 26.3 21.9 10.7
7444 47.47 22.7 18.9 12.4
7687 39.91 27.7 23.0 10.2
7974 46.75 27.9 23.2 10.1
8268 49.95 26.8 22.3 10.6
8516 41.50 27.2 22.6 10.4
8808 49.39 26.9 22.4 10.5
9058 42.23 26.9 22.4 10.5
9317 50.27 23.4 19.5 12.1
9584 49.37 24.6 20.5 11.5
9847 45.95 26.0 21.7 10.9
10115 51.30 23.7 19.8 11.9
10381 47.70 25.4 21.1 11.1
10617 47.20 22.7 18.9 12.4
10909 49.03 27.1 22.5 10.4
11166 48.58 24.0 20.0 11.7
11420 47.62 24.2 20.2 11.6
11674 48.51 23.8 19.8 11.9
11922 50.31 22.4 18.7 12.6
12158 38.02 28.2 23.5 10.0
12388 44.19 23.7 19.7 11.9
12651 51.59 23.2 19.3 12.2
12888 43.92 24.5 20.4 11.5
13099 30.09 31.9 26.5 8.9
13332 35.54 29.8 24.8 9.5
13510 25.94 31.2 26.0 9.1
13744 37.19 28.6 23.8 9.9
13952 36.45 25.9 21.6 10.9
14132 31.64 25.9 21.5 10.9
14373 43.80 25.0 20.8 11.3
14573 31.32 29.0 24.2 9.7
14810 36.58 29.5 24.5 9.6
15082 41.16 30.0 25.0 9.4
15365 48.09 26.8 22.3 10.6
15610 47.05 23.7 19.7 11.9
15812 35.39 25.9 21.6 10.9
16050 43.15 25.1 20.9 11.3
16336 50.60 25.7 21.4 11.0
16526 36.68 23.5 19.6 12.0
16776 48.13 23.6 19.7 12.0
17033 50.32 23.2 19.3 12.2
17315 49.2 26.4 21.7 10.8
17580 48.29 24.9 20.8 11.3
17840 47.46 24.9 20.7 11.3
18036 32.17 27.7 23.1 10.2
18274 40.17 26.9 22.4 10.5
18536 40.78 29.2 24.3 9.7
18815 47.43 26.7 22.3 10.6
19082 48.77 24.9 20.7 11.3
19335 45.32 25.4 21.1 11.1
19599 49.66 24.2 20.1 11.7
19834 45.13 23.7 19.7 11.9
20123 49.60 26.5 22.1 10.7
20313 37.39 23.1 19.2 12.2
20595 43.44 29.5 24.6 9.6
20819 42.84 23.8 19.8 11.9
21060 44.88 24.4 20.3 11.6
21300 47.16 23.1 19.3 12.2
21556 50.36 23.1 19.2 12.2
21787 44.82 23.4 19.5 12.1
22025 37.30 29.0 24.2 9.7
22314 46.60 28.2 23.5 10.0
22529 41.15 23.8 19.8 11.9
22759 47.18 22.2 18.5 12.7
23035 46.39 27.0 22.5 10.4
23342 44.41 31.4 26.2 9.0
23609 43.76 27.7 23.1 10.2
23857 48.57 23.2 19.3 12.2
24077 48.36 20.7* 17.2* 13.7*
24307 45.90 22.8 19.0 12.4
24549 47.40 23.2 19.3 12.2
24791 48.42 22.7 18.9 12.4
25035 46.92 23.6 19.7 11.9
25250 41.72 23.4 19.5 12.1
25526 41.12 30.5 25.4 9.3
25790 50.19 23.9 19.9 11.8
26057 50.23 24.2 20.1 11.7
26337 49.80 25.6 21.3 11.1
26601 47.66 25.2 21.0 11.2
26879 42.31 29.9 24.9 9.5
27151 39.11 31.6 26.3 8.9
27410 45.62 25.8 21.5 10.9
27655 47.42 23.5 19.6 12.0
27903 44.61 25.3 21.0 11.2
28179 49.38 25.3 21.1 11.2
28437 47.61 24.7 20.6 11.4
28714 41.27 30.5 25.4 9.3
29019 52.83 26.2 21.9 10.8
29285 49.08 24.6 20.5 11.5
29535 46.81 24.3 20.2 11.6
29797 50.11 23.8 19.8 11.9
Total 5319 25.4 21.1 11.1

*spent 2 weeks at dealer - "testing" maybe?

All the 27-29 mpg figures are from trips that mostly involve motorways, travelling at speed of around 85 to 95 mph. The rest is commuting (about half town work and half 90 mph+ with plenty of thrashing through the gears). The gauge never wavers and is extraordinarily linear (exactly 70 miles per quarter tank marking). I imagine some engineer at Porsche has spent ages getting this right, but it's the kind of small detail that no magazine report ever picks up on, but which makes use of the car so pleasurable.

The tank is a little small. The light is on at 240-260 miles, compared to the 340 of the 968.