Porsche Boxster Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Porsche Boxster fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 74,958 MOT tests across 25 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: luxury | Fuel: Petrol
89%
Porsche Boxster pass rate
92%
Porsche average
82%
All-model average
The Porsche Boxster has an average MOT pass rate of 89%, which is 3 points below the Porsche average and 7 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer Porsche Boxsters pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 11 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Porsche Boxster Fails Its MOT On
Of the 5,580 MOT tests on the Porsche Boxster that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
37%Cars and vans the same age: 46% · Typical repair £15-£200
Exhaust, emissions and leaks
25%Cars and vans the same age: 16% (the Boxster fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£800
Suspension
23%Cars and vans the same age: 37% (the Boxster fails on this less often) · Typical repair £150-£600
Brakes
22%Cars and vans the same age: 29% (the Boxster fails on this less often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Tyres
16%Cars and vans the same age: 15% · Typical repair £50-£300
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Petrol engine emissions: lambda reading outside the limits (18% of failed tests, exhaust, emissions and leaks)
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (8.5% of failed tests, suspension)
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded (7.6% of failed tests, brakes)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Porsche Boxster Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Boxster year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points less often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Porsche Boxster Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Petrol | 2.0L | 98% | 2% | - |
| 2020 | Petrol | 2.0L | 98% | 2% | 92% (+6) |
| 2019 | Petrol | 2.0L | 97% | 3% | 91% (+6) |
| 2018 | Petrol | 2.0L | 96% | 4% | 89% (+7) |
| 2017 | Petrol | 2.0L | 96% | 3% | 87% (+9) |
| 2016 | Petrol | 2.0L | 95% | 5% | 86% (+9) |
| 2015 | Petrol | 2.7L | 97% | 3% | 84% (+13) |
| 2014 | Petrol | 2.7L | 94% | 5% | 82% (+12) |
| 2013 | Petrol | 2.7L | 94% | 6% | 80% (+14) |
| 2012 | Petrol | 2.7L | 94% | 6% | 79% (+15) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 3.4L | 92% | 7% | 77% (+15) |
| 2010 | Petrol | 3.4L | 93% | 6% | 75% (+18) |
| 2009 | Petrol | 2.9L | 94% | 6% | 75% (+19) |
| 2008 | Petrol | 3.4L | 92% | 8% | 74% (+18) |
| 2007 | Petrol | 3.4L | 89% | 10% | 73% (+16) |
| 2006 | Petrol | 3.4L | 88% | 12% | 73% (+15) |
| 2005 | Petrol | 3.2L | 86% | 13% | 73% (+13) |
| 2004 | Petrol | 3.2L | 83% | 16% | 72% (+11) |
| 2003 | Petrol | 3.2L | 82% | 16% | 72% (+10) |
| 2002 | Petrol | 3.2L | 82% | 17% | 73% (+9) |
| 2001 | Petrol | 3.2L | 83% | 17% | 73% (+10) |
| 2000 | Petrol | 2.7L | 82% | 17% | 74% (+8) |
| 1999 | Petrol | 2.7L | 81% | 18% | 75% (+6) |
| 1998 | Petrol | 2.5L | 78% | 21% | 76% (+2) |
| 1997 | Petrol | 2.5L | 83% | 16% | 76% (+7) |
Porsche Boxster Running Costs
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Porsche Boxster FAQ
What are the most common Porsche Boxster problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Porsche Boxster that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (37% of the 5,580 failed tests), exhaust, emissions and leaks (25%) and suspension (23%). The single most common fault was "Petrol engine emissions: lambda reading outside the limits" (18%). Across 74,958 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 89% ended in a pass.
Is the Porsche Boxster reliable?
The Porsche Boxster has an average MOT pass rate of 89%, from 74,958 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 11 points more often on average, a better than average result for its age.
Which Porsche Boxster years should I avoid?
No Porsche Boxster year with 1,000+ tests passed 3 or more points less often than all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). The years that passed most often for their age were the 2009 (94% of 1,731 tests passed, against 75% for all 2009 cars), the 2008 (92% of 2,287 tests passed, against 74% for all 2008 cars) and the 2010 (93% of 1,750 tests passed, against 75% for all 2010 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Porsche Boxster faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Porsche Boxster typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Porsche Models
Common problems pages for other Porsche models