[verTego]

Ok i finally found the problem... I removed the MAF sensor which i cleaned recently and found that even tho it was still nice and clean, it was coming apart slightly on one side (opposite side to the tiny glass diode thing), where theres a rectangular wax-sealed insert. when i reinserted it and left the wire harness unplugged, the engine ran beautifully. the unit looks as if it has slowly succumbed to age after 12 years and 104k kilometers. thanks again for your replies, hope this helps other boxster owners!