I should first say that my opinions are those of a Porsche neophyte, least others get the impression that I actually know what I am talking about. My 2000 Boxster is my first Porsche. I have owned it for a year and a half and put a little over 20K on it during that time. When I got the car, I had set aside a modest slush fund to play around with doing a few mods to the car, because like going to Las Vegas, some consider that sort of thing fun. Also, like going to Vegas, sometimes things get a little out of hand….
One of the first things I wanted to try was a chip, or tune to the ECU. I looked at a lot of the different chips available and decided to try the Autothority Pitstop’s ECU tune for a couple of reasons. They actually wrote or did most of the writing of the software themselves, they were a three-hour drive away, they would do the installation for free, if I did not like it I could get my money back, and they seemed like good folks.
It was interesting to hear their philosophy about performance tuning of ECU’s. They were less concerned about making the maximum hp from the car, rather, wanted to make the car more responsive throughout a broad rpm range. They had more modest, but as I found out with multiple dyno runs, more realistic claims for what intake, chip and exhaust mods could do to the 2000 2.7L engine.
For example, they said that in their experience, adding headers and high-flow cats to a 2.7L Boxster that was already chipped would only add an additional 5hp or so, but that it would make it sound cool. When I dynoed the car before and after adding headers and high-flow cats, I saw almost exactly 5hp and a few ft lbs of torque increase, and it did make it sound cool.
BTW, I look for any excuse to get my car on a dyno, which I consider great fun. I just did a dyno pull this week to check out a few tweeks that were done to the chip in order to help get rid of the CEL I have been getting (I hope the attached file came through). These are the numbers we got.
204 hp to the wheels, assuming a 15% loss through the drivetrain, which most folks say you lose in a Boxster that’s about 240 hp the engine is making or 23hp over the stock 217hp 2000 Boxster.
175 ft lbs of torque to the wheels, again assuming a 15% loss through the drivetrain, that’s 206 ft lbs the engine is making or 14 ft lbs over the stock 192 ft lbs Boxster. Also, it looks like the mixture is right on the money
Because I ended up using some of the more expensive parts out there (intake, headers and such) I have ended up buying some pretty expensive horsepower, and as an educator, I don’t have deep pockets. Would I do it all again if I could, I am not sure. I have really enjoyed learning about the car. I have been able to watch as all of the work has been done, which has been a great education.
And based on my limited experience, there is more to the car than just HP, the ECU tune makes the car very responsive with its high, flat torque curve, and then there are the great sounds it makes. Also, between the lightening I have done to my car (lose spare tire, lightweight battery, exhaust and flywheel) and the inherent differences in weight between the “S” and non-S, add Bilstein coilovers into the mix and my car is pretty easy to toss around if one has a mind to do so. I also like the fact that I can get pretty good mileage if I can ever behave myself, I get in the hi 20’s on the highway.
Still, I suppose in hindsight with the money I have put into the car, it probably would have made more sense to just get a Boxster S, certainly from the standpoint of getting any money for the mods back if I ever sell the car. But in my case there were a number of other considerations. First, and very importantly, I did not have the funds for a Boxster S up front.
Second, I do really like the 2.7L engine. Here is what I mean, for those of you that shoot, I often prefer my lightweight 20 gauge shotgun over my 12 gauges, my .243 for deer instead of my 7mm, and for small game, my precision PCP air rifles over my .22 or .17 rimfire guns. I think trying to make the 2.7L work for the particular driving experience I am seeking is mixed up in that sort of philosophy.
Who knows, as I write this it sounds like I am doing a lot of rationalizing for money spent and small-displacement engines. I think I like the advice of another forum member who said something like this: “its best not to keep track of how much mods cost, just enjoy the car”, sounds good to me,
Ed
:dance: :dance: :dance:
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