MY97 986 overview
 

Guys, I just share my experience for the 986 ppl. I bought the car in 2007 and here was my feeling about the about when I bought it from the 2nd hand dealer:

- throttle respond was weak (Fixed the throttle cable)
- High fuel consumption, was 18-23 L/100km (Change the MAF, fuel consumption back to 14-15 L/100km lol
- Tip shifting, 1st-3rd gear r fine, no hesitation, but 4th and 5th gear have slightly hesitation about 2300 rpm with light throttle. No hesitation at all on all gears with heavy load, it's acceptable.
- Suspension: Stock! Didn't change! I think the previosuly owner didn't change it as well. Assuming the suspension has 56000 km on it since new.
- Power Steering, fine! no oil leaking

So far, I love this car, but some minor problems still exisits, e.g. the throttle and break pedal r moving when bumpy on the the road. The suspension is very bumpy that I feel. I can feel the compress problem (I guess).

But I'm not a racer, so any recommendation for suspension option? e.g. keep the old spring, just change the shock into Bilstein HD? or H&R + Bilstein Sport?

If I were you, I'd join a local Porsche owners club and visit with other boxster owners. Ask them to drive your car and see if they will let you drive theirs. Then, you'll know if your bumpy suspension is normal or not.

Struts usually wear out with well over 160,000 kilometers on them.

If you haven't owned a Porsche before, you will definitely feel a difference between the suspension in them compared to most every other kind of sports car on the road.

I owned a 951S before, the stock M030 Koni coilover never bump as my 986. Also, I tried my fd's 987S, the supension sticks to the raod very well. Just wondering about mine.
If runin 160k km, I think I should sell my car better =P

I installed front and mid strut braces and it really stiffened the body up allot. For the price it's something you will feel right away. The hesitation you feel in shifting in the tip, is it during easy driving in auto or when your shifting with the steering wheel switches?

But I'm not a racer, so any recommendation for suspension option? e.g. keep the old spring, just change the shock into Bilstein HD? or H&R + Bilstein Sport?
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This will actually make your ride even stiffer. You may want to start with changing your tires as they can significantly change the ride quality. Certain tires can make you ride ride real stiff etc.

Also does you car have ROW 030 suspension? To verify look under your front hood there is a Porsche sticker and decode your option code here http://www.kindel.com/porsche/options.asp
good luck

The hestiation is found on auto mode. Esp, on 2500rpm and 5k something rpm on 4th and 5th gear. So now, the hesitation has gone and the mech said the MAF reading was incorrect, not completely failure. Fuel comsumption and throttle response are back to normal.

the under hood sticker has gone, I got no idea whether is it ROW M030 =P