feels like more oversteer lately

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by sb01box

have 01 box with 90Kmiles. purchased it 2.5 years ago w/57K miles from dealer with CPO(?) warranty. it's my daily drive and enjoying it every day. lately, the car seem to feel like it has more over steer than what I believe it should.
put new rear tires. Michelin all around. nothing done to the shock or suspension.
would worn shocks induce this? Again, it's my gut feeling, nothing quantitive.
I don't drive it hard but take corners fast from time to time. I don't feel any looseness in the suspension.
thanks in advance.

Have you had an alignment lately? Are the front and rear tires the same model?

[Sboxin]

IMHO of course --- I would look at the suspension -- like shocks/dampers, sway bar, and springs. If the alignment is good this would be a good place to start -- and check the tire pressures too...

Good luck and take care,

[sb01box]

no alignment, goes down the freeway straight... car does follow the side to side tilt of the road . no unusual wear pattern on the tires other than from negative camber.
tires are all Michelin sport pilot all around. made sure that I put the same brand, and model on all four corners.
new tires came with the car when i purchased it @57K miles. replaced back at 88K miles. I now have 89.5K miles.
when i turn left, the back left side feels like it is lifting..??

[Sboxin]

Well...you are doing all the right things so far --- but, if you have even a slight bit of rear toe out the rear end will come around on you (I think this is right - someone speak up here) --if you feel the rear left is lifting on hard turns then I would look at spring and shock replacement -- and even sway bars can weaken over time - and you have 89K on the car.

IIWM -- I would take it to a Porsche suspension specialist - if you have one in your area - I found one here in Phoenix after talking to a lot of people and finally a friend found this guy in a one man shop that mostly works on Fcars

Take care,

[loosecannon]

After checking all the logical things (shocks,alignment, etc) consider that you might just be more comfortable with the car and are driving more agressively. I own a kart track and over and over we hear drivers saying that the second kart they drove slid around more than the first kart, and almost without fail it's because they were driving the second kart faster which causes them to slide around more in turns.

[sb01box]

Originally Posted by loosecannon

After checking all the logical things (shocks,alignment, etc) consider that you might just be more comfortable with the car and are driving more agressively. I own a kart track and over and over we hear drivers saying that the second kart they drove slid around more than the first kart, and almost without fail it's because they were driving the second kart faster which causes them to slide around more in turns.

thanks. I'm actually driving it less aggressive now as compared to 1 year ago. I only feel this sensation during hard cornering.
A thought is that with new tires only on the back, the car maybe riding on the inside edge of the (new) tires due to negative camber and making the rear end more twitchy??..
i think its about time to replace shocks and the rubber pieces on the sway bar.
I enjoy driving my Boxster (non-s 5 speed) for commuting and weekend drive on mountain roads, (slightly faster than most, but nowhere near those that go to track), what's the expected life of shock absorbers?

[renzop]

Start with an alignment. Then get someone knowledgeable to look at suspension bushings, front motor mount and finally shocks. Also look at sway bar end links. These are kind of a weak part of the Boxster suspension and can easliy wear out but the wear is not visible.

[sb01box]

I think I'll start by looking at the rear sway bar/droplink setup.
the oversteer came on suddenly.. I think. so the drop link play may induce the back to roll much more and enable the back end to ever so slightly induce oversteer - I think.