powerchip on 2.5
 

Happy New Year everyone. I just got an email from performance products with a tiered discount structure good till January 4. As a result, the normally stupid price for a 2.5 engine powerchip has been trimmed to a just plain unreasonable price of $586.00. Question is for all chipped cars, at this price point is it worth the outlay? Can you truly feel the torque? I'm certainly not convinced their dyno numbers aren't padded for marketing purposes...

When I put the cheap aftermarket headers and a twin chamber exhaust on my 2.5 boxster, I could feel the difference and it gave me about 17+ ft lbs of torque.

The price was about the same as the sale price of the chip you've mentioned above, but I got a nice growl out of it sound-wise.

Eeking out a smattering of additional HP and torque from our motors is really expensive. I guess this is because Porsche did a good job of engineering it in the first place.

I've thought of chipping my motor as well, but then decided to put the cash in the bank and save up for a Raby race prepared 3.6 or 3.8 when mine eventually blows from an IMS failure.

If you have no aspirations of dropping a new motor into your box, then chipping it might be the way to go. It's easily reversible with removal and a quick reflash for resale, and you might get a couple of hundred out of the chip after you sell the car.

I was dreaming of a Raby rebuild too, then I came across the thread where it says 15K and up. No offense, but I'd be better off trading my car in and applying 15K toward the next purchase. There is simply no way I will ever put 18K into a motor.

18k is indeed steep. But I've got $38k invested in my boxster thus far with the purchase, repairs, and mods and its only worth $10k! So why not throw another $20k at it and have a wicked fast boxster?

IMO why not? because you then have an 11K boxster with an enormous investment that still has all other old systems and moving parts. Check out autotrader in the next three weeks, set the search max for 31K, your car and 20 and see what comes up. It's good beer consumption relaxation while jonesing to drive our sleeping playtoys.


Now does anyone have a powerchip, did they feel the difference? 600 sounds like a dollar next to 20 large.... :)

Randall how bout this with an IMS upgrade


07 Boxster 15,800 miles, 34,900 first search... 245 hp.

Now if that engine job was around 6k, just the raw engine shipped out of the car you wouldn't be able to build them fast enough. Geez, there's an 04 limited with 20K on the clock, looks very clean, 28K.

What you don't know is that I have replaced the transmission, cooling system, the entire suspension, 80% of the interior, and a bazillion other parts on the car with my blood, sweat and tears and spare cash over the last six years. Apart from the sheet metal, the car is practically new.

This car is now part of me, and I could not sell it. I will probably own it until I die. Unlike all my other cars, which I'm dying to get rid of for something nicer less than two years after ownership, this one has a lot of emotion attached to it.

The wife asked me just the other day if she gave me the keys to a newish 997TT if I would sell the boxster... I do not think I could do it.

As an enthusiast myself I can certainly appreciate your words. I too have chronicled every bolt turn of my car and worked an entire winter on the GT3 conversion and various maintenance. I make less than half my fortune 100 wage and I'm closer to retirement. As I age it occurs to me the available time to drive the slower older 98 is more precious than working 40+ a week to drive a newer car that frankly I'd strat sorting out from scratch. As we all know if you're as fussy as we are you have to sort out every car you own and stay on top of it like a perfectly sharpened tool.

I'm with you, Randall. I bought my 986 so that I could make it MINE. It's not an investment, it's a hobby/lifestyle. I'm going to spend money on a hobby somewhere...might as well be the car.

As for the chip, I just purchased the Softronic software for $710 (it also included Durametric!). My main reason for the software is to richen up my mixture after adding headers/cat deletes/intake. I'll let you know how it goes.
FWIW, without the chip, the car dyno'ed at 225RWHP, but was leaning out at almost 15:1 :(

Another issue with my wanting to upgrade the motor instead of selling it for a 987S or a 911 is this: I would like to own and drive an old sleeper.

Can you imagine the look on some Carrera driving lawyer or doctor's face at a red light when I leave him in the dust? Or when I overtake much faster Pcar at a DE?

Then there's the whole baffle-your-buddy scenario when you take a new friend out in your car because early on he told you that he thinks Boxsters are the poor man's porsche for secretaries... without knowing I own a highly modded Boxster.

This is indeed a long-term hobby with benefits!

jfro, I'll be interested in the result, is the durametric tool something that works with your laptop or a true hand held? I am in agreement with both you guys, I'd like a sleeper too. It just seems to me that I could find a suitable mechanic to make many of the same mods using the techniques and parts available to all for less than 18k.

In a perfect world, I'd pull the engine and do all the work myself, with enough time and money anything can be fixed.

also interested in doing this,

have just done headers and intake, now considering either powerchip or giac?

is it even worth it?

If you want to go the software route, I'd recommend Revo. I'm currently working with them on a custom map for my LN based X51 3.8 and am also discussing some added functionality to the map, in particular, by having the DME turn on the radiator fans at a much lower temperature. The other cool thing about the Revo product, is that it is tuneable to adjust throttle tip in, ignition advance, and possibly even have some authority over the VarioCam parameters. So, if/ when we can get better fuel, there is the option for more performance there without having to do a whole new flash.

As to the nature of the sleeper Boxster, it is cool. This car makes close to 400HP and it is truly enjoyable to watch the faces of guys with "better" cars when you pull on them :)

I chipped my 2000 2.7L Boxster about 3 years ago (Autothority chip) and ran a number of dynos as we tried to dial it in with the exhaust and intake setup I was using. I picked up a few hp (maybe 5 to7+), but it did a noticable job of flattening the torque curve (good thing). It also seemed to change the throttle response, making it more responsive.

Car was more fun to drive after the chipping, but in hindsight, it was not worth the money, at least not for me, especially these days when there are more options availble to get some real power in our cars (new engine....).

Ed

:cheers:

My personal opinion on these cars (I have no experience in tuning with them) is this:

The car has a design that's already very responsive in nature (short intake tract & exhaust tract, flat six)...

But the engine doesn't have a whole lot more to give.

The best way to greater responsiveness, power and acceleration in this car is removing weight. It's already a fairly lightweight car, so....

lightening the battery
lightening the exhaust
removing stuff like the spare/tools
Sticking with lighter weight, smaller wheels & reasonable weight tires...
Etc.


Seems like a much more attractive alternative than trying to get the engine to do more.

Just my .02

Joe

P.s. I'll be starting with a set of square-sized 17" wheels myself, and then going on to lighten other places. I'm guessing 100 less pounds won't be hard to achieve, and will provide the same benefit as a "chip"

Those who purchase what we create don't ever plan on selling their car.. To date I only know of one FSI engine equipped Porsche that has been sold after our engine was installed. That one sold in two days.

It is a lot of money, but it is an investment IF you intend to keep the car. We have a significant investment or time, components and resources in every engine that we build. They will never be "cheap", lots of others offer that and do so generally with used stock parts, hell even AOS replacement is "optional" with some other engines on the market, they come with a "used, cleaned and inspected" AOS.

I'd love to get one of your engines Jake and I understand and admire your personal credo regarding doing it the right way.

However, with the used market as it is, one can pick up an entire car in winter months for roughly the same cash.

I'm not planning on selling mine :)