I figured it out the day after I bought it. The car was a rehabilitation project. It was in rough shape: Oil leak, bad AOS, misfire.... As I looked over it, I was concerned with what repairs I was going to make and hadn't even considered that I was looking at a 2.5L. Once I had it home and started working on it, it became obvious.

That's a good one. Not likely to be changed out, yet when I put a new windshield in my S, the shop used a generic black rubber trim. ...so 95% like the 6-speed, but not always.

From what I have seen listed, a front bumper swap, or an S on the trunk is not that uncommon. One of my 99s had a trunk lid replacement from an S due to bad paint and minor dents. It has since been de-badged.

That's the case for me as well. When I had my windshield replaced (big crack from a rock on the highway) the shop replaced it with the base black trim. A little troubled by it, but not enough to raise a stink. I'll know better next time, if there is one

I'm saying to do more than throw an S badge on the car. Reminds me of when I put mongoose stickers on my fake mongoose as a kid and got called on it.
The muffler alone, plus install probably at least $400. S emblem $60. Bumpers and install can't be cheap. Calipers and rotors, ouch. I would have to think buying an S would be cheaper. Am I wrong. Approx 2k difference.

The 986 boxster is the original, it will always have that going for it. Why hide that? Just crazy.

If you see me in a Boxster, its an S (because that's what I have!).

I'm guessing a DuraMetric is some kind of ECU diagnostic test result - which would require a PPI maybe?

No way to tell just from looking at it IMO. Vin must be checked and engine serial number by oil pan must be checked. Anything can be swapped

My 550 Spyder doesn't have dual exhaust tips like regular S's and calipers aren't red they are silver

My '97 base has 2003 s front bumper and S dual tip exhaust. It's also tip tronic. So by looking I guess I could swap the batwing, door sills, carpets and cluster if I wanted and most wouldn't know.

Because the 986's are getting older by the minute, there are a lot of cars with mix and match parts on them that it can be really hard to tell the difference. Not to even mention the model year! Also people like to customize their cars so you get a ton of painted calipers, upgraded suspensions, exhaust etc.

You really do have to take it down to the #'s if you want to be 100% sure.

FIFY, not chrome

Really, titanium -- seems like an odd part to make out of such an expensive material?

Never actually handled mine, a glass shop changed it. Is it actually metal or just plastic with a metallic finish, and might Titanium just be the word Porsche used to describe the color?

Color, not material
the S badge on the back too