How much power can you get out of a 2.7 Boxster wtih just basic bolt ons?

[23109VC]

I am thinking of buying my dad's 986 Boxster. it' sa 2000 base model, with the 2.7L engine. 217hp.

I've driven it and it is plenty fast. But I know if I did buy it, in about 6 months, I'd get that itch to mod it. I've modded most of my other cars to some degree...some more than others... but if I had a Boxster I dont' think Id' make it more than 6 months w/out doing something to it.

I live in CA, and don't want to violate smog laws. so it would need to be basic bolt on stuff that woudl not void the smog rules...no turbos or s/c or other mega $$ stuff either.

i'm thinking stuff like intakes, exhausts...maybe headers if they are legal. I have no idea if this stuff is just a big waste of money and all it will do is make the car sound louder, or if an exhaust/intake would honestly free up power?

the car i might buy has 72-73k on it, and eventually will need a clutch. when I did the clutch can you get lightened flywheels to let it rev up easier/quicker and put more power to the ground or is the stock flywheel light enogh already?

I could just pass up buying his car, and just wait for an "S" and leave it bone stock...but I may get such a great deal on this car, that it would be dumb to pass up...if I buy it, I want to know ahead of time, realistically how much power I could get out of it... with just the basic bolt ons.

i know the porsche stuff can be expensive...i heard some youtube videos of boxster with exhuasts and some of them sounded really cool..the car sounds great stock, but some of the aftermarket exhausts were just awesome. it would be a shame if they wre all shwo and no go...or do they really add power? given the light curb weight of the car, if it did add 10hp or so, you'd probably be able to notice it...

i'm not trying to add 50hp with just an exhaust, i'm realistic... but i know there are cars out there where you add an exhaust and you get like 1-2hp, or even lose hp... i know an ezhsut on an n/a car will only add so much hp, but depending on the car it can add a noticeable amoun to fpower... i'm hoping the boxsterw ould be such a car.

what am i looking at cost wise to get an exhaust. i see that porsche sells a sport exhaust that looks cool. is that decent or is the aftermarket stuff like RUF or Fabspeed, etc the way to go?

also - what are the tried/true mods for adding power/fun to a base model boxster.

i was thinking a cat back exhaust, short shift kit, maybe a lighter flywheel if available...

the car i'm looking at already has the ROW M030 suspension upgrade and 18s so it will handle better than I can drive..so it is all set on the handling dept. it just might need a small amount of power and it would be a real bargain bang/buck buy.

thanks.!!!!

[mikefocke]

Here is a link

[edevlin]

I went from 217 hp to about 240 hp in my 2.7 L 2000 boxster with intake, exhaust and chip. In my case it cost me over $200.00/hp for the mods. It tends to be expensive to get hp out of these cars. In terms of an investment, I suspect it would be difficult to get the money you put into the car back if you do many mods to it. If you know you are going to be lusting after more hp before you even buy the car, it may be in your interests to just wait and get a 3.2L, have fun,

Ed

[j.fro]

If you're getting a REALLY great deal on the car and have another 12K or so to spend, putting a 3.4 or 3.6 into it is a realistic way to get an awful lot of power.

[23109VC]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

Here is a link

Mike - thanks for that link. i read it all. great advice. very true stuff.

I used to own a high hp sports sedan and even though it would blow the doors off a boxster, the boxster is the more FUN car to drive. speed is cool, but it is not everything. Miatas sell for a reason - they are fun and cheap. a boxster has a similar recipe for fun, only done better by Porsche.

i guess for me - i'd probably rather have an "S" if price were no issue - as it has more power, and there would be no need to ever do any mods. my last car was heavily modded, and in the end, the mods made it more of a pain. i wouldn't go down that road again. I'm not against minor stuff...a short shift kit, a pedal kit for looks, maybe even an exhaust... and YES you are right..you need to listen to them first. i used to have a miata, and put on some cheap exhaust (this was a while ago...) and it sounded cool for about a week and then the droning drove me insane and I took it off and went back to stock. i later bought a higher quality more expensive system that did NOT drone and was happy. had I listened to both first i would have saved much time and hassle.

if my dad's car is available to me at a super duper deal that I can't pass up, i'd rather get INTO a fun car at a great price, and then figure I have spare money to keep it running right...buy tires..etc... if the deal I'm offered is only average..and I could get into a nice S for a small amount more, i may just go that route.

i have seen several threads on to S or not to S..implying that some people think the base is better... so i'll have to research that. i havne't driven an S so I am in no position to render an opinion on that. my gut is that it has more power and margginally more weight so it should be better. the base model my dad has includss 18" wheels and the ROW upgraded suspension, so I suspect his corners as well or better than some S models...but migth not be as fast due to having less power... not all S models came with 18s...so to find an S that has all the goodies i'd want..might cost me more than I"m willing to spend.

id' like to spend under 20k. when my kids are grown, my house is apid off, my student loan is gone, and I'm retired - then i'll buy it new... only 20 more years to go...

[Topless]

Some good advise here so far.

We all get emotionally attached to these cars and we all want to go faster. Aftermarket companies know this and constantly dangle add ons promising performance gains like shiny lures in a trout pond. It's pretty hard not to bite.

Before going shopping take the emotion out for a minute and get an engineering perspective: What do I really want this car to do? The more clearly and honestly you answer this question the more likely you will make the right changes to the car and be satisfied with the result. You will avoid some pretty big pitfalls and your wallet will thank you. If 217 hp just doesn't do it for you are you sure 240 will really ring your bell? Are you willing to spend $2-4k to find out?

Most Boxster enthusiasts usually fall into one of these three groups:

1. I want faster lap times at the track and a streetable car every day.(This is my quest and I still have some work to do.)
2. Modding cars is fun and I enjoy tinkering and testing almost as much as driving. I don't get in much track time and I do it for joy not for specific results.
3. I want to build a fire breathing street racer and out drag race Vettes, hot rodded Hondas and Subies.

All of these are valid reasons to modify. Which one are you? Do you want the best bang for your buck or is money no object?

If you fall in with #1's the mods that give the fastest lap times per $$ are: weight reduction, performance driver training, tires, and suspension, in that order . Lots of guys regularly turn top ten times at the track with a stock Boxster motor against some formidable drivers and cars with twice the power. Somebody has figured out how to make these things go fast. Highlander, Insite and JohnV come to mind. Why not you? If you are already in the top ten every week and the only guys outrunning you are Scott Pruett and Andy Lally it's time for a motor transplant and a chat with Roger Penske.

If you find yourself with #2's the sky is the limit. edevlin probably has one of the most highly tuned and modded 2.7's around. He spent a bundle($6k??), it took nearly a year to get it all sorted out, and it probably still would not pass smog in Calif. but he loves his car and it sounds like it works very well. He enjoyed the process and I think he is very happy with the result. There are lots of others like him here.

If you fall in with #3 it can be done, just bring a dump truck full of money. You could probably build 3 or 4 hot rod Hondas or Fords that run a 10 sec. 1/4 mile for the same cost as one 10 sec. Boxster. It probably won't be very comfortable on the street, won't pass Calif. smog, will have lots of little issues, but it will be very fast for a while. I don't think we have any 10 sec. cars on this forum yet but a few are headed that way.

Whatever path you choose don't forget to just knock the top down and take it for a spirited mountain cruise once in a while. Nothing does that better than a Boxster.

[rule1]

I pulled 209hp and 172TQ to the wheels which is about 246 crank HP,with these 3 mods EVO intake($400),Maxspeed Motorsports headers and muffler($1200) so thats $1600 for close to 30 HP gain. My dyno results are on this website and was done at Imagine Auto on their mustang dyno.My car has about 23,000 miles.

[boostiality]

Turbo(s) are bolt-ons

[Gary in BR]

Originally Posted by boostiality

Turbo(s) are bolt-ons

^^^ Thats right, all of my mods are bolt on.

To the subject at hand. If you get a great deal on the car, get it and then do an engine swap next year.

Or bolt on a Turbo

[David N.]

My suggestion? Crotch rocket.

Three grand for a decent one, faster than 99.9% of the cars on the road. My my the car becomes a tourer once you've been on it. You won't bother with car speed mods ever again!

-David

[BOXZING]

since you are concerned with speed/power, get an S.

[Paul]

Many people that move from the same year base to an S are not that impressed with the "extra" power.

[BoxsterLewis]

I test drove both and the S is waaay faster it felt like..