Best Investment for your Boxster.
 

What would you guys consider the best investment/enhancement you have done to your boxster? Any part,any price.

I have to say that a new set of wheels are a must. Second, you have to change the orange lights to the clear lense lights all around your car. Last but not least, you have to swap the exhaust with an aftermarket exhaust, or better yet, the PSE.

New stereo system, including rear speakers. Huge difference in sound quality between the Alpine unit I have now and the CDR210 I had before. The rear speaker shelf also makes a huge difference.

" The rear speaker shelf also makes a huge difference."

Yes, sound systems and the right wheels are really a must!

:cheers:

investment
 

I'm not sure if it's the best investment, but adding the rear speakers was a big boost to the overall quailty of the audio system.

Should be standard.

Where could i find the rear speakers for a decent price? How much will installation go for on those?

Hi,

Interesting, if not surprising, responses to date - all about Dress-up or Creature Comfort, guess I didn't expect that from a bunch of Enthusiasts.

I'd say the single geatest investment/enhancement I've made on my Boxster was the addition of Front and Rear Strut Tower Braces.

They greatly improved the Handling, while increasing Rigidity, which totally eliminated all rattles (I know the Boxster is one of the most rigid Convertibles out there, but add these Braces and find out how much of a Wet Noodle it really is). It also reduced the Body Roll significantly as well.

It wasn't the first Mod I did to the car (I've done the Rear Speaker install, OBC Hack w/ 4th stalk, Euro Side Marker Hack, Garage Opener Hack, installed Fire Extinguisher and Bracket, installed Illuminated Sun Visors, intergrated Cup Holders, De-Snorkel hack). But it was definitely the one with the most Bang for the Buck. It would be the first Mod I would suggest to anyone, the results are amazing!

Happy Motoring!...Jim'99

Hi, what brand strut supports did you use, and do you have any pix of the install?

bob

An extended warranty!

I got the "new car extended warranty" from the dealer while I was still on the original new car warranty. If I had waited for the original to expire, I would not be eligible for it and would have to consider a u"sed car warranty" with much less coverage at the same price.

Hi,

No Pix, but it's about as straightforward as you can get.

The Braces I got were made by Racing Dynamics. They are all pretty generic, a pair of billet-cut brackets, a couple Heim Joints with a Bar (Round Stock) in-between. You can choose between Alloy and CF for the Bar, but the minimal weight difference and the fact that they're totally hidden rules against paying the premium $$ for the CF.

To install have the Car on a level surface, then for the Front Brace, you remove the Battery Cover and both Side Covers (need a T-25 Torx Driver for this) exposing the Strut tops. Then you loosen the Battery hold-down, in case you need to move it a little (I'd disconnect the (+) Terminal also - be sure you have your Radio Code). Now, you Dry Fit the brace so you know which 2 of the 3 Strut nuts to remove (you only want to remove these two, or you loose the Camber setting if you loosen all 3). Then, using a 13mm socket, remove the required 2 (to a side) Strut nuts. Set in the brace and replace the 13mm Strut Nuts (tightening to 26 ft.-lbs., be exact, these will snap off from too much torque). Then, twist the Brace to elongate it 'til it won't turn anymore, tighten locknuts on Brace (17mm). Now, replace the (+) cable, tighten the Battery back down, replace the Side Covers and Battery Cover. You're Done. Start-to-Finish, maybe 10 min.

For the Rear Brace, start with Car on level surface. Raise top to Service position (this exposes the Strut Tops). Dry Fit the Brace, like before. Remove the 2 Strut Nuts, like before, using a 13mm socket. Fit Brace in place, replace and torque Strut Nuts to 26 Ft.-Lbs., twist Brace to elongate it until it stops, tighten Locknuts on Brace (17mm), return top to normal position. You're Done. Start-to-Finish...10 min.

Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!...Jim'99

I guess I'm just boring. :rolleyes:

The best "investment" for my Boxster is the cover, windshield reflector and soon to be tinted windows. I guess it comes from owning an older P-car and seeing what the sun does to it over time, even when it's garaged. Tons of work fixing dash cracks and hard leather seats or $$$$ if you have someone else do it.

Only done 1 mod to the car - B&M shifter. Makes me feel like I'm driving a different car.

John, reconsider tinting the windows. I have very dark side windows and it looks stupid when you drive down the road topdown with the windows up to deflect wind. Well, that's my opinion anyway.

Now when the top is up on my 3x black box, the tint look stealthy... it's limo tint black. But I rarely drive this way.

I'm putting on the light color tint with high UV protection. It won't be black or mirror. It should look close to the same....I hope.

Advanced maintenance by my Porsche Master Tech Friend and Front nose & Mirror Bra.

Hi,

I read somewhere (can't remember the source, but did write some notes), that Porsche Automotive Glass already has UV protective layers laminated in the Side Window Glass. That it provides 95% UV Protection. The two transparent UV Laminates are called Vanceva and Saflex. This would seem to make tinting, for UV protection anyway, redundant. Anyone else come across this, say in some Sales or Tech Literature?

Happy Motoring!...Jim'99

I concur with Jim. The existing tint on the Box is quite superior in anti UV and anti heat properties.

Cool!! That'll save me some bucks. What about the front window? The same stuff can go on it and it looks like clear glass. That's the part I'm most concerned with since the German dashes crack so easily.

Does anyone know if the 99 boxsters came with UV protection? If so which windows?

John,

I don't remember my source specifically listing the Windshield. But, considering that it's a convertible, I suspect that tinting it would be analogous to fighting a Forest Fire with a Garden Hose.

If it were me, I would (and do) use some Dash Protectant with UV protection (I use 3M Vinyl Care and/or Zaino Vinyl Care, both of which contain UV protection), and for those times when the car is parked Outdoors, Top Up, I would (and do) use the Porshe Sunshade. It is easy to deploy and fits neatly folded in the stowage pocket behind the Passenger seat, giving easy access from the Driver Seat. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!...Jim'99

Best investment? A slush fund you contribue to reguarly to help pay for the dang thing.

Thanks Jim,

I use Vinylex on the dash with UV protection and I use the sunshade when I park it in the sun, but it's not me I'm worried about. When we carpool and I keep the car, I cover it while I'm at work and put the sunshade in when I park at lunch. My wife drives it every day and if we don't carpool it sits at her office all day with no cover or sunshade. I can see $$$$ flying away as it sits 3-4 days a week in the bright sunshine with no protection. I have tried to get her to cover it, especially to guard against tree sap that eats the plastic window, but she says it's too difficult. I guess we will end up replacing something from sun exposure. When she recovers from passing out over the bill, the cover will become our best friend. I would just like to prevent it if at all possible.

Here is a simple test you can always preform to tell if the window (or any glass) has UV protection.

Remember the science stuff we all did in grammer school? Remember the science test we did with two plorizing lenses? When the lenses are parallel, the light goes through, but very slightly less intense. When one lens is turned 180 degress, the polorizing lines are now perpendicular, and no light goes through!

So how can this be applyed to your Boxster?

Take a polorized lens. We all have them if you have a good pair of sun glasses. Take two pair of sun glasses, align them, and the light will pass through. Now, turn one pair 180 degrees, and the light will be blocked! This will assure you that you now have a polorized test lens.

Now take that lens, and look through your side window or windschield. Everything should look fine. Now, rotate your head (be careful so you don't hurt yourself or hit someting while driving!!). As you rotate your head, if the Porsche glass is polorized, the light will eventually be blocked, as the two polorized lenses become perpendicular.

I hope this makes sense.

Have you ever noticed, when you have sunglasses on, that certain windows and glass in your car looks darker as you tilt your head? Or you see large dark spots, especially in your rear window? That's the polorization of the glass working, and fighting against each other.

HI,

That is very good reasoning and a very good way to test for Polarized Glass. But, polarizing isn't the only way to block UV. And, on Modern Cars, it is rarely used, so your test, valid as it is, won't work here.

Take Modern Eyewear for instances, since about 1995, by Regulation, all eyeglasses had to be 100% UV blocking. Yet, these eyeglasses (not Sunglasses) are not Polarized and will fail your test.

Normal Visible Light has a wavelength of between 400nm (Violet) to 700nm (Red). nm stands for Nanometer, or One Billionth of a Meter - a very small distance indeed. Ultra-Violet Light (UV) has Wavelengths of between 200nm to 380nm.

There are various materials which will block the shorter wavelength of UV while being totally transparent to the longer wavelengths of Visible Light. One such material is a class known as PVBs (Poly-Vinyl Butyls), not to be confused with the dreaded and Toxic PCBs. PVBs can be made into a film which is then sandwiched between the layers of Glass (in this case Auto Safety Glass) and effectively block up to 95% of the UV light which strikes it. PVBs can also be added to any number of other products, such as Dash Protectants and Waxes and add the same UV blocking qualities to these as well.

The most prevelent PVB Films on the Market today are known by the Trade Names Vanceva and Saflex. These are the Films which Porsche's Glass supplier uses. In addition to UV blocking, Vanceva in particular also aids in blocking light of longer wavelengths, such as Infra-Red (700+nm) which is essentially Heat Energy, so combining this with Saflex, the Glass effectively blocks much of the Heat which can also adversely affect your Car's interior. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!...Jim'99

Hey Jim:

The test is still valid, and works. I have very new sunglasses and a very new Ford Explorer (rear window). If I turn the sunglasses, I can block out more light, as the polarization become less parallel. Haven't yested in the Porsche, though.

Hi,

As I said, it may work on some older cars, or companies which still use polarizing as a means to block UV, but this is phasing out.

Polarizing is more expensive to manufacture and it reduces the total light transmitted through the glass which can be especially important for nightime driving.

To help combat this, the glass is generally less polarized and so the UV protection is more on the order of 75% or so. It's a trade-off between overall light reduction and UV protection.

I too wear polarized Sunglasses and there is no blocking on the Boxster glass, when rotating them as you mention.

Still, your post was thoughtful and very informative.

Happy Motoring!...Jim'99

Hey Jim:

I bet a few of the forum members here would love to see some pics of you testing the whole polarization theory today with your Boxster!!!! Please send ASAP.

Ha...Ha,

You think I want you schmoes knowing what I look like? I could show you... but then I'd have to kill you... :p

Happy Motoring!...Jim'99