Scissors Lift Recommendations?
 

OK...I have found out what anyone who has tried to work on his Boxster already knows: the car's low clearance makes jacking difficult and access to many components is semi-blocked by something else that needs to be removed. My floor jack won't fit under the front, so I jacked it up with the jack that came with my spare, then used the floor jack, then put a jack stand under it. Is there an easier way? Can anyone recommend a floor jack with a lower profile? The back was only a little easier, as the central lift point is so far in that I'm unable to get good leverage on the jack handle.

I did notice someone selling a Portable Mid-Rise Scissor Lift, the kind available at Northern Tool, etc, at a very good price. Has anyone used this on a Boxster? Any recommendations?

Is your car lowered? I have no problem with my standard Craftsman 3-ton floor jack (not low profile).
http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/01-BASICS-Jacking_Up/01-BASICS-Jacking_Up.htm

I had the same issue on my 02. Went to Menards and they have an aluminum low profile 3000 lb jack that I could get under and reach the far jack points so I could raise the car and put jack stands on the normal pads.

I have a scissor lift and love it. Wouldn't want to work without it.

any low profile jack is your obvious solution but in a pinch you can drive the car up onto 2x6 wood planks to get the clearance needed for the jack...

Here is a link to a scissors lift: http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/43889-recessed-floor-lift.html

If you're looking for a lift, here is a four-post that is $900 cheaper than the one posted above and only $300 more than most scissors lifts: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Four-Post-Auto-Lift-Car-Vehicle-Parking-8-000-lb-New-NSS-8-jack-tray-cast-kit-/170978597294

There are pros and cons to each type of lift. I ultimately went with a Bendpak MD-6XP mid-rise scissor lift and I'm very happy with it.

A couple of cons for other lifts and the recessed scissor lift:
- Although a 4-post leaves the entire underside of the car "open", in some cases it's actually less open than a scissor lift. The side rails are wide and in the way to some degree. You have to jack the car up off the side rails for lots of work. We did my Boxster transmission last weekend on my scissor lift and my friend with a 4-post said it was much easier to access the tranny on the scissor lift because there is absolutely nothing but air under the back of the car from the jacking points aft.
- I totally dig the recessed scissor lift, but I like the ability to move mine! In a 2-car garage where you normally need to keep the scissor lift on the side under one car, it is really nice to move the scissor lift to the center if you have a big project and want to get to all sides of the car easily. I guess in a 3-car garage putting the pit in the middle would work, or if you put a plate over it you could center it in a 2-car garage.

You need ramps of some sort to get a modestly lowered Boxster (e.g. with PSS9 on a SPB) over the scissor lift. That's the downside of the scissor lift -- the lift itself needs almost 4" clearance to drive over, which our cars don't have perhaps even in stock form. I just stacked & screwed together pairs of 2x10 10' boards, and made little detachable stepper ramps with 1x10 material. Just recently I got another layer of 2x10 10' boards so that the car can drive FORWARD (the front is lower than the rear) and still fully clear the scissor lift arm with the lift pads attached.

Here's what my garage looks like right now!http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1371444158.jpg

I really like this lift and the reason is clearance.

http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/...h/IMG_2399.jpg

Clearance, clearance
3 1/2" is about the height with a hockey puck on the arm My car pads are 4 5/8" off the floor

Thanks!
 

You guys are great. I just got back from two days at Watkins Glen (my first time since 1965, and I wasn't driving back then) and the pros there confirmed your recommendations. I'll start with the Craftsman aluminum floor jack and keep an eye open for a good used lift.