upgrade or trade?

[Crono0001]

I've upgraded cats and muffler. Not even 1k

[cjpearson1]

Here is what I am looking at:

https://www.fabspeed.com/Boxster.html

Would be sport headers, secondary cat bypass pipes, maxflo exhaust/mufflers, etc. Everything except ECU upgrade & intake upgrade.

[brian325is]

Depending on which cat is supposedly defective why not just try installing secondary cat bypass pipes? That would be the cheapest route.

If you need a new muffler do a search on the che muffler off ebay.

[The Radium King]

if it is throwing a code then you are dealing with the cats on the headers. replacement header is $150 on ebay (or free here if you ask around; lots of folks running aftermarket exhaust that might give you their old headers). removing the header requires 6 bolts at the head and 3 at the flange with the mid-pipe. and remove/reinstall the two o2 sensors. the caveat is that the bolts have a reputation for corroding and breaking off in the head, which required drilling them out and re-threading. kinda at the upper limit of shade tree mechanic work if it gets to that (mine came out easy with some pb blaster; no broken bolts).

[brian325is]

If you want new. These are a lot cheaper than your quote

NHP Porformance Headers w High Flow Cats for Porsche Boxster 2 7L and 3 2L S | eBay

[Topless]

Ultimately it is your car and your dough. If you have put 68K on it in 3 years you are certainly getting your monies worth. Cars do require maintenance and a 10 yr old with 98K will continue to do so.

If it were mine and I wanted to keep it I'd:

* Thank the helpful shop for their advice and fix the exhaust myself for $200. Put the other $4K in a college fund for my 1st born.
* Repair all other minor issues to keep it in good condition for another $200-300.
* Consider a clutch/IMS job if it has not been done yet.

And then drive it for another 100K miles.

If this just sounds like too much trouble, it's time to sell it now.