Top 5 mods to add HP

[Tripbox]

Hi I am new to the forum, and love all the cars I have seen on here. simply amazing. I am looking at purchasing a 986, but want to know what I could do to add some HP, as it is my understanding that the base models are not the fastest car on the block. Let me know what you guys think? thanks

1. Buy the S
2. supercharge
3. intake
4. headers
5. muffler
6. decrease weight
7. the blade

what year and model?

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by boggtown

7. the blade

LOL. Almost as good a boost as the tornado.

[edevlin]

I would encourage you to first work on the suspension, then see if you need any more HP, its pretty amazing what some folks can do with their Boxsters with stock engines...

Ed

[steve00s]

There aren't many more than 5 things to do to increase HP short of engine conversion or forced induction. If your very first thought after purchase is dramatically increasing HP than this may not be the car for you. You can achieve some noticeable gains by:
1) cold air intake
2) some form of modified exhaust (be wary of side effects such as resonance)
3) ECU tuning
Pretty standard recipe.

I have gained just as much or more pleasure from the short shifter and the suspension upgrades. I have also found that the potential in these cars is further realized the better driver you become. I have had better drivers race my car and I am humbled. All the HP in the world wouldn't help me keep up with these guys.
Lots of luck to you.

Tripbox, work on becoming a better driver, and use the HP the Boxster already has.

I am learning every time I take mine out. Learned a ton today on the race track.

[HB.]

I'm sorry guys, I have to laugh...the guy posted a total of 1 time back in late September, and probably won't return. It's almost like one of those types of post where a newbie just posts once to get the forum all stirred up, then posts links of this topic to the forum they regularly visit just so they can get some laughs.

[linkjones]

I personally got a good laugh at how worked up some people got when I asked if anyone had heard of dropping a subaru motor in a boxster. Hilarious.

[RandallNeighbour]

Originally Posted by linkjones

I personally got a good laugh at how worked up some people got when I asked if anyone had heard of dropping a subaru motor in a boxster. Hilarious.

And get this... a couple of years after you brought this up, a guy's done it and the thing's blinding fast! :dance:

[silverboxster2005]

I like having a car that's a little bit of an underdog keeping up with my friends that have 911"s and Cayman"s its a challenge the Boxster has good power and Händels just as well

[immunknic]

Cool share it is without doubt. I’ve been looking for this info.

[fivepointnine]

why would one need to upgrade the brakes to anything more than a stock S brakes? those things are straight up amazing, throw some track pads on them and they are race ready!

[Cartel]

1) AASCO Lightweight Flywheel
2) FVD Brombacher ECU Tune
3) IPD Intake Plenum/75mm 997 TB
4) KW Variant 3 Coilovers
5) Road Sport Supply (RSS) Underdrive Pulley Kit (UDP)

The above in no specific order.

[jsceash]

I'm not an expert, but depending on what you are paying for your Boxster if you want more HP buy an S to start with. From my experience you can gain 45 to 50 output horse power at the wheels on a non S Boxster. It isnt hard but it is expensive, and you do not have to open up the engine. Ive done these
1. Exhaust modification 15 hp $2200
2. Desnorkle new air filter box 8-10 $350
3. IPD and 74MMT body 8-10 $980
4. ECU Flash 6-8 $998
5. Underdrive Pulley 6-8 $235
These were done to my 2003 tested with dyno scan software on quarter mile runs. based on actual acceleration weight of the car and time. Other factors were air temp, barimetric pressure, and humidity.
$4763 in parts I did all the mods

[986_inquiry]

Originally Posted by Tripbox

Hi I am new to the forum, and love all the cars I have seen on here. simply amazing. I am looking at purchasing a 986, but want to know what I could do to add some HP, as it is my understanding that the base models are not the fastest car on the block. Let me know what you guys think? thanks

I know this is an old thread, but I think all the people saying the base model was "slow" were coming from vehicles that were much faster than the 2.5's ~6.5 0-60

Fastest car I owned before this was a Police Interceptor Caprice (purchased straight from IL State Police auction) with a V8 350 LT1 Corvette engine. 260hp (cast-iron block), 330 ft-lbs torque stock, and with custom CAI and headers 0-60 was 6.6, didn't test quarter but should have been high 14s because before headers with 7.2 0-60 it did a 15.1 quarter

2.5 Boxster feels much faster although they should be able the same, I think having a 5-speed manual makes all the difference.

So before anyone thinks they should keep saving for a 3.2/3.4 S here's my advice: don't, the 2.5 will be plenty fast and you'll save a significant amount of $$$ at the pump.

If your current car does 0-60 in less than 6 then get an S.

[RandallNeighbour]

And I respectfully disagree.

S model 986s are not that much more these days, and they feel quite a bit faster behind the wheel.

I can't think of a single S boxster owner I've visited with that looks at the base model when driving by and says, "Gee, I wish I'd bought the one with a smaller motor."

However, many* of the guys who buy the base model will look over at the S in a parking lot or driving by and think, "I should have held out and found an S."

*"Many" does not mean every base boxster owner. But if you polled this forum asking non-S owners if they wish they had more HP and also wished they'd held out and found an S, you'd discover what I know oh so well—a sizable percentage would say their 2.5 box just doesn't have enough low end grunt for a car they plan to keep a long time.

I've owned a 2.5 200 hp Boxster for eight years now. I've spent wads of cash eeking out 20+ hp in an effort to get more power out of my motor and it's futile. Had I just waited a year and saved more for an S...

[mikefocke]

What do you want the car to do?

The car easily drives 200 klicks/125 MPH. It handles like a dream. It is a better car than this driver (been doing it for 55 years and have track experience).

Now as to what you can do to make it go faster ... there is a summary here. Just bring euros.

[jb92563]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

What do you want the car to do?

The car easily drives 200 klicks/125 MPH. It handles like a dream. It is a better car than this driver (been doing it for 55 years and have track experience).

Now as to what you can do to make it go faster ... there is a summary here. Just bring euros.

Yes, your list is good and hopefully prevents folks from wasting their money.

There is no substitute for HP and displacement however the base 986 driveshafts, brakes and transmissions can not handle 400+ HP without something breaking so you have to start with the more robust S model to begin with.

I read that the GM LT-3 engine can get you to about 425 HP, weighs about the same as a stock engine but protrudes into the cabin causing you to lose ~1" of space behind your seats and a modified engine cover.

The LT-3 option will cost about $8K in adapter parts plus the cost of an LT-3 engine.

It just doesnt seem worth it unless your a racer or speed junkie.

Just get the S and enjoy.

[edc]

A few cheap bolt on parts and you can get +25bhp at the wheels on an S quite easily