Quote:
Originally Posted by BRAN
Looks fantastic!
Tell us more about your new wheels and suspension (and your fleece seat covers  )  |
Tires and wheels were a screamin deal on craigslist. 19" SSR GT3 rims wrapped in Michelin Super Sports with about 70% tread remaining, came off a 911 and the offset required 10mm spacers in the rear to fit. I also got new chrome lug bolts as the stock bolts werent long enough after I added the spacers. They did not come with the center caps and I seriously considered the brushed aluminum "SSR" center caps but at, IIRC, $200+ for the set it just wasnt worth it. In the end I got Chinese knock-off Porsche center caps off fleabay in dark grey with both the grey emblem and a set of dark grey with the colored emblem. They were $15 a set and have held up very well and are a perfect match to the rim color. As for performance it was a significant reduction in ride quality. Steering is much more responsive over the 17" turbo twists and Michelin AS3 tires they replaced, the car also seemed a little lighter and more nimble. $650 for the tires/rims, $75 for the spacers and $60 for the lug bolts.
Suspension was also a screamin deal on craigslist. Theyre Bilstein sport struts and Eibach lowering springs that came off a Boxster with 60k miles on it. $450 for the set and another $450 for a pro install and alignment. It only lowered the car about 1" but changed the character of the car considerably. Both from the outside and inside its a more drastic change than I imagined it would be. Inner fender lips were rolled to avoid rubbing and the required "outer limit" 2 degree negative camber will reduce the life of my rear tires by a further 50%, and thats beyond the Boxsters' already big appetite for rear tires. The suspension expert stated running asymmetric tires will help, and that tire manufactures have come a long ways in improving asymmetric technology, but I can still expect a significant loss of rear tire life as a result of a lowered car and the camber required. In my opinion its well worth it. Yes the reduced tire life sucks but from both a cosmetic and performance standpoint I still think its the way Boxsters should ship from the factory. It increases the impression that youre driving a sports car. The improvement over a stock base Boxster is, obviously, reduced body roll but also a smoother ride. Yes rough roads are a little rougher, and overall the car is a stiffer ride, but its also a more fluid ride over the stock suspension and a more solid feel behind the steering wheel.
The seat covers were my very first improvement when I purchased the car. I almost always drive top-down and the covers were added for no other reason but to prevent sweating in the seats, and they work great. I think it was a step down cosmetically over the black leather seats but getting out the car without a sweaty ass is priceless to me. Its been a while but if memory serves I purchased them on line from autoaccessories.com for $200. Expensive but I wanted real sheep skin and as close to the car color as possible.