Alignment Questions

[renzop]

There are lots of things that could be causing the problems you mention. I am not sure what you mean by leaning in corners. All car lean to some extent as you pull more Gs around a corner. That's not a function of alignment but of CoG, weight and overall spring rate.

Here's what I would do to analyze alignment issues

1) Are the tires wearing evenly? In a Boxster you should see even wear on the front tires with no cupping or feathering. On the rears no cupping or feathering but its ok if the insides have a bit more wear than the outsides.
2) Does the car pull to one side in braking? That's a consistent pull regardless of the road.
3) Does the car pull under acceleration? It might be pulling in the same direction as braking or the other?
4) On a nice flat 6 lane highway, get in the middle lane and when there is no traffic, no wind and the road is straight for a while set the cruise on 60 and let go of the wheel. The car should stay in the lane for a good long while (like 10+ seconds) and the steering wheel should be straight.

If the car passes these tests then no alignment necessary. If you feel the wheel pulling to one side then the other on different, changing road surfaces, this is normal as the car is accurately following a not quite level and even road. Don't worry about that.

Also, I would rather go to a Porsche specialist shop than a race shop, although a Porsche race shop would be best. What you want to find is an alignment guy who is familiar with Porsches or a truly excellent alignment guy. Try going to a PCA meeting and asking around for recommendations. Or tell us where you live and maybe someone here can suggest a nearby alignment shop they have used with good result.

Let me add that its not unusual for the car to feel more "pully" after a proper alignment. Many Boxsters have too much toe-in in both the front and the rear. Toe-in promotes stability at the expense of tire wear and accurate, prompt steering response. Often the factory and dealers set the cars up with lots of toe-in so that they don't get complaints about dartiness. Basically a lot of owners expect the car to handle like a Buick not a sports car. When you remove the extreme toe in in a proper alignment the car will feel more darty, but it will respond more quickly to commands from the helm. Perhaps that's what you are feeling.