Show or Go?

[Perfectlap]

Have you already spent the engine money?

If not I wouldn't do it. Performance mods are just a part of the mechanical investment you'll have to make. I'm assuming you're not making this sort of an investment into a car to only own short term? If you are looking to keep the car for more than 4 years, you're going to have to address quiet a few things other than the paint and bumpers. At the end of it all you'll have put a huge chunk of money into the car and have only a slight performance edge over a 9A1 987 S or Boxster Spyder. All of those mods are sunk money because if you sell it, the market will only pay you pennies on the dollar or maybe nickels. Or worse if an old lady smashes into the back of your car the insurance company might screw you and you'll have instantly taken a bath on all that mod money. A huge risk.

If you like the 986 and require more power, get an S model and enjoy the power it has in standard form. Take it to the track/autocross and you'll see its MORE than enough power to get you into a lot of trouble. Unless the engine upgrade is going to deliver north of 100 HP, the car is not going to be transformed. I'd almost say you'd be better off dumping a Corvette engine in it. Big power, low maintenance, low cost. The other options that mean staying with a Porsche engine are just not a lot of bang for the buck vs buying another Boxster/Cayman with a 3.4. Point is, you wont' be slaying any GT3's at your local track for all that change. And if you are you spent a boat load to do it. Enough to have put you into a Boxster SPyder, Cayman R, 996 GT3 or 996 Turbo.