Best $1500 you spent
 

Starting with a stock 986, what's the best $1500 you spent on modifications or upgrades? Other than IMS stuff. Go! :p

Replacement GAHH top with glass window hands down.

This probably doesn't help since its not a mod but if I had 1500.00 laying around, I would buy a lift!

The best mod is a solid base.

I'd say clutch, leaks, tires, brakes, belt, AOS, and such.

I have the space for a lift but not the height :/ Service pit may be alternative if building code permits it.

Set of brand new Bilstein PSS9 shocks (on sale). Transformed the handling from merely great to absolutely incredible.

Best bang for the buck was PlastiDip for the wheels. A great new look for $20.

Agree, you get the smaller, sportier, glass window that looks much better (my opinion).

Swissvax - $1,499 plus shipping

For $1,499 (plus shipping) that better come with a Johnny Danger Action Girl wrapped in a soft terricloth robe! :D

You mean robe-less with a terry cloth towel.

Next Summer..............................

TechnoPower2 Kit

31 horse

Oh my, you weren't kidding on the price, that stuff is expensive! Is it really worth $100+ for 200ml of wax?

New top and the TopSpeed exhaust with the cat deletes. Comes to around that give or take a few bucks. As far as the JD action girls, I would rather skip the terry cloth robe and save a few bucks;)

Rubber. Always the rubber. #2 would be the under drive pulley.

But for an 2001-2004 Boxster, IMS first and foremost.
Depending on mileage, water pump and updated coolant cap.
Take care of business first. Play time afterwards.

Bought an '02 BS in July with 57K.

In June it had an oil change and new spark plugs.

So far since July:
New tires: ~$700
Brake bleed -$80
New o-rings on spark plug tubes - $25
New tranny fluid - $60
Cleaned out radiators $0.00

All DIY so far.

Don't rule out a scissor lift generally they lift 48 " which for most service is plenty. I have one recessed into the floor and love it.

What if that stuff isn't broken?

Gas! Drove through five countries in five days after picking up the car. Started in Germany and drove the length of it down the autobahn. Bought expensive stuff at the Porsche Museum gift shop. Maybe the whole bill with fuel, hotels and junk food was a little less then $1500, but not much, well worth it!

This reminds me I owe you guys a road trip writeup.

I agree with this guy. Though the Porsche museum is only 2 hours away, a 2 day drive thru the alps is worth every penny.

Sticky street tires (Kumho Ecsta XS ~$650), and a track event with the local Porsche club (~$450 for the weekend + hotel).

The absolute best time behind the wheel I've ever had. :)

Cheers,
Jason

------------------------

Lots of beer. My car seems to be faster and handle better after some beers.

This entry is not $500 but it's the best $500 I ever spent (and boy i bought every upgrade that was available, you name it I had it) so the best $500 I ever spent was an Escort Passport 9500ix radar detector.

The complete ROW M030 suspension kit for my 02 S!

It was actually less than $1500, the cost to transport my car home.
I flew down to Texas to pick up my car and drive it home by myself. I had 5 days of driving a car I had never sat in before let alone driven. Every morning I was thrilled to go out and turn the key and drive a Porsche Boxster.
Value/dollar...... priceless.

It was less than $1500 but had installed the IMS Guardian two years ago. It gives some peace of mind. Mind you if the snow is too deep and I drag its belly over snow/ice it could tear out the wiring for it. :(

Alpine head unit and amp along with new speakers in the doors and dash.

Nice trip! Reminds me of the time I ordered my bride from a catalog!

Bigger Pistons
 

Sorry for asking but what makes the 500.00 radar detector better than the 100.00 ones? Brother has one on his car and it seems to go off all the time. Hence he never speeds. :ah:

Looked into the Radar jammers but there are illegal here in Texas if I'm not mistaken.

Way fewer false alarms and location detection. For instance the Valentine 1 will let you know the second you have passed the police radar by flashing the down arrow. It flashes the up arrow when you're coming up on it. The accuracy is uncanny.
Also, my V1 has picked up lazer from a trailing vehicle at least once, a BMW a few cars in front of me with no radar decided to floor it. The trooper pulled out from behind me and had him pulled over about a mile down the road. No $100 detector will ever pull that off.

I heard there are some radar detectors that work in conjunction with gps and only notify when you're over the speed limit, and also keep track of false positives that repeat occur at the same coordinates. For me, I just try to keep my speed where it needs to be. (:

"Radar" jammers are illegal EVERYWHERE in the US. It is a SERIOUS federal offense to use one. I have never seen one listed anywhere, which is a good thing.

"Laser" jammers, on the other hand, are legal in some states. Texas is one of them. Most metro areas utilize laser units rather than radar units. When used in conjunction with laser absorbing paint, they are purportedly effective in jamming the signal from an LEOs unit.

Check out Radar Roy's website for a plethora of information:

Radar Roy's OFFICIAL Radar Detector Review site!

TO

I would estimate car-related expenses for my meandering cross-country drive in the Boxster S to have been somewhere in the neighborhood of $2k. Memories are priceless, even dumb ones!

Back on topic -

1) Under drive pulley was a very nice upgrade

2) Borla (or other) exhaust - great sound

3) H&R lowering springs

That'll leave you a little extra for gas and a fun drive.

Back on OT, perfect - what UDP did you go with? I'm not real familiar with how the UDP functions - but from my reading of this thread it would seem the UDP truncates higher RPMs from accessories extending accessory life and reduces accessory HP burden from engine? Sounds good!

The best bang for buck mod is what its called.

hmmmm
 

I haven't spent that much. I've had it since this summer and haven't put a lot into it. About 8000 miles.:cheers:

Yeah, went with the RSS UDP. Good quality, great product, pretty easy to install. Get it with the 2100 mm belt...

I had good luck using a dremel to remove the "bump" on the block.

My V1 does all that, and also identifies every set of automatic doors in the entire metro area. The directional arrows are very useful in identifying whether Walmart is to my left, right, behind, or ahead of me. And that's after I put it full logic mode to shut off the additional 10,000 warnings on the X band, and with a Savvy unit to make it shut up under 45 mph. I think it actually even found a cop once or twice. It's useful but I drive slower than before because it's always screaming at me. It's either that or ignore it. I want a New Escort with GPS to lock out the cr@p.