Side skirts - do they actually hang down and help create low pressure under the car? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

steved0x · 01-12-2017, 12:04 PM

Or are they primarily for looks, to dress up the sides of the car, presumably to matchup with a front bumper like the GT3 bumper?

For fun I was looking around on eBay and found these fiberglass skirts - the price seems right, but wondering if they actually do anything beside looks?

PORSCHE 986 BOXSTER SIDE SKIRTS GT3 SPOILER | eBay

Has anyone ever fit these style of aftermarket side skirts? I got a front bumper lip as a gift and so if I put it on, I might want to add some sort of side skirt treatment to keep it more balanced.

Thanks

Steve

Boxtaboy · 01-12-2017, 12:12 PM

That EBay seller took those photos from a fellow Boxster owner (his website below), and are using it to sell their fiberglass copies. Who knows whether they are any good, as the ones in the photos are from an OEM aerokit. I'm not sure if they do anything to help the aerodynamics of the car, but they sure do make the car look great. I have the Aero 1 sideskirts and really like them. The factory side skirts come with all the mounting hardware (clips, screws & double sided tape, so you'd have to source those separately if theirs doesn't come with it.

avogl.com - Boxster

steved0x · 01-12-2017, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxtaboy

That EBay seller took those photos from a fellow Boxster owner (his website below), and are using it to sell their fiberglass copies. Who knows whether they are any good, as the ones in the photos are from an OEM aerokit.

Good to know, I hate sellers that steal other folks' pictures.

Boxtaboy · 01-12-2017, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steved0x

Good to know, I hate sellers that steal other folks' pictures.

No prob. I don't like it much either. I emailed Al years ago that someone on ebay was taking his photos to hawk fiberglass skirts. I wonder if this is the same company doing this now. It's especially disturbing that in their description for the item, they say that the seller will get the exact same item as what is shown in the pictures. Well, the exact item is the factory polyurethane skirt, not a fiberglass one!

JFP in PA · 01-12-2017, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steved0x

Or are they primarily for looks, to dress up the sides of the car, presumably to matchup with a front bumper like the GT3 bumper?

For fun I was looking around on eBay and found these fiberglass skirts - the price seems right, but wondering if they actually do anything beside looks?

PORSCHE 986 BOXSTER SIDE SKIRTS GT3 SPOILER | eBay

Has anyone ever fit these style of aftermarket side skirts? I got a front bumper lip as a gift and so if I put it on, I might want to add some sort of side skirt treatment to keep it more balanced.

Thanks

Steve

You would have to be going incredibly fast, and the car would need to be nearly on the ground before they had any effect. Purely for looks.

Boxtaboy · 01-12-2017, 01:05 PM

Here's an explanation: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-use-of-side-skirt-modification-in-your-car

Who knows if it helps the Boxster at all or not. I think the only reason to add it is for looks to balance out a front bumper like a GT3 bumper and/or larger wheels. If you have the Aero 2 skirts, I think you need at least 18" wheels for it to look right.

thstone · 01-12-2017, 05:36 PM

To make a side skirt functional, the car has to be pretty much slammed to the ground - which an otherwise stock Boxster is not. Thus, no aero whatsoever. All looks.

steved0x · 01-12-2017, 06:41 PM

Good to know... But it sure does look good!

Flavor 987S · 01-13-2017, 03:05 AM

All show, no go.

Xpit77 · 01-13-2017, 03:27 AM

No. But they look nice. It`s all about down force now.

tommy583 · 01-13-2017, 04:49 AM

They look good to me.

heliguy · 01-13-2017, 04:52 AM

Let's see a picture of your lip. What kind is it?

Boxtaboy · 01-13-2017, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heliguy

Let's see a picture of your lip. What kind is it?

He doesn't have a lip on the above picture. It's an OEM Aerokit 1 front bumper and side skirts.

tommy583 · 01-13-2017, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxtaboy

He doesn't have a lip on the above picture. It's an OEM Aerokit 1 front bumper and side skirts.

That is correct. Aerokit 1 includes front bumper cover, side skirts and trunk lid with wing. The trunk lid has no cutout for the 3rd brake light or factory spoiler. The 3rd brake light is in the wing.

steved0x · 01-13-2017, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heliguy

Let's see a picture of your lip. What kind is it?

I think he means from my original post:

Quote:

Originally Posted by steved0x

I got a front bumper lip as a gift and so if I put it on, I might want to add some sort of side skirt treatment to keep it more balanced.

I don't know, I got it as a gift from a friend. It looks like it has been installed before and seen some use, but I haven't had time to get jack the can and play with it to see how it fits.

BRAN · 01-13-2017, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steved0x

I don't know, I got it as a gift.

Duraflex? cool beans...wish i could find one over here :ah:

paulofto · 01-13-2017, 08:41 AM

No aero kit, just factory side skirts. I like the look.

heliguy · 01-13-2017, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tommy583

That is correct. Aerokit 1 includes front bumper cover, side skirts and trunk lid with wing. The trunk lid has no cutout for the 3rd brake light or factory spoiler. The 3rd brake light is in the wing.

Nice look, very clean. This is the first I have ever heard that the Aerokit included the trunk lid with no cutout for the 3rd brake light. I thought it was just the addition of the wing. Learning new things every day!