Suspension. Sacreligious Question
 

I know this will not be a popular request. But I am looking to soften up the suspension a little on my 2002 Boxster S. I don't take it to the track or run autocross or anything. It's a grocery-getter and (mostly) daily driver around town.

I want to soften up the suspension for a more comfortable ride for road trips. More of a GT cruising feel. Has anyone done this to their car? All the suspension info I can find is for optimizing suspension for the track and how to improve handling even more.

I know, I know, i know. Why not just buy a GT car if I want a GT. The Boxster is meant to carve canyons and have precise tight handling. Sports cars have a harsh ride and that's part of the deal. I get it.

I'm not looking to cruise down the road floating like an 80's Cadillac. I'm just curious if others have done this and what their experience was. I would drive this a lot more than I do if highway trips didn't beat me up so much.

Nothing wrong with the request.

What tires are you running? They can have a huge influence on how your car rides. Check tirerack for ride reviews on tires that fit your car.

That's a good point. My wife and daughter both have MINIs. My wife has "fuel saver" tires on her her car and has a much harsher ride compared to my daughter's car. I was already eyeing tire replacement for her to help that. I don't know why i didn't apply the same logic to the Boxster.

I have Michelin Pilot Sport N3 tires on my Boxster. They came on the car when i bought it about a year ago. They were brand new at the time.

The most predictable option is to install base springs/shocks and go down a wheel size. I would try downsizing the wheels to 17 if you currently have 18's, then decide if you want to do the shocks as well. The base suspension is about equivalent to Bilstein B4, much cheaper than genuine Porsche. My base 2.5L has what I consider the perfect blend of handling and ride quality on 17in wheels, and I commute on Detroit roads.

I agree.

I suspect you are on 18" wheels. Go down to 17" wheels. Also check the tire pressure. The ride gets really harsh if the tire pressure is too high.

Maybe you should also consider to choose a more comfortable tire with softer tyre flanks.

If these are PS2s, they are the worst tires I've owned. Granted, my experience is from many yrs ago and hopefully these have improved. But the PS2s I had 10-12 yrs ago rode harsh on the street and took at least a half a lap to warm up on the track. Kind of the worst of both worlds. I've had Mich Super Sports (the father of the 4S), Conti sport contacts, Conti Conti IIIs, Yokohama Advans, and Bridgestone Potenzas that all rode better than the PS2.

If you're not satisfied with just the smaller wheels and want OEM base shocks, you can sell the Boxster S setup for a pretty penny, lots of guys on base suspension who would love the stiffer setup.

You could even get a trade with cash on top if you ask around the forum so you don't even have to go out of your way to buy the replacements. Only downside is you'd have the car up on jackstands while the suspension bits ship back and forth.

I really appreciate the input everyone. Thank you!

Try more street oriented tires
 

I have a 1999 Boxster which I autocross and LOVE IT!. For Ax I use RE-71RS and they grip like heck but ride harsh. I have a set of Michelin PS4 All Season for "winter" use here in the PNW and they totally change the nature of the car. Try the all seasons tire route before replacing the entire suspension. You can downsize to 17" rims, but I think that even on 18's they will still ride nicer than what you are presently using.
The Michelin PS 4 All Season is a really nice tire, yet still gives some sporting vibes.

Bryce,

Thanks for sharing your experience with the RE-71RS and the Michelin PS4 All Season.

I grew up in the PNW and our family went on Seattle/Portland trips. It's been a while, but how are the roads in Portland these days? I don't recall they were California perfect. So if the PS4s are good for Portland roads, then they must really transform the ride quality in a Boxster! :)

Same thing here, the ride was too harsh as I live half a year in a country house in a subdivision with cobblestone streets, I have 17's and I went with a taller tire, it helped a ton

What suspension do you have currently? Is it stock suspension? sport? Or aftermarket?

Softening is relative, so it would be good to know your reference point.