Top 5 mods to add HP - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

steve00s · 09-30-2007, 06:35 PM

There aren't many more than 5 things to do to increase HP short of engine conversion or forced induction. If your very first thought after purchase is dramatically increasing HP than this may not be the car for you. You can achieve some noticeable gains by:
1) cold air intake
2) some form of modified exhaust (be wary of side effects such as resonance)
3) ECU tuning
Pretty standard recipe.

I have gained just as much or more pleasure from the short shifter and the suspension upgrades. I have also found that the potential in these cars is further realized the better driver you become. I have had better drivers race my car and I am humbled. All the HP in the world wouldn't help me keep up with these guys.
Lots of luck to you.

09-30-2007, 06:45 PM

Tripbox, work on becoming a better driver, and use the HP the Boxster already has.

I am learning every time I take mine out. Learned a ton today on the race track.

pteam · 10-01-2007, 05:02 PM

If you havnt bought a box yet, and your already thinking about HP upgrades, you better get the S. 2nd, if you really want more hp, spend the money and get a 987 S, its the easiest way to get hp out of your box. Many mods give very little hp, some exhaust mods are known to actually decrease hp.

djomlas · 10-01-2007, 08:02 PM

definitely a wrong car for power increase, other than FI.

work on suspension, short shifter, loosing weight, and it will be MUCh better car to drive.

pecivil · 10-02-2007, 10:33 AM

haha

can't believe nobody mentioned the 996 engine swap. Not exactly bolt on, but close!

RandallNeighbour · 10-02-2007, 12:09 PM

One only needs one sizeable mod to make one's ride really fast.

Trade in the boxster for a Z06.

Our cars really aren't designed for straight-line performance.

I've been salivating for a TT or a SC kit for my 2.5 for three years now, but when I drive it hard on country twisties I realize I simply do not need more power. Putzing around from light to light in town I always feel underpowered.

So I just stopped putzing around town and I'm feeling much better about my NA 2.5. It actually has tons of power for what it was designed to do.

The guys in the S's behind me on the Tail of the Dragon trip said I was every bit as quick as they were and no easier to keep up with than other boxsters with 3.2's and 3.4's in them.

I say add strut tower braces and lowering springs (and new struts if you the one you buy is over 60k mileage) and you'll be amazed at how well the car will perform around corners, where it was designed to be used.

rdancd816 · 10-02-2007, 01:22 PM

I totally agree with Randall. I had my 2.5 up in the mountains last weekend and had a motorcycle guy behind me for about 15 miles. At an opportune stopping point he came up to me and said he couldn't believe the speeds I was negotiating the turns and twisty roads. The power band on these older Boxsters is still quite amazing and the handling is why we drive this car. I just turned 23,000 miles and this thing is bullet proof so far. (except for the roof cables!) Seems the deal with a 2.5 is RPM management, that's why it's so much fun!

Sammy · 11-07-2007, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

One only needs one sizeable mod to make one's ride really fast.

Trade in the boxster for a Z06.

Our cars really aren't designed for straight-line performance.

I've been salivating for a TT or a SC kit for my 2.5 for three years now, but when I drive it hard on country twisties I realize I simply do not need more power. Putzing around from light to light in town I always feel underpowered.

So I just stopped putzing around town and I'm feeling much better about my NA 2.5. It actually has tons of power for what it was designed to do.

The guys in the S's behind me on the Tail of the Dragon trip said I was every bit as quick as they were and no easier to keep up with than other boxsters with 3.2's and 3.4's in them.

I say add strut tower braces and lowering springs (and new struts if you the one you buy is over 60k mileage) and you'll be amazed at how well the car will perform around corners, where it was designed to be used.

I can vouch that the 2.5's aren't that much slower than my 3.2 S (2002). Not only at the TOD but in addition NickCats and I spent quite a bit of time autocrossing and his last few events he was only 1.5-3 seconds behind me and I was on R compound tires versus his street tires (a lot of people say R compounds knock off 1-2 seconds from your time). Yes, I'm a bit quicker in terms of power but it isn't as dramatic as I thought it would be. IMHO the biggest difference in a "race" setting is the brakes. I'm going to get quite nervous when he buys race tread.

It also helps that he's become one heck of a driver in a short period of time.