The Porsche 986 Boxster Is a Performance Bargain You Should Consider

My 987.1 cost the same as that 986 S so even middle-age Boxsters are becoming a bargain.

I just had this terrible flash-forward to a future video -- "Cayenne 955: The Truck That Saved Porsche" -- and now I'm a little queasy.

Ugh. The 986. I don't know how much different the street car is to drive, but working on the Spec Boxsters, man was that grind. First and foremost, it needs a limited slip diff. Without it, they are beyond super snappy. I would have anti rake in them, 8 mil total of rear toe in and the rear ARB disconnected! Just a massive disconnect between the front axle and rear. This isnt me trying to scare anyone away either. If I had the opportunity to own one, I'd buy one. Just not a very good race car platform

DukeOfUndersteer said:

Ugh. The 986. I don't know how much different the street car is to drive, but working on the Spec Boxsters, man was that grind. First and foremost, it needs a limited slip diff. Without it, they are beyond super snappy. I would have anti rake in them, 8 mil total of rear toe in and the rear ARB disconnected! Just a massive disconnect between the front axle and rear. This isnt me trying to scare anyone away either. If I had the opportunity to own one, I'd buy one. Just not a very good race car platform

Conversely, that ability to rotate on a dime makes them fantastic autocross cars, like my CS-build 986S. 

nderwater said:

My 987.1 cost the same as that 986 S so even middle-age Boxsters are becoming a bargain.

I just had this terrible flash-forward to a future video -- "Cayenne 955: The Truck That Saved Porsche" -- and now I'm a little queasy.

You know it's coming. 

Starting to think more and more about picking one of these up. And this video isn't helping. 

The only reason I would recommend against buying one is that it can be a gateway drug to an expensive porsche addiction. I bought one about two years ago, now I've traded up to a 981 Cayman S and it convinced a friend of mine to get a 997 GT3 instead of the camaros and corvettes he had been shopping previously. But if you can manage to contain yourself to just the 986 and maybe some upgrades, it really is a best of both worlds situation - porsche performance and driving experience for not much more than a miata from the same era. My 2.5L 986 was 1000% more fun on track than I expected. The brakes were a disappointment but that's at least partially my fault for putting crappy hps pads on it. Otherwise it did everything I asked of it and wasn't even too hard on the front tires.

In reply to DukeOfUndersteer :

As a Boxster track guy this is pretty surprising.  They're known for being one of the easiest most forgiving track cars out there.   I'm not sure how the Spec Boxster you drove was setup though.  Spec cars are looking for every millisecond and loose is fast so who knows.  In stock form it is virtually impossible to brake the backend loose or spin a tire.  Lots of understeer though with a factory setup.  
 

cheers,

stu

Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) said:

Starting to think more and more about picking one of these up. And this video isn't helping. 

Get an automatic. I hear they're super-easy to work on. 

I've never been able to get over the front overhang. I think Boxters have more front overhang than WRX's and those have the radiator, engine and a good part of the transnission ahead of the front wheels. Boxters just have a frunk up there? Can they carry golf clubs in the frunk or something?

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) said:

Starting to think more and more about picking one of these up. And this video isn't helping. 

Get an automatic. I hear they're super-easy to work on. 

I have PTSD just from the stories!