TRD's 986 Boxster S number two
Discussion
As some of you will remember, I previously had a Porsche 986 Boxster S, which was sadly written off in a non-fault incident. My first Boxster was a completely standard example (barring a short-shifter which I’ll talk about later), and with a relatively sparse specification, in black with the grey interior.
I did enjoy it somewhat, but as standard it was a bit too quiet for my liking, I wanted something that was proud of its 6-pot. It also had an intermittent idling issue that I never managed to get to the bottom of. It was a very tidy example, but in hindsight I think I paid too much for it really.
I then ended up in a BBR Super 200 MX5 which I enjoyed for a while, but it was not really what I was after in the long run. My priorities in a car have changed of late, I really value a nice sounding engine, and I was after a car that was more of an event and more comfortable and planted to boot.
I also decided that I wouldn't put the car on a pedestal and automatically run off to a specialist at the first sign of a problem, or for routine servicing, as this car will be well looked after but it will be better to make sure that I don't have unnecessarily large running costs for what is supposed to be a relatively cheap, fun toy. This also naturally means doing some smaller jobs myself.
So here she is. A 2001 Boxster S in Lapis Blue, with the following changes from standard: -
While it’s clearly been well looked after, it’s not a garage queen (although ironically, it has exclusively been stored in a garage), but that suits me fine as I don’t get too precious about it.
It’s also had a few good jobs done recently like coffin arms and track rod ends, so as far as I know the suspension is pretty tip top.
The inspection did reveal some minor things to be addressed.
I am so far very happy with the way it drives. It is interesting to see how this car compares with my previous Boxster S.
First of all, the exhaust, the biggest thing I complained about on the old car for being too quiet. No such issues here. Starting it up puts a big grin on my face, and it sounds absolutely awesome, especially with the roof down. However, it does drone at 2500-3000 revs. So far I don’t mind it, though. I may eventually look into getting good noise without the drone, but we’ll see. At the moment, I can tolerate the drone in exchange for the other good noises!
Secondly, this one seems to have more low down torque than my old car. I’m not sure if the older car had an issue, but it really didn’t have much go at all at low revs, I’d go so far as to call it gutless. This one just seems to have more urgency at low revs. I don’t know if this is a pre-facelift v’s facelift difference, or some other reason, but whatever, this car is happy to haul in the midrange in comparison. Both feel comparably quick flat out.
Third, the wheels - my previous car was on 17s and were much lighter than the 18s I have now, and on thinner rubber to boot. I understand that to most people, and in general, the 17s would be regarded as the superior option, and indeed, the car did ride slightly better on the 17s, but I think I actually prefer the way my car drives on the 18s; It feels like it has more grip, more feedback through the steering wheel and a sharper turn in thanks to the stiffer sidewalls, and overall I can just drive it with more confidence. Granted it won’t be as easy to chuck about as it’ll have even higher limits. Also, vain I know, but I much prefer the look of the 18s on the Boxster.
Finally the gear shifter, the original Boxster was fitted with a short shifter, but it didn’t make it an MX5 by any stretch of the imagination and I reckon I prefer the longer throw on my current car. Just suits the car more I think, as this is a fairly old school car with hefty controls so the gearshift being a bit physical just suits the car for me.
The car has so far been good, but a few things since came to light. First off, the previous owner claimed that someone had reversed into the front number plate, breaking the plinth, so instead they got a tow hook mount for an offset square number plate. As the previous owner had a private reg they weren’t including with the car, they cable tied the original reg plate to the offset bracket resulting in this mess.
I removed the square bracket with the help of my local garage as I didn’t have a socket large enough to remove it. I then discovered that the previous owner had the original holes for the plinth filled in to smooth the front end, so using some advice on another thread on PH, I used some Halfords heavy duty velcro to stick the plate back to where it should be. Much better!
With all of the rain we’ve had though, another problem came to light, one that was not highlighted on the inspection, although I was advised by the seller that the car had been stored indoors during their ownership. I noticed a damp smell, and after checking the carpets discovered there was some dampness behind the passenger seat. Nothing too bad, but I need to nip this in the bud as soon as possible, as the car's security module is underneath that seat and damage to this will be expensive.
So today I was out clearing all of the drain holes (8 of the buggers!) with my trombone cleaner and some hot water. I found a puddle in one of the rear ones, while the front ones were slightly blocked with debris.
However, I think the elastic has gone in the roof as it’s not closing properly.
It’s like this on both sides so I’ve managed to tuck them in for now, but I need to repair the elastic so that the roof aligns with the rails.
So that’s where we are for now. I’m hoping that the rain tonight isn’t too bad and that the little repairs have made a difference. I will be keeping a very close eye on this.
Worst comes to the worst, I may have to remove the seat, dry everything out and take measures to protect the security module from water, maybe a waterproof box (pricey) or a more ghetto solution of mounting into a tupperware box.
So what plans do I have for the future?
I did enjoy it somewhat, but as standard it was a bit too quiet for my liking, I wanted something that was proud of its 6-pot. It also had an intermittent idling issue that I never managed to get to the bottom of. It was a very tidy example, but in hindsight I think I paid too much for it really.
I then ended up in a BBR Super 200 MX5 which I enjoyed for a while, but it was not really what I was after in the long run. My priorities in a car have changed of late, I really value a nice sounding engine, and I was after a car that was more of an event and more comfortable and planted to boot.
I also decided that I wouldn't put the car on a pedestal and automatically run off to a specialist at the first sign of a problem, or for routine servicing, as this car will be well looked after but it will be better to make sure that I don't have unnecessarily large running costs for what is supposed to be a relatively cheap, fun toy. This also naturally means doing some smaller jobs myself.
So here she is. A 2001 Boxster S in Lapis Blue, with the following changes from standard: -
- 18" GT3 style SportDesign BBS wheels
- Toyosports Ebay special exhaust
- Single DIN Sony headunit with BT dongle and compact Kenwood sub behind seat
- HVAC controls moved to the bottom, so ready for a Double DIN swap!
While it’s clearly been well looked after, it’s not a garage queen (although ironically, it has exclusively been stored in a garage), but that suits me fine as I don’t get too precious about it.
It’s also had a few good jobs done recently like coffin arms and track rod ends, so as far as I know the suspension is pretty tip top.
The inspection did reveal some minor things to be addressed.
- Air-con not blowing cold
- Door card not fitted entirely (frankly I wouldn’t have noticed)
- Electric backrest adjustment not working on the passenger side
- Tyres have plenty of tread, and good brand, but are aged (oldest being 2014!)
I am so far very happy with the way it drives. It is interesting to see how this car compares with my previous Boxster S.
First of all, the exhaust, the biggest thing I complained about on the old car for being too quiet. No such issues here. Starting it up puts a big grin on my face, and it sounds absolutely awesome, especially with the roof down. However, it does drone at 2500-3000 revs. So far I don’t mind it, though. I may eventually look into getting good noise without the drone, but we’ll see. At the moment, I can tolerate the drone in exchange for the other good noises!
Secondly, this one seems to have more low down torque than my old car. I’m not sure if the older car had an issue, but it really didn’t have much go at all at low revs, I’d go so far as to call it gutless. This one just seems to have more urgency at low revs. I don’t know if this is a pre-facelift v’s facelift difference, or some other reason, but whatever, this car is happy to haul in the midrange in comparison. Both feel comparably quick flat out.
Third, the wheels - my previous car was on 17s and were much lighter than the 18s I have now, and on thinner rubber to boot. I understand that to most people, and in general, the 17s would be regarded as the superior option, and indeed, the car did ride slightly better on the 17s, but I think I actually prefer the way my car drives on the 18s; It feels like it has more grip, more feedback through the steering wheel and a sharper turn in thanks to the stiffer sidewalls, and overall I can just drive it with more confidence. Granted it won’t be as easy to chuck about as it’ll have even higher limits. Also, vain I know, but I much prefer the look of the 18s on the Boxster.
Finally the gear shifter, the original Boxster was fitted with a short shifter, but it didn’t make it an MX5 by any stretch of the imagination and I reckon I prefer the longer throw on my current car. Just suits the car more I think, as this is a fairly old school car with hefty controls so the gearshift being a bit physical just suits the car for me.
The car has so far been good, but a few things since came to light. First off, the previous owner claimed that someone had reversed into the front number plate, breaking the plinth, so instead they got a tow hook mount for an offset square number plate. As the previous owner had a private reg they weren’t including with the car, they cable tied the original reg plate to the offset bracket resulting in this mess.
I removed the square bracket with the help of my local garage as I didn’t have a socket large enough to remove it. I then discovered that the previous owner had the original holes for the plinth filled in to smooth the front end, so using some advice on another thread on PH, I used some Halfords heavy duty velcro to stick the plate back to where it should be. Much better!
With all of the rain we’ve had though, another problem came to light, one that was not highlighted on the inspection, although I was advised by the seller that the car had been stored indoors during their ownership. I noticed a damp smell, and after checking the carpets discovered there was some dampness behind the passenger seat. Nothing too bad, but I need to nip this in the bud as soon as possible, as the car's security module is underneath that seat and damage to this will be expensive.
So today I was out clearing all of the drain holes (8 of the buggers!) with my trombone cleaner and some hot water. I found a puddle in one of the rear ones, while the front ones were slightly blocked with debris.
However, I think the elastic has gone in the roof as it’s not closing properly.
It’s like this on both sides so I’ve managed to tuck them in for now, but I need to repair the elastic so that the roof aligns with the rails.
So that’s where we are for now. I’m hoping that the rain tonight isn’t too bad and that the little repairs have made a difference. I will be keeping a very close eye on this.
Worst comes to the worst, I may have to remove the seat, dry everything out and take measures to protect the security module from water, maybe a waterproof box (pricey) or a more ghetto solution of mounting into a tupperware box.
So what plans do I have for the future?
- Double DIN Car Play / Android Auto headunit
- Fix the leaks!
- Got some Bosch wipers to fit as the existing ones have perished
- Get the paintwork and interior looking great again
- Possibly look into a nice sounding exhaust that doesn’t drone.
- Decide whether to stick with the 18s, or put 17s on...
- ... then eventually get some new rubber, probably Michelins
- Enjoy the hell out of it!
Edited by TameRacingDriver on Friday 7th July 12:40
These are great! I had a 986 and also wet carpet behind the seat. There is a membrane inside of the door that can be damaged if anyone works in there to do things like changing speakers of fixing a regulator. If the membrane is not sealed water gets in the cabin. If it turns out the blocked drain is not the problem, it may be worth checking this membrane as you mentioned your door card was not on straight.
That looks great. Much better with the plate in the correct place. So nice in blue and the wheels look good. As you say smaller wheels are the 'better' choice but for looks these win!
My Cayman came with the optional 19" Carrera Sport wheels which are absolutely the wrong size/width for the car, but they look fantastic and if I were to replace them I will always feel I have downgraded. I don't have a comparison to a smaller wheel on the same car but while the ride can be a bit jittery on rough roads, the grip is not surprisingly immense, the steering weighty and the turn in quick. When the PS2s are due for replacement I will see about going for something with a little more flex in the sidewall. In the meantime I will suffer the ignominy of not appearing to have a clue for fashions sake...
My Cayman came with the optional 19" Carrera Sport wheels which are absolutely the wrong size/width for the car, but they look fantastic and if I were to replace them I will always feel I have downgraded. I don't have a comparison to a smaller wheel on the same car but while the ride can be a bit jittery on rough roads, the grip is not surprisingly immense, the steering weighty and the turn in quick. When the PS2s are due for replacement I will see about going for something with a little more flex in the sidewall. In the meantime I will suffer the ignominy of not appearing to have a clue for fashions sake...
FriedMarsBar said:
Sounds a great project, your car is a lovely colour.
I've thought about a tupperware waterproof box for the electrics under the seat. I need to take the passenger seat out as I have a rattle so will investigate then.
Thanks mate I've thought about a tupperware waterproof box for the electrics under the seat. I need to take the passenger seat out as I have a rattle so will investigate then.
I checked again this morning and at very least I think my dampness is the same but there's no sign yet that it's reaching the control unit, but I too can see myself pulling the passenger seat and carpets. I'd be interested to see what you do with the unit, if anything. There is an expensive plastic box you can buy at around £150 but that seems a bit much when a £2 tupperware will do just about the same thing.
Thud_Mcguffin said:
These are great! I had a 986 and also wet carpet behind the seat. There is a membrane inside of the door that can be damaged if anyone works in there to do things like changing speakers of fixing a regulator. If the membrane is not sealed water gets in the cabin. If it turns out the blocked drain is not the problem, it may be worth checking this membrane as you mentioned your door card was not on straight.
Thanks mate, yeah the membranes will be the next thing to check if the other items don't fix. Though the door card is on the opposite side to the damp so in this case I don't think it's that.C70R said:
I'm a staunch advocate for smaller wheels on sports cars, but they are my favourite 986 rims by a mile. They give the car a very purposeful stance too.
Yeah I really liked the design of the wheels and found myself drawn to cars with those wheels, although that was before I realised the weight, but then again the car looks so good with them as you say and it still drives really nicely as far as I'm concerned. If I did swap I'd probably look at the "twist" style alloy as those are my favourite design other than this one and looks well even in 17 form I reckon narbles said:
Interesting that you've gone from a BBR MX5 to this. Do you take it on track days at all? I have a mk3 MR2 and have been wondering whether to swap for a Boxster or BBR MX5.
So the story behind that was that I actually had another Boxster that was written off. I decided at the time I'd dodged a bullet having an expensive to run car that I'd probably paid too much for on the first place.I had money burning a hole in my pocket so I decided to go for something cheaper, and was actually very open minded about what it was. In fact I was considering another Civic Type R FN2 when this BBR popped up. I've always fancied a BBR MX5 so now was my chance.
Ultimately though I got the itch for a 6 / 8 cylinder car again, and after considering many others I went for another Boxster, paid less this time, and with it's loud exhaust I get the noise I was after.
I did consider spending money on ITBs but ultimately I was after something different, as I've always had lightweight cars including other mx5s and an MR2 Roadster.
I don't actually do track days, they don't really interest me too much. While I think the Boxster would be fine to use for track days I would pick the mx5 over it just because it's lighter and cheaper to run, probably more reliable as well. The Porsche for me is a better road car for my needs and wants, but even here you can make a very strong case for the mx5.
For track days I'd be looking at the likes of the mx5, or something else lightweight and cheap. Maybe an s2000, Elise, Caterfield, RS Clio, Civic Type R etc. Something that really shines when you kick the ever loving s
t out of it 
Careful about swapping your MR2. In my opinion it was as much fun as the BBR despite 60 bhp less!
Looks lovely, very similar to mine. I would sort the wetness ASAP - I'm having fun with some strange window/locking behaviours at the mo after mine got very slightly damp inside.
narbles - had a Mk3 MR2 some years back, and to me a 986 Boxster feels like a grown up version of the same car. Similar feel and balance, just everything feels a bit heavier and more solid (bit less like a go kart!), plus of course the flat six lump is heavenly as long as it works.
narbles - had a Mk3 MR2 some years back, and to me a 986 Boxster feels like a grown up version of the same car. Similar feel and balance, just everything feels a bit heavier and more solid (bit less like a go kart!), plus of course the flat six lump is heavenly as long as it works.
MrBen986 said:
Looks lovely, very similar to mine. I would sort the wetness ASAP - I'm having fun with some strange window/locking behaviours at the mo after mine got very slightly damp inside.
narbles - had a Mk3 MR2 some years back, and to me a 986 Boxster feels like a grown up version of the same car. Similar feel and balance, just everything feels a bit heavier and more solid (bit less like a go kart!), plus of course the flat six lump is heavenly as long as it works.
Thanks mate. I'm keeping a very close eye on the wetness thing although it seems pretty common too. It'll be a process of elimination to get rid of it I reckon, and at least we're moving towards the better weather which will be a big help in getting it sorted. It sounds like your CLU has been affected by water ingress, so I would whip that out asap and clean and dry it before it gets any worse.narbles - had a Mk3 MR2 some years back, and to me a 986 Boxster feels like a grown up version of the same car. Similar feel and balance, just everything feels a bit heavier and more solid (bit less like a go kart!), plus of course the flat six lump is heavenly as long as it works.
Agree that the Boxster is like a big MR2. The engine is miles better though. However the Porsche is 300kg heavier too!
TameRacingDriver said:
It sounds like your CLU has been affected by water ingress, so I would whip that out asap and clean and dry it before it gets any worse.
CLU is on my desk next to me just now - pulled it yesterday. No signs of damp or corrosion so it might be water getting somewhere else. The Boxster usually lives inside - I only left it out in the rain to paint the garage floor...Car looks great TRD - hopefully better luck this time too!
narbles said:
Interesting that you've gone from a BBR MX5 to this. Do you take it on track days at all? I have a mk3 MR2 and have been wondering whether to swap for a Boxster or BBR MX5.
I've also owned both - MX-5 is a much better track car, and a much better 'project' car, for playing with and razzing about pointlessly in, The Porsche is a better road car, for touring, and for being a nice place to sit and travel in. Edited by snotrag on Wednesday 12th April 16:35
Great car and well purchased at that price - some would say an utter bargain!
Love the attitude and will to look after it yourself, don't be afraid to tackle some of the larger jobs too, I rebuilt/run three Porsches from what is essentially a posh double garage and there isn't a lot you can't do once the car is 500mm off the ground. They are lovely to work on (despite what the internet generally says) and very rewarding to spanner........
That's ripe for a double din conversion and Android Auto/Car Play doesn't half make them feel up to date!
Love the attitude and will to look after it yourself, don't be afraid to tackle some of the larger jobs too, I rebuilt/run three Porsches from what is essentially a posh double garage and there isn't a lot you can't do once the car is 500mm off the ground. They are lovely to work on (despite what the internet generally says) and very rewarding to spanner........
That's ripe for a double din conversion and Android Auto/Car Play doesn't half make them feel up to date!
Thanks very much chaps. 
They are indeed a lot of car for the money.
I would love it if I had a decent garage, there are no jobs I wouldn't attempt. All I have though is a designated parking bay in a courtyard so not quite as easy to work on as if I had a garage but will for sure attempt whatever I can
Looking forward to slowly building it into my own poor mans dream car
They are indeed a lot of car for the money.I would love it if I had a decent garage, there are no jobs I wouldn't attempt. All I have though is a designated parking bay in a courtyard so not quite as easy to work on as if I had a garage but will for sure attempt whatever I can
Looking forward to slowly building it into my own poor mans dream car
Little Bob said:
TameRacingDriver said:
So today I was out clearing all of the drain holes (8 of the buggers!) with my trombone cleaner and some hot water. I found a puddle in one of the rear ones, while the front ones were slightly blocked with debris.
What is this trombone cleaner that you mention?Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff