JV, Re: your 986S
 

I was going to PM you, but I figured others may be interested to hear this, so...

Can you explain as best you can how the M030 and GT3 bits you put in the car make it different/better from other 986S'?

OT question, does your car have heated seats?:eeps:

Oh, and anyone else who has driven JV's car, feel free to chime in with observations/input.

Be warned, this will not be short.

On the street the car is amazing, the best all-around car I've ever driven. It rides smoothly (M030 notwithstanding.. it's not THAT stiff). The steering is quick and extremely precise, with an enormous amount of feedback (i.e. very non-BMW-like). It doesn't tramline. It's well damped over large bumps (it's never once bottomed out or felt like it was hitting the bump stops). It's comfy for long freeway slogs. It's quiet for a convertible. It has boatloads of grip. I love everything about it. I only wish it had a bit more power.

Having driven a few 986 cars on autocross courses (a total of six different "S" models, three '01-'02 models and three '03+ models, and one non "S") I think I have learned a few things.

One, I believe Porsche softened the springs as the model years went on. The '00-'01 cars I have driven have felt noticably more "lively" than the '03-'04 cars I've driven. I have no proof of this other than knowing how some of those cars were set up and how they differed in handling from mine. The '03+ cars seem to push more. I cannot explain why. I've driven three of them. They all did, and it's annoying.

M030 stiffens the car noticably. I don't much remember how the car drove before the M030, but it certainly rolled more and was more compliant over small bumps. The M030 suspension consists of springs, shocks and sway bars. In terms of balance, the M030 made the car more loose. The rear springs are stiffer, by %, than the fronts when compared to the standard suspension. Mine is aligned for competition (meaning more negative camber up front and less in the rear), but it's not far off factory alignment specs so it's still perfectly streetable (i.e. it doesn't eat tires). The key is it doesn't really have any understeer issues to speak of. In fact I would describe its handling prior to adding the GT3 bar as somewhat evil. It had a lot of power-on snap oversteer when on sticky tires.

The GT3 front sway bar has transformed the car, though. I did a test session this past weekend and it's a revelation on a long, fast autocross course. The car now has a bit of lift-throttle oversteer, but it's very predictable. It's basically eliminated the problem of the inside rear tire spinning out of corners as well. It's sharpened the responses in fast maneuvers. In the right hands (i.e. not me), the car is scary quick and doesn't really hurt for power.

People criticize the 986 Boxster for a lot of things, but it is an extremely capable and satisfying car.

Oh, and it doesn't have heated seats. But it's not too hard to add them.

Cool. Sounds pretty great.

Not that I would do this (:eeps:) but what about a 3.6L conversion. I hear they are supposed to be pretty close to a bolt-on - or maybe that was the 3.4L.:confused: Anyhow, how much do those cost? I think it's the obvious answer if the engine were to blow up, but I'm just curious. 320hp in a 2900lb-car makes anyone curious I think.

I think my BMW is fast enough to be a lot of fun, and the base 987 felt as fast if not faster (despite being unfamiliar with it). I can assume your car at close to 500lbs lighter and with more hp/tq will feel very fast. C&D got a 5.2 0-60 for your car way back when.

Heated seats are a big deal I think for lengthening the top-down season (particularly for my wife), so if you think it can be done without having to replace the seats altogether, I would look into it. I woudl probably be a total poser and see into retrofitting SY seat belts. :bigpimp:

So... why are you selling it again?

I'm debating making my way to DC and crashing one of your autox sessions and perhaps try out the car. Unlikley, but I'd like to.

JV, I've found an 03 986S to feel a bit soft. Sounds like yours is the perfect setup. I'd be curious what you'd think of the croc S.

Some comments carry exactly for the croc, the mid-engined porsches have such a nice platform.

The steering is awesome. No tramlining, good bump soaking and no busy-feel. Very comfy on highway as in you hardly have to hold it, yet lots of quickness and feel on turns. I've never had steering before that had no large dead spot and yet was so comfortable on the highway. I'm guessing it would need front camber + some other bits for competition purposes but it is very, very close. Here is a cool post by a dude with some auto-x mods:

I had a blast on Sunday at the AX-

I had new 996 GT3 lower control arms, a new 997 GT3 front sway bar, and new Hoosier A6's to go with my quaife unit already installed. That may sound like a lot of equipment, but it really just amounts to adding decent negative camber in front, a TBD, and good tires to our cars (I really haven't dialed in the sway bar yet).

The result? I ran as fast as the FM cars- those are little open-wheeled mini-formula 1-looking jobs that aren't street legal. Only a cm car (similar formula-car-non-street-legal layout, don't know the differences compared to fm cars) with a national champ driver beat me. Nothing with doors beat me. Other drivers included aces who go to divisionals and nationals too.

Whoo-hoo!

http://www.caymanclub.net/cayman-com...s-butt-ax.html

Because he's been seeing the back end of a few too many GM products lately. :p

I'll never understand the idea of getting rid of a car you love simply because it might not dominate at autox. That just makes no sense to me.

Have you considered that this might be because you don't autocross?

But I have autoxed and enjoyed it. I jsut cannot comprehend prioritizing competitiveness in autox over all else.

I guess I'm just not competitive-minded enough.

Fixed

:p

If that's what you want to call it..

Sorry for the thread-jack. Carry on.