The best Porsche 986 Boxster upgrades

These stainless steel pipes from Dansk Performance bypass the Boxster’s catalytic converter to reduce back-pressure in the exhaust system. The result is more performance and a fruitier sound. Available from Heritage Parts Centre UK, bypass pipes for the earlier 2.5-litre engine cost £382.96, while those for the 2.7- and 3.2-litre cars are £482.95.

Underdrive pulley

A clever modification that will protect your car’s steering system and add a claimed 5-7hp. What’s not to like? The underdrive pulley from TuneRS costs $205 (£171) and includes a drive belt and new bolt. It drives the power steering, alternator and air conditioning (if fitted), taking the strain off the pump. Made of aluminium with an anodised gold finish, it also looks seriously trick.

How low can you go? Actually, don’t answer that, as slamming your Boxster into the weeds will ruin its handling. Nonetheless, a fresh set of suspension could improve your car’s stance and sharpen up its handling. For a simple upgrade on a budget Boxster, we recommend Eibach Pro-Kit lowering springs, which drop the car by 25mm and cost £397.96. For more serious drivers, the KW Variant 1 coilover kit will set you back £1,658.95. Both are available from Heritage Parts Centre.

 

Talking of serious drivers, if you plan to take your Boxster on the track, fitting a deeper sump will help prevent oil starvation and protect the engine. It’s especially recommended if you fit track-spec tyres, due to the higher cornering forces you will generate. The deep sump kit from Chicago-based LN Engineering has a larger capacity and improved baffles, and retails at $949 (£790).

Quick-shift kit

If your Boxster has a five- or six-speed manual gearbox, this is a near-essential upgrade. It will make the shift action shorter, snappier and more satisfying – leaving you to hone your heel-and-toe technique. This quick-shift kit is made by B&M Racing and Performance, an OEM parts supplier to Porsche, and shortens the lever travel by 35 percent. Sold by Super Tweaks, it retails at £285.96.

Here’s a modification you can make for free. Behind the 986 Boxster’s side air intakes – located just aft of the doors – is a snorkel that was added to reduce intake noise. Unscrew the vent panel that covers each intake and you should be able to pull out this black rubber pipe by hand. An easy win, and one that improves the visceral sounds of your Porsche.

 

Bore scoring, where the engine’s cylinder walls suffer from abrasion, can lead to piston slap and excessive oil consumption. It seems to be more of an issue for the later 987 Boxster/Cayman, along with 996 and 997 versions of the 911. However, prevention is better than cure, and this low-temperature thermostat from Heritage Parts Centre opens at 71°C, rather than the standard 83°C, to keep the flat-six cooler. At £54.95, it’s a lot cheaper than an engine rebuild.

 

Braided brake lines look better than your crusty old pipework, but they also have a useful function: unlike standard rubber hoses, these stainless steel parts won’t expand or stretch under pressure and with repeated use. The result is shorter stopping distances and improved pedal feel. A full set of four brake lines will cost you £94.96 from Heritage Parts Centre.

You might feel the Boxster is fast enough, and your priority is making it easier to live with. If so, the following upgrades add some comfort and modernity to this soon-to-be-classic sports car. Again, our focus is on relatively quick mods that could transform your driving experience. 

Drive any older car at night and the first thing you’ll notice is how poor the headlights are. Lighting technology has come a long way, even since the 986 was new. The Bosch Litronic High Intensity Discharge (HID) kit from Pelican Parts isn’t cheap ($5,431.75 – or £4,524 in old money), but it includes a self-levelling feature and gives your Boxster a clear-lens facelift. A bright idea.  

The seats from the subsequent 987 Boxster and Cayman (2004-2012) don’t look vastly different – they’re still Porsche’s traditional ‘tombstone’ style – but they are lighter and much more comfortable. You also sit lower, placing you (literally) closer to the action. The later chairs fit onto the 986’s existing runners, although you will need to modify the wiring to make the electrical adjustment and seat heaters work. We found several pairs of 987 seats on eBay, priced from around £400.

Another ‘OEM+’ Porsche hack for the Boxster is to fit a 996 GT3 centre console. This does away with the storage trays behind the gear lever, creating more knee-room for taller drivers. It also cleans up the look of the 986’s interior. Pelican Parts offers a GT3-style centre console delete kit for $520.25 (£433) – and includes a fitting guide on its website. 

Many readers will be familiar with the brilliant Porsche Classic Communication Management Plus system by now, but it’s worth remembering that it fits the 986. Its 7.0-inch touchscreen display brings DAB radio, Bluetooth and navigation to your Boxster, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. Priced at £1,417.02 from the Porsche Classic Online Shop, can you really live without it?

Unlike many convertibles with an electric top, the Boxster won’t allow you to retract its roof while driving. Indeed, the mechanism will only work with the car at a standstill and the handbrake on. To get around this inconvenient quirk, the SmartTop plug-in module allows you to raise or lower the roof at speeds of up to 25mph – and permits one-touch operation, too. It costs around $250 (£208) from Pelican Parts.

Finally, why not tidy up the interior of your Boxster with a set of perfectly fitted, factory-spec floor mats? Also from Porsche Classic, these mats come in a range of original (and now rather retro) colours, including Nephrite Green and Cinnamon Brown. They’re priced at £108.05 for the set.

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