Jinster

I hope someone can help me with this one please. My 1997 Tip Boxster has a damaged front bar. I am replacing it with a (1998) 996 item. But the 996 front bar I got sent doesn't have the air intake that fits within the lower air opening on the bar, so I need to order it separately. Problem: There are two versions of that air intake - one for a Tip, one for a manual 996. Parts numbers: 996 505 553 01C M480 996 505 553 01C M249 For those who have done the conversion or in the know, is there a practical difference between the two parts as far as fitting the 996 bar to my Tiptronic Boxster? What is the actual difference anyway? Thanks.

I hope someone can help me with this one please. My 1997 Tip Boxster has a damaged front bar. I am replacing it with a (1998) 996 item. But the 996 front bar I got sent doesn't have the air intake that fits within the lower air opening on the bar, so I need to order it separately. Problem: There are two versions of that air intake - one for a Tip, one for a manual 996. Parts numbers: 996 505 553 01C M480 996 505 553 01C M249 For those who have done the conversion or in the know, is there a practical difference between the two parts as far as fitting the 996 bar to my Tiptronic Boxster? What is the actual difference anyway? Thanks.

Yeah, I like the GT metallic silver. Black can be a bit hard to maintain.

Yeah, I just wanted to know if the air ducts behind the base model front bumper bar would line up with the opening on a S front bar. Looks like it will. Thanks Tool Pants.

Would a Boxster S front bar fit the 1997 Boxster? I know many ppl have done GT2, GT3 and twin turbo front bars, but I can get a Boxster S bar for the same price as a Boxster one, and mine needs replacing. That extra central air vent may come in handy when I do a transmission cooler upgrade later. I am not just asking whether the bolting pattern match, but also whether the OEM Boxster air ducts would exactly match the vents on the S bar (or the GT2/3/TT bars for that matter)?

I have a 97 Tip. Due to multiple minor/moderate accidents, time has come for a full respray. My interior is Boxster red, exterior Arctic silver. The paintshop tells me I can have any exterior colour I want for a bit extra - if I go with Arctic silver again, it's cheaper coz it's less work for them. I like the look of Boxster Red trim on a Arctic Silver exterior in the sun. But it doesn't look very good at night. Also Arctic silver is a very common colour for the Boxster, perhaps too common. Does anyone have any suggestions what exterior colour would look good on a Boxster Red interior? I am just interested in your opinions. I was thinking something like the anniversary model's metallic champagn but even lighter. Any thoughts?

My 1997 Boxster Tip didn't come with the door or rear speakers. Is it actually possible to fit the door speakers relatively easily (DIY) if a purchase a secondhand door speaker set from the 986/996?

That's the one! Now I just need to try to figure out how to install it back on. Thanks, Tool Pants.

I found this triangular-ish piece just floating in the soft-top fold-away compartment. Checked against my PET CD but couldn't find its name/function. Please help. 986.561.657.00 is the number enbossed on it.

I was just thinking this might be a good idea for a hack. I regularly park my Boxster with it's top down - looks a lot better that way. But sometimes Melbourne weather can get unpredictable with rain. I was thinking that those who have retro/fitted the rain sensor and the auto-top options can possibly connect the two together so the top would automatically close when it starts to rain. One would need to tap into the central locking system too as to only activate this feature when the car is locked and/or the parking brake system so as to activate only when parked. I realise that the latch won't be secured if the top closes this way but it still is a lot better than having the entire top down and it rains and you didn't know about it. Just an idea.

Thanks for the replies and emails guys. I have read about the TPC kit. Just about every other workshop has either used this kit or adapted it when supercharing the Boxster. Trent blew up his motor coz he tried to run 9psi or more with an engine compression of 11:1 without an intercooler. ArthurK, I am not sure what boost your friend was running? And what do you mean by "grenade"? He bought another engine and did it again? I have spoken to Peter Fitzgerald in Melbourne re this supercharger setup. He said he has supercharged a Boxster without any engine problems but the tiptronic box eventually was "flaring" - explained to me as revs not falling down during gear changes. I have read an article about a supercharged manual Boxster but its revs was not falling much when shifting either (this wasn't explained clearly in the article but was rather casually dismissed). Cheers, Jin

I am thinking about supercharging my 1997 2.5L tip. I would love to hear from people who have done this mod. I am aware that there are engine reliabilty concerns. Would love to get in touch with anyone who has done this mod. Thanks. Cheers

I have a 2.5L Tip 1997. Does anyone know how reliable the Tip S transmission is? I have heard that the manual transmission can handle a supercharged Boxster engine without much trouble, can the tip? Cheers, Jin

I took the car in to a Porsche service place in Melbourne, called Peter Fitzgerald Racing. They found that the previous owner had tapped into the fuel circuit after the relay with an immobiliser relay - and that relay was broken. So they just bridged it with a wire. Problem solved. But they decided to charge me $700AUD for it coz they said the AFM is also stuffed and was replaced coz when the car started, it was running rough and not revving. I think I have been jibbed coz surely it's just the relay that's causing the car to not start. Prior to this, I have had no problem with the AFM and the car ran fine without any CE lights. Now that the AFM has been replaced, the car ran just as smooth as it did before changing the AFM - no difference! What a rip off for just a simple dead relay job.

Toolpants, my CE light has never been on. Is there a way to read the error codes at home without a dealer device? Otherwise I will need to tow the car to a Porsche Centre in order to get it checked out. I was hoping to diagnose this at home if it's just a small problem. But it doesn't look that way now.... P.S: It has been suggested to me that the DME relay could be responsible. I have swapped it out but it didn't help.

Thanks for your help Scott, I really appreciate it. I buzzing sound is still present when I switch the key to the position. I hear a whining sound from the front of the car, and a buzzing sound from the engine compartment. I was just reading the service history of my car from the previous owner. Apparently during the 80000km major service, there was a "rectify engine pops and stalls repeated when cold on takeoff", for which the injectors and sublet were serviced and refitted with new seals, that according to the service invoice fixed the problem. The only similarity of this to my current problem is that the engine stalls. Could this be related? If so, is there a way to take out the injectors myself and "service" them myself with some sort of injector cleaner?

Thanks for the suggestion Graeme and Scott. I opened up the engine bay and pulled out the MAP sensor connector. No use. The car still doesn't start. I am getting desperate now. Any other suggestions or similar experiences?

There is a whining/buzzing noise after I switch the key to on position. I can't get the car started and if it needs to go somewhere, it needs to be towed. I would like to know roughly the area of problem before I tow it somewhere. Anyone have any suggestions as to the cause of this? Could it be the starter motor?

Thanks Scott. I will start checking those things tonight as I am at work now. An update though, I tried to start the car this morning, and "kchikchikchi...." nothing! So now the problem seems to be more permanent than heat related.

I have had my 1997 Tiptronic Boxster for two months now. It has done about 110000km prior to my purchase. The car started fine from when I first got it, although sometimes it takes quite a good few seconds of ignition key to get it started and when it did, the revs tend to shoot up to about 2000rpm for a fraction of a second. I am not sure if that's normal on a Boxster. But lately, I have had 3 episodes of the car not starting at all after a drive. I haven't had any problems with it starting cold, but after a drive, whether long or short, the car would sometimes not start when turning the key. If the normal starting noise is "kchikchikchikchi.... vroooomm", then what I am getting is just "kchikchikchikchi......". As I tried repeatedly to start it, sometimes the car would appear to have started but would then stall straight away. The previous two episodes, I was able to get the car started after about ten minutes of doing nothing - of not trying to start it. I find that the car would just ""kchikchikchikchi......" if I keep trying to start it. If I leave it for 5 minutes, and then try, it would "kchikchikchikchi...... vroom" but then stall straight away. If I leave it for long enough, it would start (the first two times at least). The third episode happened mid-night tonight. I couldn't get it started at all despite leaving it alone for 30minutes at a time. The car had to be towed home after being stranded next to at a petrol station pump for 3hrs. I am very frustrated. My impression is that the car starts when absolutely cold, but not when warm/hot. {edit: I tried to start the car this morning after the incident, cold, the car wouldn't start, same problem... it now seems not heat related anymore} The battery is fine, nonetheless I have already tried jump starting it anyway without success. I have read something about a fuel pump is to blame? This is as much info as I can gather for you at the moment. It remains to be seen whether the car starts tomorrow morning. {tried cold start, no go. Same problem when cold now} Please help out. Many thanks in advance.

No wonder! I would've thought alarm install should be common practice and yet there is virtually no thread on it. Boxster is cheaper in the US and better equipped - even when it's not, it's still got all the stuff to be hacked into. Stupid Oz deliveries... :) Cheers anyway.

Hello All: I am a Boxster newbie. I have recently purchased a 97 Tip without a factory alarm. I have previously installed remote start central locking paging alarms to my other car, but I had a wiring diagram for that and it's central locking unit was very conventional. The Boxster's central locking unit can be more tricky with the fancy window roll-up and double-quick-turn lock features, etc. Does anyone have any pointers as to what needs to be removed, and which coloured wire to tap into? Any help is appreciated. Thanks. Jin

Ed B: I am in Australia, so perhaps don't have this feature. Tool Pants: No, I don't have this on my car. Hmm... seems like I can only go with the aftermarket option. Does anyone know if I can hook up a 3rd party cruise control to a Porsche cruise control stalk? I am thinking about doing the OBC at the same time, might as well get the cruise done too with the 4 stalk unit.

Hello Everyone, I am a Boxster newbie. Just bought a 1997 Boxster Tip. It doesn't come with the cruise control function, which I miss dearly as my old Mazda has it. Can this be retro fitted to a 1997 Boxster 2.5L Tip? If not, can an aftermarket kit be fitted whilst using the factory stalk? Help please. Much appreciated.