Mass Air Sensor replacement improves performance

[roger_rennie]

I recently had cause to take my 97 Boxster 2.5 to our local dealer to get a spare key. While my car was with them, they must have left it idling for a while and it started missing. They put the computer on and determined that it was the Mass Air Sensor (MAS). They provided a quote to replace fit of NZ$1500 including $150 labour and taxes. I told them to forget it. They cleaned the MAS and resturned the car to me minus the miss.

I searched the internet for a part - decided on Autohausaz.com. The landed price in NZ, delivered to my home in around 10 days was NZ$300. (current NZ$1 - .80c US). I installed it myself in approx 20 minutes, including accessing the engine compartment and closing up again - even though I had never been in there before.

Point 1 - Dealers are a rip off - $1500 vs $300 and 20 minutes of my time.

Took the car for a test drive after replacing the MAS, even though the miss had disappeared, and what an incredible difference in performance. It is a totally different car over 4,000 RPM. Feels like someone has turbo'd it.

I guess the old MAS had been faulty for a while and may have dropped HP by quite a bit (30 or 40?). Now the car feels more like a 200HP car.

Point 2 - of you have an older Boxster, it could very well pay to change the MAS (other entries tell you how) - you could find it very rewarding.

Edited April 14, 2008 by roger_rennie