Re: Collective Wisdom request - M030 for 986

Hi Folks,

I'm pondering making a suspension change, prompted by my track and AutoX habvit.

But i don't want to ruin streetability.

Sooooo.

1. M030 vs PSS9 - which is more forgiving for the (northeast, crappy) street?
2. Is M030 a direct bolt-in - no fuss, no muss?

Thanks, all

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

And yes, it's a direct bolt-on, designed for the car, tuned by Porsche, obtainable for around $1100 (a bargain), includes 4 springs, 4 shocks, two roll bars, and roll bar bushings.

Reviving this old thread. Thinking about doing a suspension refresh or upgrade to my '03 2.7L. Car is used for spirited street driving and the occasional AX. When I look at ROW M030 kit pricing now it is significantly higher than mentioned above, even considering the age of this thread. The kit is nearly $3,700 at Suncoast. Am I mission something?

Gary

2003 Boxster 2.7L - Midnight Blue Metallic, Savanna Beige, Metropol Blue (now owned by son)
2013 Boxster 2.7L - Dark Blue Metallic, Yachting Blue, Blue

When this thread was last active, the price was around $1k, which was a great deal. Not anymore, unfortunately.

If we did not have a drive that was so steep that the nose rubs at, or with the standard suspension, I would have put the ROW M030 on years ago. It's a bargain for what you get and the car handles better. The M030 plug and play, other then an alignment. Slightly jealous of those who can get away with it. ; )
regards

I ordered my car with M030 from the factory.
I drove it over 200,000 miles with that suspension and because I wanted to improve my track times I decided to swap the M030 for PSS9s.
Let me just say that my times at Sebring dropped by 10 seconds per lap.
Since they are adjustable, I set them for softest for street snd adjust the damping according to the track I'm running at.
Both suspensions are manufactured by the same OEM supplier: Bilstein.
PSS9 is about $2000 for the set and the M030 is about $1250.
My only regret with installing PSS9s is not having done it sooner.
It's really night and day at the track. On the street the M030 is slightly more comfy.
Happy Boxsterimg
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 314,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Now you have me leaning toward PSS9s... ah well.

I'm not too concerned about the cost since it will be amortized over many years. Its more about keeping the car nice for daily use.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

.... setting 9 they feel almost like M030s.
If you decide to go with PSS9s the cheapest I found was through Auto Parts Warehouse through our Affliate Forum.
When I purchased mine they were $1984 with free shipping.
They've since adjusted the price to just over $2000 with free shipping.
It's tricky to find the PSS9s through their website.
Call me if you need help.
Happy Boxstering
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 314,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

.. you, BTW - recovering well?

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Click on "Watch on You Tube"
[www.youtube.com]

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

Pedro - How much of the improvement to PSS9's was simply going from your 200K worn out suspension to something newer? ie - how much improvement do you think you would have noticed just by replacing with a new ROW MO3O set-up?

I just did the ROW M030 replacement and have been quite pleased with it. I know it's not as good as the PSS9, but it was a compromise between price, and street vs. track use. It handled the twisty bits up at BRBS with ease. Feels much more planted but not a harsh ride. My next track event is still a month away at the new Atlanta Motorsports Park. It will get a workout with those elevation changes. Can't wait !!

See my other pastime at www.gothamcityracing.net

... going from M030 to PSS9s.
I never had any trouble keeping up with any car during our group runs at BRBS.
My struts were original (200,000) miles but the springs had been replaced several times.
The struts, unless they leak, can perform flawlessly for a long time.
Springs, on the other hand, will sag and will lose the ability to rebound uniformly.
The great advantage of the PSS9s in their ability for 9-way damping adjustment.
You can really dial in the perfect adjustment for every track (and track condition).
The only drawback to the PSS9s is that since they don't have external reservoirs they can't dissipate heat the way acing struts can, especially during 90 minute Enduros.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 314,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

I beg to differ that a strut only wears if it leaks. The hydraulic fluid changes composition over time and works less efficiently. Comparing old parts with new parts is like comparing apples and oranges.

Suncoast sells the full ROW M030 kit for $1088. (http://www.suncoastparts.com/product/ROWKITS.html?Category_Code=986sus), half the price of the PSS9.

The ROW M030 kit is much sportier than the US M030. I've driven both.

Regarding the height, the stiffer springs somewhat compensate for the (very slight) drop in height by rebounding less.

... since I remember how the M030 suspension behaved in its first years.
I regularly get to drive student's cars at the track and get the chance to compare all sorts of suspension combinations:
US M030, RoW M030, standard US, and many different types of performance struts, PSS9s included.
What makes the PSS9 suspension so desirable is the 9-way rebound adjustment and ride height adjustability.
US and RoW M030 packages are very good and offer very good rides over many different road surfaces but they fall short when compared head-on the adjustables.
Happy Boxstering
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 314,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

but in terms of balance (which he said he cared about) and value I don't think the ROW M030 can be beat.

I have found the PSS9s to be quite harsh, perfect when you're on the track but jarring when you have a passenger or you're dealing with city roads.

... on "9" they behave very much like M030s.
The difference could be in the springs.
Some PSS9s (especially those for track only) are sprung too high when compared with the M030's springs.
If that's the case, then the ride will certainly be jarring.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 314,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

I'll think abut it and let you know which way i go.

I may hedge a bit since i foresee a track car in my future, since a great track car is not a good road car and vice-versa.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com