its about time...

when I was looking at the market (for a year or 2) before I bought mine, I saw maybe 2 boxsters with PASM. I lucked out in the end, though, because when I was ready to pull the trigger 12-15 RS60's (coming off lease?) hit the market.

Living in the land of pot holes, PASM normal is where it usually stays. I'll put SC in sport now and then to get the throttle map change and listen to the exhaust (RS60's have PSE). on the track, PASM and SC both stay in sport with PSM off, because the handling change is significant.

sjfehr

In lieu of PASM, which shocks would be best with the stock springs for autocross (and still be daily drivable)? Manual PSS9s, or is there a better option? Actually, I wonder if that's not just an all-around better option anyhow as it gives more controllability. Certainly not as convenient as hitting a button, though. How the heck would you adjust them without going through a ton of effort?

Bill Lehman

The Bilstein PSS9 is a coilover which includes the spring. They are easily adjusted by a **** at the bottom of the shock tube. This can be accessed with the car on a lift or I adjust mine while changing to track pads with the wheel removed and car jacked up. This is not a racing package but I find it a good compromise for a street/track car. I'm running heavier Swift springs sourced from Tarett. KW Variant 3 is another option, it is double adjustable.

sjfehr

Ah, **** accessible from the wheel well is good. Are PSS9 or KWv3 compatible with stock Boxster springs? SCCA street class permits aftermarket shocks, but not aftermarket springs.

Bill Lehman

No, they will not work with stock springs.

shootermcgavin

I've also read when I was researching the early CS that most ppl had a diff idea of what PASM was for so many opted not to get it as an option. I'm picking up my car this week and in the nearly 50 CPO cars offered by Porsche's preowned locator, only 2 had PASM.

mgsimmer

Yup, when I bought my 2005 S the sales manager at the dealership told me he specifically ordered it with PASM, SC, short throw, adaptive sport seats, etc. for a more enthusiast spec. It sat on the lot until late winter until I came along. I remember people dissing the SC "wart" at the time. No one understood PASM then and had a hard time swallowing the $3k plus price tag. I am now looking for another Boxster and would not have one without PASM at least and preferably SC too as it gives the quicker throttle response setting with the option of the mellower slow setting. At least you can add a short throw shifter at any time.

professsorz

I can only speak accurately wrt '08 RS 60 Spyder. In this car the Sports Chrono (with manual tranny) does absolutely nothing beyond giving you a stopwatch on the dash. Which swivels to face the driver, middle, or passenger! PASM plus PSE are activated by a single button (Sport). Then a further press of the button to the left with an icon of a shock absorber will deactivate PASM sport setting for the suspension but will retain the PSE sound.

Knowing what I know now, I'd not want the sport setting of PASM. Unless the road is absolutely flat (as on a track) the ride is super crappy. Buckboard quality describes it nicely. Every once in a while I try it again just to see if it's as harsh as I remember and it always is. So on normal roads it stays off.

It's worth knowing that pressing the sport button does more than just enable PASM. The throttle response is completely remapped and become very sensitive to your inputs. Normal mode feels lethargic in comparison. I find that the sport mode works very well at anything above stop and go in the city. But if you're in stop and go the touchy throttle means you really need to concentrate on clutch engagement if you don't want the revs to shoot up. Normal mode is more relaxing to use due to being slower responding.

PSM is a separate function with its own button.

For those interested, here's what the force/speed characteristics are like with a normal vs PASM suspension:

hf1

I have PASM on my 05 Boxster S, love it, and I use the button all the time as backroads switch between bumpy and smooth.

professsorz

Around there the backroads switch between bumpy and bumpier! ;-)

hf1

True dat, lol...

shus2006croc

I don.t know if you are a Cayman fan but there is a really nice 06 987.1 Cayman for sale with PASM listed on the PCA site. 20K.