Planet-9 Porsche Forum banner
  • NOTICE - Before adding photos to posts on Planet-9, please review: Posting Photos on Planet-9

Ground clearance of Boxster in Northern California?

8K views 27 replies 14 participants last post by  Lkdiver 
#1 ·
I'm about to order a Boxster S. I live in Mountain View, in the San Francisco bay area.

What are people's experience with typical driveways, speed bumps, and ramps? Is it often a tight fit where you have to go sideways?

I'd like the PASM for performance and ride comfort (I hear the standard setting is softer than stock shocks). But the 10 mm of drop may be a problem with only 101 mm of clearance to begin with. You also need PASM to get PTV, which I also want…

I think I would not obsess about keeping the front bumper pristine. I just don't want it to scrape all the time, it sounds so expensive and tortuous!

So if you really cared about clearance, is PASM still a good option in North Cali?
 
#2 ·
I had the same question (only with a Cayman with the sport suspension) about my San Francisco driveway. My lowered 1996 c4s scrapped upon entry and exit. One of our fellow board members was nice enough to stop by and we tested it with his car. We got contact on one try, but quickly learned the tricks for a scrape-free approach. In Mountain View, where most drive ways are flatter than mine, I wouldn't worry about it....
 
#4 ·
There's a few other threads out there discussing PASM and ground clearance, but I'll give you my limited experience so far. I live at Tahoe in Incline Village and drive a lot of backroads; I've only had my '14 BS with PASM & PTV for three weeks and 3500 miles. I was quite concerned with the ground clearance issues, based on my experience with my Miata (had @ 1.5" more clearance that my Boxster) and a two-day BS rental in San Diego with the stock suspension. The owner's manual also has cautions about ground clearance.

Having said all that, I believe I've only scraped the flaps that are in front of all four tires; they don't look like they've worn down much and other threads say they're replaceable at reasonable cost. When I put my fingers together and place them under the flap I touch both the road and the flap. I've learned to be very aware of dips, speed bumps, calming bumps, entries & exits into businesses, turn-offs from a highway to a pull-out, etc. I queried a service tech about ground clearance issues when I picked up my car; he said the clearance issues on the 987 were more problematic than the 981 due to the longer overhang. I happened to watch a video this morning on the 918 from Jay Leno. Jay owns a Carrera GT and the Porsche rep (GT3 racer, 918 test driver) spoke to the shorter overhang on the 918 vs the Carrera GT and said the overhang more important when dealing with scraping.

Yesterday we drove along the Rio-Grande in Big Bend National Park on a very roller-coaster-like road and several times I was sure I was going to scrape... didn't happen. So while there are driveways and steep roads in San Francisco that are problematic, I would say go for the PASM & PTV if you want it. Even if you forego the PASM & PTV you'll have to be careful, as the difference in ground clearance is only 0.4".
 
#5 ·
I've had my 2014 Cayman with PASM since January of this year.. After spending the first few months cringing I eventually got used to the scraping of the front and I've learned to avoid the worst offenders.. I can never take the Porsche to KFC again, their driveway is brutal on the front end. FWIW
 
#6 ·
I have a 981 BS w/ PASM in Mountain View and don't have much trouble with scraping. Nice to read that you'll be improving property values.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
#7 ·
To me, no matter where you live, you're going to find those nasty driveways, speed bumps, etc. etc. I live in Santa Clara, and I have a 981 BB lowered on H&Rs and you just have to be careful wherever you go. It's just part of driving a sports car especially one that's lowered.

You'll learn the spots - Pruneyard in Campbell has the WORST speed bumps, they're like raised curbs, 880 has the nastiest potholes, even some gas stations like ones in Cupertino have real swoopy entry and exit points, so it all depends, don't worry too much about it, just be careful and take everything at sharp angles and just realize there will be some areas you just can't get in nor drive over.
 
#9 ·
Yeah most of the scraping for me has been on the plastic pieces that hang down in front of the front wheels. Sorry I'm not sure what those pieces are called. Thankfully none of the scraping has been on anything on the under carriage.
Mind you, mine is lowered too, so if you plan to keep yours at stock height, you should be fine. When are you getting your BS and what dealership? Nice to see more owners in the Bay!
 
#10 ·
My driveway is rather treacherous and I have PASM. It is probably about a 40 degree angle.
I purchased a Schnell scrape bar to avoid scratching the s**t out of my front end.
The scrape bar sits about an inch back and 1/4 inch below the black apron under the front end.
I carefully angle in slowly up the drive and I have yet to even scratch the scrape bar.
 
#12 ·
40 degrees o_O? Interesting suggestion about scrape bars, didn't know those existed.

Like I said I'm trying not to care about paint that is not even visible (hidden under car), so I wonder what still remains to care about? Is there any structure one can damage up front or visible cosmetic damage? I also presume the middle of car is generally much less perceptible to striking.
 
#15 ·
BTW, I scraped a Boxster with probably standard suspension-- might have been PASM--on a test drive at Stevens Creek just coming out out the driveway onto Stevens Creek. That's one of the few places it's happened to me. You would think that the dealer would have gentler driveways, but no! Maybe that was the Cayenne exit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#18 · (Edited)
Clearance is 125mm stock, 115mm with PASM, 105mm with SS. For comparison, a 991 GT3 is 95mm of ground clearance and offers a front axle lift as an option, and a current generation Mazda MX-5 Miata is 125mm. If you are particularly heavy, and also have a heavy passenger and a lot of cargo, you can hack 5-10mm off those figures.

The spoilers in front of the wheels are much lower, but they're a rubber or neoprene so they'll deflect without issue or problems.
 
#21 ·
I’ve seen this bar on this forum several times now, and I don’t quite understand its purpose. By the time you hit that bar, haven’t you already ripped off the bottom part of your front bumper cover? Or is that just to prevent even further damage, above and beyond the already wrecked front bumper cover?
 
#23 ·
I second this. Anyone have any further insight? I would be interested in putting it on my car. Thanks!
 
#22 · (Edited)
I live in Mountain View, CA and I own a Boxster S with PASM and the rest I am actually selling the car lol figured I might as well add the link in case you or anyone else wanted to see! But as a matter of clearance, don't worry about it at all, I have had no issues with the car. Good luck on your purchase it is a terrific car. Oh and if you might be interested in mine lol let me know! Would love to sell it to a fellow forum member.

http://www.planet-9.com/classifieds.php?p[mshow]=listing&p[id]=fs-2013-981-boxster-s-45347
 
#25 ·
It sits very slightly below the plastic piece, and actually pushes everything up a little when it scrapes.
I have one, and it's a good early-warning system in case you aren't sure... You can listen for the scrape of the bar, and then adjust accordingly, or know that it's going to clear because it's pushed everything up.

I had mine installed at Schnell :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Stevelev
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top