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2005-2012 Porsche Boxster

How to upgrade the stereo system in your Boxster

porsche boxster

In brief: This Crutchfield Research Garage article gives you an overview of your Boxster's stock stereo system and your aftermarket upgrade options. We'll tell you all about:

Then, use our vehicle selector to find the gear that will fit your Porsche.

Overview of the Porsche Boxster

Automotive journalists can be a cranky bunch, but if you send them out with something sleek, fast, and fun, they'll usually come back grinning from ear to ear and ready to write nice things. Don't believe us? Check out contemporary reviews of the second generation Porsche Boxster, most of which read like a teenage love note.

That said; they had a point, and you'll be tempted to ask if there are any more like that at home when you see a Boxster in person. They really are beautiful, they do sound wonderful, and it's way too easy to imagine how much more fun that person's commute is compared to yours.

No need to be overcome by jealousy, though. If you're tired of watching happy Boxster people fly by in the fast lane, take action. You can be one of them for a lot less money than you think, which will leave some dollars left over for an audio upgrade.

porsche boxster radio

This is the Boxster's base radio. A nav unit was also available. (Crutchfield Research Photo)

The factory stereo system

The Boxster's stereos came in two flavors — nav and non-nav. Those receivers played through two kinds of system – base and Bose®.

Porsches, even the "affordable" ones like the Boxster, are designed by seriously serious engineers, and that can sometimes lead to some seriously complex, over-done stuff. The Boxster is largely free of all that, so working on this purebred sports car isn't nearly as brain-melting as it could be.

You'll lose the factory nav functionality when you replace the stock receiver, but new ones work better anyway, so that's not a big deal. In some models, there's a factory CD changer in the front trunk, which we assume you won't need anymore.

A wiring harness is available for the base stereo and early Bose® models, but hardwiring and an amplifier bypass will be required for 2009-2012 models with Bose®. If you have questions about this, give us a call or chat.

porsche boxster radio cavity

A variety of receivers will fit here, with the help of a dash kit that's included at a discount when you shop with us. (Crutchfield Research Photo)

Removing the factory radio

We've already said that the Boxster's stereo isn't too hard to work with and we're standing by that assertion. It is, however, a bit fiddly in places, so it's important to review the tool list before you start and stay patient while you're working.

Detailed stereo and speaker removal instructions

ResearchNotes image
With step-by-step disassembly instructions and plenty of up-close, detailed photos, our exclusive Crutchfield ResearchNotes™ takes the guesswork out of removing the factory stereo and speakers. It's free with your Crutchfield order, or you can purchase one separately for just $9.99.

American International's POR911 dash kit allows you to install a new single-DIN (2" tall) or double-DIN (4" tall) car stereo in your Porsche. The kit is available with a black or silver finish, so make sure to pick the one that matches your dash. The kit has its own instructions, so pay attention to those when it's time to put the new receiver in the dash.

The wiring harness (also included at a discount with your Crutchfield purchase) does not have an accessory power connection, so you'll need to connect your new car stereo to accessory power in your vehicle. Also, the functions of the yellow and red wires in the wiring harness are reversed. The yellow wire supplies ignition power, and the red wire supplies constant power.

If you run into any challenges, you'll be glad to know that buying a stereo at Crutchfield entitles you to free tech support for the life of your gear. Give us a call if you need us. We're here to help.

Tools needed: Torx T-20 & T-30 drivers, 5mm hex wrench

Read our Car Stereo Buying Guide for shopping tips and advice.

Shop for car stereos that fit your Porsche Boxster

porsche boxster front door

The Boxster's doors house woofers and midrange speakers. (Crutchfield Research Photo)

Removing the factory speakers

The Boxster crams a lot of speakers into a pretty small space. There are three in the dash, two in each door and, on models equipped with the Bose system, speakers in the rear of the cockpit.

porsche boxster center dash speaker

The center dash speaker is easy to reach and replace (Crutchfield Research Photo)

Center dash speaker

The center dash speaker is very easy to deal with. Use a panel tool to gently pry up the rear edge of the dash grille and release two retaining clips, then pry up the front edge to release one more clip. Set the grille aside, loosen the two Torx T-20 screws securing the speaker to dash, then disconnect the harness and remove the speaker.

There's no wiring harness available, so you'll need to use a set of Posi-Products speaker connectors to connect this speaker to the factory wiring.

Tools needed: Panel tool, Torx T-20 driver

porsche boxster dash corner speaker

The corner speakers are mostly easy to deal with, but you'll need to use a bit of inginuity to mount them. (Crutchfield Research Photo)

Corner dash tweeters

The story is similar on the corners of the dash. To remove these speakers, pry up the rear edge of the grille to release two clips and remove the grille. Pry outward on the two metal clips securing the tweeter to the dash, then disconnect the harness and remove the tweeter.

You'll need to figure out mounting solutions here, too, and you'll need some more Posi-Products connectors as well. Oh, and when you're choosing your speakers, keep mounting depth to a minimum. If they're too deep, the factory grilles won't fit.

Tools needed: Panel tool

porsche boxster midrange speaker

The midrange speakers are attached to the door panels. (Crutchfield Research Photo)

Door midrange speakers

With the dash tweeters handling the highs, the Boxster's mid-range speakers take care of the middle of things. They're attached to the door panels, which you'll need to remove. This also exposes the woofers, which are attached to the door frame, so you're kind of saving some work, sort of.

Starting at bottom edge, use your panel tool to pry out the sail panel. Slide it up to remove it, and, on the driver's side only, disconnect the harness. This will expose a Torx T-30 screw, which you'll need to remove.

Open the door release handle and remove the Torx T-20 screw that secures it, then remove the handle. Pry off the screw cover in the door release trim and remove a Torx T-30 screw. Next, pry off the door pull handle's outer cover and remove two exposed T-30 screws. Pry off the screw cover on the rear edge of the door and remove another exposed Torx T-30 screw.

Now you're ready to remove the panel itself. Pry out the sides and bottom of the panel to release nine clips, then disconnect the door release cable and harnesses. Lift up the panel to remove it, and set it aside, preferably on an old blanket that will protect the panel while you're working on it.

Finally, you'll remove four Torx T-20 screws securing the speaker to the door panel, disconnect the harness and remove the speaker. A wiring harness isn't available, so here's another reminder to stock up on Posi-Products connectors.

Tools needed: Panel tool, Torx T-20 & T-30 drivers

porsche boxster woofer

You'll need to drill new mounting holes to install new speakers here. (Crutchfield Research Photo)

Door woofers

If you've made it this far, you're basically ready to replace the 6-1/2" woofers, too. These speakers are powered by an amp in the front trunk and they're secured by four 5mm hex screws. Same-size replacements are available, but you'll need to drill three new screw holes to mount the new speakers with the mounting brackets included with your Crutchfield speaker purchase. You'll need some Posi-Products connectors here, too, of course.

Drilling new mounting holes isn't hard, but you are drilling into a Porsche, so it's okay to take a deep breath before you do it. Recommended, in fact. We also recommend surveying the area you'll be drilling into, working patiently while you drill, and wearing eye protection the entire time. You can do this, just be careful when you do it.

Tools needed: Panel tool, Torx T-20 & T-30 drivers, 5mm hex wrench

Rear wall speakers

As noted above, we have yet to research these speakers, which are found only in Bose-equipped Boxsters. If you have replaced yours, we'd like to hear from you. To learn more about our "crowdsourced" vehicle research process, check out this informative article. If that sound like something you'd want to do, contact us via the email addy in the article.

Read our Car Speakers Buying Guide for more speaker shopping information.

Shop for speakers that fit your Porsche Boxster

porsche boxster trunk rear

If you install a big sub back here, make sure it's pointing upwards. (Crutchfield Research Photo)

Bass in your Boxster

There's some room for a subwoofer box in the Boxster, but not much. The available space measures 18" H x 28" W x 12"/7" D. If you go this route, make sure the enclosure is situated with the woofers facing up.

Considering what the Boxster is truly made to do, you'll probably be happier with a powered subwoofer. Besides, do you really want to drown out that wonderful engine sound with huge, whomping bass?

Learn more about building a bass system in our Car Subwoofer Buying Guide.

Garmin Catalyst driving performance optimizer

Cut those lap times with help from Garmin's Catalyst driving performance optimizer

Other options for your Boxster

Here are some other ideas for your Boxster.

Cameras and more

With the top up, the Boxster is not the easiest vehicle to see out of when you're backing up in a crowded parking lot. We offer a wide variety of rear view cameras that will make that a lot easier, and there's a healthy variety of options to choose from.

If you enjoy taking your Boxster to the track, the Garmin Catalyst driving performance optimizer (pictured) offers a tech-based solution to improving your times and techniques. It incorporates a wide range of advanced tools to help you identify where you can get maximum performance during your laps. And it includes a camera so you can record your track runs and view the video for further analysis.

Add an amplifier for better sound

Replacing the factory radio and speakers will make a big difference in the sound of your music in the Boxster. But when you're winding your way down the road with the top down, you might need a little bit more power. To further improve the sound quality, consider installing a 4-channel amplifier. Learn more about adding amps to your system in our Car Amplifier Buying Guide.

Security

Installing a security system in your Boxster isn't easy (security systems rarely are), but even though most car thieves can't drive a stick, it's definitely a good idea. Our Crutchfield Advisors can help figure out what you need to get the job done, but we usually recommend taking your car and new gear to a professional installer.

Let's get started!

Ready to shop? Use our vehicle selector to find the gear that will fit your car or truck. If you have questions, give us a shout via phone, chat, or email

Please share your thoughts below.

  • Buzz Woods from Doylestown

    Posted on 7/12/2021

    I replaced my non-nav Bose head with one of your Boss Elite BV850ACP heads. It works, but I seem to have lost the Bose, surround-sound effect completely. In fact, when using the tuner and switching between mono and stereo, it doesn't even seem to change the sound at all. The old Bose system was antiquated in what it had, but I have to say, the stereo-split sound was excellent and I seem to have lost that. Help.

    Commenter image

    Jon Paul from Crutchfield

    on 7/12/2021

    Buzz, You'll need to bypass the factory amp, if you haven't already. But with questions like that, it's always better to have a conversation with a real live human. The good news is that since you bought your gear from Crutchfield, you can call Tech Support for free help troubleshooting your system. We'll look forward to chatting with your soon.
  • Triston Jones

    Posted on 4/28/2021

    I've just recently installed both a new aftermarket head unit, as well as replacement speakers for my door woofers (Polk Audio DB 6502) in my 2010 Porsche Boxster (non-bose). This article has been relatively helpful with that process, but you don't actually need to drill new holes in the door (depending on the speakers you get) if you have a soldering iron available. I figured it might be helpful to mention here. The factory door woofers are attached using a plastic mounting plate & grill. After disconnecting the speaker by removing the 4 Torx bolts, flip it over. You will see the speaker bolted to the mounting plate with 4 phillips head screws, and is wired to a connector on the mounting plate. If you de-solder the speaker from the connector and remove the phillips head screws, you can remove it. Then, you can place your new speaker in the mount you just removed the old speaker from, screw it in with the 4 phillips head screws, and solder it to the connector with some wire. You will also need to clip a little plastic alignment post on the mounting plate / grill. After the new speaker is in the mount, you can re-use the 4 Torx bolts to bolt it back to the door and re-assemble. This worked great for my job, and required no non-reversible modification to the car outside of clipping the little alignment post. Anyways, thank you for the helpful article!

    Commenter image

    Crutchfield Writing Team from Crutchfield

    on 4/29/2021

    Triston, You're welcome, and thanks for sharing your info with us!
  • Prashanth Guha from ALLEN

    Posted on 2/5/2020

    Is there instruction or wire splicing guide for installing 4 channel amplifier on 1998 porsche boxster? I have an aftermarket double din boss radio ( android auto capable) Boss-BVCP9685A in my car.

    Commenter image

    Jon Paul from Crutchfield

    on 2/6/2020

    Prashanth, Nothing that specific, exactly, but if you buy your new amp from Crutchfield, you can call Tech Support for free help setting up your system. If you purchase the amp elsewhere, you can still get expert Crutchfield Tech Support - 90 days-worth for only $30. Check out our tech support page for details.
  • Steve from Vernon Hills

    Posted on 11/25/2019

    Nice article! I am interested in upgrading the door speakers on my 08 Cayman with a Bose amp. Crutchfield has recommended 2-way 4-ohm speakers to replace the door subwoofer .. but Crutchfield doesn't have any midrange speakers. While searching elsewhere for the midrange speakers, I ran across comments that it is not recommended to replace those Bose speakers w/o replacing the amp also. The reason given was that Bose uses some proprietary Ohms for their speakers. So now I am confused about the Crutchfield recommended 2-way 4-ohm speakers. Help!

    Commenter image

    Jon Paul from Crutchfield

    on 11/26/2019

    Steve, I looked into this with our Research Team, and 4-ohm speakers should work here. There's a bit more to it than that, so I'm going to forward your question and that research to our sales team, and they'll be contacting you via email soon. For immediate help, you can contact them via phone or chat.
  • Daniel Paiva from Miami

    Posted on 5/29/2019

    I have a boxster base version and I am planning to buy the BOSE rear speakers to install in my car. I would love to contribute to Crutchfield website with pictures / tutorial, but at the same time I would love to make a partnership with you guys, so maybe you can help/guide me on this installation. I bought my player from you guys with the appropriate harness for my sound system (without BOSE). I believe I will need to change that harness OR maybe just run new wires from the stock AMP to the new rear speakers. Let me know if you have interest in this! Thank you so much!

    Commenter image

    Jon Paul from Crutchfield

    on 5/30/2019

    Daniel, Since you bought your gear from Crutchfield, you can call Tech Support for free help troubleshooting your system. If you purchased your equipment elsewhere, you can still get expert Crutchfield Tech Support - 90 days-worth for only $30. Check out our tech support page for details. We'd love to see photos of the installation and the car itself. Ask your tech advisor for info on where to send the photos and, if you have time, visit our Custom Car Showroom and tell us more about the car and your audio system. Thanks, and we'll look forward to hearing from you!
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