Michael Everson

Theoretically speaking, is the S worth a premium over the normal car?
Car #1 2000 Boxster S 29000 miles Price is $13,000.00 or BO

Car #2 2000 Boxster 40,000 miles price is $9000.00 firm.
which would you choose? Both cars are in great shape. The normal boxster has an aftermarket exhaust.

Thanks Mike

Mighty Shilling

I would go S. The extra power is nice and it's got all the fun upgrades already (brakes, 3rd radiator, etc).

Macster

You are going to get different opinions on this question.

The general rule (one of about a zillion) of used car buying is buy the best example you can find and afford.

But of course this still leaves the question of base vs. S?

My limited experience is shortly after I bought my 2002 base Boxster with a 5-speed I got a Boxster S 6-speed as a loaner.

There was more power but it was not earthshaking. The S 6-speed tranny actually shifted slower than my car's 5-speed and this tended to mute the extra power of the S. While the push back in the seat was stronger there was a big interruption in this when it came time to up shift. The 5-speed was just snick snick snick with very little interruption in acceleration.

Sure the S would have won any race but long ago I learned there is always a faster car.

Might add this difference in shifting speed is evident with my Turbo. Whiel the Turbo has massive amount of power and the push back in the seat is impressive when it comes time to up shift the 6-speed still requires additional time and deliberate shifting. No way I want to risk that $11K tranny. So this slower shifting tranny blunts the acceleration of the car, at least the perception of it. The car is still blazingly quick with for instance a 0 to 60mph elapsed time that is several seconds less than that of the my Boxster.

I do not recall the options the Boxster S had but my base Boxster came with (off the showroom I did not special order it) what options I deemed important: cruise control, auto climate control, 17" wheels/tires (and not the 18"), and a manual transmission; and as standard equipment that year the lined top.

At that time IIRC the cost difference was $7K or maybe more. And I managed to buy my base Boxster nearly $5K under sticker. Not sure I would have managed to cut a similar discount for an S.

Before I had a chance to drive the loaner S I was thinking I might have missed out by not buying the S -- I never really considered an S and never test drove one before buying my base -- I only drove the one car that I ended up buying -- but after the loaner I was still, maybe even more so, quite happy with my base Boxster.

But of course I'm not you.

Test drive both examples and decide what you like: Base or S? Then find the best example, be it a base or an S, that you can find and and afford and buy that car.

mikefocke

I've often said I preferred the '99 base 201HP to the '01S 250HP I later owned because I could put my foot down farther and keep it there longer while still being legal. And by 2000, the base was 2.7L versus my 2.5L so the difference between base and S had narrowed. In a manual, the S tends to go through half shaft boots faster than the base. And you may find the gear spacing in the 5-speed superior to the 6-speed. Both mine were wonderful cars, dead on reliable. Both had more capability than I had driving ability. With an aftermarket exhaust, drive it long enough to be sure you can stand the drone on a longer trip. Many are loud but drone where the stock mufflers are relatively quiet over long distances.

As to mileage, sounds like the base sat around for a good while with so few miles per year. Both are low miles for the year. Both well priced, especially the S.

I'd have to look at the options sticker under the hood to see many more differences between the two cars.

Tires condition? Date? Brand?

The base would allow a budget to do an immediate IMS.

Dino V

All depends on preference. When I was in the market, I chose Boxster S. I wanted more power, brakes, etc.

JayG

all things being equal, go with the S.
In addition to a bigger engine and 6 speed, you get better brakes and many suspension components are stronger.

etmracing

I would always choose the S car over a base car.

Robert Adams

For me it's the s all the way. Brakes are awesome I think stopping power is better. There is another sports car out there BRZ/FRS the biggest complaint with those cars is only 200 hp. The Boxster S 50 more hp and cheaper with German quality. As mentioned above the transmission does take seat time to master. You will probably spend more money on maintaining the Boxster than the Japanese car but it's a PORSCHE not a Japanese boxer. Thanks Bob

Sent from my iPhone using Rennlist

Kevin Rohrer

This question gets asked a lot. The standard answer is to get the "S", as in addition to more power, it has more goodies (better brakes, better headlights, etc).

I am glad I got my "S" and won't get anything less in the future.

mikefocke

I doubt the headlights are different, mine weren't. Litronics were an option.

The brakes and suspension and cooling system and oil/water heat exchangers and of course displacement are different. But I came from some Alfas and a 85HP 914 and never had any trouble getting to fun speeds in any of them. Did I ever win a drag race in the base? No, nor was I interested in trying nor did anybody try to entice me. 201HP on the '97-'99s was enough to have a lot of fun. Was the S better on the track? Heck yes. But in real life day to day driving on twisty roads that beckoned? I could drive harder in the base than I could in the '250HP S because the S would reach the limits of what was safe and sane faster. Both my cars had the same 17" wheels, BTW so the brakes/suspension differences maybe weren't felt as much. And wouldn't be felt at any reasonable speed in any case.

There are people who prefer the gearing of the 5 speed and find it takes less work in traffic.

Try both, you decide. Both fun cars.

martsink

The S for sure. Its faster, it stops better, it handles nicer, and it will hold its value much better. Who knows, maybe the S will be a classic one day.

Black Box

5 years ago, Feb 10th, I purchased a Base Boxster . 4 months later I ran the car On WGI for my first DE. I've been spending money ever since to make it more like an S.

Motobob

Yes, always buy the S model :-)