914v8porjekt

I am looking to purchase a new toy, I personally have owned a 1986 944 Turbo. Now I want to buy cabriolet to drive around on weekends. I am thinking about the 968 or the boxter. They prices are about the same. I think that the 968s will hold their value. How about the performance? I have never driven either? What do you guys think?

FSAEracer03

Tough choice really, they each have their strong points. The acceleration is similar, but the Boxster's handling is... "wow." I'd be concerned about the prices though. A good condition early Boxster (not the one I would choose, FWIW) sell for low-$20k's. A later Boxster will be mid-high $20k's. A well sorted out 968 Cab should be under $20k; if it's more, I'd bargain down. If the Boxster is less, I'd run away. Personally if I were looking for a drop top, I'd hunt a 2001ish Boxster S or try hunting down a 951 Cab to import

EDIT (typo).

Fishey

Depends on what you want to do with the car.

Serge944

If you don't mind cheap interior bits here and there, I'd go for the Boxster. Afterall, it is a better car with lower maintenance costs.

Also, try to find a 99+ since they have the 2.7 liter engine and have less quirks.

Good luck.

Z-man

It is tough to find a 968 that's in good condition. Even if you do get lucky, you are dealing with a car that is at best 10 years old. Things like seals, gaskets, bushings...etc. will soon need replacement.

Boxster have come down in price greatly. You can find a decent example for around the price of a 968 cabrio. Granted, you see many more Boxsters vs. 968's, but if I were in your shoes, I'd go with the newer Boxster.

My $0.42,
-Z-man.

Blue S2

No RMS on the 968! If you don't know what it is...search...you will find plenty!

Personally, the 968 cab is nicer, and a lot rarer then the Boxsters. The 3L 968 engine is quite fun too. It really depends on what you like in a car.

epbrown01

Perosnally, I'd get a 87-89 911 cabriolet, which is in the same price range. It's more depreciation proof and better built than the Boxster, while parts are more readily available than for the somewhat rare 968, making it more convenient to own.

However, going with the options you've posted, I'd pick the 968 cab over the Boxster - it's much better built, imo.

Emanuel

Matt Marks

Boxster will do everything a 968 cab will do, and do it better. especially the 2.7's And, they will be a decade newer with lots of parts available. Anyone priced a 968 cam chain tensioner or oil pump recently? (yikes)

89magic98

How tall are you? As I recall, I had a hard time fixing in the Boxster - leg room was the issue for me - I'm 6'4" though.

ckathens

I guess i'm a little jaded but I intentionally avoided the Boxster. And now that i'm searching for a new car again, I'm still avoiding the Boxster. They're a dime a dozen here in the Bay Area. I'd take a Boxster S over a 968 but they're quite a bit more expensive.

There's a certain beauty to having such a rare car. I got alot of looks in that car. And I really liked the fact that I could drive a month before seeing another one on the road.

I would suggest test driving both and see how you feel.

Redlyne_mr2

Thats a very good point, the biggest downfall to the boxster is how common they are.

914v8porjekt

Thanks for your opinions. I have found a 1994 white 968 with 119,000 miles for $14,500. I also find alot of boxters for around 15k$. I might go to the HUGE Auto auctions here in Orlando, FL to find a nice boxter. On another thought, what do you guys think about a 914 nicely rebuilt and restored?

Blue S2

914 is nice, but it depends where you live unless it was rust-proofed when restored. Rust is the only thing that swayed me from one originally.

NeedPorscheSpeed

My advice is that you go for the 968 Cab. Last Spring, my father was looking seriously at a 1999 Boxster. After he test drove it, he was quite disappointed with the Boxster's lack of torque, especially at the lower end of the rev range. To make a long story short, he now owns a 1993 968. Also, if you are one who enjoys doing some of your own work, you will be disappointed by the Boxster, as it requires dropping the engine for almost any repair. Don't get me wrong, I think the Boxster is a beautiful and capable machine, but personally, I, and my father, prefer the 968. Hope this helps, and good luck in your search!

SDGuy

I'd probably pick a Boxster too. But I'm not sure if one can assume that the Boxster will have lower maintenance costs. When my 944 was in the shop to have the oil pan gasket changed, there were three Boxsters sitting in there waiting for new engines. The engines are not rebuildable and according to the service advisor, they can go bad suddenly unrelated to mileage, service intervals or usage. Apparently, a rear main seal leak is the only early harbinger that there may be a concentricity problem between the crankshaft and the engine cases. This leads to engine failure. Out of warranty, Porsche has helped to some degree with $$ and they have kept the price of a new crated engine from Germany at "only" about $7k. This has kept the problems quieter than they might have been.

So I guess you can choose your poison - unexpected timing belt failure or engine swap....