bobster964

Not sure it that's typical of Boxster ownership although mileage will be a contributory factor.

I have the good fortune to own both a Boxster S and 964 and would hate to have get rid of either of them.

I'm just changing discs and pads on the Boxster and in over 4 years of owning it only had to replace the waterpump and that was at 48,000 miles a few months ago. On top of tyres and servicing that's it. (Hope I'm not talking to soon here)
The Boxster is my daily drive and is perfect whatever the weather or conditions. I think it's easier to drive fast being mid engined and better balanced. You can't deny modern technology. How many of it's critics have ever had the opportunity to take one by the scruff and drive it I wonder!

But the 964 gets under your skin, I love it. It's like an addiction you just have to drive it. I'm lucky in that a lot of mechanical work including an engine rebuild had already been done, otherwise I'm not sure I would have been brave enough to buy one. Saying that I'm still spending money changing old components. Pads and discs on this one too in fact.

They are both great cars. I'm glad right now I don't have to decide on which one to keep and only having one of them.

Good luck

Andy Roe

One thing I didn't like about driving a Boxster, was when the roof was up it felt quite claustrophobic inside as it doesn't have the back seats like the 964. I like the fact that a 911 can also be a semi-practical car with some extra load space - which I suspect we've all used and been thankfull of at some point during our ownership!

boxsey911

Hi Bobster, all those things are mentioned are common things to need changing at some time or other. I started reading about them on forums a few years ago and sure enough they started happening to mine, one by one, last year. Mind you, it has clocked up 92,000 miles now . However I still wouldn't change it and like yourself feel very fortunate to have the box for the DD and the 964 for pure fun . It's also worth mentioning that I paid more for the boxster and now it's only worth about half a decent 964!

Henry964

Different issues in diferent Markets, here a 2001 Boxster S is more expensive to buy than a 964.
A Boxster is a very nice modern car, but the 964 is a classic 911 with a glorious racing history.
I could have bought here only a 1998 "normal" Boxster for the money I spent in my 964 and it was a "no contest"
I won´t rule out a nice used 2006 Cayman S in maybe 2014

Willie P

hey there-

I lived with a Boxster, every day for almost three years (it was a brand new 2001 model). The car was pretty much trouble free, although I did have two RMS (rear main seal failures) that the only real issue would be some dripping oil. Both were replaced under warranty. RMS's seem to be the bane of water cooled ownership. more of a slight annoyance than anything.

My Boxster did seem to eat tires more so than my current 964 (1993 with 72k miles when purchased) model that I have been driving almost daily for about 2 years now.

The biggest difference is the driving experience. The 911 feels like a real sportscar in so many ways, road feel, feedback and high speed stability. the 964 will cruise easy at 140mph and i've had it up to 165 and it is very stable. By contrast, the Boxster, did kind of weave around on the road a bit at speed and just did not feel as planted.

For long trips; such as day long drives to NC from Pittsburgh, the Boxter was a great all day driver. The seating position allowed you to really stretch your legs out, as it is designed for the larger "american" driver - read: taller. Fortunately, I am short, so I don't mind the 964 as much.

The biggest advantage to the Boxster is luggage space. The front Bonnet area is cavernous! I used to pick my wife up at the airport after she was on week-long business trips and she would have the largest size trolley suitcase they make and it would actually fit in the front bonnet. Plus you had a rear one which would hold a set of golf clubs in the bag, if you had the type of bag without the auto-deployable legs. Fortunately, i gave up golf in favor of more driving, since I have a 964 now!

Since you live in NC, snow is probably not a big problem, but for the trips into the mountains, you may want to know that with Blizzaks on 16in wheels (i normally ran turbo twists 18in) on the boxster it was a quite a capbable snow car. Very perdictable however, it was so neutral you could not force it to do any defensive manuevers. With the 964 and the rear weight bias, a little throttle and opposite lock on snowy roads will allow you to deftly avoid road obstructions etc. Interestingly enough, i did not put winter tires on my 964 this year and have been running z-rated Bridgestones on 17 cup I's and the wear indicators have been showing - regardless, the car actually has peformed pretty well on the snow!

The final comment, is build quality: The Boxster, 996, 997, et. al. are all built better than most cars on the road today. Bottom line, the 964 is over the top in build quality. I am driving a 16 year old car with 80k miles and not a rattle, in two years all I've had to do was top up the oil (I am getting ready to do a valve adjustment and replace the tires and shocks), but other than that, they do not make cars like this anymore. It was handbuilt by technicians, not an assembly line designed by hired-Toyota consultants, such as the Boxster.

Hope that helps! willie

Wachuko

I would love to have a Boxster S. Awesome car. But it has to be an "S" as the base model lack power, imho of course. Only reason I don't have one is because of the need for rear seats for my children.

The style of the Boxster was a classic from day one. But you need to try to find the newest Boxster S you can afford. The cars that I have seen at some dealers have taken some real trashing and the interiors have not held the test of time.

Be sure to get a PPI... last thing you need is to spend 15K only to have to spend another 10K+ on a new engine.

I also agree with the comments here, 964 and Boxster are two different animals. But you can't go wrong with either one. 964 will feel old school, in a good way, go-kart like, very mechanical feeling, that classic interior. Boxster S will handle great, ability to drop the top, balance is great, great luggage space... but again, get a PPI and try to buy the newest one you can afford.

Have fun and do report back with photos.

race911

Funny how the Boxster reputation came about. 25 years ago (maybe even now, don't pay too much attention anymore) guys would wet themselves at the prospect of having a 914-6.

To the point of which is better, I've not heard anyone mention how pretty awful a 100% stock 964 actually is, handling-wise. And by that I mean how they are transformed once you get a decent spring/shock/tire package on them. That's what always got me. I never really thought they were a step up in "sportcarishness" versus the 3.0 and 3.2 cars we were all messing around with in the early '90's. But as you look at what's being produced now, and how antiseptic the driving experience is, a well set up one is a really neat car!

Kahdmus

I don't think there is any argument about the handling capabilities or driveability of a Boxster and especially the Boxster S. In terms of space I think the purchaser can work out what works best for themselves and the differences in that regard should be obvious.

The 964 or any classic 911 is in a completely different world. In modern terms not the fastest nor best handling car. In terms of being iconic, inspirational, full of character and being absolutely beautiful the 964 is the only one however. Its quite quirky in many respects, requires some re-learning in terms of driving style and maintenance but rewards the owner on so many levels. It even smells in a way that is hard to describe to the uninitiated or the unappreciative onlooker. It sounds fantastic not only from the exhaust but from the noise of the doors closing and silly things like that. Its also full of intangibles that are so difficult to articulate. I don't quite know how to put it...but once you 'get it' its almost impossible to be without.

elbeee964

Mr. Grumpy:

race911

So it's all about sound, not performance? Tesla (and Fisker, etc), and you can search to see I'm NO fan of the thing with all my cousin went through when he designed for them, would be a non-starter just because of some noise it doesn't make?

Maybe something happened over the years; respect came from winning back in the dinosaur age.

Kahdmus

Wait....is that wenches or wrenches...I'm confused??!!

elbeee964

Not 'all'. No one ever said, 'all'.
But style -- aural, visual, or, hell, even tactile -- plays no small part in our buying decision.
(Else, the refrain around here would change to "post your numbers!", instead of "post your pics"...)

And do you think the majority of folks, here, who dropped their secondary muffler, did so 'all about performance'? I don't think so, Tim. (Sorry, the same stretched argument logic.)

Mr. Grumpy was only making this point: The Boxster's sound doesn't add luster to its style. And that's what most of it's customers desire, style -- commensurate with its performance.

elbeee964

Wenches, dag-nabbit! Wenches!

Willie P

Well, we are probably getting a bit off-topic to the original request, buttt...

I do feel strongly and agree there is a certain "tactile sense" with teh 964 that you most certainly do not get with the newer water-cooled product, of which the Boxster/986 belongs.

For starters; the door click/thunk upon open and close, the metal ping-pong ball sound when you slam the door if the heater vents are open, the exhaust note under back-pressure throttle lift-off, the solid click of the rubber surrounded *****, the offset steering wheel, the floor-mounted pedals and so on...

If I can remember correctly from the Boxster, the most notable sound was the sound of the engine from inside the cockpit. It was a lot closer to you in proximity and had a visceral effect, but it did (unfortunately) have rather generic "tinny" sound to it.

To be fair, for a car to get in every day and drive and not have to "worry" about it, I'd say the Boxster is a good choice, as are many of the other water cooled variants.

Recently, I saw an old quote and I think it applies well to air cooled Porsches vs. their water cooled ones, possibly with the exception of GT2, GT3 and other speccial models. "Any person with the means can buy a new Porsche, however to buy an air cooled Porsche requires taste..."

I probably will offend a few with that. But, nowadays, I see folks in their 996's and 997's and such and offer a wave or a lights-flash and the whole thing is lost on them. I am sure this was true, "back in the day" as well, but those types of folks probably got tired of warm-up periods and valve adjustments pretty quick and went to BMW's or Mercedes shortly after initial ownership. In today's Porsche's, the owner experience is not nearly involved and fore some that is all they need. However, as an air-cooled owner, I feel the air-cooled aspect is what sets the ownership experience apart!

Kahdmus

Willie I remember a quote too..

"Ferris Bueller, you're my hero!"