Warpig

have not bought mine yet. The right one is still trying to find me... When it does, I will be ready. To me it comes down to two things. I want the 911 I fell in love with when I was a kid... Classic Porsche! I really don't like convertibles. Never have. A Targa on the other hand is as open topped as I want to get. Cayman... Would love to have one... would also love to be able to afford one...

Nick

Porscheholic

A Boxster is not a 911. Nuff said.

mooty

b/c they are close minded.
i either have or have had
911SC
911 3.2
964
993c2s
996c2
996gt3
997gt3
997rs
boxster s
boxster
cayman s
the only cars i would take over the box or cay are the GT3's, and only due to the motor and gearbox.

but i am not buying the cars. you are. they drive very differently. just go drive both and you will figure out what you like. if you can't, then buy both.

Turbo Jonny

"the only cars i would take over the box or cay are the GT3's, and only due to the motor and gearbox. "

is it really as simple as that for you ? Are you talking about track - use mainly ?

I enjoy driving a box but doubt if i could cherish one , and therefore didnt choose to own one over
a 964 targa when looking for an open top road car. (i dont need a special button - they are for women )

DaveK

I'm curious about the answer to this too. I'd considering changing my daily car (not the 964!) - I think I've ruled out 996s and am wondering about a 996 turbo. However - a Cayman S is similar money to a 996 (at least the years I was considering) and I'm now wondering if I should add that to the list of possibles. Are they really that good?

lunchboxbill

they are called ****-sters in our house!

I can't say I have ever been in one so can't comment on the actual car itself, I just don't like them to look at - they make the 996 look attractive.

cobalt

I would not call us closed minded, more discerning or particular.

You appear not to be very happy with most Porsche products and the 911 is not for everyone as is the boxster.

I would never take a GT3 over my 964 turbo and I might be convinced to trade my C2 for a GT3 but it would be tough. The one thing I hate about the newer cars are the drive by wire and sloppy cable driven shift linkage and more than anything, electronic intervention. The newer cars feel more like my 928 GTS than they do the older 911's. The classic feel of the rear engined 911, the sound the rush and connection to the road is something that is lost in all the newer cars. A GT3 on the track is a great instrument with the right driver behind the wheel. It feels nervous on the street and is not a car you can toss around like the early 911's. To those that like or have a need to be in control 110% the 964 is not a car for them. These cars need advanced drivers skills to extract 7/10ths never mind 10/10ths out of as where anyone can drive a newer base Porsche at 8 or 9/10ths with little talent. Pushing them to 10/10ths is another story. I have found that the rush I get out of driving a 964 at 8/10ths is far more fun than a boxster or cayman at 9/10ths and even at the limits they don't invigorate the sole the way the 964 does when pushed. My turbo on the other hand is a car that has very little competition when it comes to smile factor when driving hard. Even your GT3's crack a small smile vs the **** eating grin that the turbo offers.

Are they all great and capable cars? Most definitely. But if a Boxster excites you by its sound and feel than we obviously want very different things from our cars.

The cayman is a great platform but needs extensive modifications to thrill me and something I can't tolerate is the flex of the boxster. It just feels sloppy when pushed IMO with modifications or stock.

As others have said you are either a rag top person or your not. I will only own a coupe and have no need for even a sun roof. So that counts the boxster out for me no matter what. The Cayman would be fun on the track or as a DD. But I use my cars for weekend pleasure and have no need for a radio never mind nav and all the other things these newer cars have. Oh and don't get me started on cup holders. They don't belong in a sports car. The one thing that can be said about these cars are they are easy to drive. Even your 996TT is a car you can drive down a track full out with the A/C and radio on and be able to run consistent laps all day long with. But that is not why I drive a 964. The challenge of getting it right knowing it is me in control of the car and not the electronics is a thrill that is not found much lately.

Frank 993 C4S

I went to Barber Motorsports Park last week to attend the Porsche Masters Class. Even though I am big 911 fan, I was truly impressed with the Cayman S, which we drove for the auto-cross. In fact, I was so impressed that I am seriously considering buying one for my wife. The handling is great and the car feels much more nimble than the 997. If it's in your price range, I'd take one for a test drive.

boxsey911

At Curborough sprint circuit last week a husband on wife were in a 996C4 and a new boxster S, respectively. The two cars over the tight twisty circuit were within 0.5 seconds of each other. The husband was the more experienced track driver. Mind you both were over a second slower than Matt (Demonfish) in his 964C2 .

As the owner of both a boxster and a 964 I would recommend both cars however if the OP is choosing between the two purely because they both come into his budget, I would air on the side of the boxster. Personally I believe you have to want a 964...not buy it just because it's affordable.

cobalt

Yes but Frank, didn't you feel the cayman S was compensating all the time. I have driven my C2 and a cayman S at AX events in the same event and I do admit it is a very capable car but it did nothing to improve my driving skills it made me faster because it was the cars electronics even with them turned off (which they never truly are). The thrill was only there when it was pushed to the point where the electronics would kick back in and take away the fun.

bTW this means you are in town and didn't join us at the Zone 1 Concours Sunday?

DaveK

At least for my needs - the electronics are a plus point. I'm looking for a daily car which is as driveable to work in the winter as it is in the summer, and if the driver aids mean it's easier to drive in rain / ice then I'll be happy. I'd never ever replace the 964 with something like that - but for a daily runaround a bit of computer control is fine.

cobalt

Buy a cayenne turbo. It is faster and handles just as well as a boxster and makes a better DD.

DaveK

Er - no thanks. I have no requirement - or desire - for a 4x4.

cobalt

Great in all weather and a truly fantastic vehicle. Has little in common with your average SUV and IMO is more enjoyable to drive than a Boxster.

Down side is you either love or hate the looks. I hated them at first but found it took on a different look once it proved how capable it was. BTW they are dirt cheap second hand.

mooty

i do track a lot.
but i also drive them on street a lot. most of my p cars see 20,000 mile/year.

i actually like all porsches, including 914, 924 and 944's. what i dont like is when ppl say anything but 911 is poor man's porsche or not real porsche. 911 has it's character and nothing will change that. but it is not end all be all car. there are other models that can do things better. to say i am not happy with porsche product is only b/c porscheholic and i never met. those know me well know i breath porsche. i spend a lot more time screwing around on the cars than doing my real job ;-)

i may sound pro cay or box, but i say that b/c this is 964 board. when i am on caymanclub.net, i would appear pro 911. i just dont like ppl putting down one model over another. but i have no prob if someone like one model over the other, no need to put down anythings.

i mentioned some problems with 911's. there are a lot more prob i haven't mentioned. conversely i can also mention a host of issues with cayman as well: weak gearbox, engine, no dry sump, bad A/O separator, PS issues, not so good rear suspension and on and on. but EVERY car has issues, but being porsche, they are all very reliable. go drive one and you will gravitate one way or another, or you will have both. i always have at least one rear engine and one mid engine.

another poster asked that if i wanted 911 motor/box in a cayman chassis soley b/c i track? no. it's just a better platform. let me GROSSLY and i repeat GROSSLY summarize it. a 911 dry sump engine/gear box (a good engine is the point i am making, not necessarily flat 6) stuff in a cayman (mid engine chassis)..
isnt that a baby CGT. and isn't CGT the halo car of PAG? they seem to agree how to mix motor and chassis. yes, i know CGT has push rod shox, and it's not a flat six. but the idea is there and i did say GROSSLY summarizing my "dream".

if i can afford to track a CGT, i would. and it will blow 911's (assuming street cars) and cay s out of the water.

i hope this post will make my position clear and non biased. but YOU have to go drive both cars. it will be pretty clear which one you like. they really drive differently.