AnarchyJim

I'm considering getting a 2016 Boxster Spyder. I live in Brisbane and drive a lot in San Francisco. Neither place is known for big, smooth roads. I'm really concerned the front lip of the spyder will just get destroyed by the hills and uneven pavement. Does anyone own one of these in SF? Or a GT4 which seems to have a similar front lip and clearance?

How difficult is it to drive in the city? How much scraping and/or real damage have you incurred? I'm assuming there will be a lot of scraping, just don't want to see the front fender ripped off or severely damaged by the uneven roads.

Thanks for any advice! I'm leaning towards just ordering a new Boxster S but the Spyder is calling me...

fwiw... this will be a daily driver, so it'll see these roads a lot.

pitt911

can't comment on your area, but the car is very comfortable to drive , in my area no scraping at all as compared to GT3RS where I have to use lift frequently

Phil G.

Wait for Spyder owners in the SF area to comment - they will. I will tell you the front of the 981 is low - I have an S with PASM, and I need to back into my driveway to avoid scraping bottom, even with angling it in. And my apron is only around a 9-10 degree incline. Fronting out and backing in is no issue, but the front valence on a Spyder is lower than that on a base or S/GTS.

terbiumactivated

It's not just San Francisco, one must know the local terrain. There are roads a mile from my home whose transition to the next road is so poorly executed it would damage the entire front of the Spyder at ANY speed. Even some driveways pitch designs will scrape, then of course there are the massive potholes and metal plates all of which can bend a rim in an instant. I scope the routes in the Ford and make note of which are Spyder friendly.

kavocat

I don’t live in San Francisco, but I’ve driven my Spyder there twice (about a month apart). I won’t do it again. The roads are in pretty bad shape. There was a lot of construction in the financial district and I had to drive very slowly to avoid scraping the car on the many raised steel plates that are embedded in the streets. Also, the traffic was terrible both times and I rarely got out of first gear. The Spyder is an awesome car to drive on the twisty highways along the coast, but I would never use it as a DD in San Francisco.

Noah Fect

What kavocat said. The only car I will take to San Francisco these days is an Uber. Same deal with Seattle.

They don't want us there.

Curt Wohlgemuth

Great quote. SF is simply an awful driver's city, I live in Silicon Valley, and avoid the city at all costs.

DBH

I think you'll find that most large cities in the US are NOT sports car friendly! Their infrastructure has deteriorated significantly over the years due to lack of proper maintenance. As a result the roads and bridges are in sad shape. I wouldn't recommend DD a Porsche Spyder (or Boxster) in any of our major cities.

Milehigh981

doesn't Calexio DD his Spyder in SF? surprised he hasn't commented.

digitalrurouni

Ditto. What's the point in having such a car as a daily driver in cities anyway? It's like going to a 3rd world country and driving a Lamborghini there. I mean sure you can do it but if you have the least bit of mechanical sympathy you just would not. I know I would not. I live in a suburb outside of Atlanta where the roads are pristine and there are beautiful forest roads. I know all the road that I frequent and I only take the Spyder on those roads. Now if I have to go to work midtown or hit CNN center etc I absolutely refuse to take the Spyder. I would take public transport to avoid the rush hour or I would take an Uber. The car is low enough, the suspension doesn't have much give and I bet with the light wheels this car comes with a pothole will do a massive amount of damage.

911mhawk

Glad to see Seattle is as bad these days...our Mayor sucks in so may ways.
I take the X5 almost exclusively around town, even my M5 hits stuff now that things have deteriorated so much.

clutchplate

I go to the city frequently and can't remember ever taking one of my 13 or so Porsches over the years. Not the place for those cars.

AnarchyJim

Thanks for the opinions and insights. Unfortunately not quite in a position to have two cars I like driving, so trying to find one that will work. but I agree, the Spyder is not the car for this. It's just such a beautiful car, wish I could make it work. I drove a 2007 Boxster S as a DD for 5 years and it was great. Yes, city traffic can be frustrating sometimes, but there's a lot to be said for being in a car you love being in. Helps make the mundane feel special even if you can't fully appreciate the car in that moment.

kahane18

Why are you worried about a $269.00 (Suncoast) part which is easily replaceable? I'll bet the roads in NYC are worse.
Replaced one on my GT4 in 30 minutes.

Drive it and enjoy.....

CliffJumper RS

I've lived and worked in SF for the past 3 years. My commute is a 2 mile drive down California Street. While I don't have one, it's definitely doable to drive a Spyder, but simply not fun. You'll have to go painfully slow and just know you'll scrape once in a while. I DD an E63 and I still scrape even when I know the road very well. Watching my neighbor pull his 997 GT3 in/out of his garage is like watch molasses drip. I also get a large bolt/screw/nail in my tires every 3-6 months.

Honestly, out of the 10 cars I've driven for at least a few weeks or more while living in SF (I've had a lot of loaner cars and changed out my own once per year), the most fun car for my daily commute in the city was a used 2011 VW GTI that I downsized to 17" wheels. I could drive that thing like I stole it, get slightly airborne and really feel like I was working the car without ever stressing about it. If I had room for more cars, I would've kept it, but I wanted bigger/more powerful for my drives outside the city.