66mustang

for your uses, and coming from a RS4 I would think an S is better. look into the X73 suspension option, every review of it says it is the the best. Depreciation is also less on the S, if that concerns you

BTW, I went from a 2005 Base Boxster to a 2012 Boxster S. The differences between the 2 are incredible. My wife is even happy with the descion, at first she didn't understand why I wanted to upgrade. All she saw was the $25000 difference for the same car.

user1029

Neither...


GT4

Sportwagen

Test drive both.

Porsche options are ridiculously expensive. So it is relatively easy to configure a base car that is even more expensive than a lightly optioned S-model. This gives you a degree of freedom you can use. Personally, I’d buy a completely stripped S-model before I’d go for the 2.7L engine, but that’s just me.

Ynot

The problem with getting a base is, after awhile, you will wonder what the S is like. No one who owns a S, wonders what a base is like. S is definitely better for resale value. If you can afford it, get a S.

Dino944

Exactly! I don't know anyone with an S who says they wish it had less power.

il pirata

Get sport suspension (X73) and PTV if you want handling, if budget allows then add sport chrono package (which include dynamic transmission mounts) and if still within budget 19" wheels. Budget the rest of your options around this.

sjfehr

Then let me be the first: I wish my S had less power. Or, rather, I wish I could have found these options on a base. My 987.2S has too much power for the street. Straight-line isn't a problem, it's on-throttle oversteer in slow corners that's the issue. My old 986S with 50hp less was a lot more fun on the street, and, ironically, also on the track. There's a certain joy to be had just mashing the throttle you can't do with higher powered cars.

There's a certain corner at my local track that I always enjoyed a lot in my 986S; I could hold full throttle with a little margin of error left- getting it right was just exhilarating as hell. With the extra power of my 987.2S, I'm carrying too much speed in. So now I need to brake at *just* the right spot and *just* the right amount and turn in at *just* the right spot, and getting it right with my wheels tracking out within inches of oblivion (and a few dozen feet of the tire wall) is absolutely terrifying. Not fun, terrifying. The miata guys don't get why I hate running in that direction, lol.

Likewise, on the street, I became well accustomed to being able to flat-foot my 986S through just about every intersection from a stop regardless of whether I was going straight, turning left, or turning right. With the extra 50hp in my 987.2S, I'm forced to hold back to avoid on-throttle oversteering into a ditch or oncoming traffic, which isn't nearly as much fun. It's a little frustrating, actually.

So, yeah, I kinda wish I had a base. The base is more competitively classed for autocross, too, and not thrown in with GT3, Elise, GTR & C7 Z06 like I am now

extanker

a good man knows his limitations ......C. Eastwood ^^^

Dave Parker

I always owned 911s, so I could never go for the lower horsepower. I purchased a 2014 CS and I love it so far. Sure you can overpower the car out of a corner, but learning to control that makes you a better driver. - I can also overpower my VW TDI out of many corners.

I agree with an earlier post - go for a minimally optioned S ( unless you just want to tool around town ).

sjfehr

Before y'all are like "haha, I'm a WAY better driver than sjfehr, and can handle an S!!!" bear in mind that I'm not a nationally competitive autocrosser, but I do compete nationally and I'm a 3-time state champion. I usually take top (overall) time at time trials at my local track with said scary corner, and have never done worse than 2nd overall (friend with a 400hp STI's even crazier than I am!). It's not nearly so terrifying if you suck, because you're going to overbrake and not carry nearly as much speed through as you can, and your HPDE instructor probably has you driving a nice safe (slow) late apex at your local track(s) anyhow. [EG, if miatas are catching up to you in the corners, you suck, sorry.]

250hp in a Boxster is damned fun in all conditions. 300 is about the range where the power overcomes rear grip and creates issues in corners. 400+ and you can't even use it in a straight line. At that point, it's just bragging rights.

Dino944

Well congrats on being the first.

While I agree 400+ HP is mostly about bragging rights rather than usability, but I don't wish for less HP in my car and as mentioned previously, a friend of mine had a base 987 and he does auto X etc. He has lots of fun doing it but always regretted not getting an S. Last year he traded for an S and he loves the car even more...YMMV.

Hi Octane

I went for the S when making my Cayman choice. It came down to the feeling that it would be better to have the power and not need it versus wanting the power and not having it.

Plus like others have said...If I got the base, I would always be second guessing myself on whether or not I should have gotten the S.

Mark Dreyer

As someone who has owned one Golf TDI and 2 Jetta TDI's I presume you are referring to icy road conditions? :-)

Dave Parker

Jetta TDI - I can spin the tires at any intersection corner I want too. However, this isn't the point. The point I was making is that you can get just about any car out of control on the street if you try.

Holdens

Agree with comments about needing to drive both. Everyone has a different reference point.