Roadstar

Hello Everyone,

Happy Mother's Day to all you Mother's out there. I'm currently in the market to buy a roadster. I will be using it for everyday use and for track events from time to time.

I currently own a M3 e46 vert and used to own a s2k. I'm getting rid of the m3 because I prefer a 2 seater. I'm contemplating between the s2k, M Roadster, and the 987S. I love the way my m3 e46 drives when it's working, but their are too many common problems that come up (I should've done more homework before the purchase).

I love the reliability, price, handling, feel, and shifter of the s2k. But it needs a little more power and I hate that l'll be challenged at every stop light by civics and every other import out there.

The M Roadster has a lot of power but isn't as nimble as the s2k or the 987S. It's a little wild, but that's what makes that car fun.

I like the 987S handling, engine/exhaust sound. Lacks some power but I'm sure I'll be fine once I put the AWE chip and exhaust on.

I already have my deposit on a M Roadster, but I'm having some issues with my m3 now and the service guys are a bunch of grease monkeys that have problems applying silicone lubricant to a squeaky roof. The service advisors are a bunch of sales people working around a warranty and trying to sell you crap. Although I was going to get the M Roadster, I am turned off by the service and reliability.

This leads me to do some homework to see what it's like for longer term/higher mileage owners of the 987s who push their car in a similar fashion. Spirited drive on the streets/twisties with the occasional autox/event. I'm also looking to learn to push these cars to its full limits so I'll be taking it to the track more and more through the years.

That being said, how has it been like owning the 987s long term? How has the reliability been? Do you think this is a car that you can keep up to 100k miles or so with only normal wear and tear items to serviced? And what the heck is RMS? I've read the 986's had issues. And there are some people on the forum that truly dislike the boxster and call it a pile of sh*t. But I'd rather hear from those who had first hand experience with this car in the longterm. Say 50k plus miles/after warranty experience.

Although these are cars meant for performance, I do not want to buy a car that wastes my time bringing it into service and exercises my debate skills on proving why my car should be covered under warranty.

The s2k could save me 30k and I know it will be reliable. I could use the money for upgrades and driving lessons. I have friends with the M Roadster/coupe and absolutely love it, but no one had it past 50k miles yet. Too new of a car. It seems that the bimmers start to deteriorate after the mileage is up. 987s has the handling of the s2k, if not better, and close to the power of the M roadster. But will it be as reliable as the s2k?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

cyinisis

As far as reliability goes...as well as after-market upgrades of course, I would go with the S2K. Nothing can come close to those Japanese and their uncanny bullet-proofness. I'm not sure about the civic's and integra's that will be hounding you since the S2000 is kind if in a different class of Honda, kind of like the NSX...sadly both are/will be retired.

The M roadster would be a good choice for posterity. They look good, sound good, and put you in a class above said S2K. Of course the "go" factor would be a great thing to be a part of =].

I don't know much about the 987 though, since I've never driven one...a lot of people regard a Boxter as "buying into a pedigree"...although I don't adhere to that train of thought.

If there was a gun to my head and I had to pick one, it would probably end up being that M roadster.

fast1

I love the reliability, price, handling, feel, and shifter of the s2k. But it needs a little more power and I hate that l'll be challenged at every stop light by civics and every other import out there.
You can esasily buy an '07 S2K for around 30K and add FI for another $10K and you'll have a really quick car for $40K.

I like the 987S handling, engine/exhaust sound. Lacks some power but I'm sure I'll be fine once I put the AWE chip and exhaust on.
The rule of thumb is that you never get a good return when chipping a non-turbocharged car. So I don't know what you expect to get from the AWE chip, but it won't be much.

Of the cars that you listed the 987S is the best handling, the S2K is the most reliable, and the Z4M roadster is the fastest. The long term reliability of the 987 and Z4M will be dependent on how much you abuse the car. Both cars will get you to 100K miles in normal street driving, but if you are a track junkie, all bets are off.

Roadstar

[/QUOTE]I like the 987S handling, engine/exhaust sound. Lacks some power but I'm sure I'll be fine once I put the AWE chip and exhaust on.
The rule of thumb is that you never get a good return when chipping a non-turbocharged car. So I don't know what you expect to get from the AWE chip, but it won't be much.

Of the cars that you listed the 987S is the best handling, the S2K is the most reliable, and the Z4M roadster is the fastest. The long term reliability of the 987 and Z4M will be dependent on how much you abuse the car. Both cars will get you to 100K miles in normal street driving, but if you are a track junkie, all bets are off.[/QUOTE]

From what I understand, the AWE chip and the exhaust should put about 25hps on the boxster. 25hp plus the 295 it already has is pretty close to the 330 of the M roadster. The 987s is also lighter so it should have more of an impact. The 987s that I drove was new. I've been reading that the Porsches start to really feel like how it's supposed to after 5k miles on it.

I'm not looking to get something as fast as the M roadster, but paying that much money for the car and having a Porsche badge on, I would want it to be a little faster. I only have first hand experience with the s2k since I owned one, and first hand experience with the M coupe/roadster because of my buddies. So I don't know the lifestyle of a normal 987s owner. I know with the s2k I wouldn't have to worry about issues, but I wouldn't have the stock luxuries of the bimmer or p-car. With the Bimmer, it seems that I would probably have a relationship with a service advisor for them to understand my problems with the car, and if things don't go right, I'll have to keep speaking to my salesman so that he can apply some force to service. I'm not sure what kind of life I would have with the 987s. I don't mind having to repair wear items, but if the variocam in the porsche fails or the transmission becomes shot from poor crafstmanship, that's another issue.

Anyone have their 987s for a long time yet that wouldn't mind sharing their experience?

paralizer

Hi Roadstar. I'll share my experiences so far. As a frame of reference I've owned a multitude of cars from Corvette's to multiple Miata's. I have a an 06 987S and was not in the market for this car when I got it. I was actually looking into C6's. Long story short I swung by the local dealer to look at one after seeing all the positive articles on them, just out of curiosity. I've had this car for almost a year and have just shy of 10k miles on it. A few minor problems, leaky radiator cap and some minor issues with the driver seat. All issues resolved under warranty. I've had a minor rattle develop near the windshield header I'm trying to chase down. Oh, and I'm just about ready for a new set of tires. (I'm actually surprised they've lasted this long. )
RMS stands for rear main seal leak. A common problem for all Porsche's with the M96 motor. Essentially it is a minor oil leak. In most cases it can just be monitored and fixed during a clutch replacement. It is a warranty item for cars under warranty and many owners have gotten Porsche to do the repair for free even when the car is out of warranty. Porsche is on its 4th redesign of the seal and "swears" this one has resolved the problem.
Overall I find this to be the most enjoyable car I've ever owned. Obviously it doesn't have the straight line speed of my Corvette's, but I find the power more than adequate. The brakes are outstanding!! One of the Porsche hallmarks. Incredibly powerful and absolutely fade free even when playing enthusiastically for extended periods in the twisties. Road feel is great and there is never a doubt as to what is going on with the car. As to the handling, there is nothing I can say that hasn't been said. It truly is amazing. It just glides from turn to turn effortlessly. The way I sum up the car is that it is the most balanced car I've ever owned. While the power of the 911 is great, there is no way I would give up the balance, feel, and handling of my 987S. That said it would be nice if Porsche would put the 911 motor into the 987S. That will never happen as the 911 is the icon of Porsche.
I have a friend who recently purchased a Z4 M Coupe. She allowed me to take it out for a bit. And while I did enjoy it, I still prefer my 987S.
By the way, if you check the Motorweek website there is a good longterm roadtest review of the 987S. Also the new issue of the Car and Driver, June 07, has a good long term review on the 987s.
If reliability is your primary factor, get the S2K. Porsche will never have the reliability of the Japanese. If straight line speed is most important, get the M3 or check out the C6. However if you are looking for what I now consider is the best combination of power, handling, brakes, ergonomics, fit, and finish, then go out and get the 987S.
Finally, and most importantly if you ask me would I do it again? I would answer with no hesitation a most emphatic yes.

Roadstar

Paralizer,
That's some pretty spirited drives to go through your tires at 10k. Good jobthumbup

The minor issues you had so far I can live with. It's the major more expensive ones that tend to occur toward the end of warranty that I have issues with. When dealing with your service guy, are they easy to work with?

As for the 987s, the brakes are excellent and i love the balance of the car. I would like a car with a little more power, but straight line power isn't a major concern to me. I prefer being able to hit turns and having the car be able to transmit the road, and the car be able to respond to my actions in almost a telepathic manner. the s2k did this for me where I was able to point the car in the direction with out having to work so hard. my m3 is a sluggish around the turns and the 987s gives me a similar response to the s2k. different though because of the mid engine. I can see myself growing to love to drive the car more and more because of the benefits of this design. One thing I really appreciated was how settled the car was when I did some late braking when I went into a turn. The car just settled in the turn and maintained it's composure like nothing I've ever been in.

as for the 911 engine in the in the porsche, I Ruf can take care of that with one of their conversion kits. Not sure if you want to drop the money though. I'm sure it's a pretty penny.

That's funny that you had a female who owned the m coupe. I give a lot a props to a female who can handle a car like that. You need really quick hands when pushing that car to its limits. Even with the dsc.

I really appreciate you replying and I enjoyed reading your experience. However, I'm still concerned for the long term. Would you know of anyone who kept one of these cars for a long period of time? Most M3 owners love their cars until they start hitting the 50 - 60k mark on the odemeter. But once they do it's a different story.

paralizer

Roadstar in terms of long term the 987S has only been out since the 05 model year so I doubt any car is out of warranty in the US and even the earliest models at best probably have only around 20-25k miles. The Car and Driver review this month was a 40k review. Do I think I will have higher maintenance costs out of warranty, you bet. But honestly I enjoy this car so much I'm willing to gamble. However the safest bet long term is to get an extended warranty. Most long term warranty's will now take the base warranty out to 7 years and 100k miles. or thereabouts. There is no getting around the simple fact while Porsche's are wonderful cars, they are not bulletproof Japanese cars.
One final comment on handling. If you thought the handling on the S2k was good, then you are going to love the 987S. They are light years apart. Ultimately it's your money so go with what makes you happy, your comfortable with, and as I always say the car that speaks to you.

Ray S

Based on your list of candidates I'd take the 987S hands down.

The S2K is a great value, but it's only fast when you beat the crap out of it. It's lack of torque below 6,000 rpm makes it feel like a Civic driving around town. The styling is dated and the handling while good is twitchy.

The MZ4 is certainly powerful, but it won't handle or brake nearly as well as a Boxster S and it's heavier so it's really no quicker. There have been several 987 vs. Z4 magazine comparison tests and every one that I have read picks the 987 as the winner. If you drive the two it becomes apparent why.

Finally, the Boxster is the practicality champion. It's two trunks provide far more room than the S2K or the Z4. It's got sex on wheels looks, mid-engined handling and a killer flat 6 stereo. If you buy one of the others, you'll be forever haunted by the "I could have had the Porsche" syndrom every time you see some lucky guy drive by in a Boxster.....

Good luck with your choice.

Benjamin Choi

I'd pick the S2000. It's one of the best looking roadsters out there with its traditional proportions, LED lights, and very high Q interior.

Supercharge it with Comptech, lower it, get some wider tires on it... put on the OEM aerokit. Simply fantastic.

The Boxster S is awesome as well and better sorted out, but there's something to be said about Honda's bulletproof reliability even when modified.

lowside67

i love this car, but it'd be a lie to say i dont ever think about trading it in on a 987S.

ELUSIVE

I had my 987S for 1.5 years before I traded it in on a 997S. The car was simply amazing. In my opinion light years ahead of the other cars you are considering. It isn't lightning quick, but it's got pretty good power especially after break in.
I love my 997S, but there are definitely parts of me that miss my 987S. In my 18 monhts of ownership I never had any problems with the car.

One of the reasons I sold my 987S was interior space. the S2K was even worse. I'm convinced no one over 5'8" can actually be comfortable in that car.

weldon978

I drive a 2005 987s. I've added an evo intake, GIAC chip, and AWE exhaust. The result is a car that's "brighter" (quick response to throttle input) - but all in all not an overwhenling performance difference. I has made an incedible sound difference. Intoxicating.

You need to drive a 987s. I have never driven (or been in) a car that approaches a 987 in balance and enjoyment.

PaulStuart

If you just want to go by price, the S2000 seems pretty good, but you can not upgrade it to the same quality as the 987: The roll bar is "fake" (read the fine print), the brakes are single piston, the side and head airbags are not available, the trunk space is not there, and so on. They are really very different cars. You would have a hard time upgrading to even the base 987 level no matter what you spent -- unless these things don't matter to you.

I am at 29K on my '05 with only minor warranty fixes.

msh26

I've owned my 987S since May of '05 and it has been really trouble free. My 986 needed a little more attention. The quality on the 987 is much much better.

For reliability, buy the Honda. Porschephiles feel it in their heart and soul and know when it just feels right.

nshanny

I have owned several Porsches and other than rear main seals (997S and 04 Boxster) I have never had any problems with the car. You will not find a better handling car in my opinion.