Jacques79

I have owned a 2000 Boxster S in the past and currently own a 2006 Boxster S.

I'm looking to buy a 2012 Boxster S ''Black Edition'' but it comes with 19 inch Spyder wheels and I was wondering if the car would ride a lot harsher than my 2006 model with 18 inch wheels. I love how my car rides; not too harsh, not too soft.

The car I'm looking at also comes with PASM which I've never had before and don't really care for. Anyone have experience going with this thing coming from a non-PASM car? I'm guessing that it would help with the ride quality issues that might come from the 19 inch wheels.

I know I could simply ask the dealer to swap the 19s for 18s but the car looks freaking great with the black Spyder wheels!

Another thing holding me back is that the new Boxster is coming out about 6 months....but I'm sure they will be a lot more expensive than the last few 987.2 available this winter and am concerned about the reviews on how the new 911 lacks steering feel. (I'm sure the next-gen Boxster will share the new 911's steering system as it always had)

I also took a peak at a Cayman S Black Edition and noticed that the rev counter had a slightly higher redline than the Boxster S Black Edition; can you really feel the difference between both cars? What's the redline of the Cayman?

thanks!

CW-VIESOCK

Given that "feel" is quite a personal thing, I will say that I found no negative issues with the ride quality of several different MY's of Boxsters I have driven, all with different wheel/tire combinations. They are what they are and each will be amplified or muted by the type of surface you are passing over or how your suspension is set-up and or adjusted as well as how you work the go pedal.
My 08' RS60 has 19's with stock size rubber and it is very comfortable on any road with its stock suspension. Set the shocks to sport mode and the ride is horrific unless the car is rolling on billiard table smooth roads or a racing circuit.

Coming from a road-racing background, I find that PSM ( if that's what you object to) offers little in the way of peace of mind. You can wad-up any car if you try hard enough but I do not find it intrusive or even noticeable in everyday driving. PSM will make any driver faster around a closed course, regardless of what they imagine. It has been proven time and time again. F1 wouldn't spend the cash if electronics didn't provide an advantage. If PASM is what you were really referring to, I find it nice to have two, on the fly, suspension settings at my disposal.

The new Boxsters? The grass will always seem greener next year. That's what "they" say anyhow.

The power-band difference between the Cayman and the Boxster? Some have better "butt dyno's" than others and some have better imagination's than most. The redline alone does not make a car fast or enjoyable to drive, it just references its power-band or rather its limitations. The clock just tells how long the story last, you have to decide if you liked the plot. (Drive it)

Get the Black Edition Boxster S, it's a sinister looking car. Oh, and the top pops open too.

Jacques79

Thanks for the reply.

I also found a nice low mileage 2008 RS60 Boxster S but I have never driven one and there aern't any around my area available for a test-drive. Have you driven the 2009+ Boxster S to compare?

No HTwo O

I have a 2006 Boxster S with 19" Carrera Classics (and OEM 5mm spacers) with PS2's and the ride is great, Non PASM. I think you'll really like the the 19" and PASM set-up.

CW-VIESOCK

As far as comparisons between the 2008 RS60 and the 2009+ D.I. cars, IMO, they are very subtle, yet, that small difference may be important enough to toss some more cash on the pile, either way. With just the standard specs. on the base model Boxster, you have the best open top roadster on the planet. You just have to list the major considerations for you purchase and go looking for that car.

I ended up with a RS60 Boxster because I wanted:
1: Silver or Seal Gray ext.
2: Dark Gray int.
3: S brakes
4: 2005+MY
That's it. Those were my baseline purchasing requirements.

I looked at, and drove, several Boxsters. Some with 80+k miles for less than $25k and just about everything else above that. I ended up choosing my 2008 Boxster because it had all of my baseline requirements, plus less than 7k miles and looked as if it just rolled out the door in Uussikaupunki, Finland, inside, outside and underneath. It was mint. With factory warranty still in force and a fair price, it was the better deal.

I feel the new D.I. motor is a little bit more crisp down low but when I weighed the price penalty for the newer motor, I decided to throw the dice on the m97 motor. The absence of a intermediate shaft may be reassuring to those once bitten but the new motor design might have its own gremlins yet to be seen.

As far as the differences between the RS60 and the 2009+ Boxster/S/Spyder, they are varied. Given I purchased this car for the street, it has more potential than I would ever exercise on public roads, so bragging rights for a few tenths of a second here or there did not factor in.

medtech

I can't speak for your set-up, but I've noticed no harsh ride on the Spyder wheels. They are pretty tough too.

Dino944

I also own an RS60, which is equipped with PASM and 19" sport design wheels. On 90% of the roads in the "normal" setting for the suspension I find the ride to be quite good for a sports car. Its never jarring or unpleasant. The only times its been unpleasant is when I ended up on a road that was was bad enought that the ride would have been just as unpleasant on 18s. If the car has PASM I wouldn't bother switching from 19s to 18s. In addition, as CWRS60Spyder said, I also like having the ability to switch between two settings. If its a really nice recently paved road...I use the sport setting and on average roads normal works very well.

Go and drive a Boxster Black Edition try the settings and you can decide for yourself. Great car. Good luck and let us know how your drive goes.

Best regards,
Dino