Snoops

Was wondering how the two compare. My brother-in-law is thinking of upgrading his 964 to either a 993 or a Boxster and has asked me this very question.

I hear the Boxter is very good at handling but cant comment any further as I ave not driven one. All magazines seem to give it 5 stars.

Just wanted to know if any of you guys and gals have driven both and what your views are on the matter.

TIA

Snoops

John W

Snoops, not actually driven one, but sat and climbed all over one before I bought my 993.

Firstly, it depends on what he is changing from. You say a 964, so I would guess he will be a little underwhelmed with the performance of a standard Boxster.
The S would obviously be better, but depends on how much cash he intends to splash.

Secondly, depends on what sort of build he is. I am a 5'11" fat git, and couldn't get comfortable in it. A friend who is a slim 6'2" couldn't either. This doesn't tell you much apart from some people don't like its driving position.

Finally, from reviews I read they seem to get good write-ups for track balance etc, but are meant to be less involving to drive.
I like the feeling of having to 'drive' the car, rather than wafting along effortlessly.

I hope that helps in some way.

Cheers,
John.

Curtis - '97 Targa

I borrowed a friend's '99 last year for weekend road trip. I thought it was a blast...very balanced, easy car to drive, all the luxuries.

It is a great car for its target market: folks that want a sporty, easy to drive, low maintenance, moderately high-performance car. I don't think my friend even knew how to access the engine!

All that being said, it doesn't come close the driving experience of a 993...less power, less feedback, less involvement.

Curtis

A.J. - 95 993

Last year I drove a Boxster for about an hour with a friend on a test drive. It was used (and in great shape), I think a 1997. I was impressed with the drive characteristics, and I really like the styling. Funny how the interior looks great in the Boxster, but doesn't seem to work for the 996. But I won't start another thread about that.

The engine noise is wonderful. The intake is on the driver's side, just behind his/her head. The noise reminds me of a kaleidoscope. It seems to change and transform through the rev range, with all sounds eminating a wonderful color. Extremely different from my 993 (especially with the drilled airbox!! ). I remember reading an interview with a sound guru from Porsche in Christophorus this past summer - with the Boxster it is very evident they spent lots of time optimizing the sound.

The power sucks. The base price is a Boxster is one of the more expensive cars in its class, yet I think it's the slowest.

The handling is exceptional. My dad just bought a 2002 M Roadster. I prefer the Boxster's handling. The M's rear tires (Pilot Sports) didn't seem planted very well, like the treads were twisting/walking a bit and the rear end was thinking about heading to the side. Nice to have the feedback, but not inspiring on back roads through the woods. The Boxster was firm, and felt very modern. I took some of my favorite back roads, and it was miles of smiles. The Boxster had me thinking about my 993, which felt dated and a bit flexible in comparison (I have stock USA hi-boy suspension).

Overall, I was very impressed with the Boxster, but would never buy one, for either one of the following, let alone for both reasons: it's far over priced, and far underpowered. I have not driven the Boxster S, but it's WAAAAYYYY overpriced, and still not at the top of its class in power.

Buck.

I went from a '87 Carrera to a '98 Boxster and a year later to a '993. As other have said, the Boxster's handling is superb, the power was less than fullfilling (non-S) but what I missed most was the 911 soul. The Boxster felt like a nice Japanese car. Light touch and feel with little seat of the pants feel. The 993 feels like a race car that's been civilized for the street.

It depends on what you want. As an everyday driver the Boxster is more civilized and easier to drive but you give up the feedback the 993 delivers through the seat of your pants.

bet

I owned a MY 2000 Boxster for a year. Great little car. There is no real comparison to the 993 (I have not driven a 964 for any length of time to compare) in terms of power but then there isn’t suppose to be.

The 993 has more power and a more raw feel that is more involved. The Boxster on the other hand has a more civilized feeling, a more luxurious feel to it. The Boxster has great handling dynamics and makes you feel like you can fly into any corner at any speed, it just seems so tossable. I have been told by a couple of autocross fanatics that it is an excellent autocrosser because of the handling and toss ability. Similar to the 993 (at least mine) the Boxster also urges or begs to be driven fast. There always seems to be something saying “go faster”. You can tool around town all day in luxury but if you want, the fun comes on around 3800 rpms and the music really starts to sing.

As already mentioned the Boxster does make a beautiful sound when the rpms increase. The placement of the intake is great for the driver. There is a surprising amount of storage space also.

The Boxster is a great two seater roadster. Could it use more power? Yes. Is it fun to drive in with just the 217 hp? Yes. The true enjoyment of the Boxster is had with the top down cruising on a twisty country road (no mountains or oceans in Indiana ) it just brings a big grin to your face.

Now the internal question.... Is it better or worse than a 993 or 964? The answer is No, Yes and Maybe. It depends on what the person wants. Personally it was a daily driver and my first convertible and I did not use the top down enough and wanted a sun roof back, that and I had always dreamed of a 911. Finally I wanted more power (can never be satisfied....hmmm how much does a 3.8 conversion cost?) and the rawer feel of the 993. However I can not dismiss what the Boxster has to offer, it is a very fun car to drive (which is why we all drive a Porsche, right?). Your friend needs to drive one and determine whether it offers what he wants.

Ray Calvo

I think they call it a "Boxster"

As far as driving characteristics, I think this comes down to the 993 vs. 996 question again; some swear by the 993, others by the water pumper. Only sure way to answer it is to have your bro drive each and make up his own mind (he's the one that's prob. shelling out $40-50K or more).

Just like the 993/996 comparison, I'm sure the Boxster has less steering feedback/kick than the 993. Some might like this; from my drive in a 996, I don't (why I will likely NOT be going to a 996 anytime soon; love the 993 steering feel and the engine roar under full throttle). The handling is prob. comparable with the nod maybe going to the Boxster due to the mid-engine location and the reduced tendency to oversteer. Then again, how many folks ever approach the limits of these cars; will your bro?

Another item - will he be attending Porsche Club track events? He very well might need some changes to incorporate a rollbar, 5/6 point harnesses, and arm restraints if he's running a Boxster without a hardtop (our region's rules, anyway). 996 coupe would not require any changes from stock in order to run (our region's rules again). Have him check with regions he might run with to find their requirements.

mick

Snoops,
I was lucky enought to participate in a Porsche sponsored track event where we drove a boxster, a C2 and a C4 for comparison. At the time I owned a 91 964. I was totally surprised at how much fun the boxster was and by its handling around a make shift course. Great low end acceleration and awesome handling. I really considered trading the 964 for the boxster. I finally settled on a 95 993 and really believe I made the correct decision. I absolutely love the 993 and the comparison between it and the 964 is not even close. Between the 993 and boxster is different and would depend a lot on how you drive and how much of a purest you are. My vote is for the 993 but I dont think you could go wrong with either. MIck

B-Line

The Boxster S is a great car for the track and club racing. It has a superb power to weight ratio and can easily be moddified.

Having said that, I would still prefer to strap into a 911. Many Pcar enthusiasts tried to convince me that a Boxster S would be a great choice for a street/track car set up. Much more so than a 993 C2S.
But when things were said and done, I still wanted a 993. I don't see myself driving a Boxster and didn't want a convertible to boot.
I say test drive both, weigh cost factors, and intended use. Make your decision based on what feels right in your gut...
just my opinion.

H20NOO

Boxster = capable, refined, "electric" Makes ordinary drivers feel like Al Holbert.

993 = demanding, engaging, "visceral" The purist's Porsche.

One more thing... Nobody ever has to apologize for owning a Carrera.

Randall G.

My neighbor owns a '99 Boxster, and we took turns driving each other's cars a few weekends ago. Pretty much the same impressions already mentioned:

-He loved my car's power, which left him feeling a bit disappointed with his Boxster. He's an ex-Mustang GT owner, and the Boxster is his first P-car. With respect to the difference in power between our cars: "Now, this is what I'm used to!"

-I loved the sound of the Boxster's engine right behind my back!

-I could never get used to the step down in power. It just doesn't pull like an "enraged bull."

-The Boxster is much easier to drive. His impression of my car's handling: "It felt like it was fighting me." Nothing wrong with my car, just typical 964 (or 993) feedback/minimally assisted steering/brakes.

My neighbor really wanted a 911, but for what he paid for his low-mileage Boxster, he would have been looking at a 6 or 7 year old, high-mileage 911. Or, an older 911 with lower mileage. He was afraid of getting hit with big repair bills on an "older" car such as this--not a fear without basis. His Boxster is still under warranty.

Speaking of "not having to apologize for owing a Carrera" ... He was a little surprised I didn't look down on his Boxster--he was under the impression all 911 owners looked down on Boxster owners in their "entry-level" Porsche. Not at all, I told him. Beautiful car, wouldn't mind having one myself if I was a richer man with a bigger garage. Or, would that be a poorer man that couldn't afford to purchase an older 911 and pay for the maintenance?

Flying Finn

I drove once my friends '99 model boxster. Nible car, handles very well and looks nice too. But to mee, it's not enough.

We raced a little with my buddy and my '-72', 2.7 SC kicked that boxster's butt , well, my older 911 is 'little' tuned up but still. I was happy for sure, but the guy wasn't (he works at Porsche and was amazed how good cars they made in 70's

Paul M

Snoops,

Unless your brother-in-law is a hairdresser, I would advise him to steer clear of the Boxster.

--Paul--

Tone

Tell him to buy a '99-2001 996 convertible.

Looks like a boxter & drives like a "911".

Sorry, I couldn't resist...

JohnM

Had a Boxster S loan car for a few days while some work was being done on my 993C4, pretty new one, had 5000 miles on the clock. There's more driver involvement to be had from a video game, controls are very light to the point where they feel disconnected. Gear change is awful, but you get used to it. Turns in nicely but starts to slide at the rear much earlier than my C4, but doesn't cause any dramas. On the plus side, sound in the cabin is nice and the radio works well.

I was soooo happy to get back in my 993.