Molly

This is for others who may be in the same position as me: looking at both the 996 and Boxster S for the first time.

I've had lots of high end sports cars and have autocrossed BMWs, etc. and owned several BMWs, Porsches, water and air-cooled, etc including brand new ones. However I am now thinking about buying a Porsche so today I went out and drove a 2002 Boxster S with 30K miles and a 99 C2 Cab with 60K miles, both 6 speeds. I'm very familiar with both cars and P-cars in general but this my first 996 test drive and only drove a Boxster once, when they came out new, and I almost bought one (thought it was way weak and bought a new BMW M-car instead).

I cannot believe how much better the 996 felt. Wow. It feels so much faster, so much more solid, sounds so much better and just feels so much better in overall quality. It feels so much heavier, but at the same time so much quicker and no less nimble. Hard to explain but almost like the whole car is made of thicker steel (I have no idea if it is) and just feels so much more solid. Feels like the diff between a Honda and a BMW sort of. The clutch felt much better, the shifter worked better, worlds better torque and throttle response. It just seemed to run up through the gears on a whole other level over the Boxster. Then on the same stretch of highway where the Boxster felt jiggly and kindof hyper at 70 mph, the 996 felt compeltely calm. The Boxster had a lot of shake to the body and was affected by the road a lot, but the 966 just felt like a smooth heavy missle. Furthermore the 966 was much more quiet as far as road, tire, and wind noise. Wow what a difference is all I can say, so much more different then I expected. When I drove the Boxster first, I really liked it, and actually was not expecting a lot of difference in the 996. I was already thinking that the 5K higher price of the 996 was not likely to be worth it because the Boxster seemed really nice on its own. But after driving the 996, I now have no desire to look at anymore Boxsters. BTW, both cars were in excellend cond, all stock, from reputable dealerships, factory tires, wheels, etc. Now I must say that it's hard to argue with the value of the Boxster S on the used market, standing alone. But if you are thinking about a P, and the moderate price increase to a 996 is not a problem for you, definatelt try one because you might be suprised at how much better it is. In fact considering the low price of the Boxsters I went out assuming a good chance I'de end up with one instead of a 996 when I started out the door today but not now. I already have some other 996s lined up to look at in the coming days. Just thought I'd share.

tmc

My experiences are very similar to yours

BlackCab996

Great writeup - when I went to the dealer, I was interested in a pre owned 996 and he tried to sell me a new Boxster S. I drove both, and I bought a pre owned 996 with 39,000 miles (I think - something close to that) over a brand new Boxster S. Stereotypes aside (like the Boxster being a chick car), I bought the pre owned 996, which was 5 years old, because it was a significantly better driving experience. I continue to be happy with my decision.

450knotOffice

I experienced the same thing when I decided to buy another Porsche to add to the one I already had (and still have, btw). I really wasn't in the market for a Boxster but thought, what the heck, I'll test drive a Boxster S just to see what all the hype is about. Mind you, up to that point I had not yet driven a 996, only the '84 Carrera I already own. I have to say that I was impressed by the Boxster. It was fairly quick, refined and definitely nimble. I could really feel that there was an engine in the middle of the car as opposed to hanging back behind the rear wheels (which is what I'm used to, btw, with my old 911). Interestingly enough, the car felt so lightning quick in transition from side to side that it felt like if you were careless with it, it could get away from you. It didn't feel like it was all that stable at high speed.

A few days later I test drove a 996 and immediately noticed the familiar rear engined "feel" of the car, which I liked. It just felt like I think a 911 should. I'm used to that feel. And, yes, the car felt more stable at speed and definitely quicker and faster than the Boxster.

This is not to take anything away from the Boxster because it's a great car, especially on tight, twisty roads. It's hard to beat the mid engined agility of that car. But to me, mid to high speed sweepers are the most fun, and in those conditions I think a 911 is in it's element.

nick49

We have a Boxster and a Carrera, and yes the Boxster is my wifes. Both are nice, and I sort of regard the Boxster as a means to being able to drive a real Porsche without anteing up to the price of a Carrera.

I would much rather own an older Carrera than a newer Boxster for the same money. When we had only the Boxster, I always felt the Carrera would be more of everything that the Boxster offered and when we added the Carrera that feeling was substantiated.

DreamCarrera

I have first hand knowledge of this subject and I definitely agree with Molly and the rest of you. The only point that I would disagree with Molly on is that I found the Boxster to shift quicker and more smoothly than my Carrera, but then the gear box is not as beefy because it doesn't have to handle as much power. I own a 2000 C2 and this past summer my friend bought a 2000 Boxster, he also owns a 1984 Carrera with the Turbo look body.

I got the chance to drive his Boxster, shortly after he bought it, on the twisty back roads near my home, roads that I frequent with my Carrera. While I really liked the feel of the Boxster, it felt light and sure handling, I seriously missed the power of my Carrera. I drove the Boxster hard, revving it to about 5,000 RPM a few times and each time I was dissapointed with the lack of power. This of course is comparing it to my Carrera, against most other sports cars the Boxster would be a great choice. After owning a 911 I could not own a Boxster because I would always find myself wanting more power.

P-Car fanatic

The current boxster 's'/cayman has pretty much identical power to the early 996's

I think that rear engine feel aside, a lot of people get caught up on 911 snobbishness.

I cannot see for one how anyone can say the 996 feels no less nimble than a boxster, you are comparing a car with inherently flawed weight distribution to one which is perfectly balanced and is a lot lighter.

I love my 911, but it feels like a sow compared to my old boxster. So depending on how finances go the next year or so i can only see myself going for the new GT3 or the Cayman 's'

The Cayman S according to people who seem to know what they are talking about say it is defineitely the equal of the 997 carrerra, but not quite the carrera s.

I've been coming to terms with the fact recently that the 996 is essentially more than a decade-old technology and the goal posts have moved a bit

Just my $0.02

pobox604

I sold my Boxster 3 months ago and bought a 996. The Boxster was very fun, but the 996 is just so much more car. The only thing I miss about the Boxster is the sound of the engine at 5000 rpm.

Chris 996

I have to agree with you. Give me a Cayman s with the enhanced engine from Ruf and I am in heaven. The power is the only thing the Cayman S is missing. decade-old technology with the 996 is true. It used to be that Porsche was way ahead of the competition with the 911, but now there are too many close competitors, the Cayman S has changed that but needs more power and they will again dominate.

DCP

I honestly think the attitude that the Boxster is an inferior driving experience is wrong.

The 911 is flawed due to its weight distribution. That flaw also makes it a blast to drive because you can steer with the throttle and brake so effectively. I don't think it is better. It can be more fun.

P-Car fanatic

Yeah, in my mind one is not better to drive than the other, they are both great to dirve, just the mid-engined 2 seat platform is more fun on small twisty country roads where it is more chuckable and the 911 is better for applications that warrent more power

although, a point of reference, when compared to the 996, the new cayman/boxster s with the 3.2 engine is not losing anything in terms of usable power

I swear the only reason I came away from my 997/996/987 thinking my 996 was a bit faster than the cayman was because i have the butt-dyno affecting PSE

tmc

Similarly, as roadsters go, the new Z4M is (strangely) more fun to drive for me than the Boxster 987S. It has a more "raw" feeling to it, much like going from a boxster to a 996.

DreamCarrera

You guys are killing me with the inherently "flawed" design comments about the 911 and the Carrera in particular. The 911 and its different variants have won more races than any other sports car in HISTORY-bar none. I think that pretty much speaks for itself and makes anyone who says otherwise look pretty foolish. Yes on paper the rear engine layout appears to be a disadvantage but in the real world on the race track and the street it has consistently beat front and mid-engine cars year after year and continues to do so.

As for 911 snobbishness, give me a break. The Boxster simply cannot hold a candle to the Carrera when comparing similar model years and that is fact not snoddery. Great, now we even have other Porsche owners calling 911 owners snobbs, where does it end.

Don't get me wrong I really do like the Boxster and I enjoy every chance I get to ride in or drive my friends car, but it simply is not in the same league as my Carrera.

P-Car fanatic

I have owned a 911 for a few years, and my next porsche was going to be a 996TT, but I decided I can't live with the same interior for three cars in a row and i wanted something sportier and without 4WD

Compare a 2007 boxster/cayman 's' to a 2007 carrera. Thats a very different proposal to driving a 99 996 and then a 99 986 with a 2.7/2.7 engine

I drove a carrera 's' (with 4000 miles on the odometer) and a delivery mileage Cayman 's', I preferred the Cayman despite the 50hp difference in hp

I actually won't even waste my time driving a standard 997 now.

If the rear engine placement is so amazing why did porsche choose mid engine for the Carrera GT?

Palting

Heh-heh . Discussions like these will never end, and will never have a definite consensus in any board. It's always fun to talk about, though.

Well, I have both, and drive both cars on track as well as street frequently. Forget about rear vs mid design, snob vs non-snob, etc. Both are great cars, and each has an advantage over the other in certain areas. Some people will prefer the advantage one car has in a certain area, and prefer that car over the other. IMHO, if you score each car and tally ALL the areas of concern, the 911 will come up ahead. The cars were designed by Porsche in such a way that the Boxster/Cayman will be less and never equal the 911, and the cars are proving their designs to be right.

I expect the above statement to be challenged a million ways from Sunday. But, if I had to keep only one of the two Porsches in the garage and get rid of the other, I would keep the C4S.