breakdown

Hey guys,

I was wondering if I could get an honest and unbiased opinion from here. I've been wanting to get into a Porsche cabriolet for a while now. My dream car would be a 997 C2S cabriolet but those are out of my price range for now.

I've been shopping around and I've noticed that the 02/03 996 cabs are about the same price as the 05/06 Boxster S. I definitely don't mind the look of the redesigned Boxster; it's a big improvement over the original.

What do you guys think? Any suggestions would be great.

RPMulli

well you know what the answer will be in this forum....

Awesomo996

From Jeremy Clarkson's review of the new Boxster:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/dri...cle1078508.ece


"Something, however, is not quite right. It’s hard to put your finger on it but there’s something missing, and I think I know what it is. When you drive a Boxster, you do not savour the mid-engined balance or the hand-crafted soundtrack. Because this car doesn’t remind you what it is. It reminds you, all the time, of what it’s not. And what it’s not is a 911.

So you arrive at journey’s end thinking: “If only life had dealt me a better hand. If only I’d sold one more photocopier and married a supermodel. Then I could have had a real Porsche.” The Boxster, I’m afraid, is a constant reminder that the grass really is greener somewhere else.

A 911 feels like an analogue car. It feels real, rather than a facsimile. Whereas the Boxster feels like a downloaded digital rendition of the original. A collection, if you like, of ones and noughts. So, like a CD, it’s crisp and easy to handle but the 911 — that’s like watching the band perform live. "

nick49

We have had a Boxster for about 8 years now and a 996 Cab for nearly 7, so I'll give you my impressions. The Boxster is a fun car, my wife refers to it as a womens car. I would be happy with one, if there was no way to get a Carrera. The Boxsters A pillers are about 3" shorter, shorter windshield, side windows and lower top. The seat doesn't slide back as far or recline back as far either. For my 6' 190# frame the Boxster is a bit cramped. The Carrera is very roomy by comparison. The Carrera has the rear weight bias true to 911 which we have all come to love. This is a huge plus for me as I'm a 911 guy first, and a Porsche guy second. This is absent in the Boxster. The Boxster is a terrific handler, but I perfer the 911s as I'm a long time motorcycle rider and racer and I find the handling simular.

Neither of these cars are about speed in my opinion. There are much faster cars out there. These are about the driving experience. To me the 996 wins here. I actually perfer the early 996 to the 997 in the looks department, same with the Boxsters, earliest are the best looking. The later Boxsters look like they have Toyota MR2 side air intakes, not cool. The Boxster is a pain to travel in, no interior room for your wife's purse, a camera or a bottle of water.

I think the Boxster was made for an entry level car and a stepping stone to enter Porshe ownership. It's real and legit, but still an introduction to bigger and better things. With a 911 (996, 997) there are no appoligies or excuses, they are the real deal.

sjfehr

The new Boxster S is not an entry level car; it's the mid-engine car Porsche should have been building all along. The only reason it's even perceived as entry level is because of the artificial price points Porsche set. Regarding what you said that I quoted; it was true of early 986s (and 996s!), but they fixed it in later 986s and 996s; they have cupholders and glove compartments now. The rear trunk is large enough for two bags of golf clubs, wheras the 996 has no rear trunk at all- if you want to talk about practicality as a DD or on long trips, the Boxster's ample trunk space makes a BIG difference. I can go camping for a weekend in my Boxster, and have- room for 13x10' tent, queen size air mattress, two sleeping bags, two folding chairs and two coats - and that's just the rear trunk. Still room for a full sized cooler and two backpacks full of gear in the front. 996 has a back seat, but it's a nearly useless back seat. And you don't really want to keep much there in a cab.

Really, it's about trade-offs. Which boil down to: Back seat vs trunk. Mid-engine vs slightly more power. There are two places it's not a tradeoff, though, and that's interior and age. The 987 has a better interior than the 996. And is a younger car, which is going to manifest itself, statistically, in fewer problems.

Faced with this choice myself two years ago, I went with the Boxster S. I could buy a 997 or a 987.2 as my next car, and you know what? I'm going to buy a 987.

xel996

Nick49 said it all. I was first going to purchase a white boxster, paper works where moving and I kept glancing at the 996 while at the dealer. I ended up getting the 996 after I test drove it. The boxster is a great car, but the 996/911 is the real deal.

LVDell

Thanks for clearing that up. So, then y'all got the best deal of them all?

Listen....I own 3 different variants right now (and have owned several others in the past) and I can tell you it is NOT just perception but rather it is combination of the reality (not perception) that is IS entry level (both cost and place in the lineup) and targeted demographic. I like the Boxster platform (heck I have one as a race car) but it doesn't do what the 911 does best......STIR YOUR SOUL.

So enjoy your car and quit trying to rationalize your purchase.

When you get a sec, read up on the definition of entry level:
Main Entry: en·try–lev·el
Pronunciation: \ˈen-trē-ˌle-vəl\
Function: adjective
: of or being at the lowest level of a hierarchy

Barn996

I'd say you should buy the Porsche that makes you happy, but do yourself a favor and drive both so you can compare the two. It seems to me that there is no wrong answer here.

MechanicalEng

Get the 996 if you must have a 911, other than that the 987S wins

gota911

Nick,

Great response. Probably one of the few responses that entails personal experience with both cars.

Marc Gelefsky

Having owned both I think I would agree with most of what has been said.

But make no mistake, a Boxster can be a VERY satisfying car to drive and I don't find it to be a "gender specific" car at all.
While I enjoy Jeremy Clarkson's writing and and TV work I must say he's fulla crap in HIS snobby perception of a Boxster. Interestingly, I like the looks of the 986 Boxster better than the 987. The softer lines just look cooler to me.

Anyways, best bet is to drive them both, from a functionality point of view the added interior space of the 996 is nice to have.

ivangene

I waited too long to own a Porsche... sure as hell aint buying a 924/914 or a damn Boxster!!


that said, they are great little cars - riden in a few and was very surprised how good they can be...


Yea, WHATEVER - I only get one P-Car and if I have not already said it... its not going to be that one

htny

Fifth gear once drove a 3.4L RS60 boxster (top spec) against a vanilla mk1 c2. The gap only widens to the mk2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Woq6FinIzlw

Of course the real world is not always a race course. I have found the 911 very practical, I have found amazing use for the seats in a pinch, etc. But I wanted more of a GT than a roadster, and wasn't really looking at cabs, so I'm not the best advisor, however:

For my vote it depends on how much you personally want a 911. If you always wanted one , there is still no substitute and you will regret the decision. If you always wanted a boxster, the same applies. Both cars will be very fast and fun to drive. Drive both, decide.

Quadcammer

a 911 is an inherently flawed platform...the boxster is not. The boxster is a better handling car.

I've found the only people who don't like them are those that haven't driven them or those that are so insecure that they worry about whether its a "girl car".

LVDell

Nice attempt at an explanation but wrong. They are just different platforms.

I have both and drive both VERY HARD on the racetrack in DE and Racing.

The boxster is a great neutral handling platform and has it's plusses in certain places on the track and in others, the 911 shines better. Personally, I absolutely love what the 911 can do on corner exit that a Boxster cannot, but I really like what a Boxster can do on mid corner that a 911 can't. If I had to choose though, I would probably choose the 911 on track, but it would be close....not 50-50 but more like 63-37