jk335

Hi Guys,

Still have a unique dilemma on my hands. I'm currently deciding on two great deals.

2009 Boxster S and 2009 C2/or CAB


Is it true the Boxster is much louder than the 911... Road noise, tires, and engine taken into consideration.

I was reading on a thread earlier that a Boxster S owner converted to C2 after getting sick of the engine drone of his leased Boxster S. Would I start to get tired of it. I have accepted the road noise on a 911, but is the Boxster really that much louder? If we are just comparing convertibles, is the CAB that much quieter than a Boxster? Would love people's impressions, and if anyone converted from CAB to Boxster or Boxster to CAB.

MJPereira

I've test driven both and the 911 is quieter in my opinion. It's a lower register where as the boxster was higher pitched. But if you can afford both why would you pick the lesser car?

Nugget

IMHO, The 911 is a better car but the Boxster is a better convertible. It's a tough call either way and I don't think there's a right or wrong answer between the two. I know I had a really tough time choosing between the two when I bought.

savantauto

Morning all:

I don't really think you can say that the Boxster is a lessor car. Many would argue that the Boxster (and Cayman cousin) is more well poised in the handling department than the 997 by virtue of its mid engine set up.

As far as being able to afford the 997 - The owner of the Porsche dealer I work with prefers to get a new Boxster S every year simply because he thinks it is an amazing car. Additionally, our PCA concour chair has simultaneously owned a 996tt and 987s and said no question the Boxster handles better.

I think a lot of people don't give the Boxster its due.

Its not only about being able to afford something.

stubenhocker

I agree, if I was going to own a rag top it would be the Boxster. Particularly this latest model, which seems to address many of the issues I had with the earlier incarnations. Plus it is now MADE IN GERMANY! For what that's worth.

Nugget

In any event, here's a post I made to rennteam a few years back when I was faced with this very dilemma. I still agree with it today, although my current leanings are to trade in the C2S Cab for a GT3 because I've caught track fever and I want something more appropriate for track days. I figure I can always borrow the girlfriend's MX5 or maybe just suck it up and buy a Boxster as a companion to the 911. I have fallen totally in love with the quirky rear-weight handling of the 911 and how it behaves out on the track (I'll be at H2R with TDE on April 18/19, anyone else?)

--

Hi, remember me? I'm the kid who had a report due on "space"...

Er, no, actually I'm the conflicted guy from back in November who couldn't decide between keeping his ///M Roadster, buying a Boxster and buying a 911. I'm sure there was the notion of an Elise in there somewhere too, but that's the gist of it.

Over the past few months I've grown more and more discontent with my BMW. Despite the low mileage, the car's five years old and has been developing a healthy list of little annoyances. While the brutal power was always fun the handling was never all that much to write home about and I think I am finally starting to outgrow the car's capabilities on the autocross track. I can point to a few specific turns or laps where the car was the weaker link, not me. Despite these frustrations, though, Le Chef's words from that thread back in November were giving me comfort...

All winter long it wasn't too hard to live with the idea of not driving a Porsche.

Then disaster struck. My girlfriend found a buyer for all the "go fast" doodads that she's bolted on to her MX-5, which was the tipping point to push her into buying one of the new MX-5s (which are, unbelievably, quite an improvement over the already peerless first and second generation MX-5s). So, last Saturday saw us cleaning out her old car preparing it for sale and test driving a whole slew of other convertibles so that she could be sure that another MX-5 is what she wanted to buy. We drove that Pontiac thing, tried to drive that Saturn thing, and generally spent the day in a car-looking frenzy. Towards the late afternoon she suggested we take another drive by the local Porsche dealership "just to kill some time before dinner."

Our helpful salesman queued up a 911 and a Boxster so I could drive them back to back to really get a feel for the difference between the cars. I'd driven the 987 before, but my last 911 drive was in a 996. It was the first time I drove a 997. All told we spent about two hours between the two cars. The Boxster was as I remembered -- immediately comfortable and familiar. It was like putting on a tailored shirt. The Boxster just goes where you tell it and I always feel like the car makes me a better driver than I really am. It's quite a gratifying driving experience.

The 911 was a different experience altogether. It didn't immediately feel comfortable, or confidence-inspiring. I didn't feel like the car was helping me to be a better driver. But there was something there...

There's this one road near my house (Old Spicewood North of Mopac, if you're an Austinite). On this one road there's this one corner going up a little hill. I love that corner. After five years of driving the ///M Roadster and I are familiar like an old married couple, particularly on that road in that corner. Just the right turn in point with just the right blip of the throttle and the rear suspension of the ///M settles just perfectly into that corner and the car just hunkers down. When I nail that corner just right the car plants itself perfectly for a surge of acceleration so that coming out of that corner I can really punch it into the straight. It's the greatest feeling in the world.

So there we were, driving through just a random residential neighborhood around just a random, boring, and flat corner. And what the hell if I didn't get that same sort of "planted" feel from the back end of the 911. I wasn't even really pushing it and the car sort of gave me a nudge and let me know that whenever I was ready it was just waiting for me to catch up. It was right then that I totally "got it."

That test drive was on Saturday. By Monday I couldn't live with the idea of not driving one. I wrote the cheque on Tuesday. (pics here)

I've been going on gratuitous drives all week, buying groceries one item at a time, and I'll be gently autocrossing it this Sunday. It's already perfectly clear to me -- this 911 is going to be a rewarding car to learn how to drive properly. I don't think it's going to be easy, but I already know it's going to be worth it.

Thanks again, everyone, for your earlier advice and feedback. Reading through the past and current threads here on Rennteam was both inspirational and informative for me as I dipped my feet into the Porsche world.

Edgy01

I suppose the drone of the engine as the comparator between the Boxster S and the 997 Cabriolet is a bit odd. I have never owned a Boxster, much less driven one. (I'm probably the only one here who hasn't). The issue for me was 4 seats. I've been so used to having a 911 car for so long that to abandon a rear seat was not a player for me. But, this time, I elected to go for a cabriolet. I used to own a 914 and that engine, like the Boxster, is right behind the seats and that engine wall. I would venture to say that the insulation has only gotten better since the 1970s. If handling is your only criteria, then the Boxster is the obvious choice. We have a local PCA racer who custom ordered his Boxster S with PCCBs and it is a perfect set up!

BobbyB

I've owned both, believe me there is a difference. Most Boxster owners I know love the sound of the engine. They want to hear the sound of that sweet 6. If you love that sound you will miss it in the Carrera. Even my daughter notices the comparatively quite of the 997 as compared to the mechanical sound of the 993 or the sewing machine like whine of the Boxster. If quiet is your thing, the Carrera is it. There is also a difference in interior space....among other things. If a roadster is for you, seating position, sound etc., go for it. I love them both but for totally different reasons.

jjl

FWIW, a friend of mine who had and loved an '08 Boxter S traded it in for a 335i, he could not deal with the constant engine drone behind his head, it drove him crazy. and he's a guy who likes to race motorcycles.

fast1

Is it true the Boxster is much louder than the 911... Road noise, tires, and engine taken into consideration.

It's interesting that you lumped tire and engine noise together. I don't believe that anyone likes the sound of the noise generated by tires, but almost everyone, at least the enthusiasts I know, love the sounds of a high performing engine. I like others have owned both cars, and the Boxster is louder, but I don't consider that a fault. As a matter of fact it's a plus in my book.

wsmknicks

The Boxster S is like driving a scalpel; the Carrera S is like driving a cruise missile.

Totally different handling and spirit. I honestly don't think one is "louder" than the other - the howl when you get the Carrera up to 5K RPM is a blast; but so is the Boxster engine.

The Boxster never, ever feels "close to the edge" in handling - is is the most supreme-handling car I've ever driven. The Carrera has that interesting / challenging "edge" sometimes - where the back just begins to swing - that is totally fun in a very different way.

Take some long test drives - get on and off a freeway / highway - get both engines up to a few thousand RPM - and follow your heart. I love my Cab S; but man, I miss my Boxster S plenty.

MikeBat

Great post!

todd.

I would have to say that it definitely is a lessor car. I have owned both and while the Boxster/Cayman may be more sporty, possibly more fun to drive, it's obvious to me that it's not the same caliber auto.
The Boxster/Cayman is a much tighter fit in the drivers area, significantly less power, less luxury.... These are all attributes that make the 911 more car, and more money respectively. Also, the blind spot in the Boxster/Cayman is downright dangerous. Remove the top on a 911 and it's all open, the Boxster still feels cramped.

swajames

Is it more well-poised or is it just different? The different weight bias means there's things you can do in a 911 that you can't do in a Boxster. As an example, 911 rear traction is just epic, and you can get the power down very early in corners. The Boxster brings its own advantages. The different bias and balance doesn't necessarily mean one is better or worse than the other, it really just depends what one is looking for.

ELUSIVE

I miss my the hell out of my 2005 Boxster S. It was by far the more fun car to drive over my 997S.
In the end, it was the back seats that I needed and I love my car but golly darn gee was that 987S fun to drive!