MessyMarvin

Today was a great day, I finally had decent weather and time to set up an appointment with my local dealer.

First I want to say Father and Sons in West Springfield, MA was Outstanding. They always have been when I get my Audi Serviced, but this was by far the best test drive experience I have ever had and I have been on dozens over the years.

Now on to the cars-

He put me in the 911 first, I was very impressed as I expected. I did expect a little more when I nailed the gas, I have a 500 RWHP Shelby Mustang that might spoil me from that stand point. Higher RPM's it really goes. With that said I have read it does not feel as fast as it is. The car drove great.

He then put me in the S5, I used to have a 1998 M3 Vert and I was thinking maybe this would feel the same, it did not. Do not get me wrong it was an outstanding ride, but a GT for sure. It was fast enough, but I could feel the weight in the turns. As much as I love this car I am glad I drove it, it is out of the running.

Next was the Boxster (Non-S, they did not have an S), I was shocked at how much different it felt than the 911. Some say they do not notice the Electric steering difference, I noticed it in the first 30 seconds. I do not know which I prefer, but it is a huge difference. I was also surprised how slow it was, to me my Audi TT felt faster, the S5 was definately faster. Also the 911 was more solid for sure, it should be for double the original price. The S5 was like a hardtop with the top up, no outside noise, the Boxster you knew you were in a convertible for sure. I was actually disappointed and I wanted to like it. Maybe an S with more options? It was pretty stripped.

Then I asked to go back to the 911 after the Boxster just to confirm my earlier thoughts on the car. This is where I really got a good comparison right after th Boxster down the same roads. The 911 was significantly more powerful than the other 2, it has Sport Seats that is now a Must have for me. The only option I would have wanted was PSE, but aftermarket can address that. I know prefer the 997 steering, it reminds me more of my old air-cooled 911. I also loved that this car had very little blind spots, it is a perfect good weather Daily Driver where I feel the Boxster was really a Perfect weekend go down the back-roads type car.

All that said my hunt for a 997.2 S/4S has officially begun, I got out of it both times knowing it was the car for me. Just a few weeks ago I almost ordered a 981-S, I am glad I held off.

I may persue the one I test drove, it is very close to exactly what I want and it has almost 2 years left on original Warranty plus another 2 year CPO.

Will keep you updated, looking forward to finding something I can own more than 18-24 months with-out getting bored, my Shelby is the only car I have owned for any length of time because I love it just as much 5 years later as I did the day I bought it. To me this car could be that for sharing DD with my Ram Crew Cab.

Sorry for rambling, I appreciate all the folks on this forum, I have spent many hours researching.

Thank you all

cvtbenhogan

It's a thrill to be in the car hunt and testing several cars. I'm jealous.

How was the Boxster handling compared to the 997? Have you considered the new cayman?

MessyMarvin

Funny you ask I did not feel the Boxster handling was better, I thought they were equal overall. I was set on getting a Convertible, but the Coupe was much more solid and quiet inside, not to mention the outward visibility. I wish I could have tested a Boxster S, but I can not think it is that much of a difference from the base Boxster where it would meet my needs.

If I was buying just a weekend corner carver where the top was going to be down more than up I would order a Boxster S today, but I plan to drive this 8-9000 miles a year, it will be a DD on nice weather days (Remember I live in New England). To me the 911 was perfect, it handled great, but seemed more solid on the highway as well. I drive a lot for work, probably 25-30K miles a year so this car would be about 1/3 of those miles. Who knows I might love it so much it ends up being 1/2.

I almost test drove a 997.1 TT, but the thought of it having no warranty stopped me. That and the fact when you put miles on those the value goes down significantly. I have the Shelby for when I want that kind of power. I think the 997.2 S will be better for what I am using it for.

beden1

I had driven my ZO6 to the dealer for my test drive of a new 2012 911 GTS cab and also a new 2013 Boxster S. Both had 6 speed manual transmissions. You should test drive a Boxster S before making your final decision. I found the layout made the car easier to drive than the 997.2 and it had enough power to make the car really fun. The Boxster S has very good balance between handling and power. The one I drove had all of the performance options. I also feel that the Boxster S may be more comfortable to drive on a trip over the 997.2. The new 991 also feels more comfortable to me in that regard.

In the end, I went with the 911 GTS cab because I got a great deal and it is an extremely capable sports car that I would want to own long term. I was not sure that I'd be happy with the Boxster S long term, and the dealer was not willing to discount the car at all since they were just being launched. The net price difference ended up not that far apart between the two cars as the Boxster S gets up over $90,000+ nicely equipped.

I also bought my 911 GTS cab just-for-fun top down spirited driving. We have a couple of BMWs and a Tahoe for trips.

Papa Fittig

Great comparison, thanks!
I must say I agree on all the points. Just before I purchased my 997.1 carrera s I found almost brand new Cayman S (1 y.o. <8K miles) with all the sport features on it in the color I love and I went to test drive it being very certain I'd put a deposit on it right away. As great as this cayman was I felt big differences in the way it drives, accelerates and holds the road vs 911. Many say caymans indeed drive better thsan 911s due to more balanced weight distribution, but it did not push my buttons The seller was very accommodating, he allowed me to drive this cayman on all kind of roads the way I like, and yet I could not fall in love with it. So I pass on it. Maybe upcoming new cayman S would be a better car for me. One day I will give it a try. For now 911 is it.

MessyMarvin

The Boxster S I would order would be about the same price as the 997.2 S I drove today, the car I drove had 3000 miles and 3 years 11 months left on warranty with the CPO. I just can not justify it especially after the test drive.

svt1

MessyMarvin-

Good post! I've never driven the Boxster or S5. We do have a new 2013 S4 with the supercharged V6 and dual clutch auto trans and they are excellent DD's. Very torquey!

I had a 696 rwhp GT500 a while back. It's true, these Porsches don't light your world on fire with acceleration prowess compared to the supercharged V8 Fords, but they press a lot of enthusiast buttons for sure!

I just went from a Boss 302 to my 06 Carrera S (11,500 miles) and I love this car, but I won't lie the Boss was fantastic! 911 ownership has been a life long dream of mine and I still have to pinch myself everytime I go in my garage.

I'm in south east MA. When you get your 911, let me know if you'd be interested in tracking it. I discovers the Sports Car Drivers Association (SCDA) last year with my Boss 302, and it's a great group to run with. I'll be learning the nuances of 911 handling once the season resumes in the spring.

Get the Carrera S you won't regret it!

PHX 911

How about an S6?
You go from 6 to an 8, and about 100 more HP...420 or so.
One of those on the lot?

wheeler

Interesting you mentioned the visibility out of 911 twice. That's also one of the things that really liked about my 997 test drives compared to other cars.

I'm sure the Boxster and Cayman are great cars. Call it shallow, call it uninformed, but neither are 911's...period. Nobody DREAMS of owning a Boxster.

dasams

MessyMarvin

Good to see other Mustang fans and a local one also. I put an offer in already, to me it was a fair offer, but I am in no rush so I will continue to look.

I have not raced in the past, but I want to look into it, I would be very open to coming to watch to see and meet some other enthusiast and see if it is something I would like to try.

MessyMarvin

I did not see an S6 on the lot, they had a R8 a few weeks ago, but sold it recently.

MessyMarvin

Visibility to me is critical, nothing worse than changing lanes hoping no one is in your blind spot. I have driven the New Camaro and 370z, some of the worst blind spots I have ever seen, I am not sure how you make a car like that. For a Convertible I understand it is part of the trade off, but for a coupe it is BS to have to deal with that.

Mumbles

Getting a 997.2 4s is one of the best all round sports cars in the world, jus pick a good un

wheeler

I took a new grand sport out for about 20 minutes one day recently. It would go like hell on the on-ramp, but when it came to actually getting over into traffic it was a bit unnerving. And once in traffic I found myself just sitting in that lane at 62 mph, scared to do much, waiting for the next off ramp. Even after driving it a while I just was not comfortable with the car at all. The Camaro is even worse to see out of but at least the seating position is better for DRIVING. In contrast the 997 inspired confidence instantly and made me want to whip in and out of traffic like a go kart! Love that feeling. That feeling has made me want to write checks and has consumed hours on these forums and for sale sites!