mzgambi

I am a current owner of an 80 911 SC Targa and I am considering moving up and am trying to figure out which way to go: Newer Boxter or '89 era 911 Cabrio? I have around 30K to spend and my main consideration besides fun is reliability and repair expenses. I live in So. Cal and this would be my daily driver 365 for a 26 mi commute plus fun weekend drives. Gas milleage is also a consideration since we are paying almost $2.40 for Super around here

I know this board is probably biased towards Boxers but I see that many of you own both styles.

Ray S

Tough choice....with the 911 Cab you get the classic Porsche looks and air-cooled flat-6 (231hp 3.2l). On the down side you have a 15 year old car that is more maintenance intensive than the 986.

On the other hand with the 986 you get a car that is more modern and comfortable, less maintenance intensive, and about 10 years younger. On the down side you lose the back seats and the air-cooled engine (downside for some....not all).

From a performance standpoint, acceleration is a wash. The 2.7l 986 and the 3.2l 911 have similar 0-60 and quarter mile times. However the 986 will have slightly higher handling limits and is more forgiving (IMHO). (I have not driven the 911 Cab, but I have driven the 911SC)

If you can scratch up an extra $5k, you may be able to find a 2000 986S with it's 250hp 3.2l engine, upgraded brakes, and 6-speed trans. However I have the 2.7l and it has plenty of get up an go!

Tough decision......good luck!

epbrown01

I agree with the above points, but another thing to consider is depreciation: the 87-89 911 cab is one of the most depreciation-proof Porsches there is, right up there with the 72-73 911S and the last 993s. Boxsters are enormously popular now which means it's always a buyer's market for a used one because there's plenty of selection, even for low-mile nice ones. If you're planning on changing cars in a few years, I'd go with the 911 cab where all you'll lose on resale in the maintenance (which shouldn't be much if you buy a good one off the bat).

Emanuel

Alan Herod

My SC got slightly better gas mileage then our S before it migrated to its present state and the A/C never worked the way that it does on the Boxster which depreciated like a rock. The A/C on the 911 was tweaked to the max and actually put out 42 F air but at best it was like a squirrel trying to blow the air through the exchanger. For my purposes the Boxster is almost too civilized. The Boxster also feels like it weighs a lot more and it does, 500 pounds more, measured at the local land fill. A Boxster that weighs 2300 pounds would be awesome. The Boxster is a way better commuter car with climate control, other creature comforts and lots of air bags (4) if you loose the battle with an SUV or someone running a light.

Sean

I agree with the remarks about depreciation (although the Boxsters - hopefully - have taken their worst hits by now).

For a daily driver, tough to beat a Boxster S. Two trunks and a modern clean sheet design.

For value, tough to beat a base 2.7L Boxster.

poorschemann

I was faced with a similar dilemma, with about $35k and was comparing a 993 vs. a Boxster and by the way, also residing in so cal. I ended up going with a 2000 Boxster S with 35,000 miles mainly due to reliability and maintenance concerns, considering the vehicle is my daily driver.

Carl

dove

I came from a 964 cab to a Boxster 2.5 and the obvious difference is power,saying this though the box handles better and is more fun and as for the depreciation its not a problem here in the UK,
I went with the boxster because I wanted a lower mileage car, lets face it most 10 yr old plus 911's have big mileage.
As said in previous posts go for an "S" for the extra power. the box is a great car and you will love it.
I was watching on TV here in the UK yesterday a boxster 2.7 against a 3.0 Z4 on a racetrack the Z4 was slightly quicker by 1/2 second but all the testers preffered the Porsche

Paul

Ray S

Actually, according to Porsche specs, the '89 Cab weighs more (3,100-3,200 pounds for the 911 vs 2,800-2,900 for the 986.) However, like you said it would be nice if Porsche would produce an RS Boxster in the 2,300-2,500 lbs. range.

Additionally, the others are correct about the depreciation factor. The older 911 was produced in lower volumes and it will depreciate more slowly.

sasilverbullet

BOXSTER BOXSTER, spell it right before you buy one!

Sean

An RS or Club Sport Boxster would be great! All the Boxster needs is a good diet plan.

It's a shame that Porsche produces a zillion 996 variants and a whopping two 986 models.

Vampyre

This is a tough, but I think the Boxster looks much better as a convertible then the 911 does.

Ray S

Good Point

dove

This is one reason why I sold my 964 cab,with the top down it lookes like a pram hood,the modern boxsters retractable hood looks much neater folded down.

Paul

agentpennypacker

911 Cab, hands down : )

Alan Herod

That is why we have our Boxster -- we wanted a cab and prefered the look of the Boxster to a 911 cab. My weight comparison was between our 911 and our Boxster.