996 vs boxster-s for first purchase?
 

I've been living in the 996 forum the past 4 months or so. Have a few VERY good deals on some later model cars I can buy, but I'm starting to get leery about the pricing (primarily because I want a 2002+ for various reasons). It's perhaps out of my comfort range when combined with other ventures I have on the go.

This being said I've started poking around at the Boxster-S. I drove a base Boxster last fall...it was poor in acceleration and quite disappointed me so I abandoned them and started looking at Carreras.

Thoughts on engine reliability of the 2002+ Boxster-S? Thoughts on that car vs a 99-03 996?

I will continue pursuing the archives but figured I'd ask afresh.

Thanks for any advice/opinions.

personally I think your deciding factor should be your desire for a coupe or a roadster, for a roadster the car is wonderful, and if that's appealing you should definitely test drive one

however, if the roadster thing isn't what you're going for you'll be happier with a carrera

my 2002 box s has 32k miles now and has only needed the rms/ims replaced, other than that it's been great

the 0-60 difference between a 2.7 Boxster(base 2000-2004) and a Standard Carrera is hardly big enough to consider the 2.7 acceleration to be poor.
I've been to autocross events where a good driver in a non-S recorded quicker lap times than a few standard Carreras also driven by good drivers. The point being if you are basing acceleration on the one dimensional aspect of straight line accelerration you probably aren't a roadster type. Quite frankly I found the straight line accelartion to be underwhelming in all the non-GT2/3/Turbo Carreras I've driven. And handling is a clear win for Boxsters and Caymans.
Personally, not saying this is you by the way, I think that anyone buying a Boxster because they can't afford or want to spend the money for a Carrera is a poser.
Kinda like saying I can't afford an X5 so I'm looking at a Z4. Two different cars for different purposes.
The Boxster or BoxsterS are the roadsters of the Porsche brand, the two seater that all roadsters are compared against. Can't really say that about the Carrera within its sport car segment. But its still a great car none the less. You can't lose either way.

p.s.
Boxster and standard 996 repair and maintenace, hourly labor rate, parts prices are virtually the same. Something to think about.

Thanks for the replies. I understand acceleration isn't just straight line...however a base boxster of what...~6.3-6.8s? The carrera2 is 4.9-5.2s....that's a HUGE difference. In general there is a massive difference in driving feel coming out of corners, off a line, passing power on the highway, etc. And without a doubt the Boxster feel sluggish compared to my G35, which is significantly slower than a base Carrera.

I'm also considering a Z4.

I yearn for a convertible, but I live in Vancouver so b/t November and April I deal with lots and lots and lots of rain :) I need to understand if that will be too impactful on me.

The next 996 without a "GT3" on its rump to pass me at an open trackday will be the first one to do so.

If you want a 911, get a 911. Otherwise you won't be satisfied. If you just want a good car, and you want a good Porsche, well, the 986S has found more favor with enthusiasts than the base 996.

If you have forty grand (or the CDN equivalent) in your pocket, you could also consider a decent 993. The depreciation curve is considerably shallower and, in fact, is starting to look like a flat line. It's a more visceral and "Porsche-ish" car than either of the water-cooled choices.

I started off looking at 993s. Great cars. I like them a lot.

Not so great daily drivers...which is what this car may turn out to be.

Short answer-
Get the Boxster S!

Longer answer-
Right off the bat, I'll say something that will probably get me slammed by every 996 owner on the planet, but it's an opinion shared by MANY Porsche purists, and most of the motoring magazines: The 996 was a step in the wrong direction for Porsche. The 993 was sublime, and in returning to that form, the 997 is devine. The 996, to me and many others, felt like a hiccup between the two.

Many people that bought a 996 were a little miffed when they realized that there was basically no difference between the early 996 and the Boxster until you moved aft of the dash. This is the reason Porsche slightly redesigned the headlamps and tweaked a few things midway through the 996's life- to make it look less like a Boxster.

All that being said, it's still a 911!! They handle great, they're fast enough to keep you from being embarrased by almost any other car out there, and it was still made by Porsche.

When I bought my Boxster S, I also looked at a few 996s. The prices on 996s have dropped sginificantly (reference above for one of the main reasons), and it makes it a fairly even competition price-wise between the two.

I bought the 986S because I wanted a two-seat roadster with the engine in the middle and a car that sets the bar in its class. Hell, even the new Corvette was measured against a Boxster S by a few of the major car mags.

Bottom line- there's a reason all the exotics and the Carrera GT have their engines in the middle- perfection. Give the Boxster the 997S' power, and you have the perfect car. Look at the Cayman... I think the Cayman has become Porsche's best model. Slightly underpowered to keep the 911 on the top of the family heirarchy, but that's easily fixed. And the Cayman has a far superior chassis design/platform.

I LOVE my 986S, and I wouldn't trade it for a 996, no question. If I need a little more space, I have a 968 and a Saab 9-3SS for that. The Boxster is just pure FUN with no consideration for anything but.

And please tell me you were kidding about the Z4 remark... :eek: Don't be that guy.


Dave
San Diego

As a former owner of a Boxster, 993, 996 and now a Cayman S owner I will give you thoughts. First drive and decide. A mid-engined roadster vs. a rear engined coupe means they are going to drive significantly different (notice I said different and not better or worse). Which you prefer is going to depend on what you are looking for. The Boxster and the 911 go about things differently and have different strengths and weaknesses. In stock form, the mid-engine layout of the Boxster provides sublime handling and a more "sporting" driving experience than the heavier rear end 996. However, the 996 definitely provides more kick and go when compared to similar aged Boxsters.

The 996 doesn't derve the bashing some give it. I drove one on a daily basis for 3 years. While the styling may not appeal to everyone it is a fantastic performer and a great car. In many ways its a superior car than the 993 (which I owned for 3 years also), it just depends on what your intentions and desires are. While the 996 has depreciated quite dramatically so have the Boxster models.

I will throw a wrench into your debate. If you are considering a 2002+ 996 more than likely you are considering cars in the $40k+ range. Have you looked at a used MY2005+ Boxster/S? The power output is much better than the pre 05 cars (especially if you get the 07 S model which have the same engine as the Cayman S) and the chassis has been significantly stiffened. Additonally the interior has been completely revised. The 05+ cars have significant upgrades that only add to the overall driving experience. With the increase in power the performance difference between the Boxster S and the 996 is not that great (the base Boxster as about the same output as the older Boxster S). Not to mention the maintenance cost of the 05+ Boxster is going to be less than the 996 or older Boxster (for one you still have a factory warranty)

I can't say enough about the subliime handling of the mid engined cars. They are just nimble and offer a huge "fun factor" in daily driving situations at relatively safe public road speeds. At public road speeds the the Boxster is just very tossable and feels like it goes where you are pointing it, while the Carrera is heavy feeling in comparison. However, as the speeds increase the Carrera comes into its own and better "planted" feeling, IMO. To really appreciate the fun of the Carrera you have to be willing to give up your license or take to the track.

Don't take any of this a negative on the 996. Wonderful car and still a blast to drive. I guess what I am saying is extensively drive a few examples of both cars (without salesmen and passagners if at all possible) to really get a feel for what each car offers and see what you think is right for you. In the end you have to be happy with your purchase. The bottom line is you can't go wrong with a Boxster, 996 or 993, you just have to know what you are getting into.

Why dont you buy a Boxster that has had a 911 engine swap? They are less then the 996 and have lots of hp and track potential! Im doing a 1997 porsche boxster 3.4 swap as we speak. I was going to go for a 3.6, but its alot more complicated. After Im done with the swap Im going to sell it because I have a 1984 slantnose in the garage waiting for me. Its a 1997 boxster with a brand new 3.4 996 engine with 2 year warranty, full coil over race eibach suspension, lowered, cross drilled rotors, 18" moda black powdercoated wheels. Very nice! Let me know if you are interested, I'll have it done in less than a month or so.

The 2.5L was 6.0-6.3 0-60. I think the 2.7 might have dropped a couple of 10ths. The S was in the low 5s in 2002.

I would imagine that the '07 Boxster S with its 295 HP engine will run about a 4.9 0/60. So if you can afford a new Porsche and want a relatively fast roadster, then the Boxster S would be a great choice.
Buying a roadster in Vancouver would be an emotional rather than a thoughtful choice. It may be a good idea for you to lease a Porsche Boxster S for two years just to see if it is the type of car that you may want for a future purchase.

I currently own both cars ('00 986/'02 996).

First, the acceleration difference is HUGE. Even the 986S is noticeably slower than a 996. On the other hand the 986 is more tossable than the 996.

But, if I were you I wouldn't make the decision based on the acceleration or handling alone. What are you going to use the car for???

If you'd prefer a hard top and could use the back seats, I'd recommend the 996. If you want a roadster, and don't mind the soft top or two seats get the 986.

They really are both great cars!!

BrockPorsche - buy what ever floats your boat, but I have to say your "tone" sounds more like a 911 kind of guy than a 986/987 kind of guy.

But some of this whole discussion bothers me so I'm gonna get it off my chest..... :soapbox:

First of all, of course the 911 accelerates quicker. Even with all other factors equalized, the 911 is REAR engined, which means that it doesnt have to rotate the weight of the engine during weight transfer when starting motion. More of the torque is converted into forward motion.

Secondly, 0-60 translates into neither passing performance nor corner exit performance. Sorry, but 50-80 isn't the same thing as 0-60. Zero to sixty is a dead stop to 60 mph "red light" number. Unless your aim is drag racing red light to red light, it doesn't really mean all that much - this is a ROADSTER. If you want a drag racer, buy a Mustang GT500, not a Porsche. Corner exit performance is more affected by how much speed you can carry through the corner apex, and for an average driver (you said this is your first right?) the 986/987 will probably carry more corner speed for you.

Also, all the 0-60 numbers I see being put up here are published numbers off a 2.5L - the smallest Boxster engine. The 2.7L is 5.8 and the 3.4L 987 is 5.1. Spend $1500 and breath either of those engines a little bit, and those times improve by at least 0.4 to 0.5, approaching the same area as the Carrera.

I ran drag cars for the better part of 25 years, so I know a thing or two about acceleration times. I have a 2.7L base 986 with headers/exhaust/and EVO intake, and I will be happy to run for pinks with anyone who actually believes that it takes 6 seconds for my car to hit 60.

....down off my soapbox. Sorry for the rant. :icon501:

Good info in this thread.

Two different cars, with that said, we really need to know what you are after?


Have you thought about a 996 C4S? great car with AWD and back seats! Might be a better choice based on your weather...

But truly the Boxster is a Great car, and do not let the 0 to 60 times be your deciding factor, there is much more to Porsche's then 0 to 60.

if roadster, i'd get an '04-'05 s2000 and call it a day. fantastic cars. great reliability.

but a 911 is a 911. and guess wht fellas? all cars depreciate and if you check it out, the 997s depreciate just as quickly as the 996s. some of you speak as if the 996 is especially hit hard. pls. no porsche save for the handful of models, shun depreciation. it's just basic economics.

you get a clean 996 and it won't look any more dated than the 997 - just different. skip the boxster. u won't be happy without a 911.