Daniel Dudley

Have any of you done this , and is there a thread on this already ?

My wife goaded me into selling my Euro SC, and now I am considering worthy replacements. I have never driven a Boxter, but they seem to be the real deal to me. I am also considering 86 and later Carrera Targas with working air.

David A

Is there any way you can have both?The Boxster is a great modern Porsche but the SC is an air cooled classic that you can't replace.

Charlie C

I did. My Boxster S handles better, is faster, and has all the modern comforts. I loved my SC and mine was a Euro too. I loved the way I could hang out the rear end fairly comfortably in an autocross. My SC was a targa and although i liked having the top off, it was a pain when I parked to put the top on and then take it off again. You can't beat just pressing a button, at least on a '03 or newer. The older ones had a plastic rear window which requires doing the "chop" to make sure the windows folds without a crease. But even with the plastic window, it's way more convenient and is still electrically controlled (ie. push a button).

Marc Gelefsky

I own an 86 Targa and had an 01S, Would this be a daily driver?
The Boxster as Charlie says is a much better more modern car and if Air conditioning is really important the Boxster wins hands down.
You know what an older 911 drives like, what you need to do is drive a Boxster.

JonM..

No comparison really, the boxster makes my old 87 carrera seem like such an antique. I love my boxster. It's better in every way I can think of.

qball

I'm doing the same thing, I have my 83sc up for sale and looking to move into a boxster. Need a more modern car, although i'll miss the raw feel of the 83.

perfectlap

Don't leave out the CaymanS.
After driving all the 996 911 (except the GTs) and a bunch of older Pcars, the CaymanS is the only car that made me think, for even a second, about selling my BoxsterS. All Modern 'water cooled' Porsches feel a little muted, disconected and underwhelming(in terms of power) but imho the CaymanS hits all the right notes for a driver's car.

Daniel Dudley

Thank you gentlemen. I think I do need to drive a Boxter S

911sport

I traded my 82SC about 8 months ago for an 03 Boxster. This was a Porsche certified car--one owner new Boxster trade at the dealer.
The SC handled very well, but is a punishing car to drive. The gearbox is a bear, it's noisy and very stiff riding with sports shocks, the ventilation system is crude, and the fuel injection is outdated.And, oh yes, the oil leaks, probably due to inadequate oil cooling unless you have a radiator/fan oil cooler in the front end.The seals go after 20 years or so.
It was raw, but very classic: the black Fuchs wheels, the great lines and the solid opening and closing of the doors--like a machine. Nice leather inside, and classic dash. There was definitely a fun element in driving it, but it was not an everyday car. You drive an SC, you can drive anything.

The Boxster gives you a combination of luxury and performance. Oddly enough, I don't push the Boxster to high rpms like I did the SC, because you don't have to with the current generation cars. It's a much more comfortable car to drive. Much quieter, softer yet firm ride.The gearbox is very good (an Audi, I'm told) .Steering and braking are easier.Handling excellent. An everyday car. And it's a convertible, which is nice in warmer weather. And no oil leaks, so far.

Actually it's apples and oranges comparing the two.

GusLight-Rennsport

I went from an 87 911 Cab to a 99 Boxster, then to a 2002 Boxster S. No comparison, I had great times in the 911, & loved the look, but I'll never look back, I much prefer the Boxster S for all the reasons mentioned in the post above.

One hint, before you drive one, practice spelling it! BOXSTER, with an S

Daniel Dudley

Thanks. I have probably misspelled Boxster at least 100 times.

911sport

I might add that I also looked at a 996 C4 3.4L. Didn't think it was much different than the Boxster driving on back roads, except for 6 speed. I did like the rear seats and bigger interior. But you get two trunks in the Boxster, and the rearview mirror is cleverly a bit telescopic, giving you a more spacious feel to the interior behind you.

Didn't get the 996 mainly because of the RMS problem with that engine. This one had an RMS job at 27K miles. You don't want to mess with having to replace that engine down the road.

dennisafrompa

You don't have to replace engines for RMS issues.

911sport

If the shaft tolerance isn't right, as happened in some cars, the RMS problem doesn't go away, and the only solution is to replace the engine. I did some reading up on this problem when I was looking at cars. This one was Porsche-certified for 2 years, but what about after that? Imagine an oil leak after only 27K miles. That's a flag.

jwilson95

I'm thinking of going the other way from an '02S to an '89 911.

Always wanted an old 911.