i've driven an S2000 as well, you have to keep it above 7000 to get decent torque, another case of clever tuning to produce high HP numbers

 

...because 95+% of the buying public just ask "how much power has it got" without understanding anything about power v. revs, power to weight ratios or gear ratios

 

They are also about as uncomfortable as a car can get. I feel trapped in them. Further as someone mentioned the digital tach feels like it is out of an old Prelude. Wanted one, test drove it, told them to keep it. On the plus side they sound great at about 7K when accelerating
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It comes down to $$$$$!!!! I have neither, i have not had the opportunity to drive either one, but i know the honda is a lot less to buy, insure, drive, and maintain. It makes it possible for these 18 year old punks to come out and give p-car owners a run for their money...literally. If you spent the piles of money on a boxster or any other high priced sports car, and you get smoked by some teen punk in a $500 rolling death trap he built out of spare parts in his dads garage, you have a right to be mad!! Eventually, if you can't beat them you will join them...and that will send the message to Porsche. We can only hope they care.

 

Actually a coworker bought a brand new s2000 about the time I bought my '78 930. No comparison in performance, he complains about a car payment, and feels like he is going to die every time it rains. I think if you shop, the boxter is reasonably priced in comparison and not that expensive to maintain and insure. I would take the Boxter any day for the creature comforts alone.
Rick
'78 930

 

B lane makes a point that has been bugging me for a while.

In the past, Porsche could get away with costing 30,40 or even 50% more than compitition, because you got that much more performance.

Now, you got Audi's for under 40K with 450hp and pulling .9 lateral g's.

Mustang Cobra, with over 400hp, under 40K. With a few mods, out performing many super cars that cost 80K plus.

Then, you got the Mitshubishi Evo ( fast and the furious) on the cover of Sport Compact car, kicking the crap out of a 996 Carrera 4 S, which is about 20-30K more than the Evo. Of course, the car handles extreamly well. Not just a bunch of straight line cars anymore.

Porsche....time to look at the compitition!!!

 

If anyone of those cars listed above is still racing around in twenty years...then I will be impressed. Making a 10 second tractor, doesn't make it a fine automobile.
Rick
'78 930

 

i think that the "racing in 20 years" thing is not quite fair. if porsches received the level of maintainance that most other cars did, they'd be dead just as fast. not to say that porsche doesn't make a great car, but let's be fair: it's owner base does have alot more money to put into the vehicle. when a 944 variant breaks a timing belt, alot of owners get a new head or new valves/pistons wheras that would be a life ending failure for most other cars. i think there are other manufacturers that are just as capable of making a car that can run hard for years.

also, i like to play devil's advocate and say that you can't necessarily just compare s2000 vs. boxter, there is money involved. for the price of a boxter, i'd put a supercharger on the s2000 and make it overall faster and much more torquey for around town driving

 

Racing in this instance was a figure of speech. It's a well know fact the life expectancy of the flat six engine far exceeds the norm(whatever that is), regardless of maintenance. I am primarily referring to the built-in obsolescence not just of the engine, but of the interior...and the other things that make an automobile a " fine automobile". My 78 930 has 95 k miles, still runs strong, and I can get parts 25 years later. Any durability comments concerning the S2000 or Nissan(Datsun)350 are purely theoretical at this point and have yet to be tested. Many car manufacturers are capable of making "fine automobiles" that last, they just don't do it.
Rick
'78 930

 

After a weekend at the track I can say that I will take a Boxster over an S2000 anyday hands down. The S2000 is tail happy and appeared downright dangerous on the short course at TWS. Further an S2000 cost over 30K new so I dont know where the 500 dollar analogy came from. A non S Boxster starts at 42K so there is a roughly 10K dollar difference. Is the Boxster 10K dollars more car? I dont know, I dont have one. Do I want one more than I want an S2000? DUH. At the end of the day after driving both the S2000 feels 10K cheaper and who knows about the longevity of either.
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When I first started shopping around for a new (used) car, I had a C4 Corvette. That was my baseline of which I compared everything I was looking at...HP, Torque, bang for the buck, fun to drive, gas mileage, and insurance costs. I test drove C5 Corvettes (coupe, Fixed Roof Coupes, and a ZO6), a S2000, a Boxster, looked at BMW Z3s and Z4s. The S2000 was fun to drive, but had virtually no daily usability or cargo room for road trips. And as far as cheaper to insure...well it was $200 more than the Boxster for the same policy. If you break it down to simple money, the Boxster is more car for the money and is less expensive to own and drive in the long run. Coupled with the fact that when the day is over, a Boxster is a Porsche and the S2000 is still just a Honda. As for staightline acceleration, speed costs money-how deep are your pockets and how fast to do you want to go? With today's technology, you can pick up an old Honda Civic for $5000, put $10,000 into it and stomp just about anything on the road, to include 1/4 million dollar super exotics-all for half the price of a Boxster S. In short, I have no real point to make, other than it comes down to where your passions lay. Do you want pure speed for cheap, or do you want a reliable car you can drive every day and enjoy that also has great performance capabilities.

 

Well said Luv N Life.

 

First i'd like to say that the anology that honda makes "bulletproof" engines came from the 80's era of making small 4 cylinder engines with low rev ceilings. I hate to tell some of you guys but you really get what you pay for, the s2000 has one expensive and very well made engine. But, the interior is cheap and ugly, the roof latches are cheap, those are just a few i noticed when i drove one. The porsches are made with high quality everywhere, so the only thing the seperates the boxster from the s2000 in my mind is the quality of overall package. The wrx wasn't much different and i have yet to drive the evo, but when it becomes a little more common and i can find one i'll be sure to look for certain things. There's also a thread PP called "Say no to 350z part 2" where on of the members sold his 911sc. Then purchased and brand new 350z, and after 1 month of owning the car, he sold it back to the dealer and bought a silverado. He's also anticipating his return to the 911 world.
All most of the manufacturers are doing these "ricers" are making cars that cheap out on the stuff that doesn't matter to the stats. And go big on anything that can bring it better performance numbers. Face it, to most "The fast and furious" type, interior leather made from the finest cows a$$ isn't a big deal, but having neon lights and large exhaust tips are. And having high a output engine in a lightweight car so that you can flex your testosterone at someone else is an extra bonus. And that's what the manufacturers are giving them, better handling with less comfort to the ride, light weight with less comfort amenities, and a high output motor.

 

I do agree that im many cases it is true that you get what you pay for. I'm a believer in getting good value at the same time. To me - the Boxster S wasn't worth the extra 20K over the S2000.

And the S2000 makes a pretty good track car too!

One day I'll have the Porsche I really crave - a 993 C2S. Until then - I'm going to enjoy my little Honda. My brother just bought an '02 996 Cab C2 - nice car - that 320hp is fantastic!

Some of us Honda owners are about more than neon and gt wings.

 

I drove a new S2000. My WRX will trounce it for far less money. A Boxster 2.5 will get it's butt kicked by either of these cars. I wouldn't even be a Porsche owner if I hadn't driven a 964 which is much better than the WRX and S2000. The S2000 has a great sound but the motor is still pretty weak.