neuroguru

I have owned a 993 C4S and I miss it a great deal. I have driven a 987.2 Boxster Spyder and love the car. I think both vehicles will have a special place in the hearts of many collectors in the future. If I can buy another car in the future, I may choose between the two. First world problems.

The handling and steering of the Spyder is quite superior but that does not have to be the deciding factor - both cars are quite fun to drive. It's about the gestalt; the holistic package of appearance, smell, sound, handling, usability, reliability, etc.

Not a huge convertible fan for various reasons, but I don't mind it given my affection for this car's terrific handling. Aesthetically, it is cool, too.

I am curious if you were to purchase a daily driver for longterm ownership which car of the two would you choose? A 993 C2/4S coupe or a Boxster Spyder? Anyone else have the same internal debate as me?

I will pose the same question in the Spyder forum. I am not a big fan of the body shell of the 981 Spyder but am tempted by the 3.8L and improved top.

Let's spare everyone the typical comments dissuading conjecture about future car values and collectibility, buying a car because you love it versus as an investment, etc. These are tired comments that accompany every post like this.

I am hoping to evoke answers that focus on passion and pragmatism: why people love their 993 S or their Spyder and what issues they deal with during lengthy ownership. I'm curious how others that are interested in these two cars would stack the elements of each car's disparate character against each other to make a decision.

golfnutintib

i don't have a box spy but do have 987 caymans and i'll project from that

box spy is a hoot, great handling, great looks, so easy to go fast

993 is more antique, but still drives really well if it is set up properly, and it feels more special to drive than a 987, and, to my eye, even more beautiful to look at than a 987

clib

My frame of reference is my 993 C2S and a Cayman R.

No doubt the cayman is the much more capable car and you can feel it when really wringing it out. But for regular use the cayman almost always sits and the 993 gets driven. It is the perfect sports car for DD. Plenty capable but built at a time in performance boundaries when you could use most of its potential and be really involved in it. Perfect performance envelop for a street car - where most supercars today barely can be used above 5/10s on the street if that. Yet 993 is far more comfortable than my cayman R at least. And the look is just so timeless - taking nothing away from the Spyder. At least for me. And judging by the number of people who still speed up to drive alongside just to give a thumbs up for the 993, its a common if not universal perspective.

after living with the cayman a couple years its great for a track day and those rare roads you can blast on. But if i didnt go to the track, I would sell it in an instant and just use the 993.

richardew

I have a 993 and a 981S. I have about 350,000 miles in 993s. I bought a '95 in 1/95 and traded it in on my '96 C4 Cab. The SAI ports are clogged and it no longer gets through emissions, so I can only drive it 5000 miles/yr. I still love driving the 993 as it is a mechanical marvel. I feel more connected to the car than when I'm driving the 981S. I hate to say it but the 981S is superior. It is faster and it handles better. The top can be deployed while moving (less than 30 mph). I looked at the Spyder. There isn't that much more performance for a lot more cash, and the top isn't automatic. I just don't see the point since you can't drive either at the limit, or anywhere near it. The 987.2 spyder doesn't have a great top and would be a top down car. If you don't like convertibles, why buy a 981.2 spyder?

swmic

I own both and they are very different cars with their own unique pluses and minuses. I thought about purchasing a second 993, but thought the spyder would provide a much different experience, which it has. Here are some quick thoughts;

The spyder will run circles around the C4S. The 993's build quality easily beats the 987. The spyder top is funky, but I like it that way. I usually leave the top on and run with the back window out. It allows a lot of air flow through the cabin without baking you in the sun. The spyder interior space is very limited but front and back trunks help a lot. If you want to track either, the 993 is a better choice, as cabs are questionable on track. The spyder may make a better daily only because it's newer.

If I have to sell one, the C4S is the keeper.

goofballdeluxe

This disparate paragraph aside, the 993 is a collectible and the Boxster/Spyder is not.

The Boxster/Spyder will outperform the 993 every day, yet is far less engaging on anything but a race track and has less of what is often called "soul", whatever that means to anyone.

It's hard to compare, because they are totally different cars from totally different car makers.

The 993 was build to a standard in small numbers by Porsche. The Boxster/Spyder is built to a price point in comparatively massive numbers by VW.

Both are great in their own way. Both are completely different and are born of totally different manufacturing philosophies and standards.

Enjoy both or either in good health

vincer77

Interesting opinions from those who own both- lucky guys!

I love the 993 but for a daily driver I would think that the Cayman being a more modern car would be better for a true daily driver. My 993 is my daily driver but I work from home and you have other cars available in a pinch.

sdm100

Just my 2016 Spyder and here's my comparison to my 95 C2
Love my 95 didn't buy it as a collectable but the drive is pure Porsche. Yes servicing is a pain sometimes and it is not a DD. It is just a great car to get out on early mornings with no one on the road and let her loose.
Having just gotten he Spyder it too is a Porsche driving dream. It handles amazingly, the short shift is incredible and the torgue/power and sound from what is a 911 S with a boxster body is a blast. As for the top it is simple (easier than changing oil on a 993). I would not use this as a DD as our roads stink, and it is cramped for space and without a doubt a ticket magnet. Either way would get more of a high end sedan for a DD. Good luck on your decision as Spyders are hard to find harder than Cayman GT4's

gmorat

Da Bossses new ride.

Marvinta

791 Spyders built total over 3 years for the USA.

sdm100

My dealer sold 10 Cayman GT4 and got allocation for 2 Spyders

il pirata

The 987.2 Spyder was only built in 2011/2012. The number is around 900 for North America, here is a thread on this:

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ferrerid=93689

il pirata

I have had the 96 C4S for awhile, during which time I had a 987.2 Spyder, sold it, and now have a 981 Spyder. Each car has their respective merits and issues.

If you not a fan of convertibles I think you would find either Spyder model not practical for a daily driver ( you did not mention where you live would could come into play as well). For a daily driver the standard Boxster would be easier to live with, unless you live in an area with great weather (SOCAL).

The C4S (or any 993 coupe) has one advantage over a Spyder with the rear interior space, easy to throw a bag/coat/etc in the back seat and retrieve. There is no room in the Spyder unless the passenger seat is empty.

You cannot get to the rear trunk in the 981 Spyder unless you disconnect the rear fins of the roof, although the front trunk is very large.

Either Spyder will run circles around the C4S (my C4S has full RS Suspension/PSS10s/alignment-corner balance by Cervelli). All three cars can never be fully unleashed on the street.

Build quality on the 993 body is superb,interior quality is okay. The 981 Spyder build quality is better than the 987.2 Spyder, frame/interior/etc.

I only got the 981 Spyder because of the 3.8.

If I only had one car, I would have the C4S. If I had a daily driver, then the decision of between a C4S, 987.1 Spyder and 981 Spyder would be very difficult for me.

Spyder_Man

Great thread. You might tell from my handle that I too am drawn to the Boxster Spyders. For me the 987 Spyder speaks to me more than the 981 Spyder. Sure there may be fewer 981 Spyders, but it seems to me like the 981 lost a bit of the "less is more" approach that the 987 Spyder represents. The Spyders and Cayman Rs are of a similar spirit to the 964RSA. Give them time and I do think they will be appreciated for that. But all this is armchair philosophy since I've yet to own or drive one.

Now for hands-on experience, I currently have a '95 993 C2 and I previously owned a '99 986. Both cars were a blast to drive. The lowly 2.5L 986 was clearly underpowered so it doesn't really match up here with the comparison that you're asking for. Engine power aside, when I switched to the 993 Coupe I really found myself missing the convertible experience. Living in California I probably had the top down 75% of the time or more while driving the 986, and I did use it for daily driving. With the top down, the rear defusers in the head rests, and the side windows up, it really wasn't that windy. Having the added sign, sounds, and smells made noticeable by an open car were really wonderful too. Driving through the redwoods being able to smell the damp soil and being able to look directly up to see the tops of the tress... priceless.

Now with the 993 coupe, I almost always drive it with the windows and sunroof closed up. Past 35 mph the wind buffeting and noise make driving with the windows down unpleasant. Driving with the sunroof open is nice a times, but I often find myself cooking in the sun without having really strong airflow in the cabin. So with engine performance aside, the two driving experiences are wildly different - topless vs. enclosed.

The 993 sounds and smells so much better. The older style front windshield provides greater visibility as well. I wasn't a huge fan of the 986 interior, and my 993 has full leather so there isn't really a fair comparison there. For daily driving the 993 still reigns supreme, but for getting out on some open roads in nice weather the open top Boxster experience still has its place in my heart. Lastly while the physical proportions of the 986 and 993 are much more similar, the size of the 987 or especially 981 to the 993 is another factor to consider. I like having a smaller car with more room within the lane to maneuver.

Still for a DD I do think the Spyder's top would get quite annoying, unless you can park it both at home and at work indoors with the top off. If you wanted to dabble in the Boxster world while having slightly more creature comforts and practicality than either Spyder has to offer, then I'd suggest seriously looking at a 981 Boxster GTS.

Good luck and keep us posted on your selection!

Marvinta

Oh sorry 891 not 791.