It looks like my beloved 996 will be going to a new home tomorrow, so it looks like I better get busy choosing a replacement. I've been in love (maybe lust) with the Spyder since it was introduced and it is at the top of my list right now. The other cars on my list are the Cayman S and 997.2 if I can find one that fits my budget. Drove the E92M3 and really liked it (who wouldn't), but it's a little bigger and heavier than I like. Plus, my wife has a E92 328i. Also drove the new 981 which is spectacular, but finding one with the options that I want will be tough, so it would mean waiting until October to get one. Plus, it will cost $10-15,000 more than a Spyder.

Anyway, I've wandered over from the 996 forum and have been reading as much as I can about the Spyder. The general consensus of Spyder owners seem to be "So what if this or that detail isn't perfect, the car is SO great that I refuse to complain about anything". In all my years of reading internet forums, I've never witnessed this level of love for a car. That really says a lot to me.

This car will be my daily driver and see about 1000 miles a month. I live outside of Houston, so there's no real winter issues to worry about. For those of you in the south who use yours as a daily driver, any issues? Does it get hotter inside after sitting in the sun than a 'normal' car? Also, I gots to have my satellite radio. Are the only reasonable options an add-on receiver mounted in the tray in front of the shifter or an aftermarket head unit?

Looking for a 6 speed car with the sports buckets. Would prefer aqua blue, but I know that they are tough to find. All of the colors look great, so color won't be a deal breaker. Currently have my eye on an arctic silver 2011 that Smith Volvo in California has in their inventory. It seems to have all the right options for me, so it might be the one that I try to buy.

Thanks,
Bobby

 

Hope you join the Spyder club soon! But be warned, you will be very addicted and not want to go back to anything else!

 

First rule of SpYder Club- Spell it correctly. :P

 

Wow...I can't even blame the spelling error on beer!

 

Notwithstanding the accolades from Spyder owners, used ones are starting to show up in the pipeline.

What I suspect (but I would defer to the opinions of current or former Spyder owners) is that it's an easy car to fall in love with, but it's also a car that one can tire of.

Perhaps the compromises in (or absence of) amenities may turn owners off? What do you think, guys?

 

We don't need no stinking amenities ....

In all seriousness, the only real compromise I would note would be the roof in comparison to a regular Boxster but I think it is all worth it...

 

Someone pointed this one out in another thread - awesome set of options!
http://www.jimellisporsche.com/preow...40210/info.php

 

very nice car indeed

 

This is the Arctic Silver one that I'm looking at.

http://www.smithvolvo.com/detail-201...d-8918590.html

 

The ad says Platinum Silver.

 

I know, but they sent me the CoA and it says that it's Arctic Silver, which seems unusual.

 

Option code 740 Show Finish ??? on the car at Jim Ellis

 

In either case, it's a good looking car. Good luck. Spyders are amazing!

 

It looks great. But if I were you, I'd try to get the dealer to come down on the price on account of "high" mileage. It's really not that high and you should be perfectly fine with it, but maybe use it as a negotiating tactic? Though you have to decide how much you want this Spyder, how quickly you want to buy, and whether you're ready to walk away from it (if it sells to someone else while you're negotiating).

FWIW, I've seen some Spyders stay on the market for many months before being sold. And some of them had MT and bucket seats... one would think that those options were more sought-after among enthusiasts.

 

To answer both of your questions, there definitely are certain things that you may get tired of. For instance, the Sport Bucket seats do require a "technique" to get in and out of them. It isn't even close to being as difficult as a Lotus Elise/Exige but it is definitely more difficult than a standard sport seat. If you are going to be getting in and out of the car frequently (short trips to the store etc) then it may get tiring. The top may also get tiring with time since it's not a simple push button operation. It's also louder than a standard top and the additional wind noise can be tiring on longer highway trips (if the top is on). The top would also be relatively easy to break into so if you plan on parking the car in unsafe areas I would think twice about it.

Having said that, I think the seats and the top have a significant impact on driving experience. The seats are incredibly comfortable once your in them and they dramatically increase the "seat of the pants" feel/feedback. You feel like you are a part of the car. Another benefit is the reduced body movement during hard cornering. Instead of focusing on staying in your seat you can focus on the corner!

The benefits of the manual tent top are countless IMHO. The center of gravity is reduced, weight is reduce, it allows for an incredibly beautiful design and you never really have to worry about paying labor to replace the top, you simply replace with new!

Other than that the car really isn't a compromise. But the package as a whole really does work incredibly well, Porsche didn't skimp on design and capabilities.