Aside from purists poo-pooing the presence of an auto in a Porsche (there Is a certain sacriledge to that) and slightly slower quarter-mile and lap times, there are really no disadvantages to the tiptronic. For city driving, with it's congestion and slow movement, it may even be preferable. It all depends on you. To me, rowing through the gears is essential, but then I like to get the car out to the track. As to the A.C. I believe it's standard as is leather, cd stereo, power windows, and the other luxo 'options'. The only option I'm aware of is the Sport Package, which has a better sound system. And of course, the S, which is a faster version of the Boxster. But you can't have a Tip in an S, or the Porsche gods may well smite thee. Check the FAQ and do a search on buying a used Box. And newer is better. The engine displacement was increased in 2000-01 to 2.7 ltrs in the standard Boxster, which delivers the hp needed to make the car competitive. And whatever bugs exist in a new model are ironed out year-on-year so with each years' iteration, improvements are made. Which is not to say a '97 is a bad choice. But newer IS better. Whatever you do, make sure you're informed, and the Boxster you bring home will give you perma-grin. Maintenence is not cheap, but neither is it cost-prohibitive, nor are there any serious defects or issues. The tops can be problematic, but thus far I'v e not encountered any problems. Furthermore, I accept that, like all things, nothing is perfect. Likie I said, get as much info as you can, and you won't be sorry.
