Quote:
Originally Posted by shadrach74
Hmmm... In my experience, simple GM pushrods V8s are far more robust than Pcar engines.
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street or track? The issue seems to be with long stints pushing the car 10/10's.
Quote:
Originally Posted by southernstar
Actually Perfectlap, I consider the pricing (apart from options) on the new Boxster to be extremely reasonable - the base price of new 981, when adjusted for inflation, is virtually identical to the base price on the 1997 Boxster and the car is significantly faster, better finished, better equipped.
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I could not disagree more. I don't think there's anything reasonable about new Porsche pricing since they became profitable again -- insanely so. After all of those immense profits these cars have hardly been Lexus quality and they surely haven't been putting rivals to shame on track. So its pretty clear where the Porsche tax isn't going... into the cars. Granted the rate of mark up has not been as bad on the Boxster as other models but that's nothing more than common sense by Porsche because a roadster is always the toughest sell -- unless no one wants to buy any of your other cars like when Porsche were near bankruptcy selling air-cooled Carreras. Also, I hardly think the 986 Boxster was a good barometer for reasonable pricing back in 1997 with what was widely criticized as an underpowered engine and a bare bones interior. But I'll grant you they've been consistently over-priced relative to cars of similar perfomance, reliability and sigificantly lower running costs.
p.s.
I find it interesting that a Boxster rival like the Honda S2000 with moderate mileage of the same time period as a Boxster (2000 year in the link below) is commanding very similar prices to what was once a such an expensive car like the Boxster.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/00-HONDA-S2000-Convertible-Manual-Transmission-Leather-Low-Miles-We-Finance-/400484239259?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item5d3eb8879b
p.p.s.
I would NOT have purchased a Carrera if they were priced the same when I purchased the Boxster S because price was not the deciding factor. In fact it was my intention to buy a Carrera (only $10K more than the Boxster S at the time and well within my budget) but after watching Tif Needel on 5th Gear declaring a Boxster the best sports car money could buy I had to go drive one to see for myself. I had to agree 100%, once the Porsche tax was done away with by second-hand market reality, I saw no point in spending the extra $10K for the base Carrera. The 986 S was nearly perfect in bone stock trim. I'd never really driven a mid-engine car like that. I was instantly sold before I even returned from the test drive. And I certainly wasn't going to buy a Cabriolet 911. If I wanted a convertible this was the Porsche to buy. I'm no worshiper of the 911, for me Porsche racing history goes further back than than the 1970's. When I think of Le Mans, the Carrera is not what comes to mind. I simply thought why not give a tin top a shot this time but then I made the fortunate mistake of driving the Boxster S and it was no longer a debate. Although I certainly would never buy either new, it's just financially illogical given the obvious effects of mass production on depreciation not to mention the need to budget for the over-priced parts and specialized labor, no room for any Porsche taxes as far as I'm concerned.