Boxster S vs. Base

After glancing and reading the defense of base owners and such it occured to me that that isn't the best way in going about getting the most accurate answer. The threads often seemed colored with bias. I don't mean to discount their opinions, or start anything. It's that I appreciate critical thinking, and well, I think the proper question should be:


How many S owners regret getting the S, and wish they'd have gotten a base instead? The question is distinctly different this way, and I think far more telling.


I'll start. I do not have any regrets of paying more for an S, and would not consider a base model. If and when I look for a 987, it'll be another S. IF the price spread was say 10k, then I may consider a base.





Disclaimer:
This is not meant as gloating or any such nonsense.

I hope my next Boxster is a "T"...as in TURBO!

[funster]

I think that S owners bought the S because it had what was important to them, and likewise for the base owners. People drive cars for different reasons. I bought the S because I wanted all of the performance that I could get, and am thrilled. Most people do not drive the way that I do. I love to experience the limit of what my car can do and more S owners probably do too. The base car has a lot of capability as well and is a very fun car to drive. Some people enjoy a car that performs wellin a more leisurely fashion. Sometimes I enjoy a leisurely drive in my S as well. All in all they are both great!

[super66]

hmmmmmm....not sure but if we are comparing apples to apples....I have an 05 987 base....if the original question is would I have picked it over an 05 987 S....no, I did pick it because of cost and looking back I should have been a man and bit the bullet

now if the question is would I have got an 986 04 S over my 05 987 base, not in the wildest....

I'm with B....next box will be a T

[Bavarian Motorist]

Originally Posted by super66

hmmmmmm....not sure but if we are comparing apples to apples....I have an 05 987 base....if the original question is would I have picked it over an 05 987 S....no, I did pick it because of cost and looking back I should have been a man and bit the bullet

now if the question is would I have got an 986 04 S over my 05 987 base, not in the wildest....

I'm with B....next box will be a T

Same here. Cost was the issue. Live and learn.



Next Boxster will be a "3800 B" for 3.8l Beast.

[djomlas]

this is something similar accross the boards.
Z28 and SS, C5/C6 and Zo6... you know.

i wouldnt mind getting the S, and would take it over the base, but at the time all i can afford to spend on the car was a base price, and i think that is the greatest factor here... im sure MOST people would take S over base.

but i would like to hear some more comments as well. great post tho

[brp987]

Maybe the better question to ask is, for those who have driven each sufficiently, is the price differential justified? I got an S, but never drove a base so I can't compare. If I recall, in Excellence they said the S is nicer, but not 20% nicer. I also drive a 90 hp 914 and a 180 hp 911, both of which I enjoy. HP doesn't necessarily translate to satisfaction. But, I do most of miles on a sportbike, so most cars seem slow. On the other hand, nissan, or infinity or whatever makes the 350z. That car I understand is fast. They put the same motor in a sedan and a minivan. You can tell by the distinctive groan from the exhaust. I'm already tired of that sound even though I don't own one. If I were blown off by a minivan in my boxster I would be seriously concerned about my purchase, S or base.

[FrayAdjacent]

Well, since the Boxster is my daily driver, I went for a base model, so I could get the newest lowest mileage that I could. I also like the decent fuel efficiency.

When I have a different commuter, if something should happen to the Box, I would consider getting an S for a fun/weekend/track car.

I can understand base owners with different objectives and such, and also owners who didn't have the choice before the S came out, and also owners who plain could not justify the extra $ for an S.


But for those who are on the fence and find it a hard decision, I can't really rationalize it since it was one of the easiest choices I've ever had to make. For ~20% more, you not only get 20% more power AND torque, you get the better brakes, 6 speed, AND suspension. That's a whole lot of performance and represents a GREAT comparative value for performance minded owners. After all, Porsche is known for performance right? Not so much for grocery getters or boulevard cruisin.



Again, I'm not hounding any owners.



Turbo Boxster would be AWESOME! I doubt the factory will put one out, it would be too easy to tweak and lay waste to the cash cow 911 NA.


I am curious as to the comparo of the 987 vs 986. The only thing that gets my blood pumping about the 987 is PASM (power bump is nice too, interesting same displacement of 996 3.4 yet still lower on power, who says Porsche didn't hobble the box!). Call me a heretic, I actually like maybe even prefer the fried eggs and non metallic interior. Though newer is almost always nicer, what else am I missing?

[mikefocke]

Maybe even more fun because it was more the driver and his skill rather than the car and its HP.

Not that the S isn't a better car.

I totalled the base and bought an S with the insurance proceeds. I'd rather have the '99 base back in preference to the '01 S because then there would be one more P-car on the road.

And the grin was as big and the complements the same.

Besides, I was less tempted to get into trouble with less HP to pull me out of the situation.

[Boxtaboy]

I've driven pretty much all of them, as I have a bunch of local Porsche buds here in the tri-state area that let me drive their cars: 2.5L Boxster with 201hp, 2.7L with 217hp (I own one), 3.2L with 250hp, 3.2L with 280hp(987S), 3.4L with 295hp (Cayman S), Base 997 Carrera Cab with 325hp, 997 Carrera S Cab with 355hp, and 996 Carrera GT3 with 381(hp).

Not counting any of the 996 and 997 cars, I honestly can say that from my experience, there really is not that much difference that I felt between driving my car (an 01 base 2.7 with 217hp) and the 986S with 250hp. I actually could hardly feel a difference in pull during acceleration. The 280hp Boxster S I drove, while a nice improvement in design inside and out from the 986, still didn't wow me with the power delivery. The difference I really did feel was between driving my car and the 295hp Cayman S. That drive really impressed me, and it felt like the car, in gears 1-4, had a real nice kick in the pants to it. I think the best value at Porsche today is the new 3.4L Boxster S. Top down, great looks, fast car, with all the new gadgets.

The Cayman S I drove felt almost just as quick as the base Carrera I drove, but of course, slower feeling than the GT3.

Back to the question though- do I regret not getting the S from the get go? Yes. I happened to first test drive a base, and felt it gave me enough grins, so I decided to buy it right there on impulse. Do I enjoy my car any less because of that decision? No. It's still a heck of a fun car to drive, and I'm gonna keep it for a while. Plus, it's nice not having a car payment when NYC parking costs me $560 per month.

[steve00s]

Before I bought my 2000 986 S several years ago, I drove the base and didn't feel the excitement. I was a little disappointed with the lack of get up and go. In fact, I kind of felt like it wasn't the kind of car I was looking for. I love the feeling of torque and started to look elsewhere. When I drove the S I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. While not the torque monster of a vette, it did feel like a different car than the base. I have since discovered and love the great handling characteristics of the car and now have a greater appreciation for the base. But the S to me is the way to go.

[OldBlevins]

I suspect part of the equation is whether one buys used or new. The difference in cost between the base and the S for a new car is pretty significant - but I think it diminishes over time.

I bought my 2000 S a month or so ago after having driven a friend's 2000 base model, and it feels significantly sportier to me than his did. Of course, I drove his like it was his, and I drive mine like it's, well, mine.

That said, I have no regrets over shelling out what looked to me to be the extra couple thou it took to get the S model of that age over the base model.

[mylamb]

I bought a 986 S and have no regrets. I test drove SEVERAL to make sure I was getting the one that I really wanted.

1998 Silver 2.5
2001 Lapis 2.7
2001 Meridian Metallic 3.2
2002 Black 3.2
2003 Black 2.7
2006 Silver 2.7
2001 Silver 3.2 (bought)
2002 Black 3.2 (very clean but priced too high)

Funny - I couldn't find much difference at first between the power going from Base to S, but once I got back into a base, I could feel the power deficit. Make any sense? I think the 986 vs. 987 debate is a different matter entirely - apple & oranges. But all advice appears to be that if the cash is there to be spent, the newer car is the one to get. I wasn't sure about the S vs. Base until I started asking around. I spoke with service techs at 4 dealerships in IL & 1 in MI and 2 Porsche specialty shops - all said that the S was the way to go for a stock car & if I wanted to make upgrades (I think they were thinking of REVO software.)

Now as for the apples vs oranges debate... I may be the only person on the planet who (even though I LOVE the look & quality of the 987) would not choose a 987 base over a 986 S. I just wasn't impressed with the power delivery (yes, I know the HP is almost identical.) I never said I was sane! Price was undoubtedly weighing in on my decision - there was about a $14K difference in the pre-owned 987 & my 986 S. Now if Loeber just "happened" to have a spare Arctic Silver 987 S that they needed to give away... my pops would be finding that 986 S in his driveway as a Father's Day gift!