So why a Boxster?

[crios]

I'm deleting my earlier post...why people are debating between a Porsche Boxster and Pontiac Solstice is just crazy....and sad.

What's next...Boxster vs. Miata?????

[nefarious986]

Ditto on the Boxster choosing me.

I wasn't at all a 'p-car' guy when I got it .. seriously didn't know a 944 from a 914 from a 996 .. but this is my second one in 3 years. Somehow it just feels right for me and makes me happy to get into it.

[sd_boxster]

Solstice bickering aside, the Boxster is a sweet car. I've never owned a car that felt so... capable.

[NWI Bill]

Well, I owned a Solstice for 3 years. I saw my first one in 2003 at the Chicago Auto Show and decided right then and there I was going to buy one. I did as soon as they came out. I really enjoyed the car. It was easy to mod and after a couple of years of production there were tons of after market bolt ons, even SCs & Turbos.

The problem I had was a lack of Pontiac's commitment to the car. They rushed it to production to compete with Mazda. It shows in the fit and finish of the car, one of the biggest complaints among Solstice owners (just visit the Solstice Forum).

I sold the Solstice to buy a Boxster and there is no comparison. The Boxster is what the Solstice could have been if Pontiac had taken the time to really see how a sports car is built.

Sorry to the Solstice fans out there but the Boxster is a much, much better car. I still like the Solstice and it's retro look but I'll keep my Porsche.

NWI Bill

[ekam]

Originally Posted by NWI Bill

The problem I had was a lack of Pontiac's commitment to the car.

That's a problem for 95% of all Pontiacs out there???

Sorry don't know why people bring up a Pontiac (or any American make) in this discussion either.

Oh wait I forgot people are still debating between Boxster and a Vette...

[944boy]

I bought mine because I am hopelessley in love with Porsche's and I needed a newer driver over my 944 (which can pull ~1.2-1.5g's).

I took the amount of money I had to spend, and wrote down every car I could buy with that money that I would have ANY interest in. The only one that had a fighting chance against the Boxster was the M-coupe, but it was still pulling the same money as a used Cayman. Neither of which was in my price range.

[eightsandaces]

Originally Posted by ekam

That's a problem for 95% of all Pontiacs out there???

Sorry don't know why people bring up a Pontiac (or any American make) in this discussion either.

Oh wait I forgot people are still debating between Boxster and a Vette...

Ahh you're ruining all the fun, I thought today we could contrast the 944 and Fiero for those still trapped in the illusion pontiac builds capable sports cars.

[Trade911forBoxster]

I still have my 06 S2000 (bought new) and My 03 Boxster S. I sold a really fantastic air cooled 911 to get the Box, back in December.

1. The S2000 has a much better shifter than the Box, and a bit more steering feel. Turn in is definitely sharper. On the other hand, it has far less torque, and a much more brittle (and brutal) ride. I don't know how much it costs to service one, because the thing has never failed in any way. The S2000 may look "girly" to some, but a Boxster rides like a Jaguar sedan by comparison to an S2000, has better HVAC, etc., making it feel much more luxurious. Although there's less interior volume in an S2000, I find its seats a bit less confining across my lower back than the ones in the Boxster. But other than that, the Boxster gets the comfort award from all women who have ridden in both.

Also, there was never an automatic S2000, which removes it from the chick car category to some extent.

I lived in Japan for 3 years, and became friends with a senior Honda powerplant engineer who had worked on the Honda F1 team. He said they put everything they knew into the S2000. It was intended to be nothing more than a limited edition, pure sports car to celebrate their 50th anniversay, and they never expected it to be popular. Kind of like their original S600, only on a catastrophic 'roid rage. He said they lose money on those cars, particularly because of the work they put into the drivetrain. They use the same tolerances and quality control procedures building an S2000 engine that they do for their F1 engines. Even the NSX doesn't come close to that level of attention to detail. If only they'd made it a straight 6...

2. I'm really surprised that some of you have had such negative eperiences with the Solstice. I never drove one, but I did look at them. In terms of panel fit, and other visible indicators of quality, they're in a whole different universe than the bad old Pontiacs. I'm no fan of 4 cylinder buzziness (which is why I'm selling the S2000 a little later in the spring), but by all accounts they don't perform that badly, esp. the supercharged one. I think they look pretty good really, with none of the typical Pontiac scoops and geegaws. Useless trunk though.

3. I actually had an 86 Fiero GT in the early 90s. The worst thing about it was unreliability. I went through 3 A/C compressors one summer, the shift cables failed while my wife was driving in heavy traffic one day, and one time a piece of the catalytic converter detached inside, making a horrible racket until it was replaced. It had 20,000 miles on it when I bought it, and I sold it before it had 26,000 because it was eating me alive in repair expenses. But it had a lot of grip, and decent power, for an 80s car. Considering the origins of the drivetrain (the GM X cars), I thought they did a remarkable job of converting it into something fun to drive. Its balance was surprisingly good, and I never got the feeling that it would be scary at the limit. Relatively good ride too. Hideous, idiotic rear spoiler on it.

4. I've had a lot of BMWs, and I really wanted to like the Z3 and the Z4, but I didn't enjoy the way either of them drove. The Z3 was ok, but seemed to be more expensive than it should have been for what it was. A Boxster apperaed to be a better deal for the money to me, as it handled better, had a more comfortable ride and cabin, and better carrying capacity. The Z4 is certainly a better distance cruiser in every way than the Z3, but I really don't like the way it handles. It feels like the front roll center is excessively high for a performance car, and there's something very strange about the steering feel that I can't quite put my finger on. That includes the "S" model, which I drove shortly before buying the Boxster. The Z4 definitely has a better interior than the Boxster. The design is fresher, and the materials are drastically better. It just isn't that great of a sports car.

5. The Boxster is excellent, but suffers in comparison to my old 911 in a few ways. Good 3.2 Carrera engines seem almost indestructable. Mine had 107k on it when I sold, had never been apart, and still had excellent compression. People run those engines for 3 or 4 100k miles all the time. I don't get the feeling my Boxster will last that long. The 911 also had the best seats I've ever had in any car. It had more steering feel than the Boxster too. Of course, it had incredibly bad ergonomics and ancillary switch and control gear. I never found drop throttle oversteer to be that much of a problem, but I concede that driving one of those cars in bad weather would have required one's full attention. It was also less comfortable than the Box, louder, harsher, etc. And then there's the fact that the Boxster was designed to be a convertible from the beginning.

6. I have no doubt that the recent Vettes are good. I've driven my brother in law's Z06. My problem with those cars, believe it or not, is that they have too much performance. I like to explore the limits of a sports car, and if you're getting anywhere near the limit in a Z06 Vette on the highway, you're a fool. I think I'd be constantly itching to find some place to open it up, but there just aren't that many places left where that would ever be possible. Not a problem with a Boxster, even an S.

[jopo43]

Why? I had just sold a 68 Camaro SS that was perfect . The wife always wanted a convertible. Bored one day thought lets look for a convertible looked at the Mazda Miata. Clicked on Porsche Boxster thinking no way they are too much. Found a 97 with 40,000 miles looked like new for $15,000 5 hours away. My son and I went and looked at a Pontiac Solstice looked cheap hard to fit into no trunk space.
Thought at 6' 4" tall before I drive 5 hours to look at this one maybe I should drive a boxster thats closer.
Went and drove one close and wondered why did I ever have anything but this!!! More importantly I fit. The drive was like nothing I had ever driven.

The next weekend I drove 5 hours one way and bought the 40,000 mile Porsche. I put my other Camaro a 97 Z28 for sale. I had owned a Camaro for 20 years but will never be without a PORSCHE its a totally different world!!! Everytime I drive the Boxster I still ask why myself what took so long to find this great car.
I do get tired of people thinking I spent $50,000 - $70,000 on a Porsche and everyone wants to race a PORSCHE!!!
Thats why a Boxster for me what took me so long......

[FTD]

All the 'chick car' perspectives crack me up. Chicks don't like a lot of torque? They want auto transmission? And a bland looking car?

Some sports cars definitely have a boy toy testosterone appearance, but I don't get the chick car perceptions!

Too funny.

I like a lot of torque and high performance and character in style. I wish the Boxster had the performance of some of my former motorcycles.

And I am every bit female. Not a manly thing about me.

[ekam]

Originally Posted by FTD

And I am every bit female. Not a manly thing about me.

Or to sum it up in a word - Kinky.

[FTD]

Originally Posted by ekam

Or to sum it up in a word - Kinky.

Main Entry: kinky
Pronunciation: \ˈkiŋ-kē\
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): kink·i·er; kink·i·est
Date: 1844
1: closely twisted or curled No
2: relating to, having, or appealing to unconventional tastes Unconventional, Yes. I am not a sheep.
especially in sex ; also : sexually deviant Have not been described this way
3: outlandish , far-out not at all
— kink·i·ly \ˈkiŋ-kə-lē\ adverb Kinkily??
— kink·i·ness \ˈkiŋ-kē-nəs\ noun

I had to respond.

[ekam]

Originally Posted by FTD

Main Entry: kinky
Pronunciation: \ˈkiŋ-kē\
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): kink·i·er; kink·i·est
Date: 1844
1: closely twisted or curled No
2: relating to, having, or appealing to unconventional tastes Unconventional, Yes. I am not a sheep.
especially in sex ; also : sexually deviant Have not been described this way
3: outlandish , far-out not at all
— kink·i·ly \ˈkiŋ-kə-lē\ adverb Kinkily??
— kink·i·ness \ˈkiŋ-kē-nəs\ noun

I had to respond.

So just so we're clear, you sure you don't have one of these in your drawers?



(Friday and 15 minutes before leaving work YAY.)

[NWI Bill]

I really don't get the "chick" reference either. You should see how bad they bash the Boxster over at the Pelican Parts Forum. It seems their attitude is if you don't own a 911, you don't own a "real" Porsche.

I also heard the "chick" reference alot when I owned a Solstice. My wife drove the Solstice alot but she never considered it a "chick" car. Actually she hates that whole reference.

[Trade911forBoxster]

Originally Posted by FTD

All the 'chick car' perspectives crack me up. Chicks don't like a lot of torque? They want auto transmission? And a bland looking car?

Apparently so. A few years back, Chrysler discovered that the Sebring convertible was overwhelmingly more popular with females than it was with males, so they started specifically marketing it that way. It's pretty much the poster child for low torque, auto transmission and bland styling, right?

Of course, individuals vary in their tastes. My mom drives a supercharged Mini convertible with a 6 speed. And a figher pilot friend of mine has a maroon Sebring convertible.

I was responding to an earlier post where someone said they wouldn't buy an S2000 because they thought it looked "girly." From the perspective of someone that has both a Boxster and an S2000, I think that perception is a bit at odds with the actual character of those cars, since the S2000 is arguably the more difficult car to live with (definitely harder to drive well than a Boxster). Books and their covers and so forth...

Personally, I couldn't give a crap what other people think of my vehicles. I buy what I need, or what I like, and I'm not looking for attention. In fact, I ride a Vespa back and forth to work most days. When I bought it, my female boss (who usually drives her Firebird, but sometimes rides her Harley with drag pipes) laughed at me and told me she didn't want to have to explain to everyone that I really wasn't gay. Surprisingly, girls come up and ask me about it all the time. Lots of them want to ride on it. If I'd have known what a chick magnet a Vespa was when I was single, I might not have spent so much money on my sports cars...

[NWI Bill]

Originally Posted by Trade911forBoxster

I still have my 06 S2000 (bought new) and My 03 Boxster S. I sold a really fantastic air cooled 911 to get the Box, back in December.

2. I'm really surprised that some of you have had such negative eperiences with the Solstice. I never drove one, but I did look at them. In terms of panel fit, and other visible indicators of quality, they're in a whole different universe than the bad old Pontiacs. I'm no fan of 4 cylinder buzziness (which is why I'm selling the S2000 a little later in the spring), but by all accounts they don't perform that badly, esp. the supercharged one. I think they look pretty good really, with none of the typical Pontiac scoops and geegaws. Useless trunk though.

Not a negative experience. I enjoyed the car. Just wanted something more. And the GXP is a $5-7K lift in price over the Base. Even a good Turbo or SC setup will run you at least $4K but more typically $5K. I thought why throw that money into a Solstice when I could have a Boxster that really has what I'm looking for.