2.7 liter vs 3.2 S-type?

[timothy]

JP308, very well said

[23109VC]

options/features you should try to get:

1) litronics!

2) heated seats - I love mine. On cool evening trips with the top down, having nice heated buns makes the drive much more enjoyable!

3) the GLASS rear window. i didn't think this was a big deal when shopping/buying, but now that I am an owner and live with the plastic window, it is a PITA. it's not important enough to pass up a car that is otherwise "perfect" but if you can AVOID a pre-03 car, get 03+ to get that glass window. if it such a PITA to have to get out of the car, fold the plastic window and then get back in. if you only drive the car on a Saturday, then it's no big deal. but i drive mine to work...i take the car out at lunch, so i might put the top down in the AM to work, in the afternoon to go to lunch, and in the PM to go home. it would be SO much easier to just jump in, drop the top and GO. and not have to get out, fold it, get back in, it's a PITA. and you look like a dork fumblig with your window. next boxster I buy - NO plastic windows!!!

4) M030. you can retrofit nice suspension onto a car - but I drove cars with/wout this feature and I swear I could really tell a difference.. the car is stiffer, corners flatter and it's NOT that rough. it's very livable for commuting, but it corners fantasitc.. this feature, combined with 18s will give you car handling that truly is "on rails".

if you can get an S...get it. you won't regret extra power. trust me. I have a base and if I could switch right now and have an S, just like my car, I'd take it.

ther's nothign wrong with the base models - I love my car. I have a blast driving it. but if price was the same - and I thin in this depressed market, you really could find an S for the price of many base cars.... i would go for an S.

if you find a car you love that is a base - don't pass it up just because it doesn't have "the badge".... but if you have time to shop, and have lots to chose from, I think you could find the car you want AND get an S.

next box I buy will be a newer S model. but ANY boxster beats 99% of the other cars on the road for FUN... period. you will be happy with what you get b/c the boxster is such a cool/fun car!!!

good luck and enjoy your shopping. Shopping for clothes sucks. shopping for a Porsche is fun!!

[jcb986]

Just bought my first Boxster, it's a 2000 S. The window sticker, yep, have it, said this is a Boxster Sport S. Love it. A one owner with 67000 miles and very well taken care for.
It's Grey Metallic with Red Leather...just what the doctored ordered.

Option Class Option Unique Option Description Option Price

BSEMDL BASE Porsche Base Model 49,930.00
BDYCLR 59 Slate Grey Metallic 3,010.00
TOPCLR V9 Black Top .00
INTERI MC Boxster Red Special Leather 2,370.00
OPTION 249 Tiptronic S 3,210.00
OPTION 446 Wheel Caps with Colored Crest 170.00
OPTION E56 Small Carbon Package 2,080.00
OPTION M6M Boxster Red Floor Mats 92.00
OPTION X45 Instrument Dials-Pntd Int Clr 550.00
OPTION XME Rear Ctr Cons Painted Extr Clr 715.00
OPTION XMK Roll Bar Painted Exterior Clr 525.00
OPTION XPD 3-Spoke Str Whl-Carbon/Leather 1,505.00
OPTION P25 Boxster S - Sport Package 2,235.00
OPTION 454 Cruise Control .00
OPTION 551 Porsche Windstop (Deflector) .00
OPTION 696 AM/FM Radio with CD Player .00
OPTION P49 Digital Sound Pkg with 490 .00
OPTION Y61 Carbon/Alumimum Tip Knob/Brake 720.00
Total Options 67,112.00
Total Charges 765.00
Total Order.. 67,877.00

On top of all this it has 18" turbo wheels. I love to drive again. Oh, got for $15,700.

:dance:

[cubbyno9]

Hi, again thanks for all contributions.
The one thing that I know that will bug me is the thought in the back of my mind, "I should have bought a 3.2" I totally get the point that the 2.7 is fun and will charge along with great gusto but I know at some point when I am charging through Glen Coe I will like a wee bit more.
My wife is now asking if I can make sure it's a Tiptronic, trying to ignore her but it's hard work.

A couple of calls tomorrow regarding a few cars so fingers crossed.

Craig

[Ben006]

Originally Posted by 23109VC

3) the GLASS rear window. i didn't think this was a big deal when shopping/buying, but now that I am an owner and live with the plastic window, it is a PITA. it's not important enough to pass up a car that is otherwise "perfect" but if you can AVOID a pre-03 car, get 03+ to get that glass window. if it such a PITA to have to get out of the car, fold the plastic window and then get back in. if you only drive the car on a Saturday, then it's no big deal. but i drive mine to work...i take the car out at lunch, so i might put the top down in the AM to work, in the afternoon to go to lunch, and in the PM to go home. it would be SO much easier to just jump in, drop the top and GO. and not have to get out, fold it, get back in, it's a PITA. and you look like a dork fumblig with your window. next boxster I buy - NO plastic windows!!!

I have a plastic window, and never had to get out of the car to fold it ?
and the visibility is actually way better with the plastic window compared with the tiny glass one.
So is my car different or did the last owner changed your top for another one with a different window ? (or mine ?!)

If you can get a S, get it, suspension, brakes, engine, gearbox, everything is better and you really feel a difference ! BUT the 2.7 ain't bad

[Finnegan]

I was in the same position, and thought I would have to find an S. But, an insanely low mileage, highly optioned '04 base appeared and I bought it. I could not be happier! Good luck with your search.

[mikefocke]

Originally Posted by Ben006

I have a plastic window, and never had to get out of the car to fold it ?
and the visibility is actually way better with the plastic window compared with the tiny glass one.
So is my car different or did the last owner changed your top for another one with a different window ? (or mine ?!)

If you can get a S, get it, suspension, brakes, engine, gearbox, everything is better and you really feel a difference ! BUT the 2.7 ain't bad

You live in a warm climate, makes a difference with the plastic window.

Many say the 5 speed gearing is better in normal driving than the 6 speed on the S.

The brakes and wheels on the base are smaller. Agreed.

The suspension is different because the rear axle mist accommodate the 6-speed's differences.

201-228HP is enough to get in trouble with. I've had a Porsche with 85 and never felt it was under powered. Neither did the cops who kept stopping me .

Many race Boxsters are based on the base model. Spec Boxsters have to be based on the 2.5.

Guess I never felt the need to play "mine is bigger".

[Ben006]

True ! I tought you had to unzip it like on a NA miata, I got it now ^^

[dghii]

I've had both at the same time. I enjoyed driving the base car ('98) and never felt like it lacked performance.....
....unless I went back to back and hopped in my 2000S. The S just feels like it deliveres power effortlessly.

[Shackleton]

Not to rekindle this tired old debate.. but I'm dropping this here (first post!), an overlay of the 2004 Boxster Base (2.7L) and 2004 Boxster S (3.2L) dyno charts.. as eyeballed from Porsche's own plot in the Owners Manual:



I was surprised such a chart didn't already exist, but maybe I just didn't search deep enough. Anyway, hopefully a helpful visual aid in the spirit of qualitative comparison. The raw numbers here are not very precise, obviously.

Picture's worth a thousand words, but here are a couple observations: If you can't feel the difference the extra bore makes, you're not paying attention.. at least 10% more torque everywhere, widening to nearly 20% more around 5000 RPM. That being said, if you're not living in the top third of your S model's rev range, you're really no faster than a Base model driver who's happy to make extra downshifts and flirt with the redline.

[mikefocke]

Driven cars with 25 HP and 400+. Most fun ever in a mid-engined car was in a 85 HP 914. Yes there is a quantitative difference in power, but the grin is the same.