base Boxster vs. MR2 Spyder advantages

[renzop]

I've owned both - a 2002 MR2 Spyder (which I sold to a friend and have driven recently) and a 2008 base Boxster (which I still have).

MR2 Pro - lower repair costs
better fuel economy
cheaper tires
lower initial cost to buy
more reliable
People sometimes mistake it for a Porsche (is this a pro or a con?)

MR2 Con - Noisy harsh motor
NO TRUNK SPACE
Poor handling compared to Boxster - I never found the MR2 as tossable as its low weight suggests and I had good tires on the thing.
Low power


Boxster Pro - It's a Porsche
Power
Handling - very big difference
Interior Room
Power top
2 trunks - both are bigger than the MR2- the Box has 3 times the trunk space of the MR2
Quality feel
The top down experience is better than the MR2. The wind ruffles your hair just the right amount. The engine noises top down are very, very nice.

Boxster Cons - purchase price
repair costs - expect to pay 4 times more in maintenance than the MR2
worse fuel economy
premium fuel required

To me there is no contest. The Boxster wins hands down. The MR2 cannot be an only car as there is no room in it. The MR2 always feels like it is put together with bailing wire and shoestring. The Porsche feels like it was chiseled from stone.

The MR2 should only be your choice if you are strapped for cash. But if you are then why buy a sports car at all? You would be better off with an econo car based sports coupe.