base Boxster vs. MR2 Spyder advantages

[CRCGuy]

As I don't have my first Box yet, I'm still on the fence. Please help pull me to one side if you have an opinion! today, one side is a base Box (say 986) and the other is an MR2 Spyder.

Thoughts?

Mine:

MR2 Spyder:
Cheaper to buy
Cheaper to maintain (due to reliability)
Fairly easy/cheap to modify for speed (SC/turbo/2zz-ge engine swap)
Lighter
More reliable
No significant engine issues (e.g. IMS)

base 986 Boxster:
Classier (Porsche emblem on the hood)
Torquier
Faster
Better sound (engine/exhaust)
More refined interior
Porsche emblem on the hood (or did I mention that already?)



Handling is probably a wash between them. I think they are both nice looking. Porsche likely faster, though I'm not sure how much. It probably feels faster.


any comments appreciated!

[eightsandaces]

Mentioning the Porsche emblem as a influence and what sounds like a desire to make many mods makes me vote you toward the MR2.

[funkdefino]

You will never get laid driving an MR2.

You have been warned. That is all...

[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.

[Samson]

I'm a huge sporty Toyota fan... I love my IS300, and the MR-Spyder has always intrigued me. It's very light (2200 lbs), so I'm betting it'll be much more tossable than the already nimble Boxster. The MR isn't particularly fast, as it only has 138 hp, and the mileage is similar to that of the Boxster. Practicality goes to the Boxster... the storage capacity in the Toyota is a joke. You're probably right about ease of ownership, especially with a Toyota built during one of their strong periods.

Unfortunately I haven't driven one (they are hard to come by), so I can't give any back-to-back comparisons. The Boxster does sound better though... far better.

If you do get the MR, don't get the crappy SMT automated manual transmission. I've heard nothing but complaints.

They're both quirky and somewhat unique cars that'll be more than enough to put a stupid grin on your face. The Boxster will be more practical everyday, but the Toyota will be more Toyota everyday...

[BoxsterSbob]

The MR2 will be cheaper, no doubt. It's a fine car and will be tons of fun to drive.

Some of the daily issues you may run into are:

Good MPG
Good interior layout-seats not so great.
It's a bit raw-lots of noise and vibration.
No Storage.
Cheap vinyl top
Cheap to own and operate


The Boxster is, as everyone has said here, more refined. It feels far more substantial.

Some of the daily issues you may run into are:

Reasonable MPG
Superior interior-great seats
Very refined ride
Plenty of storage-do not underestimate this issue.
High quality materials everywhere
Not so cheap to own and operate

Back in '01 I test drove the both the MR2 and the Mazda MX-5. I bought the MX-5. Mainly, because it wasn't as harsh and it had (some) storage. I later traded my MX-5 for the Boxster.

Drive both and let that experience inform your choice.


good luck

[JP308]

For the money I second the MX5. I had 3 (94, 97, 03) of them and you can not touch the smiles per mile/$. If you want to know what a manual trans should feel like, get in to any late model 6 spd MX5 and you will see what I mean. As far as I am concerned it is the best shifting manual at any price point.

Is it the same as a Boxster...no, but I am not a youngster any more and was looking for something a little different. I have 2 favorites, the 93 black and red LE with the BBS wheels and the 2003 fully loaded with the 6 spd (the new models have more HP but lost some of the magic of the original models.

Back to Boxsters....the only big advantage, aside from the more powerful engine and that crest on the hood, is the dual truncks, although with a little practice, you can pack a lot in the MX5 if you leave the spare at home.

As to the Toyota....I was never a fan. Too small and no luggage space. At least the Boxster and the MX5 could be a DD.

just my 2 cents. BTW go out and drive them. Which one wants to make you go for a drive.....once you figure that out, buy the best one you can afford. If you choose the Boxster, make sure you keep a little money in the bank in case something goes wrong.
jp

[Boxtaboy]

I have a buddy who has an MR2 Spyder, and I agree that it has absolutely no storage space, and is definitely slower than the base Boxster. I know cause I raced him. LOL

The one thing no one mentioned also was that the Toyota's cheap vinyl top also is not automatic. You have to manually stand there and open/close the top.

[Ike]

Hey Guys,

I find these X vs. Y vs. Boxster threads to be interesting. They illustrate the attributes of all types of sportscars as perceived by the members. The lesson I always get is that different folks vote differently with their hard earned bucks. Oppinions, wishes, and suppositions are not the same as purchases.

My two cents: I value balanced, precise handling, braking, and power. The kind of reliable precision and balance that makes pushing a sportscar to its absolute limits a fun experience for driver and passenger. I like a sportscar that has has grunt and grip that give the thrill of hard g-force in all horizontal directions. I like style, the kind that makes me stop and look at my sportscar, even after 6 years, and go "OOOOhh".

I have limits to my finances, so I don't drop the coin on a "Supercar".

I have a real appreciation for the value that the Boxster S provides stock, and for the extra outrageous performance value that mods can bring to it. I consider my S to be the car of a (my) lifetime, and I put my bucks into it.

Buddy, go test drive what YOU can afford, and buy what suits YOUR taste best.....Yugo all the way to Lambo, put your money into YOUR best value.

Happy Trails,
Ike

2003 S, 3.6L X51, PSS9s, M030 sways, Pagid Blues, Strut Brace, Hardwired Beltronics 995. Brembo Big Brakes next!

[ekam]

The biggest mistake Toyota made on the car was they put the 1ZZ engine in it.

My friend really wanted one until he found out the amount of luggage space there is. It's just as bad as a Lotus Elise - extremely unpractical.

I would compare MR-S to a Miata not to a Boxster. Completely different animal other than they share the same engine location. MR-S feels very bare bone when you sit in it.

[CRCGuy]

Just wanted to mention, my wife and I are mid 30's DINKS. So I could buy a new 911 turbo if I wanted to . But we are responsible. We are planning for the future. I don't want blow my future early retirement just because of a car. I believe that this is the best time probably in my lifetime to invest in corporations (stock market). So right now, I'd rather use my cash to help grow the economy--and my nest egg. I'm looking for the most fun I can have on a moderate budget,so as Ike put it----VALUE. So I could afford a boxster and any catastrophic engine failures, but would prefer not to if there was something out there that was 95% of what the Boxster is for 50% of the cost.

What attracted me to the MR2-S is it looked like loads of fun for about $10k. Boxster will run me considerably more. But even though it's so much cheaper, I think in the end, I would have regretted it for many reasons. So I guess I'm back in the hunt for the perfect Box for me!!

[941MXVET]

CRCGuy,

Sounds like you've made a good decision. We are in similar situations as well, and we decided on the Box after looking hard at the S2K. In a couple years we may be interested in swapping out the Box for something different, or we may keep enjoying it as we do today!

Anyway enjoy the hunt for your Box!

[CRCGuy]

Originally Posted by 941MXVET

CRCGuy,

Sounds like you've made a good decision. We are in similar situations as well, and we decided on the Box after looking hard at the S2K. In a couple years we may be interested in swapping out the Box for something different, or we may keep enjoying it as we do today!

Anyway enjoy the hunt for your Box!

we should talk. I could swap ya for my MY08 S2K!! oh wait...you already made that decision. crap....

[mr2gokrt]

Wow this is over 11 years later, but I'm going to post as a MR2 Spyder owner with a very dear Porsche Boxter owner friend. In fact, I donated to his fundraiser to buy his Boxter. It was the car he longed for and I understood 100%.

A few years after he bought it he organized an event for Boxters and Boxter S's to meet at the Tail of The Dragon, in Tennessee / NC. I joined the event in my MR2 Spyder with 2zz engine upgrade (same Toyota engine as Lotus used for the Elise).

Together - Toyota Mr2 2zz, Boxters, and Boxter-S's, we had a great time on the Dragon.

My point?

Both the Toyota MR2 and the Boxster are fantastic cars. I've driven both. The Boxster is heavier and feels more solid, and has more luggage room. The MR2 only has room for large duffel bags in a compartment behind the seats, and a small area for 1 more duffel bag in the frunk.

The MR2 Spyder was my daily driver from 2002 to 2010. I carried computers, printers, etc. in it for my I.T. business. Where there's a will there's a way. If you love a car enough you make a way. I loved the MR2 that much. My friend loved the Boxster that much. We made our favorite cars work.

The Toyota MR2 is cheaper to own, maintain, and upgrade. Mine is currently getting a Toyota 2gr engine swapped into it, for 285 HP in a 2200 lbs total car. It will 0-60 in about 3.8 secs. If I didn't mind it being loud, I could have 310 HP, but that's not my style. Subtlety is a value.

My friend still has his Boxster and still loves it. And I definitely hope to take another road trip with him. Porsche - there is no substitute! If I had infinite bucks, I'd have a 928 in my "collection" which would include every model of Toyota MR2, the Porsche 928, the Porsche Boxter-S, the Ferrari F40, and the Lamborghini Countach.

[Vtwin]

I think it depends on what you want your car to do. Boxster is a refined ride but not a potential race car. MR2 Spyder is for those that like taking tight corners. If you want to work on cars and take them to the track then the MR2 spyder has way more potentials than the boxster. MR2 K20/k24 swaps are giving gt4 the run for it’s money. The mr2 is very peculiar about the wheels and tire setup. Lower the front, double staggered the wheels, installed proper coilovers, add a k20/k24 and you’ll have a beast at the track. Boxster S and Caymen S won’t be able to catch it. But it won’t cruise around town in style like the porsche for sure.