Seduced by another........not - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

blue2000s · 03-17-2011, 05:42 AM

Different strokes for different folks.

I've driven a few pre-964 911s and always come away loving all of the sensations that they provide. The steering, shifter, and suspension are absolutely alive. The cars are so light, they are entertaining at any speed. I love the noises the car makes. It's all so mechanically unfiltered and pure. Modern cars don't come close save for maybe the Elise.

They have a long list of flaws, starting with scary handling traits, but to me, it only makes the car more personal and connected. It's very different and special.

I enjoy my Boxster alot. I've had it for 6 years and will probably keep it for a very long time. It's fast, smooth (once the tires roll for a couple of miles), sticks to the road like glue. But anyone could own this car and love it. My mother could easily live with this car every day.

It takes someone who appreciates that very unique mechanical intimacy to love the older Porsches.

eightsandaces · 03-17-2011, 06:14 AM

I concur with Steve, I have driven a couple air cooled 911s and I owned a 944. It's amazing how negative smears stick, the 944 is likely the most maligned Porsche except for it's bastard cousin the Audi powered 924. When you drive a 944, it's hard not to smile, I'll bet many haters have never driven one. I've thought hard about a gt3 before I leave this Earth. Given the forfeiture of chassis balance, insurance, maintenance costs (some have ceramic brakes) and at least 75K out of my wallet, I'll keep my Boxster. You can only legally drive so fast, the Box is plenty exhilarating for this old man, besides, when my disease is really expressing, I don't have to bend to get in, you gotta love convertibles.

smcgeary · 03-17-2011, 08:06 AM

Ive got an SC, and a 986 S. Family member owns a low mile 993 that I drive more than them

. I like all three cars for very different reasons. I will say the SC and 993 feel special when I drive them, don't know why. The manual everything in the SC really livens up the driving experience to me. As hard as it is to get away with anything on the streets these days, modern cars are boring at the same speed as the old SC. I find myself taking the 986 S to the track, and reaching for the SC on the street. Just more entertaining to me. At the end of the day all three are real Porsches.

Lil bastard · 03-17-2011, 09:53 AM

No offense, but these threads always crack me up.

There isn't any Law which states you can't like them both.

It's like some Loyalty Oath, or seeking affirmation/exoneration for buying a Boxster.

I loved my Boxster, but it was time to move on. Notice I didn't say move up or move down, simply move on.

I love my 964, the technology is older, though w/ only 24k mi. on the Odo, it all works perfectly. The technology and performance in the Boxster is newer (better if you will - not so sure when IMS and stuff happens).

I do have to say I enjoy driving the 964 more. It harks back to what a sports car always was, small, nimble, more visceral. Not loaded with driver aids and creature comforts, and definitely better built (as things from past eras often are).

I'm glad I owned a Boxster for so many years, but I don't think I'd have to do it again.

That may be the biggest difference, having owned an '83 SC in the past and loving it, it obviously left an impression and a longing to revisit the experience albeit in a future Gen.

IMHO, the lineage ended with the 993, the 996/997 aren't the same thing at all, at best a very distant cousin. It's a completely different car - 25% larger, 30% heavier, with old-time styling cues and an adopted name. Could have had an '03 996 (which I did look into, test drive, etc.) for the price paid for my 964, but it just wasn't for me.

Cheers!

JTP · 03-17-2011, 10:11 AM

I love my 986S but I will get a 964 or 993 within the next few years. I love the noise and manual feel to everything. I used to have a few 914s and I had more fun in those spartan little go carts than in my very comfortable Boxster.

stateofidleness · 03-17-2011, 02:21 PM

well, try taking a drive in the REAL 'poor man's porsche', the 914.
I absolutely LOVE driving the teener and it actually has a lot of the qualities that you described as unappealing about the older 911's.

The road noise, the thinner tires providing great road "feel", reliability?? lmao please..., and the VW jabs make it all that more charming.

I'd love a 993 though

Steve Tinker · 03-17-2011, 02:45 PM

Lil bastard, good to see you still visit your poor cousins website

I can appreciate exactly where you are coming from. I've owned 6 or 7 Alfa Romeo's over the years - all the old 1970's 105 1750 model GTV's. My son owns a "modern" V6 GTV which blows the socks off all of my old 105's, but somewhere Alfa lost the DNA of the older, a light, agile sportscar. Maybe Porsche have done the same over its morphing into the modern day 986 / 996 models.
But here in Oz (and I suspect in the US and Canada) you will pay double the cost of a good Boxster for a half decent 964 and even more for a 993.
Sorry, but a good air cooled car may be an intrinsically better built product inits day, but IMOHO its just not worth the premium to buy into the club. Maybe I just got unlucky with the 3 cars I drove, but.......

Lil bastard · 03-17-2011, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stateofidleness

well, try taking a drive in the REAL 'poor man's porsche', the 914.
I absolutely LOVE driving the teener and it actually has a lot of the qualities that you described as unappealing about the older 911's.

The road noise, the thinner tires providing great road "feel", reliability?? lmao please..., and the VW jabs make it all that more charming.

I'd love a 993 though

The Teenies are great cars, though wrongfully oft maligned... drove several back in the day, would love to own a 914-6 someday!

Cheers!