I'm not sure that's true.

I think the 986, at least the original pre facelift car with ambers is already past the point where it's looking more and more dated.

It's now looking more and more 'period' and the new 981 only accentuates that. It also helps underline the purity and simplicity of the 986. The 981 is very fussy by comparison.

I think the only Boxster the 981 really hurts is the 987.2. It's no longer the current body shape and for those who want that and will pay a premium for it, that's a major demotion.

Keep the 986 and buy a new 981. Make the 986 your daily driver and save the 981 for the weekends!

I think we agree. The 981 is not a minor style change. It's significant. By comparison, the 986 and 987 basically look the same, so the 987 will be lumped in with 986 and will be perceived as "dated" too.



/

Such decisions rarely are made on a purely rational basis. If you aren't taking the car to the track, ANY one of these cars provides performance FAR beyond the humdrum of daily transportation and would be fully capable of earning you frequent speeding tickets. It all comes down to how much you like the styling, how much you are itching to make a change, and how much cash you have burning a hole in your pocket.

If you have a lot of money burning a hole in your pocket, and if you really like the new styling, get the 981. It's definitely cool to own the latest thing with a full warranty. It's a little uncool because you know darned well the dealer is going to gouge you for every cent they can. Who cares if you have the cash. You can always make more. So, do you have the cash sitting around to make it happen?

If you are just itching for a different car with a warranty, or if you like the older styling better, maybe the 987 would be a nice compromise. Getting a 2009 or 2010 might get you a vehicle with a warranty and no IMS to go bad, and ought to cost a lot less because the first owner took most of the hit on depreciation, and the depreciation will only get worse with a brand-new model out there on the streets.

Also I think it kind of matters who you hang out with. If they are all Porsche guys, then you'd want the latest thing in the "S" model to have some respect. If all your friends and family drive Hyundais and Buicks, then ANY of these cars will always be a "Porsch" and they will think you spent $100K whether you actually did or not.

Financially your best bet would be to keep your 986; however, if you are concerned at all about finances, spending a bunch of money for "upgrades" to your 986 would be throwing your money away. You would be better off financially to just do all proper maintenance and use your existing 986 as much as possible. The $10K in "upgrades" could be kept in the bank for a down payment on a new car in a couple of years.

But again, these decisions aren't made on rationality, it's whether you have the uncontrollable itch and the cash to make it happen.

I don't think the 986 looks dated at all, I just saw a stock 986S ten minutes ago with TT wheels it still looks great. The simplicity of the lines of the 986 are beautiful in their own right. If there is anything I like to see updated on the 986 it's the jump to litronics. Otherwise the 986 headlamps called fried eggs don't look like eggs to me, they look like they designed them after this dude's eyes.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1331822964.jpg

I love the fried eggs.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cLWqMZQ1CP...6fa4d84e21.jpg
http://www.automotorblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Porsche-911-GT1-3.jpg


Growing up I was never a fan of the VW beetle and to see those round lights on a 911 or 912 seemed really weird to me. The beetle was the car no one wanted to be seen in but the 911 was? confusing. In the early 80's I much preferred the more forward design of the 944 and 928s. When the GT1 came by with its fried eggs I had the same reaction as many people have when they see the new 918. A totally new direction. Someone in the design studio decided to start thinking about the future.

At any rate below is a 2000 986. Like any 996 or 997 the extra treatements like at least 18" wheels, aero, interior upgrades keep the car looking current and not no-frills dated. I think its really amazing that this design is pretty much the same thing that landed in Europe in 1996, some 16 years ago and still looks current.
Put it this way, if in 1993 when the Boxster ws unveiled you'd a parked a car from 16 years earlier, or 1977, next to it you couldn't say it looked current. Maybe a classic but not contemporary.

look how similar the height of the front hips are from concept to the 1996 production. The lines of the front bumper, door outline, the rear fender hips.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1325572324.jpg

http://media.caranddriver.com/images...s-1280x782.jpg

I mean if my car were parked next to the concept car in Porsche Museum you'd have to say they did pretty good job of both coming up with a design that would stand the test of time and one that was close to the production model. They just goofed in 1996 by offering in just too stripped down a trim.

A well reasoned post. Your middle paragraph is a very true one; we tend to think in terms of how we're doing compared to the next guy. Fortunately, most of my friends are either car guys with Miatas or C6 or C5 Vettes, or they are not car people at all and drive the requisite SUV.

In my 'hood, however, everybody has a fancy car, i.e. F458, Bentley GT and GTC, AM DB9, SL63, SL550, and countless Benz and Bimmer sedans and SUVs are all living on my little cul-de-sac alone. But I don't hang out with any of them, so I don't care at all.

The reason I would keep the 986 and spend 10k on it is that, believe it or not, it's a sound financial decision. :) Sure, it's wasted money from a resale perspective, but if it gets me excited about the 986 again, excited enough to keep it another 3 or 4 years and really enjoy it, then it just prevented me from spending nearly 80k (including taxes) on a 981 out of unreasonable boredom with the old car. :ah:

Anyway, I'm glad I've got lots of time to chew on this. I bought my leftover SE550 in Feb 2005, 2 weeks after the 987 came out, so even though it was new, it was already a generation old! :) So I'm a little turned on by the thought of getting a Porsche that is actually at the front of it's model's age curve. I've never done that!

Are we complaining about these headlights again?

http://www.transgressive.ca/images/elena/_DSC8424.jpg

without question, 987s, since you already have a 986s.

A base 981 seems like a downgrade

I never mentioned the base 981. Would only consider S.

[QUOTE=Perfectlap;282697]I love the fried eggs.


look how similar the height of the front hips are from concept to the 1996 production. The lines of the front bumper, door outline, the rear fender hips.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1325572324.jpg

Just imagine this car with a bullet proof Raby 3.6 or 3.8 engine installed & a set of quality coilover's - why would you want to replace it....?
I think I would be a very happy owner, especially when I see the $$ savings against a newer model.
But perhaps I'm just old and doddery, looking through rose tinted lenses........

Nothing wrong with your eyes that is a great looking car and the turbo wheels look phenomenal on it. There are a lot of nice cars on this blog that anyone would be privileged to drive.

Ok... Make the 981 your daily driver and save the 986 for the weekends!

I'd wait for the gen 2 981 for all the new car niggles to be ironed out and a significant power increase (350 hp from the carrera engine?) or the spyder version as others have said. Currently Id still opt for a spyder 987 gen2 , its the only boxster that drives as well if not better than a cayman and looks so different to the usual "anniversary" or "design edition" badging exercises.

I can't disagree if the design is already 20 years old and still looks this good I find it hard to justify plunking down $30-40K in lost resale on a new Pcar.
Not the way the stock market is performing. Seen Apple lately from $200 to $600 in less time than my last wheel alignment.

But here's the one bad thing about upgrading the engine. It's expensive and the car will not feel THAT much faster or capable. Even if it is 350 hp, you get used to it.
And the other thing that worries after two minor parking lot incidents that still resulted in expensive repairs: in the event an actual serious accident the insurance company would only write a check for the current value. I've already have more invested in the car than I could sell it for by a good measure. If some jerk off plowed into me I'd take a $12K bath instantly and I'd be back at a strip down Boxster S needing LN IMS, clutch and other upgrades -- doing it all over again. That worries me.
I should look into supplemental insurance.

986 is and will always be the original Boxster. Decade or two and collectors/enthusiasts are chancing amber parts back to the very early Boxsters and laughing to facelifted/tuned ones.

That's just my 0,02€...

P.S. If money is not a object, of course 981 would be a real awesome daily driver :cool:

350hp...How'd you predict that?

981, 987, or 986? Your choice.
 

981 spyder, followed by 04 SE, followed by my current car, followed by a 987 spyder.

Personally now that the 982 (718) is out the 981 non spyder looks dated, and the 987 rim designs and interior just don't agree with me.

One thing is for sure though is I wouldn't make the mistake of bumping up for a 987 or 981 even in exchange for A base model over an S, I never realized but a 981 base is little more car than a 986 S. So if you're going to get a base model I'd suggest a 986 to save some money and get the most barebones experience you can to create value from the lack of power.

I think the 986 can still look fresh depending on a few things- I've had people come to my house to repair things and they think my 986 is brand new until I told em it I've had it for 15 yrs. The things that stand out the most to date the car I think are the plastic rear window, small 16 or 17" standard factory wheels and amber lights. Adding side skirting I also think helps make the car look more aggressive and modern. Put on the 03 factory top with glass, 18" wheels, litronic headlamps and clear lighting all around, and skirts, and I think it looks less dated against the 987 and even newer models. Oh, and paint those bumperettes! That being said, if I were to spend more money, I'd forgo the new 981, and get a preowned 997 cab for a different experience.

When I first got her:
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...psu95fkjsm.jpg

And later:
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...psjonbpbz7.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...psnpltntli.jpg

Have to agree with thstone. Keep the 986 and don't succumb to the chase mentality. Unless you have ample means on the money front they are all losing propositions. As you mature in life you will discover much more important things that will require your resources over a car. Any car. If you enjoy your 986, upgrade what it needs and continue to enjoy as you pocket substantial savings that will grow. Trust me, your future self will be thanking you.