981, 987, or 986? Your choice.

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by Ghostrider 310

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.

I love the fried eggs.


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.





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.

[Steve Tinker]

[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.



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........

[Ghostrider 310]

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.

[Jager]

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

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by Steve Tinker

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........

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.

[ketsa]

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