anyone experienced with miata/boxster exchange?

[Gforrest2]

I've owned both, but about 15 years apart, so this is off my fading memory. '90 Miata purchased in '94. Very fun car, handled great, not fast (but neither is my '03 base), great exhaust note, and very slick transmission (easy clutch and easy to shift, not so in my Boxster). Downside - girls car, but I've heard that about our Boxsters too (real men drive 911s'?).

Main Boxster plus - it's a Porsche. Miatas, 350/370Zs, S2000s, Z4s - all fine cars, but they are not Porsches. Don't see too many Porsches in the Seattle area. Yeah I know, it's just a shallow ego thing for me.

And I've heard the 2-3k a year in maintenance, but don't let that scare you. I've had mine for a couple of years now and besides tires, I've just done oil changes (about $75 for parts) and changed my motor mount, about $125 for parts and one long frustrating day of labor. If you do your own work, I would think $500 a year would be good and if you take it to an indy, maybe budget $1000/year? Yeah, a clutch or a major service is going to set you back a couple of thou, but you're not doing that every year. Just my 2 cents.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by Gforrest2

Don't see too many Porsches in the Seattle area. Yeah I know, it's just a shallow ego thing for me.

Not sure where you are but over in the Bellevue area, they're very common.

Originally Posted by Gforrest2

And I've heard the 2-3k a year in maintenance, but don't let that scare you. I've had mine for a couple of years now and besides tires, I've just done oil changes (about $75 for parts) and changed my motor mount, about $125 for parts and one long frustrating day of labor. If you do your own work, I would think $500 a year would be good and if you take it to an indy, maybe budget $1000/year? Yeah, a clutch or a major service is going to set you back a couple of thou, but you're not doing that every year. Just my 2 cents.

The idea is that you should expect an average of $1000-2000 a year, some years are less, some more, but the AOS, IMS, RMS, brakes, clutch, cv joints, tires, fluid changes, spark plugs, various oil leaks, wheel bearings, suspension parts, engine mounts, water pumps, rear window replacement, and other regular and irregular maintanence items add up over time. Over the 7 years that I had my car, those costs were about right.