how many of you guys owned miata before graduating to boxster?

[tb5496]

I'm here becasue I am considering getting rid of my 97 Miata for a 03 Box S. It's tough for me, the Miata (H&R Springs, Konis, Sways, Falkans' etc) is an autocross king and has been abused for 115k miles without any real problems (i cracked the radiator once). For me the only car I like driving more than my Miata is a Boxster - although the Boxster is more of a real car and less of a go kart. Can anyone who has made the switch give me any advice or suggestions. Also looking at a new 06 MX-5, I mean Miata.

Tim

[BoxsterSbob]

Hi, I went from an '01 Miata to an '04 Boxster S. I think the key difference outside of horsepower is the Porsche is just so much more refined in every possible way! But, you'd expect that from a car that costs twice as much! Also, a key point the P-car is targeted at a hi-level market. As a result, and I'm never sure why this is? It costs more (much) for up-keep.

I can't speak to the new MX-5, so I strongly recommend driving it before ruling it out.

The 986's and 987's are great cars, and if you were to buy one you would not be unhappy--from a drivers POV.


good luck

'04S
bob

[Perfectlap]

03 Boxster S is a good choice. You get a glass rear window with that one and some nice body changes to the rear.

The Boxster and Miata are both rear wheel drive, nicely balanced, sit low (stock) and have nice and loud high revving engines.

The Miata is a little more fun to toss around because the BoxsterS is soooo predictable and so well behaved. Its very German, it does everything its supposed to do and nothing more or less. But on the downside is that with the extra 100 HP over the 1.8 Mazda, even though the BoxsterS is extremely forgiving, you won't be getting away with Mistakes in the Boxster like you can with the Miata. In that respect starting off in a Miata is excellent and since you've already learned all of the fundamentals with the Miata moving up to the Boxster should be much easier than someone learning everything for the first time with a $50K Porsche.
The biggest difference is the tali happy nature of the Miata. Fun in my book because with experience you can really manipulate that and boy what fun that is.
THe mideninge dynamics of the Boxster put an end to all that oversteer.

if you go with the 03 call warranty direct or try to extend your Porsche warranty before there is a lapse in coverage otherwise they'll be unlikely to extend coverage. Maintaining this Porsche isn't so bad but its the unexpected repairs that will kill you. As far as Porsches go this car is as reliable as any they have built so far.

[jbarrow]

I've owned five Miata (two '92, '94, '00, '01) and my 1992 Black and Tan with 43,000 miles is my daily driver. My wife recently traded her S2000 for a Cayman and we've both been extremely pleased with it's feel and performance.

[mquillen]

OK, be honest now. Does anyone regret switching from a Miata. Don't get me wrong, I love Porsche, but I don't quite consider it carefree cruising. I could really push my Miata and not worry so much about bending it up a little if I screwed up. I could park it almost anywhere. Can't do that with a Porsche.

[Perfectlap]

would you park this just anywhere?






I do have to admit the Miata did have an old school "connected to the ground'
feel about it where you could hear all the gears, I could hear my shocks squishing and compressing, etc. Kinda like being in an old 911.
I think it would be cool if Porsche built a barebones Miata type car like the Lotus Elise with a 2.7 with a targa top and my GT3 seats and light weight wheels and ....

[tb5496]

Perfectlap, you Miata is beautiful. Love the rims. Hope you didn't sell it.

[Perfectlap]

Had to let it go. Single guy with two cars that only have two seats? That would have been excessive. The 1.8 bullet proof tin can with 90,000 miles went to the new Florida owner for a measley $7,000 (twice the private seller blue book). I think I've spent that much on my Boxster upgrades already

[rteichman]

Originally Posted by mquillen

OK, be honest now. Does anyone regret switching from a Miata. Don't get me wrong, I love Porsche, but I don't quite consider it carefree cruising. I could really push my Miata and not worry so much about bending it up a little if I screwed up. I could park it almost anywhere.

Well I just made the switch, so I'm still on the new car "high", but I fear I will regret it come later this summer. With my 92 Miata that had no upgrades, faded seats, repainted, etc. I was able to go to run to a shopping center leave the car parked anywhere I wanted with the top down, unlocked and never worry about it. It was great for those errand days when running from one big box strip mall to another. I doubt I will leave the Boxster parked like that, and thus will end up with less top down driving :-(

What I won't miss is any Miata highway trips over 15 minutes

Rob

[Brucelee]

These are two beautiful cars!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

would you park this just anywhere?






I do have to admit the Miata did have an old school "connected to the ground'
feel about it where you could hear all the gears, I could hear my shocks squishing and compressing, etc. Kinda like being in an old 911.
I think it would be cool if Porsche built a barebones Miata type car like the Lotus Elise with a 2.7 with a targa top and my GT3 seats and light weight wheels and ....

[fuitilium]

I am currently anguishing a transition from my 91 Miata (got her as a barter for some legal work last year with 47,000 miles on her), to a Boxster. I have some upgrades on the Miata (new rims and tires, racing beat intake and dual tip exhaust, Hard Dog roll bar in the garage waiting installation) but before I go crazy with forced induction I'm exploring the options of becoming a Boxster owner (hence my trolling on this forum). Attached is a photo of the Miata.

[Perfectlap]

are those the OZ super laggera's? I considered those before I went with BBS RK's and the full Racing Beat body kit, and Racing Beat Cold air intake, Racing Beat Exhaust, Racing Beat sways, KYB AGX shocks, FM Springs, FM Rear Shock mounts, Low Profile lights...hmmm... why did I sell that car again?

OH YEAH TO BUY A PORSCHE!!!

The BoxsterS is the ONLY car I would have sold that Miata for.
(well maybe Lotus Elise but you can't get three girls in that car like I did with Boxster one night).

[fuitilium]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

are those the OZ super laggera's?

Yes they are the OZ's. OZ is discontinuing them in favor of a new model so I got a pretty good deal on them. I had these same rims (in 17") on my STi and loved them. Handling is unbelievable after the installation of these rims and tires. I went with the Koni sport kit with yellow adjustables. Very nice. I'm 6'2" and while I fit pretty well in the Miata, my left knee wedges between the door and the steering wheel so autocross is a bit of a challenge.

Need to drive a Boxster to see how the fit is.

[Perfectlap]

STI and a Miata? nice did you have an AutoX in your backyard too?
I'll never understand how big dudes ever drove the Miata. My friends father was the firs person I knew to own one and he was easily 260 lbs. Yet he drove that thing every day without a single complaint. (He later lost about 80 pounds on weight watchers)
This weekend I did the broome stick test to email some photos for someone interested in GT3 seats so I had my friend who is 6-1 230 lbs. put on my crash hat and get in my Boxser. No dice, He definitely would have needed the the roll bar extension. But that thing is good for everyone in general.
The Boxster will seem like a all expenses paid vacation compared to sitting in the Miata. No tilt steering but it does extend or retract closer to the dash. It took me a few weeks to get used to all the interior space. I hear the Cayman is even better.

[jdmidyette]

Well, I gave up my 2000 Miata SE with 43,000 miles for an 2002 Boxster S with 18,000 miles last spring. I am still debating as the cars are so very different. The Miata is probably a more fun/carefree car and is certainly cheaper to maintain; however, the Boxster S is more a force of nature and more likely to attract attention.

While I do miss the carefree attitude of the Miata, the performance of the Porsche more than makes up for any loss.

Actually, I still miss the 914 I rebuilt back in the 80's.

john d
'02 Lapis/Grey/Grey S

[fuitilium]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

STI and a Miata? nice did you have an AutoX in your backyard too? I'll never understand how big dudes ever drove the Miata. My friends father was the firs person I knew to own one and he was easily 260 lbs. Yet he drove that thing every day without a single complaint.

No AutoX in the back yard unfortunately but I did get to run a Rally school course in Lake Butler, FL in the STi. That was a blast. To further confound, I also used to have a classic Mini. It was a riot to watch people as I pulled my 6'2" offensive lineman self out of that car. Surprisingly, the Mini had a bunch of room.

I like the low repair cost feature of the Miata since my other car now is a Dinan Stage 2 BMW 540. I've been real lucky with repairs on that car but I drive quite a bit - 36,000 miles last year - so it is nice to have the low cost alternative available.

[rbizet]

Yep,

Had a 1991 silver Miata with a hardtop.
I did not really upgrade it is more like I totalled the car.
I got rear ended in a snow storm by a Lincoln Navigator while waiting at a stop sign.
The whole trunk was gone !!!!
I had a sore neck for about 2 months.

[KevinH1990]

I'm considering making the switch to a Boxster from my 94 M Edition Miata. I would enjoy the additional space and power of the Boxster, but the Miata is a lot of fun to drive.

[Tony W]

I have a 1990 Miata (MX5 in Australia) and recently purchased a 2003 model Boxster S (with 18 inch GT3 wheels). I couldn't part with the Miata so am in the process of convering it to be a club racer. I will keep it road registered so that I can run it in road rallies.
There is no doubt that the Boxster S is a much more competant machine, but the Miata is also a very tactile raw little machine and is allways fun to drive, particularly when you remove the soft edges that Mazda built in so it would apeal to a broader market. I will never sell either they are both motoring classics.

Tony W

[Adam]

Funny little pic I found..
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c134/JMaddness2345129/motivatora4d20ddb085de04a910e376bee.jpg