how many of you guys owned miata before graduating to boxster? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

steven choi · 11-14-2005, 07:11 PM

It seems quite a few of the forum members owned miatas before. Myself owned 1993 and 2001 miatas before moving up to 2004 boxster S. I still love miatas for what they can do.
Don't really care for the 3rd generation's styling though.

MikenOH · 11-15-2005, 05:22 AM

a great car, albeit a bit small for long rides. With the exception of the 3 batteries I went through, a very reliable and fun car to own.

Sold it when we got out '99'. I really like the new car, BTW. I think the styling id dead on and there is a lot more room inside. For $25k, I think it's a great car.

Brucelee · 11-15-2005, 05:47 AM

Miata is a great value for the money. Tons of fun, years of fun for very little money.

gRed04 · 11-15-2005, 10:00 AM

I had a 02 LS I traded in when I got my 04 Box.

I thought it was a great little car for the money. I bought it primarily for my daughter to drive while in H.S. but did use it on occasion.

It unfortunately needed to be a auto which gave a whole new meaning to slow but I don't think speed is where this car excels anyway.

I would certainly consider another and have been meaning to go test a 06.

Perfectlap · 11-15-2005, 10:08 AM

few cars corner like a miata on KYB's, JR Sways and Falken Azenis.

steven choi · 11-15-2005, 10:19 AM

hey Perfectlap,,

i had those BSP low profile headlights and TSI as well, on my 93 red.
ahhhhhh.. memories..
I donated 93 for tax credit.. It had 250000 miles on it. Other than a new radiator, everything was still original. That was one sturdy car.

9000RPMan · 11-15-2005, 11:16 AM

I had a 91 package "B" Miata. It was a simple, no frills sportscar. I loved how I could throw it around as it was so neutral. In the 4 years I had it, the only thing that went wrong was that the radio switch malfunctioned and the rear window cracked due to extreme cold. Both items were fixed under waranty.

trogdor · 11-15-2005, 07:16 PM

Steve, I too had a couple miatas.. a 94 and a 2001, traded in the 94 for the 01 on a whim and the 01 was totaled by someone pulling out across traffic in front of my wife.. pics here post 2

The replacement

Now have a 2000 S and really like it, of course. although already the parent of one of my wife's tutoring students backed into it.. 1200 bucks later (they paid not wanting to get insurance involved) I hope its all good. Also picked up a nail in a rear tire and had to have that patched... grr..

Anyway, while waiting at the dealer last month, I decide to stroll on over to the Mazda dealer and check out the new Miata. It looked nice and a bit bigger but I was shocked to hear that it had porked out to over 3000 pounds!!! holy crap, my 94 was about 700 pounds lighter as I recall!

Funny, I told the sales guy who wanted to show me around it that I just got a boxster but he was still trying to tell me how well it handled and that the bigger 2 liter engine with 170 hp could be a better car...hmmm, down over 80 hp and 200 pounds heavier...

The power of the boxster, the two boots and styling are all so great but the best thing is theres so much more interior room. I now feel like I'm driving a real car, not a go cart that I'm a cramped into! The only thing I really don't like is the plastic rear window.. on a car the originally cost 62k... kinda weak...

Perfectlap · 11-16-2005, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven choi

hey Perfectlap,,

i had those BSP low profile headlights and TSI as well, on my 93 red.
ahhhhhh.. memories..
I donated 93 for tax credit.. It had 250000 miles on it. Other than a new radiator, everything was still original. That was one sturdy car.

and its one of the most represented cars in grass roots motorsports. My buddy's sister was joking about "who goes from a Miata to a Porsche?!" I guess very few people know how many people actually track and autocross their miatas.

jtucker · 11-17-2005, 01:40 PM

before my Boxster. Really liked that car alot. Sounded great w/ aftermarket exhaust. 6 speed was excellent.

mquillen · 02-06-2006, 02:31 PM

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 · 02-06-2006, 03:05 PM

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 · 02-09-2006, 01:55 PM

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

Perfectlap · 02-09-2006, 04:15 PM

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

Brucelee · 02-10-2006, 06:13 AM

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

Quote:

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 · 02-10-2006, 09:23 AM

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.

rteichman · 02-10-2006, 04:21 AM

Quote:

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

tb5496 · 02-05-2006, 05:10 PM

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 · 02-06-2006, 05:52 AM

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 · 02-06-2006, 06:16 AM

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.