911 envy ?
 

I saw a 2000 carrera for sale so i decided to look ..then I sat in it......started it....jaw dropped....immediatly shut her down got out and said rather abrubtly I SHOULD HAVE NEVER STARTED THAT CAR ! I must be honest it sounded and felt much racier now I think maybe my box s 02 is a girl car and all this talk about mid engine in the right place and some respects a better car could be 911 envy. I know one thing I definitlly will not be driving the car until I can convince myself (father of 3, oldest 11 ) its appropriate, I will wait.Of course I got the eye roll from the wife immediatly after the slightest mention as well as even pointing out that it has a back seat so we all could squeeze in.....to no avail!

I like them, but I have no 911 envy. Pretty happy with my Boxster S and never think of it as a girls car.

I sold my 2005 Carrera S coupe and got back into a boxster. I find driving the boxster to be a lot more fun than the 911.

thanks alot I am going rest assured tonight !

Danger zone!

I can totally live with my slightly modded Box, lets say "sleeper"

Yea I had the 911 envy too until I drove one. Didnt felt alive as the boxster do. Yea sound was good, but it felt heavier.
No my envy is for the 981! Damn I should have never sit in one. With the trouble I have with my 986, its even more tempting to switch!

Later all
wawa

I've seen a few 996's on Craigslist that are dropping into the $20k range and like you I get tempted from time-to-time. I saw a nice 996 cabriolet with the detachable hard top and almost went to look at it.

Although it would be nice to get away from the perception that I have a Boxster because I couldn't afford a 911, I considered the following:

1. Is the 996 better or is it just different from what I have now?
2. Will my child really want to sit in the vestigial rear seat?
3. Can I make do with just one trunk?
4. When will I really use the extra power in the 996?
5. What will be the hidden problems in the 996 that I will have to sort out in the first months of ownership?

I recently added a 996 gauge cluster to the car and a glass window top from a 2004 Boxster, so that satisfied my need for novelty and renewed my affection for my car. Since the child who probably won't want to sit in the back seat just started college last September, I have 3 or more years before I can make a change anyway.

if your 02 Boxster S, is a girl car, then so is Porsche's racing history. You have the closest car that Porsche has made to the 550 Sypder. Contrary to popular belief, Porsche were successfull in racing decades before the idea of a revamped 356 (the 911) had even entered anyone's mind.

The being said, the newer Carreras are fine cars, indeed sound amazing (but so does my Fabpseed headers/exhaust) but they're becoming more like Jaguars, Astons and Mercedes Grand Touring cars. Large, long, wide, plush, understeery and disconnected. The Cayman in my opinion has a lot more in common with what the 911 used to be, and made it so great, than the modern Carreras.

Well , the 356 was produced for 15 years before the 911 production started ....

You have a valid point , but "decades" is pushing it :)

I'll post up a pic in a week or two when the boxster project is finished that should well and truly define it as a girls car :D

You need the Top Speed headers, test pipes and race mufflers.
Or another brand that offers a similar sound improvement.
The 911 is heavier than your Boxster, but has some power to compensate.

If you have the chance to track your Boxster, I think you'll find that it can out-perform your driving skills - no insult intended, it's just that good.

I've had a 996 Turbo and the Boxster handles better. Straight line speed is fun, but if that's all I wanted, I'd drive an AMG again (Black Series excluded).

I was referring to Porsche mid-engine racing history vs. 911 racing history.

I just bought a 996 after my Boxster was totaled. http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/44227-986-wrecked-got-996-today.html

I have always wanted a 911 and now I am able to check that box. With that being said, the Boxster is a better sports car (meaning the best handling and pure driving fun and excitement) than the 996 and that's why I am building a Boxster race car. However, the 996 (or any 911) gets 100x more respect than the Boxster. It shouldn't be that way, but it is.

So, at the end of the day, I'll own both and have the best of everything - except I drove a 964 recently and it sure would be cool to own a classic 911........(I suppose the yearning never ends).

Contrary to popular belief, Porsche were successfull in racing decades before the idea of a revamped 356 (the 911) had even entered anyone's mind.

I read this as you saying porsche had decades of racing history prior to the 911 being even designed .....

The 964 is a fantastic car .
Not as nimble , well-balanced , or precise as a boxster , but a big barrel of laughs all the same :)

Fortunately , prices are rising and the current boxster pricing means they are becoming more and more available to people who want a fun car .
Hopefully the "hairdresser" image will be well and truly gone soon ....

As much as I miss my 986 I looooove my 997
140 more hp, and the fact that I can take both kids in the car with me, can't beat that

Looking at the spec n yours , is it a launch car?

Oh no ....
I recognize the avatar pic !!!!

How are you chris ??

The 911 Porsche Carrera is a magnificent, world class sports car. If it were as much fun to drive as a Boxster I might own one. Alas, it just isn't.

A sports car is primarily a weekend joyride for me so I chose the one with the highest fun factor. I don't need to impress my boss or the boys at the country club because I am the boss and I don't care to belong to the club. Different cars for different needs and there is no "best". Only what's best for you.

Ian,

If you include "Porsche designs" you could certainly make that argument:

"Porsche had advanced to Managing Director by 1916 and received the honorary doctorate degree, "Dr. techn h.c." from the Vienna University of Technology in 1917 (hence the "Dr. Ing h.c" in his name, meaning "Doktor Ingenieur Honoris Causa"). Porsche successfully continued to construct racing cars, winning 43 out of 53 races with his 1922 design. In 1923, Porsche left Austro-Daimler after differences ensued about the future direction of car development." Wiki

I'd love a 997 or newer. But a 996? I can't bring myself to pay more for a car that is largely the same as a Boxster S.