How many would ... sell Boxster & buy Boxster S
 

After learing more about the Boxster I'm considering selling my 19999 Boxster with 76K miles and buying a low milage Boxster S. How many of you would do the same?

Nope, after a full rebuild I love the way the car performs and the purpose of the car is more for enjoyment of the convertible design and running the twisties around the mountains in the PNW.

I might someday. I have owned my 98 for 8 years (7 yrs longer than planned) and a 2009 987S PDK looks interesting to me. So many cars, so little time. :)

Would I swap for a 986S ?? Not likely. My base car is really pretty sorted out and dead nuts reliable.

And, have you driven an S?

It rocks. The base had decent pickup, but the S was instantly what I wanted and bought. No regrets whatsoever. Huge brakes, way better off the line.

986? Absolutely. Drove both, would not have been satisfied with the base.
987? I would be fine with a base...

Yep, I have driven them all... at the track.
986S, 987S, 981S, 997C4S, 996 GT3, 997 TT, 997 GT2RS, BMW M3, M5, MBZ C63 AMG, Corvette C6 Z06... Each car has it's merits.

:cheers:

Yes, I would but I probably would go for a 987S or consider a 1999 ~ 2001 996 convertible, they are getting *very* inexpensive

I likely would not buy an S. Perhaps a 2009 Cayman base but if the price was right who knows.

I would not buy a 996 Cab.... had one briefly and it felt felt powerful, but ponderous, cheap and bulky without much luggage space, 986S or 9x7 (for the way better build quality) any day.

I'm with Recycledsixtie. When the day comes that my 2002 base gives up the ghost, I will most likely be looking at a Cayman. I would miss the convertible. However, around here between the high humidity in the Summer and the cold Winters I only get to go top down a couple months out of the year, anyway. I really like the styling of the Cayman and I would still have the mid-engine handling.

I was down at the Porsche dealership today(good day as there are no salespeople around). Just looking at the new and old .I was like a kid in a candy store. They had only new Caymans with the PDK which does not interest me anyway. No used Caymans. They had second hand Boxsters and new Boxsters. I am the same way - I really don't need a convertible top. Have been gently car shopping . My daughter's boyfriend says if you sell your Porsche you need something exciting to drive! Another Porsche?

Sorry to sideswipe your thread......

Well, that is a coincidental thought as I'd already mentioned to my wife that a Caymen also has a mid-engine layout. But she really does like the lines of a Boxster.

Well some of the 2.5's were the lightest, just a few light mods away from being 'race weight' or ~2,600 lbs.
While some of the 3.2's were porkers. But at these prices and this much supply I don't see a reason not to move to a bigger engine. Maintenance and repairs are going to run the same as The 2.5 so why not.

I drove a 2000 "S" on my Boxster search and didn't think it felt 50hp faster than the '99 I ended up with.

I'm probably in the minority here but I opted for a 2.5 due to the shorter gearing and I love the more mechanical sound of the original Boxster motor; sounds a lot like an air-cooled 911 and with the top down has the best exhaust note of the Boxster line-up as well.

It's a tough question.

The problem is known vs unknown. I've had my 2.5 for three years, so while it could blow up tomorrow, if feels like a known quantity. If I were to buy a 3.2, it would be unknown.

Put it this way, if I were to buy a 3.2 and it blew up in short order, I would at least a little bit feel like it was punishment for being greedy. I would enjoy the extra performance of the 3.2, but overall the car would likely only give me a little more pleasure.

Conversely, if my 2.5 blows up in short order I'll feel like I had a reasonable innings, did everything I could reasonably afford to keep it running well and, well, **************** happens.

I've often wondered whether an early 2.7 with the gearbox from a 2.5 might be the perfect 986...

I bought an S in the first place. Why? I'm not sure I remember. It was within my budget and the one I bought was a very good deal at the time... and of course I had always wanted a Porsche, not that I really knew much about them from a technical standpoint at that time but the S was the "faster" one.

In hindsight, I probably should have bought a 993 for more or less the same money at the time. It would have held it's value rather than halving and then some over my 5 years of ownership. Live and learn I suppose, although the Boxster has been a lot of fun and I do not regret buying it.

You're not the only one. ;)

With out a doubt or hessitation.

Yeah tough question. I like the idea of having a 3.2, but not sure I want to go through the dance of doing all the upgrades again.

I test drove a 2.5 and it was awesome but the 3.2 was even more lively and spirited and I did not want to give that up or feel like I needed to upgrade someday.

Now that I know more I realize the 2001 3.2 with dual row bearings in the IMS was one of the more robust engines I could have chosen so I feel it was the best choice in my price range.

C'mon guys - the S model is streets ahead on specs....

1) Bigger engine = more power and torque.
2) Bigger, more efficient brakes with ventilated rotors.
3) Big Red Brembo brake calipers - worth the entrance cost alone.
4) Six speed gearbox.
5) Third radiator - extra coolant and cooling for the engine.
6) Larger oil cooler.
7) Far nicer silver / white dial cluster.
8) Bigger 17" wheels and corresponding tyres.
9) Much better resale value.
10) Much bigger head 'cos it says S after Boxster....

What more do you want??

Already have a S and never drove a base... :D

997 GT2 RS :D


I can appreciate both cars for what they are and still contain my lust for power.

Who could answer such a question? At what price? In what condition? What mileage? What year? Most importantly, how much money do you have to spend? Without such information, you might as well be asking people whether they'd rather have a brand new 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari or a rusted out 1967 Volkswagen.

I would keep my base as even if I buy another porsche ill probably keep her. I hardly drive now a days so no I wouldn't trade it in. Maybe for a cayman.

You should be having fun no matter what boxster you are driving .
If you're not having fun , you're doing it wrong ;)

:D

I have to agree, its a lot of value and the premium in the second hand market is not so big that you can't swing it.
Personally for the track the base car is plenty. For the street however you are far better off With 250hp as cars on the road today have a lot more power than they did 13 years ago. The extra power is usable in highway merging and in overtaking mini vans and SUVs holding up the rest. And of course very rare D-chunk failures in the 3.2's.

And for track/autox I will say that at this weight a car at 240hp or more seems livelier off braking and out of slow corners. Anymore power and then its a bit like the car is driving itself. 240-300 is the sweet spot IMHO. But the early Boxsters were light so they don't need it to be quick.

Drove both 2002 base and S back to back brand new at the dealer...I liked the base better.

1) aura and sounded better
2) felt more torque at very low revs
3) much preferred the black dials than the silver ones in the inside
4) the base actually has a wider track than the S. (bet you guys didn't know that)

The only trade up I would do would be a boxster Spyder.:cheers:

No third radiator on the Boxster S. It can be upgraded to that because of the hole already cut out of the bumper though. This can be easily fixed with a nice muffler on the base. Like Ian said, you should be having fun no matter what. :D:D

Not correct - all S models have the third radiator fitted as standard.......

I'm thinking I should have purchased an S.

255 hp is starting to get dull.

And I'm kind of missing a clutch. Never thought I would say it, but now I'm kind of missing it . . .

Only tiptronic trans cars have the third radiator. My 2005 S is a 6-speed and there is no third radiator.

Don't know about 987 but my 2000S has 3 radiators.

I would like a 97 with jakes 2.9 HP upgrade, and maybe a single turbo. Would have to upgrade the brakes and suspension but you could probably buy one pretty cheap these days.

And my own 2001 S has the third radiator fitted from new....;)

You have a very rare car. S models came stock with 3rd rad.

Personally think a turbo would be a very bad idea. It will ruin the throttle response and linear power delivery and probably spoil the noise a bit too.

How could you sell your 19999 Boxster ? It hasn't even been made yet. :cool:

I bought my 1st (of 3) Boxster s' after driving my bothers base boxster. The 2.7 felt (at least to me) very anemic - like it wanted to let loose, but just couldn't. The S is just a different animal.

For the record, my bothers 2.7 has 98k, the original ims, and hasn't given him any issues. My 2000 S has 2 engine failures due to ims (1st covered by porsche, second, hoping to get some love from settlement). Hope that helps.