Timeless design

[woodsman]

For the record, I believe 986's will be scarce in the years ahead because of the comparatively high running costs coupled with a dud of an engine ( which is horribly expensive to rebuild or replace). Future classic? - you bet- strong initial public reaction and most hitting the crusher due to repair costs equals rarity.

[RawleyD]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

It's genuinely a "best of both worlds" workhorse group of Porsches that get a heck of a lot of flack from the "purists" but you'll be out shredding tires while their home waxing or saving up to finish that $10K engine rebuild.

I feel exactly the same way!
Love my Box!

[BIGJake111]

i feel this thread needs some photos



also i happen to have this on hand




Original dealer promotion from 1993, i don't even remember how i got a hold of this but i do have it haha.

[woodsman]

To the original posting...
This because your ability to appreciate and differentiate forms Is evolving and becoming more complex. Newer cars and their designs help SOME of us evolve- and changes the context within which we compare the older. The same thing happens to men ( and women?) with regards to women's bodies. Jake, believe it not, in 25 yrs., you'll appreciate a young women's beauty more than you do now. You'll swear " they didn't look like that when I was that age"....And you'll probably appreciate the flowing, complex, organic lines of the 986 even more too. I think cheaper cars utilize simpler forms because that makes them cheaper to produce/ stamp out. So our cars really do have something special- complex, organic forms and more curvature/ inch which made the body panels much more expensive to produce. You're on to something Jake! And Porsche spends the dough on quality design whereas, say GM didn't, when they added fake scoops and wings etc. as an attempt to ' build excitement!' into their much more affordable offerings.

[cfos]

Understanding the expected, ever-present 986 bias, I'm curious to what everyone thinks: Is a car still "classic" if it's been heavily modded? I mean when looking at "classic" car auctions, most of the high priced are stock, right? Not putting on a GT2 bumbler, different wheels (not OEM), etc... So, is the debate really a question of, "Can a 986 be made to look timeless with appropriate modding and still be considered classic?" I mean, I'm biased against the _ _ 6 because of the fried egg headlights and the, ahem, dated interior, but if the 986 were truly classic, wouldn't the generations that followed be closer to the general appearance of the "original" much like the 911s have had a slow evolution?

Sure, I get that >96% of people here love the 986, but a majority of those here have modded it, which begs the question of how can a car be classic, when you mod it into something that has parts that were never included during production? By definition, you create something that can't be considered classic as it has become unique, right? Which is fine if that's what you want to do. I mean, hey, it's your car, right? Maybe unmodded parts can be classic, but the car as a whole may approach "timeless"...? But it's been modded and isn't OEM.

Personally, I agree with the people that argue low production numbers make for a stronger argument, but I don't know that any Porsche car beyond the 911 could be considered "classic" even with the carrera gt having low production numbers. Having said that, I'm not sure which model of 911 can be considered classic, but I think the simple fact that you could look at 911s separated by 20 years and not make the mistake of thinking either car isn't a 911.

[silver-S]

Regarding all the talk of "too many of them to be valuable", I suspect the fact that about 70% of all Porsches ever built are still running means that they'll never be vanishingly rare. But who cares, really? That number is 70% because they're well built (not perfect, but what is?) and alluring enough that people are willing to treat them well, keep them repaired and restore them when they get shabby looking.

In other words, I think they'll never be rare because they're great cars. If you want rare, try to find a running Yugo and pay the big bucks it commands.

[03S]

Timeless indeed...

[heliguy]

Originally Posted by 03S

Timeless indeed...

To quote Paris "That's Hot!"

[TeamOxford]

Originally Posted by 03S

Timeless indeed...

Are those Speedline wheels?

They REALLY make the ride.

TO

[03S]

Originally Posted by TeamOxford

Are those Speedline wheels?

They REALLY make the ride.

TO

Yes, Gemballa Speedline Corse

[heliguy]

Originally Posted by 03S

Yes, Gemballa Speedline Corse

Quite possibly the best looking wheels I've seen on a boxster. 18's?

[03S]

Originally Posted by heliguy

Quite possibly the best looking wheels I've seen on a boxster. 18's?

They're 18's. I've always thought they fit the Boxster perfectly.

[ChrisZang]

Honestly I would have agreed until I saw the 981 in the flesh
It looks great on pictures, but what a stunner in real life

[recycledsixtie]

As much as I like you guys and gals if I won a 2014 Cayman/Boxster in a lottery I would sell my 2001 Box in a heartbeat. Porsche's updating every year works magic on me....

Not willing to spend that amount of $$$$ on a new one so I am staying on this forum for a while. As regards stock yes absolutely. Everything I do is OEM. No addons, no desnorkelling etc so when I come to sell it will not look like a boyracer......

[Bmod986]

Even in gloomy weather the cars lines are quite timeless.

[rick3000]

I'm bumping a somewhat old thread, because I didn't want to start a new one, but I think I can end the debate.

On January 13, 2014, the 986 and 996 officially became Porsche Classics.
Although, having sold 164,874 of them might make them less classic.

[southernstar]

IMO, it is way too early to call the 986 a classic regardless of one's definition. As to the design, I do tend to agree with the OP, however. Yes, it looks a bit dated compared to the new Boxster Cayman. What would you expect for a vehicle design that is now 20 years old?

However, IMO the 986 was a brilliantly executed, amazingly cohesive and original design that positively screamed "Porsche'. The cars roots in the 'giant-killer' 550 Spyders of the 50's - the cars that put Porsche on the map in racing circles, are readily apparent. The curving, rather than angular forms are, well - sexy, rather than masculine, IMO. The same, of course, is true of the original Jaguar XKE - a car that Enzo Ferrari called the most beautiful car in the world.

While the new 981 appears muscular and masculine, to me the 986 evokes the female form - something which for me and many men, brings out an emotional and visceral response that a muscular, male form can never achieve. Heck, I think of mine as a beautiful and sexy woman who, if treated with respect, will provide incredible thrills and satisfaction. Is she a bit fragile? Yes. Does she need to be 'warmed-up' before going for it? Ditto. But once she is ready.....

IMO, the design is also one of the most cohesive and balanced of any car since the XKE and the original 911. Rather than a clash of angles and curves, a modified 'C' shape is carried throughout the design from the front grills, through the intrument cover, the door handles, the mirrors, the side air intakes, the doors, the door windows, the rear fenders, the rear tail-lights and upper brake light, the exhaust (in the base). It is even carried through into the design of various of the interior components.

The car may never become a 'classic' in the true sense of the word, but it is a beautiful design that should always be admired.

Brad

[BIGJake111]

Here is a thought, if all Porsches were still air cooled including our cars, how much would a 986 be worth.

[chrismmm]

I truly enjoy my 2007 box and would seriously consider trading up to a newer boxster but I know I would regret it. I agree the boxster is a classic.

[southernstar]

Bigjake, Porsche was at the limit for development of air-cooled engines in terms of power to displacment/reliability while meeting emission standards when they went to water-cooled engines. The problem IMO is not that the engines are water-cooled, but the damn IMS and the resultant bad publicity.

In the long term this probably will not effect the value of 986's that much as, especially for collector cars wtih relatively low mileage, there are fixes available. In time, as has been pointed out, what will remain will be a very small number of excellent examples, regardless of the number initially produced. The current low prices have brought in a number of purchasers who cannot afford the maintenance on a Porsche; it is also causing some who can afford proper maintenance, to refuse to spend large amounts on a car with very poor resale value. The end result is that as time goes by, the supply of good 986's will drop dramatically.

In assessing the future value of good examples, of course, we must also look at demand. I think that there is every reason to believe that demand will remain quite solid: it was the car that 'saved' Porsche; it pulled at the heart-strings of many who could not afford one when it was initially introduced; it remains a very attractive car and a superb packaging solution for a mid-engined design; it has above average storage for a convertible sports car, an attractive, functional and well-sealed top and excellent HVAC, making if far more confortable than the eariler, air-cooled Porsche convertibles; it has a design that harkens back to the truly classic Porsche 550 Spyders and is immediately indentifiable as a Porsche and nothing else.

In the result, it seems to me that the prices for good examples of the 986 have probably bottomed (or at least, come close to doing so). For the reasons indicated above, I fully expect that with the passage of time, they will become much more rare and collectible. Indeed, for those who have sufficient storage space and the desire to keep their car for the long-term, it may well be the time to consider purchasing and storing a wreck as a source for parts in the future.

Brad