986 versus 911

[Blackroot]

Hello-
I am a fairly new owner of a wonderful 2004 special edition Boxster S, and I cant seem to quite understand the whole "poor mans Porsche" label.
If you search my other posts, I am not new to repair, and did my own IMS.
I just don't understand the label as just about everything on on this car is 911 compatible.

My special edition was made in Finland, but it appears to be spot on.

BR

[redciv1]

Hey Blackroot. It is easy to understand, the Boxster is not a 911, that is the problem. If there were no 911 then the Boxster would not have the Poor Man's Porsche label given to it sometimes. At times I use to find myself trying to justify to people about the Boxster, but I don't now. The same way other people don't have to justify whatever they drive. I drive and enjoy.

[rfuerst911sc]

Try driving a 914 or 944 ..... grannies hit you with their unbrellas and school children spit at you To the purists the 911 is the only Porsche to own all other models are less than . I always smile and wave as I blow by them in the beast !!!

[dghii]

Enjoy your car! Last summer I went from a 2000 Box S to a 2003 C2 Cab. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity so I’m happy with my decision. That being said, my next car may well be another Boxster S of some sort.

[Blackroot]

04 special is not slow, and I am proud to drive it after countless working hours.
I want a 911, yes, but this car will never be sold

[Ciao]

It depends how you define advantage: Interior- Boxsters are similar to 911s (of similar year); Performance: Mid engine outperforms a rear engine; Price: Boxsters again have the advantage.

[thstone]

Originally Posted by Blackroot

I cant seem to quite understand the whole "poor mans Porsche" label...

Due to its (now) 50 year history, many believe the 911 to be the only proper Porsche (with a passing nod to the 356).

The Boxster is generally given the label of being "the poor man's Porsche" since it was purposefully designed to be the cheapest of the product line and was marketed to those who couldn't afford a 911. Formerly, this title was bestowed upon the 914 during the 70's and the 924/944 (the "Audi" of Porsche's) during 80's.

I have owned both a 986 and a 996 and despite different mechanical layout, I would say that the two cars were similarly built and appointed. Swap a 3.4L engine into a 986 along with equal sized tires and the Boxster could definitely match or possibly outperform the 996. But there is no doubt that the 986 does not share the 911's heritage.

[RLHornbeck]

I own both (2002 boxster s and 2001 911). They both have there place.

I drive the Boxster daily as it just feels more alive and fun to drive. In stock form the 911 is a faster car, but wow the Boxsters predictable and rail like handling is hard to beat.

Now add the wife and we always take the 911, it has a slightly more polished ride, better sound system, and seems to be quieter even with the top down.

I have not had the Boxster on the track yet, but the 911 is a blast on the track. With my VERY novice self in the car, the 911 in the straights and boxster in the corners but I was starting to learn the 911 in the corners.

If I could only have one, I don't know which I would keep, probably the 911 due to the 6 year old claiming it "her" car and loving to go for rides.

[maytag]

If the "911" series of cars were the only offering from porsche, I would still be a porsche-hater. They're the camaro of European cars: the "me too" expression in its most obvious form. Why anyone would take that dough and spend it that way is well beyond me.... I can think of DOZENS of cars I'd prefer for the same money. (And I guess I've shown that repeatedly with the other cars I own and have owned)

As someone in another thread said today: it's good we don't all have the same taste, or opinion. Haha

I learned to enjoy porsche as a marque only by experiencing the cheap thrills a boxster offers. There are only a couple of things a man can do with $8k that bring as many smiles as a Boxster S.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by maytag

There are only a couple of things a man can do with $8k that bring as many smiles as a Boxster S.

Well said.

[10/10ths]

With Porsche, it's the 911 folks.

With Ducati, it's the Superbike folks

With Ferrari, it's the V12 folks.

With Corvette, it's the Z06 or ZR1 folks.

Don't worry about what anybody else thinks. They are morons.

Enjoy your wonderful machine.

How many mid-engined, two seat, convertible sports cars have ever been built? And how many of them can we actually afford?

You have a "proper" sports car, with TWO trunks.

Think about this, if you leave out the Carrera GT and the 918 Spyder, the Boxster is the LAST sports car Porsche has ever designed from scratch. And it's the car that saved the company.

They have not designed any new sports cars since the Boxster. The Cayman was just a hard top evolution of the Boxster. And the 986 was a "PURE" sports, designed by Porsche when their back was against the wall and they needed a home run to save the company. It was the very best they could do at the time. And they nailed it.

Next time some Gucci wearing car snob talks trash about your "...Porsche with panties on it" as they said on the "The Sopranos", just smile and say, "Yeah you're right, I guess that's why Porsche made the new RSR mid-engined, just like my Boxster, to try to win LeMans."

And chuckle as you drive away.

[dghii]

"If the "911" series of cars were the only offering from porsche, I would still be a porsche-hater. "

I would have agreed with you years ago but the 911 kind of grew on me over the last 5 years or so. the 911 was never the car I hoped to own one day...wasn't even that much of a fan of the style. After owning the Boxster for 10 years and finding out that I could maintain it myself, I begin to look at 911's as a viable alternative as I found the 996 variant was as much a 'red headed step child' as the Boxster.
Given the 'unlove' the 996 has endured, it seemed to be worth considering, knowing it would be very Boxster like in terms of feel and maintenance. Why not give one a try?

I am not disappointed.

That being said, a well loved and cared for Box in the ~$10K range cannot be beat. Hands down the most bang for the buck one can find. The Box owes no apologies. I look at used ones every night and would buy one to replace the 911 in a heartbeat if the right opportunity came up. In the mean time, I'll enjoy the heck out of my 'real' Porsche!

[jmitro]

Originally Posted by dghii

Hands down the most bang for the buck one can find

agreed. I owned two different 996s and really loved them. The aero kit 99 C2 especially was a beauty; but I sold it and bought a project 99 base Boxster. it's 3/4 the fun of a 996 at 1/2 the price

[maytag]

Originally Posted by 10/10ths

With Porsche, it's the 911 folks.



With Ducati, it's the Superbike folks



With Ferrari, it's the V12 folks.



With Corvette, it's the Z06 or ZR1 folks.



Don't worry about what anybody else thinks.

Right!?
We just finished one of these on the JEEP forum..... which jeeps are "real" jeeps. My wife's renegade is so disrespected, you can't even get a "jeep wave".... haha.

To be frank though: porsche owners tend to be (at least in my 9 months of ownership experience) the least snobbish of any group. My first PCA event (intermountain region) the were a couple of 944's that couldn't have been worth more than about $3k, and a couple of nice GT3RS or some- such designation (I honestly can't keep track of all the levels of offerings) in attendance. Nobody seemed to care who had the most or least expensive cars.... they just enjoyed that we were all there. Ferrari people aren't like that.... hell, you show up in a $60k f355 and you'll get ignored and spurned by the 458/488 crowd.... ducatisti all dismiss non-superbikes (until you blow past them on the racetrack on a 2- valve air- cooled, haha).....it's all silly.

Porsche-philes figured this part of it out. It's made me enjoy the experience just that much more.



Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

[mikefocke]

The Boxster has always been deliberately de-contented from/by the factory so as not to interfere with the greater profits from selling a 911.

I never wanted a 911. I owned a 986 and 986S for road use, not track. Only bought the S because I totaled the '99 base and the insurance payout was more than enough for the '01 S. I prefer the lighter convertible form and the two trunks for 2 person get-aways.

We are really fortunate to be able to own either.

[KevinH1990]

I suspect that most people who make negative comments about Boxsters have never driven one. When I was in high school someone made a remark about a friend’s girlfriend. My friend turned to him and said “Don’t complain about steak when you are eating Spam.” Maybe I’ll say the same thing next time someone makes a negative assessment of a Boxster.

[thstone]

Originally Posted by maytag

To be frank though: porsche owners tend to be (at least in my 9 months of ownership experience) the least snobbish of any group.

I'm glad that you've had a great experience thus far. My personal experience was not the same. I had an owner of a 997 tell me to my face that my 996 was a piece of schit.

But as 10/10s stated, not only does this happen in every group, it keeps going and going. The 911 guys quickly group into air-cooled vs water cooled. And then the air cooled guys group into long hoods vs short hoods while the water cooled guys group into GT-3 and not-GT-3.

And you'd think that I'd be one of the cool kids since I daily drive an air-cooled 911, but you'd be surprised at the off hand remarks that I get about driving a 911SC (also known as the poor man's air cooled G-series 911). Its endless!

The best thing to do is to rise above it and be confident in the decisions that you made with your own money and for the experiences that you have had in the car of your choice.

[oldschool]

Well after reading a few post, My .02 I've owned a few 914 (have a 1973 2.0 now)
and a 2000 Boxster 3.4 FUN FUN FUN.
of all the cars I've owned the 914 was the only one I missed driving.
But now that I have the boxster....WOW!
Love it.
and yes some people kid me...

[MYRX]

Good reading. I am an ex Corvette Z06 guy that did a lot of time trials. Time to think about retiring so I sold the Z06. I started missing not owning a sports car. Initially I was looking at 1998-2002 911's. This past November I purchased a 2000 S 986. Very nice condition with IMS already replaced in October of 2018. Got to say, I really enjoyed driving to work, (I live in outside Athens GA so nice country rds). Ill keep the 986.. It was the best deal for the $ I wanted to spend. I am proud Porsche owner now!

[flouese]

As the owner of a 1966 912 and a 1999 Boxster base, I thought the 912 was labeled as the "poor mans Porsche". Try buying parts for the 912, cant be a poor man to afford anything 912 related, i.e. $450 for a crappy looking hood badge. Serious?