Please tell me if I am crazy or not ....
 

Before I bought my Boxster S, I extensively put time into checking out the Honda S2000. :) It is like a motorcycle on 4 wheels and a great car, however after deciding on and purchasing the Boxster S, the Porsche clearly is a superior car. :cheers:

The Boxster easily out handles the Honda, but the FAT torque curve right where you need it is the main thing that makes the car a winner..... not to mention the looks and overall vibe of the car.

The problem is, after I bought it (mine is a 2000) I found out about the RMS problems, but worse yet, found out about the motors self destructing. :( This is like a bad dream for me as I can't afford to replace a motor in this thing ..... I could barely afford the car and insurance as is. I don't think ANYONE should be expected to have to replace a low mile motor in a high end car because of an Engineering screw up that Porsche won't take responsiblity for.

That said, I have another chance at a mint 05 S2000 with 1K miles. It would take $5,000 and my Boxter to buy it. It's not really a good deal in any way, but at least with the Honda I would have some piece of mind.

It comes down to, will my 27K Porsche S be one that will stay together and give years of enjoyment, or will it be the worst automotive investment I've ever made? I really would like to keep it.

It's like a big gamble. :mad:

Sorry for the rant .......maybe I worry too much ? :confused:

do you really honestly think that it's not possible that the s2000 could possibly have an engine failure. it is a high revving engine, like the m3 engines. you probably think that the m3 is a very reliable car, well guess what it has probably had just as many rms leaks to engine failures. the s2000 is not safe by any means.

i think you pretty much answer your own question. Your heart is already set for S2000 w/c is there's nothing wrong with that. I'm not here to convince you to stay on Boxster or get the S2K, I think both cars are great esp. if you put Miata on the selection, IMHO. But the "WOW" factor is one of the reason i bought it :D

I got 99' Boxster and not worrying about it coz' I bought a 4yr/100k Extended Warranty.
You, my friend has 2k Boxster S. :D i envy you :D
*Oh yah, BTW..everytime i met up w/ my friends (they got S2k, M3, Acura RSX) other friends will always compliment my car, the first impression when i pull in of the driveway with the top down are...deng, foo! you drive a Porsche? :D
*expressing this in a humble way*

Personally I think you're freakin' nuts!!! JK ;)

Enjoy the car and stop worrying! Losing $5k would be nuts IMHO, and if you are that worried use $1500 and buy an extended warranty. Not to mention, if you buy the S2000 and lose the $5k you will also lose the looks and performance of the Boxster. Frankly, it's worth the small chance of a major engine failure to save $5k and drive the Boxster.

Keep the $5k (that you planned to spend for the switch) as a starter for a "comfort cushion" and save into it as much as you can (saving is good anyway). Your S has already had 27k (trouble free? records?) miles, and most major issues (if any) would have popped up by now. I see your situation like this: You like the Box S more but are now afraid that you may have overstretched and may not be able to handle the uncertainity of potential repair. Remedy the situation by saving up for the cushion.

Paying MORE for what you perceive to be a less costly car to repair is not a solution. EVERY car breaks, and a cushion is a must.

Z.

Thanks guys for the feedback .....


I bought the car off a private owner. I wonder if a Porsche dealership would sell me an extended warranty after an inspection? I guess I could go down there and ask. :confused:

The other idea was to drive it and sell it in the spring, then find a Carrera that (hopefully) didn't suffer from the intermediate shaft failure prob.... or the RMS prob. I will have to research the Carreras a bit more closely before I make another move.

Your list of rides in your signature are void of anything German except your boxster. You obviously like Jap cars...which are far more reliable and they are fun, but they're not a Porsche. I've owned a parade of japanese sports cars and they're all the same to me... knock offs of the real thing. Of course, this is my not so humble opinion and I will stand by it regardless of what others might post to argue with me.

I say go ahead and sell it and get into that S2000 and be done with it.

There are those who always wanted a Porsche and the joys of owning one of the world's best German sports cars far outweight the potential risks involved in ownership. It's really a passion for me and always has been. A faster, nearly maintenance free and bullet proof Japanese car would still be a cheap imitation and leave me wanting.

You don't appear to be of the same mind as me if you are debating this. Sell your Porsche and get back into a japanese car and sleep at night and enjoy your ride. Life is too short to drive something you second-guess. :cheers:

If you are looking to buy an extended warranty, your best place is warrantydirect.com. you could get a bumper to bumper w/ $100 deductible for $3500

Also, if money is not an issue, yah get a Carrera but make sure that's the car that you really want coz' if not...you're digging your financial hole deeper. Like what randall was saying..you are second guessing it now, be done with it...sell it and buy the S2K that you really wanted. plus investing in a car is not really a good one, car is meant for transporting and having fun with it not an investment :)

A dealer is not going to give you a warranty. But go and ask anyway. People here have written about third-party warranties.

Carrera is not going to make you sleep better, as the "issues" are the same there.

Z.

some porsche dealers now offer third party warranties in house. mine does. it's actually really good...........this is how it works.....

i pay $3500 for 4 or 5 years. in that time, if anything happens it's covered in warranty. if nothing happens in 4 to 5 years, they give me back my $3500. is
that not an insane warranty. don't quote me on the price or years, buts that approx up or down a year or a dollar.

I'll save you the time. 996 carreras suffer from the exact same engine problems as boxsters except for maybe the slipped sleeve thing that afffected a few 99's.

I heard the xbox 360 catches on fire and burns houses down but I bought one.....this frickin board made me lose some sleep when purchasing my 05......don't let it get to you.....if you want an ugly s2000 get it....then again I would never want to drive in something that looks like a shoe :D

I would not buy a new S2000. Its pointless.
You will get the same reliability, performance and looksn from a second hand
S2000. And what a sports car bargain it will be.

I don't believe the Boxster S is superior to the S2000 in any way that is quantifiable. They are in the same league. In terms of styling a well styled Boxster is in my opinion a nicer looking car but that's purely subjective.

If I were you I would either get a warranty for that BoxsterS or look for a second hand S2000. It sounds like you are at the limit on disposable income so a new car really is not a good move, you'll lose money you should be saving/investing on the depreciation of a new car. Also you will get more of your money back buying a second hand S2000 which you can later use to buy CPO in warranty Boxster a few years down the line.

hahahahaha! good one :p

Hi,

The bulk of opinion expressed here will favor keeping the Boxster, but that figures given it's a Boxster Forum. Post this same query on an S2000 Forum and the bulk of the response is likely to be 180° from that expressed here.

But, talk is cheap, and no one except you must live with the consequence of your decision, so don't let people sway you.

There is no one Perfect Car, but, if there was, the Boxster isn't likely to be it. But, I'm not sure the S2000 would be either.

So, it all boils down to personal choice and it's unlikely you'll find that here. It would be interesting to have owned them both and would probably give you a better experience base from which to judge future cars. So, more power to you whichever you decide...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Wow, that's a bummer. What year Carreras are safe, if any ? :confused:

Non-GT3 normally aspirated 996 and 997 engines are based on the same block as the 986/987 and have all the same potential issues.

Are you really going to sell your car based on what a couple of people said on the internet? Have you gone to any other boards? The stuff you read on any automotive boards is enough to make you want to just take the bus everywhere.

thank you, blue....OMG, silver..you just got your car and now you are talking about selling it and getting a new one? if RMS, leaks, etc..really worried you that much...sell your boxster, get a S2000 and don't look back. believe me, carrera won't solve what's bugging you, unless you are getting a brand spanking new Porsche but other than that, just follow what you have already set in your mind.

qoute taken from your original post:
"That said, I have another chance at a mint 05 S2000 with 1K miles. It would take $5,000 and my Boxter to buy it. It's not really a good deal in any way, but at least with the Honda I would have some piece of mind."


Going to forums/boards helps a lot but if you keep on reading all the bad things and worried about it..it's not gonna do you any good :) but please don't let the car ruin your Thanksgiving weekend. :D :D

PPPPSSSSSHHHH those bus drivers are KRAZY....I would stick to a good old BMX Bike. Maybe add front and rear pegs to transport the ladies......NIIIICCCEEEE...HIGH FIVEEE!

:D :cheers:

TriGem that's brilliant reasoning!!! I now have an angle to validate dropping a grand on the Hutch Trickstar my parents wouldn't buy me when I was a kid!

and to the sentiment people are echoing, I asked the same question.....911, Boxster, and even the brand spanking new almighty Cayman are suspect.....so in that regard rev the S2000 to 8000 and go.....just don't burn your clutch like me....frickin unreliable Porsce engineering :D