Boxster S Or Benz SLK 280

[Jack-Jack]

Well here are my choices. A 2003 Boxster S with around 15K miles on it. Assume lease no money down less than $600 a month, lease up in June @ which time I can reneotiate lease or buy. UNDER WARRANTY...NEW dealer installed engine only 5K miles on it. Triple Black 5-speed. Loads of miles left no chance of going over.
Negotiable buyout $30K in August.

OR

2006 NEW Benz SLK 280, triple black 39 or 48 mos. $$$$ out of pocket...tripple black auto / trip tranny.

GO easy on me just a week ago I was looking at Solstice & Miata & the VW BUG!

[ford40]

Hi Jack,
about 4 month ago I was looking at a SLK 280 06' and then I drove the Boxster in my case a 2004 with 3500 miles and a 100k CPO good till 2010. I chose the Boxster. The MB was the best luxury cruiser with performance, handling and cachet that I had ever driven for the money....then I drove the Boxster and I remembered immediately what a sports car was about....manual dimming mirror, manually adjustable seat et. al. We all have different ideas about what a car should be but the one thing almost everybody will agree on is that the Boxster is fisrt and foremost a drivers car. I can't stop grinning and wish I lived further from work.

[limoncello]

I chose Boxster after driving an SLK 230 (among several others - Audi TT, Z, RX8). I understand the 280 is a better car, so can't speak to it. I agree completely that the Boxster is a driver's car. Great handling, best brakes on the planet.

I would be a little leery of "renegotiating the lease or buying", etc down the line, if this is the case. I would suggest negotiating all the terms (lease or purchase) now while your leverage is good. Harder to negotiate when the car's in your driveway.

Good luck either way!

[SD987]

Although quoting oneself could be considered egomaniacal I addressed this comparison in a post a couple of weeks ago. Honestly, I would recommend a 987 base instead of the 986s at the price range you're considering. I would rank'em like this:

987 Base
350 SLK
986S
280 SLK

Whole thread: Care clinic for you San Diego types!
My previous comment:

"I got the SLK awhile back on a a 3-year lease. Back when I was car-shopping, I was going to get a 650 convertible or an SL500, but after doing some test-driving, I liked, but was not overwhelmed with either. So I basically split the payment and got two cars instead (for various reasons, I do a boat-load of driving). Driving two roadsters may seem borderline-retarded at first but the comparison between the two cars ends there, in my mind. The Merc is also well-optioned, where the Box is not, but they are still two distinctly different vehicles.

I drive the Merc when I don't feel like manually shifting, having the six-cylinder drone right behind my noggin, or there is the distinct chance of rain. Otherwise I'll drive the Box. In an answer to a question no one asked, my comparison between the two would be:

Merc:
Has some standard features that should be standard on the Box
Air-scarf is awesome (blows hot or cold air on your neck, may cause an erection)
7 speed automatic is pretty good, must drive aggressive in sport mode or shifts very rough
Better cockpit protection in wind
Crap standard stereo, call it a tie with the Box
Vinyl windscreen works ok, but severely hampers night vision/looking out for cops
Feels a little more torquey, not a severe difference unless in fifth gear where it's much better
Automatic hardtop is an engineering marvel in motion, worth the price of admission
Steering wheel adjustment is much better (it's mechanical)
Standard seat adjustment is much better
Cupholders are retarded
Trunk space, particularly with hardtop down is a joke
Better standard OBC
Best looking rear-end on a car....ever
Better looking standard rims

Box:
Better seats overall, although Merc's is good
Coolest cupholders ever
More trunk space
Constant drone of engine behind head with top-up is eventually grating. Some would disagree.
Retractable spoiler - high level of coolness - just wish I could see it
Better headlights
Crap radio reception
Wind screen rattle - still
Better handling, although not the wide gap some might think
Better sounding exhaust/engine note, although it could use a little bass, which the Merc and Boxster S has."

[madp]

Originally Posted by Jack-Jack

Well here are my choices. A 2003 Boxster S with around 15K miles on it. Assume lease no money down less than $600 a month, lease up in June @ which time I can reneotiate lease or buy. UNDER WARRANTY...NEW dealer installed engine only 5K miles on it. Triple Black 5-speed. Loads of miles left no chance of going over.
Negotiable buyout $30K in August.

As a brand new buyer and owner, I offer this perspective: I would never buy a performance car that required an engine replacement after 10k miles. It just begs too many questions about how the car was treated and maintained in it's past life.

[BadBoyS]

Air-scarf is awesome (blows hot or cold air on your neck, may cause an erection)
SD987

Might have to see if that can be added to all my car and trucks...........

LOL

[slogans7]

Air scarf! Oh. I thought it said "hair scarf." Never mind.

Buy the Boxster.

[Rail26]

Erection from the hair scarf? I'm surprised old dudes haven't been snapping them up! Very funny SD...I will never look at the SLK the same again. Dude, tell me you didn't pop a woodrow driving the SLK?

[ephidaboost]

Pop a woodrow? lol

Based on the horror stories I read about with MB, id get the Porsche. Do some google searches on mercedes benz quality and customer complaints, then do the same research for Porsche. Youll find entire communities and websites built around people who hate their MB's and are getting screwed at the dealership.. MB is famous for leaving customers high and dry..

[SD987]

Lately I've been linking posts to a relevant editorial over at my favorite car site. In line with this thread and ephidaboost's comment.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/content/1141667912346618258/index.php

[rdancd816]

Jumped into my buddy's 280 last Saturday to go to a game and the door handle came off in my hand! He nonchalantly said, "stuff is always falling off this car." MB is a prestegious nameplate that's diminished its stance. My vote will always be Porsche! I've got a 9 year old Boxster and could't be happier. Good Luck!

[Hoosier]

I have to admit I was partial to MB even for top down motoring...until I got my Boxster back in 2000. Still have MB but dumped all but the ML350 SUV, which I can't complain about. I did test drive the SLK350 after they revamped it last year just to compare it to the SLK you are considering. That 7 speed manual 3.5 liter is snappy and I would test drive it again if I was in the market to replace my Boxster, but no way I would take the SLK230 (smaller engine older body style) over a Boxster. My personal test has always been this: You know the yellow speed limit signs that they post before you get to a sharp curve in the road that kinda recommend a safe speed for negotiating the curve? Well just double that figure and take the curve. So if it says 35 miles per hour, take it at 70. You'll like the Boxster going around that curve over any MB everytime!