poor man's porsche

[Mart]

Everyone is entitled to an opinion and whatever that is, don't let it get to you. If someone comes up to you and tells you that it's a poor man's Porsche, then so be it. Drop your top and enjoy the drive. Poor in his eyes but one heck of a ride for me, and when you take to the bends with the flat six screaming behind you, whose opinion matters most? You decide.

[everwax]

jb... there is a different mentality in the UK.

I spent a little time in Georgia learning about a PC networking system in '91. I found that people tend to recognise what you bring to the table as a statement of effort, rather that a recognition of class (still all too prevalent in the UK). In fact, me and my then lady met up with a couple in a waffle house. They invited us to enjoy some real southern cooking and proceeded to cook for us for the next 3 days until we flew out. Real people, open to experience and communication. That's what I like about you guys (without generalisation to my US cousins): you tend to take people as you find them, without assumptions. If they're arseholes you say so and have done ) I've hit the States 3 times and I've never had a challenge ... except at customs, when I was asked to leave my kalashnikov at the desk ;

[everwax]

Mart, it is sweet, isn't it )

I'm disinclined to acknowledge foolish people. I have 3 maxims: be generous with your heart, be generous with your time, and be generous with you wealth. That is not to say that I am a soppy guy with too much time and money on his hands; it means that I try to conduct myself positively within society. I shoot people only occasionally ;o)

[NewArt]

Well, I've had this one for a year and a half. I am getting poorer by the week!
Oh, what the hell. It's better than golf and I'm not dead yet!

[Ckrikos]

I always tell people that I think the boxster s is the best porsche and I always get "get the f*** out of here". My turbo grips well and is faster than I will ever need, but driving the boxster inspires confidence and feels more planted, where as the turbo gets light in the nose when the boost kicks in.

[BirdDog]

I've never had that happen to me (comment about how my Boxster S is a "cheap mans Porsche" or "Girlie Car") but I can tell you what I would say if someone said that to me:

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I would just SMILE, a BIG cat who ate a canary smile.

It's hard not to smile when you own a Boxster.

[BIGJake111]

A blind insult is the best compliment of all.

[Porsche9]

I get positive comments on the Boxster all the time from people of all different walks of life.

I did once get a comment were the guy said to me that he'd bet I wish I could have gotten a 911 instead. I just smiled and said been there done that. You should have seen his dumb ass face.

[Mart]

Originally Posted by everwax

Mart, it is sweet, isn't it )

I'm disinclined to acknowledge foolish people. I have 3 maxims: be generous with your heart, be generous with your time, and be generous with you wealth. That is not to say that I am a soppy guy with too much time and money on his hands; it means that I try to conduct myself positively within society. I shoot people only occasionally ;o)

Everwax, Lovely! Absolutely Lovely!

[Jim Rockford]

I got "Did it come with pantyhose?" from a neighbour when I first got it (one that I know, not a complete stranger).
This coming from a guy who bought a Camaro SS early in the vehicle release so then proceeded to supercharge it, and paid well more than if he just waited until the ZL1 came out.
So yeah it's been said, it's just people who lack perspective latching onto something they heard once that they want to recycle because it makes them feel good somehow. There's probably a common theme about the people that try to perpetuate this in that they're a tad unrefined and/or undereducated. I just take it in stride and know that when I'm enjoying seat time in my 986 that I am in the know and that's all that matters.

[everwax]

For those of us who cannot afford a Picasso, da Vinci, Cezanne or a Rembrandt, I suppose it is a poor man's Porsche; however, it remains the best piece of automotive art I have ever seen - and had the absolute delight to drive. I've had her for only 3 months but in that time I've spent hours washing then watching her quietly whilst having a smoke in my driveway. The shape of the curves, the transition from blue to black as twilight settles ... The 986 Boxster is indeed a classic work of art.

I appreciate this is OT but for the past few days I have been travelling to and from the hospice to see my wife, and the 15 minute trot is all single, country carriageway maxed out at 60 mph (by law, not me). But. It has a range of gentle sweeping curves, sharp s-bends and 5k shift up points that simply inspire confident, decisive manual box driving. At the moment, some of the best times in my worst days. What a car!

[chiliphil1]

I have the same problem with my motorcyle. I have a harley sportster and man, all the idiots that call it a girls bike it's just unbelievable. The sportster is the best harley has to offer, 4 cam engine, enough ground clearance to actually enjoy curvy roads, more power and less weight than anything else they have, I ride one because that's what I like, sure some bikes are more comfortable but that's not the point. I don't see why people can't accept each other as family, a sportster is a harley and a boxster is a porsche, get over it!

[velorider]

Like the everwax said -- it all depends on the company. Roll up to a Miata club and you'll be the Exalted One in your 986 Boxster......but shop for a tshirt at the Ferrari dealership and you will be seen as the Errand Boy. From the perspective of "pure driving pleasure" there isn't really a price point -- I'll reference a well setup Miata in this regard. But -- and this is important -- from a "what's in YOUR wallet" perspective we know there is a pecking order and we're very very low. Does an Aston Martin drive better? Is the 911 a better car? What is "better" anyway? In high dollar clubs the cost IS the mark of a good car. People don't buy a Bentley because it drives well; they buy it because they CAN and not worry about the cost.

And it is precisely those circles (in addition to Camaro owners as well, apparently) that the Boxster is poo'd as the Porsche you buy for your wife. We know Porsche holds the power back on purpose to protect their 911, and that alone should tell you the Boxster is imminently capable.

If you need the cool car to feel cool, then I suppose the Boxster is a risky choice based on this thread. I've certainly enjoyed owning many fun cars (M Roadster, street and track Miatas, S2000, TTS) but the 986 Boxster has a hook that I haven't found in others. No one else's opinion could change the feeling I have both owning and driving it, and along those same lines I can say that buying a car that costs 2/3/4x as much wouldn't necessarily offer the same feeling just because it is more expensive. My approach to car buying has always been to find what I like, rather than buy what I think will impress other people. We all know that's not the case for everyone -- which is fine, I can respect another approach to car buying -- but that's where I stand.

[everwax]

Originally Posted by velorider

... and along those same lines I can say that buying a car that costs 2/3/4x as much wouldn't necessarily offer the same feeling just because it is more expensive.

Well said

[jdlmodelt]

I wouldn't consider it a poor man's porche. I'm with others on here who have indicated they prefer it over a 911. I had the option to purchase either model and could not bring myself to get the 911 because I thought the boxster had a sexier look to it. I love the body style and I LOVE the handling. I've owned it for over a year and have put over 20k miles on it. Just oil, air and brakes/rotors. the cheap ceramic brakes and rotors drilled and slotted off of ebay for just over $200...they are working/wearing great. I get compliments from people of all ages and walks. The comments that get me the most are those from some of my redneck buddies who say, "you must get paid the big bucks", and yet they are driving a new diesel pickup that they paid 3-4 times what I paid for my used Porsche and they are still and will be making payments on theirs for years to come. My was low enough in cost that my wife just had me pay in full rather than financing. We love it. I don't really care what anyone else says about it. They don't know what they are talking about.

[thstone]

The only people who look down on the Boxster are people who have never owned a Porsche.

Among those who own Porsche's, the Boxster is recognized as a great car - whereas the 996 is by far the most talked down, hated, and despised car Porsche has ever made (well, except for maybe the 924). I have had people say, "I'd never own a 996, its a piece of crap!" straight to my face. I never had to defend my ownership of a Boxster like I have to with the 996.

To prove my point, no one ever wrote and published a story called "Porsche's Deadly Sin #1" about the Boxster, but they did write it about the 996 which starts by saying this;

"We will start with the big betrayals, of course, and the unassuming fastback you see above represents perhaps the worst of Porsche’s many middle fingers to the customer base. It is a 1999 Porsche 911, known to everyone in the world as the “996″. "

So, the next time you're feeling insecure about owning a Boxster just be glad that you don't own a 996!

Porsche's Deadly Sin #1: 1999 Porsche 911 (996) 3.4 | The Truth About Cars

[TeamOxford]

True, the 1999 986 has a bad rep.

IMHO opinion, the respect level goes like this, from worst to less worse:

1970 Porsche 914 (It's a Volkswagen, for cryin' out loud)
1977 Porsche 924 (It's an Audi, for cryin' out loud) with Volkswagen parts to boot!
1999 Porsche 911 (996 - It's a Boxster with a sh***y engine, for cryin' out loud)

Notice that I offer no reasons WHY these models get no respect, because after all............

I'm just sayin'........

TO

[BIGJake111]

What's really crazy is that I have noticed the 996s almost cost the same as a boxster S these days. Could the boxster really be the rich mans porsche of the used market? The affordable 2.5s have a long way to go, but heck own two, no one can call you poor if you own two porsches.

[Xpit77]

I felt sad because I drive a 99 Boxster. Then I saw a man driving a Miata.:dance:

[Joe B]

I'm poor (relatively speaking). I own a Boxster...