part of the appeal of the 911 is it's heritage and character! how many other cars have retained so much of their original design? Furthermore, the fact that the modern 911 (although vastly different mechanically) is so reminiscent of the original car, speaks volumes of the engineering and design vision of Porsche in the beginning.
the boxster is certainly a strong and viable younger brother to the 911
and I say that as a former scrutinizer of the box (currently a little tentative again as I deal with this vibration BS), but the 911 is just something different and special. as i've stated in previous threads (again, depending on how my new issue plays out), it's my intent to keep the box (the nostalgia of first ownership - virgin porsche, etc) and drive it to the dealership when I pick up my new 911.
prior to buying the 987 i looked at several late 90, early 2000 911's more or less to have the advantage of the rear seats so that the car could truly be a weekend get away car for the entire fam - but the fear of mechanical issues and limited warranty was too daunting at this stage for me.