Quote:
Originally Posted by flynavyj
Ok - Almost bought a cheap boxster about 4 years ago. Didn't (it was really really cheap - and I got scared off from maintenance possibilities.) Ended up buying an older Camaro (92) that had a LS1 swapped in it. Drove it for four years, and low and behold, I can now increase my budget...also, the boxster is now well within my budget, and I've seen many threads, posts, videos, articles describing the ~$10k Porsche Boxster.
Wife gave me the "ok" (long as the Camaro gets sold) and I'm free to jump into Porsche-Land...biggest fear, still...potential maintenance costs. I tend to do much of my own work, but don't want to see this car taking all my $$$ before I even get to enjoy it.
It'll be a spare car, used on weekends or to commute to work on nice weather days. Have a daily driver, so that's not it's purpose at all! Other cars I'm considering.
BMW Z3
BMW Z4
Chevrolet Corvette
Obviously the 986 is the only mid-engined car on this list. And I imagine it'll drive like a dream. I don't think I NEED to have a 300+ HP car at the moment, as a good driving car is more important to me than brute strength. Same time, the Corvette has been described often as being fairly nimble (albeit a bit porkier than a boxster)
Now I know this thread will likely be biased...but, if you were looking at the cars on the list. How would you rate them against the 986? (BTW - I'm basically looking non-S models...most of the "S" models are a bit above my ~$10k budget...can go up slightly, but not significantly.
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BMW's have very quiet interiors. Hard to know the engine is running in most. The Corvette may cost you 10's of thousands of dollars if a body panel gets damaged. The Boxster, is not quiet. Body work can be expensive but, nowhere near that of a BMW or
Corvette. If a 986 is the goal, get an S model. The base models are dirt cheap but, also
vastly underpowered. 2.5 (pokey) and 2.7(better) liter engines, 5 speed transmissions... The S has 3.2 liters, 6 speed transmission, larger break calipers, better suspension and so on. Definitely look for complete service histories.
Depending on where you live, a hard top is a plus. Much less road/wind noise and much' more comfortable in colder climates. Again, depending on where you live, 10K is plenty
to buy a good to great condition 986 S. Options will of course vary and add to the price
point but, if you buy a 10k base Boxster, you'll wish you'd held out for an S.