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Boxsters dont make bad daily cars as long as you can live with the compromise of only having one extra seat and not alot of cargo room. When driven nicely, they certainly get good mileage.
As to the winter question, I'd do it if you had to, but I certainly prefer not to. Salt is definitly not your friend, and no matter how religious you are about washing it frequently, it will still take its toll on things like brake rotors, suspension components, any steel fasteners, exhaust components, etc.
On the flip side, as 986 girl will tell you about her experience this past winter, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to pick up a winter beater for the cost of winter rims/snows and not have to put money into it. If you can afford roughly $5k (in my opinion) you can have a reliable, safe, second car to drive when its yucky out or to go pick up a new air compressor in.
If you do choose to drive the Porsche in the snow, getting snows for it is absolutely a requirement. Contrary to what DJ pointed out, the issue isnt driving on actual snow (which you certainly will have to do at some point, and winter tires are a fantastic advantage here) but rather driving on roads that may be wet and below the freezing point. If you live in say, VA, and your car may see snow a handful of times during the winter, you could get by with running Z rated tires all year and just be SUPER careful on those few days. An all season tire will provide plenty of winter traction in that case as well. Now if you're somewhere where you actually get a real winter, real snow tires become a necessity. Z rated summer tires are worthless below 40 degrees, and offer no grip at all on frozen roads. Any of us who have gotten caught in an unexpected snowstorm on Z rated tires can attest to this. If its your daily, and you're running around in the winter on summer tires, all you need is one place where it hasnt been salted enough where you need to slow down or turn and thats game over.
The way I always explain this to those who dont get the importance of proper tires, is to compare the cost of snows vs the cost of your collision deductible. One stupid mishap that costs you a bumper would have paid for your snows (which would have lasted you probably 3 winters so really, divide that cost out some more). Obviously, the worst case is a totalled car and you in the hospital, or the graveyard.
Just my $.02....
Patrick
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