Daily Driver - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

[z0ne] · 04-15-2007, 04:45 PM

Hi all,

As some of you might know, thanks to my WTB thread, I'm in the market for a 986. The thing is, I'd be using it as a daily driver. I would be sitting in mild traffic, driving back and forth to the store, friend's houses, spirited driving, et cetera. My question to you guys is do you drive your 986 all the time? How is it as a daily? Also, since I live in NJ, it snows. That means that I'd have to invest in winter tires and a set of winter rims to mount them on. Have any of you had experience with the car in the snow? A friend of mine's father has a Carrera 4S and he drives it in the snow. I realize his 996 is AWD, though...

Thanks in advance,
Jake

KevinH1990 · 04-15-2007, 05:23 PM

I drive mine year round, but I do have another car for snow and for times that I need to carry more than one passenger. I think that with a set of snow tires, a Boxster would make a good daily driver except in very deep snow.

FrayAdjacent · 04-15-2007, 05:26 PM

My Box is my daily driver... but I live in an area of the country in which I can easily drive the same car year round... even on the same tires!

It makes a good commuter car.. if you're not heavy on the gas, it can get good gas mileage. (I drove from Austin, TX to Phoenix, AZ, and averaged 31mpg)

986 Girl · 04-15-2007, 05:56 PM

I drive mine all the time during the summer, except when I go to the farmers market because you have to park in a gravel parking lot which makes me nervous :/

I would never drive it in the snow though... salt is way too detrimental, even if you are religious about getting it washed. Just buy a cheap winter beater for about the same as it would cost you for winter tires/wheels.

djomlas · 04-15-2007, 07:05 PM

i drive mine daily, and on the same summer tires even during the winter time.
during winter roads are celan, only when its a blizzard you are stuck driving ON THE ACTUAL snow, other than that its fine, snow is moved off the road and you are fine with any car at that point.
and you dont really need a hardtop at all, but if you have one its a plus couse it keeps the cabin warmer and noise down, and you get a read heated window)

JAAY · 04-15-2007, 07:25 PM

I drive mine rarely. I had it in the snow once. Not a good time. Sorry I have no good input for this one.

porscheracer · 04-16-2007, 07:53 AM

I live in NYC and use my Box S as a dailey driver....However, in heavy snow the Box will rest in the garage cuz of low profile tires.
I still have recurring nightmares with my old and gone 996 Cab being stuck on lower east side cuz of tiny slope & slush..I had to get help from a local bum to push my car up...

denverpete · 04-16-2007, 09:43 AM

I use mine (mostly) as a daily driver throughout the year except for heavy snow days. You can easily pick up some rims and snows for under $1000.00 off of Ebay. They make a tremendous difference.

I will note that I have stopped taking it to work immediately prior and following a snow storm. I simply don't want to deal with the mix of slush and sand being thrown onto the car during the storm - nor the sand getting kicked up onto it after. A few hood dings and I'm done with that!

n4ally2 · 04-16-2007, 10:19 AM

I just bought my boxster and live in CA. I don't get snow in my area, but do get a lot of rain in the winter. I notice my tires are summer tires. Does it make sense to switch my summer tires in the winter for all season tires? What do you all suggest?

unklekraker · 04-16-2007, 10:22 AM

n4ally2, on where we at, just get a all season tires..we don't need an special tires unless you are looking for a performance tires...

BTW..Welcome to the forum and post up a pix if you can

Perfectlap · 04-16-2007, 11:13 AM

six months on snows tires (Pirelli Snowsport) and six months on summer tires
(debating between Goodyears and Michelins).
I mount the snows as close to thanksgiving as possible.

I'm contemplating buying a set of Carrera replicas for the snow tires, those wheels can be had for less than $900. A good deal. Snow tires cost about $800.
This saves the hassle and cost of mounting the tires onto the same wheels.
Just switch wheels in the garage with the impact gun and proper jack. 15 minutes.

On snow tires the Boxster does very well on the road. I throw a couple of dumbell plates in the rear trunk for some added stability. But its risky because the danger is from you crashing but other morons on summer tires crashing into you. Some jerk smashed into the back car and ruined my bike rack, of course he forgot to leave a note...

Without the snow tires you have no chance. All season tires in this part of the country are useless in snow. And the weather around here is very unpredictable.
I may be driving in the rain NYC where is a few degrees warmer than New Jersey, and I've had instances where the it went from rain to snow in less than half a mile and the car was absolutely undriveable. Like I was in a drift racing competition -- no amount of throttle and steering would get it to go straight, while the SUVs sailed past 50mph. I Had to dump it until the snowstorm had passed two days later.

hardtops are nice, well worth the $1500.