The car i may get!

[Kirk]

Here are my two cents, for what it's worth. I understand the appeal of the GTO. I think I just saw in Car and Driver this year that the GTO was the biggest bang for the buck regarding horsepower. It's the cheapest 400 Hp you can buy, especially now on the used market with low demand. Just make sure you're getting the later model (I think it's got a fake hood scoop). Wasn't the first year of manufacturing just 350 Hp or something?

If you like torque and squealing tires, then the GTO seems like the way to go. Back in my high school days this would have been my pick. But I demand more from my cars now. I don't want to just go fast in a straight line. I want a car that is refined inside, comfortable, sexy looking, and can handle the twisties too. The Boxster you have can do these things MUCH better than the GTO.

Switching from looking at the Mercedes to the Pontiac I believe is probably driven ultimately by price and the bang for the buck that the GTO offers. Be careful by just looking at the dollars. I think you ultimately may be very disappointed if you just focus on that.

Kirk

[RandallNeighbour]

Has Pontiac build quality gotten any better since I last sat in one a few years ago?

They make so few cars compared to Chevrolet that the interiors are always falling apart after a few years of normal wear and tear.

I know our boxsters are filled with plastic inside (dash, doors, center console if one didn't pay a bunch more for leather) but it feels or seems like the quality of the plastic is better.

I can never ever go back to US made cars. In fact, I don't even want another Japanese car for my sedan-daily-driver. It's gonna be a 5 Series BMW.

American cars just feel cheap to me. Call me a snob, but I can't stand the way they look, feel, or the quality of the interior parts. Corvettes included.

Good luck with the Pontiac purchase. If you keep it a couple of years and trade it when you are bored again it won't be a decision you have to live with all that long.

Hopefully, we'll see you right back here with another newer, faster boxster!

[CJ_Boxster]

If i were in your shoes i'd buy a used 996 if you want more power.