Boxster vs. RX8

[23109VC]

I think what I really WANT is the boxster. my only fear is that the upkeep and repairs might nickel and dime me to death.

I have a pretty reliable daily driver - it's a 1999 volvo s70 with 135k miles. i've owned it almost since it was brand new and have done a very good job maintaining it. it runs excellent has tons of new parts on it. mechanic says it will go another 100k easy before i shoudl expect any motor/turbo/tranny issues. i commute like 5 miles to work so i put maybe 5k miles on this car a year.

if i got a boxster, id' only drive it for fun trips with my wife and maybe to work once or twice a week - i'd literally HAVE to take the long way to work to get the car fully warmed up right!!

i'm leaning toward the boxster an dmaybe if i really am worried about $$$$ repairs, just bite the bullet and buy the warranty. dealer quoted me about $4700 for a 3 yr / 36k miles bumper/bumper warranty. covers everythign except wear/tear and interior stuff.

i can get a nice 2000-2001 base for 15k or so.

the dealer said if i could find a car that had 30k or less on it, the warranty price would be only about $2000 for the same coverage. most of the 2000-2001 cars that have that low of mileage are more like $25k or so.... so if i talked them down into the 20-22k range, then bougth the warranty for another 2k, plus tax, i'm at about 25k....

my dad is actually selling his 2000 base. 5 spd, 73k miles, full leather, 18s, M030. ocean blue on black, black top. he wants about 15k for itif he sold it to me. i think he could get a bi tmore if he sold it privately given how nicely optioned it is...mabye not at on more. he originally was even thinking of selling it to me for 12k...but we decided it wasn't fair to royally "steal" it from him...so $15k is a round figure that sounds fair... if i tacked on a warranty, i'm at 20k with peace of mind. almost what i would spend on the rx8, but no sales tax..inter family.

boxster boxster boxster.

i can't get that sound out of my head. sometimes i go on youtube and pull up boxster ehxaust videos just to listen to the sound. am i sick or what...

[turbo23dog]

I'm just curious as to why a 911 SC (78-83) or Carerra (84-88) would not be under consideration... You can find 911SCs in good condition for $12-15K these days. The 911 gives you rear seats that can carry a kid or two, too, which kind of solves the dillema with the Boxster when you have family you may want to tote for a fun run.

On the down side, SCs and Carreras were never known for good air conditioning. It also helps to be slightly handy with oil changes and other regular maintenance items that would not be needed on a newer car.

Even still, an earlier 911 is pretty affordable and a really FUN car that I'd pick 10 out of 10x over an RX8.

[REDBXSTR]

Go for the Boxster.
I always wanted a Porsche, but the 911s seemed out of reach.
So I bought a 2004 350Z, owned it for 2 months, saw a Guards Red Boxster
at a Porsche dealer for $32,000. The Z was gone. The 2004 Boxster had only 6589 miles on it.

I ended purchasing it for $27,000. The car is immaculate and the exhaust note is intoxicating. Handling is amazing and the best car I have ever owned. Turns heads where ever I go. The interior is comfortable and you can actual enjoy the stereo loud and clear with the top down at 75 mph. 3 words.

BUY THE PORSCHE

[CA_Boxster]

The Boxster has to be the best 3rd car around. My Brother has 2 sedans and a Boxster and this is his claim. It depends on what you're looking for. A 5 year old high end sports car is a very different purchase than a recent year 4-seater under factory warranty. You will get some bills on the Porsche but they average out over time. The car won't break down, but when you do regular stuff like brakes and service intervals the immediate price will be a hit. I'd be surprised if a RX-8 is going to beat a Boxster on the track. You could put more power into it with some mods, but a 50/50 distribution, mid-engine and Porsche suspension is tough to beat if you have equal drivers in the cars. If you're a modder and you enjoy adding HP or tourque to a car then the Boxster is hard to do that with. On the other hand, if you're well-maintained older car ever does go the RX-8 can take over duties.

You can do better than that deal you saw on the Boxster so I'd research that a little before making your decision. If you're patient you will come across lower mileage cars in the 2000-2003 MY range before long. My 2000 base has 50k miles on it and is in excellent condition but I'd be surprised to get $18k if I sold it. My friend's similar 2000 S with ~30k miles just sold for $20k. That was a "friend" price but probably would have been at most $21k on the market. Take a look at these two links below. I bought mine from these guys years ago and they are great to work with. I've been to their place in Houston and it's the real deal. They'll sell Boxsters for about $500-$1000 below their listed price. Not saying you need to buy from them (though my next car will likely come from here) but they are a good gauge for what a nice example should sell for if you can find it locally.

http://www.expomc.com/invsys/details2.php?id=6935
http://www.expomc.com/invsys/details2.php?id=7127

[Lil bastard]

I like the looks and the concept of the RX-8, but I've never driven one and don't know much about them.

Never knew they had reliability issues either.

+1 on the Miata as an alternative, but that may not work w/ kids.

In the end, buy the one that stirs your juices. You're not locked-in, if the choice wasn't right, sell it and try again.

[23109VC]

my dads car is a 2000 base. M030, full leather, 18" wheels. 3 spoke wheel.

73k miles. i think he wants about 15k for it..but i haven't pushed him on trying to cut me a "smoking" deal. i am sort of tempted to let him list it in the local autotrader and see what he gets offered. if some dumb dumb wants to give him $18000 for it, let them pay it. But i suspect he will see offers in the 13-14k range...and then reality will set in that his car is not worth all that much on the private market and he may cut me an even better deal?

what do you think his car is really worth?

i have seen S models with lower mileage in the high teens / low 20s. i'd be tempted to buy an extended warranty too. if i got one with low enough mileage the warranty is far far cheaper. the local dealer quoted me only $2900 for a 5 year, 60k bumper to bumper warranty n a 2001 boxster *IF* it had under 30k miles. if i only wanted to go 3 yr / 36k it dropped to about $2000. that's nice peace of mind for not too much money.

since my dad's car has 73k miles, to get a warranty on it that is 36 month / 36k miles - it would cost about $4700. if he would sell it cheaper, it would make more snse to buy his... it is a nice one... but if i can find a lower mileage car for only marginally more money - i can get a newer car, with less miles, and pay even less for a longer warranty and have peace of mind. i'm not paying cash for the car, so i'll be financing some of the costs..i don't want to be paying huge repir/upkeep AND a car payment..

what's my dad's car worth really? 15k too much??

[limoncello]

If you have a lead on a Boxster, go for it.

I had a speed yellow 2001 - undoubtedly the most beautiful car I've owned. Loved it.
Own a 2006 RX8 now - like it as well.
Here are some thoughts -

Track - I've run both cars 4 times each on the track. After adjusting to each car, the track times were almost even, with a second, and we were using stop watches not a more sophisticated solution. The RX8 is quicker than many people think. They are very different driving experiences though, so depends on what you like.

Note: the 2006 manual came stock with the sport suspension and limited slip diff - always a plus.

Street driving: Nothing tops cruising in a Porsche. It has an the un-definable something. Having said that, over near equal ownership periods I have put twice the mileage on the 8 than I did on the Porsche. As a hardtop, I just seem to take it out more often, don't know why.

Reliability: Safe to say that neither has a Lexus badge on it. Hey, they're sports cars. RX8 did get a new engine at 5500 miles, but Mazda was decent about it, gave me loaner, cost nothing, and I've had no problems since.

Both were 3rd cars, used when I wanted the driving experience. Got the obligatory daily drivers (hauler and sedan) for commuting.

At the end of the day, I'm glad to have owned both. I'll probably part with the 8 before the warranty goes away. After that, who knows? Cayman sounds fun, it's a Porsche, a Boxster, and a coupe all in one!

Good luck with whatever you choose. But as I started with - if you have a good line on a known Boxster, go for it, I don't think you'll regret it. There's always more time later for other cars...

[racer_d]

I know, a bit of a blowhard here, but a car is a car. If you want a car as appliance get a "honda". If you want a car with passion (whose cost is maintenance) get the boxster. Pocket the $4K for the warranty and invest it... use that money should anything go wrong.

Then.. Confirm if

1) you really want a convertible? I enjoyed mine but at times worried about the roof being vandalized and at times felt too "vulnerable" with the top down. Found it noiser up than I thought it would be as well.

2) you really want to bring the kids along? Not sure how old they are, but some states are quite overprotective about the use of car seats.. make sure they fit in whatever you get if in fact needed.

2b) Sometimes its nice to treat "1" kid for a ride in the fun car instead of all 3

3) If you cant afford the maintenance for ANY car (Porsche or other marque), why consider having a 3rd car at all? Theres tires, oil changes, brakes, suspension, clutches, INSURANCE, garaging costs, depreciation and so many other "costs" to car ownership. - conversely, maybe you should read this one as, Sell VOLVO, GET BOXSTER

4) Try another choice.. Like an E36 M3