03 S vs. 05 base ? (helping out a potential Boxster owner :-) )

[Adam]

Hello Northern986, welcome to the board! I'd recommend driving both models because depending on the person and your tastes it could really go either way. This has been a heavily debated topic in the past so search the archives as well and you'll find numerous opinions, but like I said buy the one that you like and you can't be wrong.

[BeachBum]

I have an 03 S and love it. I have driven the base 05 and in my humble opinion the engine doesnt have as nice of a growl. I am also a fan of the 6 speed of the 03 S vs the 5 speed. I like the interior better in the 987. So I guess I am adding nothing to the conversation as it is up to personal preference.

Greg

[Dave S.]

I bought an 03 S about a year ago. I'm a cheap SOB and live in Colorado where they charge personal property tax on your yearly license plates. One of the reasons I went with the 03 S was it had the features, like glass back window and glove box, was the first year for those important updates, and was way cheaper to insure and register each year. The 03 and 04 are essentially the same, but all things considered, I'd rather have an older one as every year gets you a reduced cost to own.
It's a 5th car for me and I only use it for pleasure driving on nice summer days. I figure I'll have the car for 20 years or so and only considered very low mileage cars to start with. My 03 S had just over 14k miles on it so it was practically new and it was less than 1/2 the price of a new one at the time. For me, think I made the right decision.

Dave S.

[mikefocke]

but if I were buying today, I'd buy the '05 base.

I had a '99 (201HP) and swear I had more fun in it than the ~250HP S because I could keep my foot into it longer and still stay legal. So to me the base versus S isn't important. Heck my 85HP 914 had enough to get me in trouble. Mine doesn't have to be bigger than yours.

I'd invite you to go to a magazine review of the '05 that cites all the changes between the '03-'04 models and the '05-08 ones.

The major differences I remember were:

Variable ratio power steering

Stiffer chassis, wider wheel alignment

Bigger brakes

Head airbags

PSM standard

Improved headlights

More cockpit room

Better positioned roll bars

So you could see better, steer better, stop better, keep the tires on the road surface better, not tip over better and be safer in a crash. But to me the difference was comfort. I could position the seat the way I want it without worrying if a rear end collision would drive my head back into the roll bar.

Plus there were ergonomic changes I liked.

Having said all that...the '03 is a terrific car. We are talking degrees of excellence here.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=6&article_id=1657

[jmatta]

I must be one of the few that that like the interior of the 986 over the 987 (other than my friend). I also like the dimensions of the 986 over the 987; but as mentioned, there is no right or wrong.

Newer isn't always better...

[crios]

I would stay away from the 05. That was the first year of the 987, so like the 99, it had a lot of bugs that needed tweaking. Consumer reports gave it an okay on reliability compared to the 03 which is excellent. If you like the 987 model, shop for an 06. I own a 03, and love it, but I also love the 987.

[ehanauer]

I had a 1999 986 for ten years, then sold it and bought an 06 987. IMHO, the 987 is a far more sophisticated car. Interior is more in keeping with a near $50K car. The additional horsepower is evident. And although the exterior changes are subtle, it just looks leaner and meaner.

Go for the 987.

[northern986]

Thanks to all of you who took your time to share your experiences
and thoughts !

I've test driven an 03 S and it was a blast and the car fits me
well. I have only sat in an 06 base. At the time I wasn't considering 987 so I didn't ask to test drive it (well, didn't want to ask the sales to move 3-4 cars to get the Boxster out of the lot ). Like many of you suggested, the best way to find out
is to test drive one. I will visit a dealer who has a 06 base this weekend

ehanauer, you are probably a good owner to ask about, in your opinion, the improvements in handling characteristics since you owned 986 for 10 years !
Have you driven the 986 S?

crios I was considering that. Unfortunately the 06 pricing is out of my range at the moment. However, if I had my heart firmly set on a 987 I may be entering a new game of "get the 05 now or wait for several months for the 06 price to come down".. Do you have any reference on 06 being more reliable than 05? Just curious. (PS, the midnight blue is the color I want. nice shot !)

jmatta my friend I like the 986 interior, despite of the materials,
I find its curves flow very dynamically and speak SPEEEEED to me better.

mikefocke, Thanks for the references. I agree that we are talking about degrees of excellence here.

Dave S., Interesting situation in Colorado.. We are in the process of moving back to Vancouver, BC and the insurance on the vehicles there are $$$$. I should get a quote on insurance cost on 986 vs. 987 as that would be factor in the long run. Do you have PSM? That's one must-have option on my list as
it's our 2nd car and will be driven most of the pacific northwest fall/winter days.

BeachBum, The gear box is one of my consideration. Although 6-speed
(w/ PASM) is available in 987 base I only find a few pricy examples. I will test drive the 5 speed 987 and see how I like it.

Adam. Thanks ! That's one fine 986 S you have (with the museum grade 5-star garage to host the beauty !).

944boy. How do you like the PASM ? How well does it work on street (vs. track)? Have you driven the 987 without PASM in comparison?

husker boxster, I am fairly short ( 5' 6") and 986 fit me very well. Once I test drive the 987 I will find out. Yes, there are several nice examples of 987 in the sunny Bay Area and Texas. I probably won't be able to make a trip down in the next while as we are in the process of moving north to Canada. I will see
(PS. very nice Fall colors to complement your limited edition !)

jacabean, Thanks... hence my debate..

[mikefocke]

in the '05 model year? I follow about 8 Boxster forums in several countries and am not aware of any significant differences between an '05 and an '06 in terms of reliability.

And I don't believe the small self-selecting sample that creates the CR ratings on reliability for a car like a Porsche. Consider that not only are you asked to return a complex form but also to contribute to the cost of processing. If that doesn't influence the sample characteristics, I don't know what does.