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

[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..

[Dave S.]

Quote: "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."

Actually the insurance cost is more of a short-term issue, as after about 7 years or so, they would probably be closer to the same cost.

My car had most of the options I thought were critical: PSM, Heated Seats, Windstop, 18 inch 5 spoke wheels (bonus: with colored crests). Plus it was Seal Grey with a light grey interior which was my favorite color combo. The only thing I thought I wanted that it didn't have was the Bose stereo system, but the crappy stereo and speakers were easily upgraded. The rear tires were also ready for replacement.
It's a fun time shopping for, and buying your first Porsche. Don't be in a hurry. There are a lot of good deals out there. Find the right one and buy the one you'll be the most happy with, all things considered.

[northern986]

Originally Posted by Dave S.

My car had most of the options I thought were critical: PSM, Heated Seats, Windstop, 18 inch 5 spoke wheels (bonus: with colored crests). Plus it was Seal Grey with a light grey interior which was my favorite color combo. The only thing I thought I wanted that it didn't have was the Bose stereo system, but the crappy stereo and speakers were easily upgraded. The rear tires were also ready for replacement.
It's a fun time shopping for, and buying your first Porsche. Don't be in a hurry. There are a lot of good deals out there. Find the right one and buy the one you'll be the most happy with, all things considered.

Thanks, Dave. Unfortunately the test drive on the weekend didn't happen
The weather forecast for this Saturday is mixed rain/snow Not a bad thing actually, as I can test the PSM working.
I am in the market for a midnight blue (or other shades of blue). PSM, heated seats and litronic are on my option list.