2.7 , 3.2 and 3.6 boxster ownership
 

being on my third boxster with 3 different motor types I think I got a good feel for these cars. after having my 3.2 for a couple of weeks now I really got a feel for it . The first thing i noticed about the 3.2 is it does not like to rev. like the 2.7 . The 3.2 is more torquey than i thought it would be and the 3.6 is something on a whole different level.

the 3.6 was not a very good driver for Massachusetts roads , coil overs just can't handle the terrain here and you can not really utilize the the power the 3.6 has to offer. The 2.7 was fun up around redline and sounds great i think it sounded better than the S but felt like a civic in quality compared to the updated and refined 03 S. For those of you who are looking for a 986 i would highly recommend an 03 or 04 they really are a much better car than the earlier ones .

I drove my wifes 2.5 the other day and it was such a pleasant experience. Smooth, planted on the road, the 16" wheels absorb the bumps in the road very nicely. Overall it was a gem. It accelerates nicely, revs smoothly and the five speed shifts perfectly. A fantastic daily driver. I was impressed.

Then I drove my 3.6 and it was an all together different experience. The additional power was impossible to ignore. It was viceral, powerful and more harsh in almost every way, harder to drive smoothly.

If I drove the car every day then the more civilized 2.5 would be preferable for traffic and errands. It is fun and safe.

I bought the 3.6 to use at DEs and to drive aggresively and it performs that function perfectly.

The Boxster is a great car in that it comes in many flavors. All of which are tasty.

jacabean, one thing I've noticed with my S versus other Boxsters I've driven, is the improved throttle response my car has. I can only equate this to the Evo Hi-Flow air box and secondary cat bypass pipes/sport muffler. Before the mods, the throttle response (think blips) were noticeably lagging. Post mods, my throttle inputs are much sharper and the engine revs more freely. Perhaps it just needed the ability to breath better.

intake and exhaust are on my list. why is the exhaust note so toned down on the S ? more so than the 2.7 does 03 , 04 have a different exhaust ?

I feel like I have the perfect 2.5 now with the addition of headers, SS exhaust, personalized intake modifications and most importantly an underpulley. I only have the butt dyno to go on but the torque gain from taking some parasitic drag off the crank is noticeable. Of course I don't know how much the headers contribute to that either. I feel these mods made the car sound very venerable, not loud tinny like ricers but a lower civilized grumble.

All I know is the acceleration is improved in a very dramatic way, I really love the car even more now.