911

Were any of you in a position to buy a 911 but still bought a boxster?

[Tool Pants]

Yep, 6 years ago when I bought the box, but never like the Carrera and still do not.

The box is my third mid-engine car. When it came time to replace my second fix it again tony I looked for another mid-engine in a convertible/targa. Wanted just 2 seats. My friend was selling a Ferrari 308 GTSi. Like on Manum PI or whatever it was called, if you are old enough to remember the TV series. My dream car when I was in school and had no money.

Drove the Ferrari for a few days and that was the end of that dream.

Took a 2 minute test drive in a box at a used car dealer. 6 days later I found the one I wanted and bought it. Cost more than the Ferrari.

Boxster owners are suppose to upgrade to something else. If a Carrera was the same price I would not have bought it.

The sales guy I know at my dealer always wants you to move up. Years ago I joked and told him when Porsche made a turbo cab. Then Porsche did it. I do not like that one either and it has nothing to do with the price.

Mid-engine and 2 seats. And no fat rears like the 996 cabs.

[Brucelee]

I buy and sell both. Different cars, both great fun to drive!

[Perfectlap]

No.

I was looking for a convertible to replace my Miata. I was looking at the usual choices: S2000, Z4, SLK and contemplated a Lotus Elise (which isn't really a convertible but sorta kinda you know what I mean).

If I had in fact decided I wasn't going to buy a drop top I would have bought a 996 or an M3.

I wanted a convertible 1st, A Porsche 2nd.
For me the only option with that criteria is a Carrera GT or a Boxster S.
Actually if you wanted a Porsche 1st and convertible 2nd I still believe the
best choice is the BoxsterS.

I don't believe in chopping the tops off cars to market them as convertibles. From a performance standpoint it's a major downside. At its core the Porsche is a performance car. Not a road car with a big engine. I think its sacrileage to cut the roof off a performance car unless it was designed to be so.

By the way I wouldn't mind owning a GT3 and my current BoxsterS together!
One for winter one for Spring and Summer.

[Pilot2519j]

My purchase of the Boxster was more of an accidental purchase than anything else. All my life until Dec. 2003 I did the predictable when it came to cars. I had owned Audi's from 74 to 2003 and was looking at buying my first V-8 engine car. The 2004 S-4. When I went there to trade in my 2001 S-4 twin turbo the trade in was very what I considered low. Add on top of that inequity the fact that this salesman that I had done business for years wanted over list for the car really burned my fuse quite rapidly. I went home moping and told my wife who suggested " Honey why don't you go see the Porsche dealer? I had the Porsche so far out of my psyche as an unattainable car that I really never did considered it.
Upon arriving there I was shown the Boxster and the trade in was much nicer that I bought a 2003 Boxster S. I fell in love with the car once I saw it. The clean roadster lines, a convertible another first for me, I never got a chance to test drive the car other than the manager told me wait till you drive it and you will love it. No truer words were ever spoken. The car is a blast to drive. It is faster than the S-4 I think it is one of the nicest designs in cars since the E type. I never did consider the 911 eventhough I could have bought it the 986 looks so much better. Basic differences are very small and insignificant at least in my mind. I use it every day in snow, rain, traffic jams etc and have yet to tire from it. The 997 genre is an old design that has evolutionized vs the 986-7, which is a totally new design as a roadster from the outset looking much nicer.
Sure it would be nicer to have all hp in the world but realistically where can employ and exploit all of that performance of the car. Being 1/2 second slower is not the end of the world but handling better than an Enzo is really a nice award to hang on your mantle.

I agree with Toolpants. Even if the 911 and Boxster are the same price I would still buy the Boxster. I like the lines and proportions of the car. I love the complete performance and I think my S is fast enough to drive 160 MPH through my town (I wish they would repave the streets with banked corners so I wouldn't have to break when turning) . What I mean to say is how fast is fast enough when you are using it as a vehicle to get to work in? We all rarely can drive over 100 and if we are its only for 2 minutes until the radar detector bleeps.

I am annoyed that Porsche positions the Boxster as an entry level car instead of just a different animal. I know people think of the 911 as the original car but I would argue that the older style 911 is better proportioned than the current one. And if you agree with that then I would further argue that todays 911 is a pig of a car in terms of appearance. I do like what they have done on the front end but the back of a 911 looks like a big fat clumsy butt on a sleek front end. It needs a trailer hitch on the back to complete the picture. I would love to see the Boxster get a new engine and get faster. I would likely buy one but I wouldn't buy a 911 to get that boost.

O.k. I am sure I have started a fight in some way so let er rip...

[celliott16]

Originally Posted by 986President

Were any of you in a position to buy a 911 but still bought a boxster?

Yes, I thought long and hard, two things swung the 987 for me, first of all it's a convertible and I've always wanted one and secondly, the Boxster S is faster in real life than the standard 987. Oh, and of course the money saved was a big bonus.

Don't know if any of you guys rewad 'EVO' magazine but a couple of months ago there was an article of the 987 S vs the 997, both cars were raced round the track by an experienced racing driver and the boxster got consistently faster lap times. 997 was slightly faster on the straights but the boxster more than made up for it on the twisty bits.

That said the 911 shape is to die for, if I were rich I'd buy both!

Chris

[Brucelee]

"That said the 911 shape is to die for, if I were rich I'd buy both!"

There you go. I have a 996 coupe in stock right now that is a thing of beauty!