What is your next car up from a Boxster?
 

Dear enthusiasts,

When I started out as a school kid - my first car was a miata...was always a sucker for drop-tops. Then when I got my first job, I went for the Boxster - 99 Guards red which I purchased in 2001 and believe me, still makes my heart skip a beat. I'm currently looking for a 360 Modena and am waiting for the 4th quarter of this year or 1st of next year to get one (when the prices tend to be softer).

Was talking to a friend the other day and he made a blanket statement that ALL porsche owners tend to gravitate toward Ferrari's as their next (and perhaps ultimate) ride.

As awesome as the 911 Turbo is, this would not be my next car and I can't afford the Carrera GT...

What's yours?

well I would like to go a little bit more green than my boxster so I guess this would be my choice...


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SZWSEns8Z...918_spyder.jpg

I pass a 360 every day (silver). The more I think about it the more I think I'm more likey to find a Porsche that's higher up the performance category than going with another brand. For one thing Ferraris are beautiful but its simply not a car for someone who will drive it in its natural habitats (track/autocross/DE) unless they've got some serious cash to blow on weekend warrior pursuits. One guy in my local club has a Scuderia (my "dream" car), he took it in for the first time for brake pads and they told him no dice the whole $10K rotor has to go. :eek: what's Italian for Fragile?
Now granted their not carbon rotors but contrast that to just about any Boxster, Cayman or Carrera with traditional brakes (more than plenty) that you can service or swap for track use in your garage in oh...20 minutes. Not to mention the redesigned IMS on 2009 and newer P-cars makes me a lot more confident to spend big dollars. It's hard to beat the dry sump engine block in the GT's and Turbos too. They were meant to be pounded.

I guess my point is that unless your Fissichella driving for Risi Ferrari the Porsche is just the best of both worlds practical on the street and made for racing.

p.s.
I'd rather have a CaymanS on motons, r-comps and maybe even a big engine upgrade than a rear engine Carrera, a big heavy Carrera Turbo or an impractical in cold/wet weather GT3.

Since my Boxster is my daily driver as well as my track car, I would guess my next next car up will either be a Cayman or a Corvette.

LOL - I wish the Miata was out when I was just a school kid :D

Anyhow, don't discount the 911s. I currently have a 997 C2S cab and it is fantastic! I absolutely miss my Boxster as it was a great vehicle, but the 997 is a great car as well. Similar vehicles yet much much different. Having driven and considered a 997 TT instead of my C2S, I can say the TTs are absolute beasts... but not practical enough for my purposes. Would love one but as a limited use 3rd vehicle I couldn't justify to myself let alone my wife :cool: . Not sure how well a 360 Modena c/would handle daily driver status if that's your intent but think it's safe to say it'd be no where near P-cars in that regard.

Having said that, you can ask all you want but it's really a personal choice you need or should make alone.

Incidentally, I've never heard ALL (or any) Porsche owners categorically gravitate for Ferrari's as next car. Sure some have, others would never consider and even more go a completely different route (bulls, Audi, Lotus, nothing or you name it).

Good luck in your decision :)

my next car
 

I want a Cayenne to plow through the snow in style! If money was no object it would be in this order:

1.) The new 918
2.) Carrera GT
3.) Lambo Mercilago

p.s.s.
I don't think there is another car "up" from a Boxster S unless you move out of the roadster for under $100K category . Then you're into sports coupes, track toys (Boxster Spyer, Lotus, etc) and GT's which is something all together different and is not at all the same driving experience.


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Safe autocross drivers make for safe track drivers

(switch to at least 720p)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-btgmYDgwI&feature=player_embedded

shot in hi def
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2-pRaYk7EA&feature=player_embedded

Since i sold my boxster, i would get a 911 or turbo as the next car. I am not as fond of the convertible and want a coupe as the next one. I may miss the boxster characteristics if i buy a 911.

F Cars are just too sissy looking for my tastes. 911 looks better with rally bars and driving lights too.

There are problems with Ferraris.

First, they're really heavy. They come from a mindset of GT Cruisers, can't really manuever well, but can run at 140MPH all day. Be sure you know what you want the car to do before buying.

Second, relatively few people can afford to buy a Ferrari, but even fewer can afford to keep a Ferrari. Don't plan on putting anywhere near the mileage on a Ferrari as you did your Boxster.

Their timing belts need to be swapped every 6,000 miles at a cost of some $6,000 - that's $1/mi. just for timing belts, and that's not the end of it. Ferrari's are real China Dolls. Compared to them, the Boxster is a Mack Truck!

Sure, they're the pinnacle of the breed, and just like a thoroughbred horse, they cost as much to keep. This is one reason why it's rare to find a high-mileage Ferrari. A high mileage Ferrari has been bought many times over by it's owner.

I have moved on from my Boxster, but chose to go 'Old School' with the ride below.

Cheers!

Speaking of Ferrari, just heard my friend's buddy who has a 355 Spyder...

Took it to his mechanic to fix the world's worst designed drop top. It needs lubrication and a new motor which costs $1k new.

Then the mechanic found out the header (on one side) is cracked...$4k from Ferrari. Head gasket also done - $20k job.

He was furious... he bought it new and it only has 5000km (3000miles) ... car is worth nothing now and he needs to dump $20k on it all of a sudden.

F355 is my dream car, but like I said before, all cars have its problems...

Didn't make me feel so bad about my new engine after hearing that.

F355 was a real head turner in the 90's. I once watched a woman in South Beach go into convulsions after a guy pulled up in one outside this restaurant on Washington. That had to be the first time I ever saw a non-male get that excited about a car. A buddy of mine sent some pictures of work being done on a 360 or 355, can't remember which. But what a mess underneath. NOTHING like a tidy German Porsche.
by the way I find the latest news out of Ferrari regarding their little private test track interesting. They sent Schumacher to the N-ring on private test in a car that they'd tested extensively and figured it was ready for some new bragging rights lap times. Unfortunately the F1 driver promptly put the car up in the trees as did another test driver. No more relying on the tiny track.

I've been strongly considering an F355 to replace my Boxster. I only put about 3000 miles on my Porsche every year and would do the same with an F-car.

The price is very attractive and the performance and sound is phenomenal. LB, it's the same weight as a Boxster S, I'm not sure where you're coming from with the weight comment.

The car feels much more special than a Boxster. Driving it around is an occasion and you don't see several of them every day. I'm just not excited about the $10k timing belt replacement/service every 5 years in addition to all the little things that fail along the way.

The key, of course, is picking the right one, just like with a Porsche. It needs to have an aftermarket exhaust system as the stock one cracks and the cats disintegrate, and it needs to have enough miles on it to ensure that the valve guides are robust. As with any car, research and service history is your friend. These cars are like any other and need to have a history of regular use. Just like with Porsches, the main failure modes are well documented and solutions are available, but not cheap.

I don't really see the Boxster as a gateway drug :) When I started looking for a nice weekend toy 5 years ago I thought I would get a nice 996TT or Ferrari. I drove quite a few but in reality the TT was just too much car (rarely out of 2nd gear in town) and I didn't want to blow $100k over 5 years maintaining the Ferrari. I just wanted a great, fun car to drive for kicks and grins.

I have since driven or been in the right seat of nearly every Porsche model built in the last 30 years. I still love my Boxster but admit to having a sweet tooth for a 987 Cay S. If a really clean one came along for about $25K I may have to have it.

cayman S is a realistic move from a 986 boxster

Hi,

Only a dream but here is my choice.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u...italdesign.jpg

2003 BMW m5 in oxford green with extended caramel leather interior, running 275/35/18 all around (they fit, stock, and are the stock rear tire size), and with about 200 pounds removed from it via exhaust modification and minor other touches (easy to do).

My pic would be the Ferrari 550 MARANELLO. V12, 6 speed, about 500 hp and I like the front engine. Keep the Boxster as a daily driver. :cheers:

I think perhaps my 03 Box is as high up the ladder as I'm going to get. But I'm very happy to be this high! My wife wants to retire to a little beach town in central California soon, and that won't be cheap. But if I hit the lotto tomorrow, I will be going over Cayman S options the next day!

I'm afraid your friend doesn't have a clue. Ferraris and Porsches are very and different and tend to draw a very different crowd in terms of enthusiasts. Sure, there are enthusiasts who own both. But no well informed enthusiast would view Ferrari as necessarily a step up. If you wanted to by an out and out driver's car, for instance, you take a manual 997.2 GT3 RS over a semi-auto 458.

For wealthy non-enthusiasts, they may well see a Ferrari as the next logical step because they tend to be more expensive.

+1 Pothole.

I have had an obsession with Porsches ever since childhood. When it comes time to part with the Box S, I may well buy a 996TT 996GT3 or a 997 C2/4S. I am moving from Australia at the end of this year to a place where I can import a US car and pay very little import duty so the jump in cost will be insignificant. Just the decision of what to get will be difficult.

As for owning a Ferrari, I have cousins and friends who own 360's and 430's. They seem to love them (and have the money to maintain them, unfortunately I do not) although for me the ultimate would be to buy a brand new GT3 or maybe even a Carrera GT. I like the Turbo although I have always been more of a fan of NA engines.

Either way, even if money was no object, I would stay loyal to the Porsche marque. I would just enjoy being able to afford brand new ones, and more than one at a time.

Audi R8 V10 would be my choice, and another 928 (preferably a 5 speed GTS) on the side.

Blue200S LB, it's the same weight as a Boxster S, I'm not sure where you're coming from with the weight comment.

I'm commenting on Ferraris in general, not a specific model.

And, don't get me wrong... If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd have at least 3 Scuderie machines in my garage!

But for those of us who do not breathe the 'rare' air, keeping a Ferrari is too rich for my, and the majority of those heres, pocketbook.

Cheers!

My next upgrade will be the biggest horswpower engine Jake can put in a Boxster. No plastic cars for me. Ed

I agree, upgrade to a 3.6 for me, maybe even with a twin turbo :eek: . I would be more than satisfied.

My 6th sports car will be a
 

well it probably won't be.

Where would I get the F-car repaired. I have enough trouble with the P-car.

I keep my money in appreciating assets and I don't see even collector cars as being those.

I could...but would I really get more fun or would I just be trying to impress somebody else...which is something I stopped trying to do a while ago.

I drive a '01S because it is fun for me and not worth so much I have to worry too much about it.

Up? What you talking 'bout Willis?
 

My first car was a '48 Dodge with enough room in the backseat for a keg. My first sports car was an Opel GT. Loved that car, but if the humidity level was above 3% the damn thing wouldn't start. I've had a 924, a 944, a 911 and a Boxster. Given the speed limits in the States, I'll stick with my mid-engine beauty thank you.

I'm going to complete opposite route that everyone else has said. I want a slammed on the ground with nothing on it that doesn't make it either run or stop chopped up rat rod. I've always loved old school chopped rods and have considered selling my S in order to build one. It provides zero luxury and is almost guaranteed to kill you if you are involved in any type of collision but that's pretty much what I'm going for.

I have a 63 Chevy 1 ton Panelvan that is soon to go under the knife and if that holds me over for a while then maybe ill upgrade to a 911

I've been asking myself a similar question: what's next (I don't automatically assume the direction is "up"). I have other toys - a cabin and a couple of boats - so for me the Boxster is a peripheral item anyway. In the 1 year I've had it I put about 5,000 miles on it, about 90% with the top down in fair weather. My previous sports / sporty cars were a Miata (loved the car, cost near nothing to maintain), a BMW 328ic (I wanted a rear seat for the dog and an AT for the wife, but this car was never really right for me), and a modded Lexus SC430 (happy with it except for exterior appearance, just not sporty enough). I got the Boxster on a whim and am pretty darn happy with it, but I do "look around". My neighbor has a Maserati convertible that seems about the right blend of sports / luxury / looks - but I don' think I'd like the maintenance. I too love Ferrari exteriors, but would never reconcile the running cost.

Ironically, my wife pushed me towards the Boxster - she really liked the looks of the car (she dislikes almost all other Porsches) saying it "doesn't look like a sports car - it looks like something Grace Kelly would drive". Um, ok. Except I ended up with a manual and I have the "specially lowered seats" option (basically they reduce the padding) so she has no interest in driving it (she's happy to be a passenger).

My wife has also made appeciative noises about the newer SL Mercedes, but OMG look at the reliability. Even CPO or with a warrenty, it's going to be in the shop a lot.

I've looked at Carrera coupes (I don't find the cabs attractive) but I really do prefer a roadster, and - honestly - I haven't seen another car that's more attractive (though we did park next to a Z8 the other night that I liked).

In summary, I think I'm going to have this Boxster for quite some time...

a running 914 or an austin healey :) i'm easy

I bought this last March. It's a 1995 F355 Spider. Had 124 miles on it at the time. Has about 1,700 miles on it now. It took 2nd in class at Concorso Italiano last Friday in Monterey.

I'm keeping the Boxster though.

Oh, and I wrench on motorcycles for a living, so I plan to do all of my own work on it, including the engine-out service which is done every 5 years or 30k miles (not every 6k miles!)

r8
 

I've always loved Ferraris, but I'd go with the Audi R8; it's more practical, and probably more exclusive right now since most people haven't caught up to it yet.

Buy a 2nd boxster......drop a 3.8 in it. ....twin turbo it. ....19 inch wheels. .....we all know it will take the abuse. ...drive it.... I like the idea of TT's in a boxster.....pseudo carrera GT......besides didn't someone say something along the lines. ...in regard to Porsche "those who drive one. ...know". I do. ....I'm sure you all do too

Yeah, it depends on what you want to do. If you wanted to drive it a lot an R8 or a Gallardo would be a good choice. Heck even an air cooled 911 twin turbo would be good.

I'm planning to drive my Ferrari 5k miles a year. I'd say the average Ferrari gets driven less than 2k miles per year. They cost about $1 to $2 per mile to drive (a little more if you include depreciation). I'll bet an R8 or Gallardo would be more like $0.50 a mile.

The Ferrarri is a different experience. It's scary to own, scary to drive (because I'm always a little worried I'm going to scratch one of the wheels that cost $2,300 each... though the tire shop already did that for me yesterday). Or worse, I'm worried that the motor will fail, since a top-end rebuild is $20k.

I can't put my finger on it, but Ferraris are different to drive.

In the long run, I describe it to my friends like this: The Ferrari is like a hot/difficult girl I would date. The Porsche is like a girl I would marry.

On my current budget, if I was to move on from the Boxster I'd get a pre-air suspension Jaguar XJ. They say the Jag's of old had the best ride quality in the business, and it would be a nice change from the Boxster.

If I had to just "step up," with money involved, I'd probably get an Aston Martin V8. Obviously just like the XJ it's a completely different drive from the Boxster, but the looks and the noise always keeps me thinking about it.

And if money was no object at all, I'd go past every one of these cars and get myself an Enzo or a 599 GTO. I know they aren't practical, or robust, or probably not very drivable in everyday conditions, but those cars look so special and being next to an Enzo or a regular 599 feels so special that I'd snatch one up without a second thought.

either a 2004 GT3 or a 2006 Carrera S - in my dreams :o

I have been thinking about this extensively lately. At this point, if I were to switch, it would probably be on to a Vette. That said, whenever I see the Boxster, those thoughts disappear.

997 Turbo :)