I agree, many of these complaints aren't due to over engineering but mostly bad human/machine interface. Concerning the trunk and door locking algorithm, they probably based their decisions on a poll taken by non Porsche enthusiasts. 911s in 70's and 80's had bad heaters, AC, and controls you couldn't understand but were wonderfully over engineered where it mattered.

Engineering, in my book, equals mechanical design - durability, reliability, precision, efficiency, etc.

Over-engineering typically refers to something being built far beyond the purpose for which it was built. For example: using a 25mm axle-hub nut to hold down a seat frame rail. Overkill in essence, but damn if it'll ever fail.

To my, my 99 is far from over-engineered. My water pump has a plastic impeller, my coolant tank is known to explode, and my dual-mass flywheel should have been single-mass....oh, and a little thing like an IMS bearing is in there too.

But what really bothers me is that every time I've taken some apart on the car, something plastic has busted off:

1. One of the retaining clips for the return radiator hose below the mount motor

2. Part of the retaining clip that holds the convertible top at the back of the car (thankfully only a small part of it)

3. Some of the plastic pieces that keep the driver-side intake vent in place - thankfully, it still stays in place with its one frigging screw.

And even stuff like the rubber bushings in the steering wheel wearing out and allowing the weight of the airbag to hit the horn contacts....

No, I think it's far from over-engineered. For lack of a better comparator, go look at a 12 year old Honda Accord. It's not like their built from billet,but they were thoughtfully engineered to hold together.

On the flip side though, I was in a P-car dealership today and I sat in a new Carrera S and Boxster, and I think the older P-cars got the seating position and "feel" far better - even with worse ergonomics.

Now, going back to the OP, on the hill holder feature: cars that hill hold indefinitely encourage people to push the clutch in and engage a gear and wait. That puts extra wear on the TO bearing. A 2-3 second hill hold serves its purpose (letting you not roll back at gear engagemnt on an incline) without encouraging bad behavior. That's called smart design.

Wait!

Where is the oil pressure gauge? Where is the oil temperature gauge?

Are all Pcars like this?

Why?

They fixed this on 2002 I think?

I think that the boxster has a very well rounded design .....

If you look very carefully in the picture above ..... you will see a silver Boxster

Took me a while to find it :)

That's not particularly over engineered - just look at those spindly legs......

Still, I suppose she's not bad looking - for a girl. :p

Nice wheels.

When was the last year they had black engine air intakes?

The side air intakes were black up until '02. '03 and '04 were color matched .

Yes but then we (986 owners) have to paint our bumperettes and 987 owners don't.

My friend's Huyndai has more electronics than my Boxster S.