I found this review in a 3 year old 'Used Sports and Racing' Car Magazine, I tried to scan it but failed, so I typed it in (dont feel like doing any work today) :dance:
Introduction (1999 Porsche Boxster, 2.5L)
The first time you drive a Porsche Boxster you feel an odd battle of emotions, two conflicting thought paths vying for your attention.
The first thought comes from the first time you fire up the engine – it doesn’t bark like a race car, nor does it howl with the electro-mechanical whirr of an Aston Martin. It’s more subtle, a balance between the traditional German efficient startup (whir-whir-growl) and a higher note, hiding behind it. But more about that note later.
The thought that leaps into my mind each time is – I am the coolest man in the world- sad and cliché? Likely.
The amount that I care? None.
Each time I fire up the flat 6 engine in the morning I get that surge, that formidable feeling that this car means business. I never get tired of it, I start every day with a stupid grin – my neighbours must think I’m mad
The second emotion comes when you hear even the slightest rattle, the smallest sound you don’t understand or a bit too much exhaust gas or too little – it’s a paranoid moment when all the things you have read in online blogs and forums leap through your mind – IMS? RMS? PMS?! But these thoughts are quickly forgotten as your journey begins.
Engine and Gearbox
It doesn’t take long to realise that to get the best from the engine you need to keep it at least over 2.5k rpm, the engine note that begins to blossom at 3 thousand revs becomes a banshee at 5000. Once warm the engine feels confident as you push through the gears, my favourite place to drive is at the top of fourth gear into the fast lane at 85-90, then slipping into fifth and cruising. First gear is horrible, it cannot make up its mind in slow traffic and when pulling away from the lights I tend to over rev to 2k to avoid the awkwardness. Second gear through third is a gift, pure unfiltered uncensored driving that pushes you firmly back into your seat and makes your passenger stop talking, magic.
The clutch is forgiving when changing up and down, but tough in 1st as I said, but you get used to it. The flat 6 engine, (flatten open the V of a v6 engine) is a solid unit. There are horror stories of the Intermediate Shaft Bearing (IMS) failing and Rear Main Seal (RMS) blowing, but they are VERY few and far between. Worrying and trying to dive it too gently will cause more problems than it will solve, ‘spank it to thank it’ should be your motto.
Steering and suspension
Steering is firm but not heavy, it’s nimble – you can steer with one finger, but also provides enough feedback through the fairly hard suspension. This is not a smooth rolling executive car, you do feel the bumps and lumps and rough patches. Get her on a smooth bendy road and you will know why this is the case, its fantastic.
On occasion you will hear slight tinkles and squeaks from the front wheels, I hear a tiny rattle every now and then after a seriously hard drive through the winding country lanes of Leicestershire, don’t worry about it.
One thing I have noticed is that the steering can often have a mind of its own, gently meandering left and right if you hold the steering wheel light enough to feel it, this seems to be the case across the board. The tracking is sensitive enough to feel the shape of the road it seems. The gentle meander is just the wheels following indentations on the road.
Thats all I got round to copying for now....cool though eh?
Murph
Linear Mode
