how many of you guys owned miata before graduating to boxster? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

steven choi · 11-15-2005, 11:19 AM

hey Perfectlap,,

i had those BSP low profile headlights and TSI as well, on my 93 red.
ahhhhhh.. memories..
I donated 93 for tax credit.. It had 250000 miles on it. Other than a new radiator, everything was still original. That was one sturdy car.

9000RPMan · 11-15-2005, 12:16 PM

I had a 91 package "B" Miata. It was a simple, no frills sportscar. I loved how I could throw it around as it was so neutral. In the 4 years I had it, the only thing that went wrong was that the radio switch malfunctioned and the rear window cracked due to extreme cold. Both items were fixed under waranty.

trogdor · 11-15-2005, 08:16 PM

Steve, I too had a couple miatas.. a 94 and a 2001, traded in the 94 for the 01 on a whim and the 01 was totaled by someone pulling out across traffic in front of my wife.. pics here post 2

http://986forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3629

Now have a 2000 S and really like it, of course. although already the parent of one of my wife's tutoring students backed into it.. 1200 bucks later (they paid not wanting to get insurance involved) I hope its all good. Also picked up a nail in a rear tire and had to have that patched... grr..

Anyway, while waiting at the dealer last month, I decide to stroll on over to the Mazda dealer and check out the new Miata. It looked nice and a bit bigger but I was shocked to hear that it had porked out to over 3000 pounds!!! holy crap, my 94 was about 700 pounds lighter as I recall!

Funny, I told the sales guy who wanted to show me around it that I just got a boxster but he was still trying to tell me how well it handled and that the bigger 2 liter engine with 170 hp could be a better car...hmmm, down over 80 hp and 200 pounds heavier...

The power of the boxster, the two boots and styling are all so great but the best thing is theres so much more interior room. I now feel like I'm driving a real car, not a go cart that I'm a cramped into! The only thing I really don't like is the plastic rear window.. on a car the originally cost 62k... kinda weak...

limoncello · 11-16-2005, 06:13 AM

Sold my 97 "M" to get the Box. Had the Miata for 5 years. Only maintenance other than oil/rubber was an elec. window motor went out, and a new set of spark plug wires. Perfectly neutral on Hankooks, loved the handling. Complaints - not enough leg room for tall guys, needed a few more HP. 2006's have solved the legroom, not sure about power. FOT with the Boxster is more fun...

blue2000s · 04-12-2007, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trogdor

Steve, I too had a couple miatas.. a 94 and a 2001, traded in the 94 for the 01 on a whim and the 01 was totaled by someone pulling out across traffic in front of my wife.. pics here post 2

http://986forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3629

Now have a 2000 S and really like it, of course. although already the parent of one of my wife's tutoring students backed into it.. 1200 bucks later (they paid not wanting to get insurance involved) I hope its all good. Also picked up a nail in a rear tire and had to have that patched... grr..

Anyway, while waiting at the dealer last month, I decide to stroll on over to the Mazda dealer and check out the new Miata. It looked nice and a bit bigger but I was shocked to hear that it had porked out to over 3000 pounds!!! holy crap, my 94 was about 700 pounds lighter as I recall!

Funny, I told the sales guy who wanted to show me around it that I just got a boxster but he was still trying to tell me how well it handled and that the bigger 2 liter engine with 170 hp could be a better car...hmmm, down over 80 hp and 200 pounds heavier...

The power of the boxster, the two boots and styling are all so great but the best thing is theres so much more interior room. I now feel like I'm driving a real car, not a go cart that I'm a cramped into! The only thing I really don't like is the plastic rear window.. on a car the originally cost 62k... kinda weak...

Who told you the new Miata was 3000 pounds? They're about 500 pounds off.

racer_d · 04-12-2007, 06:46 PM

Does NOT having owned a Miata make me unqualified? yup. No Miata. 914. 911 and some VW's along the way.

MNBoxster · 04-12-2007, 10:06 PM

Hi,

I don't see it as graduating from one to the other as they are totally different cars.

The Boxster is a Pudgy (2800-3000 lb.) mid-engined Luxo Sun Cruiser while the Miata is much closer to a traditional minimalist (2070-2414 lb.) front-engine, rear drive, Sports Car.

While I've not owned one, I did do several thousand miles in a brand new one (Gen 2) over a two week period on Maui back in '01.

The Miata is a great car for what it is. The Boxster is a great car for what it is.

But, frankly, I believe it takes more skill to drive a Miata at the limit than it does a Boxster. To me, this is important - a Sports Car shouldn't be as easy to drive as an Accord - it should take some skill (Driver Input) to make the car perform at it's peak.

Honestly, after two years ownership, the Boxster is beginning to bore me. It has never delivered the sort of visceral response I've had from nearly every other Sports Car I've owned, and I may well be graduating to an MX-5 in the near future...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

04-12-2007, 10:11 PM

Sounds like you want a new M roadster. With its tail happy ways and unforgiving nature.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

Hi,

I don't see it as graduating from one to the other as they are totally different cars.

The Boxster is a Pudgy (2800-3000 lb.) mid-engined Luxo Sun Cruiser while the Miata is much closer to a traditional minimalist (2070-2414 lb.) front-engine, rear drive, Sports Car.

While I've not owned one, I did do several thousand miles in a brand new one (Gen 2) over a two week period on Maui back in '01.

The Miata is a great car for what it is. The Boxster is a great car for what it is.

But, frankly, I believe it takes more skill to drive a Miata at the limit than it does a Boxster. To me, this is important - a Sports Car shouldn't be as easy to drive as an Accord - it should take some skill (Driver Input) to make the car perform at it's peak.

Honestly, after two years ownership, the Boxster is beginning to bore me. It has never delivered the sort of visceral response I've had from nearly every other Sports Car I've owned, and I may well be graduating to an MX-5 in the near future...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

blue2000s · 04-13-2007, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

Hi,

I don't see it as graduating from one to the other as they are totally different cars.

The Boxster is a Pudgy (2800-3000 lb.) mid-engined Luxo Sun Cruiser while the Miata is much closer to a traditional minimalist (2070-2414 lb.) front-engine, rear drive, Sports Car.

While I've not owned one, I did do several thousand miles in a brand new one (Gen 2) over a two week period on Maui back in '01.

The Miata is a great car for what it is. The Boxster is a great car for what it is.

But, frankly, I believe it takes more skill to drive a Miata at the limit than it does a Boxster. To me, this is important - a Sports Car shouldn't be as easy to drive as an Accord - it should take some skill (Driver Input) to make the car perform at it's peak.

Honestly, after two years ownership, the Boxster is beginning to bore me. It has never delivered the sort of visceral response I've had from nearly every other Sports Car I've owned, and I may well be graduating to an MX-5 in the near future...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

I've had the polar opposite experience. When comparing my dad's 1999 Miata with the 6-speed, sport suspension and 16" wheels to my m030 2000s, his is the car that feels much softer. His suspension isn't as stiff, his clutch is much softer and his steering, while great, isn't as communicative as my Box. I like the light weight of the Miata, but going directly from one car to the other, my Boxster is definitely my preference.

The 99 box was more softly sprung and I'm sure the automatic transmission takes away from the driving involvement. I guess there's alot to be said for a few differences in basically the same car.

I've owned an Accord, and they're actually very sporty for a family sedan, but neither of the cars drives like one.

trogdor · 07-09-2007, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue2000s

Who told you the new Miata was 3000 pounds? They're about 500 pounds off.

hah.. ya meant to respond a long time ago. When I did research to find the curb weight of the new model, all the sites I went to either didn't have a weight or listed the GVWR for curb weight... I was shocked but I think even the Mazda site listed this incorrectly at the time... oh well.

For the record -

1990-1993 weigh about 2200

1994-1997 about 2300

99-05 about 2450

06+ close to 2500

I always wanted to add a turbo to my miatas and have been thinking of getting another to tinker with and finally go to flyin miata for some power help and a turbo...

Wonko The Sane · 07-09-2007, 11:40 AM

Honestly, I liked the handling and over-all fun factor a lot more in the Miata than I do in the Boxster.... I wish my fiancee didn't total my last one. To me the box feels heavy and boring to drive, unfortunately.

Perfectlap · 07-09-2007, 12:02 PM

^Get a CooperS for a weekend rental. That car reminds me more of the Miata than the Boxster... and its not even a roadster.

blue2000s · 07-09-2007, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wonko The Sane

Honestly, I liked the handling and over-all fun factor a lot more in the Miata than I do in the Boxster.... I wish my fiancee didn't total my last one. To me the box feels heavy and boring to drive, unfortunately.

I felt the same way when I first got my 2000S and compared it to my FB Rx-7.

Then I put on the factory M030 sport suspension kit and it really livened the car up considerably.

Now when I compare my Box to my old man's 99 Miata, there's no comparision that the Porsche is the more entertaining car.

Perfectlap · 11-16-2005, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven choi

hey Perfectlap,,

i had those BSP low profile headlights and TSI as well, on my 93 red.
ahhhhhh.. memories..
I donated 93 for tax credit.. It had 250000 miles on it. Other than a new radiator, everything was still original. That was one sturdy car.

and its one of the most represented cars in grass roots motorsports. My buddy's sister was joking about "who goes from a Miata to a Porsche?!" I guess very few people know how many people actually track and autocross their miatas.

jtucker · 11-17-2005, 02:40 PM

before my Boxster. Really liked that car alot. Sounded great w/ aftermarket exhaust. 6 speed was excellent.

xavier405 · 11-17-2005, 03:41 PM

Dare I enter this thread?

I owned not a Miata, but a del Sol.

Fabulous little car, I loved the turbine rocket sound as the VTEC kicked in. I think it was a highly underappreciated car. At 200k miles I came to a decision - trick it out for racing, or spend that money on a Boxster. So I got the Box, but looking back I always wish I knew how my del Sol would have faired with new intake and exhaust, sway bars, wheels and tires...

Biz-z Z · 11-17-2005, 04:26 PM

I bought my 99 Miata just after the second generation hit the market in June 1998. After many mods (coil overs, s/c, roll bar, bling-bling, etc.), I still have it and now use it as my daily summer driver. Was going to sell it to help pay for the Box but my wife and daughter talked me out of it. Glad they did.

MikeinLA · 11-16-2008, 03:38 PM

I bought my '99 Miata a day after the test drive. The little bit of extra room created with the new model was just enough to make it comfy for me. I really loved that car. Sold it when I got my 2005 Boxster S last summer. If I'd had a 3 car garage, I would have kept it forever.

Mike

QuickSilver · 11-19-2008, 06:24 AM

I have owned a number of Miatas and truly appreciate the car. It is a fantastic platform for serious suspension upgrades. My recent 01' was fitted with Tein coilovers and other bits to make it feel like it was on rails. The gearbox is so easy to shift that I have never found anything comparable. Even my S2000 didn't equal the gearbox of the Miata.

I just purchased my 01' Boxster S and it's in another class. I previously owned an 88' 911, which I truly loved and now I'm back to Porsche again. I am looking forward to many years of ear-to-ear grins with my new ride.

renzop · 11-14-2008, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xavier405

Dare I enter this thread?

I owned not a Miata, but a del Sol.

Fabulous little car, I loved the turbine rocket sound as the VTEC kicked in. I think it was a highly underappreciated car. At 200k miles I came to a decision - trick it out for racing, or spend that money on a Boxster. So I got the Box, but looking back I always wish I knew how my del Sol would have faired with new intake and exhaust, sway bars, wheels and tires...

I had a delSlo also. It was a great car. With the removable roof that did not compromise trunk space and the roll down rear window it was a true Targa. It got great fuel economy and was a hoot to drive. But the problem with it as a race car was the chassis. Without a roof the car was just too flexible to be a great handling car. You made the right decision. Putting stiff springs and bars on the car would have made it a cowl shake king.