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

trogdor · 11-15-2005, 07:16 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, 05:13 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, 04:59 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, 05:46 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, 09:06 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, 09:11 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

MNBoxster · 04-12-2007, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boggtown

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

Hi,

Not at all - the last BMW I ever liked was the '72 2002tii I owned 20 odd years ago.

Since then, these cars have slowly lost their Soul, not that they're bad cars, they are just coldly efficient...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Peer · 04-12-2007, 10:35 PM

Here's my graduation project:
http://ccrma.stanford.edu/~peer/roadstermods.html

-- peer

blue2000s · 04-13-2007, 09:00 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.

Perfectlap · 04-13-2007, 09:33 AM

I might have to disagree as well (btw, when was that posted? sounds old).
Driving a Miata on the limit will not get you nearly into the trouble a Boxster at the limit will get you in. For many reasons.

That's the great thing about the Miata you can take some chances with it because on power its not overwhelming. I think my first driving instructor said the same thing. No huge 'moment of polar inertia' either.
And if Miatae did have bigger power it would be hmmm what's the word....dangerous? Great car but its a tin can that I would not want to be in a high speed collision with. Either on track or on the open highway against a Yukon or Sequioa. My buddy lost his Miata to an SUV as it innocently sat parked in front of his apartment. SUV totaled it crushed it like a tin can. Hate to think what would have happened if my buddy was sitting in it.

04-13-2007, 10:17 AM

I've had a miata for 14 years. With the exception of the early first year crank snout problem, they're ALL bullet proof compared to the box. Miata gearbox is second to none (w/redline MTL in it).

I recently purchased an 02S. I find it's almost as easy to get the tail out if I turn PSM off

In stock form, the box is a much more capable car, as it should be. It does everything well with less drama.

Shortcomings (for me) of the box are the rubbery feel of the turn signal and wipers, vinyl rear window, vague and sloppy shifter. Everything else is what I'd expect from Porsche.

Yes, I miss the miata's more intimate/cramp feel and reliability. I beat the hell out of that car and it ran like a tank. Oh and I miss the simplicity and accassability that allows me to easily work on it myself. Routinely checking the box, I found those dealer hacks left the rear brake sensor elec. line unsecured in their clips... they were just about to wear through from dangling and rubbing on the CV. Nothing like working on your own car... I also miss the huge aftermarket support. Doubling the HP wasn't hard to come by for a miata. The box is sorely lacking in that department.

Having said that, I'm lovin the box

trogdor · 07-09-2007, 10:22 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, 10:40 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, 11:02 AM

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

Wonko The Sane · 07-09-2007, 11:05 AM

Yeah, the coopers are great cars! What I'm actually doing is buying a Rx8, and I'm going to pick up a $2-3000 miata next year some time. The only down side is I'll be convertible-less this season, but a bunch of my miata-owning friends have offered to trade me for a week for the 8

Perfectlap · 07-09-2007, 11:23 AM

RX8? Not sure if that's a sports car. Well its a sports car like a G35 is a sports car.
Kinda heavy and not so agile.
My autocrossing buddy had one, in addition to a MR2, he hated it. Got rid of it and picked up a 993.

blue2000s · 07-09-2007, 12:17 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.

Wonko The Sane · 07-09-2007, 12:28 PM

I was thinking about getting the bilsten (sp?) PSS9 fully adjustable.. I think I screwed up the spelling and the number

But the car in general just doesn't excite me, which is sorta upsetting.. The boxsters are GREAT cars.. I really enjoyed cruising around in mine, but for some reason it just doesn't feel "sporty." Maybe if I had experience with a modded suspension one my opinion would be different, but I just couldn't bring myself to spend 1400 on a test to see if I could love the car more than just like it...

I guess at the end of the day its preference, and mine isn't for the boxster... It just doesn't excite me like I think it should. I really thing it's a smashing car in all respects though, just not "right" for me.