Please Help Me Out - Boxster or C6 Corvette?

[FromMiata2Boxster]

Yes, I know this is a Boxster general discussion group and of course the bias would be for that car. I have been lurking for a while and enjoy reading this forum, so I thought I would ask a sincere question, looking for some objective (and subjective) opinions/advice. OK - here goes:

I have been driving Mazda Miatas for years and it's time for an upgrade! I lust after both the Porsche and C6. I think the C6 is drop dead georgous, and the one test drive I took last summer nearly sold me. I do feel the car might be more powerful than I would ever need and might even be too powerful for me. ("might"). The Boxster is also very sexy, is clearly less powerful and is smaller, and handles like it is on rails! For me, the choice is a matter of money, how much enjoyment I would get from either car, the reliability and cost of maintenance, and which would be less likely to get me into "trouble" I wouldn't mind the extra muscle on the Corvette, but remember - I am used to driving a Miata!

I can get an untitled 2005 Boxster (base) for $46K with some decent options. ($7K off MSRP). I believe I can get a reasonably equipped '05 Vette coupe for a bit more money upfront... so the Vette would be more money, but probably not a lot more.

OK - that's the basics. Again, I am looking for comments that will help me consider your experiences, as well as points I haven't thought of in making my choice. Thanks again for any help!

Doug

[prOk]

For me, the typical american muscle car is good for only that.. going in a straight line.. (yea, many argue the C6 is not like vettes of old but i've driven one and am not that impressed) You do much more of your spirited driving on backroads with twists and turns which is where the boxster really shows it's stuff. It's a genuinely fun car to drive. The vette will make you feel good racing people from stoplights but it gets old fast and you just want to enjoy the car and it's performance.

Just my 2 cents.

[nautiquelfe]

Not that I do not like the vette but it seems to me that there are way more on the road v/s the boxster. I do believe the vette will cost much less in maint in the the long run. You should arrange for the dealers to deliver the cars to your home for the weekend and drive both as much as possible. You'll figure out which one to buy on monday morning when you choose which one to drive to work. Both are great cars and I doubt you'd be dissappointed in either you choose. Check the insurance rates for each as that may help make the decision easier. Just enjoy the options you have, as your very lucky to have such a choice to make. Good luck either way, hope to see you on the team soon!

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

As you stated, this is a Boxster Forum, so the replies so far do not surprise me.

They are both Great Cars! I love my Boxster! But, I have owned many Performance Cars through the years, including a '63 Corvette SW Coupe. Because of this, I just cannot muster the Brand Loyalty some others may. I have seen too many Great Cars of many Marques Come and Go over that time.

At the risk of surrendering my Club Card, frankly for the same money, or close to it, I'd say the edge goes to the C6. It's more right out of the box and it WILL be more reliable and cost LESS in the Long Run.

It lacks the uniqueness of the Boxster, but will have greater recognition from the Masses (if that's important to you).

It will hold it's resale value longer too.

Whichever you ultimately choose, Drive it like you Stole it!!

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[CA_Boxster]

Like you said, it comes down to horsepower vs. feel. If it were me, I'd drive both and go with the one that was more fun. I would think 5 years down the road and consider which car will hold up better. I've been in a number of 10+ year old Porsches and they always are solid wihtout a lot of the rattles, squeaks, etc. that would drive me nuts after the novelty wore off. My 6 year old Boxster is as solid as a new car and Porsche is known for that. The build quality makes all the difference in the world for me. I don't have experience with aging Vettes, but they don't have the best rep. I happen to prefer the preciseness and feel of the Boxster to a bigger car with huge horsepower. The Boxster will never look like an out-dated car, either. They all still look good. You'll be buying into last year's Vette body style. They're performance cars, but it's still more fun to have one that looks new.

Mechanically (as far as wear and expense), I think it's a wash.

[ohioboxster]

First off if your in Ohio I have a friend that owns a high end lot. You will save a few thousand right off the bat. Not because hes my friend because he has fantastic prices. I bought a Vette off of him, drove it for 4 months and didnt like it. He sold it for me for a hundred bucks more than I paid for it. Anyway, if your interested in info on his lot PM me. I had a similar choice to make recently, an 01 Z-06 or the Boxster. I drove both and loved the power of the Vette but the ride was awful. My Porsche feels like a brand new car at 40k miles. My friend, who owns the lot told me I would never be happy with the Boxster over the Vette because he knows Im a speed freak. I love the boxster! It would be perfect if it had vette hp but then it would be a 911 right? Let me mention the Z-06 was 5k more but that wasnt the deciding factor. Decisions decisions, you know how many people would love to have your problem? Good luck, both are fantastic cars.

[Brucelee]

I would drive both cars as much as I needed to, in order to feel comfortable with my choice.

Both are great cars. The Corvette is NOT a muscle car in the classic sense. It handles very very well. The Boxster is not as slow as many folks make out.

This makes the choice a tough one IMHO.

In my opinion, the driving experience trumps all the other elements of the decision. Drive until you are certain.

And good luck!