The Boxster, the poor man's porsche and Inferiority complex

[Perfectlap]

Madmods,

You must not spend very much time on the Carrera forums. This is by far, and I mean like a country mile, the most civil auto forum I've visited since the internets were born. Even the auto detailing forums have had more arguments over whether this wax is better than yours (epic death matches).

p.s.
Regarding the inferiority complex thing. First of all if you drive at least a 97-01 Boxster, you are essentially driving a Carrera by part number.
If you consider the unecesarily de-tuned Carrera engine in the Boxster as one part, and randomly pulled a part off the 986 there's a better chance that you'll be holding a 996 Carrera part than Boxster. The Boxster and Carrera were developed as essentially one design. Any other manufacturer producing cars with identical middle to front ends would have simply called the Boxster the Carrera Roadster, and of course this would have meant putting in a non-detuned engine. But Porsche masters at marketing as they are, came up with this forced hierarchy even though the parts bin betrays them. Then they went one better in the 987 series and presented to the world a simple Boxster variant (one with a tin top) as a car with a completely different name. What was esentially one car evolves into three, production costs slashed. The public none the wiser.

Also, I find that a many people won't drive a Boxster because of inferiority complex/insecurity. They bought into the highly effective Porsche marketing spin and feel that people will judge them as being less successful, or worse less masculine, if they aren't in the most expensive Porsche.
This same mentality applies to Miatas, Mini Coopers and maybe even the FRS. At the end of the day, the one Porsche that sets the bar in its class is still the Boxster. That's all it can do.

[kashmir]

I love my Boxster, it is way cool, I grew up in L.A. and drove my Grandpa's Rover P4, at the time I thought it was uncool, but now I would trade one of my children for one.
I would buy this car before I get a 911

[kk2002s]

If having a Boxster vs: a 911 defines you, Then some self reflection is in order.
I do have to admit that when a new 911...something something with 16 tail pipes sticking out, the adhesive marks still on the window from the sales sticker.. (6 digits) - I contemplate if he/she looks down his nose at me
It still doesn't wipe the grin off my face while I drive my Boxster

A couple months back I was driving, top down, gorgeous sunny day. I slowly passed a very nice 911 something. Driver was a professional looking gentleman in his pin stripe, button down collar shirt.
I assumed he would not care about the Boxster sharing the highway. As I went by I reached to sky and gave him a Thumbs Up.
As he passed me at the next light , he gave a wave from within his air conditioned 911 something.
We bonded.
At least I like to think so
I like to think maybe he was a little envious of my top down starter P-car for a moment
Then the moment was gone

[stephen wilson]

Hell, for a year I hesitated to tell people I own a Porsche (Boxster), because I was uncomfortable with the fuss they made. "must be nice to be rich", "they're paying you too much" , etc.

[Coffinhunter]

I have only had one person say to me that I was driving a poor mans Porsche. My reply was simple and shut him up.

"Oh, what model do you drive?"

[Porsche Chick]

You know, some people think of Canada as the poor man's America . . .

And French Canadian . . . some say that's just a cheap version of REAL French . . .

Point is, anyone can insult someone, why would you DO that?

[Mark_T]

Originally Posted by Porsche Chick

You know, some people think of Canada as the poor man's America . . .

Hey, we're bigger and we're on top. If this was prison you'd be our b*tch!

[madmods]

..........................

[Coffinhunter]

Originally Posted by madmods

- sorry but for you, it's 25% more expansive-

Make sure to take it with you when buying a house then!!!!!!!

I know what you mean though. I usually take the wife's mini van if we are buying something where the car would be noticed. I also make sure the garage door is closed when a service guy comes to the house.

When someone does make a comment about being rich, I ask what kind of car they drive, and 90% of the time they paid more for it than mine is worth. They usually are very surprised to hear that.

[pothole]

In my experience, the people most likely to be disparaging are car guys who don't know as much as they think they do.

Non car people all think early Boxsters are lovely in my experience. Even quite knowledgeable people often think 986 Boxsters are girly and crap. Until you take them out in the car and they are typically fairly stunned.

Not because an early 986 has supercar performance, obviously it doesn't, not even close. But they very quickly realise that 986s sound fantastic and feel great. Put simply, they're fabulous driver's cars and anyone with even an ounce of appreciation for what makes a great driver's car recognises that very quickly when they actually experience them.

You can't really blame people for thinking what they do. Unless they've been in a 986, they've no particular reason to know what they're like.

Personally, I say long may it last. Keeps 986s nice and cheap.

[thom4782]

There is little anyone can say about my Boxster that will hurt my feelings now. I heard it all when I owned a 924 for 10 years. It was incredibly fun to drive especially after I puts carbs in it.

[black_box]

I seemed to get a lot more "nice car man"s in my 986 than my 987....

[Mark_T]

Originally Posted by stephen wilson

Hell, for a year I hesitated to tell people I own a Porsche (Boxster), because I was uncomfortable with the fuss they made. "must be nice to be rich", "they're paying you too much" , etc.

I get a lot of "Sure wish I had your job". My response is always "Why, so you can drive a 14 year old car to work too?