Does Boxster mean you couldn't afford a 911?
 

I've heard this (mostly from internet trolls) before "Oh you have a Boxster? Guess you couldn't afford a 911..."

Why would someone say something so silly about a Boxster but not about other vehicles? If I bought a Corvette, would someone say "Couldn't afford a Z06?"

If I bought a Mustang GT, would someone say "Couldn't afford a Mustang Boss?"

If I bought a Camaro, would someone say "Couldn't afford a Corvette?"

If I bought a Honda or Toyota or Nissan, would someone say "Couldn't afford a Acura or Lexus or Infiniti?"

This could even be said about a 911, "Couldn't afford a 4s or Turbo or GT3?"

This could be applied to any vehicle really, so why do we hear it with Boxsters?

And what makes it even more untrue is Boxsters have a lot of advantages over 911s. They have two trunks. They're true mid-engine sports cars. They get better gas mileage than the 911s. They offer 99% of the thrills a 911 does for tens of thousands less. So there are completely valid reasons why someone would get a Boxster instead of a 911, yet still get hate.

Why the haters?

:ah:
:dance:

uninformed asshats

Better yet, have one of each and that really shuts them up

that's not a bad idea. I could get a 996 for almost half what my 987 costs. Certainly would be cheaper than trading in the 987 for a 997.

Did same thing to all the previous non 911's. Maybe the argument could be made for the 912 but I could see some buyers preferring them to the 911 at the time. End if the day, if you like it who cares.

Sports car
 

I decided on a Boxster because its more of a sports car than the 911. I had 3 Skoda Estelle's before the Boxster. If I had bought a 911 it would just be the same as my Skodas. The engine was in the back. My Boxster is mid engined and two seats..

Having owned several Carrera's my go to answers are:

Been there, done that. I've already owned several Carreras and 944s and find the Boxster to be the better overall car.

Did you know the Boxster is basically a Carrera but with the engine in the right place for a true sports car.

Generally it's only people that can't afford any Porsche and are jealous or those that bought a Carrera for the badge. Either type I don't have time for so they get the shut down from me. Fortunately this rarely happens and most folks have only positive things to say about the Boxster. Some think they can't afford one and 9 time out of 10 they are driving a car that cost them more then I paid for my Boxster.

I always like the, "yeah 911s are really nice, what year is yours?" That clams them up everytime.

You will find snooty asshats no matter what car you drive. I've had several red headed step children over the years......914 , 944S but I've also owned two 911's a 1974 Targa and a 1983 SC coupe. I enjoyed each car for what it was and could care less what anyone thought either positive or negative. I buy/drive a car for one reason only.......because I like it ! Those cars are all now gone and I'm enjoying my Boxster. Overall I would say the Boxster is the best I've owned a great balance of performance, handling , creature comforts and safety features.

Yeah I went through that BS when I owned my 912.. it was always known as the poor man's 911 which I hated that. I don't know where all that came from since when it comes to buying parts I was paying 911 prices on everything.

I can truly say since I have owned my Boxster I wouldn't give it up for any 911.

I normally get "that's a hairdressers car", I reply "yeah 'cos all the hairdressers I know drive porsches", that usually shuts them up. But I get a lot of guys saying "nice car, they handle a lot better than the 911's and the caymans".
And the usual prick who has never driven a sports car calling them 'cockster' or 'poofster'.

I have had both simultaneously for years and tend to drive the boxster more because I like the balance better. Obviously people who say things like that are the ones who do not have either one.

Anyone who frequents the Rennlist 996 forum will know that even among enthusiasts (some contributors on Rennlist actually claim to be enthusiasts), they really look down on Boxsters - they wouldn't give a 986/987 garage room.
944 & 928's actually have a higher standing than 986's.
I'm sure a lot of it is to do with elitism and bragging rights.......

Say what you will about how the 911 compares to the Boxster in terms of performance comparisons, but many people wind up with a Boxster simply because it's cheaper than a 911.

And there's no shame in that....ultimately, most of us buy what we can afford and the 911 is beyond the reach of many people.

I've made a couple of asshats feel pretty good about themselves lately, most notably a 2009 Carrera 4S convertible... :)

NOTHING shocks a 911 owner more then when your Boxster LEAVES THEM FOR DEAD!!!

If I'm quite honest, and I'm sure this will piss a few folks off around here. It all comes down to your style and what you are looking for... Regarding 986 models, Base model Boxsters are really nothing special at all, could they be called poofsters or hairdressers cars or whatever, sure. Doesn't bother me at all. I mean have you ever driven a 2.5L Boxster? My grandmother can push her wheelchair faster then those damn things move.

Boxster S is a slightly different beast and while we all know they are quick and do everything really well, they are not overly special either. Great little cars when running, still underpowered.

Can you beat them bang for the buck, IMHO NO.

Could they all use about 350~ HP, YES. 480 would be even better ;)

New Boxsters however are starting to learn... 315 HP is not bad but you will still get beaten by the higher end models, ie. the Cayman and 911. WHY? BECAUSE THEY PLANNED IT THAT WAY.

I know one person very well who could buy a 918 but elected to buy two Boxsters and older used ones at that. Sometimes it is about a car that speaks to you. Sometimes it is buying enough car.

I could never use more than a 914's 85HP. But golly it was fun pushing it to its limits.

And I never heard anything but nice things about those 986s.

Maybe I knew nicer folks, and maybe I don't have a mine is bigger complex.

I'm, up on the rennlist 996 forum a lot and I would disagree with you.

Sure there are a few asshats, but most are good guys (and gals) and just like to razz you a bit. At the end of the day, a 986 is still a Porsche and many of the rennlist people have Boxsters as well as 911's

It's having a miata that will get you a really hard time.
Now that is truly a hairdressers car :cheers:

If you've priced 996s lately it's easy to see why someone new to owning a Porsche would go for the 911 as it is typically the Porsche flagship model. I've been astounded at what pristine, low mileage, well maintained 996s are going for. If I hadn't owned a Boxster first I'd jump on one of these 996s in a heart beat.

According to Jeremy Clark
 

If you own a Boxster your life didn't exactly turn out the way you planned

I disagree for what that is worth

Anyone who judges a book by its cover is a idiot.

Who is Jeremy Clark?

My 1998 Boxster with its 3.6 looks like a piece of crap, so much fun to blow off 911s.

I bought the 986 because I wanted a convertible sports car and it's hands down the best looking and handling convertible sports car out there.
The 996 cab just doesn't look right, IMO.

I'm currently shopping 996's (non-cab) because I've got the bug and my DD is getting to be a pain @ 180,000 miles. Price never had anything to do with it. ;)

Unfortunately the idiots out there would tell you, oh you bought a 911, you should have bought a turbo. It is a never ending process of you should haves.

+1 I like the looks of the 986 better too. And since a convertible sports car was what I had to have....But I haven't had anybody ask me why I didn't get a 911 or other Porsche. Comments about the car have been positive.

You don't buy a Boxster for its HP or straight line speed. That's what the North American Muscle is all about. You get a Boxster as it is a complete package of good HP, amazing handling, great looks and best dollar per smile ratio out there.
That being said, it still an extremely quick car off the line and more than one needs for street driving.

I feel slighted. Nobody mentioned the 911's younger brother; the 912. I own a 66 912 that is a scream to drive. It might not have the power or prestige that the 911 has, however, it nicely filled the gap for a guy who lived on enlisted mans pay for a whole lot of years in the Navy. It was my daily driver when I lived in Sardinia. Nothing better than "driving it like you stole it" through the mountains.

BTW
Go NAVY, beat ARMY!

I bought my Boxster because I couldn't financially justify buying a 911 or a Cayman. I probably could have but it would have been a really stupid purchase decision.

I didn't really want a convertible.

I just wanted a Porsche sports car.

It's been over 3 years with the Boxster and no regrets at all (Except not using it enough). Love putting the top down and driving.

I have come to the conclusion in that period that a 986 Boxster S or Base maybe the best sports car value for driving enjoyment there is - PERIOD

I still want a 911 hard top and maybe some day that will happen but as said before, having both would be the ticket

I've had my 944 turbo since 1993 and still have one today. A Boxster owner since 2006 and today I have two (986 and 987). Ive had this comments directed at me several times over the years and I'm sick of it. For the most part I just say I can't justify the cost of a GT2/GT3 or a 911 turbo so I bought the next best car the brand makes. The last time I was approached I gave the individual this comment.
http://986forum.com/forums/421504-post1.html and I walked away. No offense to the 996 owners here but at that time it was the only response I could think of and it just came out.

I like the 911s and the 996 - my friend Ed has a Red 996 with the GT3 aero kit and it is a sweet machine and he is fast as heck on the track with it. He let me drive it once and the extra horsepower was a major kick in the pants when I hit the gas. For me it was always the Boxster, mid engine 2 seat was what I was looking for. (When I was first looking the air cooled 911s were still reasonable and some were priced about the same or even a little lower than some of the Boxsters I was looking at...)

I've been lucky in that I haven't had any 911>Boxster type of talk my way - where I get it is when I am at autocross and gridded up next to a BRZ or something and they are beating my times.... They really seem to like that :)

On the track, I really like passing 911's, especially the older ones. :)

No. It means I can't afford an Aston Martin DB9.

It means you can't afford the Cheesecake Factory.

I'm with KK2000s on this question. I bought my Boxster because I wanted a Porsche and enjoyed my mid-engine Toyota MR2, but frankly, I originally wanted and still want a 911 coupe. Always have. I just did not have the patience to keep saving my money.

The Boxster has been a great learning experience and I got 3 years of DE's in it before I decided not to track it any longer. I will sell it when I can afford to buy a CPO 991S and not negatively impact my retirement lifestyle plans. No significant regrets other than dumping $42,000 and counting into what's become the most expensive 1997 2.5 Boxster I've found so far.

I have always wanted a Boxster ever since I saw my first one back in 1999. We finally reached a point in our lives where I was able to indulge myself and I found an 04S, which I fell in love with. The car is everything I hoped it would be.
I look at my car as the first entry into my future Porsche stable. I haven't decided which is next, but it is fun looking.

I've had 911s. Great cars. I like the Boxster because it is smaller, more nibble and mid engine.

I find that whole line of thinking (that the Boxster is settling for less) amusing in that its a product of Porsche's own making. So you can't really blame the uniformed passerby who parrots it. Take any other roadster from any other brand and no one is saying that you are settling by buying that model. I've never heard someone say to a Z4 driver "oh you couldn't afford an M series", never heard someone say to a TT roadsters driver say "oh you couldn't afford S whatever", nor did I ever hear someone say to an SLK driver "oh can't afford the S class bla bla bla". Even the little Z3 when it came out didn't get any grief whatsoever in fact it got nothing but compliments. It really is amazing to me how that whole forced hierarchy by Porsche was hard-wired into the sports car masses and more amazingly how they went along with it without realizing this was all part of the Porsche plan. Brilliantly done when you think about it.
I always say to friends this is the best roadster Porsche will sell you and perhaps the best that has ever been built by any brand. But don't think you can buy one for $10K and you've beaten the game. Can't have your cake and eat it too...there's nothing inexpensive about owning a Porsche modern or antique. If you can afford to maintain a Boxster you can afford to buy a 911, maybe not just the very newest ones. But smart money lets those depreciate by virtue of excessive mass production vs. the shrinking pool of second hand Porsche buyers.

Why is the Boxster/Cayman one of Car and Driver's 10 best for the 11th year in a row? The 911 isn't.

I bought the Boxster because I wanted a second car and then discovered that for the $15K I budgeted to spend I could get a new KIA or any number of other crappy looking square box shaped boring cars, or I could buy a sexy, seasoned Porsche.

Ya baby.....that was the easiest car buying decision I ever made.

Unfortunately the Porsche addiction has grown on me and now I also lust after this.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...11_Carrera.jpg

The price is probably out of reach, and replacement parts too pricey for a fixer-DIY.

So I have been considering this instead, out of a salvaged Boxster.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N...1199138907.jpg

So Yaa, I bought the Boxster because I could not justify spending big bucks on this new Porsche.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-B...Cars-INT09.jpg

there is a MSRP limit IIRC

C&D should screw with Porsche and set the limit $1 above the base 991
:D


I think we need more downforce!!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N...1199138907.jpg

no one...now. ;)