Base or S model? Feedback Requested...

[PaulE]

Joe, I own an 03 S that I bought new. At the time I bought it, dealers still had unsold 02 S's in stock at bigger discounts, but not with the options I wanted, PSM, cruise control and heated seats, and I really wanted the glass rear window and glove box. I have to say that I like the lines of the 02 and earlier Boxsters better - the front and rear bumpers are much cleaner, and when the top is up on the earlier years, it looks cleaner with less bows and a more raked rear window! I have a friend in California who bought a non S manual car last year and I got to drive it a bit out there. If you're going to buy a manual car, and don't mind doing more shifting to stay within the power band, I think the non S is fine. I call myself a "lazy" manual driver in that I like to stay in the same gear over a wider speed range, cruising around town in 3rd gear, and able to still accelerate on the highway in 5th or 6th gear. That is where the S makes a difference for me on the street. I've done 2 HPDE events now with my S, and I'm sure I could soil my pants in the base car too on the track! Enjoy the search, that is a lot of the fun. Take a look at the Boxsters that are listed for sale in the online classifieds of the Porsche Club of America website and the online classifieds of Excellence Magazine in addition to all the other places you're shopping.

[clickman]

You will find many here saying S is the only way to go and there are also many who have a base (like me) and are perfectly happy. Drive it yourself and make up your own mind.

[paulofto]

Bear in mind that there were fewer 03 & 04 models built so the availability may not be the same as the more plentiful Pre 03 models.

Here are the production numbers by year and model.

[Frank N]

Originally Posted by paulofto

Bear in mind that there were fewer 03 & 04 models built so the availability may not be the same as the more plentiful Pre 03 models.

Here are the production numbers by year and model.

I didnt realize they turned down production toward the end of the 986. Oh good, I have the rare 04S... LOL

I have driven both when I was test driving, I went with the S. I felt the difference and liked it.

[Wallace River]

subscribed for info

[PaulE]

Originally Posted by Frank N

I didnt realize they turned down production toward the end of the 986. Oh good, I have the rare 04S... LOL

I have driven both when I was test driving, I went with the S. I felt the difference and liked it.

With the 97 Boxster introduced in 96, buy 03 it was getting to be an old model. I think it was demand that drove down production, but I guess I'm happy mine is rare too!

[jrgill]

PaulOfto - so that's the reason I'm not seeing many 03-04 986S models available at this time. Hoping more will appear as they're taken out of winterizaton.

[jrgill]

PaulE - THanks for the two references to look for available 986's. I've been watching the PCA.org classifieds but wasn't aware of the Excellence magazine. I have it bookmarked now. I've wanted a Porsche for many years, but life has always pointed me toward other ways to "conscientiously and approprately" spend my money. So now that I have the opportunity to do so, I'm spending some extra time to think through what I need and what really may not be necessary based upon probable usage. But my mind keeps going back to when I owned a '72 MGB that handled so well, yet was so underpowered. I always felt that I had half of the best of two worlds However, since finding ou the the 2003 base has a little more HP, I'll start to include that into my searches.