I've owned a lot of cars, and this is my first carmaker repeat buy. I sold my 996 last year and went car-lite, sharing a TDI wagon with my girlfriend and riding bicycles everywhere else (because coming from WI to NC, there is no winter here!). I miss having a fun car but do not miss the expense of multiple German machines. Since the TDI is paid for and takes a tank of fuel not-even-once-a-month, I felt ok shopping for a toy. I was really settled on an S2000 after driving a few but found a deal I couldn't refuse. 986 Boxster with full service history, brand new top, and not a hint of curb rash. Interior is 8/10, body is good with some clearcoat degradation on the front fender.
I love this little car. It really does give about 80% of the 996 experience at 40% of the price. I am kicking myself for not considering a Boxster S before I went for the 996. I also feel bad for internally judging Boxster drivers for YEARS on the road, at the track. Just like my revelation after finally hooning an NA Miata around, I just didn't know what I was missing. Hammond says there's only one reason to buy a Boxster: because you can't afford a 911. I don't think that's true anymore. The Boxster doesn't have the telepathic, chatty 911 steering, nor the crazy braking power. It does have the flat-six bark and it's possibly even better than a 996 because that intake is right next to the driver's head. I immediately took out the intake silencer (snorkel) when I brought it home, a must-do for every 986 owner. The wail above 5000rpm is nuts. It also has the ever-present mechanical whine that made air-cooled 911's so charismatic. I also did
this mod to the muffler and yes, it's slightly ghetto, it did make a subtle difference in the sound just off-idle. I need to get the
Pedro's muffler mod done to give it some more rasp and burble.
Finding a good one is getting tougher, but this really should be a sensible (for a 2-seater) car to own. I hope. I need to figure out how to shoe-horn my folding bike into the front end. It *almost* fits.
The new-to-me Boxster:
my old 996:
Threaded Mode
