All,
Does anyone have a Boxter/Boxter S? How does it compare?
I am sure that I know the answer to this question: how is it in the snow?
I only ask because I read a review that, surprisingly said it wasn't terrible...
Thanks
R
the S just goes to "11"
seriously, it depends what you are used to. they both are balanced and quick but the S just has more torque when you need it. Don't be fooled by that comparison in excellence a few years back. The S feels much more powerful.
The brakes and gearbox are also better but its hard to notice unless you are on the track.
prices are so low now on early S models that its hard to pass up.
read up on rennlist, boxa.net or 986forum.
We (my wife and I) have an '01 Boxster and really enjoy it. We don't drive ours in winter but I have talked/written to many that do drive theirs in winter. As with all high performance tires they suck in winter so you need all-season tires for the winter. Most people buy another set of wheels and tires for the winter. If I were to do it again I would get the "S" model for the extra HP. I autox'ed Lazuli (my Boxster) last year and found I always wanted more HP. What I really needed was a better driver...
The hard top is another option that I recommend if you live in a cold climate. In '03 they went to a glass rear window (mine is plastic) and the plastic breaks. Mine hasn't so far but just give it time.
Here is a picture of ours and yes it is real dirty (look at the road we were on).
I live North of Boston and we just had a record year for snow. Every winter I mount my 16 inch wheels with snow tires and motor on. The Boxster handles great in the snow, very balanced. I would rate it above the 1996 C4S I also drove year round. Hell, since my 914 is a sunshine car only (at least for a while) I gotta have something to drive the rest of the year.
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I have a 2002 2.7. Its a great car in the dry, rather predictable nueteral handling ect. Handling in the rain is less than pedictable. The car has a tendecy to let loose in the rear without much warning. If you get one make sure you get a car with PSM if you plan to drive in bad weather. I dont need PSM in the dry, but I would appreciate it in the wet so I could relax a little more. My A4 is much more competent in the nasty stuff. The Audi feels glued to the road when its wet and I run Falken Azenis Sports on the Audi! I run Bridgestone S03's on the Boxster and it still feels a little twitchy in the wet.
Differnce between Boxster S and Standard cars arent much in close quarters "in the twisties" if you keep the standard boxster in higher rpm's. When the road opens up the S will walk away from you if your driving a standard boxster. S has a nice dose of low end torque that the 2.7 cars dont have. Differnce between the brakes on the street are nil. You'd have to be on the track before you would feel the differnce in my opinion. S has slightly longer rear control arms that is a minor differnce.
914 is a much more fun car to drive. Boxster gives you about 6/8 the fun with all the modern conviences and safety, reliability of a new car. Make sure you get a car with documented repari history. Avoid cars that have had rear main seal leaks. Also check cars in the front passenger floor for water damage - a number of Boxsters got out of the factories with pluged AC drains.
QUOTE (RangerRhett @ Apr 21 2005, 07:54 PM) |
All, Does anyone have a Boxter/Boxter S? How does it compare? Thanks R |
I have only had my 914 for about 3 weeks...I really havn't had time to appreciate it yet...just as I got the 914, I blew a head gasket in my 1997 Ford Mustang 3.8L V6 (slow as balls ) . I drove the 914 for about a week in really nice weather...I get the Mustang back together...and it is working great...then I start driving it around town: What a piece of $hit compared to the 914....the 914 is 31 years old and still blows my daily (the mustange) away.....I have a friend that has a 2004 Mustang Cobra ( a $41K new -which he bought it new) and the 914 blows his car away....not on speed...but who cares about that anyway...
I can;'t imagine a Boxter as a daily.....
What do you guys think?
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I pretty much drive my Boxster everyday. I have other cars so other choices but the Boxster is like a civilized 914. Fun, nice stereo, great torque, unbelievable sound, and in the words of a very sexy coworker, "that thing is so sexy I want to lick it". It isn't the autocrosser that the 914 is but the 914 isn't the track car the Boxster is either. I am glad I have both.
Rob
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QUOTE (synthesisdv @ Apr 21 2005, 06:11 PM) |
Don't be fooled by that comparison in excellence a few years back. The S feels much more powerful. The brakes and gearbox are also better but its hard to notice unless you are on the track. |
All,
How has maintenance been on it? I have never owned a 'new' Porsche. Is the oil change $500 bills like I am reading? There is no dealer in the town where I live, so I would have to go to Indinapolis for 'dealer' service.
R
I have a 2000 Boxster S, I got it as a 3yr old x-lease car. It had 31,000 miles, pristine paint and interior, premium sound system, 6 speed, etc. I got the thing for $27k, now what new car can you buy for 27k? I love it, what's not to like? This thing is a total daily driver. I don't baby it, I drive the crap out of it. 100mph+ on the Florida Turnpike with the top down and it starts raining? Don't stop- just roll up the windows.
My fun car is a '70 914 with Sheridan bodywork, 930 gearbox, Electromotive computer controlled fuel injected 350 V8, Big red Brembo's all around, carbon fiber hood and trunk lid, a full cage etc. The car is kind of in it's second incarnation for me; it is driveable but not finished completely. GOES LIKE STINK.......my wife asked why I put five point harness seat belts in it.............so I took her for a drive. She doesn't ride with me anymore, come to think of it, she doen't even walk very close to the car anymore.
I would never own a tail-dragger Porsche. I think those things are an archaic design that the factory would have dropped long ago if their buying audience would have let them. Mid engine is so..........right!... and rear engine is so................well.. why do you think Porsche always put the little engines in the good cars? 'Cause they beat the snot out of the tail-dragger profit makers when they have the same amount of power.
It kills me when the cool mid-engine Porsches are reffered to as the "entry-level" models, like they are just a different version of the 911! These cars are totally different in personality.
Wow, sorry for raving there. I think Porsche had to learn an awful lot about handling in order to get the 911 where it is today. Thankfully they are putting that knowledge into mid-engine cars again.
I love both these cars, they are SO completely different that I wouldn't really compare them, but I'm going to keep 'em both.
I've spent maybe 5k miles behind the wheel of an 02 2.7 car, sport suspension, 18in wheels.
-that car was an awsome ride, easily the most well balanced modern car I'v ever driven. When I can justify it to the wife, I'll get one as a daily driver...
-I'm not so sure about winter driving though, at least out here, even with winter tires, the roads are sooooo bad over the winter, and I'd just cry every time I saw it covered in salt and road shit....
QUOTE (7391420 @ Apr 22 2005, 11:15 AM) |
I've spent maybe 5k miles behind the wheel of an 02 2.7 car, sport suspension, 18in wheels. -that car was an awsome ride, easily the most well balanced modern car I'v ever driven. When I can justify it to the wife, I'll get one as a daily driver... .. |
Undercoating and a good detailing job in the fall might help protect the 'ol Boxter, though. Right?
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