Having the expereince of hanging with both 914 and Boxster crowds had some funny insights.

Hack Parties

Boxster drivers:

Bunch of people in preppy shirts and expensive watches installing one push convertiable top controllers.

914 drivers

A bunch of ex grunge band members carrying torches, saws getting ready to make the next car to tear up the track or AX circuit.

Fun runs

Boxsters:

A flock well coifed 35 to 50 somethings show up in their garage queens with PSM locked into position. All meet at Starbucks or Peets coffee and stand around to sip lattes while they admire their new speedster humps or listen to new rear speaker install. They are now are ready, touring the wine country or beautiful country backroads. Driving sanely and having a generally civil time they carefully test the limits of their fine Porsche automobiles. All have $500 communication devices to alert each other of the next turn. Stop at a nice resturant and have fine food and wine. When they get home they immdiately download and post the event pictures for everyone to view.

914s:

A group of ex grunge band members in an assortment of 914's alla road warriors converge somehere - swig down some rancid coffee and are off to tackle the twisties. ...Its a good day when somone isnt removed from a ditch. Stop for pizza and a brew head back and working on you car some more!

DE Track Events
Boxster Drivers:

Show up and worry all day about rock damage and whether their helmet will pass tech inspection. Thier driving instructor takes a break from hot laps in his 914-6 and encourages them to push the car harder.

914's

Driver is thinking did I tighten everyting down last night? Driver jumps in and is immediately taking near off course excursions. Instructor starts making comments like "whoa cowboy". Eventually settles in and is always asking "how can I get more power".

Shopping

Boxster driver

Looking for those perfect 3 piece forged wheels with Michilin Pilots for under $6K at an expensive but well respected wheel house.

914 driver

Is at a swap meet and finds a dusty, but relatively unused Fuch with no curb rash for $100.

you nailed it!

off to get my "latte" at starbucks ...
Andy

You forgot the most important ones!

Weekday evening

Boxter:

Peek out in the garage before retiring to bed at 10:00pm

914:

Wife comes out and drags 914 guy in from the garage at 2:30am to get some sleep before having to go to work at 7:00 am the next day!

New Porsche owner

Boxter:

Group gets together in usual place at usual time and no one talks in between

914:

Everyone meets where the old owner lives has dinner and brews then stays up all night chatting about 914's and other stuff. Kind of an initiation for the new owner before they leave in the morning to drive the car home to whatever state it will live for the next few years. New owner has a wealth of phone numbers and lots of new friends for help with his new project!

Jeff

Hey guys,
I just drove a 2000 Boxster S that belongs to a buddy (new Porsche owner).
NO THANKS.

Cant hear the motor until 4000 rpm when it sounds like a turbine.
Cant smell the fumes.
Cant feel the road (smooth like your father's Oldsmobile)

Can accelerate rapidly.
Can brake like crazy.
Can depreciate a whole lot more.

Enjoy what 914 youve got. It just doesnt get any better.

-hawk

Hawk, when are you due back in town? You need to get My work ID to open the door in your dept., or are you afraid of me?

That incredibly supple boxster suspension does have advantages. Especially on fast runs on bumpy backroads. As a road trip car Boxster reigns supreme over the 914. Nice comfortable cabin, good ergonomics, for those of us with ROW 030 suspensions we can feel the pavement. I think biggest problem is the weight of the Boxster tipping scales close to 3000Lbs its not a true sports car in my opinion, but its a hell of a lot more fun than a BMW 3 series.

Did you have the top off? The intake noise is pretty cool. I have to agree that engine is a little too smooth and quiet. If I'm not paying attention somtimes I look down and I'm running 4500 +rpm in 3 rd gear as I'm cruising down the road.

today on the freeway. cruise up next to a boxster s.

ex radical, now an aged 914 driver:
a smile and a howdydo wave

prick in s:
not even a smile, but a fine what are you doing in that 31 y.o. turd look. even the 911 guy's are nicer.

kevin
"HEY! the turd looks are for when i show up at the ax in the jetta (no more)."

edit:he even had the top up. get acrown victoria for heavens sake.

now now guys. be nice. we have a few boxster owners on the board.


porsche did step up to the plate and bring us a mid-engine car. the fact that they won't let it surpass the 911 in performance is another issue. ruf filled the void if your wallet can handle it.

Everytime I get in a students car I think those thoughts..My group knows I have older cars, so they usually assign me student with vehicles I would be familiar with... If there are no old 911, or 914 in the event, I get a boxter....

dont know what my point is or was LOL

Whatever... I still want one!!!

the difference between 914 owners and boxster owners?


Boxster owners are retired.

One of the differences between Boxster owners and non-owners is that Boxster owners can spell it correctly.

Leaving the S out of "Boxter" is a lot like leaving it out of "Porche."

Never had a Starbucks in my life.

Not retired.

Last time I waved at another Porsche, it was a guy in a 914 in Santa Barbara. he looked at me like I was a turd as you say, but I was the one that waved.

I don't wear a watch.......ever.

I drive around in a tee shirt.

I'm at every swap meet.

BUT, I DO worry about stone chips at the track. So, I take my 914.

Dweeb!



You don't count, you have balls.




M

I am a boxster owner and I wave at everyone (waved at a nice 944 yesterday). Don't see many 914's, but do get waves. I also get waves from 1st gen 911 owners, but 964, 993 and 996's are a rarity.

Of course, I am just now getting my 914 (been without one for 12 years). It should arrive next weekend on the shipping truck!

Either way, I get the best of both worlds now!

boxsterfan,

2002 Lapis Blue Metallic Boxster
1970 Adriatic Blue 914 1.7L

Don't forget.....

In 3-5 years we'll alll be buying Boxsters from those yuppies turned Dads who just pampered their 1st Porsches and rode them from $50k to 15k so we can pick them up and drive them like they were intended.

Think about it, mid engine 2.5-2.7 liters, big brakes, convertible. 3-5 years gentlemen.

Hell I bought my 99 Boxster with 18000 miles one owner for $22,000, original sticker in the was $45,100, last year. It ias a fun car as is one of my 914s or my 83 911 SC Cab or 29 Ford Model A. Who gives a crap, I just like cars and don't care if it is a 914 or 986 or 911, if I want it I will find a way to enjoy it, that's it for me.
CCLINGEARHEADHEAVEN

I want one. Will I wave, yep. I wave to all the ocasional P cars I see eveytime.

First time I saw a Boxters was at work. I was driving the district Chiefs suburan and we had just left a false alarm. Pulled out on to the main street and a Boxter goes by heading the same way I was. So I pulled in behind him to check out his car. He changes lanes and slows down (to the right). So I change lanes and slow down. The Chief and I are both checking out his car and he changes lanes again (to the right) and slows down more. At this point I realize that I still had all the red lights on, flashing headlights and all lit up like a christmas tree. I turned everything off as I passed him, both the chief and I were laughing at this point and I waved. He didn't wave back, just gave us the strangest look.

MOST Boxster Drivers:

Totally obvlious of what's going on around them because they are to busy getting noticed. This is also true for many classic English "sportscar" drivers. But it could also be an ageing problem (impaired vision and hearing) as most of these guys have grey hair or wear a cap to hide the hair.

MOST 914 Drivers:

Aware of their environment and happy to greet any other classic car or Porsche driver. And they don't NEED a cap.

...the only big difference that I can see is that Boxster owners pay most of their cash up front, while the 914 owner pays out the same amount (or more) of cash in installments called "upgrades" and/or "repairs"...

...and 914 owners have way more exotic dirt/oil/solvent/etc. ground into their thumbs and index fingers (and under their nails).

Went on a little run today. Even I was surprised that the only other Porsches I saw on the road today were Boxsters and one old 912 Targa beater on the 126 out of Santa Paula. Come to think of it, last time I was on the 126, there was another old 912 coupe. Maybe they keep all the old 912's up in Ojai.

But my thought of the day re Boxsters vs. 914's: Since little fault can be found with the Boxster, critics are reduced to bashing the drivers.

A fallacious argument known as argument ad hominum

I'm a Boxster owner... and I DO wave at other Porsches...

While I like my Boxster, I do not LOVE it like I do 914s...

Boxster Faults....

Needs better sound at lower RPMs

Quality issues - U.S. non-S Boxsters are made in Finland... I've had lots of mechanical issues with this car over 2 issues (leaking cam covers twice, failed engine main seal, persistant rear vibration problems, A/C issues, creaky top in the hot sun, easily dirtied rear plastic window, headlight problems, etc.).

Maintenance is expensive (but it is a new car).

The car is difficult to work on yourself.

Engine is even MORE difficult to access than a 914s.

Crappy sound system (no really any better than what you can get in a 914).


Strengths...

Very neutral handling car

Good power

Tranny shifts nice

Good bang for the buck

Looks great


The 2003 Boxster S and Boxster have corrected many of the faults. The Boxster S is far the superior car.

Would I get another.... no.

Considering an Audi S4 next... maybe a Benz...

Karl, just so you know, my 2000 non S was made in Germany according to the door plate.

Would I buy another? Probably not. But only because I would either buy a 964 or a 993 to replace it. If I don't do that, it stays.

914's are a different car. The mid-engine format is the common ground with the Boxster. But the mid-engine format is common ground to others as well.

But, this thread was about the owners of the cars, not the cars. Something about the cars gets mentioned to support the opinions of posters about owners. As far as I can tell, the 914 owners want to be associated with swap meeters, ex band members, grease under fingernails and anything not preppie.

I had a 914 in '72. Lot of preppies in them then. Things have changed, obviously. BTW, when I see X19 and Fiero drivers, they often look like they might fit the choosen profile of the 914 owner. They have mid-engine cars, too. Frankly, I have met some fairly upscale folks that have 914's that might fit more closely to the said Boxster owner profile except they probably didn't have their head up their ass as many of you seem to think all Boxster owners do.

Time to recognize that all owners of all models of cars are not necessarily of the popular perception. It kind of pisses me off that I am a victim of some preconceived notion of what a Boxster owner is.

I don't really try to judge a person too quickly by the surface. I might be in a little hot water because I defended a newbie elsewhere who posted something about WD-40 and got totally ridiculed. You know, that just sucks. I'm wondering more and more each day who really has their head up their ass.

As far as "owner" differences, I haven't detected much here in Florida. I wave to 911 guys, 914 guys, and 944 guys. If anything, the 944 guys don't seem to care much about other Porsches. Most of them have their windows rolled up and the A/C on. I see more 911s with their windows down. The owners are probably enjoying the sweet sounds of the flat six. Maybe it's an air-cooled water-cooled thing, though.

I do miss the sound on the Boxste0 though.r. I've been tempted on several occasions to to the intake and muffler upgrade, but I will be getting rid of the Boxster next Spring.

Maybe the differences in owner types is regional!?! Of course their aren't many 914s left in Florida so even the 911 guys and 928 guys turn their head when they spot one. At least they know what it is. I took my yellow teener to the local PCA monthly meeting and everyone was hovering over it. Someone also brought their newly completed '73 RS clone and it didn't get as much attention.

As a 914 owner AND Boxster owner, I probably appreciated the Boxster more than the first-time Porsche owner that drives a Boxster. I can admire the heritage and similarities and feel of the 914 vs. the Boxster.

Yes.. the WD-40 thread got out of hand... but you have to admit, it was a seemingly silly post and I can understand how some people could think it was a joke and poke fun right away.

I think the guy became a little offended early on by a remark that was not needlessly rude... but oh well. He's posted a few other threads on Pelican so maybe he'll stick around. Maybe, if anything, his hide will get a little thicker, and he'll get the courage to do something major to his car... like replace the wiper blades. Just kidding.

Take care, Zeke!

Hello all. I have both.

03 Boxster and a 75 914. I also owned a 71 914 in 1973 and 74.

I don't think you can characterize anyone by the car they drive. They're both fine cars and they like to go around corners.

I raced SCCA open wheelers and sports racers for 25 years. Both the Boxster and the 914 give me the same feel.

Duane

Sheesh, you Boxster guys are all the same.



M