Not looking at Boxster's... but

[WPOZZZ]

Originally Posted by RWebb

ok, here is a tip Bosterites...

pull the grill off (IIRC from 19 years ago, it's the one behind the driver) and toss the air silencer for the induction

more enjoyment

I don't know if it gave it more power, but the intake noise sure sounds great!

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by RWebb

ok, here is a tip Bosterites...

pull the grill off (IIRC from 19 years ago, it's the one behind the driver) and toss the air silencer for the induction

Well damn - the Boxster's been around over 20 years now. That makes me feel old.

[JeremyD]

I have an FRS that my daughter is driving - it feels and sounds like an early 911 - pretty nimble - makes good sounds - feels like you are going a lot faster than you really are

[Halm]

After almost a year of Boxster S ownership, a play on words from many 911 SC discussions comes to mind: They are all $15k cars. Beware of deferred maintenance.

Also, I DD’ed a BRZ for 18 months. Not once did a comparison with any 911 come to mind. It is a really good car, but an air-cooled 911 experience it is not.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Would very much like an S with a manual but as I said beggars can't be choosers, don't have a lot (or any) disposable income.

The S is nice with bigger brakes and the 3.2 motor but the 'upgraded' suspension is a bit much if you've ever driven a base model. You're not going to make any money buying a Boxster IMHO so don't spend any more than you need to.

And don't buy the Tiptronic.

[GH85Carrera]

I have seen some pretty decent Boxsters for just cheap. The basic disposable car. It would not be worth fixing it up much. If I had a four car garage I would have one. I just can't see parking one outside all the time.

In the end, I will just stick to my antique 1985 911. 100% driver's car. And I know every inch of it, and don't have to learn about some new fangled modern Porsche with weird parts like ABS, and water pumps.

[DWBOX2000]

Did the air cooled thing, not going back, well maybe a 914.

I would think a Boxster S could hold it's own against a Carrera 3.2. Top speed is slower. Less HP and Torque and not that much lighter.

What makes a car a drivers car? I drive my car, am I not a driver? Not a good driver but still a driver.

I do like the simplicity of the old 911's. Can't deny that.

[rfuerst911sc]

I certainly love mine and with the engine Jake built me hold on buddy she's a blast to drive ! Excellent mid engine handling , modern creature comforts , two trunks for great storage and very good fuel mileage if you keep your foot out of it .......... I struggle with that part

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by DWBOX2000

Did the air cooled thing, not going back, well maybe a 914.

I would think a Boxster S could hold it's own against a Carrera 3.2. Top speed is slower. Less HP and Torque and not that much lighter.

What makes a car a drivers car? I drive my car, am I not a driver? Not a good driver but still a driver.

I do like the simplicity of the old 911's. Can't deny that.

To me, a pure driver's car is one with no nanny or driver aids. So no power steering, ABS, traction control, PDK or Tiptronic, tire pressure monitors and so on. I will readily admit all those thing make a car easier to drive and faster. But the car is doing the driving.

To drive a old air cooled 911 fast is just pure. On the track they get passed by all the new cars with a lot more performance. But it is just the driver that brings the car back to the pits undamaged. The fancy traction control is not there to save you.

Just my opinion. It is remotely possible I could be wrong.

Any modern Porsche can get to insane speeds very quickly. My old 914 was a car I could flog on, row through the gears and still not be at 60 MPH yet. A 914 is even more of a pure driver's car.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Glen has a great and realistic perspective. A 986 Boxster S, stock for stock, will hand a 911 Carrera its ass in any competitive atmosphere. But conversely I would rate the 911 as more of an event, more special and raw. Both great cars but much different experiences.

[sammyg2]

This one seems pretty good … 75k miles on a 2003, IMS bearing done ….. $8500 and not all beat to crap.

2003 porsche boxster
fuel: gas
title status: clean
transmission: automatic

2003 Porsche 986 boxer 2.7 225hp flat 6cly 75k miles automatic trip tronic new top new intior redone breaks all around. engine serviced refitted ims bearing new Oil separater new motor mount replaced front oem left and right drive shafts new alternator new water pump new thermostat oil change new hoses complete flush system installed bosch plugs new tires cold air new battery alpine am fm cd player bluethoot Porsche alloyed wheels have all service records!!! everything works! runs great must see garaged kept ! Nicest Porsche in OC. $8,500 call !

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/d/aliso-viejo-03-porsche-986-boxer/6831718864.html

[rusnak]

On the "pure driver's car" subject, I have a question.

My 3.2 911 has obviously no traction control. The Cayman has PASM, etc etc. When I heel and toe 5th to 3rd, under heavy braking, blip throttle into 2nd for a hairpin turn and then roll hard on the gas, I might be carrying say I dunno 35~ish through the corner, and PASM kicks in. It hits the inside brakes HARD and the apex stutters probably 12 feet at a time toward the inside and just kills any trailing throttle steering or drift.

Do you guys turn PASM off? I have not messed with it, but in YouTube videos I see guys turn it off in tight corners and turn it back on in high speed corners under slippery or wet track conditions.

This would impact your consideration when buying any Boxster, Cayman, or the like. In other words, how do you use PASM if at all?

[onewhippedpuppy]

They have a PASM button to defeat it. Most 986 Boxsters won’t have it, I think it became optional on the 986.2 starting in 2002.

[Jeff Higgins]

My '02 S has no "nannies" of any kind. Not even ABS. It's a pretty highly optioned car, with leather interior, air, etc., so I think if ABS, PASM, or whatever were available that year, this one should have it. It doesn't, so I'm not all that sure it was even available.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

They have a PASM button to defeat it. Most 986 Boxsters won’t have it, I think it became optional on the 986.2 starting in 2002.

Yes, Sir. That is the "Chris Harris" button. I was just wondering if normal guys turn off PASM. I've seen normal guys totally eat it that way too.
https://youtu.be/z_WpLON3VSk

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

My '02 S has no "nannies" of any kind. Not even ABS. It's a pretty highly optioned car, with leather interior, air, etc., so I think if ABS, PASM, or whatever were available that year, this one should have it. It doesn't, so I'm not all that sure it was even available.

Jeff ABS was standard on your Boxster. In fact I’m almost positive it was standard equipment on ALL 986 Boxsters. PASM was optional on 986 Boxsters, I think it became standard on the 987.

[RWebb]

Boxster good

rufster better

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Jeff ABS was standard on your Boxster. In fact I’m almost positive it was standard equipment on ALL 986 Boxsters. PASM was optional on 986 Boxsters, I think it became standard on the 987.

Matt, I'm glad we had this discussion. Thank you. You made me go look (I jacked up the back to look for the ABS sensors), and you talked me into taking it for a drive. It does, in fact, have ABS - I stand corrected.

Amazing. Amazing in that I have put a couple of sets of brake pads on it and never noticed the sensors. They are inboard of the discs, but not that that is any kind of an excuse. Amazing too in that while I have only had it on a track twice (I promised my wife I wouldn't "ruin it" by turning it into a track rat like my 911), I have managed to well and truly lock up the brakes. We're talking full-on smoke show, not unlike a Funny Car burnout. Never felt the typical ABS shudder in the pedal.

On my drive today, I took advantage of our freshly sanded roads (it snowed pretty heavily a few weeks ago) to try to make the ABS engage. Sure enough, shuddering pedal and all, I got it to engage. I still got it to skid on the sand, but it sure was trying not to.

So I learned something today. That said, I'm a slow learner, so I am now a bit baffled. Did I just manage to over-power the system when I locked them up on the track? Should that even be possible, or is there possibly some kind of a fault? I mean, it did what it was supposed to do on my little test drive today.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

This one seems pretty good … 75k miles on a 2003, IMS bearing done ….. $8500 and not all beat to crap.

The problem with so many cars on CL is that they're Tiptronics.

Fortunately Boxsters are everywhere, so there are always one or two cheapish 986s with manual transmissions available in the greater LA area.

[Halm]

Jeff, turn the ignition to ON without starting the car. The idiot lights will illuminate. Third from the left should be the one for ABS.