Boxter "S" prices too low to be ignored?

[s2per]

Just my $.02--we must be lucky. We bought a '98 Boxster "off-lease" car (from the Northeast, no less) 3 1/2 years ago with less than 40k miles. Price then was just over $30k and it has almost every option.

My wife drives it like a Camry--daily wheels, just preventative maintenance and we now have 92,000 miles on it. 24 mpg and still on original struts and only 2nd set of pads. Fuel cap recall, one set of top cables and a cracked rear window on a cold day (covered by comp. policy) have been the only problems.

Well, that and the not-so-Merry Christmas wreck last year.

Great little car, though and more versatile than you'd guess.

[old_skul]

I'm going to pretend we're in the Boxster forum for a little while, since this thread is getting some good traffic it might otherwise not in the B-Haven. Plus, I have a personal interest - I think I might sell my 911 next spring and get into a B-car. I'm not as interested in AX anymore, haven't done a single DE this year (due to my car being in the body shop for 3 months).

We can all compare numbers and butt dynos about the B-car's acceleration. What about the handling? How does it compare to a comparable 911 Coupe in terms of cornering? I would think that with the better everything, the car would be fairly close to a Carerra in terms of handling, regardless of the open top.

[twin plugged targa]

Hey Tim,
That 'Bump' was'nt done inn Ft. Lauderdale was it?
I saw a silver Boxster same color driven by a woman take the Broward Blvd /US1 traffic light and gun it! she lost the back end and ran straight into a wall!.
Then proceeded to drive off whilst coolant was gushing from the front nearside!.
- Never found out how far she got before engine heat seized!!!!
rgds Ben

[s_wilwerding]

The handling of a Boxster? I have never driven a car, including my old 911SC, 996s, 993s, 964s, 914s, etc. that handles as well as a Boxster. It is one of the only cars that goes right where you point it, with as close to neutral steering as you can find. I noticed this immediately when I first test drove a Boxster, and the handling coupled with the excellent power steering feel makes the Boxster one of the best feeling cars to drive.

[plain fan]

But with prices falling for early, non-S Boxsters the price of an engine swap with a 996 is getting cheaper!

[LeeH]

There were three sub $20K Boxsters for sale in Phoenix a few weeks ago. $16,500 for a '97 w/65K miles. The prices can only continue to fall.

Is there an airbag disconnect for the passenger seat when a carseat is installed? Does it have to be the Porsche seat?

[epbrown]

The good times aren't here yet - with the new model coming out, prices on the early-style Boxsters will really take a dip. I've been tempted (I've traded cars with a co-worker with one) but I don't think I could work on one the way I do my 9s. And while they're getting cheaper, a 2000 986S is still about ten grand more than I paid for all three of mine...

Emanuel

[s2per]

Ben,
Re: That 'Bump' wasn't done inn Ft. Lauderdale was it?

No, ours happened in Tampa on 12/23. And the car couldn't be driven; took two months to get it back.

[sammyg2]

A good friend of mine who races in the local PCA blub bought a new boxster for his wife. He drives a very nice carrera cab with 220 RWHP.
He brought the wife's car to an AX to try it out. After the first session I asked him how he liked it because I've been looking at boxsters real hard lately planning to gut one and make a track only car out of it.

He said he didn't like the car at all. Sure it was comfortable, but it was a "boring pig". His words, not mine. He aslo said it was too small inside even compared to his carrera.
Wow, I was totally surprised. I figured the inside dimensions would be comperable with the 911 and I figured it would be and feel more nimble.
After checking it out closer I think I discovered why he hated it, the thing had Tip.
Even considering that it kind of burst my bubble.
I really shouldn't take one guy's word for it, I should go out and drive one myself.
What do you guys who drive them think? Was he way off base?

[s2per]

Go drive one--hard. Great, neutral handling and braking. And the non-S cars remind you that it's more fun to drive a "slow car fast than a fast car slow". (It's not that slow, either.)

But no Tips. Please. No way. The only thing worse would be a Miata with a slushbox.

[Tspringer]

Well, I just bought one.

This post caused it too! I saw this post, and the prices noted got me thinking. So I went to the local P-car dealer, Jim Ellis, and drove an '01 S. WOW. Great driving car, I was hooked.

Did some looking around, called on a bunch of cars and finally found one locally that was exactly what I was looking for.

2000 Boxster S, Arctic Silver with grey full leather interior. 18" sport design wheels, sport package, litronics, Premium digital sound and CD player, Porsche car cover and bra, 27,300 miles. Perfect carfax. I got the factory warranty claims history on the car, its never had any major issues. No RMS issues to date. I had a full PPI done at the dealership and it checked out good.

For reference to anyone else shopping, I paid $31,500. Original sticker on the car was $62,800. Thats a pretty serious beating for 27k miles of driving! I also think they can be bought much cheaper, under $30K. I definitly paid full retail, but I wanted this exact color and options package plus I wanted to buy from an individual and not a dealer so I could avoid the 7% sales tax here in GA. No sales tax due here if purchased from an individual.

At this price, a Boxster S strikes me as a GREAT car. Its fast, handles great, is amazingly comfortable and luxurious. Its been awhile since I owned/drove a "modern" sportscar, is SO different from anything else I own!

[KobaltBlau]

didn't read this thread originally but I just did now since Terry actually bought one based on this thread.

I just wanted to share my experiences WRT other boxsters on the track.

A Boxster S is substaintially faster than an SC. It's just that the SC drivers tend to be better than the Boxster S drivers.

A regular Boxster is not to be ignored, either. a '97 is only about 2800 lbs which isn't much heavier than a typical power-window power-sunroof SC. and it has 20 more horsepower with a nice big modern torque curve. Also, it's really docile handling. Again, the drivers I see in the track with boxsters are usually not too experienced, but with a good driver even a standard boxster can be pretty quick.

[1973911s]

The Boxster is nice, but wouldn't you spend a few more K and get a 993?

Michael

[ted]

Originally posted by aigel
At AX the boxters do really well. they are capable of TTOD without major upgrades.

At the San Diego AX events the Boxster class is large and competitive though they rarely see the top ten and never TTOD.
Last weekend the quickest Boxster S was 5 seconds slower than TTOD.
TTOD last weekend.
It still is Barbie's Porsche or the Porsche with panties to me.

[BigD9146gt]

Originally posted by 1973911s
The Boxster is nice, but wouldn't you spend a few more K and get a 993?

Michael

Amen to that!

From what i've read in magazines, the only "cheapness" to the boxsters is the plastics in the dash and the trunks. Wether this is true or not, I don't know. Granted, its an entry level car, so the plastics are going to be cheaper than those of the higher $ P-cars. Otherwise, everyone i've talked to loves them.

[unclebilly]

I dunno. I've never driven a Boxster or been in one.

My guess is that they're the 944 of the late 90's.

I loved my 944, it was a really well build car that handled like it was on rails. Give it another 10 years, you'll be able to pick up a Boxster for $5000 whereas the similar year 993 will be worth 4 times that.

I guess to sum up my comments, I don't know much, but I have an opinion... I'm sure the Boxster is a great car, like the 944 is / was but it's no 911.

[Tspringer]

I disagree on the $5000 boxster thing. Thats miata money. They will never get that low unless its a '97 model with 300k miles on or something.

I do think '98-'99 base model boxsters may eventually bottom out at $10K-$12K or so. I could also see my '00 S bottoming out at $15K-$17K or so when its 10+ years old. I do believe a 993 will hold value better over the long term.

Im not so sure the 993 is "lots" more car. I used to have a 993 and it was a fantastic car. IF I did not already have the '69 911S I would want a 993 over the Boxster. But the boxster has a really great power top. Convertible is VERY nice! With the top down but windows rolled up.... the A/C still keeps you cold!

My S has full leather. The dash is leather. The entire interior is EXTREMELY nice. I am actually surprised at overall fit and finish. Its at least as nice as the 993 I had which also had full leather.

The S does not have the raw power that the 993 had, but it does have brakes that may be better and it clearly handles better. Given equal drivers I have a very hard time seeing the 993 as faster around Road Atlanta, it seems to be a pretty dang even match.... straight away speed vs fast through the corners. The Boxster will get onto the straight faster, but the 993 will pull harder.

I wanted a convertible and the Boxster is very refined, has good torque (a surprise to me!) and its just a hoot to drive.