Trade in for a Boxster or no?

88porsche911 · 88porsche911's Garage

I am test driving a boxster on Monday. It is a 2003. I really like my 88, but also love having a top that comes down. Believe it or not my old Miata I used to have is one of the best cars I have ever owned. Anyone who owns both or has owned both I ask your opinion please.

makaio · 04-20-2003, 03:55 PM

My opinion may not be welcome since I have never owned a Boxster, but it's your choice. The car does belong to you right?

I like Boxsters, and would own one if I had unlimited $. But for me they just don't make my blood boil like a 911 (pre-996) do. Of course, I have been lusting after 911's since I was 5 years old.

fastbydrmike · 04-20-2003, 04:41 PM

I have a 86 Cab and must have a top that goes down. I always would prefer the 80's 911 to the boxter for the thrill of driving and sound. I have driving a Boxter and a "S" and like my 911 better. But that is my opinnion.

Mike

rstoll · 04-20-2003, 05:01 PM

New car smell....smooth shifting.....warranty......sounds good.....except there's no whine. You will miss the 911.

poobala · poobala's Garage

s it would have to be a s

kardos · 04-20-2003, 05:54 PM

This happened with me this Friday: I was driving my 1987 911 Turbo when a guy parked next to me with his 2002 Boxster S. He wanted to exchange his car to mine plus I would give him $5,000. Mine has 73k miles his had 25k. I turned him down. There is no way I would give up my Turbo for some Boxster.

Jim Smolka · 04-20-2003, 06:07 PM

Boxsters are very nice cars. However, they may not be as desirable as time rolls buy. Most Porsches that are water cooled have lost most of their value, (924, 944, 928). However, air cooled Porsches are doing well, esp 356, and 911s. Even the 914's are starting to make a comeback. IMHO, 914-6 in orginal condition is worth more than an early Boxster with high mileage.

APZak · 04-20-2003, 06:12 PM

Get a pre-owned boxster for $20,000, and keep the 911. Consumer reports says the boxster is fairly reliable.

Mike Feinstein · Mike Feinstein's Garage

Adam gives good advice. A colleague recently picked up a 97 with 35k miles for $23k. Silver with a black interior, stick, nice shape. I took it for a drive and was quite impressed. The power comes on lower in the rpm range than my 911, but it flattens out above 5500, where the 911 continues to pull like crazy. The handling was excellent, power was better than I expected, brakes are phenomenal. I believe this was the 201hp version. I'll bet an S (with 252 hp) is a blast to drive. I've seen 2000 S's advertised in the high 30's in this area.

avi8torny · 04-20-2003, 06:41 PM

it's silly what you can get a Boxter for these days in the local auctions.....seems to parallel the depreciation of a Taurus. If I could fit in one I would probably buy a nice used one. The wife doesn't like them though, she prefers the 911. What a girl.

Randy W · Randy W's Garage

I have had both a Boxster S and an SC, and have driven several Carreras. I like both cars, although they are different in ways already described. I would try to keep both - they each have their own charm. If I had to give up one, personally I would miss the 911 more. I cannot even begin to imagine not having an early 911S to drive whenever the mood strikes.

Biff Bradley · Biff Bradley's Garage

I owned a 99 Boxster for over two years, and now own a 1989 Carrera Targa.

The Boxster is great fun to drive. It is a very modern car, and the overall feel is much like other modern cars. The controls (clutch, gearshift) are light and very easy to get used to. The car handles in a neutral manner, and the cornering limits are very high in dry conditions (wider rubber than the 89 911 I drive now). So why did I sell it and get the Carrera?

There is very little user maintenance. This may be just what you want, but I wanted something I could work on and not just take to the dealer for everything. You can't even look at the engine without the effort of partially disassembling the roof mechanism. The engines have had some reliability problems, such as leaking rear main seals, and just blowing up.

The interior is much different from the 911, with lots of plastic, and the new gauges don't do anything for me.

The roof is a complicated mechanism with lots of motors and cables to break, and the rear window folds badly with a popping sound. The rear window also offers limited visibility and clouds up.

The depriciation was much greater than what I expected with a Porsche. I decided to get out before it fell further or the car got out of warranty.

I have enjoyed the 1989 911 - that's really what I wanted to start with, and the Boxster decision was a compromise in the first place. The sound of the air cooled flat six, and the power surge at 4K rpm, are a whole different experience. The 911 takes a lot more skill to drive, and is more of a pill in heavy traffic, etc., but I would never go back. However, it's a personnal decision, and Boxsters are nice cars for the non DIY type, and good value at their highly depriciated prices.

04-21-2003, 08:55 AM

Why not get a 993 Cabriolet?

dickster · 04-21-2003, 09:06 AM

although they are supposed to be great cars, compared to the 911 they're for hairdressers

not that hairdressers cars cant be fun - i owned a fiat x1/9 years ago.

jmho.

pbs911 · pbs911's Garage

Why not a 996 cab? Top down, more refined and a decendant of the 911. A 996 coupe will be my next car.

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

As long as you are considering an "S" model....but if you are getting the stripped down one with a Tiptronic, get yourself a pedicure and a case of vanilla flavored coffee and good cup holders.....