Thats not always the case I'm afraid. My boss drives a boxster, in fact, he's had 4 of them, has every option except carbon brakes, and he hates 911s.
He could buy any super/hypercar on the planet if he so desired and yet, I'm pretty sure when he gets shot of the boxster, it'll be for another boxster.

I wouldn't worry over other peoples perceptions of the car, you'd never have bought a coupe if that were the case after all Do your homework and if you like them, buy one.

Indeed, please don't ever feel that you need to impress others with your car or wallet - it's a very unappealing trait. Just work out a realistic budget (purchase and maintenance), then try it and see if you like it.

I have had a 987 for almost 4 years now, and it has been absolutely great. Not a thing wrong (a rat did chew through a cable once, but that's hardly the car's fault). Mine now has 64k on the clock, 05 Reg. Perishables are pricey though - rear tires are £250ish....

One JD Power survey in the US had the Boxster as the most reliable car on the market!

The one you see on eBay sure is a low price, and so you might find a few things wrong, hard to say. If you are worried about the IMS issue (and anecdotal evidence suggests this happens early, so a higher mileage car would be less likely to suffer) then there is an aftermarket modified replacement bearing available. There is a place in Bolton that does this, for about £500 (not sure for a 986). Can't remember the name, but can dredge it up, I am sure.

As for 911 comparisons, the Box is mid-engined, and therefore the superior car...

Whichever model you buy, it ain't no hairdresser's car. Get in a tunnel, top down and floor it.

I should add, i get the servicing done at an indy in Oxfordshire, and the minor service is £190, major is 250 (incl full Mobil oil), and they only need a service every two years. 986s are less, so the servicing isn't bad at all.

Sorry to close this thread Coupedummy, it is purely to allow us to clean it up (which I can't do on my phone) and re-open later before more testosterone is spilt in here.

And may I remind the culprits that we will be going back to rewarding behaviour like this with 1 week bans.

Thread tidied up and reopened - please play nicely

In order to "remind" the culprits, there should have been some sort of announcement earlier? Obviously I've missed something? If not, I'll assume this is the announcement, others may not see it. Perhaps a sticky or an actual thread may be useful?

yeah riiiiiite

google pre-populates the search for you... a sign that it may be

hey, its down to personal choice and taste. anyway as long as the owner is happy (and the boot is big enough for the cans of hairspray )

It is a peculiar trait of the Boxster. Nobody compares an Aston Martin Vantage to the DB9 as the hairdresser's choice. Or the Gallardo to the Murci. Or the Lotus Elise to the Evora...

You'd have to be a rather successful hairdresser to afford to buy and run a Porsche of any variety, even an early 2.5, but that doesn't prevent the stigma being attached.

I'm sure it is a fantastic steer, but I couldn't own one. IMS and bore scoring issues aside I'd still feel like I let myself down. It's all well and good saying you should drive what you like and sod what others think, but image does have a part to play. Just the same as the clothes you wear, the car you drive is an outward and instant statement of you. Otherwise we'd all wear elasticated Adidas tracksuit bottoms when out and about.

I don't think the Boxster is Jeremy Kyle, but I know it's not Hugo Boss too and I don't do George from Asda suits.

And that's why I don't drive a Porsche.

wow everyone can Porsche bash but me... Have we taken moderation lessons from China?

Back OT, I believe - having never driven one I can only go on second hand knowledge and personal views from the outside - that the car is well balanced and a joy to drive but purists find them a bit of a cop out and as such have been degraded to a car that softies and people who like to cut hair may wish to own. It is a cheap way into a top marque, you may have to spend more time explaining why you bought a Boxster over a 911 than divulging the pleasures of owning a well balanced moderately powered Porsche.
There's plenty about so they must be ok....

And that's why I'm glad you, and many others, don't too.

You can't compare a Lambo or a Aston to a Boxster, main reason is RRP, second is Boxsters are very common compared to either and make the Porsche brand open to many who could never dream of owning a 911.

Lotus - they are proper second cars, weekend toy's and very specialist, a Boxster is an everyday car that Mondeo man will buy when his kids leave home.

If I was thinking of buying a Boxster I would wait til early spring, then if you like it you have the whole summer to have fun, if you don't you should get a better price on re sale while the car is more desirable.

Quote what you have signed up to:
Also, in your capacity as a guest, please behave as though you were a guest anywhere else. If you can't manage this simple task, don't be surprised if you are asked to alter your behaviour. If you still can't behave like a civil guest, don't be surprised when you banned. Just because this is an online community, there is no excuse for bad behaviour and it simply won't be tolerated.

I absolutely agree.

Just make sure that 'guests' are treated equally and that some guests arent treated differently to other guests.

Careful, I got my bottie spanked for holding that view point.

Don't worry rudidudi, we do.

Unfortunately it can appear different because we can't give everyone the same ability to comprehend why they over-stepped or the same desire to learn from mistakes and have a mature dialogue about it. Hey ho.

Can I suggest that people drag any lasting grudges off to forum issues as a courtesy to the original poster.

A little off topic but this is the topic to be off topic; I quite fancy a Cayman. Base model - daily driver. Discuss.

I was originally thinking of a Cayman to replace the Coupe. Apart from a Lotus, it is often said to be the best handling car out there. When i was looking though, as the Cayman was quite new, the Boxsters were a bit cheaper. So overall i could keep the Coupe, and get a Boxster. I am glad i did - perhaps there is the slightest trade-off in handling, but on a sunny day, wind in your hair is great. Still really like the Cayman, but the soft-top doesn't really limit the usability of the car (also, when you look at truck space, the Cayman's might be slightly less usable). Haven't looked at prices in a while, so not sure how they compare.

You may know, but the IMS affects 996s and 997s too. I think after MY 06 the issue has been largely eliminated across the range.

Yeah. The Gen II 9*7s are supposed to be a lot more reliable once Porsche pulled their finger out and fixed what was clearly a poor design in the transition to water cooling. As I said, I'm considering a Gen I 997 Turbo in the next 6 months, but they use a different block altogether based on a 993 bottom end.

I may surprise myself yet and take a break from the brand. I've been hankering for a V8 car for a while and those Vantages are looking like a bargain right now...

There is always the Panamera....

I actually like the Panamera, probably because its the first Porsche that actually looks unique.

That's interesting as I'm selling my 55 plate S2000 with a view to going to either a 3.2s or another Coupe (if I can find something interesting enough....!)

I found the Boxster and 350Z pretty dull compared to the S2000 (eventual purchase). However this was a 2.7 and I gather the 3.2S raises the bar somewhat.

It's the nature of the power delivery that is irritating me, it's the mutts nuts on the VTEC part of the show but a bit disappointing before that, the gearbox/brakes and handling are first class however!

When are you looking to sell your S? I will be look later this year.

Any advice welcome on things to watch for.

Owning a Boxter is considered or viewed as a poor mans 911, that said the status bollocks goes all the way up the tree C2s v C4s v GT's v Turbo v Turbo s. Like wise the engine 2.5 v 2.7 v 3.2 v 3.4.

With any porker expect to pay more when it goes wrong, porkers can go wrong at any stage, ive read some horror stories such as warranties being void due to over revving and even different alloys etc at that age and mileage you wont worry about keeping it in warranty so take it to a specialist or anyone confident on working on it. At the money you are spending it is likely you would get it back providing its not totally shagged. Who knows you may end up a big fan of porsche and get something else because of it.

As im sitting here in Germany i have seen many go past in last 10 mins still a nice looking car with the hood down not so nice with it up though.

Im also looking at porsche turbo but finding the spec i want is difficult its near 4 months and countless viewings mainly the interior combo's are horrid in Germany or some of the options are bare i started off looking at C4S but with prices not so different i started looking at the turbo, also considering others such as V8 Vantage totally different but just a great looking and sounding car. Midlife crisis plus being near Autobahn is what i keep telling myself!!

I ended up buying one of these, it's a 2001 3.2s in black pearlescent with a red roof, black leather interior with factory upgrades including sports seats, 18" turbo wheels and it's the later clear lenses all round. Original paint, minor stone chipping to the front, absolutely no rust whatsoever (Even inside the stone chips).

It's got 103K miles, full Porsche/specialist service history (got every receipt/MOT from new with it) it's just had £2.4K in the past month on a clutch, rear main oil seal and front discs pads.

It's also got a full Janspeed on it including sports cats (£1k) and it sounds awesome!

Handling is brilliant with great turn in and it's very neutral, the brakes are just incredible, only problem's the gear change, it's bloody awful, it's stiff and vague, it needs new cables and a quick shift fitted, it was also due a service, which I did last Saturday morning (Very straightforward to work on)

Other than that, it's had the full claybar, machine polish, 2 layers of autoglym and meguiars gold class wax.

Got it for £5K.

It's awesome.

Good grief - a Boxster S for the price of a top-end Coupe

Despite my dislike for anything from Stutgart, I can't deny that the Poxster is a good-looking, fine-handling, great-sounding and great-performing piece of kit

would be interested to hear a report in a year or so's time after a few things have needed attention - will the love still be there?

Hell - £5k - amazing......