Boxster - A Daily Driver

JCB.. · Nov 3, 2006

I'm composing an article for the Post or, at the very least, a bit of padding to help Mark out with his column inches (ooh err missus).

The article is at the suggestion of Nic and was prompted by the thread that appeared on the forum earlier asking what to look for on cars sporting mileages in excess of 90K miles.

I'd welcome any offerings from anyone else who uses their car as a runaround.

JCB..

(But I do appreciate that most of you spend more time playing with cleaning gear than driving.) [8D]

chrono · Nov 3, 2006

I'm not sure it's any help, but I purchased my car as most definitely NOT a car to stick in the garage and look at. I have a 1999T 2.5 with lots of factory fit extras. I use it every single day as a runaround, mostly through country lanes and a little town driving. I treat it as very much a practical every day car, just as the other more "conventional" cars I've had before.

I'm assuming it will be as reliable as an Audi or BMW, so therefore there's no need to warrant it any special attention. As this point you're probably thinking I don't appreciate it as a Porsche. Far from it, I LOVE IT! So do the kids when I pick them up from school twice a week (that takes a little prior planning with only the one extra seat!) and so does the better half.

It's in lovely condition with 65k on the clock. The bodywork is superb with only a few minor chips on the bonnet that have been touched up.

It's not the most powerful Porsche on the block, but I wouldn't part with it for all the tea in China (well, maybe a 987 in a couple of years!)

Nothing would make me change from this marque. It's as reliable as any other German car I've owned (BMW's and VW's mostly) and no more expensive to insure or service. BUT IT'S A PORSCHE!

Now that's what I call having your cake and eating it eh?

JCB.. · Nov 3, 2006

ORIGINAL: chrono

I'm not sure it's any help, but I purchased my car as most definitely NOT a car to stick in the garage and look at. I have a 1999T 2.5 with lots of factory fit extras. I use it every single day as a runaround, mostly through country lanes and a little town driving. I treat it as very much a practical every day car, just as the other more "conventional" cars I've had before.

I'm assuming it will be as reliable as an Audi or BMW, so therefore there's no need to warrant it any special attention. As this point you're probably thinking I don't appreciate it as a Porsche. Far from it, I LOVE IT! So do the kids when I pick them up from school twice a week (that takes a little prior planning with only the one extra seat!) and so does the better half.

It's in lovely condition with 65k on the clock. The bodywork is superb with only a few minor chips on the bonnet that have been touched up.

It's not the most powerful Porsche on the block, but I wouldn't part with it for all the tea in China (well, maybe a 987 in a couple of years!)

Nothing would make me change from this marque. It's as reliable as any other German car I've owned (BMW's and VW's mostly) and no more expensive to insure or service. BUT IT'S A PORSCHE!

Now that's what I call having your cake and eating it eh?

How long have you been having your cake and eating it?

channella · Nov 3, 2006

John,

My car has been my everyday car since September 2003. What sort of insight are you looking for?

Andrew

JCB.. · Nov 3, 2006

ORIGINAL: boxster27

John,

My car has been my everyday car since September 2003. What sort of insight are you looking for?

Andrew

Andrew

Wear and tear items, any hassles that you have found that you wouldn't have had with a Golf or Mondeo, that sort of thing.

I just didn't want it to be too one sided!

John

BrianJ · Nov 5, 2006

I have used my 2.7 Tip as a daily driver since I collected it from Zuffenhausen in late Feb 03. Now done 52k miles.
Pluses I still love are the ease of driving, the great handling and overtaking performance, the courtesy shown by almost all other drivers (a big surprise), the positive remarks I always get on the colour (Orient Red/Black), the "two different car" feeling with/without the hardtop, the fuel consumption (OBC currently showing 31.4mpg about 20k miles since I last reset it), the amazing amount of luggage it will swallow for 3 weeks on the continent, the internal storage space, the comfortable seats (for me at least), the looks it still gets when cruising through small French or Spanish villages, the genuine all-weather, all-year capability (though I admit it isn't as handy as something low-powered & front-wheel drive in the snow!), being treated as a customer by the OPC (at a price!) and the genuine friendship from our local PCGB (another big surprise).
Minuses are few, but include: Tiptronic changes up too early in auto mode in normal driving, the non-leather facia scratches too easily, the odd rattles and squeaks which need regular attention, that blxxdy stupid Porsche analogue speedo marked in 25mph major divisions (completely useless and an idiotic design for a supposed design company!), the fixed headrest which my wife finds uncomfortable, and of course the lingering decision what next? My heart says a Cayman S or Boxster S (I drove both yesterday) but my conscience keeps wondering about something green with rubber bands. Tricky.

GOOFY · Nov 5, 2006

Hi

I use mine for daily commute of 12miles through London. Pros and Cons: Pros are the enjoyable drive after a hard days work - I really look forward to just hearing that engine whirr and the drive is so unboring unlike my other car (Golf Auto) and in summer I can put the roof down. Fuel consuption is better than my Golf Auto ! Cons: In winter the heating takes longer, and the front windscreen takes a while to demist (Porsche should install de-frosting windcreens as Ford do).. Also the rear screen (plastic) is more or less impossible to see through. The only other con is that I need to wash it more often !

Boxster 2.5.

chrono · Nov 7, 2006

ORIGINAL: JCB..

ORIGINAL: chrono

I'm not sure it's any help, but I purchased my car as most definitely NOT a car to stick in the garage and look at. I have a 1999T 2.5 with lots of factory fit extras. I use it every single day as a runaround, mostly through country lanes and a little town driving. I treat it as very much a practical every day car, just as the other more "conventional" cars I've had before.

I'm assuming it will be as reliable as an Audi or BMW, so therefore there's no need to warrant it any special attention. As this point you're probably thinking I don't appreciate it as a Porsche. Far from it, I LOVE IT! So do the kids when I pick them up from school twice a week (that takes a little prior planning with only the one extra seat!) and so does the better half.

It's in lovely condition with 65k on the clock. The bodywork is superb with only a few minor chips on the bonnet that have been touched up.

It's not the most powerful Porsche on the block, but I wouldn't part with it for all the tea in China (well, maybe a 987 in a couple of years!)

Nothing would make me change from this marque. It's as reliable as any other German car I've owned (BMW's and VW's mostly) and no more expensive to insure or service. BUT IT'S A PORSCHE!

Now that's what I call having your cake and eating it eh?

Click to expand...

How long have you been having your cake and eating it?

Only a few months. You could say it's still the honeymoon period and I've yet to experience my first winter in it. [&:]

I agree with the post above about the analogue speedometer though. How useless is that? I never look at it because by the time you've worked out from it how fast you're going, you've either been pulled over for speeding or crashed through lack of care and attention. Why did they put it in? I wasn't a fan of digital speedo's before hand (the dash in the S2000 put me off ever buying one) but the 2.5's is large, clear and makes the analogue one a complete waste of space.

Having said that, I'm loving every minute of my Boxster. The heated seats especially!

Guest · Nov 7, 2006

I used my 987s as a weekend car initially from may 05 upto sepember this year. We had a golf and mini as our daily drivers. We recently pexed the golf and mini for an x5 3.0d sport that my fiance now uses for work so i am left with the boxster to use daily (oh what a shame[

]). Love driving it as a daily driver, teh power is more than enough and its comfortable and a cosy place to sit on these darkening nights. Not too keen on sitting in traffic as the clutch has quite a snatchy biting point. Driving it as an every day car has given me more confidence purely because I drive it more. I could do with a little more leg room but its not too bad. Heated seats come into there own as teh weather gets colder.

911sse · Nov 7, 2006

David Goodwin, the R2 Assistant RO has just sold his '03 2.7 Boxster.

He had knocked up 153k miles on it. Worthwhile speaking to him.

GMS · Nov 12, 2006

Had my car since 24th April 2005 and have now covered 48,000 miles.
Have had no real problems just loads of brakes, discs and tyres.
It has also done11 trackdays with it 12th at Silverstone on the 25th.
New car arrives the last week of April a 3.4S with a couple more extras.

It has never let me down and obviously I use it every day.

Steve Brookes · Nov 15, 2006

Pro - I can get a full set of golf clubs in the rear boot and electric golf cart in the front boot and get to the golf club very quickly!

Con - Only way I can get my fishing rods in is to sit them on the passenger seat with the roof down. Great in Summer but bloomin cold in winter[

]

Seriously though, I too use it all year round. It is very true what they say, "you don't buy one because you think you need 4 seats. But when you finally buy one, your realize that you don't need 4 seats".

Rockape · Nov 19, 2006

I used to have a Golf V6 4Motion as my daily car, then a Range Rover - both with big cabins and big boots. I now have a 986S. I use my car every day for work and as an everyday run around. It sits on my drive as there is too much junk in the garage. Never missed a beat and started first turn of the key after a two week holiday and whilst we were away we had some miserable weather and the first frost. I miss not being able to go to B&Q and buy bits of wood for numerous DIY projects but other than the fact that if you put your shopping in the rear boot it's cooked by the time you get home it's a great eveyday car and has great storage space front and back. Miss the high up position of the RR but wouldn'y go back. Mrs C wants a Cayenne as middle ground!

I have been getting funny looks lately though as I see no reason owning a Boxster S unless you're going to have the top down at every opportunty - even when it's near freezing.....thats what gloves and scarfs were designed for!!!