Never say never but a Boxster isn't really on my radar. I have a 944 because it's front-engined, rear wheel drive & the bootspace is practical enough to have as an everyday car. If I were in a position to have a £10-20k mid-engined sportscar as a second car I'd probably go for a Ferrari 328 or something.
Would you get a boxster?
- Thread starter Riverside
- Start date
Copperman05
New member
As the title says really, Ive not driven a Boxster so cant really compare it to a 944. I'm not really considering selling the S2 just yet but I would be interested to hear how is compares to its younger brother..
Edd
*edited for bad spelling*[&:]
Edd
*edited for bad spelling*[&:]
Suffolk944
Moderator
Personally no. I don't like the look of the things myself and the early ones have similar engine issues to their 996 cousins I believe. Just don't float my boat.
Me neither. The shape of the 944 is just so perfect - I was 16 when the 924 came out loved that but it was just a little too smooth, the 944 corrected that! I like the 2 + 2, I often have 3 or 4 people in for short distances I like that the dog can come with us. The boot will take my bike. The sheer practicality of the 944. I haven't the money to buy (or run) a Boxster. The 944 is simple enough for me to work on. The bits can be vw cheap. I dont like the Boxsters shape, namely the awkward door/boot/hood area and ....the early headlights especially! Mike
Diver944
Active member
Yes - it's already on the radar for when our youngest is off to Uni and we don't need two 2+2's anymore. I drove a base specced 2.5 when they first came out and the handling, brakes and engine noise were sublime compared to our 1980's designed vehicles. A late 3.2S would suit us fine
dirtydirtyharry
New member
Boxsters are VERY ugly imho. The 944 is a far better looking car
I did. I had 2 944's For a while I had the second 944 (an S) as well as the Boxster S. Now don't get me wrong, the 944 is a wonderful car, and I'm still sort-of planning to get one as a track car, but hopping from the Boxster to the (admittedly 10 years older) 944 really showed that things had moved on. The Boxster we have hasn't got all the technical wizardry either - not even traction control, maybe that's why it seems to have as much soul as the 944 did.
MarkK
Active member
If you are looking for a roadster type sports car experience the Boxster is the best type out there,the "S" variants are very quick, handle really well,great brakes,the power hood works brilliantly,the bootspace is really big(you have two),great engine soundtrack,my advice would be an "S" with a glass rear screen 04? onwards( the plastic screen ones on earlier cars not as good- you have to do a karate chop when the roof is half way stowed to prevent it creasing.Love Boxsters winds me up when people start the hairdresser comment stuff,usually they havn't driven one never mind lived with one.Great car.
I swapped from a TVR 400SE to 944 cabrio , to get a 2+2 convertible - so the Boxster would never do the job! I can now do all the "kid ferrying" over the weekend, roof down, and enjoy the 944 - at a fraction of the price. Which in fact I did today, including a trip to the silverstone porsche experience (it was "on the way back" from taking the kids swimming..), which was shut but the kids and I were then able to watch a couple of classic races on the track - none of which we would have done in the SMAX! and wouldnt have happened in a boxster. only problem is now that once the kids have grown out of the rear seats of the 944, what next?
sawood12
New member
Absolutely - if a 2 seater cab works for you. In fact I think the Boxster is a superior car than a 911 cab and if I was in the market for a convertible Porsche i'd choose a Boxster over a 911 no matter what budget I had at my disposal. I think a Boxster is a very sensible transition from a 944 (unless you're coming from a modified Turbo and still want the performance). They are both very similar in terms of handling - though the Boxster is a bit more twitchy on the limit, but they both feel very similar to me under normal driving conditions. Also despite the bad press they are very reliable and quite cheap to run as long as you stay away from the OPC's, and if you get one that suffers from the infamous RMS issue then you are pretty unlucky.
Copperman05
New member
Interesting posts so far, on the point of looks, I like the front aspect of the Boxster, I used to mistake them for 911's and then be disapointed they wasnt[&:], the rear end looks bit ugly to me, perhaps the Cayman is the more natural replacement for the 944? I prefer it looks wise to the Boxster. There does seem to be some anti boxster ramblings going around especailly from us 944 boys, not sure why that is, I wouldnt say the boxster is a hairdressers car but perhaps it is trying to look too much like a 911, something you cant say about the aggresive looks of the 944. Edd
The Cayman is a different thing, I love the look of them and when the 944 is the venerated classic with stratosperic prices hopefully they will be cheap enough for me! Edit - still doesnt have enough space but the kids will be on their own by then Mike
Neil Haughey
New member
Would have done in the past but now I wouldn't because we have an MX-5 and roof down motoring you just don't need anything faster yet the Mazda is dirt cheap to run and mega reliable, a great little car. My advice if you fancy some roof down motoring keep the 44/68 and get a mk1 MX-5 for a couple of grand and have some fun.
ChasR
New member
No 
. If I was looking for something else I'd get either an MX-5 (earlyish one), S2000 (yes I know...) or a 968 (I haven't driven one but from what people have told me, they are quite different in feel compared to a 944). Either that or I'd go classic (these can be questioned) with something like a Triumph Stag/TR6 or Vitesse Mk2 Convertible with a little fettling.
. If I was looking for something else I'd get either an MX-5 (earlyish one), S2000 (yes I know...) or a 968 (I haven't driven one but from what people have told me, they are quite different in feel compared to a 944). Either that or I'd go classic (these can be questioned) with something like a Triumph Stag/TR6 or Vitesse Mk2 Convertible with a little fettling.
Suffolk944
Moderator
I certainly wouldn't say the Boxster is a hairdressers car, its clearly a very capable machine, just not one that appeals to me particularly. The front end simillarity to a 911 is a downside in my mind as personally I like my cars to be distinctive and not a pastiche of another. I know its not just Porsche who are making their cars look more and more similar to one another these days but from a a marque such as Porsche and all it should stand for that's doubley disappointing. End of the day its all about personal preference and you are never going to get any sort of consensus on an interent forum when it comes to cars. There are plenty of very capable cars that I wouldn't touch with a bargepole for various reasons and equally there are many others that are perhaps a bit rubbish in one way or another that I would happily have sat on my drive.
I've been through the Porsche range over the years (356, 911T, 3.2, 944, 944turbo, 964, 993, 996, 997, GT3....) and I think the Boxster - newer the better and especially the 'S' - is a brilliant car and sums up what Porsche does best. It's compact, practical, well engineered, fun, fast, supreme handling, great value and a traditional sports roadster.
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