PPPMAT

Dapster is right. a colleague at work runs a 3 year old 996 for the same as it costs me to run my sti7 - insurance aside.

HumptyDumpty

right I finally got a test drive of a Boxster S

verdict, nothing special I am afraid. I was expecting a little more sense of occasion. I was expecting a scaled down version of a 911 but it felt closer in spirit to a 944. No bad thing but not quite what I had in mind. Nice to see the badge on the steering wheel though

Interior felt a little low rent, TT or E46 miles better

Engine is fab, brakes are fab but it just didn't light my fire. To me it did everything well but nothing grabbed me making me think I need to make sacrifices for this car

I am not sure what sort of person buys this car? It didn't really feel much of an enthusiasts car really, felt more like a designer suit, like one step up the ladder from a TT or E46

All in all a big big disappointent and one which I was really not expecting

Feeling rather deflated

Stephen Read

Porsches can and do depreciate faster than you might think...

Sometimes it's model specific e.g. early 996's can be had for less than late 993's.

Other times it's due to shortened delivery times... Models with waiting lists of a year or more (eg, the C4S) are always going to do better but if you can get a new Boxster in approx 6 months why pay nearly list for nearly new?

I've heard that there is about £5k of dealer markup on a used Boxster and people have been offered mid-to-low 30's for a car they paid low 40's for a year earlier.

Also, the Boxster S initially depreciates more (in percentage as well as absolute terms) than the 2.7.

Some dealers have wiating lists for used 2.7's but have 3.2's in stock (they are more expensive to buy, service & insure as you know!)

stanmo

iTrader: (1)

Not a social comment or anything, but I read in a car mag recently that sales of the Boxster was hit quite badly by the recent economic probs of the last few years, but 911 sales stayed pretty much the same. The author of the article (or the interviewee) said that Boxsters are bought by those that have to save up for their cars, 911 owners can just afford them, irrespective of economy.

Wonder how many new cars we'd see on the roads if interest rates suddenly jumped to double figures ? I bought my '99 Scoob outright 4 years ago, but there's no way I could afford a new car today...

BT52b

Think about it, if you don't buy a Porsche because of the image, then you are just as bad as those who DO buy it because of the image....

Which makes you just as bad as the people you are trying to not be like!

Just buy the car you like. You're not being forced to share a toothbrush with all the other owners for christ's sake.

Mark

HumptyDumpty

I won't be buying a Boxster 'cause it didn't grab me enough to want to part with the cash, it's as simple as that

993 I think will be the way to go

what would scooby do

aye 993 is on my shopping/wish list

DuggE4

If you were all over an S2000 before 30 then the guy had obviously changed into 2nd way to early.......first is good for 35+ mph!! where as he prolly changed early on hence the slight delay before he took off......second is good for 65+ mph!!

V-techland

Now come on Humpty - be honest!

The real reason why you wont buy a Boxster is because you are a HETROSEXUAL!!! LOL

HE HE - i'll get my flame suit

HumptyDumpty

well it's perfectly true I'm no sausage jockey, not that there is anything wrong with being one of 'those kinda people'

seriously though the Boxster was very very dissapointing, it felt like Porsche had been cutting corners somewhere. Just didn't feel how I thought it should

Now Autumn is here I am putting the car buying on hold until the spring. The new S2000 will be released then and I can give that a go and maybe even a 350Z

I need a drop top but the Boxster didn't float my boat

BT52b

Ah, I was only really replying to the original post.
Not getting a Boxster because you don't like it is a much better idea

Mark

Mmmmm

"verdict, nothing special I am afraid. I was expecting a little more sense of occasion. I was expecting a scaled down version of a 911 but it felt closer in spirit to a 944. No bad thing but not quite what I had in mind. Nice to see the badge on the steering wheel though"

Interesting verdict you may have needed to drive it back to back with a 996 (911)

I driven the 996(911) Carrera and Boxsters back to back a few times now. They seem to me to be quite similar to drive (particularly the S) and share they many components. Although the 996 is the better all round car, I have to say the 911 actually feels like a slightly desensitised boxster to drive, it's a bit quicker, a bit more comfy, a bit better cruiser, roomier. But the boxster has just a bit more feed back from the chassis, depending on wheel choice the steering can be a shade better with a fraction more feel and it's a little more sensitive to throttle inputs to balance the car.

The only car I have driven with better steering and chassis feed back was a Lotus Elise S111.

Incidentally sadly it is usually worthwhile shouting at the workshy spanner monkeys, contrary to popular belief it’s often the nice punter who gets taken for a ride, generally the monkeys will do you over soon as look at you if they think they can get away with it and the one that makes a fuss/is nasty is the one that gets the best work and price, because the monkeys are worried they'll get found out

Stephen Read

Mmmmm,

Good post!

jonmorris

I think when you're into Porsche and high end BMW/Mercedes territory then the area makes a big difference.

Drive around north London (Edmonton, Tottenham) and you'll see an M3 with your atypical "drug dealer" sitting inside. The driver probably isn't even a drug dealer but actually WANTS to be seen as one - a Mr Big type character.

Move over to Essex or any other suburban commuter down and suddenly it's the "city trader" type or lucky IT guy who still holds a job and hasn't retrained to become a plumber. Oh and then there are the plumbers.

All stereotypes of course but I'm certain they work in more than 50% of cases. The others are hopefully enthusiasts who know that the other 50% or so make their life a misery because we all treat them as w**kers showing off how rich they are!

As you say, ignore everyone and enjoy the car. The M3 is a lovely looking car but it will no doubt attract unwanted attention.

[Edited by jonmorris - 10/11/2003 5:36:37 AM]

jonmorris

How true! I know a guy who works at a Ford spares dept and used to work for Mercedes. At Ford, people say "How much?" in shock when he says the price of a part - but when he was at Mercedes, people would say "How much is...?", be told a stupid price and say "Okay then".

Better still, if something MIGHT need changing they were more likely to say "Oh well, better change it anyway to be on the safe side" and virtually rebuild the whole car! The person with the Ford/Vauxhall may well do the opposite and spend nothing on it, so when the car breaks down they moan how the quality is so poor!!

If someone likes to brag about spending loads on a car, then I guess it makes sense that they will be happy to let people know they can afford to spend loads of money ON the car afterwards.

Not that anything ever goes wrong with a Merc of course! Quality German engineering and all that!

[Edited by jonmorris - 10/11/2003 7:15:16 PM]