P1Fanatic

As the stereotype I saw them as common and a bit of a hair dressers car. Anyway visited a mate this weekend and he's just got a Boxster S. I had 3 mates in my car and a full boot of luggage, he had 1 passenger in the Porsche but still left me like I was sat at traffic light and believe me I was trying. Very humbling experience and I am only too aware that the impreza aint that fast.

Seriously nice car - great build quality and functionality. That engine sounds sweet, gearbox is as slick as they get, roof is off in about 20 secs straight. Oh and the brakes are outstanding.

Might be able to afford one in 10 years when they are down to £5k 2nd hand.

Simon.

P.S. Bog standard MY00 Turbo

TelBoy

You should have seen the 996 Turbo which left me on the M25 last Monday. To see a car's rear squat down before catapaulting away into the distance at a speed somewhere just below 70mph officer is truly amazing.

ADP

They are great cars, Im after a 2.7 (cant afford an S) for next summer. Great residuals too

SiPie

Think it's a quote in EVO mag that goes something like this :

Says it all really

Merc_Cosworth

Ref the Evo quote.

I didn't like Porkers much until I drove my mates dads old air cooled 3 litre (?) 911 SC

bloody lurvely thing it was, and sounded glorious at full chat!

After that I sort of got them - still not convinced on the Boxster though - as with most performance cars, its an image thing.

Plus, like the MGF, you never see one being driven fast do you?

LG John

Lets see 4 up with a full boot = 4x 80kg + say 120kg for 4 people luggage = 440kg v's his extra weight of 160kg gives him an advantage of approximately 280kg

Is it any wonder he left you for dust!!!

Chris L

Agree totally with Simon. I've been in a few 911s and they have always impressed me. A well driven 911 around a circuit is a glorious site.

Up until last week I hadn't been in a Boxster or driven one. Then a colleague at work offered me a lift in his Boxster S. Wow - what a nice car. Fab sound, lovely acceleration - very usable power. Not stupidly quick, but good enough to lose most things. Build quality was good. Handling was in another world, loads of feedback through the beautifully weighted steering wheel. Handling that to be honest, I can only dream about in a Scoob. Brakes were also very strong.

I would agree with the Evo quote. Forget you preconceptions and go and try one - I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I would seriously consider owning one now.

Chris

davyboy

Saxo, not forgetting he has 260bhp, no turbo lag and only 2WD too

P1Fanatic

Saxo boy - there may have been a weight and bhp advantage but the rate he left me was nothing short of awesome. It was like the whole thing was done in fast forward.

Over the weekend I went out for a few blasts with him (he doesnt need an excuse to go believe me) and it was amazing. I was actually quite scared going around roundabouts and braking at the last minute but it was all under control.

Like someone mentioned - you dont often see them driven in anger so most people think they are girly cars like an MGF or any other ragtop. But if you want to put your foot down there is more than enough power there and its usable unlike a scoobs. One minute he was coasting in 4th, then its straight into 2nd and pow - far better than any turbo kick Ive felt.

I am actually getting rid of my scoob and seeing and experiencing the Boxster underlines to me that way too many people think that Scoobs are the best thing since sliced bread. Even the servicing on the porsche is cheaper lol. Although tyres quite a lot more. My mate bought his Y reg 20k Boxster S for £31k private - thats about £4k off dealer prices and in the realms of affordability for anyone on here who has bought a P1, Sti with PPP etc.

If you havent been in one then I suggest you try it before putting them down.

Simon.

LG John

I agree with you and as you've got a standard MY00 you should have no problem finding a suitable replacement. I on the other hand am fcuked! I've tried to find something in the hot-hatch leagues and metal torque diesel leagues that can get close to my car but to no avail! I haven't realised it over the months but with each mod my car has become Porka quick. Basically if I want similer performance I'd need a Boxter S or EVO or GTI-r, etc which I can't afford! I guess I'll just have to get used to heated seats, computers, air conditioning and cruise control and lots of mpg

zero_to60

don't forget if your budget won't stretch to a Boxster take a look at the S2000........quicker than a 2.7 and as quick as a Boxster S

P1Fanatic

I find it very hard to believe an S2000 is as fast as a Boxster S. Ive had a few scraps with the honda's in my Scoob and Ive kept level pegging.

Saxoboy - Ive given up trying to find something that is as fast for cheap money. Everyone says how pokey the diesels are but they dont have the same feel to them - yes they can accelerate well in any gear but I personally dont car. The only reason to buy one is cheaper tax and way better mileage. Im just gonna take the plunge, buy something to last me for 3 years, invest in a house, then keep saving for something like a Boxster.

Simon.

SiPie

Hang on.... hang on.....

Which bit is unusable ??? or is mine just not modded enough

I use all of mine .... nah nah ne nah nah

P1Fanatic

Sipie - if both of you were trundling along in 4th at 40mph and decided to floor it - I would put good money on the porsche getting to 100mph before you. Thats usable power.

Simon.

ADP

the S2000 is very quicker, but it doesnt handle like the Boxster, Evo (yes I know they are not gods) took the the Boxster 2.7 over the S2K even though the Honda was faster.

LG John

Yeah, but whilst porsche boy is busy snapping knicker elastic in 4th I'd drop to 2nd and kick his ***

Dracoro

LOL at 'usable' power!

I've got 240BHP, how much is useable? 100? 150? LOL

erm, change gear (I know it's too hard for a lot of people to do this but I actually enjoy changing gear), Change gear just before the redline (or aren't I 'allowed' to rev it hard?)

the S2000 has pretty much identical performance to the Boxster S, very little in it.

P1Fanatic

OK maybe 'usable' wasnt the right term to use. At the end of the day if you could boot it in 4th at low revs then you would - you wouldnt drop down a cog or two just for the sheer hell of it.

An example in my car is coming up to red lights just about to a standstill, down the gears into 2nd. You cant put it into 1st unless your pretty much at a standstill or you want to kill your gearbox. Lights change just as you go to stop - 2nd at those revs takes quite a while to get moving.

Have all these people talking about the S2000 driven both cars to base these performance comparisons on?

Simon.

Gastro

... I rest my case - and pleased that I joined the hairdresser's league with my 3.2S

Its not as brutally fast as my old P1 but - handling balance and constant torque make it a tour de force on the move. I love it. Involvement is the name of the game with Porka's (not to mention build quality and residuals!) - 260bhp is enough to have fun with

Gastro

Dracoro

'Have all these people talking about the S2000 driven both cars to base these performance comparisons on?'

Yup & I went for the S2000 as it's £13k cheaper!!!!!
Both at the same price then it'd be tough. Probably have the Honda for 6 months then the Porsche after that to keep for years.

In the S2000 you can plonk it into 1st at slow speeds (1st goes to 40mph) if you need to. Granted in a more torquey car you'd just stay in 2nd but that just because it easier (but less fun! come out of a slow corner etc. in 1st in the S2000 and plant it is FUN!) The S2000 doesn't have boxster power at 3000rpm and in the same way that the boxster doesn't have S2000 power at 8000rpm!

They both have their merits and I don't actually think one is better than the other and it comes down to personal preference (or badge snobbery )

However both of these cars are much better drivers cars than the opposition (TT, Z3 etc.) so you're not gonna go far wrong whichever you choose!

nellie

Had a blast with a boxster s today,and he was trying wheelspin when changing gear and all that,to be honest kept up with it quite easy had to slow down more than once as well,ive got a 325bhp STI7 and the porker owner did not like it one bit!!!

Dark Blue Mark

My boss openly admits my MY99 270 bhp (previous car) was quicker than his Boxter S. Nice, but not that fast. I expect it would creep away from a standard scoob.

MB

zero_to60

according to AutoCar figures you can't put a cigarette paper between the Bosxter S and S2000 0-60 and 30-70 and 0-100....they are identical

They just deliver the performance diffently...I've been up against a Boxster S and you can see it very obviously. The Boxster pulls away initially then runs out of puff as the S2000 get's going..then the S2000 runs out just as Boxster gets going again

This yo yo'ing continues. The S2000 is harder work to drive quickly but this is what I was looking for when I was choosing a 'drivers car'

MGJohn

>> OK maybe 'usable' wasnt the right term to use. At the end of the day if you could boot it in 4th at low revs then you would - you wouldnt drop down a cog or two just for the sheer hell of it. <<

Drop a cog or two ... I would and often do even with a torquey car. One of my favourite techniques. Get it right (may take years of practice and for those without a natural instinctive appreciation of things mechanical - no chance) and it's a very effective ploy and will surprise the drivers of many so called superior cars....

RB5#295

944 Turbo.