What should my next step be? If any?

[gandrade1]

Hi guys, I currently own a '01 Boxster in great condition (40k miles), not a single problem...A couple of months ago I started thinking about upgrading it for a newer Pcar with better performance and more head room, and the answer seemed simple - a 911 of course, If a possible a couple years newer...However, as I keep on researching I get more and more confused, about what a worthwhile next step would be, or even if I should change my car, considered how many 'traps' are out there.

I narrowed down to the following options and questions:

- '05 987 - Improved headroom (I am 6'4'') and performance, could afford a lower mileage car; Am I really gonna feel the difference on power?

- '03 - '04 986 S - Same space, much improved performance, but overpriced I feel;

- '02 - '03 996 - La creme de la creme!!! A much more powerful and well rounded car...Questions: am I ready for to benefit from it? (I am not a very experienced Porsche Driver, but a good overall driver, raced Formula Kart in the past) Can I afford it? - I have seem prices anywhere from 35 to 50k - How much should I actually be paying on a 25-35 k miles 03 Carrera with clean carfax and good PPI?

- Keep my '01 986 - I would not be spending any money and the car is in great condition, I could even change the seats to get a little more room...but now that the bug has caught me, I just feel I need a change....

PS: Ideally I wanted to get something between 30 to 40k USD...

Any help is greatly appreciated...

Best,

Gustavo

:renntech:

Edited January 17, 2008 by gandrade1

[White987S]

Gustavo, here is my 2 cents:

1) You are tall, the 987 has much more head and leg room than the 986

2) The Boxster is a convertible, how important is top down driving?

3) Get the "S" if you want to spend that much

4) Mid engine or rear engine?

My vote would be a 987S. A 2005 or 2006.

[gandrade1]

Gustavo, here is my 2 cents:

1) You are tall, the 987 has much more head and leg room than the 986

2) The Boxster is a convertible, how important is top down driving?

3) Get the "S" if you want to spend that much

4) Mid engine or rear engine?

My vote would be a 987S. A 2005 or 2006.

Hi White 987S,

Thanks for your comments.

I didnt even add the 987S to my list because every S I see close to my house (NJ) seems to be well above my price range...I guess that leaves me with the 987 Base...

Is it still a much improved car over the 986?

Thanks,

Gus

[donlycan]

Gustavo, here is my 2 cents:

1) You are tall, the 987 has much more head and leg room than the 986

2) The Boxster is a convertible, how important is top down driving?

3) Get the "S" if you want to spend that much

4) Mid engine or rear engine?

My vote would be a 987S. A 2005 or 2006.

Hi White 987S,

Thanks for your comments.

I didnt even add the 987S to my list because every S I see close to my house (NJ) seems to be well above my price range...I guess that leaves me with the 987 Base...

Is it still a much improved car over the 986?

Thanks,

Gus

For what it's worth, why have you left out 911's? There are so many great deals to be had right now that it seems to me you should at least consider. Pricewise, you are certainly in the right ballpark.

Don

[White987S]

Gustavo, here is my 2 cents:

1) You are tall, the 987 has much more head and leg room than the 986

2) The Boxster is a convertible, how important is top down driving?

3) Get the "S" if you want to spend that much

4) Mid engine or rear engine?

My vote would be a 987S. A 2005 or 2006.

Hi White 987S,

Thanks for your comments.

I didnt even add the 987S to my list because every S I see close to my house (NJ) seems to be well above my price range...I guess that leaves me with the 987 Base...

Is it still a much improved car over the 986?

Thanks,

Gus

For what it's worth, why have you left out 911's? There are so many great deals to be had right now that it seems to me you should at least consider. Pricewise, you are certainly in the right ballpark.

Don

Hi Don, I think Gus is also considering the 911. He has a typo in his first post. I think he ment to say 996 not 986 in his 3rd bullet point.

[White987S]

Gustavo, here is my 2 cents:

1) You are tall, the 987 has much more head and leg room than the 986

2) The Boxster is a convertible, how important is top down driving?

3) Get the "S" if you want to spend that much

4) Mid engine or rear engine?

My vote would be a 987S. A 2005 or 2006.

Hi White 987S,

Thanks for your comments.

I didnt even add the 987S to my list because every S I see close to my house (NJ) seems to be well above my price range...I guess that leaves me with the 987 Base...

Is it still a much improved car over the 986?

Thanks,

Gus

Gus, I am biased, since I own a 987, but I think the 987 is much nicer than the 986. Interior by far. The 986 is a great car. I think the Boxster just got better with the 987.

I think you can get a 2005 987S within your budget- low-low $40'ish.

[donlycan]

Gustavo, here is my 2 cents:

1) You are tall, the 987 has much more head and leg room than the 986

2) The Boxster is a convertible, how important is top down driving?

3) Get the "S" if you want to spend that much

4) Mid engine or rear engine?

My vote would be a 987S. A 2005 or 2006.

Hi White 987S,

Thanks for your comments.

I didnt even add the 987S to my list because every S I see close to my house (NJ) seems to be well above my price range...I guess that leaves me with the 987 Base...

Is it still a much improved car over the 986?

Thanks,

Gus

Gus, I am biased, since I own a 987, but I think the 987 is much nicer than the 986. Interior by far. The 986 is a great car. I think the Boxster just got better with the 987.

I think you can get a 2005 987S within your budget- low-low $40'ish.

Without a doubt! An '06 987S just sold on eBay for $45K. Metallic paint, Bose, Zenons, Power seats, CD changer. 8600 miles!

[gandrade1]

For what it's worth, why have you left out 911's? There are so many great deals to be had right now that it seems to me you should at least consider. Pricewise, you are certainly in the right ballpark.

Don

Sorry...I meant 996 in the third (02-03) option above (I fixed it now)...

Thanks for pointing that out

Gus

Edited January 17, 2008 by gandrade1

[horseman]

For what it's worth, why have you left out 911's? There are so many great deals to be had right now that it seems to me you should at least consider. Pricewise, you are certainly in the right ballpark.

Don

Sorry...I meant 996 in the third (02-03) option above (I fixed it now)...

Thanks for pointing that out

Gus

I see 02-03 996 C-2's on the west coast for around $40K for a 30k mile car. I paid $44K out the door for a mint, very well optioned 03 996 with 27K miles and Porsche Cert for another 18 months. I am also tall at 6'6", and just don't fit well enough in the Boxter to think about driving one more that an hour or so at a time. The choice was easy for me to go with the 996. Dirve them back to back and I think most big guys would agree.

[geoff]

Hi guys, I currently own a '01 Boxster in great condition (40k miles), not a single problem...A couple of months ago I started thinking about upgrading it for a newer Pcar with better performance and more head room, and the answer seemed simple - a 911 of course, If a possible a couple years newer...However, as I keep on researching I get more and more confused, about what a worthwhile next step would be, or even if I should change my car, considered how many 'traps' are out there.

I narrowed down to the following options and questions:

- '05 987 - Improved headroom (I am 6'4'') and performance, could afford a lower mileage car; Am I really gonna feel the difference on power?

- '03 - '04 986 S - Same space, much improved performance, but overpriced I feel;

- '02 - '03 996 - La creme de la creme!!! A much more powerful and well rounded car...Questions: am I ready for to benefit from it? (I am not a very experienced Porsche Driver, but a good overall driver, raced Formula Kart in the past) Can I afford it? - I have seem prices anywhere from 35 to 50k - How much should I actually be paying on a 25-35 k miles 03 Carrera with clean carfax and good PPI?

- Keep my '01 986 - I would not be spending any money and the car is in great condition, I could even change the seats to get a little more room...but now that the bug has caught me, I just feel I need a change....

PS: Ideally I wanted to get something between 30 to 40k USD...

Any help is greatly appreciated...

Best,

Gustavo

:renntech:

I also have an '01 986, 51K miles, great condition. I love driving the car. My wife drives an '05 997, but I end up driving it when we take it anywhere, so I've got a lot of time in both cars. The more your drive a rear engine Porsche compared to your mid-engine Boxster, the more you start to notice and appreciate the differences. There's no question the 911 has more power, which is intoxicating when driving, although the Boxster is quite capable of getting anyone into plenty of trouble with the local law enforcement types. The driving dynamics of the two cars are completely different. The more I drive both cars, the more I appreciate the Boxster handling characteristics. The Boxster will never have the prestige of a 911 in most circles, nor will it have the room behind the front seats. I suggest you spend some time driving a 996 and your car back to back to determine how much of a factor the driving dynamics make in your decision to "trade up"

A friend with enough money got rid of his '00 Boxster S and bought a new Boxster S, sent it straight to Ruf and had a 997 S engine with the powerkit put in. It drives like 80% of what I expect a Carrera GT would drive like, but at 20% of the cost. It's his daily driver. I think Excellence did an article on it some time last year. If that sounds appealing, you might want to keep your Boxster and stuff a more powerful Carrera engine in it, along with some suspension enhancements. You could do the suspension now and the engine upgrade when/if yours dies or you get the urge for something "better"

No matter what you decide, the worst that can happen is you'll be driving a nice Porsche

[gandrade1]

I see 02-03 996 C-2's on the west coast for around $40K for a 30k mile car. I paid $44K out the door for a mint, very well optioned 03 996 with 27K miles and Porsche Cert for another 18 months. I am also tall at 6'6", and just don't fit well enough in the Boxter to think about driving one more that an hour or so at a time. The choice was easy for me to go with the 996. Dirve them back to back and I think most big guys would agree.

What sources did you use to find your ideal car...It sounds like a great deal, even though it is around 5k above my budget.

I have been using the Porsche website and Autotrader, but maybe I have been restricting the search too close to my house (100 miles)...I have only been getting very expensive certified cars or very high mileage, cheaper ones ($35,000, if you can call this cheap)

Thanks,

Gustavo

[White987S]

Hi guys, I currently own a '01 Boxster in great condition (40k miles), not a single problem...A couple of months ago I started thinking about upgrading it for a newer Pcar with better performance and more head room, and the answer seemed simple - a 911 of course, If a possible a couple years newer...However, as I keep on researching I get more and more confused, about what a worthwhile next step would be, or even if I should change my car, considered how many 'traps' are out there.

I narrowed down to the following options and questions:

- '05 987 - Improved headroom (I am 6'4'') and performance, could afford a lower mileage car; Am I really gonna feel the difference on power?

- '03 - '04 986 S - Same space, much improved performance, but overpriced I feel;

- '02 - '03 996 - La creme de la creme!!! A much more powerful and well rounded car...Questions: am I ready for to benefit from it? (I am not a very experienced Porsche Driver, but a good overall driver, raced Formula Kart in the past) Can I afford it? - I have seem prices anywhere from 35 to 50k - How much should I actually be paying on a 25-35 k miles 03 Carrera with clean carfax and good PPI?

- Keep my '01 986 - I would not be spending any money and the car is in great condition, I could even change the seats to get a little more room...but now that the bug has caught me, I just feel I need a change....

PS: Ideally I wanted to get something between 30 to 40k USD...

Any help is greatly appreciated...

Best,

Gustavo

:renntech:

I also have an '01 986, 51K miles, great condition. I love driving the car. My wife drives an '05 997, but I end up driving it when we take it anywhere, so I've got a lot of time in both cars. The more your drive a rear engine Porsche compared to your mid-engine Boxster, the more you start to notice and appreciate the differences. There's no question the 911 has more power, which is intoxicating when driving, although the Boxster is quite capable of getting anyone into plenty of trouble with the local law enforcement types. The driving dynamics of the two cars are completely different. The more I drive both cars, the more I appreciate the Boxster handling characteristics. The Boxster will never have the prestige of a 911 in most circles, nor will it have the room behind the front seats. I suggest you spend some time driving a 996 and your car back to back to determine how much of a factor the driving dynamics make in your decision to "trade up"

A friend with enough money got rid of his '00 Boxster S and bought a new Boxster S, sent it straight to Ruf and had a 997 S engine with the powerkit put in. It drives like 80% of what I expect a Carrera GT would drive like, but at 20% of the cost. It's his daily driver. I think Excellence did an article on it some time last year. If that sounds appealing, you might want to keep your Boxster and stuff a more powerful Carrera engine in it, along with some suspension enhancements. You could do the suspension now and the engine upgrade when/if yours dies or you get the urge for something "better"

No matter what you decide, the worst that can happen is you'll be driving a nice Porsche

Geoff, good post! You have the luxury of owning both cars, but neither are a 987S for the full comparison.

A couple of your comments made me chuckle a little too. :) The "prestige" comment always gets me. And the Bosxter does have great room behind the front seats...it's called a trunk. Holds a lot of stuff as you know.

Tell me Geoff, your lucky friend with the RUF 987S...does he have the "prestige" now that his Boxster has a Carrera engine? :)

Edited January 17, 2008 by White987S

[kevinkw]

Gustavo,

I have seen LA dealers selling 2005 987S for $36k and one in Seattle selling for $38k. Even having a 987S shipped to NJ will be in your price range.

-Kevin

[geoff]

...

Tell me Geoff, your lucky friend with the RUF 987S...does he have the "prestige" now that his Boxster has a Carrera engine? :)

I think the Ruf hood emblem takes care of the prestige factor more than what's "under the hood." He's happy to explain his car to those that are interested, and doesn't worry about those who glance at his car and see it as a low-end Porsche, "Porsche in panties," poser car, or whatever. His car has been in print a few times, and he's been invited to several supercar road events where he holds his own quite well against everything else out there, so he's not really too worried about whether he impresses anyone or not. He does thoroughly enjoy driving the car, which is what it's really all about. He also likes his Rufized 987S more than the Ferrari he had a while ago (I think it was a 355) and says this car is much faster as well.

My take on these cars is that any of the cars being considered in this post are vastly superior to 99+% of the cars out there, and most drivers will never come close to being able to take advantage of 2/3 of what any of these cars are capable of. To me, that's more prestige than whether it has a Bentley, AMG, blue propellor, prancing horse or whatever other badge on it. Cost, prestige, performance, looks and handling all factor into which one is selected. Living in the LA area, prestige for cars is different than many parts of the country, so to some extent my perspective might be more jaded than most (seeing 25 or so Ferraris in a row driving through the canyons on a nice weekend isn't all that unusual). As far as I'm concerned, any modern Porsche is really a supercar that delivers a "gourmet driving" experience, is reliable enough to drive every day and will always put a smile on my face. That's enough prestige for me

I apologise to Loren in advance for this post, since I realize this is supposed to be a technical Porsche forum and while driving dynamics discussion is somewhat technical, what type of car badge and it's relative prestige hardly qualifies. Hopefully my suggestion on stuffing a Carrera engine in your Boxster will save me

[C2cab]

Sounds like your current vehicle is still in good shape and running well. Have you though about upgrades? ImagineAuto specializes in PCars and has a proven supercharge kit for the Boxter. I think their website is imagineauto.com, but not sure...you can do a google search. They are based in KC, but can ship the package and have your dealer or indie mechanic install. They seem to ahve a great reputation.

[gandrade1]

Sounds like your current vehicle is still in good shape and running well. Have you though about upgrades? ImagineAuto specializes in PCars and has a proven supercharge kit for the Boxter. I think their website is imagineauto.com, but not sure...you can do a google search. They are based in KC, but can ship the package and have your dealer or indie mechanic install. They seem to ahve a great reputation.

Hi C2cab,

Do you have any idea what the value of such Mod would be...and whether it would have a negative impact on the engine's life.

In addition, I would assume that would make the car very difficult to market if in a few years I decided to trade-up, right?

Thanks,

Gus

[gandrade1]

Just wanted to give you an update...

I made up my mind and will stick with my '01 Boxster for 1 more year and invest on getting some Driver's Education done. That being said, I am replacing the seats with Kirkey's racing seats and doing the GT3 console delete to gain more leg and head room.

I will save some money so that I can either get a '06, '07 987S next winter or a '03/'04 996...when I can actually drive them a little better.

Thank you so much for all your feedback,

Gus...

[C2cab]

Sounds like your current vehicle is still in good shape and running well. Have you though about upgrades? ImagineAuto specializes in PCars and has a proven supercharge kit for the Boxter. I think their website is imagineauto.com, but not sure...you can do a google search. They are based in KC, but can ship the package and have your dealer or indie mechanic install. They seem to ahve a great reputation.

Hi C2cab,

Do you have any idea what the value of such Mod would be...and whether it would have a negative impact on the engine's life.

In addition, I would assume that would make the car very difficult to market if in a few years I decided to trade-up, right?

Thanks,

Gus

Gus,

From what I have heard, there are no issues with reliability on these mods. I know the supercharger kit on the 996 runs about $10K for parts. I think the Boxster kit is $6-7K for a 40% increase in HP. Probably another $1-2K for install (just a wild guess). Not cheap, but good bang for the buck, especially when you consider the transaction costs of a trade-up (sales tax, licensing, titles, inspections, etc) It would certainly make your car better performing, but you are right, you probably wouldn't get your money out of it when you sell it. If you plan on keeping the car for a while and are just looking for better performance it may be a good bet. If you think you may still get rid of the car in a couple years it probably isn't a financially astute decisoin. That said, you probably won't get your money out of any mods you make to it.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

[KevinMac]

Sounds like your current vehicle is still in good shape and running well. Have you though about upgrades? ImagineAuto specializes in PCars and has a proven supercharge kit for the Boxter. I think their website is imagineauto.com, but not sure...you can do a google search. They are based in KC, but can ship the package and have your dealer or indie mechanic install. They seem to ahve a great reputation.

Hi C2cab,

Do you have any idea what the value of such Mod would be...and whether it would have a negative impact on the engine's life.

In addition, I would assume that would make the car very difficult to market if in a few years I decided to trade-up, right?

Thanks,

Gus

Gus,

From what I have heard, there are no issues with reliability on these mods. I know the supercharger kit on the 996 runs about $10K for parts. I think the Boxster kit is $6-7K for a 40% increase in HP. Probably another $1-2K for install (just a wild guess). Not cheap, but good bang for the buck, especially when you consider the transaction costs of a trade-up (sales tax, licensing, titles, inspections, etc) It would certainly make your car better performing, but you are right, you probably wouldn't get your money out of it when you sell it. If you plan on keeping the car for a while and are just looking for better performance it may be a good bet. If you think you may still get rid of the car in a couple years it probably isn't a financially astute decisoin. That said, you probably won't get your money out of any mods you make to it.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Gotta be careful with supercharging, these engines run over 11 to 1 not very tolerent of boost. The best way to do it is to reduce the compression by changing major parts.

Edited January 24, 2008 by KevinMac

[orlandoguy1]

I just traded up myself - i traded in my 99 boxster for a 2000 996...what a difference...the extra room (im kinda tall too at 6'3) and power of the car are amazing!...mine is a 996 cabrio, clean car fax, 20" wheels and only 37k miles...I was out the door with tax and everything for 33k...there are some 996's to be had for decent money - you just gotta shop it a bit...

[gandrade1]

I just traded up myself - i traded in my 99 boxster for a 2000 996...what a difference...the extra room (im kinda tall too at 6'3) and power of the car are amazing!...mine is a 996 cabrio, clean car fax, 20" wheels and only 37k miles...I was out the door with tax and everything for 33k...there are some 996's to be had for decent money - you just gotta shop it a bit...

Congrats man,

Sounds great...

Do you have pics (registry, maybe?!?)

Best of luck,

Gustavo