trading a Boxster for a Carrera; heated seats

[jefla]

I'm still driving my first Porsche: 2000 Boxster, maroon w/ saddle interior. I've wanted more power and a 6-speed from day one, but I went for my current car almost entirely because of the colors. I've found a "06 Carrera Cabriolet in Carmen red w/ brown interior. See http://www.porscheoftysons.com/detail-2006...et-4102108.html. It's beautiful. 32k miles $53,000, extended warranty.

The car is from Florida and I live in Washington DC. It does not have heated seats. The dealer will install the seats, but not the factory set up. Says they are "too expensive." (I guess he knows how we feel.) I'm thinking there's no way I'll settle for after market heaters w/ non Porsche control buttons. What do you all think? Also, can someone tell me the Porsche part numbers for both seat heaters?

I really don't want to spend $40K on a car right now (they are offering me $11 for my pristine '00 Boxster w/ 53k miles), but the Carrera is gorgeous and I have been looking for another car w/ this particular color combo (maroon/saddle). To those of you that, ahem, .. traded up from Boxster, was it worth it?

Also if I don't get a Carrera S, will I end up regretting it just like when I did not get a Boxster S? Finally, can someone point me to a comparison of a '06 Carrera v Carrera S?

Many thanks,

Jef

[jefla]

I see I should have posted this in 997-1, so I'm reposting there. Sorry for cluttering things up. -- Jef

[fgv1it]

I went from an '01 Boxster S to an '06 Carrera S Cabriolet. Differences? The Boxster is and feels lighter to drive; it feels more "tossable" and agile than the Carrera in normal driving. However, the Carrera surprises as you get more spirited. The more you ask, the faster you go, the more it responds. I take it for granted now that the car will keep up with me no mattter how hard I drive. It has more power than the Boxster and you feel that right away; the push in the back is noticeably stronger. While the Boxster is entertaining, the Carrera is serious about its business, and you have to drive it in kind. Whether you like that "seriousness" or not, only you can decide.

That being said, I know that my wife would not allow me to buy a car without heated seats... :)

[dphatch]

Seems to me you're going to have a problem finding heated seats in the brown no matter where you look. I would have suggested looking around for a suitable car with the heated seats a little farther north than Florida but not sure you'll find the color combo you want at that price. So, if you've got to have heated brown seats you could do the heated seat mod yourself. I believe if you do a google search " porsche heated seats hack" you'll find a post on one of the Porsche sites, Porsche Petes if I recall correctly, with all the factory part numbers and a how to for the entire procedure. Maybe a little bit of a challenge but not as hard as finding the color combo you want in heated seats no less. You could have a good upholstery shop do it, but that will probably add considerably to the total cost. Even buying seats from a good salvage yard might work but again the brown heated seats may be very hard to find.

As for the S or non S. That's simple, get the S. For what little it will cost when buying used you'll kick yourself if you don't. I went from a standard Boxster to an '07 C4S Cab and would not go back to the non S car.