How would you compare your Boxster to a supercar spyder you also own?

[Jinster]

Guys, I haven't been on this forum for a few years now.... perhaps largely because the 986 has been quite reliable.... fingers crossed...

 

But I have had my 1997 Boxster for 16 years now.... Itching to swap it for something new... I currently also have a 2007 Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT, which I will probably keep.

 

The Boxster has been very reliable the last 5 years. It's resale value is quite low now so insurance has been cheap and I don't worry too much about where to park it. Nor do I give much thought about taking it to whatever destination I need to go - open top even gives it amazing luggage space as long as you don't mind furniture or whatever you are buying sticks up and out from the passenger seat.... Two years ago I also upgraded the suspension to ROW030 and it has been really quite a good ride... but... after 16 years, I am itching to "upgrade"... or perhaps rather, wanting to experience something different....

 

Maybe I can open up the discussion to what you would buy instead of a 1st gen Boxster? Strangely, I find the best compromise to be an LP560-4 Gallardo Spyder.... Being Audi based, it should be relative cheap to maintain/repair (vs Ferrari or McLaren), and it's a convertible, which I consider a must-have as a second car to complement my QP which is a 4 door sedan... and it is different enough to other Porsche models, in terms of the design language and interior layout....

 

An Audi R8 or BMW i8 spyder are also within consideration... Other contenders include 458 Italia spyder, McLaren MP4-12c/650/570/540 spyders or Huracan spyder but those are far more expensive to buy and maintain....

 

Any thoughts? Is there anyone here who has both a Boxster and one of the others that I have mentioned above with good insights?

 

Mods, feel free to move this to a different forum if inappropriate...

Edited September 8, 2019 by Jinster

[crwarren11]

Well this should be a fun one!

 

Among the options you mentioned, I would strongly consider the 458.  I hear it regularly regarded as one of the best overall super cars, and unlike some of the others that you mentioned it is drivable around town and not so low to the ground that you are going’s to grind on every bump or driveway. I don’t personally know a lot about these, only by reputation. A friend had a 911 turbo S for years that was his favorite car ever. He is now driving a 458 which he loves, so I feel like that is a pretty good testament. 

 

I would also strongly consider one of the McLaren options. Again, not knowing much about them, their reputations are very good and always hear very good things about them being incredible drivers.  I would need to put them head to head to see how my preferences lined up. 

 

I have driven a Gallardo several times and honestly was not impressed. Felt clunky and a bit cheap to me. Performance was eh and brakes felt horrible. On one occasion did a side by side comparison with a GT3 which absolutely blew the Gallardo out of the water. Power, handling, braking, drivability we’re all far superior in the GT3.

 

Past all the driving characteristics, I would personally look at the current market values of each of these and where they are expected to go. Ferrari’s, lambos, McL will always have a strong argument for collectibility and future value. If any of your final options have appeared to bottom out in value already then I’d lean that way. As you said with the Boxster, these things are dirt cheap now, so anything I buy now I try to have a strong rationale that, with good care and reasonable driving, the car shouldn’t depreciate any further and will hopefully be worth more when/if I decide to sell it. 

 

I had the chance to buy into a group of new 918’s at $600k several years ago. Man am I kicking myself daily for passing up on that since they are arguably worth 3x that now. Anyway, another story but things like that have definitely shaped the way I think about buying cars now from a value standpoint. When you are in the league that you are discussing, nearly all of the options are amazing cars so if you need a reason to go in a particular direction then consider near future value. 

 

Interested to see where this discussion goes!!

Edited September 8, 2019 by crwarren11

[Jinster]

Hmm... doesn't look like too many people here has had both cars....

 

Strange you should mention the 918. My local dealer probably has the only one in existence in Australia. It has no price tag. Hahaha.... He's also got a Daytona, an SLR Gullwing, a Sena, and an XJ220 in stock. Quite the eye candy.... but obviously way out of my league here. lol

 

The McLaren's styling don't actually appeal to me much.... the original MP4-12C is probably the best to my eyes... I am just weary that in terms of styling, the McLarens might end up looking like the Lotuses in retrospect - good at the time because its really just "odd", and in time, this oddness becomes seriously dated... Another concern is the expense of repair - apparently McLarens don't offer transmission repair kits/parts. Major transmission repair = a complete swap over for $40k.....

 

My Boxster has seen 5 transmission rebuilds and it's a common ZF unit..... so I am a bit traumatised by transmissions.... lol

 

Anyway, I have been doing a bit of reading. It seems that most ppl who have had both the Gallardo and F430 says the Gallardo is much faster but the F430 feels more exciting - although most would then admit the 4WD of the G is more planted, and therefore feels less exciting. Most ppl seem to prefer the interior of F430 too - being more "special" to most, while others describe it as just "chaotic", while the G is more ordered and logical, like an Audi.

 

Unsurprisingly I haven't found anyone who has compared a Boxster to a G as the two don't sit in the same market segment.... I just have a feeling I would end up missing the nimbleness and easy maintenance of the Boxster rather than the stress of having a G...

 

 

[crwarren11]

Yes it is a much different class of car that you are talking about compared to a 986 Boxster.  Obviously the G is going to be more powerful and exciting than an old 986, but compared to your other options it just wouldn’t be my choice since I have driven it side by side with some comparably prices cars that were much better. Only my opinion though. 

 

If you don’t like the looks of the McLaren then that would definitely not be a good choice for you! I personally like them but I’m not seriously considering one!

 

best of luck in your search. Let us know what you end up with!