13th Nov will be my lucky day :-)

[csory]

Just got a message from the local dealer that my new Box has arrived. I have ordered it on the 4th of Aug so the estimated 14 weeks delivery time was more-or-less used up. I'll pick it up tomorrow morning at 10, dunno if I will sleep at all this night :D The car is "nothing special", a seal gray S with gray Alcantara interior, black top, Bose, Sport steering wheel, 6spd manual and painted wheel hubcaps :P My original plan was a red one with beige interior but the dealer "strongly recommended" to abandon the idea. He used the words "this is not America, you won't be able to sell it later". :eek: Unfortunatley, the weather turned bad (foggy and cold), no top-downs for a while... And yes, I'm nervous if it will fill the gap remained in my heart after selling my 2004 supercharged track-Miata :thumbup: I'll post pics if anyone would like to see those... (MY06, left assembly line on 12th October)

[csory]

Just got it... Whoooaaaa... I love that deep groan from the exhaust :-) A quick notice here: the "basic" (no changer and no PCM) audio head unit is NOT compatible with MP3 CD-s!

[stuey]

Just got it... Whoooaaaa... I love that deep groan from the exhaust :-) A quick notice here: the "basic" (no changer and no PCM) audio head unit is NOT compatible with MP3 CD-s!

Csory, thanks for the info. It all helps!

Congratulations with your new car! I'm sure you'll love it more and more each day - it feels so much more substantial than a Miata.

Have fun!

[csory]

Stuey, thanks for your reply!

The head unit is the CDR-24 and the dealer informed me previously that this is known to support MP3 CDs. In fact it doesn't, and I had no luck with burned audio CD-s. Called the dealer and they promised me to confirm the situation with Porsche Germany.

I have _completely_ de-snorkled the beast, nothing left inside just the side vent. From inside, it is not noticeably louder. From the outside, I cannot hear :-) After removing the snorkel I found that the design has changed somewhat, the whole intake canal is covered with a single cast rubber layer.

I have purchased mine with factory-fitted winter tires, road holding is quite good despite foggy and wet road surfaces. However, after the Miata found somewhat surprising that the PASM effectively took over my car when tried some drifting on winding mountain roads. Will have to try switching off, wanna get back my goosebumps at corners. Just keep the shiny side up and door handles forward :-)

I have asked the dealer twice about break-in. The answer was that "there is no break-in required, but it is advised to keep speed and rev below 2/3 of the max whenever possible for the first 1000-3000 km".

Anyone, questions about a shiny new MY06 Box S?

[csory]

Oooops... My wrong... PASM = PSM

[MikenOH]

csory:

Congrats on the new car. I'm sure you'll have great fun with it. :thumbup: As a former Miata owner, I'd be curious about your comparisons of the two cars.

Ours arrived Saturday (ordered 9/2, built 10/13) but wouldn't be prepped until 11/14.

We're going to pick it up this Saturday; my wife thinks the car isn't going to be delivered until xmas week and we' re going to the dealership under the excuse of looking at the new Cayman they just got in. Can't wait to see her expression.

[csory]

MikenOH: Thanks for your gratulations. My face has stuck in an ear-to-ear smile since got the Box :D

OT: Miata vs Box

As for the comparison, lets make one thing clear: the Box costs about 3x the money than the Miata did. (In Hungary it means 27kEUR for the Miata and 80kEUR for the Box). Now keep this in mind when reading further.

My Miata was a heavily modified 2004 1.8 Sport model, 6-spd manual. I have upgraded it to 210RWHP (Eaton M62 blower in a BRP R3 supercharger kit with all the bells and whistles, modified fuel supply and FI, electronics, exhaust, cooling and suspension). I guess it was as close to a "racing" miata as it could be. Keep this in mind also...

Ok, now for the details:

1. Ride comfort, noise and inner space: Box is the clear winner. The Miata had that classic whinning sound which would make it par with the deep groan of the Box but for the untrained ear the Box sounds more "menacing" and "serious". The riding comfort and internal quality is a lot better with the Box. I'm "tallish" (5'5") and always had some trouble to sit comfortably in the Miata. I have no problems with the Box. Soft top is also better insulated in the Box with larger rear window (and motorized also, while the top-boot for the Miata actually prevented opening/closing it more than once a day). Boot storage is more than adequate with the Box while small at best in the Miata.

2. Cornering speed, acceleration, "driving enjoyment": I give a slight edge to the Miata here. It definitely _felt_ faster and the lack of PSM made it a hair-raising experience to blast around the hill roads. Box is a lot more "consolidated" or "car-ish", while Miata was closer to a go-kart. Throttle response was sharper than the Box (I guess Box has an electronic throttle to be ok for EURO4 and CARB-whatever, making it feel a bit sluggish). Chassis rigidity feels the same - perfect for both.

3. Brakes, gearshift and other "technicals": Box wins again. Brakes are a lot better, the gear ratios better (more evenly distributed) and the gearshift feels a bit more "okay". Miata had a much shorter and more direct shifter but felt a little bit hard. With the Box shifts "just happen". Steering feels equal, both just fine.

Conclusion: If you can afford, go for the Box :clapping:

Ps: "You know that you are sitting in a prestige car when other drivers don't look through at the red lights". :thumbup:

[Samir]

I'm "tallish" (5'5")...

Wow, that's the first time I've ever heard a height like that referred to as tall. You made me feel a lot better about my own height. :clapping: (I'm 5'5" and the tallest in my immediate family!) Here in the US, if you're not on the upper side of 5'6", you're short.

I've ridden in both Boxsters and Miatas (and now own a Boxster) and enjoyed your comparison between both. Best of luck with the new car!

Edited November 22, 2005 by Samir

[csory]

Samir: Ooops, my bad again: I'm 6'5" (5'5" is marked in my VA driving licence and my friends laughed at it so much, it "stuck" in my mind :)

[Samir]

Samir: Ooops, my bad again: I'm 6'5" (5'5" is marked in my VA driving licence and my friends laughed at it so much, it "stuck" in my mind :)

Now that is tall. There's a couple of bike owners I know that are around that height. Nothing like looking almost straight up when talking to them. :D

But I bet getting pulled over is interesting. "I've grown a bit taller since I got my license." :eek:

[adsach]

Samir: Ooops, my bad again: I'm 6'5" (5'5" is marked in my VA driving licence and my friends laughed at it so much, it "stuck" in my mind :)

Many 986 Boxster drivers 6'2" and above seem to like the 'center console delete' option, which basically replaces the center console with a smaller console that extends from the rear forward to the shifter. This allows the knees and feet room to spread a little.

If you wanted to take your 986 to the track, you would need to get the B-K "Tall Man" brackets and the GT3 seats. I hear this is better, maybe not neccesary for the 987.

BTW- I am amazed you fit in the Miata - I wouldn't think you would have enough shoulder room.

[csory]

Well, after being cramped in the Miata I feel _extremely_ comfortable in the 987 :D Just for the record: I have replaced the Miata steering wheel with a much smaller one (32cm) to make some legroom, removed some stuffing from the back of the driver seat, replaced shifter with a SolaLuna knob effectively reducing shifter arm length by 1.5" etc... Even then looked funny half-sitting / half-laying and my lower back really got upset with longer drives... In the 987, I opted for the smaller "sports steering wheel" option (which is still huge for my taste) and keep the seat in its lowermost position. I find it okay, however, a smaller wheel would still be nice :D My right knee bumbs occasionally to the center console but this is still a soccer field to seat in as compared to the Mazda :clapping:

A quick notice here about winter performance: got some (2") snow here recently. I have the factory-fitted winter tires on the car, however, almost got stuck on my driveway. No matter how many electronics we have in the Box, it is still a rear-driven torquey sports car, hard to tame on slippery surface... Just put it back to th garage and jumped in the Touareg instead :jump: