I'm so conflicted (new guy who can't make a decision)
I've spent the past few nights reading through pages and pages of discussion here on the Rennteam.com forums and I must say that I'm extremely impressed by everyone and the overall quality of the posts and discussion here. It's left me quite sure that you folks can help me as I try to decide which (if any) Porsche I should buy for my next car. Like many of you, I've always loved Porsches and I almost feel remiss that I've never owned one.
To set the context, my current car is a 2002 BMW M Roadster. I'm still pretty happy with it, but after five years I've started to get wandering eyes. I'm a low-mileage driver (I work from home) and I autocross (but not competitively). I've owned more than my fair share of cars prior to the M Roadster but the ones that I miss most are the '59 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite I had in high school and my first gen Mazda Miata. "Two seats and no roof" has been my car-buying guideline for quite a number of years.
I test drove Boxsters and 911s back when I was shopping in 2002 but came away only lukewarm. The 911s didn't appeal to me much (I only drove the coupe) and although I really wanted to want the Boxster I just couldn't come to grips with the fact that it was slower and more expensive than the saturday-night-special M Roadster. I sure did love how it handled, though.
Today the options seem different enough to revisit. I don't find the newer BMW Z4 M Roadster to be tempting at all. Lotus will sell us Yanks an Elise now, which is worth considering. I find the 997 about a hundred times more appealing than the older 996s and Boxsters are almost-but-not-quite as fast as what I'm used to driving -- and I sure remember how great they handle.
A few weeks ago I did what would be expected and I headed down to my local Porsche dealership and took a look at both the 911 and the Boxster. To be honest, though, I left feeling conflicted. The Boxster's every bit as great as I remember, and I sure like its mid-engine layout (some days I miss my old MR2) but even with the latest 0.2 liter bump it's still less HP than what I've got now and the torque curve looks pretty bumpy. (You could lie down and take a nap on the M Roadster's torque curve, it's like a table) I know Ruf will take a Boxster and stuff in that 3.8L X51 monster engine and I'd sort of consider going that route, but at the end of the day I'd be spending C4S money for a one-off Boxster with poor resale value that I suppose I'd have to take to Dallas for any serious servicing. Oh, and it'd stick me in a scary non-stock autocross class with the freaks in the super-modified cars.
So, as I suspect Porsche intends, my eyes turn to the Carrera, but I see some downsides there. At the autocross my 3100 pound BMW is fat and lumbering compared to the lightweight Elises and Miatas that drive circles around me. I'm hesitant to go even heavier and the C2S Cab is way up there at 3300. I really don't care much for the vestigial back seat, especially in cabriolet form. I'm unconvinced that the rear-engine layout would even be considered if it weren't for the history and pedigree of the car. But wow, there is that history and pedigree. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the notion of owning a 911 didn't evoke a lot of excitement. Who among us didn't spent the formative parts of their youth daydreaming about 911s? That was me, for sure.
I guess the fact that I'm even considering buying a brand new Boxster and throwing away the engine means that neither option would be hardship financially. Even a C4S nicely-equipped wouldn't be "a stretch". Still, my wallet is modest enough that I have to really be sure that the extra dollars will be justifiable at the end of the day.
I also have to be brutally honest with myself that I'm a little bit disappointed at how Porsche seems to intentionally constrain the Boxster. My girlfriend jokes that I should just wait until Porsche makes a "Boxster RS". I think she has a point (and I think I'm lucky as all hell to have a girlfriend that knows what "RS" means in the Porsche world). It would sort of bother me to have the Boxster knowing it could be so much better if Porsche marketing would just let the Porsche engineers treat the car right. And, also, if we're being honest, it also kind of bugs me that the Boxster has an undeserved reputation in some circles as a wife's car, or a "couldn't afford a 911" option. I put up with that kind of grief for years when I drove my "chick car" Miata and as much as I'd like to be able to say that stuff doesn't matter -- well, I guess I'm just a little bit vain. I have appreciated that my M Roadster has credibility, even if the Miata was a better car in a hundred little ways. Foolish, sure, but there's no point lying to myself about it. Stepping up the the 911 does have some appeal just for that superficial reason.
So I'm left with neither option being my "dream", really. A heavier car with the engine in the back and two fake back seats I don't want, but with the "real" engine. Or the (I think) intentionally crippled mid-engined car for less cash but with less engine and probably a zillion little technical improvements that I'd get with the 911 and aren't even an option I can buy in the Boxster. Put bluntly, the Boxster is closer to the car I'd design myself, but the Carrera is closer to the car I'd probably be happiest with. This would all be a lot simpler if I didn't love convertibles so much!
At the end of the day, though, I'm sure I'll be thrilled with either option. I plan to do a factory delivery and drive around Europe for a few weeks and I can think of few things better. Both cars handle a ton better than my current BMW, both are sexier, and I really love them both. My wallet and the size of my garage, though, mean that I can only bring one home.
I'd welcome any advice you might have. Also -- which wheels weigh the least? Thanks a ton.
To set the context, my current car is a 2002 BMW M Roadster. I'm still pretty happy with it, but after five years I've started to get wandering eyes. I'm a low-mileage driver (I work from home) and I autocross (but not competitively). I've owned more than my fair share of cars prior to the M Roadster but the ones that I miss most are the '59 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite I had in high school and my first gen Mazda Miata. "Two seats and no roof" has been my car-buying guideline for quite a number of years.
I test drove Boxsters and 911s back when I was shopping in 2002 but came away only lukewarm. The 911s didn't appeal to me much (I only drove the coupe) and although I really wanted to want the Boxster I just couldn't come to grips with the fact that it was slower and more expensive than the saturday-night-special M Roadster. I sure did love how it handled, though.
Today the options seem different enough to revisit. I don't find the newer BMW Z4 M Roadster to be tempting at all. Lotus will sell us Yanks an Elise now, which is worth considering. I find the 997 about a hundred times more appealing than the older 996s and Boxsters are almost-but-not-quite as fast as what I'm used to driving -- and I sure remember how great they handle.
A few weeks ago I did what would be expected and I headed down to my local Porsche dealership and took a look at both the 911 and the Boxster. To be honest, though, I left feeling conflicted. The Boxster's every bit as great as I remember, and I sure like its mid-engine layout (some days I miss my old MR2) but even with the latest 0.2 liter bump it's still less HP than what I've got now and the torque curve looks pretty bumpy. (You could lie down and take a nap on the M Roadster's torque curve, it's like a table) I know Ruf will take a Boxster and stuff in that 3.8L X51 monster engine and I'd sort of consider going that route, but at the end of the day I'd be spending C4S money for a one-off Boxster with poor resale value that I suppose I'd have to take to Dallas for any serious servicing. Oh, and it'd stick me in a scary non-stock autocross class with the freaks in the super-modified cars.
So, as I suspect Porsche intends, my eyes turn to the Carrera, but I see some downsides there. At the autocross my 3100 pound BMW is fat and lumbering compared to the lightweight Elises and Miatas that drive circles around me. I'm hesitant to go even heavier and the C2S Cab is way up there at 3300. I really don't care much for the vestigial back seat, especially in cabriolet form. I'm unconvinced that the rear-engine layout would even be considered if it weren't for the history and pedigree of the car. But wow, there is that history and pedigree. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the notion of owning a 911 didn't evoke a lot of excitement. Who among us didn't spent the formative parts of their youth daydreaming about 911s? That was me, for sure.
I guess the fact that I'm even considering buying a brand new Boxster and throwing away the engine means that neither option would be hardship financially. Even a C4S nicely-equipped wouldn't be "a stretch". Still, my wallet is modest enough that I have to really be sure that the extra dollars will be justifiable at the end of the day.
I also have to be brutally honest with myself that I'm a little bit disappointed at how Porsche seems to intentionally constrain the Boxster. My girlfriend jokes that I should just wait until Porsche makes a "Boxster RS". I think she has a point (and I think I'm lucky as all hell to have a girlfriend that knows what "RS" means in the Porsche world). It would sort of bother me to have the Boxster knowing it could be so much better if Porsche marketing would just let the Porsche engineers treat the car right. And, also, if we're being honest, it also kind of bugs me that the Boxster has an undeserved reputation in some circles as a wife's car, or a "couldn't afford a 911" option. I put up with that kind of grief for years when I drove my "chick car" Miata and as much as I'd like to be able to say that stuff doesn't matter -- well, I guess I'm just a little bit vain. I have appreciated that my M Roadster has credibility, even if the Miata was a better car in a hundred little ways. Foolish, sure, but there's no point lying to myself about it. Stepping up the the 911 does have some appeal just for that superficial reason.
So I'm left with neither option being my "dream", really. A heavier car with the engine in the back and two fake back seats I don't want, but with the "real" engine. Or the (I think) intentionally crippled mid-engined car for less cash but with less engine and probably a zillion little technical improvements that I'd get with the 911 and aren't even an option I can buy in the Boxster. Put bluntly, the Boxster is closer to the car I'd design myself, but the Carrera is closer to the car I'd probably be happiest with. This would all be a lot simpler if I didn't love convertibles so much!
At the end of the day, though, I'm sure I'll be thrilled with either option. I plan to do a factory delivery and drive around Europe for a few weeks and I can think of few things better. Both cars handle a ton better than my current BMW, both are sexier, and I really love them both. My wallet and the size of my garage, though, mean that I can only bring one home.
I'd welcome any advice you might have. Also -- which wheels weigh the least? Thanks a ton.