Am I mad?

I have finally had a long test drive of the Boxster this weekend. I started by a base Cayman manual that I have found pretty much perfect, apart from the presence of a roof. Then I went away on a Boxster S PDK. Although I could not drive one, this reassured me that a base Boxster will be pretty much ideal for me. It was all more or less decided, but there was a big elephant in the room. A white 991 C4S PDK that the sales guy mentioned I could have a go in. Now I can hear you thinking, this is not the same price! and yes you are right this is way over my budget. But then they didn't have a used 997 I could try, so what would you have done in my position? I got in. Well, I didn't see that coming and this is a problem now, because I've more or less fell in love with the 911, and I'm a bit confused about whether I still should go for a Boxster. I'm thinking that I should now test drive a 997 to compare, ideally gen1 + gen2, and see whether I get 90% of that electrifying 991 experience. I think I could afford to run a 2009-2007 997, although it will be the most expensive running cost I had in any car I owned, and money spent on our holiday breaks might suffer. Would a reasonably old 997 be close enough to the 991 I tried? Or am I totally mad to even think about it? :crazy:

991 is huge touring cow....and I own a few 911...one each decade...I drive a cayman now. Just 2 cents lemon

I'm clearly no purist (being a C4S cab and all ), but I want to understand what was my emotional reaction about, because that's the experience I'm looking for in my next car. Sport exhaust, effortlessness and those wide arches look were all clearly part of that. I even thought the PDK made sense in this car.

Try a 2009-2011 Carrera (997.2); I find that these cars feel better and have more perceived power than do the 991 Carreras, especially if you're driving a manual. The older 6spd feels better than the PDK-based 7spd. The 991 Carrera seems to be better suited to the PDK than the 7spd. I've driven almost every version of the PDK, starting with the 2009 997.2. That one was okay but had some irritating quirks when coming to a stop. The 997.2 PDK (in my 2011 Carrera S cab) was better, but it too needed to be left in Sport Mode. Porsche seems to make them better with each year .... the 2014 991 PDK is the best yet. Good luck!

No. I think you are trying to compare a cow to a thorough bred, and without riding the cow. Two very different & not totally compatible animals IMO. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

What is the problem exactly? If you like 991 more - get 991. If it's over your budget - don't. Also, try Panamera. It's even bigger and softer

Buying cars is an emotional decision, not a logical decision. You have only one question to ask yourself. Five years from now: 1. If you don't buy the 997, will you regret you didn't? 2. If you don't buy the Boxster, will you regret that decision? So what is your answer?

Sell everything you have and get the Singer in your avatar.

my crazy SA took me on a testspin...and i told him i will push the car .. and i did....and this 981 was doing things the 991 can not do...i had a huge smile on my face....then i took the cow out... it was a cow.. Lemon

The 997 is a sports car, the 991 is a grand tourer. If you really like the 991, you might not like the simplicity of the 997. The 991 is super plush inside, it's quiet and it rides smoother than the 997. I've driven the 991 numerous times, although the interior is much more refine and updated. I don't have the urge to upgrade.

Strange, I seem to have had the opposite experience. Lol, not sure my other half would like this! I'm not sure... At the minute I will say I'll regret not having owned a 997. But if the ownership experience is too much of a problem (old car vs new car) then I could regret this too... Sorry, I'm confused, which one is the cow?! I didn't find the 991 that super plush. To me it was louder and more exciting in almost every aspect than the 981.

Was this about looks, feel, sound, power, all the above? I drive a 991 C4S all the time and as I have said before I am never disappointed getting back in my 981 Boxster Base. I never felt this way with my 986 and 987. This indicates for my taste the two have many similir features...but so different in other ways. I feel more at one with the Boxster, it has more of the true sports car feel, though less and less as the models progress. The 991 is very enjoyable on long trips but if you push it, man it can tear up the road. I would have no problem owning both fortunately I don't have to since my buddy lets me borrow his. I will say the wind with the top down is much nicer in the 991 C4S. The 997 if quite different. Make sure you actually drive a 997 C4S. You'll enjoy both a 911 and a Boxster but get the one that makes you not look back and regret.

I bought a 987.2 CS to tide me over until the 981 came out. Once it was revealed, I thought the 981 was unattractive. Then a test drive revealed other disappointments in the 981 platform. I bought a 997.2 C4S and couldn't be happier.

"Disappointments in the 981?" I'd love to hear your thoughts on this? Can I ask what they were? Thanks, Rick

Sure Rick. Primarily, it is the steering. I do not care for the loss in feel. My number one reason in moving back to Porsche when I bought my Cayman S was the feeling of a direct connection to the road. The 981 did not give me this feeling. The 997.2 does. Put that together with the flat fenders, bisected tail lights and I see a fancy VW. The beautiful porsche curves are gone. I do like the 981 side intakes and the interior but not enough to put me into the car. The 997.2 has me loosing just a smidge of agility while keeping the steering feel and adding a great deal of muscle. It is perfect for most of my driving.

Interesting, thanks. I'm fairly new to porsche. I am waiting delivery on my 2014 CS in a few weeks so I don't have near the experience you do. I owned a 944 for a couple of years, but that was a long time ago. I've never driven a 911 so I have no baseline to compare to. But, from my experience behind the wheel of a 2014 981 (a total of about 3 hours) I can only imagine how nice the hydraulic steering system must be in a 911. Sometimes I'm glad I'm a newby to Porsche. If I had driven some of their high-end rides, there's no telling how much money I'd be spending! Thanks again

Suggest you camp out next door to the dealer for two nights. The first morning, get up, go to dealer, drive Boxster pretending it's yours. Next morning drive the "other". See which morning you prefer. Or, just rent each for a day. I rented a 981 before making the decision. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So its a couple of months later...what did you do? Every find a 997 to drive?

The first thing I would say to you is to disregard the majority of opinions on this forum whenever you're talking 911. As has been pointed out to me many times, this is a Boxster/Cayman forum. The folks who post most often are unabashed fans of their cars but do tend to be a bit biased when it comes to anything else. As to the choices. I am currently driving a 991CS with PDK and Sport Exhaust, among other options. The car is far from a "cow". It is a sophisticated car that is suitable for my needs as a daily driver. I've driven both the 987 and the 981, both on the track and in the streets and they are fantastic cars, but they are not the end all and be all for everyone. I felt that the handling was a BIT more precise and they were a bit more toss-able but for me, day to day, I prefer a 911. The performance is incredible and it will meet most driver needs. While the 987/981 might be a bit lighter and agile, it doesn't matter very much in every day driving. To me, the cockpits felt cramped unless it was a booster and the top was down. As to the 997. I owned a 997.s CS. The car was a bit less refined than the current generation 991 but felt a bit more sporty. The steering was incredible and the MT was a joy to drive. I had a 2009 and it had no mechanical issues at all. Maintenance for all Porsche cars will be high - no matter which model you choose. I think it will give you 99% of the 991 experience. There is no wrong decision. Ultimately your use should define your need. As a daily driver in an urban area, to me, the 911 can't be beat. If I had the luxury of a DD and only used my P car on weekends and for fun, I might have gone the other way and purchased the 981CS. Either way, if you're a driver, you'll enjoy the experience.

cow u must be a coronation street fan watch your gob