Thinking About Replacing the 996, Am I Crazy?

I love, love, love my '99 996 and it has been a great car, reliable as an anvil. Non-Porsche people think that it's new. Of the dozens of cars that I've owned, there's only car I've liked more, my old 356SC. All that said, I have been thinking hard about a 987.2 Boxster for some time. Have I lost my mind?

Crazy, No, Boxsters' are great cars.... But you will def get back in a 911 in the end. So why bother...

That's what worries me, but I love the way Boxsters & Caymans handle. Plus, I would really like a roadster because I haven't owned one for a while. It's just hard for me to justify $30K more than my car is worth for a late model Boxster S.

if thats the case, I say enjoy your car some more and wait for the depreciation to hit on the newer models.... they get hit hard in just a matter of 2-3 years. the 996 however has already tanked.

I say " Go for it ", you only live once

Yes, you're crazy. Keep the 996.

I would go for a Cayman instantly if.... The seatback would recline.... Or if it had a T-top.

996 and 987.2 Boxster are like apples and oranges..both great in their own right. Why not a 996 cab?

I've thought about a 996 or 997 cab, but I've never driven one. Maybe it's time I sit my *** in one to see if I like it...

I'm with you on that one, it comes down to economics. I love my 99, it has 74k miles and a warranty that runs out in June of 2014 or 96k miles, my clock is ticking. Life, bills, child support etc. I know the next car will be a Cayman or Boxter or me. When I have my daughters I'll drive my wife equivalent's BMW. I'll probably go Cayman before I go Boxter.

Whatever floats your boat. Do it, you can always come back to the 911.

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Roger that! I love my cab - I wanted a Targa - but now I that the cab w a hard top is the only car for me. My 996 is just the best car. She is my grocery getter.

Go get a 986 as a second Porsche. You can pick them up at any used car lot for almost nothing. Gives you most of the benefits of the 987 but at a cheaper cost.

I would go for the New Boxster.... That is a nice looking Ride! Otherwise, stick with the 996 until the 997 market flattens... Then grab a 997 Cab.

This should help you decide which is the right car... http://www.streetfire.net/video/377-fifth-gear-porsche-boxter-rs60-spyder-911-ca_189206.htm

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What was the Boxster's time? The video cuts off on me before the Boxster completes the hot lap. Although, I don't think it matters too much as is does not appear that the women is pushing the cars anywhere near 10/10ths.

The carrera wins by a nose or three tenths of a second....yipeeeeeeeee

A Boxster? Seriously? After a 911 there is no going back. you might as well get a Mustang.

MY friend has a boxster S and it is a great car, I love how it handles. Thank being said there is more room in the 996 and I have 3 kids so I need the space. As great as a boxster is it is NOT a 911!

'97 996 coupe 44.9 secs '07 986 RS60 45.2 secs Would have been interesting to hear any comments she made about them after the track test. My choice is squarely on the '99 996 coupe (because I already voted with my wallet... 4 times...) But I, too, HAVE been jonesing a bit for a Boxster for three specific situations: 1: Next best thing to an open wheel racer for DE's. I would go out with the top down, even if it meant putting one of those stupidly ugly roll bar extenders on it. I'm not the one who has to look at it when I'm out on the track. LOL! 2. Tail-of-the-Dragon. I'd get the PDK/Sport PASM/Sport Chrono Plus version for that. Then go topless through the trees and twisties, up and down the curvacious mountainsides, and along the tree-shrouded brooks. 3. South Ponte Vedra Beach Blvd (US A1A) between Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Fl., followed by SR 13 along the St. Johns River south of Jacksonville. Sunrise for the beach, sunset for the river. Top down. Other than that, I find the Boxster stiflingly claustrophobic and cramped in all other situations. I have absolutely no respect for the Boxster, and that is exactly what makes it the perfect FUN car. However, for long road trips for two, they totally suck in my personal opinion. Been there - done that.

Sounds like I need to spend some time in a Boxster and see if I would be happy with it as a daily driver, which is what the 996 is. It will have to be something to justify the difference in price.

Spending some time in a Boxster is important. The ride is very different from a 996, so it's important to see if you like it for more than a few minutes on smooth roads. I was always disappointed that the quality of ride in the earlier Porsches (I had both a 356SC & a '69 911S back in the days when you could afford them)...was much better than the late models. I could drive 9 hours on fairly rough roads in the earlier cars and get out refreshed. Not so much in the late models. The Boxters I drove had an even tighter suspension than the 996. Great if you have smooth roads or short drives. But my routes seem to include a lot of poor roads which just beat you up in tight suspension.

I think any relatively new Boxster will drive better than our old 911's - maybe not faster on the track, but more tight, less rattles, quieter, less wind noise, etc, etc. I need the back seat and a hard top and "made in Germany", so I will not be going Boxster anytime soon.

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So where is the boxters made if not in Germany? I assumed it was made in Stuttgart as the 996 was but obviously I am wrong..

Finland.

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"top-up" Cabs are just simply BUTT UGLY, not much better top down. Wait for it.... Rumour has it that the traditional Targa is coming back.

I sold my 996 with the intention of buying a 997 but ended up with a Boxster Spyder. Night and day. The Spyder is all sports car the 996 was a GT car. Not sure how a regular Boxster S compares but I am very happy with my car. Have you driven one yet ? Boxsters and 996's drive completely different.

I'm amazed at how many 911 owners feel that Caymans and Boxsters are somehow inferior as a Porsche driving experience. I do get the lack of rear seats(space) being an issue to some, but I've enjoyed every ride and drive in other Porsche examples other than 911s.

I've been for short drives in both Boxsters and Caymans, but not enough to make a decision. The back seat space is a non-issue for me and I actually like the tight confines. Also, not a huge fan of the looks of a 996 cab, but don't hate them either. I need to go do some drivin'...

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As a 996 C4 Cab owner, I would definitely recommend you get your top down joy with a 996 Cab. I just had Darin at FD Motorsports install his modified mufflers on my car, and the powerful sound of my 996 with the top down is SWEEEET!!! Gil

Great video!

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A Cab might not make much sense in Washington State. How many umbrellas do you go through in a year?

A saw a Top Gear re-run on BBC America last week. Jeremy Clarkson test drove the Boxster S. I know he is not a Porsche guy, but his comment was something to the effect of, "the Boxster is a very, very good car. But in the end, you are telling the world you can't afford a 911". I don't agree with him, I mean, drive what you like and its not about your wallet, but he went on to add that the perfomance numbers are obviously below the 911 as well. So if you pull up to a 911 at a red light, how would that make you feel? Would you miss it?

I think Clarkson is 100% right, you only get a Boxster because you can afford a 911.

To me a Boxster is not a real Porsche. Maybe it's just me but I have never considered it.

I'm on the other side, a Boxster IS a real car and a great Porsche - but it's no 911. Buddy of mine has one, loves it, loves the marque, and couldnt' be happier. More power to him....actually, more power to me, I personally see and feel SOOOOO MUCH more car in the 911 but then again, that's just me. I constantly 'rationalize' to myself that the cost outlay to upgrade simply doesn't return the value. The 996 is a fantastic, simply FANTASTIC car!!

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Moreover, have to had a gander at the new Boxster? Looks amazing simple direct roadster

+1 the latest version looks great, but pales in comparison to the 991.

That was a very good episode! Love that guys wit! I think the comment went " The thing about a Boxster is that every time you look out on your driveway it will remind you that you couldn't quite afford a 911" That being said, in my case, i dreamed of owning a 911 for 25 years but my first drive was a Boxster that I rented on a holiday in Miami. I never had so much fun driving a car and it only confirmed that i NEEDED a Porsche in my driveway. With some luck and some good timing it ended up being a 911 which I know I will never give up but I would have been thrilled to own he Boxster just as well! Pete

I have matching Boxster and Carrera (trying to sell the Carrera to buy a TT). Best of both worlds. Boxster handles like a go cart, albeit with a grand am level suspension. Carrera is a fantastic daily driver.

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You are sooo wrong. I have owned 5 or 6 911s variants over the years, including the 996 TT and the 996 GT3. The Boxster pictured above, with me being the driver (operative consideration), is way beyond any of those other cars I've owned in the twisties, and that includes my GT3 with a track alignment. I use the GT3 as a comparison as I know most other 911's aren't setup for track out of the box, so the comparison isn't fair given that my Boxster has a race suspension. I can say for a fact that if you took a ride with me on the track in the Boxster, you'd know for sure it has Porsche DNA. It is draw dropping amazing. And I love 911's also, but the mid engine Porsche is something special. Now if I could just get another 150 hp....

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No, actually I am not wrong at all. I said "TO ME..." and I am very sure of what my opinion is. I know Boxsters are a good car, drive well, etc... but it's NOT a real Porsche to me. Whenever I see one I think to myself "too bad they couldn't afford a real Porsche." I will assume I am not the only person in the world who thinks this. I am not saying you are wrong but I am confident I am not wrong in what my opinion is. You can drive me around a track all day but I will still see it as a wanna be.

Why would you say a Boxster/Cayman is not a real Porsche? What makes a car a 'real' Porsche?

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A new Boxster S or Boxster Spyder would blow the doors off your 4s. Same build quality and uses a lot of the 911 components for that matter. I have also owned 911's over the years and they have become such a heavy car that the alternative high end Boxster or Cayman R are way much more fun to drive. At this point if I am looking for a 911 I would pretty much only consider a GT3. And if you are true 911 purist a 4 wheel drive car is sacrilege.

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I am not suggesting we race for pink slips. I am just saying it's not a real Porsche. It's for the guy that can't afford a 911... in MY opinion. I would much rather have a used 911. I bought a cab so am not looking to race. I never said I was a 911 purist. I got my car because I like how the back looks.... AND because it IS a 911. To me I could easily have bought a brand new Cayman or Boxster but to ME it's for the guy that can't afford a 911. I obviously am not doing a very good job of putting it in words. I suppose I am a car "snob" with most low end "luxury" cars. Low end Benz and Jags are the ultimate jokes to me.

I don't like open cars, so I'm going to be biased, but the only reason I would have a Boxster is to save a few dollars. Now....if I did need to save a few dollars....and I wanted a real Porsche....then I absolutely would buy a Boxster. They're great cars and every inch a real Porsche. I even like the thought of a 2.5 litre early car. My foot is very heavy and I'm sure I could make it go fast enough to scare the wife/lose my license/get sideways etc. I'd get a hardtop though...and maybe even remove the soft top and mechanism to save the weight. You guys must be some good looking to be able to feel good in a convertible with the roof down. As far as the 996 cab aesthetics goes...I like how they look with the top up better than with the top down...but the Boxster looks better from a straight stylistic point of view. Opinions are funny though eh? What looks good to one guy simply doesn't to the next.

Let's face it - a Boxster is a great handling car. But so is a 914. Both have something in common, they are / were entry level Porsches. I agree with Sac Town Guy - It does suggest that you couldn't quite get to the level of a 911, which has always been the top Porsche model every year since 1965. Porsche is careful that the 911 outperforms all other models that it produces. It seems to me that a boxster is also a girls Porsche, kinda like a Volkswagen beetle.

A Boxster is a driver's car...and much better performance for the money than a recent 911. If I had liked the ride better on the rough roads near my home, I would have never thought twice about buying one. I have no interest in conversations about it being entry-level. That's just social-climbing, conspicuous consumption B.S. I drove a 914 in the early 70's that had a 3-liter, twin-plug, IROC engine in it. There was nothing entry level about that car.

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Actually, I think the 928 held that distinction for many years during it's production.

I had both, Boxster S 986 and a 996 cab. I like the 996 better but it feels heavy when slow. The Boxster drove more like a cart, very nimble and fun. And it has two trunks which makes up somewhat for the lack of rear seats.

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More people than you think agree with your line or thought ... but they do not say it

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Not me. I am hideous.

Maybe I'm in the minority but I've always been an overall Porsche guy. So, saying a Boxster isn't a real Porsche is like saying a 996 isn't a real 911. Of course they are and of course it is. I'm sure there are plenty of Boxster owners who bought their car because it was the only new Porsche they could afford. Isn't that true of most car brands though; that there's a halo model that gets people in the showroom? I bet most new 335 owners would have bought an M3 if they could have afforded one. Also, a lot of people won't even consider a used car -- this is my first (not counting my vintage SAAB) and my wife was a bit shocked when I suggested it. Neverthless, I still understand SacTown's comment. I, too, could have easily bought a new Boxster S but it wasn't the car I dreamt about at night as a kid (or as an adult, for that matter). I've always been a 911 fan whether because of its styling, enginering or handling. It was just the Porsche...the car I really wanted. In fact, I never had an itch to buy a Boxster even when I bought my Z3 years ago or even later when I traded it in for a TT Quattro Cab. Interestingly, my brother in law once asked me why I didn't just buy a new Boxster S. His best friend (also a car guy) turned to him and said, "Dude, because he bought a 911!" I think that about sums it up for me. As for the OP's comment about a 911 Cab, I share everyone's sentiment and say try one on for size! I don't think you'll be disappointed. Or, just go for the Boxster. It's not like you can't trade back into a 911 at a later date. There are plenty to go around. Best of luck! -Eric

This thread has me recalling about 35 years ago - wow how time really does fly. Me with a Polar white 1968 911, best friend with 914 in what I thought was the ugliest green I ever laid eyes on. The debate was on, I had a "real" Porsche and he had a VW that wanted to be a Porsche. We finally agreed to swap cars for one day and at the end of that day I still thought the 914 was the ugliest green I ever laid eyes on. But, I no longer called it a Porsche wanna be, it was a Porsche, and it was a blast. Later over a steak and couple of beers we decided to agree that we both drove Porsche's, he preferred his 914 with the handling and Targa top, I preferred my 911 with the adrenalin rush of never knowing if I would cross that fine line and have the butt of the car taking over. No surprise right? After all, we each chose a car that we felt was a car that was right for us. There's a Boxster S at work on sunny days, today parked with the top down and next to my C4S. I had that someday thought of adding a Boxster. I bet that the Boxster would be like the C2 compared to the C4S, great cars, different enough yet each with their own merits and with unique aspects that I appreciate and enjoy equally. (still struggling with if I were to keep just one, which one would it be, a decision I honestly can't make) As far as what one can afford, I personally didn't buy any of my cars to make any kind of economic or social statement. I guess on the other side of the fence people could say we buy used 996's because we can't afford a comparably equipped Boxster, let alone a used 997. And the kicker for me - my wife has her someday wish of driving a red sports car convertible. A few months ago I sourced a used Boxster base that I thought would fill the bill. I was going to fly south and drive it back to surprise her. Fortunately for me my son told my wife about my idea and she was pretty quick to turn it down saying we couldn't afford it, need to finish remodeling the 2nd house, maybe after we are down to one home and one mortgage. But the truth is she has no interest in a Boxster at all, what she really wants is a Red VW Bug convertible. So now I do agree with her, now is not the time, let's finish the house first.

I think buying a late model Boxster is no more "entry level" than my buying a 10 year old (at the time) 911. Each car exists for its own purposes. Two different ways to experience the road and speed. They're both Porsches.

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Well, what ended up being my big block fund became my Porsche - and bc Porsche has the different cars It was easy for me to see it had to be the 911. Why? The backseat - I have to be able to take my dog to vet.

Good one!!! I have to add that one to my standby excuses in case I ever need some leverage! Pete

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I thought the 911 was bumped down to middle status because of the Carrera GT? It's the super boxter..

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ROFL

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I agree! Saying "real Porsche" is so damn stupid. Just as stupid as saying "real 911", possibly even worse. Buy what you want and enjoy it. Everyone else can eat a bag of man parts.

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That's ridiculous!!

And then there is a whole group of folks who think that the only real Porsches are air cooled Porsches. I like the water cooled 911s too (I'm looking at them) but the air cooled cars are special.

How did they have a 1997 996 when they came out in 98/99.....hope this is not s stupid question? probably is

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Does that make a 914 more or less special than a 996, 997 or 991?

The 914 is special in its own right, I don't think you can compare them to a 997.

OK, went and drove a 2008 997, a 2008 997S, and a 2011 Boxster S today. They were all great cars, but the 997S was the only car that felt like it would be be worth giving up a great 996 for. They are all 'real' Porsches IMHO (although REAL Porsches are air cooled 4 cylinders ), but after driving the 997S, there was no going back. Also drove a 2011 M3 with the competition package. What a car. The only criticism of that car is that it's not a 911. There simply is no going back. Damn it. Looks like I better get the 996 ready to sale.

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Best of luck with the switch. I have driven numerous 997s(various years and models) with the intention of "upgrading" from my 996 but I was always left less than impressed with the 997. Sure it's a great car, but I was never impressed enough with any of the 997s to prompt me to switch. The 997 was far too Mercedes Benzish for my liking and this is coming from someone who has driven far too many MB in his young lifetime. For me, IMHO, if I were to "upgrade" from my 996 C2(strictly speaking of Pcars) it would have to be with a 996 GT3.

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didn't the 993 s ort of arrive in much the same way before it officially arrived ?

Uh oh. Went and drove a new 981 today. This might be the one, I was that impressed.