996 VS 987

Hey Guys, I am fairly new to the forum, and looking for advice. I am looking to purchase my first porsche. Price range 30-35k, I have my eye on 2 cars, one is a 2005 Boxster, not an S, and the other is a 2000 Porsche 996. I know, apples to oranges in some sense. 2005 Boxster 15k miles - 17 months left of factory warranty - $29k 2000 996 - 40k miles - No warranty - $29.5k. I've driven quite a few 996's and i love the ride, but ive read of all the engine replacement stories on this forum. Has anyone driven the 2005 Boxster, how was it compared to a 3.4l 996. I would imagine at 240hp, its down on a power. Any help in guiding me in the right direction would be appreciated. Thanks.

Oh boy, here we go....................

Check my sig. I have both. Truly, apples and oranges. Each has advantages over the other. 987 is quick and playful, a fun Porsche. 996 is planted and powerful, a serious Porsche. I like them both equally. But, if I had to choose just one, it would be the 996. Key word there is "I". It is my choice. Your's can be entirely the opposite, and that would be fine. They are both Porsche's. Drive them both, and see which one you like better.

Drive both and buy the one you like most...blown engines can happen to any car. One is a convertible and the other is not. End of story. Don't get yourself caught up with overwhelming info that may end up confusing you further.

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5 pages. You can probably find a nice 996 Cab in your price range, and get the best of both worlds. If you like the boxster platform, get the S, as it's only 5 HP off from the 2000 996. -td

Palting gave some good insight. While mine was a 986, I had a '02 Boxster S and now a '99 996. The Boxster handled much better, seemed to have more torque in gears 1-3 even though it had 48 less hp. The 996 is stronger and more alive in gears 4-6. The ride is much better. I loved the S, but I bought it knowing I was not completely sold on having a convertable. At the end of the day, the looks of the 996 from certain angles I just couldn't get over. To get another side, 986 forum is a good place with friendly, helpful folks. There are quite a few 987 guys hanging out there as well.

you should be able to buy an 02+ certified 996 for high 30s

buy one first, if you like it, keep it. if you dont, trade for the other. our opinions are worthless.

Vinas, Usually a vagina is required to own a 987 non S p-car...

Get the 911. You'll lose less money on depreciation, and you can save that money for any major repair, such as a blown engine. But the chances of you having that are slim (get a PPI anyway), and the money you save can go to whatever else you want. If you decide you've made a mistake on the 911, then you lose less money on the trade-in to the Boxster.

I've owned both (currently own a 996) along with many other p-cars. My take is that while both cars are nice, I will probably never own another boxster. Not that it was bad, just didn't do it for me. At the same time, I can't see myself ever "not" owning a 911 of some type. I doubt you will regret the 996 while you may want more from the boxster...I know I did. good luck...

(Flame suit on) "The only reason for owning a Boxster is because you cannot afford a 911." Hey, I am only repeating what the guy from Top Gear said. And I'm sure you'll hear it again.

With the new car warranty, I'd take the Boxster, FOR SURE! If it was a 2002 or above I think i'd take the 996. Caveat, I'd HAVE to have at least an aftermarket warranty with the 996. ...and don't get caught up in what people perceive these cars to be, i.e girls car bull****, just drive 'em both and decide what feels more "right" to you. Boxster is an AMAZING car. Remember, it's a convertible Cayman with a little less HP. With a good PPI and at least an aftermarket or CPO warranty, you can NOT go wrong. Boxster is EVERY BIT as much Porsche as a 911!!!

The first thing I will say is a 911 is a 911, Porsche's high end sports car. A boxster is not. This is the primary reason why Boxsters are so affordable and why they have such poor depreciation. Given this, I would not discourage you from getting a Boxster, but if you are looking long term and for status; then you certainly want a 911. I have driven several 986s and 987s: Boxsters, Boxster S', Caymans and Cayman S'. All are competant sports cars. The 987 is a huge imrpovement over the 986. The sound insulation, dampening of engine vibration, tightness in the top, chassis and the sound of the engine/exhaust are all a huge improvement. In fact, I would easily take a 987 Boxster over a 986 Boxster S. If I were to look at a convertible Porsche, despite my comment above, I would get a 987 Boxster S. The Boxster was designed to be a convertible from the start. The 911 cab on the other hand is a coupe with the top lopped off and as a result has a signficant amount of chassis stiffening added. This is the primary reason why a cab weighs 200 lbs over a coupe. If you are not looking for specifically a convertible, I would go for a 911 instead.

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Yes agreed, but a stock Boxster doesn't have the same visual presence as a stock 911, right? Personally I can drive a Boxster at 9/10s easier than the 996 due to the weight distribution. A Boxster can have real presence, but that involves suspension (lower) and fitting some aggressive wheels/tires. My .02 pfennig.

Learn from my misfortune and do not buy a 996 unless it has a CPO warranty. The only other way to buy it would be to factor in a motor replacement. Take the $29.5 and subtract $13,000 for a motor. With no warranty, $16,500 would be a fair price for it. I know this comment will not be well received by those that haven't lost a motor and/or had to buy a new one themselves. However, I am just the messenger and Porsche is the cause of the problem. This is the way I will proceed in the future based on my experience. I just wish I had known before I bought my first Porsche. A 6 year CPO warranty is the best way to go. You can probably expect to pay 5-6 more for a CPO'd car than private party sale. If the person will not come down to $16,500, just skip it and move on to another car. There are PLENTY of 996's out there.

When I said 5-6 K more for a CPO car, I was referring to adding it to the $29,500, not the $16,500.

996 is a lot more practical than a boxster. With the rear seats folded, you get a decent amount of cargo space, and you can even fit golf bags back there. I don't know if you can get golf bags in a boxster?

Why not a 993? Although you might have to come up in price a little. Seriously though... It's a classic, aircooled 911. A very interesting car with history. Doesn't depreciate much. It will hold its value much better than either a 996 or 987. Best looking of all the 911's. etc. etc. Not to beat a dead horse, but these threads given you a sense of the compare and contrast between the 993 and 996. https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ferrerid=34752

I think the OP probably wants us to keep it to the above 2 cars. A 993 is more of a collector car, at this points, OLD, hi maintenance and NO warranty's.

Thanks for all the insight guys. I am probably going to look around some more and try to find a 996 with some kind of warranty. $13k for a new engine will really put me under.

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Find a well cared for 996 that has maint records and wasn't from a snowy area. Get a good inspection and put the money u would have spent on a warranty in the bank for a rainy day. If u happen to be one of those unfortunate bastards whose engine blows up, then u can send it to Alex of Sharkwerks for a re-build and upgrade to 3.8L. Don't get me wrong, a warranty can be good, but it can also suck...it's a gamble. IF you get a Porsche CPO from the dealer u will pay more for the car and it can't be more than a few years old with a certain amount of mileage. An aftermarket warranty, if u can even buy it in your state, will be 3-4K and will likely have lots of exclusions. Just my 2 cents...

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My grandmother's attic is interesting and has history, but that don't mean I want to live there. And, relatively speaking, require an inordinate amount of maintenance. VERY subjective. I personally like the look of the 964s the best, but the looks of the 996 and its other attributes were enough to convince me to buy one. Too late.

i was told only hairdressers buy boxters (only what ive been told)

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Actually, the 986 rear trunk is a lot easier to access and utilize than the 996 rear seat in my experience. Furthermore, I have never even used the rear parcel shelf in my 911 (Targa owners have a real advantage here). The main advantage of the 911 is that you get a little more flexibility as you can fit people (small ones) in the rear seats or a greater volume of stuff than you can fit in the Boxster trunk. You can fit a full sized set of clubs in the trunk of a Boxster (but you can't get two sets back there).

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Dunno about that. Maybe true among us 911 owners. But, I get more stares, smiles, thumb-ups, and open admiration when I drive the 987S than when I drive the C4S. Certainly, to the general public, there is a greater positve visceral reaction to the Boxster than to the 911, in my experience.

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+1 (with my big two days in a red 987S loaner)

I'm in same position as Ray and Palting, I own both a 986 and 996, my SO drives her Audi so both cars are only driven by me. The 996 feels heavy, safe and the sound from the flat 6 through the PSE is ohh so sweet. I think its the damn PSE that makes me drive the 996 more often. But the 986 is light, nimble, responsive, and corners like you were traveling straight on most open roads at reasonable speeds. It is what I feel is a true classic sports car., the 996 is an awesome GT car. Different. not better or worse. The hairdresser comments usually are mostly made by people who have never even sat in one or were afraid thay may have paid too much for that 911. lol I, too, get way more compliments on the Boxster than the 911, but it could be the guards red and tan interior is a bit more noticable. I love them both.