Best Car on the Road for 7k? - Page 3 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

I have a 2002 3.2 Boxster S. For the last year I have had a company car so the miles in it have decreased massively. Yesterday I took it to Manchester as the weather was nice. Sheffield to Manchester via Snake Pass - Glossop etc. After driving a 2.0 Leon FR for 30k miles you forget how fast it really is in comparison to a 'normal' car. At one point of passing I even accidentally went flat to the floor (as done in the Leon), it is quick, really quick. Within in a few miles I was remembering I could take 3 or 4 cars on the straights never mind picking them off one by one, it changes your whole style of driving gaining all that acceleration and handling capability! This got me thinking is there a better car on the road you could pick up for 7k? I think not.

You can buy an S2000 for £7k, pretty impressive allround car with much better reliability. Plus the gearbox in the S2000 is sublime! In many ways I prefer it to my 2008 cayman S.

Yeh S2000 is a total hoot, the way it screams its guts out above 5000rpm is insane! Sounds like an old F1 car. 944 turbo and 968 Sport are great too. Its all down to personal choice really, but the Box S is certainly great value.

Boxster sublime for the money

I had an S2000 as a loan car a while ago now, and found it utterly boring. I keep thinking I missed someting and would love to try another at some point. But, as far as Hondas go, you cannot beat the DC2. Absolutely awesome car, and you could buy 2 with £7k!

If you found the S2000 boring you can't be driving it very hard, fantastic drivers car! Here is me in my old one.... http://youtu.be/Og_fjYmDL7U And... http://youtu.be/vajLtQMbcxk What a hoot!

Very very hard to beat the Boxster. Swapped an E46 M3 for a Boxster 3.2S for the other half last year and even though the M3 was a good car the Boxster just offers so much more. Sold an Elise S1 around the same time and again although fun couldn't touch the Boxster. In fact, if it came to the crunch I would probably be more inclined to sell my 996 GT3 to keep the Boxster just for it's all round capability and fun factor. Would also stop the other half from killing me as she loves it so much!

Alpinestars said: I had an S2000 as a loan car a while ago now, and found it utterly boring. I keep thinking I missed someting and would love to try another at some point. But, as far as Hondas go, you cannot beat the DC2. Absolutely awesome car, and you could buy 2 with £7k! Boring? They are spine tingling fun! Whats wrong with you man!?

Ford Puma, ITR lots of spare change, in fact you could buy both for 7k and have some cash left over for an MX5 !

mollytherocker said: Boring? They are spine tingling fun! Whats wrong with you man!? So everyone keeps telling me. Must try one again. It just felt like it revved its nuts off and I could have been walking faster. I think I almost fell asleep at the wheel.

Is this really a thread for Porsche section? I'd have thought GG would be better.

Alpinestars said: So everyone keeps telling me. Must try one again. It just felt like it revved its nuts off and I could have been walking faster. I think I almost fell asleep at the wheel. They feel slower than they are tbh due to the lack of torque. My friends standard S2000 was exactly the same from 30mph up to 140mph as my alfa 147gta. jackal said: Ford Puma, ITR lots of spare change, in fact you could buy both for 7k and have some cash left over for an MX5 ! Ford puma?! What have you been smoking! Lol Good shout on the ITR though, having owned one of those too I must say it was a utter gem. Only downside is fwd can be a little boring on track. Edited by Stelongy on Friday 27th June 17:15

Magic919 said: Is this really a thread for Porsche section? I'd have thought GG would be better. It's only because the the thead starter was saying what better car can you get than a boxster for under £7k, Perhaps is should have been named "what better cars can you get than a boxster for under £7k?"

Clio Rs Cup worth a shout at £7k but only as an additional car to the boxster.

Stelongy said: Ford puma?! What have you been smoking! Lol Good shout on the ITR though, having owned one of those too I must say it was a utter gem. Only downside is fwd can be a little boring on track. Edited by Stelongy on Friday 27th June 17:15 Puma the equal of an ITR in my book. Try one ... chassis, gearchange, engine, dynamics .... utterly superb drive.

On my second cheap ish Boxster now. Both have been lightly modified but both very enjoyable

jackal said: Puma the equal of an ITR in my book. Try one ... chassis, gearchange, engine, dynamics .... utterly superb drive. I've driven the racing puma, typical underpowered engine and crap gear change IMO. I must agree though the Chasis pretty good and it turned in well. Maybe it's because I had been spoilt with an array of other cars?

Racing puma totally different ... heavier ! overtyred, less fizzy engine and maybe a different gearbox as well. The small things count, the basic 1.7 had the magic IMO.

Stelongy said: If you found the S2000 boring you can't be driving it very hard, fantastic drivers car! Here is me in my old one.... http://youtu.be/Og_fjYmDL7U And... http://youtu.be/vajLtQMbcxk What a hoot! Is it an easy car to get the arse out on, and controllable with it?

The OP is bang on the money, IMHO. My 2003 Boxster S has now cost me over £7k with the new brakes and tyres it needed, but was I drawn to the car below. Both great, but in different ways, oh and also just under £7k.:

Alpinestars said: Is it an easy car to get the arse out on, and controllable with it? Yes, its very over steery and pretty easy to control. If anything, it wags its tail too easily! However, its important to ensure that the geo is right, especially at the rear. They do have an issue of wear in the rear suspension that I cant remember the details of, and its quite costly to sort out. Otherwise, bloody bomb proof! A baby NSX?

mollytherocker said: Yes, its very over steery and pretty easy to control. If anything, it wags its tail too easily! However, its important to ensure that the geo is right, especially at the rear. They do have an issue of wear in the rear suspension that I cant remember the details of, and its quite costly to sort out. Otherwise, bloody bomb proof! A baby NSX? Thanks Molly, I hope it's not a baby NSX - that was pretty boring as well.

Alpinestars said: Thanks Molly, I hope it's not a baby NSX - that was pretty boring as well. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo............ May the ghost of Senna visit you in the small hours and put a bat up your night dress!

http://m.carbuzz.com/Article.aspx?Id=21075

I'd have to say it's the best car on the road, full stop. If you want a practical, fast, handling, soft top with a reasonable entry price and more than acceptable running costs there is nothing to beat it, whatever incarnation you choose. The Cayman comes close but the top doesn't come off

jredram said: I'd have to say it's the best car on the road, full stop. If you want a practical, fast, handling, soft top with a reasonable entry price and more than acceptable running costs there is nothing to beat it, whatever incarnation you choose. The Cayman comes close but the top doesn't come off It is a great car, no disputing that. However the S2000 is more reliable and cheaper to run, granted it's a tad slower but it has many points that are better than a boxster.

mollytherocker said: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo............ May the ghost of Senna visit you in the small hours and put a bat up your night dress! Looked the part, but didn't quite cut it from behind the wheel

Alpinestars said: Looked the part, but didn't quite cut it from behind the wheel Very nice! This was my S2000

keep it lit said: http://m.carbuzz.com/Article.aspx?Id=21075 That's a cool mo f ker of a driver. I assume that's not a standard exhaust?

You buggers have got me looking at the classifieds now! What do I need to know please?

Alpinestars said: You buggers have got me looking at the classifieds now! What do I need to know please? That you can spend significantly less than 7k, in fact well under 6k, and still pick something up that your mates think you spent 20k on... I agree, there really is nothing as good in terms of bang for buck, or how it makes you feel, for the money. Nothing. The only thing I would say is that at 80k miles, the interior squeaks and rattles, and does feel very flimsy compared to an S2000. My 3 series, with identical mileage, is totally silent and in a different league quality wise. However I have never gone out in a 3 series just for the sheer hell of it, or washed it myself, twice a week! And any squeaks and rattles are drowned out the moment you get past 3000rpm or get the roof down. Default setting on my car! There's lots of doom stories about the dreaded IMS failure, however in practice it would seem that this is probably a hell of a lot rarer than the internet would have you believe. And every car I've owned recently has it's own bork potential...BMW swirl flaps, Discovery running on it's own oil, Audi timing chain failure...just get out and enjoy it. Good luck and you will not regret it!

Just to add. My 2003 Box S is now on 107,000 miles and only had 77,000 on it when I bought it just under 2 years ago. Recent run to Le Mans and back without a hitch and she runs as smooth as ever.

Totally agree, had. 4s etc ,also own 360 spider and have to say the boxster is fab, I personally would and do not want any other cars. For the money it's tops, and for performance and road holding in a class of its own, Mike

I bought a 2001 Boxster S last November for £6.5K. So far I've spent about £1500 on it... 2 AOSs, £600 to to get the aircon sorted, £400 on a replacement glass windowed roof, and a few other bits and pieces. Finally started using it more regularly after sorting out the above to now find it has oil in the coolant... lots of it. A cracked cylinder head. £2500 minimum to sort out, assuming they don't find anything else wrong with the engine. Great cars, genuinely great cars to give some stick to... but engines made of papier mache. Buy very carefully and be prepared for potentially ruinous engine repair bills. You can't fix a boxster engine cheaply!

Hard-Drive said: That you can spend significantly less than 7k, in fact well under 6k, and still pick something up that your mates think you spent 20k on... [pedant] The OP was about the 'S' model. That one isn't, the front bumper gives it away. [/pedant] I'm glad you're pleased with it though. Doesn't seem to have anywhere near as many stone chips on the front as mine has. Edited by ianwayne on Saturday 28th June 23:51

ianwayne said: The OP is bang on the money, IMHO. My 2003 Boxster S has now cost me over £7k with the new brakes and tyres it needed, but was I drawn to the car below. Both great, but in different ways, oh and also just under £7k.: Oddly enough I have almost the exact car too, but day and night from driving the Porsche. Mine was circa 10k so hadn't mentioned it!

jamesogt said: Oddly enough I have almost the exact car too, but day and night from driving the Porsche. Mine was circa 10k so hadn't mentioned it! Hmmm I had a Chimp about 10 year ago and out of the 3.5 years I owned it is spend 13months in the garage and spend 8 grand fixing it up on a car that only cost 14. Saying that, when I did right it off doing wheel spins in the snow with my brother they did me a very good payout

Would be an M3, Evo VI or an impreza type-r for me.

I'll stir it up a bit, I had one of the first S2000's in the country and hated it. I could never get to grips with Honda engines period. Hated the dash, everything. Only good think I sold it for a premium within a few months as there was such a long waiting list for them. The answer is easy for me, any form of sorted imprezza is the most practical and enjoyable sports car you can get for that money. If you want all the fun but relatively cheap to run and zero depreciation then you have to consider one of these..... Ok maybe not an S54 which are much rarer and command a premium but a well sorted S50 is cheap to run and mod if you like. Edited by jonttt on Tuesday 1st July 13:25

Oops double post... Edited by jonttt on Tuesday 1st July 13:28

Delete it then? But I do agree NICE Car, especially looks good for its age. My nipper has a 3.0 Z3 and rang up yesterday to say "the ABS motor/pump has gone" and can I lend him some money! But seeing as he paid half what I paid for my Boxster of similar age, they are good value.