Who's the daddy - 968 Conv. or Boxter?
Discussion
Hi folks. My first time of the Porche forum, be gentle with me!
The other day I was on the auto trader website, idly pondering about what car I fancy next (happens most days - well we all do it
) and it occured to me I didn't realise that Porsche made a convertible version of the 968.
So I did a little research on the 968 and found it to vbe a pretty interesting/impressive car: 240bhp 0-60 in 6s(ish) , ABS all round, 6 gears etc.
I also read that the 968 convertible was quietly discontinued with the arrival of the Boxter.
I also noticed that prices for 968 convertibles are still holding pretty strong despite direct competition from it's younger sibling.
So back to my original question.
What are the differences between the two cars?
Which is the best performer? Both from a speed and handling point of view and real world practicality.
And will 968 prices contine to hold up against the boxter or will they drop towards 944 territory?
So come on guys - Who's the daddy?
(I'm mainly concentrating on the Convertible since I think a comparison using a 968 hardtop would be unfair)
Bob.
The other day I was on the auto trader website, idly pondering about what car I fancy next (happens most days - well we all do it
) and it occured to me I didn't realise that Porsche made a convertible version of the 968. So I did a little research on the 968 and found it to vbe a pretty interesting/impressive car: 240bhp 0-60 in 6s(ish) , ABS all round, 6 gears etc.
I also read that the 968 convertible was quietly discontinued with the arrival of the Boxter.
I also noticed that prices for 968 convertibles are still holding pretty strong despite direct competition from it's younger sibling.
So back to my original question.
What are the differences between the two cars?
Which is the best performer? Both from a speed and handling point of view and real world practicality.
And will 968 prices contine to hold up against the boxter or will they drop towards 944 territory?
So come on guys - Who's the daddy?
(I'm mainly concentrating on the Convertible since I think a comparison using a 968 hardtop would be unfair)
Bob.
I wish I could compare. I've never driven a 968 - but would dearly love to try the much revered 968CS - a very special car by all accounts.
I've also never driven a Boxster - only the Boxster S which, being considerably more potent - is also an unfair comparison.
Sorry. No help from me, then...
I've also never driven a Boxster - only the Boxster S which, being considerably more potent - is also an unfair comparison.
Sorry. No help from me, then...
I would say Boxster is far superior, but it will cost more.
The 968 Cab, especially with tippytoes gearbox, isn't such an inspired driving machine. An OK-ayish appliance for junior accountants in Slough (as Scottster will assure you), but not as accomplished or modern as the Boxtaaa.
It does however, have one benefit. The 968 Cab is slightly less of a hairdresser's conveyance in image terms, probably because it isn't quite as pretty and you can tell the front from the back.
The 968CS is quite a different car from the 968 cab, and would be highly recommended for the keen driver - but don't confuse the two trollies as the cab is a leaden old barge in comparison.
The 968 Cab, especially with tippytoes gearbox, isn't such an inspired driving machine. An OK-ayish appliance for junior accountants in Slough (as Scottster will assure you), but not as accomplished or modern as the Boxtaaa.
It does however, have one benefit. The 968 Cab is slightly less of a hairdresser's conveyance in image terms, probably because it isn't quite as pretty and you can tell the front from the back.
The 968CS is quite a different car from the 968 cab, and would be highly recommended for the keen driver - but don't confuse the two trollies as the cab is a leaden old barge in comparison.
In power to weight ratio terms, you're better off comparing a 968 (preferrably CS with a boxster S... this changes the fiscal equation quite a bit!
I had a boxster 2.5, and later a 968CS, the 968 was _noticably_ faster _and_ better handling - though to be fair the boxster does handle very well, it's only that the 968CS is _so_ brilliant...
Fox
---
with a boxster S... this changes the fiscal equation quite a bit! I had a boxster 2.5, and later a 968CS, the 968 was _noticably_ faster _and_ better handling - though to be fair the boxster does handle very well, it's only that the 968CS is _so_ brilliant...
Fox
---
Hmm, so from what you guys say, the boxter benefits from being younger and more technologically advanced, but the 968 (convertible) is a pretty good car all the same. And the 958CS is just ace 
.
I must admit I do find the quicky looks and rareness of the 968 quite appealing.
How do they compare for daily use? The 968 looks bigger than the Boxter. Is it a better cruiser(comfort, wind noise etc)? Is it's hood any cop (double-skinned/insulated)? Is there much room in the boot?
I know these are mundane questions, but I'm just wondering what they are like to live with on a daily basis.
I await your wisdom.
. I must admit I do find the quicky looks and rareness of the 968 quite appealing.
How do they compare for daily use? The 968 looks bigger than the Boxter. Is it a better cruiser(comfort, wind noise etc)? Is it's hood any cop (double-skinned/insulated)? Is there much room in the boot?
I know these are mundane questions, but I'm just wondering what they are like to live with on a daily basis.
I await your wisdom.
I have a boxster 2.7 now.
Had a 91 944 cab before (very similar to 968).
boxster better handling/sharper.
Performance fairly similar.
944 cab more confortable....better wind protection..120+ top down listening to a book tape no
probs.
Summary -
boxster better sports car
944 cab better grand tourer (not to be knocked)
944 better looking..specially in cobalt blue
Had a 91 944 cab before (very similar to 968).
boxster better handling/sharper.
Performance fairly similar.
944 cab more confortable....better wind protection..120+ top down listening to a book tape no
probs.
Summary -
boxster better sports car
944 cab better grand tourer (not to be knocked)
944 better looking..specially in cobalt blue
bobfrance said:
Is it a better cruiser(comfort, wind noise etc)? Is it's hood any cop (double-skinned/insulated)? Is there much room in the boot?
I know these are mundane questions, but I'm just wondering what they are like to live with on a daily basis.
I await your wisdom.
I have more experience of life with a 968 cab and 944 cab than a Boxster... in years gone by, eeh when I were a lad eating whippets up DeR's chimney for thruppence a week....
Cruising ability is fine. Not too much buffeting etc but they don't have wind mesh screens like modern cabrios. The aerodynamics are good enough for you to stay dry above 50mph in heavy rain with the hood down (I had wipers on third stage in thunderstorm and stayed surreally dry!). The hood is four skinned, with insulation layer being one of them. It's a good hood but a pricey one, and it is a manual unlatch so not completely automatic. You have to be at a standstill to operate the hood.
The boot is a reasonable size, but a 944/968 hatch is much more practical. You get tiny ski hatches tho' so bits of timber can be taken from the DIY shop. Some extra body stiffening goes on at the boot area, so it is fine for one midsize suitcase but don't take the pi55 with two or three
The 944/968 cabs are a doddle to live with, but maybe a tad TOO boring. I went back to a Caterham afterwards, as that was much more exciting.
Over shoulder rear vis is shit tho' because of hood blindspot when it is up. The rear seats are also very small especially with hood down as hood encroaches slightly into passenger area when folded. If you want a true everyday cabriolet I would get an M3 E36 cabrio which is more practical all round.
>> Edited by domster on Thursday 5th February 14:34
Thanks for the comments Domster (and everyone else).
It's certainly given me a better insight into running those two cars - Especially the 968.
As you've probably seen from my profile I've owned TVR's in the past and currently run a Jag XJR-S.
It really has been one exteme to the other. The TVRs were great for driving fun but did tend to p*ss me off when I just wanted to get somewhere (especially in winter). The Jag on the other hand does everything with the minimum of fuss and really is fantastic. The only problem is it just doesn't do the DRIVING thing.
Currently I'm in two minds do I sell the Jag and go for what I hope is a good middleground (the 986 Conv) or keep it and run a toy (thinking of perhaps a Lotus Elan or Europa) even though I'm not sure where I'd put it.
Still if it's a problem then "what car shall I buy?" is a great problem to have.
If you have any thoughts - I'm still interested in your views guys.
Cheers!
Bob.
>> Edited by bobfrance on Thursday 5th February 20:58
It's certainly given me a better insight into running those two cars - Especially the 968.
As you've probably seen from my profile I've owned TVR's in the past and currently run a Jag XJR-S.
It really has been one exteme to the other. The TVRs were great for driving fun but did tend to p*ss me off when I just wanted to get somewhere (especially in winter). The Jag on the other hand does everything with the minimum of fuss and really is fantastic. The only problem is it just doesn't do the DRIVING thing.
Currently I'm in two minds do I sell the Jag and go for what I hope is a good middleground (the 986 Conv) or keep it and run a toy (thinking of perhaps a Lotus Elan or Europa) even though I'm not sure where I'd put it.
Still if it's a problem then "what car shall I buy?" is a great problem to have.
If you have any thoughts - I'm still interested in your views guys.
Cheers!
Bob.
>> Edited by bobfrance on Thursday 5th February 20:58
Bob,
Keep two cars dinfaely - in fact irf you read donw the list there is a thread on just this wuestion from a few daya ago.
I run a v8 jag as my every day car and a 44 turbo at weekends. Only last week vI revisited the question of whether to get rid of them both and get a 993/6 to do both jobs. Luckily common sense prevailed and /i'm swopping the 944 ror somtrhing else - not sure vwhat yet
If you are uwed to a v12 jag then one car just can't do both jobs!
Keep the jag and go play!!
Keep two cars dinfaely - in fact irf you read donw the list there is a thread on just this wuestion from a few daya ago.
I run a v8 jag as my every day car and a 44 turbo at weekends. Only last week vI revisited the question of whether to get rid of them both and get a 993/6 to do both jobs. Luckily common sense prevailed and /i'm swopping the 944 ror somtrhing else - not sure vwhat yet
If you are uwed to a v12 jag then one car just can't do both jobs!
Keep the jag and go play!!
I'd vote for the 968 10 out of 10 times.
It is the culmination of many many years of front engine water cooled technology. The engine was refined MANY TIMES after many victories on the tracks of the world. It's an all aluminum silica bore with siamesed cylinders, a big honker for a 4-cylinder, twin balance shafts, vario cam, yadda yadda, with a six speed transaxle (which is also refined over what, something like 17 years, including duty with turbocharged cars).
The 968 looks better from any angle, and in head to head competition, heh heh, well, lets just say the boxster contingent out there just doesn't want to know about the finer points of the 968 any more than the 911 guys wanted to hear about the power and handling of the 944 series turbo and normally aspirated cars over the years.
I have two 944 cars, one is a '90 Cabriolet S2, which has the same motor as the 968 except for the vario-cam and some other minor tweaks. It is a fast car, and the 968 is faster. Over the road in real world running, not looking at a stopwatch at a drag strip (which in many instances is an unrealistic measure because it relies heavily on the "launch" froma standstill) I've never for one second thought any Boxster would be able to one: run from my S2, or two: embarass it in any way, twisties or straightaway. I alwo have a '83 928 5-speed, and I honestly would not be able to tell which car is the fastest unless I had instrumentation, the S2 versus the heavier V8 car. The 968 is faster than my 928, which was the fastest car sold in North America in 1983, including any other Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, turbo or not. The 968 is also lighter and handles better.
The 968 is a perfect balance car, at the top edge of the development curve. The boxster is a "perfect balance" car too. Both are good. The boxster however, has had MANY problems with cylinder cracking, etc., going through a development curve that the 968 predecessors dealt with 15 years or more ago.
Plus the fact, everyone and their brother has a boxster these days, why not be seen in a superior car that hardly anyone knows what it is??? Rest assured, anyone in a boxster that wants to run a 968 driven in anger is stepping up for a rather ego-deflating and humiliating experience, so if anyone out there is planning to do it, I suggest you do it by yourself so you won't have a witness sitting there in the passenger seat. It will be easier to take.
Since I own three wasserpumpers, I run with a group of wasserpumper enthusiasts in the PCA. One of the things we enjoy most, is showing off what the older front engine water cooled cars can do. There seems to be sooo many people out there with miss-information about them. Any time there is a lineup of them at a gathering of Porsches, and some times we have as many as 80 cars show up for our events, the 944 and 928 cars always attract a lot of ooglers. As for the 968, it is so rare, it would be sure to be a hit at ANY Porsche gathering. One superb car by any standard. When you figure it cost more back when they went out of production than a new Corvette or Boxster costs today off the showroom floor, then you get an idea of the build quality of what the car really stands for.
Dogsharks
>> Edited by dogsharks on Friday 6th February 15:19
It is the culmination of many many years of front engine water cooled technology. The engine was refined MANY TIMES after many victories on the tracks of the world. It's an all aluminum silica bore with siamesed cylinders, a big honker for a 4-cylinder, twin balance shafts, vario cam, yadda yadda, with a six speed transaxle (which is also refined over what, something like 17 years, including duty with turbocharged cars).
The 968 looks better from any angle, and in head to head competition, heh heh, well, lets just say the boxster contingent out there just doesn't want to know about the finer points of the 968 any more than the 911 guys wanted to hear about the power and handling of the 944 series turbo and normally aspirated cars over the years.
I have two 944 cars, one is a '90 Cabriolet S2, which has the same motor as the 968 except for the vario-cam and some other minor tweaks. It is a fast car, and the 968 is faster. Over the road in real world running, not looking at a stopwatch at a drag strip (which in many instances is an unrealistic measure because it relies heavily on the "launch" froma standstill) I've never for one second thought any Boxster would be able to one: run from my S2, or two: embarass it in any way, twisties or straightaway. I alwo have a '83 928 5-speed, and I honestly would not be able to tell which car is the fastest unless I had instrumentation, the S2 versus the heavier V8 car. The 968 is faster than my 928, which was the fastest car sold in North America in 1983, including any other Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, turbo or not. The 968 is also lighter and handles better.
The 968 is a perfect balance car, at the top edge of the development curve. The boxster is a "perfect balance" car too. Both are good. The boxster however, has had MANY problems with cylinder cracking, etc., going through a development curve that the 968 predecessors dealt with 15 years or more ago.
Plus the fact, everyone and their brother has a boxster these days, why not be seen in a superior car that hardly anyone knows what it is??? Rest assured, anyone in a boxster that wants to run a 968 driven in anger is stepping up for a rather ego-deflating and humiliating experience, so if anyone out there is planning to do it, I suggest you do it by yourself so you won't have a witness sitting there in the passenger seat. It will be easier to take.
Since I own three wasserpumpers, I run with a group of wasserpumper enthusiasts in the PCA. One of the things we enjoy most, is showing off what the older front engine water cooled cars can do. There seems to be sooo many people out there with miss-information about them. Any time there is a lineup of them at a gathering of Porsches, and some times we have as many as 80 cars show up for our events, the 944 and 928 cars always attract a lot of ooglers. As for the 968, it is so rare, it would be sure to be a hit at ANY Porsche gathering. One superb car by any standard. When you figure it cost more back when they went out of production than a new Corvette or Boxster costs today off the showroom floor, then you get an idea of the build quality of what the car really stands for.
Dogsharks
>> Edited by dogsharks on Friday 6th February 15:19
If you really want to go fast, there are a lot of aftermarket parts and technologies that can be applied to the 944/968 series engine. There are a lot of them out there running around with 300, 400, and up to 600 (Huntley racing) horsepower, so this tells you what the basic engine and drivetrain can do.
Dogsharks
Dogsharks
Wow, thanks for all that info Dogsharks!
I really know what you mean about choosing a car at the top edge of it's development curve as you put it.
I made mistakes before in buying the oldest models of cars because I could only just afford them, instad of buying the best of something else.
This time I did the right thing when buying my Jag. I bought the very best XJR-S I could find instead of stretching to an over the hill XK8.
And as a result ended up with the very finest XJR-S "at the top edge of it's development curve" Instead of an XK8 with engine & electrical problems.
It's much rarer too!
So back to Porsches...
There seemed to be a 50/50 split on whether to run one car or two.
However most people have come out on the side of the older car (sorry Domster) to the point of almost evangelical fervour towards the quirky 968(Dogsharks?
). I suppose that's what happens when a great car ceases probuction and starts it's journey towards classic status.
Personally I currently favour the 968 because as PM99 said "boxster better sports car 944(968) cab better grand tourer" this seems to me to be a comfortable middleground between Jag & TVR and could possibly come the closest to satisfying all my criteria in a single car.
Also I like my cars to be a bit rare and a bit quirky, and whilst it may not be the populist choice (my girlfriend prefers the Boxter) it's the choice of the descerning motorist
>> Edited by bobfrance on Saturday 7th February 12:21
I really know what you mean about choosing a car at the top edge of it's development curve as you put it.
I made mistakes before in buying the oldest models of cars because I could only just afford them, instad of buying the best of something else.
This time I did the right thing when buying my Jag. I bought the very best XJR-S I could find instead of stretching to an over the hill XK8.
And as a result ended up with the very finest XJR-S "at the top edge of it's development curve" Instead of an XK8 with engine & electrical problems.
It's much rarer too!
So back to Porsches...
There seemed to be a 50/50 split on whether to run one car or two.
However most people have come out on the side of the older car (sorry Domster) to the point of almost evangelical fervour towards the quirky 968(Dogsharks?
). I suppose that's what happens when a great car ceases probuction and starts it's journey towards classic status. Personally I currently favour the 968 because as PM99 said "boxster better sports car 944(968) cab better grand tourer" this seems to me to be a comfortable middleground between Jag & TVR and could possibly come the closest to satisfying all my criteria in a single car.
Also I like my cars to be a bit rare and a bit quirky, and whilst it may not be the populist choice (my girlfriend prefers the Boxter) it's the choice of the descerning motorist
>> Edited by bobfrance on Saturday 7th February 12:21
If the Boxter had clearly knicked the 968's arse in all departments I would have followed my head and forgotten out it's older sibling. But pending test drives - It seems the 968 is in the lead. (talking of which; any owners in the Manchester area? )
The only question now is, can I really give up my great big lovely Jag for a cheeky little Porsche?
Edited to add: What's the deal with the Tiptronic gearboxes? How are they operated? Do they differ from a normal auto box and are they problematic?
Cheers.
Bob.
>> Edited by bobfrance on Saturday 7th February 13:14
) The only question now is, can I really give up my great big lovely Jag for a cheeky little Porsche?
Edited to add: What's the deal with the Tiptronic gearboxes? How are they operated? Do they differ from a normal auto box and are they problematic?
Cheers.
Bob.
>> Edited by bobfrance on Saturday 7th February 13:14
bobfrance said:
The only question now is, can I really give up my great big lovely Jag for a cheeky little Porsche?
Edited to add: What's the deal with the Tiptronic gearboxes? How are they operated? Do they differ from a normal auto box and are they problematic?
Convertible? Tiptronic? Can't choose between a 2.5 Boxster and 968 Cabriolet? Worried about noise, hood insulation and auto-box reliability?
Why not buy a nice little Merc SLK? They're sensible, reliable, dependable, within your budget and they have the best of both worlds with their trick folding hardtop...
Fox
---
bobfrance said:
Besides aren't SLK's supposed to be a rubbish drive?
Yip agreed, but a tip Box 2.5!!!, 'eckerty flip a BSM driving school Corsa offers more speed!
Ref your other post, tips are not known for any huge probs, well other than denting the performance- which on a 2.5 box is hardly in abundance
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