964 going, what to replace it with?

[clockworks]

billywhizzzzzz said:

I had a Z4 3.0i and ultimately it felt a little anodyne and boring. I had the Boxster S v Z4M debate for ages with myself. Agree that the looks of the Boxster (987) are well resolved, better so than the Z4MR, and it is a better all round sports car with compliance that allows you to chuck it around. I guess ultimately though they just felt too commonplace, and I had worries about the robustness of the engine and also, looking at the low value of Mk 1 Bpxsters was worried about depreciation on a 16k 987. So I bought a Z4MR and adore it - it is such an event to drive, with an extraordinary soundtrack and engine - just so much better in every way than my earlier 3.0i that with a blindfold on you wouldn't know you were in a similar car. It's slightly softer - or better sprung and less skittish - than my 3.0i, and better on rural roads with strange cambers, and looking at the price of Z3M Roadsters, unlikely to depreciate much...

Thanks for a very interesting post. I can understand why you made your choice, picking the Z4M for it's rarity and virtually guaranteed future classic status.
I guess if I was buying with my head, I'd make the same decision - Z4M rather than 987

It's strange, but Z4s are far more common than Boxsters where I live. I regularly see 3 other Z4s the same colour as mine when I'm driving to work or to the shops. I guess that's because there isn't a Porsche main dealer in Cornwall.

One thing I haven't really mentioned is the fact that I've grown to prefer an automatic box. Maybe I'm getting old and lazy, but I feel that an auto allows me to concentrate on pointing the car in the right direction, looking for potential hazards. It's one less thing to think about.
The fact that the Z4M is only available with a manual is a bit of a negative for me, while the Boxster Tip is the best auto box I've ever experienced.