The 981 Boxster Loan Car Comparison with my 987 Cayman 2.7
Discussion
The OPC very kindly gave me a 2.7 PDK '13' plate Boxster as a courtsey car while my 2008 Cayman 2.7 manual was in having the airbag deactivation was fitted. Monetary value aside I'd not swap!
The new car is remarkably similar - far more than I expected. The steering somehow has less detail but its not very distracting, not as good as the old but not that different. To me the PDK is just an auto, there is a little novelty from using the paddles and a nice blip on downshifts but dull compared with a manual box. It has that rather daft start/stop fitted - might save a tiny bit of fuel but am unconvinced of its merits. Electronic handbrakes are never a positive thing in my book. I wasn't planning on using it at all but in some circumstances it switches itself on! The ride quality is better but this will also be down to it being on 18" instead of 19" wheels and a softer sprung Boxster.
I'm guessing the new Cayman is not hugely different from the new Boxster? Certainly can't see the "game changer" aspects that the press is harping on about. I think I'll be very content with my 987 for a long time to come.
The new car is remarkably similar - far more than I expected. The steering somehow has less detail but its not very distracting, not as good as the old but not that different. To me the PDK is just an auto, there is a little novelty from using the paddles and a nice blip on downshifts but dull compared with a manual box. It has that rather daft start/stop fitted - might save a tiny bit of fuel but am unconvinced of its merits. Electronic handbrakes are never a positive thing in my book. I wasn't planning on using it at all but in some circumstances it switches itself on! The ride quality is better but this will also be down to it being on 18" instead of 19" wheels and a softer sprung Boxster.
I'm guessing the new Cayman is not hugely different from the new Boxster? Certainly can't see the "game changer" aspects that the press is harping on about. I think I'll be very content with my 987 for a long time to come.
IMHO the 981 is lightning years ahead on looks alone. At last the Boxster actually looks nice and you can tell if its coming or going. Better lights, better side intakes, better wheels, better interior, better rear end and spoiler - the whole package is a huge step forward and thats before you experience the better ride performance and handling.
An amazing transformation and finally worthy of the Porsche badge
An amazing transformation and finally worthy of the Porsche badge
GRBF430F1 said:
IMHO the 981 is lightning years ahead on looks alone.
Get your eyes tested buddy! Compared with the 986 which was sleek, elegant and clean, it's a pudding on wheels festooned with unnecessary detail. For that matter, the 991 is just the 997 scaled up by 10%, which is in turn a 996 with some 993 details stuck on to appease the traditionalists. The best recent design was the 996/986. There is nothing original about the recent stuff at all. Porsche better get another decent designer on board soon. And the interior is well constructed generic crap. No design in it at all.
GRBF430F1 said:
IMHO the 981 is lightning years ahead on looks alone. At last the Boxster actually looks nice and you can tell if its coming or going. Better lights, better side intakes, better wheels, better interior, better rear end and spoiler - the whole package is a huge step forward and thats before you experience the better ride performance and handling.
An amazing transformation and finally worthy of the Porsche badge
so a car like the 986 or even a 993 was not worthy.the thing i have always liked about porsche interiors was they were basic and thats what you want from a drivers car.imho the 997/987 are the better looking carsAn amazing transformation and finally worthy of the Porsche badge
Edited by itsybitsy on Friday 24th May 19:23
Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with the 981, just remarkably similar and for me nothing (including the looks or the interior) are in any way superior. I was expecting some WOW aspects that would make me thing one day I have to have one of these.
I like analogue cars, the less digital fussiness the better - put Sports Plus mode on and I was surprised to see LCD type displays in the steering wheel telling me it was on! The 987 has some aspects of digital - certainly compared with my 968 but not too many.
Thinking about the PDK box and the fact the majority of new Porsches are equipped in this way (2/3rds or something?) it reminded me that the majority of new Porsches are not bought by enthusiasts. Maybe I'm just a luddite!
I like analogue cars, the less digital fussiness the better - put Sports Plus mode on and I was surprised to see LCD type displays in the steering wheel telling me it was on! The 987 has some aspects of digital - certainly compared with my 968 but not too many.
Thinking about the PDK box and the fact the majority of new Porsches are equipped in this way (2/3rds or something?) it reminded me that the majority of new Porsches are not bought by enthusiasts. Maybe I'm just a luddite!
Nano2nd said:
Blimey another 987 owner that prefers their own car over a 981, supprised I haven't heard this before! I'm beginning to think Porsche must of really cocked up with the 981 as its clearly much worst than the older model 
Yeah shock horror. Got to move with the times man and Porsche has made great strides forward with its latest products.Never before have I been vaguely interested in a boxster but at last I think they have a real stunner. At this point of time I don't know whether the 991 GT3 I intended to get warrants the extra money.
Decisions decisions
Little Lofty said:
I can certainly see the argument that its not worth spending tens of thousands of pounds to move into a 981 if you already have a nice 987, but the 981 is a huge improvement IMO.
Yep, that's where I stand on it - my 987 is a much better £15k car than the equivalent 981 is a £55k car. If the price were equal, of course I'd have the 981.The older Boxsters have got to be amongst the best motoring bargains out there at the moment, a tidy 986 for £5k and 987s not much more than twice that at the low end. 981s will be there in a few years too!
edc said:
I find it funny that when people say a 986 is 'better' than a 981 they get lambasted, but if people made similar comparisons against 911s across the eras that the same they do not.
That's because the Boxster doesn't have the snob value of the 911. The 981 has got a bit of a halo effect at the moment because of how new it is, but it will soon be business as usual with most people hating it because it is not a 911.jcelee said:
The OPC very kindly gave me a 2.7 PDK '13' plate Boxster as a courtsey car while my 2008 Cayman 2.7 manual was in having the airbag deactivation was fitted. Monetary value aside I'd not swap!
The new car is remarkably similar - far more than I expected. The steering somehow has less detail but its not very distracting, not as good as the old but not that different. To me the PDK is just an auto, there is a little novelty from using the paddles and a nice blip on downshifts but dull compared with a manual box. It has that rather daft start/stop fitted - might save a tiny bit of fuel but am unconvinced of its merits. Electronic handbrakes are never a positive thing in my book. I wasn't planning on using it at all but in some circumstances it switches itself on! The ride quality is better but this will also be down to it being on 18" instead of 19" wheels and a softer sprung Boxster.
I'm guessing the new Cayman is not hugely different from the new Boxster? Certainly can't see the "game changer" aspects that the press is harping on about. I think I'll be very content with my 987 for a long time to come.
I've driven both, when it comes to performance and ability, the 981 is simply better with more grip resulting in faster corner speed and better acceleration. Plus it looks far better!The new car is remarkably similar - far more than I expected. The steering somehow has less detail but its not very distracting, not as good as the old but not that different. To me the PDK is just an auto, there is a little novelty from using the paddles and a nice blip on downshifts but dull compared with a manual box. It has that rather daft start/stop fitted - might save a tiny bit of fuel but am unconvinced of its merits. Electronic handbrakes are never a positive thing in my book. I wasn't planning on using it at all but in some circumstances it switches itself on! The ride quality is better but this will also be down to it being on 18" instead of 19" wheels and a softer sprung Boxster.
I'm guessing the new Cayman is not hugely different from the new Boxster? Certainly can't see the "game changer" aspects that the press is harping on about. I think I'll be very content with my 987 for a long time to come.
edc said:
I find it funny that when people say a 986 is 'better' than a 981 they get lambasted, but if people made similar comparisons against 911s across the eras that the same they do not.
I think I know what you mean but the difference is that 911s across the eras where, often, totally different cars, whereas the 981 is more of an evolution of the 986, 987.Last year I came close to changing my 2007 997.1S, which I have owned from new, for a 98 993 Turbo. Whilst I enjoyed driving the Turbo for a change the only real benefit, for me, was possibly lower depreciation and I wasn't sure about that. It was a totally different experience, not at all comparable with my own car, which is far better suited to my needs and wants.
I wouldn't expect the 981 to be so far removed from the 986/7 to be able to say the above, so would expect that anyone happy with a 986/7 would, objectively, prefer the 981.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I think you are being harsh on the 981.I am in the fortunate position to have owned all three: 986, 987 and now a 981. The 981 by common consensus looks better, is nicer inside and is faster and has higher limits. I think those things (apart from those that need either an eye-test or to bin the rose-coloured glasses) we can agree on.
There are things from the 986 I miss: the way it looked (pretty!) is one and the lovely steering feel is another. But, these things aside, the 987 had the 986 well and truly stuffed.
If you are getting into a 981 after a 987 expecting to be blown away I think you aren't being realistic. The 987 was always a class leader up until it was retired. The 981 moves the game on incrementally; it is more fun to drive because it rides better, it turns in better and it sounds better. A 987 feels a little stodgy in comparison.
Of course, it's all a matter of opinion.
With reference to Porsches having ever increasing limits with regard to adhesion and grip, I would love to be able to adjust the level of tyre grip.
Obviously, you would have it on max most of the time, but imagine being able to take 50% of the tyres grip away via a button/dial?
That would be mega fun!
Obviously, you would have it on max most of the time, but imagine being able to take 50% of the tyres grip away via a button/dial?
That would be mega fun!
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