Boxster or alternative?

[georgeyboy12345]

You'll struggle to get a good Elise for £13k. You'll be running the gauntlet on ebay motors to pick up a shabby one like this
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274895169591?hash=item4...


Stretch the budget a bit and you can get this Vauxhall VX220 Turbo
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202006099...


Go a bit older and you can get one of these Lotuses - Elan SE
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008082...


If you think you are kicking yourself now for missing out on a Honda S2000, wait until they are going for £30k in ten years time. Here's a nice low mileage early one - last chance to buy?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106103...


How about another MX-5? This one has over 300 bhp courtesy of BBR
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106133...


Or a rare MR2 TTE Turbo, not quite as much power as the MX-5, but should still be fun with a 985 kg kerbweight
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011296...


If you want to be a bit more sensible, what about this Fiat 124 Spider. A remap can get them to 200 bhp.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106123...


I also found that Z4 that ZX10 posted, looks a good buy

[Mr Tidy]

minipower said:

Interesting you say that about the Z4 as I thought similar about the 3.0 model. The ride matched with the electric steering has made me discount it. I would have hoped to overlook the ride when combined with the Z4m’s hydraulic rack.

I'll confess to being addicted to Z4s.

After two 3 litre Coupes I got an MC a few months before lockdown (doh) and love it!

The M does ride and drive better than the 3.0Si as it has HPAS instead of EPAS, and also doesn't have run-flat tyres. But many owners fit non run-flats to 3.0Sis and reckon that makes a huge difference.

If you can live with higher miles you ought to find an M Roadster in your budget, but they aren't cheap to maintain as every 4 years they need an Inspection service which involves checking valve clearances and adjusting with shims with a cold engine. But values have gone up quite a bit since I bought mine.

Other than a few early M Roadsters they are all in the £600 a year Road Tax bracket, but then so are 370Zs.

Anyway good luck whatever you decide to go for.

[Cw4578]

LunarOne said:

As the owner of a 981 Boxster S, I'd heartily recommend one. I'm not sure I'd be saying the same with a 2.7 as the only thing the Boxster wants for is more power. The only 987 I've driven was a Cayman R, and that was an even better steer. But again, not a Boxster and not a 2.7.

I always post this video when someone is thinking about a Boxster as it really highlights what the car is all about. I think it applies equally to the 987 or 718 GTS 4.0 as it does to the 981 as you really get the sense of that musical flat six engine on song.

As an owner of a 981 cayman 2.7 I would actually say that they are a very sweet sounding engine and worth consideration. With PSE they make a great noise and whilst not as quick as the S they are not exactly slow, it is still 5.5 seconds to 60 and there are far more opportunities to wring it out and have some fun.

I wouldn’t dismiss the smaller engine boxsters without having a go first. This is from someone who was convinced he wanted an S before purchasing a 2.7.

[minipower]

georgeyboy12345 said:

Great suggestions. You’ve brought the S2000 back into the mix with your reasoning and the one posted looks to be a very nice example.

[minipower]

Thanks Mr Tidy, great to get a different view on the Z4.

[minipower]

Cw4578 said:

As an owner of a 981 cayman 2.7 I would actually say that they are a very sweet sounding engine and worth consideration. With PSE they make a great noise and whilst not as quick as the S they are not exactly slow, it is still 5.5 seconds to 60 and there are far more opportunities to wring it out and have some fun.

I wouldn’t dismiss the smaller engine boxsters without having a go first. This is from someone who was convinced he wanted an S before purchasing a 2.7.

That’s good to know. I’d say my current list in order of priority now looks like:

Porsche Boxster
Honda S2000
Nissan 370z
BMW Z4 35i