350Z/370Z, Z4C, Z4 35i, 135i/335i, XKR/XFR, Monaro, or...?
Discussion
coldel said:
Good purchase TRD, didnt see that coming given your previous ownership!
Enjoy!
Thanks mate. You know what, even I didn't expect it, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. It was cheaper than the other options and basically has everything I'm looking for in a car. I wasn't arsed about having a convertible again, but I suppose it's still nice to have on a sunny day Enjoy!
Also, I'm not usually one for owning the same car twice unless it has something fundamentally different; for example, I'd have a 350Z Coupe or 370Z even though I've owned a 350Z Roadster because it'd feel totally different. I'd have a Z4 Coupe manual because I had an auto last time.
However, in this case, I guess that while there shouldn't be much difference between that and my previous Boxster, apart from the better stereo, sports exhaust and bigger wheels, but these should make it feel different enough I reckon. I also didn't really have long enough with the car to really appreciate it as I only had it 6 months before it was written off. Hopefully this car will be a bit luckier!
Cheers all 
I feel like writing some impressions now I'm in the house and chilled out and had time to reflect.
This car seems to feel different to my last Boxster S. For starters, it has more low end torque seemingly, pulled quite well even at fairly modest revs and in high gears with my old one never felt like it did. Maybe this is a difference between a pre and post facelift car? Either way it felt better than I remembered it in most respects, it really does seem mechanically spot on, as far as I can tell, and the inspection seemed to confirm this too.
Anyway, might as well give some comparison with the car it replaces, my NC MX5 BBR Super 200, given that the Boxster's arrival is due to me not feeling fully satisfied with the MX5 in the end. It's not the car, it's me. I've moved on from this sort of car. The TLDR is that the Porsche gives me everything I wanted that the MX5 was missing, despite being a very different sort of car. Read on...
The MX5 feels a lot lighter, obviously, but also feels a lot more tinny, something that was beginning to grate on me. They are really, truly excellent cars, and the BBR kit truly does wake it up, and makes it feel genuinely quite nippy, more so than a standard car though. That said, I think if I ever went back to an MX5, I'd try a forced induction one next time. It has fun handling for sure, but it also feels very 'busy', like it's fairly hard work to go not all that quickly. It feels a lot more on a knife edge than the Porsche. It really is fun, but it's a one-trick pony, as the car doesn't feel all that enjoyable unless you're kicking its head in. The engine, while torquey, revvy and sounding fairly raucous for a 4-pot, it is at the end of the day just a 4-pot. The engine just didn't feel special enough for me.
The driving experience in the Porsche is somewhat different. It feels like a very solid, well built car, with fairly heavy, physical controls, impressive traction, wonderfully balanced. Without trying very hard I was hustling the car 20% faster than in the MX5, where I'd be working very hard to keep up. It feels hugely confidence inspiring. The handling is free from lean, but is very secure and confidence inspiring when you do start to push it, and the damping is sublime. The way it handles corners then manages to ride so nicely and smooth out some pretty hideous roads is a party trick few cars manage. The steering is also full of feedback as you'd expect and perfectly judged, almost telepathically good. This is overlaid with a sound track that the MX5 can only dream about, and this helps it feel very special indeed. It did this while all the time feeling very comfortable over a 4 hour drive.
So far, I feel like I made the right choice!
I feel like writing some impressions now I'm in the house and chilled out and had time to reflect.
This car seems to feel different to my last Boxster S. For starters, it has more low end torque seemingly, pulled quite well even at fairly modest revs and in high gears with my old one never felt like it did. Maybe this is a difference between a pre and post facelift car? Either way it felt better than I remembered it in most respects, it really does seem mechanically spot on, as far as I can tell, and the inspection seemed to confirm this too.
Anyway, might as well give some comparison with the car it replaces, my NC MX5 BBR Super 200, given that the Boxster's arrival is due to me not feeling fully satisfied with the MX5 in the end. It's not the car, it's me. I've moved on from this sort of car. The TLDR is that the Porsche gives me everything I wanted that the MX5 was missing, despite being a very different sort of car. Read on...
The MX5 feels a lot lighter, obviously, but also feels a lot more tinny, something that was beginning to grate on me. They are really, truly excellent cars, and the BBR kit truly does wake it up, and makes it feel genuinely quite nippy, more so than a standard car though. That said, I think if I ever went back to an MX5, I'd try a forced induction one next time. It has fun handling for sure, but it also feels very 'busy', like it's fairly hard work to go not all that quickly. It feels a lot more on a knife edge than the Porsche. It really is fun, but it's a one-trick pony, as the car doesn't feel all that enjoyable unless you're kicking its head in. The engine, while torquey, revvy and sounding fairly raucous for a 4-pot, it is at the end of the day just a 4-pot. The engine just didn't feel special enough for me.
The driving experience in the Porsche is somewhat different. It feels like a very solid, well built car, with fairly heavy, physical controls, impressive traction, wonderfully balanced. Without trying very hard I was hustling the car 20% faster than in the MX5, where I'd be working very hard to keep up. It feels hugely confidence inspiring. The handling is free from lean, but is very secure and confidence inspiring when you do start to push it, and the damping is sublime. The way it handles corners then manages to ride so nicely and smooth out some pretty hideous roads is a party trick few cars manage. The steering is also full of feedback as you'd expect and perfectly judged, almost telepathically good. This is overlaid with a sound track that the MX5 can only dream about, and this helps it feel very special indeed. It did this while all the time feeling very comfortable over a 4 hour drive.
So far, I feel like I made the right choice!
TameRacingDriver said:
The MX5 feels a lot lighter but also feels a lot more tinny it also feels very 'busy', like it's fairly hard work to go not all that quickly.
It feels a lot more on a knife edge than the Porsche. It really is fun, but it's a one-trick pony, as the car doesn't feel all that enjoyable unless you're kicking its head in.
^^^ AgreedIt feels a lot more on a knife edge than the Porsche. It really is fun, but it's a one-trick pony, as the car doesn't feel all that enjoyable unless you're kicking its head in.
But that's why I like them (preferably an SC Mk1 / 2 as the Mk3 is too refined / too much grip for me) they make fun accessible at semi sensible speeds whilst the Porsche needs to be well into 3 figures to feel the same which is precisely why I don't drive one
If there weren't speed limits I'd have one as they are a bit of a bargain IMO
KTMsm said:
TameRacingDriver said:
The MX5 feels a lot lighter but also feels a lot more tinny it also feels very 'busy', like it's fairly hard work to go not all that quickly.
It feels a lot more on a knife edge than the Porsche. It really is fun, but it's a one-trick pony, as the car doesn't feel all that enjoyable unless you're kicking its head in.
^^^ AgreedIt feels a lot more on a knife edge than the Porsche. It really is fun, but it's a one-trick pony, as the car doesn't feel all that enjoyable unless you're kicking its head in.
But that's why I like them (preferably an SC Mk1 / 2 as the Mk3 is too refined / too much grip for me) they make fun accessible at semi sensible speeds whilst the Porsche needs to be well into 3 figures to feel the same which is precisely why I don't drive one
If there weren't speed limits I'd have one as they are a bit of a bargain IMO
CABC said:
Yes, they’re both good for different reasons. The xfr is yet more refined and composed, so leave that for your dotage!
I could still potentially see a Jag V8 some time in the future too be fair KTMsm said:
^^^ Agreed
But that's why I like them (preferably an SC Mk1 / 2 as the Mk3 is too refined / too much grip for me) they make fun accessible at semi sensible speeds whilst the Porsche needs to be well into 3 figures to feel the same which is precisely why I don't drive one
If there weren't speed limits I'd have one as they are a bit of a bargain IMO
Aye I reckon the mk1 that I had was easier to throw around due to the lower levels of grip. I always found it quite hard to overcome the grip on my NC especially with the PS4s all round, as good as they are.But that's why I like them (preferably an SC Mk1 / 2 as the Mk3 is too refined / too much grip for me) they make fun accessible at semi sensible speeds whilst the Porsche needs to be well into 3 figures to feel the same which is precisely why I don't drive one
If there weren't speed limits I'd have one as they are a bit of a bargain IMO
TameRacingDriver said:
Finally got her. Love it. Everything I'd hoped for
I'll write some proper impressions soon when I'm less knackered!
Edit: Never mind. I clicked on the photo for the larger version and see it's indeed dark blue. Really nice. Not a Porsche fan so don't follow them. But I think it must be a rare shade for the Boxster? I only remember seeing them in silver-ish shades.
Edited by Shifter1 on Friday 31st March 07:24
KTMsm said:
TameRacingDriver said:
The MX5 feels a lot lighter but also feels a lot more tinny it also feels very 'busy', like it's fairly hard work to go not all that quickly.
It feels a lot more on a knife edge than the Porsche. It really is fun, but it's a one-trick pony, as the car doesn't feel all that enjoyable unless you're kicking its head in.
^^^ AgreedIt feels a lot more on a knife edge than the Porsche. It really is fun, but it's a one-trick pony, as the car doesn't feel all that enjoyable unless you're kicking its head in.
But that's why I like them (preferably an SC Mk1 / 2 as the Mk3 is too refined / too much grip for me) they make fun accessible at semi sensible speeds whilst the Porsche needs to be well into 3 figures to feel the same which is precisely why I don't drive one
If there weren't speed limits I'd have one as they are a bit of a bargain IMO
Shifter1 said:
Nice. Can't tell if it's black reflecting the sky or a shade of blue? But looks really smart. Like it way more than the usual silver Boxster.
Edit: Never mind. I clicked on the photo for the larger version and see it's indeed dark blue. Really nice. Not a Porsche fan so don't follow them. But I think it must be a rare shade for the Boxster? I only remember seeing them in silver-ish shades.
Yeah it's Lapis blue I believe. Quite a nice shade. I probably prefer black ultimately like my last one but nice to have something different for a change, and as you say it's not a very common colour.Edit: Never mind. I clicked on the photo for the larger version and see it's indeed dark blue. Really nice. Not a Porsche fan so don't follow them. But I think it must be a rare shade for the Boxster? I only remember seeing them in silver-ish shades.
Shifter1 said:
Yeah this is the whole point of the MX5. It's a focused car, which knows what it wants to be. So I guess one-trick pony is an accurate description, but not necessarily a bad thing. I myself much prefer the NC. It offers a more modern ride while still being more fun and focused than almost anything else on the road. Plus, I can actually fit in a NC.
I'll always maintain that the problem wasn't the car it was me, I was after something different and I got what I wanted in the end so all good. I'm sure my NC, which will be going up for sale hopefully in the next week or so will make a great, cheap, fun and quick little sports car for someone Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff