Boxster lights - xenons essential?
Discussion
I'm looking to buy a 987 Boxster. My last two cars have both had xenon lights and I have got used to the amount and quality of the light they produce. However xenons seem to be fairly rare on the used Boxsters that I have seen. Anyone have experience of both types of headlight on the Boxster?
I wouldn't stop the fact a car didn't have them from me buying a perfect car. Xenons are nice to have, depends I suppose if you are going to be driving in winter a lot on unlit roads I suppose. I've bought them with or without, condition of car is always more important than one single option alone, IMO!!
For me, yes, they are essential. A month ago, I bought a 987 Boxster (2005) with Xenons. I regularly borrow a 2009 Cayman that doesn't have them. If you buy a car without Xenons you will have to drive slowly at night. I know this makes it a lot more difficult to find the right car but it really is worth it. It's surprising how few people chose this option when spec'ing their 987s.
In the past, I have added HID kits, one for dipped & one for full beam to a 993 & a 986, but these just aren't as good as the factory Xenons - the dipped installation was a success but the full beam wasn't bright enough on one of the installations. HID kits interfere with the radio reception too.
Wollemi said:
Some of my most memorable drives have been late at night on unlit roads. So for me the quality of the headlights is very important - and I can't have huge spotlights on a Boxster like I had on my Subarus!
I think you have your answer.Having had a 987 with xenons and also experience of various 987 without, I would seek them out.
And another vote for Xenon's! My 987 didn't have Xenons and the lights were so distinctly "average" (having previously had 2 BMW's with Xenons) that I had to go out and buy some "Night Breaker" Xenon bulbs to try and bridge the gap to full Xenons! Now I wouldn't have a car without Xenon lights .... 
Edited by MadMark911 on Monday 22 April 17:54
tr7v8 said:
My 986 has non-HID lights & has been fine. Although I've never found HID to be that different, having had two S-Types back to back & one had them the other didn't.
Back in the day when I bought a 986s without HID, it followed a BMW with HID. The difference was like night and day...I upgraded the 986s bulbs which helped but dipped beam was always poor. The 997s I have now is HID equipped and is much, much better.
My 987s does not have Xenons, and I found the standard lighting sad.
Fitted alleged can-bus friendly HID kit from a market leader and they were unreliable just like the alleged market leader.
They were very quickly removed to been replaced with a bulb upgrade, notable improvement over the standard bulbs.
As someone has already said don't let a good car go just because it does not have Xenons, rightly they are preferable, but don't let it be a deal breaker.
986 owners seem to fair a lot better with HID kits
Fitted alleged can-bus friendly HID kit from a market leader and they were unreliable just like the alleged market leader.
They were very quickly removed to been replaced with a bulb upgrade, notable improvement over the standard bulbs.
As someone has already said don't let a good car go just because it does not have Xenons, rightly they are preferable, but don't let it be a deal breaker.
986 owners seem to fair a lot better with HID kits
Wollemi said:
I'm looking to buy a 987 Boxster. My last two cars have both had xenon lights and I have got used to the amount and quality of the light they produce. However xenons seem to be fairly rare on the used Boxsters that I have seen. Anyone have experience of both types of headlight on the Boxster?
I was very pleased to have my xenons back after a week in a courtesy boxster without. The difference really is very pronounced.I'm sure you'd get used to it though.
My 986 is pretty crappy on dipped beam but lights up the road for miles on main beam! I live out in the sticks a bit and when I first got the old girl I really wasn't that happy with the dipped beam (foot hovering over brake pedal a bit), but you get used to it.
Night time driving with the top dropped is just the best partof owning a convertible - way better than daytime IMO - so when I look at another newer model at some point, I'd be pretty swayed by the inclusion of Xenons.
Night time driving with the top dropped is just the best partof owning a convertible - way better than daytime IMO - so when I look at another newer model at some point, I'd be pretty swayed by the inclusion of Xenons.
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