Manual 981 Boxsters with a decent spec

[nick_968]

Looking for a decent spec 981 Boxster manual. They seem to be a bit thin on the ground in a decent colour combo and don't really want a white car. Happy with a 2.7 but these seem to be generally much lower spec than an S which makes sense. Guess it's not a great time of year to be looking as most private owners are going to wait until spring to try and get the best price. Not many cars with sports seats plus which I would really like. PASM and PSE also on the preferred options list. Seems like a 2.7 with those three options ticked is a pretty rare beast! Seen a couple of PDK cars that meet the criteria but PDK just doesn't do it for me. There does not seem to be any shortage of PDK cars on the market!

[Twinfan]

PDK is by far the more popular option, same for 911s too. Manuals are thin on the ground for all 981 models. Add in a few must-have options and as you're finding, you may have a long wait to find the car you want.....

[nick_968]

Amazing how many people opted for PDK's but I guess that just the way the market is going for new. If I was going to go down the PDK route I think it would have to be an S for the extra torque but part of me is still nervous abut buying a used PDK car due to the high cost of replacement outside of warranty and the lack of specialists who can repair them. From what I can tell they are pretty reliable but even so the cost of a replacement box is eye watering.

Edited by nick_968 on Monday 29th January 08:38

[bcr5784]

nick_968 said:

Amazing how many people opted for PDK's but I guess that just the way the market is going for new. If I was going to go down the PDK route I thin it would have to be an S for the extra torque but park of me is still nervous abut buying a used PDK car due to the high cost of replacement outside of warranty and the lack of specialists who can repair them. From what I can tell they are pretty reliable but even so the cost of a replacement box is eye watering.

While the extra torque of the S is certainly useful - I would have thought the shorter intermediate gearing of PDK would make the extra torque of the S less of an issue. As you say the potential repair costs are a serious issue - but a Porsche warranty should allay fears.

[nick_968]

Agreed when you are driving it like a manual but when its in auto mode the extra torque would probably help. Porsche warranty is great but it comes at a price which just makes a manual more attractive for a long term proposition to me at least. Most of all though I still want the connection you can only get from a manual gearbox.

That said if the perfect spec S came along with a PDK with sports seat plus I might be tempted....who knows!

[bcr5784]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I'd agree with that - a PDK test drive is worth a punt. Re 7th gear - true with the 2.7 engine. With the 3.4 it is a useful gear quite capable of pulling up gradients or relaxed overtaking on motorways. More decisive overtaking on motorways does demand a change down though.

[nick_968]

Thanks chaps. I did have a short test drive of a PDK in an S the other day but it was only on 30mph roads and 5 mins in duration. It left me very much wanting to drive a manual but I could be tempted by the right spec car with a warranty.

I can probably live with the high clutch but is there a decent foot rest to put your left foot when not using the clutch?

[Twinfan]

Yep, manual cars have a foot rest. I don't find the clutch that high, so it may be a personal preference thing.

[mr pg]

nick_968 said:

Thanks chaps. I did have a short test drive of a PDK in an S the other day but it was only on 30mph roads and 5 mins in duration. It left me very much wanting to drive a manual but I could be tempted by the right spec car with a warranty.

I can probably live with the high clutch but is there a decent foot rest to put your left foot when not using the clutch?

Before you decide which way to I recommend having a proper drive with pdk, using it in 'manual' mode on decent roads. I was set for a manual, but drove 3 cars with pdk in the end and bought the last one I drove.

[bcr5784]

Twinfan said:

Yep, manual cars have a foot rest. I don't find the clutch that high, so it may be a personal preference thing.

So do PDK ones - regretably it's so far from the brake pedal that it makes left foot braking more difficult than is ideal.

[HighwayStar]

mr pg said:

nick_968 said:

Thanks chaps. I did have a short test drive of a PDK in an S the other day but it was only on 30mph roads and 5 mins in duration. It left me very much wanting to drive a manual but I could be tempted by the right spec car with a warranty.

I can probably live with the high clutch but is there a decent foot rest to put your left foot when not using the clutch?

Before you decide which way to I recommend having a proper drive with pdk, using it in 'manual' mode on decent roads. I was set for a manual, but drove 3 cars with pdk in the end and bought the last one I drove.

I was in 2 minds when I started looking for a 981 CS... I'd only ever owned manuals, had a few DCT courtesy cars when mine was in for service.
After months of looking, nothing in the spec I wanted. One came up with everything except it was PDK. The test drive showed me the possibilities. It's the car I bought. You'll learn little in 5mins on 30mph roads. Get yourself an extended test drive, find some decent roads and get it in manual mode. You'll learn a lot more although you'll learn a lot more about how good the box is from ownership. I don't think of it as better than a manual, it's just another way to go. It brings different things to the table. I've since driven manual and PDK 718's, loaners from OPC, and for me personally... I prefer the PDK.

Edited by HighwayStar on Monday 29th January 15:44

[anonymous-user]

Those of us with manual 981S remain very pleased with ourselves! It's IMO one of the great sportscars of all time.

[HighwayStar]

rockin said:

Those of us with manual 981S remain very pleased with ourselves! It's IMO one of the great sportscars of all time.

And so you should be... I certainly wouldn't tell someone not to buy a manual if it was what they wanted. If they are considering PDK I'd say my piece as I have done. Standard advice as always is to try both... 5mins at up to 30mph isn't enough for test driving a manual or PDK though.

[jimmy p]

Message sent

[kilarney]

Driven both and the manual 2.7 was all the car I wanted ,the PDK did nothing for me. Having said that the manual 2.7 turned into the spyder but I would be happy with a 2.7 manual.

[Over over under steer]

I drive a manual 2013 non-S Boxster in White. Love it. I've got what I consider are all the options a Boxster needs, most will think underspecced.

- PSE
- The big wheels (whatever they're called)

And that's it! Actually it also has auto wipers/lights and dimming mirrors.

The sound of the car on sport, with PSE on is absolutely orgasmic, especially on a cold start. It's a proper sound that makes me fall in love iwth it every time. I tried a 3.4 with PSE, and although absolutely epic, I really preferred to sound of the smaller engine, and found it was a better power level for the road.

I keep looking at GTSs though and drool

[_Leg_]

I've got quite a fleet to play with and still love my manual S. Superb thing. Pound for pound, probably the best all round car I own. Probably ever owned actually. I'm not saying it's better than the other stuff but when I consider what it cost to buy and what it costs to own in comparison, superb. Don't think I'll ever sell it.