Porsche 986 boxster leg room (£5k sports car budget)

[Paulporsche5]

Basically, do people with long legs fit in a boxster? And do manual seats give you more room?..... details:

Test drove a 2005 boxster 2.7 and a slk350 v6 as both in budget. Merc quicker on paper but felt slower, was quiet and had hard rock hard suspension and woolly steering. Not nice. Porsche was wonderful. Nice noise, felt quick, sublime steering, BUT I DID NOT FIT !

I am only 6ft and 34.5 inside leg so from reading on here i didn't think it'd be a problem but the seat needed to go back another 2in for me to drive comfortably, ie to heel and toe and not have right leg hit steerong wheel (uk, right had drive).

Driven 2 porsches, 2002 and 2005, both similar, both had electric power seats though.... so my question is do manual seats give you more room? because I don't want to drive another 100 miles and find I still don't fit lol ! Oh, and if anyone has any suggestions for a 5K sports car of any kind i would be really happy to hear them - not 350z tho (i am a badge snob and could not contemplate telling people i drive a Nissan, sorry). Cheers!

P

[ClaphamBoxS]

Paulporsche5 said:

Basically, do people with long legs fit in a boxster? And do manual seats give you more room?..... details:

Test drove a 2005 boxster 2.7 and a slk350 v6 as both in budget. Merc quicker on paper but felt slower, was quiet and had hard rock hard suspension and woolly steering. Not nice. Porsche was wonderful. Nice noise, felt quick, sublime steering, BUT I DID NOT FIT !

I am only 6ft and 34.5 inside leg so from reading on here i didn't think it'd be a problem but the seat needed to go back another 2in for me to drive comfortably, ie to heel and toe and not have right leg hit steerong wheel (uk, right had drive).

Driven 2 porsches, 2002 and 2005, both similar, both had electric power seats though.... so my question is do manual seats give you more room? because I don't want to drive another 100 miles and find I still don't fit lol ! Oh, and if anyone has any suggestions for a 5K sports car of any kind i would be really happy to hear them - not 350z tho (i am a badge snob and could not contemplate telling people i drive a Nissan, sorry). Cheers!

P

Hi....i have a 2001 S....am a fraction over 6 foot and guess i am inside leg 31/32...take a standard leg on jeans etc...

I don’t have the seat fully back but not much room left poss one click? don’t have any issues and steering wheel is below leg( although again fairly close )

It’s manual seat,but electric seat back i think..

[MrBen1]

6'3, 34ish inside leg here, 2001 Boxster S. Seat is squeezed right back as far as it will go against the bulkhead. It's certainly not the roomiest car and there is more leg room in a 911 but they are a lot more money. It's only a toy so I put up with it as I love driving it, but think I would find it cramped as a daily.

[markirl]

6'2" with a '98 Boxster here, no issues with legroom - from memory I raised the seat ever so slightly which allowed it to go further back - not 100% sure as it never moves

[Paulporsche5]

Thanks for all the opinions, especially mrBen1, which I think chimes with my experience. it is driveable, but not comfortable which sadly means I wouldn't feel confident driving enthusiastically. Such a shame as I really love the car (I like 911 too, but as you know, this is much more money). The SLK had loads of leg room but was a totally unengaging car with rock hard idiotic suspension lol !

So, will have to save the pennies for a 911 then I guess. Unless the Cayman has more legroom? Will have to have a look.

thanks again, very useful

[Paulporsche5]

So I've sat and drove i a couple more now. I am 6 foot and long legged and i just cannot get comfy. The pedals are a couple of inches too close, the steering wheel is too big and the seat doesn't go low enough.... i think i may have to consider a 350z afterall If only it didn't have that horrible badge lol !

[Om]

I take perverse delight in telling people I drive a Nissan. What do I care if they think its a Micra...

[Paulporsche5]

Om said:

I take perverse delight in telling people I drive a Nissan. What do I care if they think its a Micra...

50 years from now, in the nursing home:

"Good morning Mr Om, sorry I'm a little late but my car's charging terminal packed up"

I remember having a petrol car back in the day, you probably won't remember those?

"I've heard stories about them, what did you have?"

I had a Porsche

"Ooo, I bet that was nice, before the petrol ran out!"

Yes, it sounded lovely


Now try:


I remember having a petrol car back in the day, you probably won't remember those?

"I've heard stories about them, what did you have?"

I had a Nissan 350z

"Ooo I think my nan had one of those"

No no, this was a zed car

"Z reg? yes I think my nan's car was z reg"

No, the z cars were.... look, have you heard of Porsche?

[Om]

Paulporsche5 said:

Om said:

I take perverse delight in telling people I drive a Nissan. What do I care if they think its a Micra...

50 years from now, in the nursing home:

"Good morning Mr Om, sorry I'm a little late but my car's charging terminal packed up"

I remember having a petrol car back in the day, you probably won't remember those?

"I've heard stories about them, what did you have?"

I had a Porsche

"Ooo, I bet that was nice, before the petrol ran out!"

Yes, it sounded lovely


Now try:


I remember having a petrol car back in the day, you probably won't remember those?

"I've heard stories about them, what did you have?"

I had a Nissan 350z

"Ooo I think my nan had one of those"

No no, this was a zed car

"Z reg? yes I think my nan's car was z reg"

No, the z cars were.... look, have you heard of Porsche?

Which part of 'What do I care if they think its a Micra...' did you not get?

Besides, the response to 'I had a Porsche' would likely be:

'Ooo, one of those nice big SUVs? Lovely.'

[CX53]

It's a shagged out old poor man's Porsche for 5 grand mate get over yourself

[Paulporsche5]

Only joking people! I said I was a badge snob

Apologies to all Nissan drivers

Edited by Paulporsche5 on Saturday 4th July 11:53

[aka_kerrly]

Paulporsche5 said:

Only joking people! I said I was a badge snob

Apologies to all Nissan drivers

Edited by Paulporsche5 on Saturday 4th July 11:53

Maybe try driving one an see what you think?
Or find a Nissan Skyline G35, you can tell people you have a Skyline and then anyone who actually cares will tell you that you don't have a Skyline anyway the same way Boxster owners get told they have a poor man's Porsche.

Why care!?

[Bullet-Proof_Biscuit]

You should be fine, I’m 6’1 and fitted well in my 986. I did later on get a centre console delete which’s topped left leg rubbing on console - itus.

You’ll be fine, get the 986

[aka_kerrly]

Paulporsche5 said:

Only joking people! I said I was a badge snob

Apologies to all Nissan drivers

Edited by Paulporsche5 on Saturday 4th July 11:53

Maybe try driving one an see what you think?
Or find a Nissan Skyline G35, you can tell people you have a Skyline and then anyone who thinks they are a smart ass will tell you that you don't have a Skyline the same way Boxster owners get told they have a poor man's Porsche.

Why care!?

[Paulporsche5]

Yes, you're probably right.
I think I either have to put up being a bit cramped or increase the budget to 987 which are couple inches longer in cabin

[Nyloc20]

I'm not sure if the later ones give much more legroom. I'm almost 6ft with longish legs and I have to have the seat fully back in my 981. The bottom of the steering wheel just clears the top of my legs.

[Paulporsche5]

that's interesting point

anyway, going to see one with centre console delete so will see if that makes much difference...

[edc]

The 987 seats are a touch lower. Or the GT3 buckets were an option and go lower and a touch further back

[cerb4.5lee]

I reckon that a Nissan Micra is actually quicker than a 2.7 Boxster isn't it?!

I'd rather have a fast car with a poor badge...than a slow Boxster with a rich badge.

[Paulporsche5]

lol, i thought the manual felt pretty preppy... tiptronic felt slower than the stats suggest (I have an alfa giulietta 1.4 tb and that is quick enough for me tbh)

i'd rather have a cerbera though, but then it also has to start in the morning too