Boxster Engine Ups & ideal spec
Discussion
Get an S.
May scrape one for 25k? if not I'd go LHD
Don't bother with the tweaked ones. Resale is peculiar.
silver/black most popular colours, the yellows and reds look fantastic but don't appeal to so many buyers
the box lot will probably be able to reel off a list of desirable options
May scrape one for 25k? if not I'd go LHD
Don't bother with the tweaked ones. Resale is peculiar.
silver/black most popular colours, the yellows and reds look fantastic but don't appeal to so many buyers
the box lot will probably be able to reel off a list of desirable options
Excellent decision Sir!
Whatever model you choose you will be getting a great car be it 2.5 / 2.7 / 3.2S. Go for an S if you can as you will inevitably want one, (6 speed / bigger drilled brakes / red callipers / more BHP) I know I do! Full service history is a must as parts from an OPC are ridiculously expensive. Fortunately they are very well made and don't often go wrong (touches huge lump of wood covered in rabblit's feet and four leaf clover - as car is going to Tech9 tomorrow for annual fettle). The Boxster won't grab you the same way a TVR will but it will reveal it's talents to you subtley the more you drive it. Especially when you think you are Stephan Roser and you inevitably overcook it into a bend and have a teeth gritted buttocks clenched moment. The car will float through and wonder what all the fuss is about!
Sorry meandering...Options wind deflector / air con / as much leather as you can find are de rigeuer. The accepted wisdom is don't go for a car that has sports suspension and 18" wheels - the ride is too hard. I've got 17's with the M030 and it is rock hard, no really rock, filling loosening, hard! But it handles.
If you want more power than an 'S' Ruf will pop a 3.6 996 engine in there or Gembella will happily turbocharge it for you but it becomes really expensive - in the £10K's. In all honesty for 95% of the driving I do my 2.5 has more than enough power to make progress. Remember Porsches are designed to make progress rather than the hot hatches which are tarted up versions of the standard car. It is not just about power but the whole package.
Go buy one I doubt you will regret it
Whatever model you choose you will be getting a great car be it 2.5 / 2.7 / 3.2S. Go for an S if you can as you will inevitably want one, (6 speed / bigger drilled brakes / red callipers / more BHP) I know I do! Full service history is a must as parts from an OPC are ridiculously expensive. Fortunately they are very well made and don't often go wrong (touches huge lump of wood covered in rabblit's feet and four leaf clover - as car is going to Tech9 tomorrow for annual fettle). The Boxster won't grab you the same way a TVR will but it will reveal it's talents to you subtley the more you drive it. Especially when you think you are Stephan Roser and you inevitably overcook it into a bend and have a teeth gritted buttocks clenched moment. The car will float through and wonder what all the fuss is about!
Sorry meandering...Options wind deflector / air con / as much leather as you can find are de rigeuer. The accepted wisdom is don't go for a car that has sports suspension and 18" wheels - the ride is too hard. I've got 17's with the M030 and it is rock hard, no really rock, filling loosening, hard! But it handles.
If you want more power than an 'S' Ruf will pop a 3.6 996 engine in there or Gembella will happily turbocharge it for you but it becomes really expensive - in the £10K's. In all honesty for 95% of the driving I do my 2.5 has more than enough power to make progress. Remember Porsches are designed to make progress rather than the hot hatches which are tarted up versions of the standard car. It is not just about power but the whole package.
Go buy one I doubt you will regret it
DRG said:
The accepted wisdom is don't go for a car that has sports suspension and 18" wheels - the ride is too hard. I've got 17's with the M030 and it is rock hard, no really rock, filling loosening, hard! But it handles.
I've got 18" Sport Designs on my S with the sports suspension and it's great. Admittedly it took a while to soften up but after about 7000 miles it stopped shaking my fillings out!! I'm just about to order another and it will also have 18s and lowered suspension - it handles sublimely and looks fantastic! I agree with all of the rest though!
OK, so gathered from that..
silver/black, AC, wind deflector, leather - musts ?
18" with Sports a consideration dependent on preference ?
what are the views for the PCM/sat nav system ? really wanted the next car to have some sort installed.
RUF or Gembella for upgrades...
I was wanting to get a 3.2, btu would have settled with a 2.7
Do you honestly think it's possible to pick up a 3.2 for my budget ?
silver/black, AC, wind deflector, leather - musts ?
18" with Sports a consideration dependent on preference ?
what are the views for the PCM/sat nav system ? really wanted the next car to have some sort installed.
RUF or Gembella for upgrades...
I was wanting to get a 3.2, btu would have settled with a 2.7
Do you honestly think it's possible to pick up a 3.2 for my budget ?
Rotaree said:
I've got 18" Sport Designs on my S with the sports suspension and it's great.
God you must be hard (or a masochist)!
A quick trawl through Autotrader shows about a dozen with mileage from 5k to 82K. You should find something.
2000 PORSCHE BOXSTER 3.2 S, 2000,
W reg. 37000 miles, Artic silver metallic, full black leather interior, air/con, 18 sport alloys, 6 cd multi changer, traction control, fPsh, MoTed July, 6mths tax. £25,950.
That do you? The 18 Sport design wheels are fantastic!
>> Edited by DRG on Wednesday 3rd March 12:38
After having had a trwal through ATrdr myself it comes down to several options..
cheap 2.5 + tune performance
spec'ed up 2.7 ideal package ?
early 3.2 bare car
Currently thinking the 2.7 spec'ed would be more useful than the 3.2 to me.
Plus, don't want to struggle to pick up a 3.2 when there is choice for 2.7's
Opinions ?
cheap 2.5 + tune performance
spec'ed up 2.7 ideal package ?
early 3.2 bare car
Currently thinking the 2.7 spec'ed would be more useful than the 3.2 to me.
Plus, don't want to struggle to pick up a 3.2 when there is choice for 2.7's
Opinions ?
I think the 2.5 is a no go. The cost of an early 2.5 will be about 18K which will only leave you with 7K to tune with. This is not a lot for tuning a Porsche - seriously! Porsche know what they are doing when they build a car and all the aftermarket manifolds / cats / exhasuts / air filters / ECU's are not going to give much of an improvement over standard - IMHO. Myplan is to keep the 2.5 for another year then buy an 'S'. I think it's the cheapest way forward. You may have a problem seling a 'tuned' car as well.
Whatever you get you will be getting a truly great car! I'd still go for the 'S' if you can afford it.
Good luck.
Whatever you get you will be getting a truly great car! I'd still go for the 'S' if you can afford it.
Good luck.
Agree with all points expressed.
The S is the one to have.
If you really want to tune it, companies such as Tech9 or DMS will take the 3.2 up to about 270-280, knocking on the door of 996 C2 territory there. Not that its a sloth in standard guise.
Whichever you go for, the handling is sublime. It really sticks like shit to a blanket.
One aspect I disagree on is parts prices etc, I don't think its particularly expensive. OK, not Ford service prices, but Emmas Box costs less to service than her MX-5 did. Go figure. Oh, and it does about the same to the gallon too.
If you need any more info re the S, give me a shout.
Cheers,
Greg
The S is the one to have.
If you really want to tune it, companies such as Tech9 or DMS will take the 3.2 up to about 270-280, knocking on the door of 996 C2 territory there. Not that its a sloth in standard guise.
Whichever you go for, the handling is sublime. It really sticks like shit to a blanket.
One aspect I disagree on is parts prices etc, I don't think its particularly expensive. OK, not Ford service prices, but Emmas Box costs less to service than her MX-5 did. Go figure. Oh, and it does about the same to the gallon too.
If you need any more info re the S, give me a shout.
Cheers,
Greg
I would agree, get an S. I test drove both 2.7 and S before I bought my S. Its a great car. 100% reliable, and with the 6 speed, you get 30mpg on motorway runs !
Standard on S is half leather (seat facings) and Climate. Loads of silver ones around, I really wanted silevr but went for blue just to be a bit different !
When it comes to cost of services etc, go to a non franchised agent like Northways - they know what they are doing and their labour rates are less than 50% of OPCs. Ive got full main dealer history, but if I had a car over 3 or 4 years old I wouldnt bother.
Mines up for grabs BTW (need 4 seats !)
. Check it out on the classifieds
Standard on S is half leather (seat facings) and Climate. Loads of silver ones around, I really wanted silevr but went for blue just to be a bit different !
When it comes to cost of services etc, go to a non franchised agent like Northways - they know what they are doing and their labour rates are less than 50% of OPCs. Ive got full main dealer history, but if I had a car over 3 or 4 years old I wouldnt bother.
Mines up for grabs BTW (need 4 seats !)
. Check it out on the classifiedsraks said:
OK, so you're all really pushing the S.
I guess there is that much of a differenc to be had between the models.
There really is that much difference. You should go and test drive a couple to see for yourself. Also the S is much better specced than the 2.7 so, apart from the engine, you get much more with a basic S than you do with a basic 2.7.
raks said:
Another suggestion has been pushed through my door... Z3 M. Opinions or Experiences
Z3......Clown's shoe The roadster is sh1te. Handles abysmally and looks like a clown's shoe owned by a cross dressing hairdresser. Not recommended.
The M Coupe is a different matter. The stiffer bodyshell makes it much more of a driver's car, and you can get an excellent car for your budget. Highly recommended.
Also check out 993 Cabriolets. You may be able to get a nice one for your budget, but they are a very different creature to the Boxster S. Not as good or as modern or as able all round as asportscar, but a nice looking old school machine with plenty of character.
The M Coupe is a different matter. The stiffer bodyshell makes it much more of a driver's car, and you can get an excellent car for your budget. Highly recommended.
Also check out 993 Cabriolets. You may be able to get a nice one for your budget, but they are a very different creature to the Boxster S. Not as good or as modern or as able all round as asportscar, but a nice looking old school machine with plenty of character.
My mate got an S in a privatre sale the other day for 26 grand, W reg. It has 17" wheels (ie standard ones), full leather (nice), silver with blue interior, sound pack, wind deflector. This is a medium spec car.
I think mine is a fairly high spec one.....(I would want one with all these bits on ideally if I replaced it tomorrow):
Y reg, Black metallic, black leather (full), elec heated sports seats (high-backed jobbies with plastic backs), 18" wheels (yummy looking), on-board computer, sound pack, 31K miles. I paid 29 grand from an OPC in December 2003.
For this spec with 25 grand, you are looking at a 2.7. However, I would rather have a slightly lower spec S (like my mate's W reg one) than a higher spec 2.7 (all the bits mine has plus say PSM or PCM).
Not many Boxsters have PCM (sat nav). I don't know why, they just don't. The only 2 things I would have liked on mine that it doesn't have are cruise control and PSM (very fancy traction control).
Don't bother tuning. Get the biggest engine you can afford and keep the car standard. You won't get your money back (for the mods) at resale. It is money down the drain.
I think mine is a fairly high spec one.....(I would want one with all these bits on ideally if I replaced it tomorrow):
Y reg, Black metallic, black leather (full), elec heated sports seats (high-backed jobbies with plastic backs), 18" wheels (yummy looking), on-board computer, sound pack, 31K miles. I paid 29 grand from an OPC in December 2003.
For this spec with 25 grand, you are looking at a 2.7. However, I would rather have a slightly lower spec S (like my mate's W reg one) than a higher spec 2.7 (all the bits mine has plus say PSM or PCM).
Not many Boxsters have PCM (sat nav). I don't know why, they just don't. The only 2 things I would have liked on mine that it doesn't have are cruise control and PSM (very fancy traction control).
Don't bother tuning. Get the biggest engine you can afford and keep the car standard. You won't get your money back (for the mods) at resale. It is money down the drain.
I think Mr Senna did great getting that from OPC for 29K. Ive looked at current prices so I could price mine up, similar spec would now be min 32K (seasonal?)
Take a look at mine if youre local, Im open to offers.
www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=19885&s=126
BTW I spoke to a couple of independants about a 993 Cab - they said that they werent the best cars that Porsche have produced, very poor in terms of Hood operation and quality. I would love to get a 996 Cab but just cant afford one right now so thinking about BMW 330 or M3 cab.....
Take a look at mine if youre local, Im open to offers.
www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=19885&s=126
BTW I spoke to a couple of independants about a 993 Cab - they said that they werent the best cars that Porsche have produced, very poor in terms of Hood operation and quality. I would love to get a 996 Cab but just cant afford one right now so thinking about BMW 330 or M3 cab.....
Go for the M Coupe! Check out all the details on www.z3mcoupe.com
I drive one and would highly recommend it over a Boxster. Certainly if you want more TVR like thrills and outright performance. £25k will get you a decent one, with FBMWSH. There arent really any options to consider. With the same engine as the M3, they are pretty bulletproof. And with only a few hundred in this country, compared to a few million Boxsters, you'll turn heads. And save money on servicing.
The sacrifice of not getting a convertible is the extra torsional rigidity. More details on the site I mentioned.
Good luck with the hunt, whichever you go for will be lots of fun
Cheers
Lee
I drive one and would highly recommend it over a Boxster. Certainly if you want more TVR like thrills and outright performance. £25k will get you a decent one, with FBMWSH. There arent really any options to consider. With the same engine as the M3, they are pretty bulletproof. And with only a few hundred in this country, compared to a few million Boxsters, you'll turn heads. And save money on servicing.
The sacrifice of not getting a convertible is the extra torsional rigidity. More details on the site I mentioned.
Good luck with the hunt, whichever you go for will be lots of fun
Cheers
Lee
gotta disagree with you on that one.
I used to have an M3 E36 Evo, same engine as M coupe.
Boxster S engine is much better lower down the rev range - you've really gotta work the old M3 engine.
Also I dont think you'll get a much better balanced handling car than the Boxster for the money.
As for the convertible factor, you hardly notice the "rigidity" issue, and when the sun comes out you know you'll wish for the rag-top
I used to have an M3 E36 Evo, same engine as M coupe.
Boxster S engine is much better lower down the rev range - you've really gotta work the old M3 engine.
Also I dont think you'll get a much better balanced handling car than the Boxster for the money.
As for the convertible factor, you hardly notice the "rigidity" issue, and when the sun comes out you know you'll wish for the rag-top
DRG said:
Excellent decision Sir!
Fortunately they are very well made and don't often go wrong
The 2.5 however does not have the best reliabiliy record, the engines are known to self destruct, esp as the miles creep up.
Best Boxster- another point of view= get a 2.5 with a blown engine, bung in GT3 Mk1 lump & Box S gearbox, Bilstein pSS9 suspension & big reds.
Cest Bon, les Boxster magnifique.
Don't think its quite achevable on your budget & yes you will take a big hit come resale time, but it would indeed be fun.
iguana said:
The 2.5 however does not have the best reliabiliy record, the engines are known to self destruct, esp as the miles creep up.
Best Boxster- another point of view= get a 2.5 with a blown engine, bung in GT3 Mk1 lump & Box S gearbox, Bilstein pSS9 suspension & big reds.
Cest Bon, les Boxster magnifique.
Don't think its quite achevable on your budget & yes you will take a big hit come resale time, but it would indeed be fun.
Oh yes, lots of fun... Need deep wallets for that one though mate!
My old 2.5 did indeed have a bunch of probs, mostly electrical gremlins rather than the (well documented) engine problems (thank goodness!), so not quite the quality pork that people might have you believe
Fox
---
964C2
rumbletumble said:
I think Mr Senna did great getting that from OPC for 29K. Ive looked at current prices so I could price mine up, similar spec would now be min 32K (seasonal?)
It was a good price, probably because I bought it only a few days before Xmas. They said it was up for £32,500 the week before. The sticker price was £29,999 and I got it for 29K.
But back on topic, raks, I reckon you should stretch the budget to 26K and get an S privately. Later in the year you could get one for 25K, especially if you wait till nearer Xmas.
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