Hmmm... another interesting non Morgan thread
I ran a Boxster S for four years and traded it in for a 911 C2 which I again ran for four years. Both were manuals, and running them back to back was interesting. I loved the Boxster S, it was agile, quick enough, had great brakes, an excellent roof system, and reasonable practicality (i.e. adequate luggage space for a weeks holiday in France).
There was an element of the Clarkson pressure (you know, the "...you only buy a Boxster if you can't afford a 911...") behind the 911 purchase. In some ways I felt that the Boxster S was the better all round sports car, but the 911 was a more rewarding drive if you drove it well... it didn't take kindly to clumsy or lazy inputs though! The best option on the 911 was the switchable sports exhaust... lovely noise on bypass
Should have said... I bought a very late model 996 Carrera 2 (in 2004) with the 3.6lt. 320bhp water cooled engine. At the time, I had the option of trading in the Boxster S against a lovely one owner late model 993 C4S for slightly less money, but the 993 felt old, noisy and ergonomically un cohesive compared to my Boxster S. By comparison, the 996 911 shared much of the panelling and interior with the Boxster and I just felt more at home in it. Servicing on the 993 was considerably more expensive too.
Being new, mine only had routine main dealer servicing, at about £300 to £350 p.a. I had no other expenditure as I sold it after 4 years with ~11k dry miles on it - the next owner got a lovely car. I feel that the later 3.6lt. engines were better sorted, especially the cylinder liner issues. Regarding residuals, I got just over 60% of the purchase price back in the part ex, which is better than most run of the mill machinery, so overall it wasn't a bad all round ownership proposition.
With 20:20 hindsight I'd have been better waiting a couple of months and going for the much improved 997, but my logic at the time was that I'd rather take a well sorted end of run 996 than order a new untried and tested 997 unseen... Wrong
So, PaulJ, I'd go for a late 3.6lt. 996 or if the budget permits a 997, Carrera 2 manual of course
