Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Boxter Experience

Hi Peter,

I've had two 982 gen Boxters and they are hands down one of my fav cars that I've owned to date!

The first was a GTS with the 2.5 and then a Spyder with the 4.0. I much preferred the 2.5. Better gearing, eager engine etc. If you can swing it, try for a 2.5 which comes in the S and the GTS before they moved that to the 4.0.

I do however ask you try and find one with automatic climate control. The one you are looking at has the manual version. Yes, it's a roadster and HVAC to most would seem pointless but trust me when I say that the manual version is horrid. The biggest regret most have is not getting the auto set up.

Other must have options are PASM, Porsches adaptive suspension. It's simply amazing how comfortable the chassis is in Normal setting and dare I say, almost luxury levels. The beautiful thing about Porsche sports cars is that they build the stiffness into the chassis and then let the suspension do it's thing in making it a comfortable ride.

You also want to look for the full leather interior. This gives you door inserts, full leather seats and leather wrapped dash. Once you see one with it, you will wonder why you didn't get it.

Lastly, Crayon - DO IT. I really miss my first one which was in Crayon and it's such a lovely colour.

Good luck,

P

secondhand Boxster @ 55k secondhand MX5 20k. No brainer MX5 and a secondhand 4/4 with the change.

+1

You cold even get an early roadster

I had one from new in 2014. Brilliant car. Swapped it for a 911 a couple of years later; the Boxster beats it everywhere hands down. Makes an unearthly howl when you rag it. Steering is sublime as is the suspension - and I had the standard S. I also had a manual gearbox although the PDK, particularly in the real world, is also great. Rather weirdly, I still prefer the Morgan but would have one as a second car in a shot.

I've owned 4 Porsches and two of which were Boxster
2013 (981) Boxster PDK
2018 (982) 718 Boxster Manual
Great cars and they are slow deprecating so you can have your fun without it costing you too much.

I drove a 2.0L 2017 with PDK and Sport Chrono Pack yesterday.
Basic upholstery, Bose sound system.

How do Porsche make a car running 19" wheels ride over rubbish roads so well, yet corner as if on rails.
Overall I'm impressed, but will not be changing, because the bog standard seats don't fit me.
Trying a model S with Spots Seats Plus, sitting on the seat in the showroom it was much better.

Driving home in the Tesla, on some of the same roads shows it up for what it is.

The Tesla will go next week, so until Tarka is back it we are a 1 car family. HELP!!

So what do you mean Peter? Is the suspension too hard on the Tesla, or too soft, steering etc.?
I'd love to hear your feelings about why you don't want to keep it.
Nick

Porsche have always been good at making the chassis and suspension mounts strong so the energy goes into the spring/damper and not the body. I remember the 968 Club Sport I had years ago. For a modest power you could make very impressive progress.

As for the seats being a bit naff. Well that's just another reason to have a HUGE options list which they certainly do.

I would go for an S model as the engine is more responsive in the upper range and so much more entertaining to push along.
I would look for a model with the extended leather as it makes the interior feel a lot more Porsche level.
I am not certain I would have a four pot. I love Scobaru's flat four noise but don't want it (reduced) in a Porsche. It needs that smooth six.

Unless the soft top is a must do look at Caymans as they are not as popular and often you can find a better value car as a result.

I have never even sat in a Boxter or a Tesla thus I am doing no more than passing time rambling on as opposed to clearing out a slot drain.....!!

Ride comfort.... There was a set of 14 inch Millrace wheels from an early +8 for sale as linked to an ebay add the later dia wheels being 15" with the tyre difference providing the same rolling radius, which seems to suggest that the ride might be more compliant on 14" with larger sidewall tyres...? Porsche did much the same on 911`s of a similar era, going from 15" on the comfort model and to 16" on the sport, while using different shockers for the 15" than for the 16"... I wonder if Morgan might have changed anything in the suspension when they made the decision to go for lower profile tyres..? A change of shocker oil viscosity perhaps..?

I owned a 911 SC with the 15" wheels at the time of the 993 launch and having experienced the 911 SC Sport on 16"as a somewhat stiffer ride, as I walked up to the then new 993, noting the much much lower tyre profile I expected a somewhat jarring ride, given the roads I was about to drive over.... I was most surprised to discover it felt as comfortable and more than my old SC , handling was also greatly improved as was the grunt from low revs... I suspect Porsche have learned a thing or two over the years when it comes to making improvements to the way sports cars handle..?

I suspect the later Aero based Morgans have improved suspension over the Trads and perhaps much more so the CX, thus not quite the rather vintage cart spring and sliding pillar that I have enjoyed over many a year on my old +8, even though it has the "advantage" of Koni shockers front and rear...That typed the +8 fitted my ideal of sports car fun for many a year.. Still does on warm dry days..(-:

I feel fortunate to also own a Porsche 991 at this time, I am told it has an engine, though it is nowhere to be seen when the lid is lifted to try to find it, only to expose a couple of fans and caps for oil and water top up.. Perhaps Porsches half way house strategy to prepare it`s customers for concealed electric motors as a means of rapid propulsion instead of engines.. After all who gets excited at the sight of electric motors and associated circuitry, compared to polished rocker covers and carbs or throttle bodies... OK. OK, so I have been rather impressed with electric motors, their uses, controls and performance other than in the automotive realm.. Sigh!

Tesla with it`s GDI screen and selectable f*rty seat sounds, even a visual of a log burner, yeah ballistic as it might be and despite all it`s toys, perhaps even push button selectable exhaust roar of any supercar you care to chose being available.... Is all much more than a step too far for this old Luddite. It would seem to be a compliant transport system and a computer system on wheels that as with other electric vehicles I could live with if it were efficient affordable and proven to be the right way forward to make he planet more liveable for future generations...

Yeah the 991 too has loads of digital decisions made for the old duffer I have become, with switchable actions to select a tad more sport when in the mood, the exhaust baffles are switchable for a more fruity note, and it even has induction roar fed into the cabin to feed ones yoofull desires... (-:

For sure I would have preferred an air cooled 911 but I suspect that the advanced technology of the 991 while capable of being more of a sports car than I might be able to handle with it`s unnecessary 400 HP, yet my good lady is more than happy to drive it, thus it better matches our all round requirements of a sports car at this time..And can act as a somewhat classy carriage if and when desired.

For me my +8 Morgan provided enough of a vintage driving experience without the high cost of purchase and running of a true vintage sports car of similar performance levels...A zillion miles away from my current Porsche, and all the better for it...Horses for courses... Were it not for my long association with 911`s, when I was considering a tin top replacement for my Mog, I suspect I might have gone for a Cayman.

Peter, if you have read this, might I suggest that you consider it worthwhile to have a look at the ESSENTIAL buyers guides as written by Adrian Streather. I met him a few years back, and as best I can remember he was an aircraft engineer who knows his way around Porsches of many types as a hands on enthusiast.. He has written buyers guides for all sorts of Porsches as well as the 986 Boxter, 987 Boxter&Cayman combined, 2006-2009 and a follow up from 2009-20012. with another version for the 981 Boxter&Cayman from 2012- 2016, all filled with practical information. I have bought a few of his books. published by Veloce.

Good luck in your choices Peter.