does my butt look fat?

By chance, I parked next to this 981 at the elephant seal beach near Hearst castle, during my trek from Pasadena back to Iowa. I'm biased, but I still prefer the 987's butt, especially in cayman.

[sphotos-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net]

For all the talk about handling and power, during long trips I feel like the double trunk storage space is the true secret weapon. Still wish there was a spare in the beyond 986 cars.

There was some median road work being done and when I crossed over to a self serve car wash, the right rear picked up a 2" sheet metal screw. Didn't notice until I turned the car on and the TPMS warning was lit. Turns out I was right next door to "Clark's German Auto Repair" and although they declined for logistical reasons, (they found the puncture) they refilled the tire and directed me to a Discount Tire facility a couple miles away. That place was amazing: quick, courteous service, and when it was time to pay, they said it was their "fix a flat for free day." They reblacked all four outer sidewalls, too. That was last September. Tire's on its last legs tread-wise and hasn't leaked at all. They follow the Rubber Manufacturers Association guidelines for repair: [www.rma.org] And there's a nationwide repair guarantee.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/24/2013 12:59PM by Laz. (view changes)

"A mile of highway will take you one mile. A mile of runway will take you anywhere."

"A mile of highway will take you one mile. A mile of runway will take you anywhere."

Although skydiving is ex post facto.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/2013 01:24PM by Laz. (view changes)

Horiztontal stripes will do that. Fashion rule of thumb, vertical stripes are more slendering. Must be that side-to-side ridge on the 981.

There are certain viewpoints of the 986 and 7 Boxster where the tail also looks thick, not so much horizontally, but in the "mass" from say, the spoiler to the tail's bottom edge. The rear apron has a large vertical profile, and a more distinct bumper, or sharper apex wrapping from side to side would diminish this. The new spoiler/wing, especially when retracted actually breaks up that vertical heaviness. The big difference from the Cayman has to do with the long fastback making even the direct rear view's proportions more sleek. For the Boxster, the rear view's tail "mass" actually begins at the top's termination and continues all the way down and back to the exhaust. Also, the new Boxster's higher rear belt line (which is also partly responsible for the diminished rear visibility) exacerbates the effect, but the new spoiler/wing line fortunately breaks this up. The posted comparison photo reveals the Cayman's rear termination to be more of an angular, horizontal apex, too, somewhat reminiscent of early 911s.

The Boxster is ever so slightly farther away, which brings the car "up." If the image were cut and the Boxster repositioned "lower," the relative heaviness would be somewhat diminished.

along the edges of the photo. Bad enough to make any meaningful comparison impossible.

Not a criticism of the photographer; it's simply a product of the relatively wide-angle lens, and the cars' tails being near the edge of the image.

[en.wikipedia.org])

Although speaking of wide angles, (and not in this case,) all too many "reference" car shots are taken way too close with a normal or wide lens that doesn't allow the viewer to comprehend the actual aesthetics. Our brains do a lot to process the visual field so we don't perceive distortions, but a camera can't do this. Color balance is something else our brains process, eliminating much of the cast of various "near white" light sources.

left of the 981 was an empty space, and right of the 987 was a recent model mustang.

other disclosures, at the time of the shot, the 981 had a lot more dirt on it than the 987. Also, the original owner of my 987 put in stiffer and shorter eibach springs, lowering it. I prefer the factory springs, but reversing the work is too costly for me.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/27/2013 03:30AM by Steve (Iowa). (view changes)

I remember going to the Porsche dealer in 1997 or 8 to check out this new mid-engine Porsche with the funny name. My teenage dream of once owning a Healey or XKE was re-ignited in my early 40's when I first eyed an NSX. Way out of my price range. Then in 1998 at 50 with the kid out of college there appeared a mid-engine sports car at half the price of an NSX. Off to the dealer I went. It looked great! Except, boy, did it look odd from the rear. No Italian designing here. No matter, it's a Porsche, it's mid-engine (no offense to 911 owners), and with a test drive the salesman needed only to reel in the line. Others' may have different aesthetic taste, but I still think my 987 butt is, well, just a bit too plump.

Having said all that, I had an epiphany after I took delivery of my 1999 (deposit put down a year earlier) Boxster. I had no issues with options for my 1999 - no S's, no "sports" anything except MO30 (got that), so the big decision was color. I fretted away hours only to finally get the very common arctic silver / black combo. The epiphany came after about 2 hours of driving my new baby: the car could be paisley and I wouldn't have cared. I don't see the color when I am driving, and I don't see the mildly bulbous butt. And I DO NOT care. I see the turn ahead, reach to downshift, equalize rpms, cut a corner, smile, and nothing else about the car matters. All those years of waiting, and getting to an age at which I can truly appreciate what I have, has more than fulfilled my teenage dream.

1999 Arctic Sivler/black/black (sold)
2008s Silver/black/black - so predictable
2011 Outback
8/24/2011 first Grandson

Something close (Joplin's 356)
[www.pca-ggr.org]

no room to park for a butt comparison though

[sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net]

and also some more side-by-side shots from a meeting of iowa porsche enthusiasts just a few days ago

[www.tapir.caltech.edu]
[www.tapir.caltech.edu]
[www.tapir.caltech.edu]
[www.tapir.caltech.edu]

We also have a 1998 C2S. Talk about a big butt...

I couldn't find a representative shot from the years when the taillights were smaller, but this will give you the idea. Sitting behind one while in a Porsche really shows what a bubble butt the Eclipse is.
[cloud8.canadianblackbook.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/27/2013 05:51PM by Laz. (view changes)

i like the nice butt of the 07 boxster.. thats why I have one. The lines and style is exactly what I was looking for.