Re: new toy. same giant smile.

hello old friends. hello new friends. a lot has changed in the last 21 years, but that feelin of driving a Boxster...still simply awesome!

the 981 isn't an upgrade to the 986 - it's an entirely different car! wow. just wow! I love them both!

I hope to see you out there. if it's possible to miss this blue beauty, you'll know me by the giant SMILE!

doug


i'm keeping her forever (the car too)


i'm keeping her forever (the car too)

Great set of pictures. Congratulations! Like you, my wife and I have had 986, 987, and 981 Boxsters through the years. You really never get tired of them.

Great pictures, great memories.

Congratulations. That 981 is a beauty.

Congrats, love to hear more thoughts on your comparisons between the 986 and the 981.

Same:
- Model=Boxster
- Big smile

Different:
- Everything else

My '98 is a bare-bones config, with console delete. I had sport shocks with H+R for much of the time...just traded back to sport OEM shocks and springs. I added heated seats and leather door panels later. It's plain inside, and I like that. 149k of fun, fun, fun, and some frustration. The drivetrain has been solid, but I've seen every other early Boxster issue and other common issues and maintenance. I've learned a lot about the car and do the work when I can. I've driven it on the track and at autocross, on road trips with my wife, and to work most days. I've been through more 17" tires than any of you are old. Both of my kids learned to drive a manual in it (respectably, not perfectly). I know how the car handles...it speaks to me. 200HP has always been plenty, as I've really loved focusing on the handling of the car. But I always enjoyed driving cars with more HP. The car is too small for me (6'0", 230lbs), but what choice do I have?! It is my little go cart. It's tossable and predictable, and loves to live at the top end of the RPM range. And it's got the best sound of any car ever. EVER. (Sure, I'm biased.) Best of all, it has been a conduit to meet many great people.

2016 GTS
- The GTS is BLUE. holy hell is it BLUEtiful. I love the arctic silver on my 986, but the Sapphire BLUE is spectacular. A big change. I got rear ended in my 986 (when just 1 year old)...no way could they have not seen me in the BLUE GTS. I've been hunting for this car since I saw the Sapphire Blue Cayman GT4.
- And no way can they not hear me either. Where the 986 hums and whines (beautifully), BLUE roars, burbles and pops. I like it. I probably love it. But I love the sound of the 986 more. Very different.
- HP: BLUE has it (330). 986 was always enough. BLUE GOOOOOOOOOOES. My wife calls the car "trouble." I call the car BLUE.
- Driver aids - BLUE is loaded with everything except the PCCB brakes. I haven't explored any of this yet
- Interior is LOADED with leather, alcantara and carbon fibre. and lots of buttons.
- one-button top. on the 986 I always did the chop and laid down a towel. Oh the joy to sit in the seat and put the top up or down with one button
- the 986 seats fit me well. after having sat in the GTS seats, I feel like I'm sitting in the GTS seats and on the 986 seats
- roomier. I'm more comfortable. MY WIFE IS MORE COMFORTABLE! safer with the head-knocker roll bar further away.
- sport steering wheel in the GTS. I love how both cars have no added buttons. steer with the thing
- ride...on the 20" wheels in Sport Plus mode in the GTS is superior in every way to the 986. it's comfortable. and incredible.
- I feel like I can take the 986 apart and put it back together all in my garage. I don't think I'll do as much on this high-tech contraption. Sensors, bells, whistles everywhere.
- cupholders and a glovebox in the GTS!
- BLUE

It'll take a long time to really explore the handling of the GTS, but for now I spend a lot of time accelerating and decelerating, accelerating and decelerating, accelerating and decelerating. Did I say that it goes?

I grew up driving VWs. I love the rounded fenders on the 986 and the bare interior. Except for the fenders, the appearance of BLUE wins in every other way.

I'm sure I'll have additional thoughts, but I've gotta go drive it now.

Great comparison.

"Tossable" is a fitting term for the 986; light, responsive and enough power to have fun with.

After nearly 7 years in our 981S, the things that stand out for me are-styling, power, handling and comfort.
I thought styling might change in the rankings after 7 years, but the car still gets a lot of compliments every time we get it on the road.

I'm sure you'll enjoy your GTS as much or more as your 986; best of luck with it.

From time to time I look at the newer Boxsters (or whatever they call them now). I have to say I am not happy with the "technology" in the cars.

One may call me a "moldy fig" in PPBB parlance, but i simply do not appreciate driving a computer. My wife's Volvo is a fine car. But I cannot figure out how to change the radio station or the heater settings or ..... Well you get the point. On a recent trip, I had to pull over and turn off all the "driver aids" because they nearly caused me to have an accident. I cannot use the backup camera or andoid auto. I viscerally despise a touch screen in a moving vehicle. You cannot do anything without taking your eyes off the road - which scares me to death.

I drove a new(ish) 911 last year. It completely convinced me that the 986 is the better car for me (and perhaps objectively the better car). I will not own a computer on wheels as my daily diver until I have no choice.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/2019 09:58AM by JMstamford,ct. (view changes)

i understand and partially share your perspective. the new car will take getting used to. it's weird knowing that my foot and hands are connected to input devices (joysticks), but i'm none the wiser. as for driving aids, i'm referring to traction/performance stuff, not auto-driving features. the auto-driving stuff is REALLY nice in other cars, but not for this one.

Congratulations! I made a similar move, '99 986 -> '14 981S. I agree with everything you said!!! Enjoy!

Bob

hey Bob, you still make runs up to SS?

Joanie & I were up in Tahoe a few times last summer. We're visiting some friends in Pioneer on the 15th.

First day at the track, Nov 1998.

Who's that tall guy smilin in front?