Re: I've never been a big fan of ...

I think Laz and Mike have covered a lot of the high points on the car, so I thought I'd just mention a couple of impressions garnered from the delivery and the 60 mile drive home:

1) The styling is terrific--a better word is stunning; we looked at this car a lot before we ordered it and maybe looking at all the cars jaded us a bit, but looking at it in the delivery area we were both stunned at how great it looked. Everything meshes together nicely; a very different look compared to the 987--more aggressive for sure and a bit lower with the sport suspension. I'm not knocking the 991 cab but side by side, the 981 is the better looking car hands down.

2) Build quality--could not find one issue with the paint and fit/finish. The quality of the paint overall looks to be a tad better than the 987 which I thought was first class.

3) Interior--the Sports Seats + looked to be similar to the sport seats on the 987 but feel more supple and fit a bit more snugly. I highly recommend these seats. Sport design steering wheel--best $250 I've spent in a while. I like the gauges--oil/water temp/pressure-- a lot; finally..

4)Drive train--powerful and smooth; gearbox takes more effort than the 5spd on the 987 but is precise and smooth. The stock exhaust note is great.

5)Sport Suspension--I'd expect the Brits to call this a "proper sports car suspension"--as in firm. Not jarring, but you know you aren't in a street cruiser. After 7 years driving on PASM in normal mode for the most part, you definitely know you're in a different car. If I weren't tracking the car I think I'd go with the stock setup.The TPMS had the pressure at 32 psi while the manual has it around 30psi for 19" wheels; I may play around with this a bit. Steering has little boost feel at center lock which works well on the interstate. Turn in is amazing; I took an off ramp at speed and this car did not lean at all--it feels like a go-kart.

6) Other impressions-- a bit louder than I expected--road or tread noise; not sure if it was the P Zeros or the new asphalt we drove on. but more than I expected. Also, the first thing we did was remove the mesh windblock; the rear view is limited and the mesh was a move in the wrong direction due to reduction in visibility. Also,the seating arrangement feels a more confined I think due to the large console; I didn't feel cramped but it didn't seem to have as much room as the 987 .

We hope to take advantage of the temporary good weather and put some miles on it tomorrow. Here's a pic of the delivery with my better half; haven't been able to identify that old guy that sneaked into the picture with her:
[www.planet-9.com]

• They've gotten better, but the 911 Cabriolets always looked ad hoc to me. The Boxster is a clean sheet convertible.
• The right hand gauge can be customized. Mine is set with battery voltage displayed. The function menu is set to skip features the car doesn't have. Wherever it is, the clock is set for 24 hours.
• I've yet to figure out what the "strong, medium, soft" ventilation settings do in relation to the auto/manual fan speeds.
• Just a guess, but perhaps the road noise is just as loud with Pirellis as with Goodyears, but I've seen tire reviews saying the Pirellis are louder. There were extended periods on my cross-country trip that I felt as if my ears were being boxed. Perhaps its the Sports Suspension (that's an option?) your car is equipped with. Perhaps the sidewall height with 19s puts the noise level at a threshold of intolerance.
• Having PASM set to Sport seems to make the steering quicker.
• The rising center console might give a greater sense of confinement, but I don't sense it myself. I was more preoccupied by the very high shifter, which seems beautifully natural now. (When I drove my CRX after not having driven it for a long time, I had to hunt around to fine the shifter way down there.)
• Consider getting the TechNoWind. It helps at least the straight back view, and ameliorates the single-window-open buffeting when the top is up.
• The front plate looks ok in the center. My dealer wanted to mount it to the side so as not to mar the nose, but I visualized a Sergeant Snorkle-like asymmetry.

Happy Motoring!

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

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Laz
• They've gotten better, but the 911 Cabriolets always looked ad hoc to me. The Boxster is a clean sheet convertible.
• The right hand gauge can be customized. Mine is set with battery voltage displayed. The function menu is set to skip features the car doesn't have. Wherever it is, the clock is set for 24 hours.
• I've yet to figure out what the "strong, medium, soft" ventilation settings do in relation to the auto/manual fan speeds.
• Just a guess, but perhaps the road noise is just as loud with Pirellis as with Goodyears, but I've seen tire reviews saying the Pirellis are louder. There were extended periods on my cross-country trip that I felt as if my ears were being boxed. Perhaps its the Sports Suspension (that's an option?) your car is equipped with. Perhaps the sidewall height with 19s puts the noise level at a threshold of intolerance.
• Having PASM set to Sport seems to make the steering quicker.
• The rising center console might give a greater sense of confinement, but I don't sense it myself. I was more preoccupied by the very high shifter, which seems beautifully natural now. (When I drove my CRX after not having driven it for a long time, I had to hunt around to fine the shifter way down there.)
• Consider getting the TechNoWind. It helps at least the straight back view, and ameliorates the single-window-open buffeting when the top is up.
• The front plate looks ok in the center. My dealer wanted to mount it to the side so as not to mar the nose, but I visualized a Sergeant Snorkle-like asymmetry.

Happy Motoring!

I think you're exactly right on the console. After the relatively small consoles on the 986 and 987, this seems big. Having said that, the shifter falls right to hand..

The TechNoWind is definitely on my list.

The front plate: the front end looks so good we thought for about leaving it off and stowing it under the front seat. We then remembered we're about 2 miles from a OHSHP office and have been stopped twice trying to do this in different cars. And, I don't think they'd miss us in this one.

Mmmm, red, yessssss.

Hey, what's the top doing up?!

The temp ranged from 55-64 the last two days, and I was out enjoying the weather. I hope you put some miles on it.

Driving a new-to-me '09S in Aqua Blue Metallic. It does .5 past light speed. I made the Kessel run in less than 12-parsecs.
Motto: If you have your top up, that storm outside had better have a name!
Motto 2: Having the top up on a convertible is an oxymoron. Don't be a (oxy)moron.

Kevin:
You're on my list; let me know when you can do lunch.
Mike

Lookin' oh so good, Mike. You'd better watch that guy who snuck into the picture. You wouldn't want him making off with that great looking car and that snazzy lookin' co-pilot.

Tomorrow's supposed to be another nice day north of the Lake, so you should have a good one too. You should be able to finish up at least the first 500 miles - maybe a nice drive around the lake.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

... Guards Red but the 981 looks great in that color.
Congrats and enjoy the great driving weather.
Happy Boxstering
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

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Pedro (Weston, FL)
... Guards Red but the 981 looks great in that color.
Congrats and enjoy the great driving weather.
Happy Boxstering
Pedro

I'd agree with that, Pedro; this is our 3rd Boxster in GR/Blk and they have all looked good.
Having said that, it is not my favorite color on the 911, for some reason.

You say, "The styling is terrific--a better word is stunning; we looked at this car a lot before we ordered it and maybe looking at all the cars jaded us a bit, but looking at it in the delivery area we were both stunned at how great it looked. Everything meshes together nicely ..."

Okay, you are entitled to your opinion. That's cool, but for my money, the styling is a massive step backward. They left a gaping black hole on the side and even worse, they just used cheap black plastic for it. Realize they were going for the side scoop look, and that's okay with me but the execution is just piss-poor. When you say "everything meshes together nicely," I'm thinking "everything messes poorly," as in taking the formerly beautiful curves of the fenders and adding a hard straight line to them, as well as the hard straight line on the side that leads to the black hole. Those do not mesh with a curvy car. The effect is like adding a dueling scar to Adriana Lima. She's still pretty but the scar detracts greatly from her beauty. The new 911 is a far, far better looking car by comparison, because it retains the curves that used to distinguish any Porsche from any other car. In fact, I'd bet that they made the Boxster and the new Cayman this way specifically to attract people to upgrade to the 911. Would I buy another Cayman? Dunno. I figure in a year or two they'll put a nice body-colored grille over the gaping black hole, and that will improve the looks about 50% right there.

Paul:
Thanks for the reply and the acknowledgement that it's OK to have an opinion .

I totally agree on beauty being in the eye of the beholder, since It took me a while to warm to this styling, but after seeing it in the "flesh" and other 981s on the road, I really think the look is striking. I don't pretend to be an automotive designer and pretty much go with my gut--which tells me the styling, in it's entirety, works.

Are there miscues? Sure. The side scoop doesn't bother me as much as the seam where the rear fender and sill panel join in a horizontal line; on the 987,IIRC, the fender extended completely down to the sill so that there was no seam visible. Black plastic may look a bit out of place in a car costing over $50k, but I don't stay awake at nights worrying about it and if it does become an issue, there are people that will gladly paint it the body color.

Speaking of issues with air intakes, the 987 Boxster side air intakes, IMHO, were the biggest styling miscues on that car; silver inserts regardless of body color, in a shape which I thought did nothing for the over all look of the car. Did it keep me from buying one?--nope; I thought the complete car looked great, but I did consider changing out to the Cayman style which I thought looked better.

I also like the new look on the 991 coupe, but given the current prices routinely hitting $100K for a new one, it wasn't even on my radar scope.

To me, a good indicator of just how successful a new styling attempt works on a car is the reaction from casual passersby, most of which have no preconceived notions of how a particular marque or model should look. I spent the day driving around a local state park and eventually parked the car near the lodge to get some pictures of it with a decent background. There must have had a half dozen couples stop by--including one fellow that used to own several 944s--and commented on what a great looking car it was and asking questions about it. I owned a 986 and a 987--both in same color combo--and never had that type of reaction to either car.

Despite the "obvious failings" with some of the styling on the 981, it seems to hit the hot button with the general public at large.
They may not know very much, but they know what they like .

Have a great Thanksgiving!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2012 06:35PM by MikenOH. (view changes)

It's still the best-looking sports car out there short of the 911. Also, still very distinctive. About the only "sports car" or "sports car" that is more exclusive and higher performance that's still under $100K would be the Nissan GTR, which is maybe not ugly as hell but certainly well into purgatory.
Sorry for ranting. I just didn't like the scoop thing in the pictures and then I saw it in person and just thought it was a bad design and just so darned cheap-looking and out of character for the rest of the car, which is indeed quite high quality. And I don't think just painting it body color would totally solve it. It needs some sort of grid on it ... I think evenly spaced horizontal bars in body color would be a huge improvement. Maybe the aftermarket will recognize that, because it doesn't seem like it would be all that hard to create a plastic substitute.
And, it really IS in the eye of the beholder. The new model is certainly more macho looking, so for people who are looking for that, it's just the cat's meow. Personally I prefer the all-curves look, but that's just me. My Cayman is the only other sexy body my wife will let me look at.

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paulwdenton
It's still the best-looking sports car out there short of the 911. Also, still very distinctive. About the only "sports car" or "sports car" that is more exclusive and higher performance that's still under $100K would be the Nissan GTR, which is maybe not ugly as hell but certainly well into purgatory.
Sorry for ranting. I just didn't like the scoop thing in the pictures and then I saw it in person and just thought it was a bad design and just so darned cheap-looking and out of character for the rest of the car, which is indeed quite high quality. And I don't think just painting it body color would totally solve it. It needs some sort of grid on it ... I think evenly spaced horizontal bars in body color would be a huge improvement. Maybe the aftermarket will recognize that, because it doesn't seem like it would be all that hard to create a plastic substitute.
And, it really IS in the eye of the beholder. The new model is certainly more macho looking, so for people who are looking for that, it's just the cat's meow. Personally I prefer the all-curves look, but that's just me. My Cayman is the only other sexy body my wife will let me look at.

Paul:
No problems--we're all still friends.

+1 on the GTR; great performance but I think you still need more than "not terrible" styling.

I can't speak for other buyers but I know my own tastes in styling continue to change; not sure if I'm getting brain-washed by the media or the Porsche marketing dept. but this style has grown on me over the months.

Regarding the Cayman, I liked the styling on the car when it came out in 06 and it has done nothing except get better looking since then.Had I been able to talk the wife into a coupe, that would have been the easy choice.

I like much of what's new with the 981.

I like the new console. My only concern was whether it would be ergonomically correct with a manual. Laz, Mike, and pretty much everyone else who's driven one say it is, and that's good enough for me.

I like the Carrera GT style intakes. I'd prefer them in body colour, which is a relatively easy and inexpensive 'fix'. Paul acknowledged that, in and of itself, this would be a 50% improvement A 50% improvement, on a design that is basically so right, brings it awfully close to perfect,

When I sat in the 981, I noticed the fender creases. While I might ( I'm not sure) prefer the classic round curved fenders, I think the new fenders suit the rest of the car. They also strongly remind me of this, which is a Porsche classic, in its own right:



Last, to those of us who have spent hours examining every minute detail of the new design, the changes seem substantial. But I doubt anyone would seriously argue against the proposition that the 981, 987 and 986 still resemble each other more than anything else on the road, and are uniquely Boxsters.

I agree w/paulwdenton. The 981 is probably a wonderful car, one that can do almost everything better than the 986 or 987. But it is garish when compared to the early cars. One kinda weird thing for me is that it looks better in pictures than in the flesh. It looks huge to me when seen in person and I know it is not that much bigger than the 986.
I don't care for the extra size and complexity that is being built into all cars, but I know I have to accept it as it is here to stay. It would be nice if sports cars could be off limits in the case of this trend.
One of the biggest criticisms of the original 986 was that Porsche didn't remain faithful to the original concept car. Well I think it is obvious that the 981 is all the further away from that original concept.
Also, the Boxster was conceived as the entry level Porsche at $40K. When I hear about some of the sticker prices attached to the newer cars, I think it's safe to say Porsche has abandoned that concept as well.
Those of you who are out buying this new car are still getting one of the best sports cars in the world. But as we move forward, there is a rawness, a simplicity, a pureness that the 986 and 987 had that you are being denied.

I fully agree with your comment about it looking better in pictures, which is odd as with most cars it is the other way around. My issue with the new version is the rear. I do not like the way the spoiler design goes into the tail lights. It really makes the rear rounder (more saucer like) in appearance. I always liked the way the Boxster's butt looked. So, for me, that's a shame. The spoilers were always so well intigrated into the design that you never really noticed them in the previous editions.

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silverbox03
I agree w/paulwdenton. The 981 is probably a wonderful car, one that can do almost everything better than the 986 or 987. But it is garish when compared to the early cars. One kinda weird thing for me is that it looks better in pictures than in the flesh. It looks huge to me when seen in person and I know it is not that much bigger than the 986.
I don't care for the extra size and complexity that is being built into all cars, but I know I have to accept it as it is here to stay. It would be nice if sports cars could be off limits in the case of this trend.
One of the biggest criticisms of the original 986 was that Porsche didn't remain faithful to the original concept car. Well I think it is obvious that the 981 is all the further away from that original concept.
Also, the Boxster was conceived as the entry level Porsche at $40K. When I hear about some of the sticker prices attached to the newer cars, I think it's safe to say Porsche has abandoned that concept as well.
Those of you who are out buying this new car are still getting one of the best sports cars in the world. But as we move forward, there is a rawness, a simplicity, a pureness that the 986 and 987 had that you are being denied.

Porsche, I think as a whole, is moving away from a lot of designs or perceived markets from the late 90's-200x years and has made a conscious effort to give their cars an "upmarket" look. Higher quality/more luxurious interiors seem to be the given across the models rather than the exception.

To me it looks like Porsche sees the future for these cars as more Sport luxury than just Sport and has changed the looks to reflect that.
Fewer bares bones/raw type sport cars--more like GT cruisers that can be sported up with particular extra cost options.

Regarding the $40K for the Boxster when it first came out, I look back at our '99' 986, which was pretty basic with the obligatory power windows/locks/ and AC. The interior materials seemed very low budget, with the various stalk controls feeling like they came out of a Cavalier. That car cost us $45K in '99' dollars which is today's equivalent of $62.5K--pretty close to what the net was on our 981S, which is a way different car, from a performance and comfort standpoint.

The cost of these cars has gone up for sure, but when you consider what you are getting for your $ compared to say 15 years ago, I think today's car represents better value. It may not be the logical evolution of that prototype that made such a splash back in mid 90's, but I think the market has largely dictated what changes needed to be made on this car and Porsche has responded.

and it may be tough trying to be in the Porsche niche for a while. Porsche has already cut production, cancelled shifts, etc.

Loved the car, hated the price with options. Best handling of the bunch.

Now that is crazy....

Is rewarding via MT's COY a car with a 200 mile range (in mild weather) and so few fill-up stations and ones that take so long.

Wife and I are planning a trip 250 miles NC to DC. Our normal route up is one stop for no more than 10-15 minutes, then in DC for several days (changed so much it might as well be classified an unfamiliar city), then one stop on the way back back.

In Her 24MPG Avalon, that is two 10 minutes stops anywhere for regular gas, in the 43MPG Prius it is no gas until we get back, in a 200 mile electric its half an hour or more up, back and while there if there are fueling stations we could find, they are open, another car isn't using them, etc. I agree 90% of the trips we make are possible but we take one or two a year which just aren't yet. Maybe around SoCal (didn't they lose last night!!!) after Tesla builds out lots more fueling stations but to the Mountains of NC, to the beaches on the eastern coast, to PA and CT where relatives live the pure electric as an only car doesn't yet work for me. Nice car though.

There was no listing of what the $27k in options on the base Boxster were.

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MikenOH
Now that is crazy....

True that $27K in options is crazy. It's easy to drive the price up with items that really don't do much in terms of what the Boxster designed to do - be driven in a sporting manner.

Just add power leather seats, PDK and Bose infotainment systems. Those three items do nothing in terms of the DRIVING experience, but add $15K to the price. Nothing wrong with purchasing those items if that is what you want. Back when you could buy a $40K Boxster, none of those items where available. That's why over all, Boxsters where a lot cheaper then.

When you go from the starting price - a Boxster with no options. Yes. It's an extra $10K from the 986 to the 981, but you're also getting a lot more car, in terms of power, handling and standard features than you were getting in the early 986's. Then you have to figure in inflation. Everything else has gone up in price - not just the Boxster.

I remember back in '69, the silver Porsche Targa I fell in lust with cost the same as the first house I bought that year. In comparison, houses have gone up much more in price than cars have since then.

It all boils down to buying a Boxster with the options that are important to you. If someone wants all the extra options, quite a few of which are just luxury items, they just have to be prepared to pay for them.

As I recall, Mike, the most important option you have on your Boxster is the Sports suspension and you have relatively few others. So as far as I see it, you've spent the money to enhance what the Boxster is all about.

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Guenter in Ontario

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MikenOH
Now that is crazy....

True that $27K in options is crazy. It's easy to drive the price up with items that really don't do much in terms of what the Boxster designed to do - be driven in a sporting manner.

Just add power leather seats, PDK and Bose infotainment systems. Those three items do nothing in terms of the DRIVING experience, but add $15K to the price. Nothing wrong with purchasing those items if that is what you want. Back when you could buy a $40K Boxster, none of those items where available. That's why over all, Boxsters where a lot cheaper then.

When you go from the starting price - a Boxster with no options. Yes. It's an extra $10K from the 986 to the 981, but you're also getting a lot more car, in terms of power, handling and standard features than you were getting in the early 986's. Then you have to figure in inflation. Everything else has gone up in price - not just the Boxster.

I remember back in '69, the silver Porsche Targa I fell in lust with cost the same as the first house I bought that year. In comparison, houses have gone up much more in price than cars have since then.

It all boils down to buying a Boxster with the options that are important to you. If someone wants all the extra options, quite a few of which are just luxury items, they just have to be prepared to pay for them.

As I recall, Mike, the most important option you have on your Boxster is the Sports suspension and you have relatively few others. So as far as I see it, you've spent the money to enhance what the Boxster is all about.

That pretty much sums it up, Guenter. If you look at what you get with the basic car, it has become--in many ways-- a much better car since it's introduction and better value for the consumer. You gain some things and you lose some things over the years, but overall, it is a better car --as you would expect.

For me and my wife, it was all about what we could afford and how we intended to use the car.
With the S base price at $61k,that immediately put us in the mode of deciding on which options we needed vs. those that would be nice to have. For us it was pretty simple--neither of us wanted the PDK, the standard interior was fine--save the heated seats Sports seats + which were a must--and then a couple performance options (PTV, Sport suspension). A pretty limited list of options for sure, but we know we will use--and appreciate-- them every time we drive the car.
BTW, every time we drive the car now, we're adjusting to the sport suspension and it doesn't seem like such a leap in ride firmness.

My 1999 cost 55k (w/options) when I bought it in 1998.

$55k (1998) = $78k (2012)

It may not be exactly the same but it's pretty close.

Say what you want about the 981, but I think it looks 90% the same as the 986 and 987, and 10% better than the 986 and 987.

As for the "But as we move forward, there is a rawness, a simplicity, a pureness that the 986 and 987 had that you are being denied.", this can be said for ALL previous Porsche models, including the 911. You hear this argument from "base" model owners too in explaining why they didn't buy the "S" model. If you want "raw" and "simplicity", buy a 356 or 914!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2012 01:28AM by boxsterd. (view changes)