Your opinions please

[Jean Pierre Lunie]

I currently have a 944 lux which I love driving but I keep thinking about getting a Boxster instead.

The thing is, will it really be better or just different - what do you think?

Be really keen to hear what others who have made this change feel, was it a smart move or not?

[tr7v8]

Owww very good question & not easy to answer. I went from a 87 944 to a 2000 Boxster S.

I keep meaning to write this as an article for AT.

944
Pros
Better build quality
Cheaper spares
Huge pool of knowledge
Probably cheaper insurance
more space because of the hatch
Also more cockpit space.

Cons
Extensive cam & balance belt every 3 years
Rust, Rust & more rust
Spares availability

Boxster
Pros
More modern
Longer service intervals
Better diagnostics with OBDII
More performance (model dependant)
Better equipped (Climate etc,)
Better crash resistance & secondary safety

Cons
Difficult to work on without a ramp
Quite fragile (radiators, condensors, more complex suspension)
A lot of electronic modules.
Much higher running costs (Bigger tyres, more expensive brakes etc.)
In terms of the driving experience it is..... different. The 944 was always deceptively fast, easy to drive pretty quick & rewarding when you do. The limits of the Boxster are so much higher. It only becomes interesting at highly illegal speeds. I always found that the 944 never attracted adverse attention. The Boxster is seen as a modern Porsche & that can have an adverse image.

[cococola]

A very good summing up by Jim
I personally prefer the 944 as a car that is rising in value and can only continue to do so. I have owned my Lux for 10 years and it is easier to work on with less complications and makes me smile every time I drive it...even now. Looks wise l I think that the 944 was ahead of its time and still looks a super car.

944 for me every time

[Des911]

The Boxster is a pure 2 seater, while the 944 is a 2 seater with extra space.

They are difficult to compare as they are from different generations, I had a Boxster some years ago and have recently bought a 944. Pricewise one is going up and one is coming down. Driving wise it is difficult to use the Boxster to anywhere near it's potential because of the amount of traffic on the roads and speed cameras everywhere, whereas it's a pleasure to drive the 944 although, again, not to its full potential.

I get more interest and head turning in the 944 than I did in the Boxster.

[JasonGibson]

Instead ?

Why not, As well as ?

[WazzerM]

I've got a Box and have a huge hankering for a 944 as I think they look brilliant - so darned cool with those pop ups 'n' stuff. But, as Jason says, it would have to be a 'as well as' situation for me (not likely to happen). Enjoy the dilemma.

[grommett]

My son recently got his first full time job and added a 944S2 to our existing 987 Boxster and 911 3.2. The driveway is getting a bit full now and we have to dance the Porsche shuffle if I want to get the 911 out of the garage! They are 3 very different cars, I do love the look of the 944 and I suspect it will be a good investment. Ditto for getting both!

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[FarQue]

I think the OP needs to explain what 'Boxster' he might want: doggy old 2.5 986 or brand new 981S? Boxsters have been around a while now and comparisons to a 944 are unfair without such qualification.

There's no doubt that a 944 in good condition is still a formidable, affordable sports car. However any Boxster will be a true two-seater convertible with a mid-mounted engine with all the pros and cons that come with that. Does the OP need more than two seats? Will he/she enjoy being able to drive with the roof down? A Boxster is great for carrying luggage, useless for, say, lengths of timber or guttering from the builders suppliers...

[Jean Pierre Lunie]

Firstly, thanks for all the advice.

I have to admit that having my cake and eating it does rather appeal, so 'as well as' does seem like a really good option to me - but will my wife agree???? Perhaps I will just have to cross that bridge when I get to it

Regarding how I use the car etc, kids have flown the nest, the car is for fun not facilities, driving not return on investment and I am not planning on spending a large amount so an older Boxster is in my sights.

The real question for me has been mentioned a couple of times in a way - which will put the biggest smile on my face, and there is probably only one way to find out if the Boxster can beat what the 944 does every time I drive it - watch this space!

[Rhett]

I think there are a lot of good responses to the original question - especially from tr7v8 - he hit the nail on the head. I too went from an 88 944S to a 1999 Boxster. It was a short affair...

I liked the feeling of acceleration and the engine note, I did not like the hard bump-driven ride, the very long doors making getting in and out in car parks difficult, the crazy sunroof switches that kept the windows rolling down, the fragile alarm system and keys, the squeaks from the suspension until I replaced all the 'coffin' arms, the blind spots with the hood up and that plastic rear screen (almost useless) and accessing the engine is a real pain.

So, I sold the Boxster and returned to the 944 - the Boxster is a sports car, the '44 is a GT, different beasts - I am not contemplating returning to a Boxster...However, that is just my experience - for what it's worth

[FarQue]

I've never owned a 944. I have owned a facelifted (glass screen) 986s. Suspension squeaks? Nope. Crashy ride? Nope, far better that the m-sport suspended BMW 330ci that I had at the same time. Glass rear screen - perfect. Blind spot on the 'b' pillar area? Easy to work around. Door access? With a prosthetic left leg, I managed to fold my self in and out without issue. Sunroof switches? Sorry, can't comment on those, my 986s was a soft top / convertible (like all Boxsters).

Fairly quick car. Brilliant, benign, handling until you're right on the limit. Holds loads of luggage. All day comfortable. Very thirsty. Why would I want to access the engine? In 3.5 years of ownership I didn't see the engine once!

[stratfordshark]

Interesting divergence of opinion above!

I think it reflects the fact that at the age the 944s and earlier Boxsters are, cars are highly individual in terms of condition. It sounds as if the example Rhett bought had well-worn suspension/shocks.

Having said that, I would expect a 944 to wear far better than a Boxster, just from the general difference in quality that happened at Porsche as the Boxster took them into higher volume/more cost-conscious territory in manufacturing terms.

I've not driven either, but from reading about the cars I imagine a Boxster is a far more capable machine in terms of performance and handling. But as the guy who pointed out the sports car/GT car difference said, it's a question of what kind of car do you really want?

[Rhett]

opps...I meant 'roof' switches (not sunroof). My experience was if you went over a bump the switch would activate and the windows would roll down, as if you were lowering the roof. This would happen - generally when it was raining! So, I got pretty wet, as once activated, the windows would not go back up. I replaced the switch and still had the same problem, the position of the switch is just so delicate...it was frustrating. I would have liked to have a glass rear window, but it was an expensive replacement option. Yes, the suspension was past it, as I mentioned the squeaks went after I replaced all the suspension arms, updating the shocks would probably have helped too, but by then I was 'out of love' with the car , it was not for me.

However, I do understand that loads of owners love it and have a great driving experience - and that's great as it is a Porsche after all said and done. I do still really like the styling though, all the various versions look good, it was a real pleasure to see it on the drive in the morning!

Boxster front view.jpg

[JasonGibson]

My son recently got his first full time job and added a 944S2 to our existing 987 Boxster and 911 3.2. The driveway is getting a bit full now and we have to dance the Porsche shuffle if I want to get the 911 out of the garage! They are 3 very different cars, I do love the look of the 944 and I suspect it will be a good investment. Ditto for getting both!

Wow, that's some driveway

[grommett]

My son recently got his first full time job and added a 944S2 to our existing 987 Boxster and 911 3.2. The driveway is getting a bit full now and we have to dance the Porsche shuffle if I want to get the 911 out of the garage! They are 3 very different cars, I do love the look of the 944 and I suspect it will be a good investment. Ditto for getting both!

Wow, that's some driveway

It gets a bit full sometimes…