328 vs. boxster s | Page 2 | FerrariChat

328 vs. boxster s

Discussion in '308/328' started by bill brooks, Jan 1, 2010.

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  1. luckydynes

    luckydynes F1 Rookie

    Jan 25, 2004
    3,930
    CA and OR
    Full Name:
    pit bull
    What's worse ... a girl's car or a hairdresser's car? :) ... "masculine" is the last description I would use for a stock 3x8 ... just having fun :).
     
  2. James in Denver

    James in Denver Formula 3

    May 23, 2006
    2,136
    Centennial Colorado
    Full Name:
    James in Denver
    Was it the RMS/IMS issues that caused the early cars to lock up the engines? I knew about the RMS continuing, but I thought there was a different engine issues with the 97-99s, causing alot of them to have the engines fully replaced under warranty with 25k or less miles.

    James in Denver

     
  3. Dino944

    Dino944 Formula 3

    Aug 11, 2007
    1,598
    Rhode Island
    Full Name:
    Dino
    #28 Dino944, Jan 2, 2010
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2010
    The Boxster and 328 are so different that its really not a fair comparison. 20 years of technology creates vast differences in the cars.

    That being said, after going to a Porsche show my wife said its been years since we've owned a Porsche maybe we should get another. No argument from me. We thought it would be fun to have an additional sports car that we might use more than our 328 and which might be a little more everyday driveable.

    We test drove, a Lotus Elise, that car is tremendous fun. But its so track oriented that we thought it might lose its appeal to us in everyday driving. We test drove a Boxster, a Boxster S, a Boxster with PDK, and a Cayman with PDK. The PDK shifts incredibly fast, but I did not enjoy the experience at all. I'm just not into the fancy new versions of an automatic (sorry paddle shifters/steering wheel buttons and lack of a real shifter don't help me to enjoy the experience). We also considered a 3.2 Carrera from the 80s, and a 993 briefly, but at this point I really wanted another car that was considerably more modern than our 328 in terms of ease of use, convenience and a warranty.

    The 987s are a huge improvement over the previous generation in terms of looks and performance, and the interior. Many magazines have said the Boxster/Cayman is a car more capable and enjoyable experience than the current 911s, and the only thing keeping Porsche from doing more with them is that they do not want them to eclipse their iconic 911. In my opinion the current car should not even be called a 911...sorry the 996 ruined the idea of what a 911 is in my opinion. I the interior was terrible, the exterior shared the front half with the nearly 1/2 priced original Boxster, and they were wasting space with new larger back seat. If buying a 911 I'd go with a 993 or earlier model, although the 997GT3 is a nice car.

    We bought a 2008 Boxster RS60 Spyder. The car is tremendously capable on winding road, its quick, its fun to drive, it sounds great (for a non-Fcar) and it has many modern accomodations not found in our 328, such as xenon-headlamps, 6 speed manual, auto dimming mirrors, modern climate control system, and a more spacious interior. Its a car you can enjoy on a daily basis and its still fun to drive.

    The 328 is classic sports car of the past, no power steering, small interior, the classic gated shifter, amazing sounds, and a blast in the twisties. Its looks are just beautiful and hark back to a time before aerodynamics and computers were the main thing dictating a cars styling. Its more of a work out to drive a 328, the controls are heavier, and you end up with more people acting like idiots just to snap a photo of your car or to try to race you, so you have to drive more defensively in the 328.

    As for intermediate shaft failure, its my understanding that the bearings in 2006 were upgraded to reduce the chances of that happening. Not sure if that has or has not made a big difference.

    I think a person can own both cars and enjoy each as they are so different. I would have to agree with Dave, that if you can have only one...the 328 is the car to keep.

    Best regards,
    Dino
     
  4. eracer

    eracer Karting

    May 29, 2009
    141
    Michigan
    Full Name:
    Eric W.

    Agree 100%.

    I have a 308 that I've owned for 15 years and a 2000 Boxster (Germany-built) that I bought new and picked up at the factory (BTW, an incredibly great experience).

    The Boxster is great fun to drive, 100% reliable, and I don't worry about it when I have to park it out in the real world.

    The 308 is my sunny-Sunday, country drive, blow-out-the-cobwebs sensory overload car.

    I really enjoy the Boxster, but I LOVE my 308.
     
  5. Capt Ron

    Capt Ron Karting

    Sep 29, 2007
    92
    Ohio
    Full Name:
    Ron
    The problem with the early cars (97-99),had to do with porous cylinder liners (a casting issue),which in cause locked up the cylinders. The IMS failure is a different fault all together,the bearing not to be the cause,but an result of the IMS failure (violently removes it). Again up until the redesign (2009),these engines are subject to RMS/IMS failures.

    Happy motoring in 2010
     
  6. bill brooks

    bill brooks F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 30, 2007
    5,193
    waynesburg,pa
    Full Name:
    bill brooks
    what i'm hearing from you all is what i pretty much expected to hear.

    the thought of selling off gabriella for a modern german car is pretty much the last
    thing i would consider.

    over the years, i have grown very attached to most of my cars and was always
    very sorry to see them go.(i even left notes in the glove box on how to care for them).

    but it's a little like climbing everest isn't it?
    once you've made the summit, it's all down hill from there.

    at least for me, not having my ferrari would make it all down hill from there.
     
  7. Gary Res

    Gary Res Formula Junior

    Apr 23, 2004
    573
    Long Island,New York
    Full Name:
    Gary
    #32 Gary Res, Jan 2, 2010
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2010
    I've owned many Porsches (and raced many). My wife currently has a 2007 Boxster. Its her second one. Her first one was a 2004 which had a crappy interior and was not reliable. The 2007 is a great car (good bang for the buck) as far as spending less then $60,000.00 (the "s" is far superior). I always felt in some ways a Boxster is better than a 911. Not faster, but feels much lighter and much easier to handle. Probably because of the 50/50 weight distribution. A light weight 911. In some ways it did feel like a more modern 328. The sound of the Ferrari is much sweeter, but there were many similarities in feel. Would I trade in a 328 for a Boxster? NO. For a 911? Yes. There is no WOW factor with a Boxster like you get with a 328. If you like people to respond to you in your car, then you will be very dissapointed in the Boxster over the 328. If I were you, I would get the best 911 I can afford excluding the 996. By the way, as much as my wife likes the Boxster, it will be her last one. I had less issues with this Boxster then the 2004, but still had issues. This day and age, there should never be "issues". I expect issues only with a 328! Her next car will be an SL63. I truly feel that Mercedes finally got the recipe right as far as quality and feel. That will be another thread.
     
  8. mike996

    mike996 F1 Veteran

    Jun 14, 2008
    6,685
    Full Name:
    Mike 996
    "I truly feel that Mercedes finally got the recipe right as far as quality and feel. "

    My wife is a big MB fan and every one we have owned is nothing but an overly complicated collection of mismatched capabilities, most of which have no particular use.

    All 5 of them spent time in the shop for problems that MB had serious trouble figuring out. She likes the "image" of MB so that's that but you couldn't give me one of them. My 328 won't spend a month at the shop because they can't figure out which of the computers was causing the battery to drain in several days. They finally ended up replacing 3 of them and are still not sure which one caused the problem or if it was some "strange" interface issue. That was the latest with my wife's current S550.

    IMHO they have some of the most user-unfriendly components that can be imagined, including the GPS system and the a/c. But obviously not everyone feels this way since they seem to sell plenty of them. But I have yet to meet an owner of any of MB newer than the mid 90's who has actually figured out how to use 1/2 the stuff on board. I've been to several MB "meets" and have laughed over that last fact with a LOT of owners. One guy said it well re his S500..."I spent 20 minutes trying to figure out how to get the ac to work but just managed to accidentally turn on the electric seat heater!"

    I think their "quality" reputation is in the same realm as the myth that a battery will discharge if you place it on a concrete floor. Yeah, it was true once, a LOOONG time ago...
     
  9. scycle2020

    scycle2020 F1 Rookie

    Jan 26, 2004
    3,477
    potomac
    Very well said and a great analysis...i did own a 2006 boxster S for a year so and it was great little sports car...actually outhandled my 997 S cab i bought afterward...also, the boxsters sound better than the newer water cooled 911s ....
     
  10. scycle2020

    scycle2020 F1 Rookie

    Jan 26, 2004
    3,477
    potomac
    MB has had some severe quality control issues the past several years,from the 2000 on ...even the CEO talked about the issue in the annual stock holders meeting last year...they have been as low 24 th amongst car builders in jd powere intially quality survey....
     
  11. Gary Res

    Gary Res Formula Junior

    Apr 23, 2004
    573
    Long Island,New York
    Full Name:
    Gary
    I would agree that its difficult to figure some of the things out, and most being useless. Its not for me, but for my wife, its not bad. I would agree that the nav. in the Mercedes is one of the worst I have Ever used. It never gets me to the location. It usually misses by a couple of houses. Really! Most of the time it gives you a range of house numbers. One of my dailys is a E550 4matic (2007). Great car. No maintenance issues. Prior to 2004, there were a lot of problems, but they resolved many. For me, I would never own an SL. But its much nicer and in many ways classier than a Boxster. I would buy her a 911, but the 911 has the worst visibility with the convertable up. You cannot back it up and the blind spot...is really bad. By the way, the two trunks in the boxster is extremely helpful. My wife has loaded that car up with packages from the supermarket.
     

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