Buy 2008 Boxster S or 2014 BRZ limited?

[Speed2th]

If i brought a Porsche, it will end up as a garage queen. So I brought a 86 and made it as a street whore.

[krayzie]

Got rid of my Golf GTI for a BRZ and no regrets. My friend has a 986 Boxster and everything from parts to labor seems to cost 3 times as much as my old GTI. But if money is no object, stock for stock I would go with the Boxster.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by donoman

Totally different purpose cars:

1) BRZ/FR-S = Cheap, reliable, slow
2) Boxster S = Expensive, less reliable, fast

It all comes down to how good of a mechanic you are and how much money you make. All of us would pick "faster" if we could afford it.

The cars are NOTHING alike.

Not "all of us" would pick faster.
I could easily have had the Boxster but like I said above, as a DD I only drive the FRS at 60% of it's capacity most of the time so no need having a Boxster to drive at 40%.
Anybody that is driving a FRS/BRZ at 100% of it's capacity all the time, on the streets, is gonna end up in jail or dead. This is why I can never grasp the whole non tracked, street only, DD, need for "more speed". Where do you guys get to drive the car on the streets that you need to go faster than stock or lightly modded can go? Oh, and nobody give me that "I can't pass a minivan" shit.
Now if I was looking for a track car...

[DarkSunrise]

I've owned all of those cars: mk6 GTI, FR-S, Boxster S.

My advice - if you can afford it go with a Boxster S, but 2009 or newer (987.2 generation). Porsche made significant improvements to the engines that year - deleted the IMS bearing for reliability, improved the RMS, better oiling generally. All of those things can prevent catastrophic engine failure.

If you're worried about whether you can afford the Porsche and you like convertibles, I'd take a look at the ND Miata in addition to the BRZ.

[Teseo]

If convertible its a plus, get the s2000

[Pat]

Porsche: always the right choice.
I've owned both. They biggest difference for me was cost of ownership. Porsches are typically very reliable cars. But a DIY oil change on the 986 was something like $120 due to the volume of oil. Tires were 265s out back, so they were expensive. Brakes are huge so those were pricey. For me the cost difference mainly came down to consumables.
I loved that car, and hope to have a Cayman in the future. But at this point I have other financial goals, drive on tracks a lot and am concerned about the cost of consumables. Therefore, I drive a BRZ.

[220volt]

Originally Posted by Teseo

If convertible its a plus, get the s2000

I've driven S2000 and it was at the top of my list. However, absolute deal breaker for me was the fact that you could not adjust steering wheel. No up/down or back/front. And no matter how I adjusted my seat, my left leg was hitting the bottom of the wheel every time I clutch. I am not that tall, maybe little over 6 feet. I do have long legs, but still.

[220volt]

Originally Posted by krayzie

Got rid of my Golf GTI for a BRZ and no regrets. My friend has a 986 Boxster and everything from parts to labor seems to cost 3 times as much as my old GTI. But if money is no object, stock for stock I would go with the Boxster.

Well money is always the object. I mean, both wife and I do well and are making close to 150k in both incomes and have no other debt except the mortgage which is less that $1,200 a month and have 7 years left to pay it off.
So I am able to afford even more expensive Porsche, but money will still be object trying to justify expensive purchase. It is slippery slope once you start going down the road of "which year or which model of Porsche should I get". You might start 986, then convince yourself that you need 987, then 987.2 and the next thing you know you are taking out another mortgage on a brand new 911 turbo. So I set my psychological (not financial) limit at around 30k, and will not go higher no matter what.

[220volt]

Originally Posted by Pat

Porsche: always the right choice.
I've owned both. They biggest difference for me was cost of ownership. Porsches are typically very reliable cars. But a DIY oil change on the 986 was something like $120 due to the volume of oil. Tires were 265s out back, so they were expensive. Brakes are huge so those were pricey. For me the cost difference mainly came down to consumables.
I loved that car, and hope to have a Cayman in the future. But at this point I have other financial goals, drive on tracks a lot and am concerned about the cost of consumables. Therefore, I drive a BRZ.

Two things that I already checked out and that will be almost the same cost or less than my current GTI are tires and insurance. Insurance for 2008 Porsche S is less than my GTI or BRZ.
Tires are almost exactly the same price as my current GTI (18's).

Oil changes are actually expensive. There's a great Porsche shop here in Louisville and they charge $135 which I can live with (dealer wanted close to $300)

[220volt]

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

I've owned all of those cars: mk6 GTI, FR-S, Boxster S.

My advice - if you can afford it go with a Boxster S, but 2009 or newer (987.2 generation). Porsche made significant improvements to the engines that year - deleted the IMS bearing for reliability, improved the RMS, better oiling generally. All of those things can prevent catastrophic engine failure.

If you're worried about whether you can afford the Porsche and you like convertibles, I'd take a look at the ND Miata in addition to the BRZ.

I've driven NC Miata and I liked everything except two things: goofy front end (in my opinion) and acceleration. Now, when I test drove NC I had 300lbs salesman next to me so that might've affected performance little bit, but I could not find a gentle way to convey that to him so that he would let me drive it alone

Now, I agree, ND looks amazing. I don;t care about the numbers either, I would have to drive it, but that will have to wait until next year until dealers calm down with their markup prices. I know cars are not investment, but I don't want to drive out of lot with that Mazda and immediately lose $7,000

[evomike]

Originally Posted by donoman

Totally different purpose cars:

1) BRZ/FR-S = Cheap, reliable, slow
2) Boxster S = Expensive, less reliable, fast

It all comes down to how good of a mechanic you are and how much money you make. All of us would pick "faster" if we could afford it.

The cars are NOTHING alike.

what facts do you have to backup the boxster being less reliable?

[220volt]

Originally Posted by chaoskaze

Boxer cuz my friend has one lol.
Not fooling around thou, if you ask this questions that means you are not big into modding cars. If you are not gonna touch it, stock for stock is definitely boxer.

I will probably not mod any of these car a lot. I would definitely do few things to BRZ (tune, header, shifter bushing and trans oil change, maybe few cosmetic mods).
On, Boxter I am planning only new lighter wheels later on. Maybe a tune for better throttle response. That's it.

[Teseo]

Originally Posted by 220volt

I've driven S2000 and it was at the top of my list. However, absolute deal breaker for me was the fact that you could not adjust steering wheel. No up/down or back/front. And no matter how I adjusted my seat, my left leg was hitting the bottom of the wheel every time I clutch. I am not that tall, maybe little over 6 feet. I do have long legs, but still.

You still have options like aftermarket seats, its up to you. I mean if you like it you will try to make it happen

[220volt]

Originally Posted by Teseo

You still have options like aftermarket seats, its up to you. I mean if you like it you will try to make it happen

I liked BRZ better believe it or not. BRZ was lot sharper, more comfortable, better steering feel and steering wheel. I do prefer S2000 looks, shifter and clutch though.