Way back in the 1990’s Porsches were expensive and slow. Unless you wanted a convertible Porsche, which was more expensive and more slow. Porsches were expensive because they had to be due to the incredibly inefficient way Porsche made cars. This created unneeded complexity on the assembly line and resulted in cars no more reliable than the average upscale European standard. Even though Porsche was able to shift every car built, it was at such a low-profit margin they were in fiscal trouble. The severity of the problem led Porsche to ask a few former Toyota executives to help iron things out. The solution, it turns out, was basically to start over. So Porsche started over.
In order to sell cars they must be affordable, never a strong point for Porsche. Replacing the 944/968 was paramount to the survival of the marque. Mazda had shown that an affordable roadster was the hot commodity in the market in the 1990's. Porsche could have cobbled together a cheap convertible from existing parts, but the boys from Toyota nixed that idea. Instead, it would be a completely new car. The Boxster, a mid-engine convertible, was inspired by the 550 spyder of the 1950’s. It was developed alongside the new 996/911 and used many of the same parts. Same front fascia, same “fried egg” headlights, same interior, same controls, same instruments, same wheels. The “affordable” Porsche would be just as attractive, sporty, and as much of a Porsche as the upcoming 911. Except it would be a mid-engined convertible. What could possibly go wrong? Everybody high-fived and went to the bar.
When the Boxster debuted it was a hit. An affordable Porsche, and a convertible too. Sales were strong. As a result, Porsche found itself pulling away from the edge of the bankruptcy cliff. The future was bright. Then a few months later the new 911 was launched, and everybody lost their collective mind. It looked just like the cheap, slow Boxster that hairdressers and secretaries drove. Never mind the fact that the 911 was designed first, and the front treatment that everybody loved during marketing seminars and styling research was given to the entry level model as an enhancement to the Boxster, not a detraction from the 911. It didn’t matter. Both the 996 and the 986 (911 and Boxster, respectively) suffered. Porsche immediately restyled the front of the 911 for the upcoming turbo, and eventually applied that doe-eyed front to all 911’s, leaving the Boxster with its undesirable fried egg headlights. Eventually, the 911 looked like a proper Porsche again, and the Boxster and Cayman established themselves as an acceptable entry level model, quite separate from the 911. But the damage had been done.
So, what does this mean to us? One thing; all this headlight drama has resulted in some very good sports cars with very bad resale values. Decent 911’s go for $18k, and Boxsters for about a third of that. I would advise against the absolute cheapest Porsche you can find, but for old worn out Miata money, you can have a Porsche Boxster. Even a base Boxster has more luxury items than any Miata. It also has those cool Porsche gauges, the ignition key on the left of the dash, and above all, a howling flat-6 right behind you. And howl it will, because the base 200HP 2.5 is thin on torque. But it is adequate for the job and is able to move the little roadster to 60 in about 6.5 seconds. Remember, back in the 90’s that was fast. The engine makes a marvelous noise, especially with a few strategically drilled holes in the muffler - so it can feel faster than it actually is.
While the base Boxster is a viable Miata alternative, the Boxster S is a real sports car. For a few more greenbacks than the standard car, you get a bigger engine, three radiators, six gears, and a bunch more power. You also get big red brakes and white face gauges. For my money, it’s hard to do better than a 986 Boxster S. The M96 is not the most reliable of mills, so plan on replacing the clutch, rear main seal, and IMS bearing upon purchase and every 60K miles thereafter. The fried egg headlights and jellybean styling are attractive again, and with a cool set of cheap wheels, you would be hard pressed to do better for the money. Ideally, you could pick up a really cheap S with a bad engine and swap in a used LS3. It would nearly double your investment, but for used Camry prices you could have a true supercar, able to out-perform almost anything on the road. Just don’t get too involved, because too much Boxster modification investment will put you in 996 territory. It would not be hard to choose between a Boxster and a 911 if they were similar money. The logical choice would be the 911. But I still prefer the Boxster, if for nothing else than the fact that a 911 is more serious. And to be frank, the Boxster is better. It has better driving dynamics and balance due to its superior rear suspension and mid-engine layout. It’s also lighter. The interior is more befitting an inexpensive roadster than a luxurious GT. And it always seems as if a 911 owner is compensating for some personal shortcoming, while the Boxster is just a cute little car that shouldn’t intimidate anybody. So find a decent one and enjoy it. At least until the fragile engine grenades. When it happens, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
