New(ish) Boxster

[Paul Fraser]

Have just picked up a LHD 97P Boxster. Silver/red and a fairly good spec (I think) in that it has the Lux pack, full leather, heated seats, enhanced sound and a CDR 21(?) with Becker 6 CD. 46,000 miles.

First impressions (and no offence intended!)

The point to point acceleration isn' t as good as I thought it would be, but I have _really_ been spoiled by the 996. Notwithstanding that, I' m not actually sure that it' s much nippier than my near-20 year old 944 Lux, but that is very much a subjective impression and yet to be tested. Great road holding and really tight brakes though.

Cockpit a bit cramped for me and, although I wasn' t sore after the 2.5 hour drive, I wasn' t as comfotable as I would have been in the 996 or 944 (well, maybe not the last as the seat on the drivers side has had the stuffing knocked out of it and gives me a sore lower back now).

It' s my first convertible and I managed to get the roof down for twenty minutes. Very windy with the windows down, but I' m looking forward to more of this in the summer (One of the reasons I got one; that and they look pretty cool!)

This one pulls slightly to the left. Can' t think why: the front shocks were replaced in December and (I think) the geometry checked.

Needs a service in 3,500 miles (at 80000 km/ 50,000 miles -- I believe the UK ones would be at 48000). Tyres are down to 4mm. Not sure if I like the 17 inch Boxster alloys, but will wait to see if they grow on me (the 18 inch turbos on the 996 did).

And that' s about it. (My Dad' s wife liked it and jumped at the chance of a short trip when he took it out round the block this evening -- they are both in their sixties and got an odd look from a parked police car!!)

PS Will probably want to pick up a hardtop. Are there many silver red ones going around? £800-1100?

PPS HPI checked and Parkers at Kendal did the pre-purchase inspection (no they didn' t pick up the pull to the left; they had very little to say about it at all).

 

[Guest]

The Boxster seems very sensitive to road camber and I have convinced myself more than once that something is wrong, like a puncture when in fact it is just road camber. The car tends to run down the camber, as you would expect, whether it is left or right. Suggest that you explore the behaviour on a mix of roads before you make a final conclusion.

 

[Gary Bullen]

The Boxster, as with many cars today has a chassis and modern tyres now so capable that the cars feel slow even when driving quite fast. The standard Boxster would be a fantastic car for everyday use but an ' S' has the power to allow the driver to explore more of the cars true potential. I drove 2.7 and S back-to-back, including two days at Thruxton. Both are enjoyable but I would soon get bored with the 2.7 and would need something more extreme for the weekends and track days. The S reminded me of my 964 C2 and has a similar performance. You may find you are travelling cross country much quicker than in your previous car but in a far less stressful fashion!!!

Porsches (I haven' t been fortunate to drive all of them) need proper and professional set up when it comes to suspension and I would think the Boxster would respond well to a visit to a proper specialist who knows his stuff. I am sure that if you give some indication as to your whereabouts in the country someone on this forum will be able to give a recommendation. Once sorted the chassis and tyres will be working at their most efficient, the rest is down to you.
Regards
GARY BULLEN[]

 

[Paul Fraser]

Thanks to you both for your comments: the car' s in Shetland and will be going to Aberdeen for its service I guess. The geometry was done last by Parkers, the OPC in Kendal, so I would hope they would have got it right.

 

[Guest]

With wider lower profile tyres, the car is more sensitive to ruts in the road as well.
On some of the dubious bits of tarmac near me where the lorries have had a go at it on hot days, the car tramlines. It can move 6 inches or so quite quickly without touching the wheel. In general it is best not to fight it, since it will strighten up, although obviously you need to be aware of whats happening. On some of the roads it is possible to avoid putting your wheels in the ruts, although you need a fairly wide road for this.
In general I wouldn' t say Porsche' s are particularly bad for this, they actually ride very well, considering the rubber under you.

On lumpy and uneven B and C-roads, I also find it darts around a little (particularly above 60 []) requiring you to keep a firm grip on the wheel and pay attention. The payback for this is the feedback you get and the immediacy of the response. Being able to tell what is going on is absolutely essential to driving quickly and safely.

The camber will affect all cars, although how noticeable it is seems to vary.
In case you think there really is a pull, on an empty straight bit of road, drive on the the other side and see if it pulls the other way.
If so then you may not have a problem.

The other thing that can affect this is the tracking. Checks the tyres are wearing evenly and that one of the edges is not unduly worn or showing signs of excess feathering. If there is too much toe out it can make it more suscetible.
This will also make the fuel economy worse.