Weather permitting, I will get to test drive the S2k on Sunday... I am giving up my SLK soon and am basically in the market for either a Boxster Sor S2000. I've done a lot of reading but no actual driving, but from what I've read I'm leaning towards the Boxster S. What about this car other than price that I should look for in my test drive that would sway me from the boxster?

'00 328i sport/premium 5spd
'00 SLK 230 Limited Ed.

 

I think you will find the S2000 better balanced when tackling twisty roads. It should feel more nimble and a little less ponderous than the Boxster. That said, they are both excellent choices and the Boxster certainly has advantages over the S2000 such as trunk space, low end torque and luxury.

 

I'd say if you're thinking of buying the car you test drive, don't VTEC it and trust all of us here that have said how wonderful the motor is. (If there's clearly a bunch of miles already on the car, it probably already had been improperly "broken in") Find some twisties to appreciate the brakes, gearbox and handling.

The other thing to look for? The extra 15,000 dollar bills in your back pocket!

 

IMO, the S2000 has the following advantages:

1. Stiffer chassis; drive both cars over some washboard roads and watch for cowl shake.

2. Rifle-bolt shifting; any shifter will feel sloppy after this one.

3. Elemental nature; the Boxster is a much cushier car. The Honda has minimal luxuries in the interest of putting the value into the chassis, engine, and drivetrain. To me, this is an advantge for the S2000; for others it goes the other way. Your call.

4. Rarity; There are a lot more Boxsters on the road than S2000s, and you have to be an aficionado to know which ones are S's. Since Honda is apparently not going to increase production significantly, there always will be fewer of them. Count Boxsters and S2000s for a week and see.

5. Cost; I know you said besides cost, but you can't ignore this one. Porsche will nail you for $20K base price difference, another $10K more for the options you want, and further flogging every time you take it in for service. And don't forget insurance. (I'm paying about the same per year for the Honda as for my '94 325i.) When the dust settles, your per-year costs will be vastly different. Do a spreadsheet and see.

6. You can see the engine. 120 hp/liter, and the most ungodly howl you can imagine above 6000 rpm. It's an amazing achievement.

The Boxster S has the following advantages:

1. Dealers; Many Honda dealers are dirtbags. Porsche dealers know how to treat customers who want this kind of car. Also, Honda mechanics are still learning about this car, though there haven't been many horror stories in this area.

2. More low-end torque.

3. More sensitive steering.

4. More luggage space.

5. More cachet, if you care about cachet. Personally, given my friends and lifestyle choices, Honda's image fits me better than Porsche's. I don't own any gold chains, either.

They're both great cars, and I'd gladly own a Boxster S. I'd be less glad about paying for it, though.

 

BMWguy,
Tox has summed things up well. I've stated many times that I would take a boxster S straight up for my stook, but not a stock boxster. You pay nearly twice as much for the S. Unfortunately, you won't get a true feel for the s2000 unless you get it into VTEC- although you will feel the razor sharp handling. I test drove a 1 year old boxster and it felt much "looser" than the s2000- more body flex and roll. To nit pick, I don't feel that the boxster has more sensitive steering, but see for yourself. We'd all love it if you bring back your honest impressions to this board. Isn't it great to have such a choice when 5 years ago we had nothing like either car- just the z3? (Which I'm not ragging on- I just feel that BMW hasn't kept it up to date with the other contenders)
Happy Motoring!
Don

 

1) drop the top,
2) get off the freeway,
3) work the gears,
4) smile a lot.

they're both cars. in the end it's up to personal taste and personal finances. and unlike some here, my personal tastes are such that i chose the S2K over the Boxster S and would NOT trade (especially now that I know the car better).

enjoy - you're in the enviable position of being able to make a no-lose decision (rare in this life).

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by malachi
[B]1)
they're both cars.

 

Are you looking for a insane, wild, no-compromise sports car or a beautifully sculpted, civilised sports car?

Are you brand conscious?

Two pretty important factors.

The Boxster S is easier to drive fast but the S2K is more fun after you learn how to drive it. You won't be disappointed either way. I would emphasise that is Oz, the Boxster S costs double the price of the S2K so they are not competitors in the same sector of the market - no kidding!

 

No BMW LOGO's come to mind here.

 

Autoweekdid a survey a while back of Boxster S owners and as a group they were very happy; however, when asked what they paid, the range ran from $52k to over $80k with an average somewhere in between. So many of the standard features on the stook are high-dollar options on the Porsche. Having owned a Porsche in the past, I can attest to the fact that service, parts and insurance are very expensive.