Adam Posted November 3, 2003 Report Share Posted November 3, 2003 OK, its been a while coming but I do so little mileage and I wanted to wait until I had done 2000 miles at least! Previous car was a chipped S3 which a lot of you are familiar with so I will use it as comparison. Looks: some people criticise the Boxster in this dept. I love the front (same as 996) and side view and all angles but still not 100% with the rear. It is a very neat and clean shape though and looks great with 18"s Turbo IIs or failing that Carreras. Also manages to look very nice with hood up, down it looks lovely - hood folds away without nasty protrusions although not as neat as a Beemers which covers the hood with metal. The 2003 version of the car has a heated glass screen which is obviously preferable but doesn't do much for the looks (it is noticeably smaller). Oh and the speed-sensitive spoiler is damn ugly and I am glad I can never see it! Performance - chalk and cheese v S3. Onthe one hand you have lag then wooooaaah from 3000-4000revs followed a gradual drop off, over 5500 is not worth it apart from stoping the revs falling too far for the next gear. The Boxster is so eager off the line andit just feels a lot more frisky and willing - the car feels half the weight of the S3 but this might just be because I got used to the S3 turbo effect (or lack of) at low revs. It then pulls smoothly through the range but with less drama - you don't get that wave of power mid-range. The upside is a lovely high end and its a joy to take to the 7000rpm with every gear. Overall it feels a little bit quicker than a chipped S3 but you have to work the gears harder as you get less mid-range punch. The best bit and probably the biggest difference performance wise is the noise - it sounds fantastic with hood up or down. It also has a nice on or off noise whereby cruising is relatively quiet but acceleration gives an immediate Porcshe noise from behind your ears. Handling - car is very alive in your hands, corners flat and is very communicative. I am no Senna but read any review of the Boxster over the last 6 years and it will describe it better than me. The S3 is a great car but if only they could get some of the numbness out the chassis and steering. The downside is it rides a bit harder (esp. on 18"s - glad I don't have sports suspension as well) which doesn't bother me much although motorway journeys are more tiring. I have PSM and it has already paid for itself once so I am a big fan. It sis supposedly a very non-interventionary TC system and I have pushed the car hard but felt it only once (and thank god). Dry day but pulled out of car wash and accelerated (not hard mind) coz they wheels were still soaking - rear end went out and tucked back in before I knew much about it - the car feels so wel balanced that I think I would have caught it but there wasn't much room to play with (cars parked on my left) so I could well have clipped something anyway my doubts about non-PSM Porkers were right (esp after the bombproof quattro) Interior and accommodation - this is where you realise the Porsche are a small company w/o VAG resources. The interior is well designed and a nice place to be but some of the switchgear (column stalks, lockable box in centre console) feel plasticky. The solidity of the S3 is certainly not quite there but it is still feels a quality car but Audi and probably the best in the business at interiors. Also disappointing was the look of some of the leather esp as mine has the £1100 full leather which includes dash and doors - the dash leather in particular just doesn't look like leather. The seats are comfy and supportive but quite narrow - if you are at all broad I would advise against the (free with full leather) sports seats which were too tight on my shoulders. Legroom and headroom are very good but it is a snug cabin - with the seat as low as possible so I can see all the instruments (I am 6'1") I can hit my head in the padded roll bar rather than the headrest if I tip my head back Controls-wise the steering is full of feel and meaty and the clutch is meaty after an S3 but I much prefer it - it feels like it was built to handle the power and more - the gearchange is very sweet but can be stiff (esp 2nd) when cold. In fact the car can be quite tricky to drive smoothly slowly - unless you are careful gearchanges can give a bit of throttle notchiness and the engine doesn't like the revs dropping too much. It all comes together superbly when pressing on though. Costs - well its a £38k list car so it is billed as a cheap Porsche but the basic price is a piss take. To get an S up to a spec that I would be happy with and that you could re-sell OK costs £4k minimum IMHO, if you want high spec think £45k and if you want satnav and all the trimmings think £50k, some of the option prices are very humorous though eg slightly different gearstick with a bit of aluminium at the bottom with a handbrake with a Porsche labeled alloy badge on £450 sir, a piece of plastic as a wind deflector £250 sir, 4 speakers and reasonable sound rather than really crap speakers £400 sir, top sound with some Bose badges £800, metallic paint £650, traction control £700 the list goes on (and on and on). On the plus side servicing is very reasonable, the first annual/12k service was done for £200, 24k one should be about £300 - I had some interior bits retro-fitted for £80per hour + vat so Audi prices really overall - I love the roof down experience, the car goes brilliantly, feels alive, sounds gorgeous and every journey feels like an event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Posted November 3, 2003 Report Share Posted November 3, 2003 That's one sweet car mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snail Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 Sweet car, nice review....but copying the wheels of my tractor??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted November 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 ta forgot to mention brakes are superb as you would expect and don't shed brake dust like the S3 - do Audi make the brake pads from charcoal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lagoo Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 nice review mate... fancy having a quick drive in mine and then reviewing it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted November 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 yes to the first part, no the second - cheeky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 Nice review mate! Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CARACTERE 007 Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHA Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 make me miss mine even more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 Do you actually miss yours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHA Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 not my actual car as it was a bad one, but yes i really miss the whole porsche thing. And every 2 months they spite me by still sending me the porsche magazine to tempt me even more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bison1379134007 Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 great review mate! if only more people would review their pride and joys! [/hint] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted November 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 Nick - do the words Lagoo and M3 spring to mind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lagoo Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 [ QUOTE ] Nick - do the words Lagoo and M3 spring to mind? [/ QUOTE ] i knew that was coming go on drop me in it with the board owner honest boss working on the review from pentagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted December 30, 2003 Report Share Posted December 30, 2003 [ QUOTE ] go on drop me in it with the board owner [/ QUOTE ] yeah maggot, make one!! I'm preparing one for the porker aswell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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