987 to 981 - or maybe a different option
Discussion
Had a phone call from my OPC the other day - we're taking orders for the new 981 - and only have a few slots left for spring delivery...
So anyway courtesy of work I find myself sat in a london hotel - and so beer in hand I settle back and spec a 981 - and watch those numbers tick on upwards somewhat more rapidly than my 987.2 did when I did that one..
I've just for comparison purposes ran my current (fairly base spec through) and the car is about 4-5K more expensive so about +12% like for like... let alone running the numbers on an S...
Now I'm expecting to get kicked in the knackers with my trade in (one of the first 987.2's so just about 3 years old) although I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised ;-) and well don't see anything different in another 3-4 years when I come to trade this one in.
I'm in the market for a weekend car - will probably keep for 3 years, needs to be accessible, fun, reliable (as have all my past 3 pieces of pork), comfortable and most of all put that smile on my face at 7-8 10ths as I recharge and reset for the coming week...
Given that I'm sat here wondering if say a used 997 targa (really don't like the look of the cab) might be a better option for somewhere round about the price of a new 2.9 you can get a late 07 997.1 OPC 4S targa with all the toys and about 30K on the clock... Both are cruisers rather the full on 10/10ths cars - but where can you use one of those these days - of course one is less of the opentop experience than the other but has all sorts of other advantages - and I suppose you could do this same comparison with the 997.1 cab.
Now the big question is - do we think the new box is worth the premium, running costs are not going to be wildly different between the two - ok tax is less, but insurance is probably more especially where I live with the ragtop premium both are on a 20K service interval and you have 3 vs 2 years of warranty.
I dont suppose anyone will be able to say until they drive the beastie - april isnt it? But do those of you who have looked at the 991 think that it really is that much better than the 997 - and do you think the 981 will be the same?
Thanks for reading - and well I'd appreciate your thoughts.
S.
So anyway courtesy of work I find myself sat in a london hotel - and so beer in hand I settle back and spec a 981 - and watch those numbers tick on upwards somewhat more rapidly than my 987.2 did when I did that one..
I've just for comparison purposes ran my current (fairly base spec through) and the car is about 4-5K more expensive so about +12% like for like... let alone running the numbers on an S...
Now I'm expecting to get kicked in the knackers with my trade in (one of the first 987.2's so just about 3 years old) although I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised ;-) and well don't see anything different in another 3-4 years when I come to trade this one in.
I'm in the market for a weekend car - will probably keep for 3 years, needs to be accessible, fun, reliable (as have all my past 3 pieces of pork), comfortable and most of all put that smile on my face at 7-8 10ths as I recharge and reset for the coming week...
Given that I'm sat here wondering if say a used 997 targa (really don't like the look of the cab) might be a better option for somewhere round about the price of a new 2.9 you can get a late 07 997.1 OPC 4S targa with all the toys and about 30K on the clock... Both are cruisers rather the full on 10/10ths cars - but where can you use one of those these days - of course one is less of the opentop experience than the other but has all sorts of other advantages - and I suppose you could do this same comparison with the 997.1 cab.
Now the big question is - do we think the new box is worth the premium, running costs are not going to be wildly different between the two - ok tax is less, but insurance is probably more especially where I live with the ragtop premium both are on a 20K service interval and you have 3 vs 2 years of warranty.
I dont suppose anyone will be able to say until they drive the beastie - april isnt it? But do those of you who have looked at the 991 think that it really is that much better than the 997 - and do you think the 981 will be the same?
Thanks for reading - and well I'd appreciate your thoughts.
S.
I had similar requirements and in 2009 went for a base 2.9 boxster which I drive hard and am chuffed with. I wanted a fully loaded Targa PDK 4S but could not justify one (my spec was £110k).
The 2.9 is a hooligan of a car, you wring its neck down a B road and you can hearing it ask for more. With the PDK you ping it off the rev limiter all the time without going to jail. The Targa is completely different car and needs to be used differently. A more mature drive, one which will not piss the missus off.
If i had to make the choice now, it would be much harder as there are some heavily depreciated Targa's which pop up from time to time.
The Targa is a real enthusiasts car and I point like a small child when i see one on the road, some of the cars i have seen have had all the boxes ticked (Ceramics, PSE, aluminium pack, the lot).
Apart from the rear spoler cuts, the new 981 looks better than the 991 (without duckbill pack) and it takes the Boxster down a road the 911 cannot follow in terms of styling.
The new 2.7 981 will also fix the small list of improvements I wanted for mine :
- Ventilated seats
- Half decent IPOD/Nav
- Xenons - no naff LCD buzz-bar lights this time
- Ceramics (brake dust drives me *insane*)
- Even nicer 'zaust note.
It will also have less communicative steering, will I notice? - don't know yet.
If none of these things matter to you, just go and buy a lightly speeced 2.9/3.4 (with PSE) and be done.
If you want to step-up into a GT car, I would go for a Targa. Yes its heavy and lumpy in comparison to the Box but as a place to sit and waft along, it takes some beating - and it is rare.
The 2.9 is a hooligan of a car, you wring its neck down a B road and you can hearing it ask for more. With the PDK you ping it off the rev limiter all the time without going to jail. The Targa is completely different car and needs to be used differently. A more mature drive, one which will not piss the missus off.
If i had to make the choice now, it would be much harder as there are some heavily depreciated Targa's which pop up from time to time.
The Targa is a real enthusiasts car and I point like a small child when i see one on the road, some of the cars i have seen have had all the boxes ticked (Ceramics, PSE, aluminium pack, the lot).
Apart from the rear spoler cuts, the new 981 looks better than the 991 (without duckbill pack) and it takes the Boxster down a road the 911 cannot follow in terms of styling.
The new 2.7 981 will also fix the small list of improvements I wanted for mine :
- Ventilated seats
- Half decent IPOD/Nav
- Xenons - no naff LCD buzz-bar lights this time
- Ceramics (brake dust drives me *insane*)
- Even nicer 'zaust note.
It will also have less communicative steering, will I notice? - don't know yet.
If none of these things matter to you, just go and buy a lightly speeced 2.9/3.4 (with PSE) and be done.
If you want to step-up into a GT car, I would go for a Targa. Yes its heavy and lumpy in comparison to the Box but as a place to sit and waft along, it takes some beating - and it is rare.
Edited by Carl_Docklands on Wednesday 8th February 10:53
Carl,
Thanks - been running a lightly specced 2.9 box (guards red, Boxster S 18's bluetooth, leather seats, heated, climate, red belts, body colour hoops & wind deflector) for the past nearly 3 years so totally know what you mean. Wouldn't want to heavily load a boxster especially a 2.9 - but think PSE is a must this time. Like the idea of silver/grey metallic and natural leather / red roof, but this and the PDK costs the earth.
Molly no I totally don't but it got me thinking about changing again and well I thought you would appreciate the humour ;-)
Thanks - been running a lightly specced 2.9 box (guards red, Boxster S 18's bluetooth, leather seats, heated, climate, red belts, body colour hoops & wind deflector) for the past nearly 3 years so totally know what you mean. Wouldn't want to heavily load a boxster especially a 2.9 - but think PSE is a must this time. Like the idea of silver/grey metallic and natural leather / red roof, but this and the PDK costs the earth.
Molly no I totally don't but it got me thinking about changing again and well I thought you would appreciate the humour ;-)
I specced a Boxster S and it came in at close to £60k!
In the same way as I think close to £100k is "too much" for the 911 I want, I think £60k is "too much" for the Boxster, lovely though it is to look at.
Guess I'll be picking up a second-hand 991 in two or three years' time instead, unless something else turns my head before then.
As you say, it's hard to make a judgement on the 997 vs. 981 without having driven the 981 but going from a 987 to a 997.2 was night and day performance-wise and neither my wife nor I would go back to a 987.
In the same way as I think close to £100k is "too much" for the 911 I want, I think £60k is "too much" for the Boxster, lovely though it is to look at.
Guess I'll be picking up a second-hand 991 in two or three years' time instead, unless something else turns my head before then.
As you say, it's hard to make a judgement on the 997 vs. 981 without having driven the 981 but going from a 987 to a 997.2 was night and day performance-wise and neither my wife nor I would go back to a 987.
Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff