What are the essential Boxster options?
Discussion
In June I'm going to be in a position to buy a Boxster, so obviously I'm already beginning the search...
BUT, there are just so many options! All of the Boxsters I've seen so far have totally different options fitted, and I keep discovering new [to me] ones. So I thought I'd best try here and see what owners think are the essential ones to try and look out for.
I'm looking for a 3.2S, and my budget is just over £20k for the car itself. The only things I definately know I want are a dark colour and turbo alloys, but feel free to convince me otherwise! Still not made my mind up on manual v's tiptronic either.
BUT, there are just so many options! All of the Boxsters I've seen so far have totally different options fitted, and I keep discovering new [to me] ones. So I thought I'd best try here and see what owners think are the essential ones to try and look out for.
I'm looking for a 3.2S, and my budget is just over £20k for the car itself. The only things I definately know I want are a dark colour and turbo alloys, but feel free to convince me otherwise! Still not made my mind up on manual v's tiptronic either.
windymiller said:
In June I'm going to be in a position to buy a Boxster, so obviously I'm already beginning the search...
BUT, there are just so many options! All of the Boxsters I've seen so far have totally different options fitted, and I keep discovering new [to me] ones. So I thought I'd best try here and see what owners think are the essential ones to try and look out for.
I'm looking for a 3.2S, and my budget is just over £20k for the car itself. The only things I definately know I want are a dark colour and turbo alloys, but feel free to convince me otherwise! Still not made my mind up on manual v's tiptronic either.
Hairdryer?BUT, there are just so many options! All of the Boxsters I've seen so far have totally different options fitted, and I keep discovering new [to me] ones. So I thought I'd best try here and see what owners think are the essential ones to try and look out for.
I'm looking for a 3.2S, and my budget is just over £20k for the car itself. The only things I definately know I want are a dark colour and turbo alloys, but feel free to convince me otherwise! Still not made my mind up on manual v's tiptronic either.
kayc said:
windymiller said:
In June I'm going to be in a position to buy a Boxster, so obviously I'm already beginning the search...
BUT, there are just so many options! All of the Boxsters I've seen so far have totally different options fitted, and I keep discovering new [to me] ones. So I thought I'd best try here and see what owners think are the essential ones to try and look out for.
I'm looking for a 3.2S, and my budget is just over £20k for the car itself. The only things I definately know I want are a dark colour and turbo alloys, but feel free to convince me otherwise! Still not made my mind up on manual v's tiptronic either.
Hairdryer?BUT, there are just so many options! All of the Boxsters I've seen so far have totally different options fitted, and I keep discovering new [to me] ones. So I thought I'd best try here and see what owners think are the essential ones to try and look out for.
I'm looking for a 3.2S, and my budget is just over £20k for the car itself. The only things I definately know I want are a dark colour and turbo alloys, but feel free to convince me otherwise! Still not made my mind up on manual v's tiptronic either.
A personality?
Try and stretch to one of the facelifted models (2003MY?) You'll get the glass-rear screen. And a sports exhaust would be handy (especially after listening to that Alfa V6). Oh, and some earplugs for the pathetic "but it's not a 911" comments. Good luck.
Edited by gmk666 on Tuesday 27th February 14:18
gmk666 said:
Try and stretch to one of the facelifted models (2003MY?) You'll get the glass-rear screen. And a sports exhaust would be handy (especially after listening to that Alfa V6). Oh, and some earplugs for the pathetic "but it's not a 911 comments". Good luck.
OK. Yes: stretch to an MY03 car and you'll get a heated rear screen - brilliant. The downside is that you get the MOST bus for the stereo which seriously hampers your choices should you wish to fit an aftermarket headunit for any reason. On balance: go MY03 or later. MY04 had longer service intervals - could be a cost saving depending on how you use the car.
If you buy an S it comes with climate control air con anyway. And, of course, you want that.
Right.Options (for the 'S'). I'll put them in "Essential", "Nice" and "Don't Bother". Bear in mind my view is subjective but I have owned two and know something about them.
Essential
Heated seats - extends the time of year you can drive roof off very effectively.
Wind Deflector - the car looks odd without it.
Sports Seats - the standard ones let you slide about too much. The buckets are pain to get in and out of. If you don't track the car over much Sports seats are a good compromise.
Nice
Porsche Sound Pack - the standard amp and speakers are shit. The PSP makes it bearable. If you are seriously into your choons you need the Bose option - but if you get that the storage box for the Wind Deflector is deleted which I view as essential.
Full Leather - there were loads of leather options. "Full" leather isn't actually the top one which was the "Large Leather Pack". But its enough. The non-leather interior is OK - but the leather really does add a touch of luxury.
Aluminium Gearstick - looks lovely. Standard item OK but not quite as groovy.
Don't bother
Litronic Headlights - yeah I got 'em. But do they make much difference? I've compared with a mates and the answer was not really. YMMV.
18" Wheels - yeah I got 'em too. They makes the tyres more expensive whilst looking a little nicer. A bit. You don't see 'em when you're driving.
Hardtop - the roof in the later models is fully lined. In fact its quieter than when the hardtop is on. The hardtop doesn't make it ANY more secure as the chavs will just break a window. I didn't order a hardtop on my second car - particularly because my MY03 car has the glass rear window anyway.
No opinion
PCM/SatNav/Phone. Whilst "PCM2" is still supported by Porsche they surely dropped "PCM1" owners in it whilst their cars were fairly young. Personally I would by a Tom Tom. But if your car came with this and so long as you aren't paying over the odds for it - its fine I suppose.
Hope this helps. Other people may well think differently. You'll note some of the options I chose I wouldn't bother with again having lived with them for a few years.
I'm in the same camp as Don with what I would look for, although I regard the Litronics and BOSE as essential. You get a nice little bag to put your deflector in and place it on the rear shelf behind your bose 'hump' it'll sit there fine. TBH the only time I take the deflector out is if it is bugging me at night, otherwise it doesn't really affect rear vision or the roof's down anyway.
I haven't got heated seats but fwiw the aircon is good enough to keep me tostie enough, so long as i remember a hat on all but the seriously -5 type days.
I haven't got heated seats but fwiw the aircon is good enough to keep me tostie enough, so long as i remember a hat on all but the seriously -5 type days.
BliarOut said:
fbrs said:
BliarOut said:
Don't the 18" wheels increase tramlining a little too Don?
are there *any* cars where bigger alloys dont shag the handling ?
Prolly not... The 18's do fill the arches nicely though.
To be honest I've driven 17" and my 18" kitted cars back to back and there is bugger all difference in on road handling - no tramlining really. By repute the limit is a little less friendly with the 18s because they have a very teensy little bit more grip. I've only driven the 18s on track and.....its a very grippy car.
Again by repute a lowered Sports Suspension and the 18s were considered potentially not a good combination for ride quality.
I reckon if you are going to drive the car hard and do track days, though, you could well be better off with the 17s. Handling should be almost identical and the rubber significantly better value.
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