03 350z or year 2000 boxter 3.2S for my 30th
18 November 2007, 10:36 PM
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03 350z or year 2000 boxter 3.2S for my 30th
ive never had a good car before and i want something special for my 30th
iam currently driving an mx5 so used to driving rwd i just wanrt something more special that i can enjoy and look back on in years to come ive narrowed it down to approx 16k-20k between an 03 350z 276bhp or an older 2000 model boxter 3.2s with 250 bhp.
what would yous choose i could prob spend up to 20k for the right age.
iam a little worried if the boxter breaks its going to cost a fortune + its older than the 350z but its a porsche!!! and prob the only time in my life i could get one!!
also do the boxters come with hard tops? where as the 350z has jap reliability!!!
cheers Derek
iam currently driving an mx5 so used to driving rwd i just wanrt something more special that i can enjoy and look back on in years to come ive narrowed it down to approx 16k-20k between an 03 350z 276bhp or an older 2000 model boxter 3.2s with 250 bhp.
what would yous choose i could prob spend up to 20k for the right age.
iam a little worried if the boxter breaks its going to cost a fortune + its older than the 350z but its a porsche!!! and prob the only time in my life i could get one!!
also do the boxters come with hard tops? where as the 350z has jap reliability!!!
cheers Derek
18 November 2007, 11:08 PM
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Very tricky choice, and one I might need to make in a few years myself (you're ahead of me though - I'm 34!)
Anyway, I'm pretty sure that not all Boxsters had a hardtop, they would have been a factory extra (and probably a pricey one at that!)
Other than the usual advice about taking both for a test drive, check out the forums for both cars and see what the potential pitfalls of owning might be. I imagine that having official Porsche servicing could be painful, but maybe there is a specialist near you? Resale values on the Boxster better maybe - might be worth checking out?
Personally, I've always wanted a Porsche and would probably go for that over the 350Z, but it would be a hard choice.
Have fun and enjoy the car whichever you choose!
Anyway, I'm pretty sure that not all Boxsters had a hardtop, they would have been a factory extra (and probably a pricey one at that!)
Other than the usual advice about taking both for a test drive, check out the forums for both cars and see what the potential pitfalls of owning might be. I imagine that having official Porsche servicing could be painful, but maybe there is a specialist near you? Resale values on the Boxster better maybe - might be worth checking out?
Personally, I've always wanted a Porsche and would probably go for that over the 350Z, but it would be a hard choice.
Have fun and enjoy the car whichever you choose!
19 November 2007, 10:36 AM
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Boxsters are a fantastic car - and the 3.2 has some geuine poke, My buddys 2.5 whilst not as fast as my old Scoob certainly gripped better in the dry and felt more composed in certain conditions.
however even entry level Boxsters are not cheap to run, i woudl budget at least 200 quid a month for maintanence alone. When my mate sold his, he put fresh rear tyres, brakes and few other nik naks and a full 12 months mot and ended up with a bill of 2k.
when you buy one just check stuff like brakes and tyres as they are expensive as well as the RMS (rear main seal) issues that some Boxsters have.
However they are a cracking car and even fairly economical (well the 2.5's are anyway)
however even entry level Boxsters are not cheap to run, i woudl budget at least 200 quid a month for maintanence alone. When my mate sold his, he put fresh rear tyres, brakes and few other nik naks and a full 12 months mot and ended up with a bill of 2k.
when you buy one just check stuff like brakes and tyres as they are expensive as well as the RMS (rear main seal) issues that some Boxsters have.
However they are a cracking car and even fairly economical (well the 2.5's are anyway)
19 November 2007, 11:54 AM
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Reckon Boxsters look ugly with the hard top but cracking otherwise.As an mx owner too,I don't believe in hard tops though!
Would be the Porsche for me though.Seems you can pick up 350's for not much but I'm sure they won't be that cheap to run either?
I'm sure the Porshe would be just as reliable as a Nissan
Would be the Porsche for me though.Seems you can pick up 350's for not much but I'm sure they won't be that cheap to run either?
I'm sure the Porshe would be just as reliable as a Nissan
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19 November 2007, 04:19 PM
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Porsche might sound tempting, but i'd say its not all that. First of all its an entry model, which might be called a porsche, but its rarely considered special nowdays. And even though its grippy and performance is not so bad, it will never turn heads and 90% of boxter drivers are women. And those dealership prices are insane enough not to be justifiable.
If you want a special car, buy a Z; its much rarer, its the next best thing nissan made after GTR and is an awesome car with pretty fair dealership prices and you will rarely see a woman driving it. It always gets thumbs up from people and it turns heads. It looks cool, the exhaust note is just right, and Bose stereo sounds really nice in such a small cabin. Z will always be a step up from a boxter for me.
In the end of course it what makes YOU tick, but if you want people to see you driving a Special car, i'd consider other things as well.
If you want a special car, buy a Z; its much rarer, its the next best thing nissan made after GTR and is an awesome car with pretty fair dealership prices and you will rarely see a woman driving it. It always gets thumbs up from people and it turns heads. It looks cool, the exhaust note is just right, and Bose stereo sounds really nice in such a small cabin. Z will always be a step up from a boxter for me.
In the end of course it what makes YOU tick, but if you want people to see you driving a Special car, i'd consider other things as well.
19 November 2007, 04:35 PM
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What do you consider a driver ? Not everyone cares how fast a car goes around corners because 90% of the time you drive around at 30mph behind other cars, you might as well drive a better looking, cheaper to run and not be considered a hair dresser or a woman everytime you get in it.
Not everyone here is a rally driver.
Not everyone here is a rally driver.
19 November 2007, 04:40 PM
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And performance wise, they are not world apart either.
Nurburgring times:
8:26 - Nissan 350Z (Sport Auto 10/03)
8:32 - Porsche Boxster S (Sport Auto 12/99)
Acceleration:
350z, auto 5.8, manual 5.4.
Boxter S - 5.6.
So.
Nurburgring times:
8:26 - Nissan 350Z (Sport Auto 10/03)
8:32 - Porsche Boxster S (Sport Auto 12/99)
Acceleration:
350z, auto 5.8, manual 5.4.
Boxter S - 5.6.
So.
19 November 2007, 04:46 PM
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And as you can pick up Z's for much cheaper money, you have more choices what to do with it. Either get a newer age, or get an older age with better spec, or have some spare money to put a supercharger on it, or do other mods.
What do you get with a boxter S is an old not-so-special car.
What do you get with a boxter S is an old not-so-special car.
19 November 2007, 04:50 PM
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Porsche might sound tempting, but i'd say its not all that. First of all its an entry model, which might be called a porsche, but its rarely considered special nowdays. And even though its grippy and performance is not so bad, it will never turn heads and 90% of boxter drivers are women. And those dealership prices are insane enough not to be justifiable.
If you want a special car, buy a Z; its much rarer, its the next best thing nissan made after GTR and is an awesome car with pretty fair dealership prices and you will rarely see a woman driving it. It always gets thumbs up from people and it turns heads. It looks cool, the exhaust note is just right, and Bose stereo sounds really nice in such a small cabin. Z will always be a step up from a boxter for me.
In the end of course it what makes YOU tick, but if you want people to see you driving a Special car, i'd consider other things as well.
If you want a special car, buy a Z; its much rarer, its the next best thing nissan made after GTR and is an awesome car with pretty fair dealership prices and you will rarely see a woman driving it. It always gets thumbs up from people and it turns heads. It looks cool, the exhaust note is just right, and Bose stereo sounds really nice in such a small cabin. Z will always be a step up from a boxter for me.
In the end of course it what makes YOU tick, but if you want people to see you driving a Special car, i'd consider other things as well.
Its all round performance is great, certainly the S is quick enough, 160mph+ top speed with fantastic brakes and handling.
And at full chat the exhaust note is to die for.
Not saying the Z is a crap car - it isn't but as good as it is it does not have the pedigree of a Porsche.
I know what i'd rather have on a nice summers evening blatting along a nice B road with the roof down, and it aint a Z - as good as they are.
19 November 2007, 06:20 PM
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good comments guys!!!some are saying 350z some say boxter.
iam thinking if i go down the 350z route then iam getting a newer car for the money which i think is important...i think i remember reading somewhere that evo magazine has reccomended the boxter as the best sports car for the last few years which says something!!!
what do you think sounds better when pushing along a boxter or a 350z i want a car thats going to sound good when i cane it!!
iam thinking if i go down the 350z route then iam getting a newer car for the money which i think is important...i think i remember reading somewhere that evo magazine has reccomended the boxter as the best sports car for the last few years which says something!!!
what do you think sounds better when pushing along a boxter or a 350z i want a car thats going to sound good when i cane it!!
19 November 2007, 07:38 PM
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when he first bought it he let me drive it and it was a gorgeous summers day so obviously had the roof down, i joined the motorway slip road and give it some, i swear the sound made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
fantastic
19 November 2007, 10:34 PM
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Here's my Zed with a stainless exhaust 
YouTube - Nissan 350z Scorpion Exhaust
I considered both and plumped for the Zed, would every time over the Boxster, just doesn't do it for me. The 911 on the other hand . . .
YouTube - Nissan 350z Scorpion Exhaust
I considered both and plumped for the Zed, would every time over the Boxster, just doesn't do it for me. The 911 on the other hand . . .
20 November 2007, 08:47 AM
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20 November 2007, 09:03 AM
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20 November 2007, 10:02 AM
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Driven both extensively (on track and road) and if you really pushed me I'd say go for the Boxster S. Forget all this rubbish about hairdressers cars and all that. The Porsche is a proper mid engined sports car. That is not to say the 350Z isn't - it's a brilliant car, but a little more wild than the Porsche.
The 350Z will let you get the tail out more - it is that kind of car. The Porsche probably requires a little more driving skill and finese, but ulitmately it is the more rewarding car to drive.
The Boxster's trump card is the beautiful chassis which gives the car great balance and handling (not to be confused with grip, which both cars have in abundance). In many respects, the Boxster is better than the 911 as it is less compromised in its deisgn and that is probably the only reason that Porsche has never put a seriously pokey engine in the Boxster is because in many circumstances it would show up the 911 (not in GT3 / RS / Turbo guise)!
I have a bit of a thing for RWD cars at the moment, so I love both of these cars. I reckon that I will have my Clio V6 for about a year and then I reckon I will look for a nice Boxster S - infact I saw one last week and it was very tempting.....
Stay away from main dealers and go for one of the many independent specialists - this keeps the running costs down to a reasonable level. Also have a chat with the boys over on Stuggart 9s.
Chris
The 350Z will let you get the tail out more - it is that kind of car. The Porsche probably requires a little more driving skill and finese, but ulitmately it is the more rewarding car to drive.
The Boxster's trump card is the beautiful chassis which gives the car great balance and handling (not to be confused with grip, which both cars have in abundance). In many respects, the Boxster is better than the 911 as it is less compromised in its deisgn and that is probably the only reason that Porsche has never put a seriously pokey engine in the Boxster is because in many circumstances it would show up the 911 (not in GT3 / RS / Turbo guise)!
I have a bit of a thing for RWD cars at the moment, so I love both of these cars. I reckon that I will have my Clio V6 for about a year and then I reckon I will look for a nice Boxster S - infact I saw one last week and it was very tempting.....
Stay away from main dealers and go for one of the many independent specialists - this keeps the running costs down to a reasonable level. Also have a chat with the boys over on Stuggart 9s.
Chris
Last edited by Chris L; 20 November 2007 at 10:05 AM.
20 November 2007, 10:23 AM
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Might be worth a read of this - the guy here's comparing a 2.7 Boxster to his usual 997 GT3 RS....
BLOWDOG.COM » Blog Archive » **** where’s my 6th gear gone!?
BLOWDOG.COM » Blog Archive » **** where’s my 6th gear gone!?