Porsche Boxster vs. BMW Z4

I looked at both in detail before buying the Zed. IMO in the spec/range I was considering the Boxster was a far superior drive.

Also I don't agree with the "poor man's Porsche" argument its nonsense. The boxster is a 2 seat mid engine roadster, the 911 (in whatever derivative be it 993, 996, 997 etc.) is a 4 seat rear engine coupe', they are not comparable. Is the 911 a better drivers car/experience than the boxster, sure, is it £40K better..... don't think so.

In the end I asked the people over a http://www.boxa.net about ownership and was advised to put *at least* £2K aside per year for running costs and "expected problems". Add to that the OPC network in the UK is overpriced and under-competent, throw in a crappy 2 year manufactures warranty! and the choice was simple.

Bullet proof Z4 V's Boxster money pit, not a hard choice to make.
 
pvr said:
Just stating that the number of closed top trips I can count on one hand ...
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^^^.....
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I've said it before I know but, the porche's just look like squashed VW's. OK...I'm ready!
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Wondermike said:
I looked at a Boxster but spec for spec they were a lot more expensive than the Z4, plus only a 2 year warranty, expensive servicing too.
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I put down a deposit on a boxster, and while waiting for it to arrive i started reading around. I learned that you can expect a $1500 service bill every time you take it in, I learned that things like water pumps can cost over $1000 cause you have to drop the engine to replace, and i learned that there is a rate of engine failure and since the engine cannot be rebuilt its $10K to replace and Porsche will only help if under warranty. As much as i liked the boxster it drove better and handled better than the Z4, and the Boxster S still wins "best sports car of the year" every year out handling and beating corvettes and vipers and everything else around the race track, it was enough for me to say NO, since it was going to be my daily commuter car. But i have no complaints about my Z4 still makes me smile when i drive...... :driving: :thumbsup:
 
Wondermike said:
there is a rate of engine failure and since the engine cannot be rebuilt its $10K to replace and Porsche will only help if under warranty
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Yep, there is a reason Porsche are the most profitable car company in Europe (Germany) and its not because they make the best/most reliable cars. They know that people want to own a Porsche and they screw you for every penny they can, check out some of the horror stories about service costs, part cost, just out of warranty failures and no compensation from the dealer on the boxster/911 forums...... they will make you cry.
 
lol

Ive yet to see a forum that doesn't ALWAYs think their car is best!

Well we've got both and i really couldn't decide which one i would chop in if i had to next! I love the looks of both in their own way and they drive different too but both have good points and bad points.

The statement "The Boxster is a poor 911 is only said by people who haven't driven the 2 or people who know very little about cars anyway. Different cars both got very good points. One chap Recently got a 997 GT3 and has had a 997 Cs and Boxster 996. He has said the Gt3 feels well planted when pushing hard not unlike the Boxster!

I guess its a bit like saying the Z4 is the poormans Z8? Well i guess it is really but its all down to choice.

Looks wise, i think the Box 986 is a classic look and will get looks for a fair few years, the Z4 is a wild look which right now ticks the boxes just hope it never becomes dated.

And before anyone starts with the engine size lark, yes i know the Z4 is 2.0 and my Boxster is 2.7 but to be really certain you need to live with the 3.4 Box and the Z4M for a year of daily use.

Cheers

PaulN
 
PaulN said:
lol

The statement "The Boxster is a poor 911 is only said by people who haven't driven the 2 or people who know very little about cars anyway.
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i agree the boxster S and cayman S pretty much out perform the 911 in every catergory :thumbsup:
 
Breaker said:
Mind you I don't like soft tops myself (no point in the UK!).
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You don't like soft tops...OK, it's a taste thing but to say no point in the UK is the biggest load of tosh i've read for some time and would only be quoted by someone who hasn't got a clue, and i don't mean to be rude when i say that, In the first year of ownership i kept a little record of when i drove the car out and dropped the hood, and i'm not talking about nipping down the shops, i kept a record for 347 days to be exact and of those days i drove the car on 316 days of which the top was dropped on 287 days....Your statement is totally unfounded... :thumbsup:
 
Like other people I test drove both the boxster and the Z4, I like the boxsters handling and the engine was superb, but the interior and the styling just didnt "float my boat" coupled with a mate of mine who has a boxster S, who keeps telling me he cant belive how much the servicing and parts are, and claims porsche dealers are the worst he has ever dealt with!! The Z4 for me was a much better looking car and love it to bits :oops:


breaker you are talking out of your a***,, soft tops are great in the UK,
 
The UK has more soft tops than any other European Country :rofl: You'll spot more topless cars in the UK than anywhere else believe it or not - and you'll see more roofs down - we're so flipping chuffed when it's not raining down they come :rofl:
 
both great cars, although if i were to get a boxster i'd want the s version.

in the end, more pricing flexibility with the z, lower (none) maint cost, and overall more aggressive lines sold me on the z!

oh yea, i also don't see the boxster as a poor man's anything. i could see why certain people would say that about the 3-series or c-class but you can't compare a 30k usd to 45k usd. i always notice the ones who call a boxster a poor man's porsche is also the guy who can't even afford it. so how lowly of a model is it really?
 
They say if you drive a soft top with the roof up, the storm outside better have a name. The hood is for protection from rain and snow, thats IT. If its any other kind of weather, put it down. Heater on if you are cold. It's an open air car, those who drive them in the sunshine with the roof up need sorting out...

I did the Boxster vs Z4 comparison myself. I felt more at home in my fave make, the BMW, even though the Porsche has alot to offer. The test drive of the 2.7 and 3.4 were excellent, the dealer taking me on a one hour route to show my what everyone goes on about - the balance and poise. The Porsche has outstanding handling, pushing hard around a quiet roundabout up to nearly 50MPH and the car just grips. Tried it in the Z4M, and its sideways by 35MPH, but then thats the fun...Top Gear and Fifth Gear hit the nail on the head; the Boxster makes you feel like a hero, the BM is harder to drive but likes to go sideways and IMO is thus more fun.

The Boxster 2.7 is not quick enough for me, so it needs to be a 3.2 or 3.4. The styling doesn't quite feel right, the view over the short bonnet is a bit odd, and the engine note isn't as good as the BMW. Residuals are excellent but servicing is high and the warranty only two years. Overall, I just found the Z4M more fun and dare I say it better value; an 06 3.4S was going to cost me upwards of £35,000, I got a 9 month old Z4M with 1100 miles for far less than that, ad it has a roof and a boot...
 
OT for one sec: You ppl in the UK arguing as to whether the top is up or down depending on weather conditions is funny in my book, and someone keeping tabs?? Ouch..

I guess I have better things to get worked up about then this, lol..
 
For years, I've been eying the Porsche Boxster, but with 3 kids ages 11, almost 2 and almost 1, our vehicles were limited to 4 door sedans, SUVs and minivans. However, this past fall, a co-worker of mine bought a used 1999 M Roadster which sparked my interest in roadsters once again. After test driving a Porsche Boxster, a Honda S2000, and the Z4, I opted for the Z4. Having driven the 3, the Z4 impressed me the most with its style, handling and performance. The Boxster had a rougher ride. The S2000 just had a too familiar Japanese car feel. In any event, although I've always had a passion for the Boxster, I am happy with my Z4 and feel that I didn't settle for less.
 
So if the boxster is the poor man's Porche, are the 2.5 and 3.0 Z4s the poor man's Z compared to the M???!!! :o

...just thought I'd ruffle some feathers with that one :evil: :P
 
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