That can offer genuine comparison between Mx5’s, would be of interest : D
I test drove a couple of Boxters out here before I decided to ship my Mk1 Roadster out…that should tell you something
I found them to be absolutely souless. They did pretty much everything you asked of them, but in a very clinical fashion. Interior very functional. Performance it’s very quick, much faster than my s/c’d Mk1.
Would I buy one?..No way… not nearly so much fun as a well sorted Mk1 MX5
Could you possibly clarify what sort of comparison info you’re after? I can probably help…
Driving experience, feel, handling, running costs etc. thanks
Just some further info, a colleague at work has been looking for one and asked me to help. Drove several and after speaking to an aquaintance of mine at Porsche I have advised against buying an early 2.5 car. Early S’s are also not much better. There are lots of genuine low milage cheapish boxters out there. With good reason, many early cars up to 2000 had engine problems and older cars are just not being maintained corectly now unless enthusiast owned. Apparantly it was all a bit random with engine failures, which have happened. Its a bit Russian roulette, you might get a good one. Also pre 2004 cars are not built as well as you would think for a Porsche. Plastic rear window in early hoods, most unloved but can be replaced by a whole new glass replacement mohair for the same as a NA equivalent hood, so a car with a tatty hood need not worry. Then there’s maintenance, there is an engine in there:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ozwxymmjnym (Safe Download)
Bit of a faff, I like the pull the lever and walk to front of car open bonnet simplicity of the 5 myself.
If you really have to have one, look at facelifted cars post 2004 and buy without fear. This might be helpfull saves me typing lots too:
http://members.multimania.co.uk/piperboxster/Engines-failure.htm
Personally I would buy a MX5. . . . . A boxter is a much, much better car. It handles better, is far faster and feed back is superb. But it is twice the price when new and its a Porsche, so it should be. But is it really as much fun and a car you will have a relationship with? Go drive a few only you will know.
Hi IR, If you have experience, I have a question. How much space is there to get at the engine for a home mechanic, I have not seen one with the access open?
Under a very subjective set of criteria only, for me it’s not better, it may be very good but that still does not make it better than an MX-5 
Right, first off, I should point out I’ve never owned a Boxster but I have spent plenty of time with them. I’m a motoring journalist, and I work in an office with other motoring journalists, some of whom have owned Porsches (some still do) and have close personal friends with Boxsters specifically.
A quick poll of the office says you can forget that I’m afraid - unless you have access to a lift! Apparently, there’s some kind of hinge system that allows you drop the engine out very easily, but it you’re trying to work on it in situ you’re totally out of luck. No dice whatsoever - you basically can’t get to anything.
You haven’t specified the MX-5/Boxster in question, so I’m going to do a bit of general meandering… (apologies in advance).
Dealing with the above back to front, the Mazda should be considerably cheaper to run. Not only in terms of the fuel economy - though this will vary with driving style, exact MX-5/Boxster in question, and so forth (the later PDK-equipped Boxsters are capable of being very efficient indeed if you can bring yourself to drive them that way) - but more significantly the servicing, the parts and the insurance. Porsches are not cheap cars to run properly - which is not to say it can’t be done on a budget, but you are going to have to keep in mind really really big bills are possible.
That said, as with the MX-5 there are a lot of independent specialists around. But they know they’re dealing with a pricier machine with a generally more well-healed clientele. You can guess the outcome there. But for confirmation of this speak to whatever specialist is local to you - if they’re worth the time of day they’ll be happy to give you a complete education on what you’re letting yourself in for when it comes to Porsche running costs.
In the Porker’s favour, it’s more expensive for a reason. Whatever version you go for it will be lots quicker than any standard MX-5 you care to name (which is not the same as saying you won’t be able to drive an MX-5 more quickly; I’ll come back to that), the quality of materials is higher, so it should fell like the premium product it is. I’m not suggesting MX-5s are rubbish by comparison, nor that Boxsters are entirely without issue, but any Porsche you look at should be in a different league. If it isn’t, walk away.
To a certain extent the matter of driving experience, handling and feel is subjective. People like different things and you will find some ardently insisting that Porsche is lightyears better than the Mazda - but also vice versa. What I will suggest is that Porsches generally take a bit of getting used to. Take one for a brief test drive and you might not consider it particularly special. Drive one over a loonger period of time - this may be hours, days, weeks or even years (depending on you, the car in question, lots of other stuff) - and the chances are you will find yourself becoming almost entirely smitten. These cars have outstanding strength in depth - huge reserves of character and performance you can only scratch the surface of during a short encounter. This is why people love Porsche. This is why many people buy them and never ever look at other cars again. This is why they so often win magazine Car of The Year contests again and again and again. Which is also why many people ardently hate them, too.
The MX-5, on the other hand, is much more of an instant gratification type of machine. They feel good immediately. Partly this is because their limits are far more accessable, partly its the transparent feel - which is why you may find yourself capable of going faster in the MX-5 on a twisting country road (this is less likely on the motorway). The limits of a modern Porsche are very, very high. You need to be going very, very VERY fast to really appreciate them - something that isn’t advisable on UK roads these days. Which is not to say you can’t appreciate the Porsche at legal speeds, but it’s a different kind of appreciation - the quality of the damping, the refinement, the straight-six response. It comes back to your driving preferences. MX-5s are more disposable, more flimsy - and arguably more ‘fun’ as a result. But that doesn’t necessarily make either the bettter car.
I personally own a mk1 MX-5 for several reasons. Its bang per buck simply cannot be beaten in my humble opinion. I wanted something inexpensive and rear-wheel drive, I love the retro feel but modern (better than modern in many cases) reliability, and I wanted a driving experience that I can dip into without the fear of losing my licence every time I over-indulged. The Mazda’s limits are generally in line with our speed limits, after all. But then I have plenty of opportunity to get the licence-losing rush through other cars at work (I have an Impreza Cosworth in the car park right now). More specifically, I own a mk1 MX-5 because I made the mistake of booking a mk3.5 MX-5 test car last year, and at that point the Mazda press office was sending them out with a mk1 at the same time as a way of celebrating the 20th anniversary. The mk1 was so bloody good I didn’t want to give it back - and it wasn’t even a particularly impressive example of the breed. Very shortly afterwards I bought one. Whatever issues I’ve had since, the original feeling still remains - taken in context the original MX-5 is amongst the greatest cars ever made.
Does this mean I wouldn’t give it up for a Porsche given the funds necessary to buy and run one properly? Yes, and no. I absolutely adore the Mazda. But the Boxster Spyder, for example, is utterly wonderful (yes, even the daft roof). Still, really my feeling is if I could properly afford a Boxster I could probably afford to keep the mk1 I’ve got now alongside it…
If you’re talking mk3 or 3.5 MX-5 vs second-hand Boxster, however, then its a very different matter. Given the choice between those I’d take a Boxster every time (depending on exactly what’s at stake here, price-wise - JONUK makes some very valid points, although you can get lucky or unlucky with any amount of money and any car). But if you’re expecting to be able to match the Mazda’s running costs please, please do some checking around beforehand!
Er, anyways. Enough wittering, I think. I just wanted to put the Porsche into proper context for you since you’ll probably get plenty of praise for the MX-5 here. If you want to be more specific about exactly which models of each you’re trying to compare get back to me and I’ll try and help some more. Assuming I haven’t completely muddled the issue already.
ir_427 wrote the following post at Tue, Oct 26 2010 18:35: [Right, first off, I should …Assuming I haven’t completely muddled the issue already.]
Thanks ir-427, how fabulous the reply on this and the wittering is more than appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to answer is such detail, the comments hit the nail on the head and are very accurate at that. The model concerned would be either a 2.7 or the 3.2 (2006/7) model 19" alloys. Approx 20/25.000mls or less. We do not like the new Mk3 versions, looks too much like a Peugeot front, so we are looking at Porsche. If this is of any further interest please feel free to comment, journalists usually give it how it is, best wishes,
Thanks Jonuk, very useful,
The 19s will no doubt look awesome, but be sure to get a decent test drive, as they may do horrible things to an already rather uncompromising ride. If you’re looking at a car that new you’ll certainly get be getting a very capable piece of kit. Don’t dismiss the 2.7, a lot of people love the purity - but given the choice I confess I’d probably go for an S…
It’s hard to believe you’d not enjoy owning a Boxster. But be prepared for a substantially different kind of character to your current car!