Recently I’ve had it in my head that I wanted a fun car. All my previous cars have been primarily for the purpose of getting from A to B rather than for the fun of driving. I also wanted a marque with a reputation, and yeah, to show off a bit! I looked at various options online and decided that Porsche Boxsters are an attractive option. The prices for 986 Boxsters have come down quite a bit, their popularity has meant you get quite a lot of car for not a lot of cash.
“The car I’ve always wanted and now I have it. I rule!”
– Lester Bernham, American Beauty (1999)
I’ve admired the Boxster since it launched in the mid 1990s. Even back then I recognised that a sports car with a premium badge now wasn’t just for the very wealthy. This car was now within reach of a much wider market and for that reason it is credited with being the car that saved Porsche from bankruptcy. This was controversial because the car shared many parts with the more expensive 911, which was felt by many Porsche owners and fans that this served to cheapen the more exclusive older brother. The automotive press at the time, however, did praise the ride and handling of the Boxster as well as it’s superior quality and it has gained a large fan base since.
I decided that now was the time to get a summer car, a roadster where I could drive along some of the UK’s best roads with the top down, curving through the twisties and enjoying some power and acceleration on the straights. The Boxster fits this quite well, a serious roadster with a reasonably powerful engine which is famed for great handling thanks to it’s mid engine layout and even weight distribution.
I didn’t really give a lot of thought to other roadsters such as the Mazda MX-5 or BMW Z3, I was really settled on the Porsche, I’ve long admired the marque and since driving a GT3 last year I was fairly set.
I spent a lot of time researching the one I wanted and the one I ended up with I think I got for a good price and it’s in reasonable condition for it’s age and mileage (2004 and 155,000 miles – yes this is quite high!). It runs really well but there are a few things that will require attention in the near future to keep it going strong. I hope to be able to tackle some of this myself but some things will require a professional. In the meantime I just need to get out on the roads and enjoy it!