6ocyclehum

I've been looking for a sports car for a while, and have pretty much narrowed it down to one of the above Posche models. Never owned a Porsche before.
I have always admired the 944, and still do. I recently realized how truly good the performance of these 20 year old cars is. They seem to handle very well, are fast, and there are TONS of items available for performance. Another plus is you can pick up a decent one for under $8K.
I drove one, and was impressed with it's handling and engine, but it was a pretty lousy example- non- turbo, ratty interior, poor paint..Gave me an idea about the car in general however.
I've asked some questions on the 944 board, and everything seems pretty positive, but they have warned me that the 944 is pretty fragile if you take off hard from time to time- broken CV joints, trans trouble, etc. Makes me a little nervous. I have no intentions of drag racing with the car- but do enjoy nailing it from time to time.
Now the Boxster S- plus points: looks pretty damn good. The earlier models have depreciated enough to make them very affordable. 6 speed trans. Very quick, right from the factory. Much nicer, modern interior. Handling is amazing. Shifts very well. Killer brakes. Seem reliable-still pretty new, probably won't need too much fixing up/restoration. Don't want to have to "fix" something every weekend (I'll be doing most of my own work, if at all possible).
Minus points: no rear seat (have a family of 3- but it won't be a daily driver), no coupe version (convertible is OK- I'd rather have a coupe, I also see a removable hardtop is availalbe- pretty cool! However- I certainly can live with a convertible- just wasn't looking for one in particular.) More than double the price of a 944 turbo. Insurance will be more- I could probably swing "collector" insurance on the 944, due to age, and it not being a daily driver. Also - I may have to wait a little longer to get it, due to price.
I drove a regular one, a '99. Was VERY impressed-handling is simply amazing. Power was kind of weak in the lower RPM's- but I figure the "S" will take care of that. From what I have read of the "S", I'm not really considering a "regular" Boxster at all- price is too close, and I will always wish I had gotten the "S".
I still have to check out a nice 944 Turbo and a "S", just none real close right now (Lex,KY). Can't quit thinking about them, which puts me right here.
Anyhow -just looking for some advice. No comparison? Anybody had both? Too much maintenance on the older 944? Which do you think is the better performer? What would you do?

Thanks!!!

bjzorn

I worked for a Porsche dealer so I have driven all of the above cars, plus I own a 944S2 myself. Thats actually a hard choice. One point you mentioned is you would prefer a coupe if thats the case I would go for the 944. The turbo S will be faster(Slightly) then and BoxS but they are harder to find. But they are out there. Just them all and pick the best one(either 944 or Box) you cn afford.

Brandon J

Marc Gelefsky

They are very different, I recommend driving them both.
My old 944T was a blast and fast!!, but the Boxster S is just so much fun to drive!

sblue

I have owned a 944 Turbo and a Boxster S and both are great cars. You said this won't be a daily driver, so my $.02 is buy the Boxster S. The 944 Turbo is great car, but due to it's age will require much more diligent and ongoing maitenance. It's storage sapce is superior to the Boxster, but the Boxster is no slouch for a roadster and this won't be your only car.

If you like to like modify your cars and tinker a bit, then I'd lean towards the 951 as some minor mods increase the perfomance substantially and it is certainly fun and gratifying to increase the horsepower and experience the benefits of improving the performance of our car.

This is harder to do with the Boxster. It is good right out of the box and not being a turbo, significantly increasing the horsepower costs serious dough. Other performance details with the S, such as suspension and brakes are good and don't need upgrading for street use.

You drove both. What do you want out of the car? Buy the one you like and the best car you can afford. Good luck!

If you'd rather have a coupe, have you considered a 964? A really nice one can be had for Boxster S money.

oi-punx

I have both and as such consider myself qualified to address some of your concerns. Keep in mind that I am very new to the Boxster world, having only taken delivery of my ’00 S very recently. I have owned 944’s in one form or another for the past 10 years. I have had my 951 for 7 years.

The 944 Turbo is obviously a completely different car compared to the 986S. Both models excel at being a fun weekend car. I would not use either for a daily driver. The 2+2 seating in the 951 will fit only very small children. If you get creative you can fit a small adult. Cargo space is excellent as you can fit a full set of 17” wheels in the hatch of a 951 and still have room for other items. Contrary to other’s beliefs it is my opinion that the 951 is not the best car to drive around town. The steering is heavy and the turbocharged engine needs to have some load on it to produce boost. The 986S has plenty of torque relatively early in the powerband and the steering is lighter. The flat 6 is incredibly smooth, easily besting the 2.5 liter 4 for low/mid speed comfort and smoothness. Around town the Boxster S is a superior car. If you want to go fast on a highway a 951 with $500 in mods is very tough to beat.

Both cars handle very well and feel stable and planted at speed. The 986S feels more agile compared to my 951. One cannot overlook the difference in age of the cars and the technological developments that have transpired in regards to suspension. That said the handling on the 944 turbo is still amazing and a coupe will generally always be stiffer than a convertible. 951’s do not do well at all if they are launched hard. CV’s can be snapped or worse yet you are looking at a $2000+ bill to repair the clutch. I recommend waiting until you are in second before punching it. Brakes are 4 piston units on both cars and work very well. As much as I love the sound of my 951 with a Borla XR1 (see movie http://youtube.com/watch?v=RIp6XDMf_ZE) it really can’t compare to the wail of that flat 6 at high RPM.

Styling wise the 944/951 is very 80’s and for that I love it. It has a very classic and aggressive shape that influenced many other cars (e.g. 2nd gen RX7). To me the interior on both cars is modern and ahead of the curve. I must admit to being slightly disappointed in the interior quality of the 986S. True it is nicely finished and looks nice, but there are some small things (door pocket lids and shift boot surround) that have what appears to be abnormal wear on them…certainly something to consider given the high cost of the car. My 986S stickered at $67k in 2000 and for that I expect more. Some points to consider on the 951…the Sunroof can be finicky and the entire mechanism is considered overly complex. Dashboards tend to crack and the only viable fix is to replace it which is $$$. I have seen few 951’s with what I would consider to be excellent interiors, however they do exist. I do love the styling of the 986S, especially with a hardtop. Build quality is typical Porsche, that is very good. Like a 911 and 993 the 951 is very solid and built like a tank. Shut the door on one and you will know what I mean. The Boxster is solid as well, but I give the edge to the 944 Turbo. Regarding styling I don’t think you can go wrong with either, obviously the 986 is more modern looking. People, and especially women, generally gawk at the 986S and either ignore or want to race the 951. It is less obvious to people what the 951 is. With the Boxster there is no question.

I have not worked on the 986S yet, but it seems to be a bit of a chore to get the engine compartment open. The 951 is user friendly, even with all of the extra exhaust piping. Spark plugs and wires can be changed in minutes and changing the oil is very straightforward. I am sure you know about the timing belt and water pump on the 944 series cars.

One thing that you might want to consider is whether or not you enjoy modifying your cars for more power. If so then the 951 is the obvious choice. Stock for stock the 986S is clearly faster. For less than $500 in mods you can have a 951 with a formidable amount of torque and horsepower. It is fun to take friends for a ride in the 951 and watch them squirm when the boost kicks in and throw them back in their seat. Bang for the buck the 951 is tough to beat.

I love both cars and actually never even thought to own a Boxster until recently. I have never had the urge to own a convertible or roadster. I didn’t know what I was missing as driving with the top down is a blast. The 944 Turbo is a raw, fast car that can be made to go much faster and handle exceptionally well. The Boxster S is a fun cruiser that performs well right out of the box. My suggestion to you is to test drive a nice example of both and find out which one suits you better. You will find that although they share the same hood badge they are far different animals.

6ocyclehum

Seems you guys have a dilemma with this choice also! Seems agreed they are both excellent cars-just different.

The 944T really strikes me, but the long term cost of ownership is a little scary. I'd be doing most of the repairs and don't have a large amount of time to spend that way. I really love the styling, and as Oipunx said, no one pays much attention to the 944. I like that about also. I happen to love beautiful, fast cars- but feel a little self-conscious driving them. Doesn't stop me though. I would also enjoy the modding. The short term cost of ownership is mighty appealing.....

I'm leaning toward the Boxster S, mainly for ease of maintenance, low end torque , and (hopefully) a hearty driveline (haven't seen much on the Boxster forum about busted driveline parts from hard use)and being newer I'll have an easier time finding better examples. Something about the 944 keeps tugging, though.

Oipunx- those cars both look great- YOU made the right decision! That hardtop option really is cool.If only my garage and wallet were larger.....Exhaust sounds fantastic-BTW!

Most mentioned to drive them both, that's what needs to be done. I drove both models- but neither was the upgraded ones I'm really interested in. I could probably drive them both in one shot by making a 180 mile round trip- would be fun and I always like taking my 95 XJR out for a long drive.....

This is really an excellent forum- thanks for all the insight! I'vebeen reading/searching through the archives for a week or so, and the questions "Thinking of buying a Boxster/ Pre-purchase 944 tips?/Etc" , keeps coming up over and over,yet the questions get replied to over and over with good insightful answers. Pretty cool group- will be glad to join it.....

dennis a from pa

The newest 944 turbo is what, almost 19 years old, and the oldest Boxster is 10.

Most folks agree buy the latest, best conditioned car for the amount of money you want to spend.

Good luck, but in my mind there is NO doubt a Boxster will give more joy for the buck.

cas951

You won't go wrong with either choice. it just depends on what you want to do with the car and how you want to use them. I'm also in the market for a Boxster S thanks to my bud Ben (Oi-Punx) and Jim. They both have 944 turbo's and both recently bought a drop top. Ben just bought his Boxster S and Jim a 996 cab. I've driven both and I prefer the Boxster S. I also own a 944 turbo S.

One thing I would recommend should you consider a 944 turbo. Pay up front for an excellent condition 944 turbo. It is much easier to maintain and will be cheaper in the long run than a cheap example. Cheap examples will have you spending your weekends working on them and parts are not cheap. I've owned a 944 turbo for 14 years. The car still keeps up with todays new cars in both performance and handling. If you want power, just know how much HP you want and it's easy to achieve.

Bottom line:

1. Daily driver = Boxster S
2. Weekend toy = 944 turbo
If you want to lightly modify look for 88 turbo S or 89
If you want to upgrade everything look for 86-87 turbo


Here's a link to my toy. http://my951s.photosite.com

First986NJ

Have the 986. Love the 986. One of these days though, I want to buy a cherry 951 to keep her company.

Tom R.

I bought a 951 last fall. I have receipts for about 20k in maintenance/upgrades done by the prior owner in the last 10k miles. it is a relatively low mileage example with 101k miles on it.

To give you an idea about pricing, I paid about half what he put into the car. I know i got a good example, and would not hesitate taking on a long trip, and dont hesitiate taking it to DEs. Mine has a speed force racing exhaust, rebuilt turbo, new konis, M030 sways, fabspeed downpipe, chips, etc. It is fast and solid. And it has every VIN sticker where it should be (nice to know it was never wrapped around a tree) plus a folder full of receipts.

I also got another 944S2 a few months later. Now one of the two 944s has to go.

oi-punx

6ocyclehum,

That is excellent advice that Efren (cas951) has offered. I agree with it completely.

A couple of other points to consider...

You mention that you drove both a normally aspirated 944 and a regular boxster. I have never driven or even been in a regular 986 but cas951 has driven both and according to his experienced and professional opinion there is a noticeable difference between the two, as there should be.

The normally aspirated 944 is very anemic after driving a turbo. It handles well and has more power right off the line, but it falls flat in the mid to high RPM's where the turbo is hitting it's torque peak. Although they are closely related they are very different cars. You will also notice a fairly large delta between a stock 951 and a lightly modified one. If you are going to look at 944 turbos I would recommend that you consider a conservatively modified one as long as it is clean and everything else checks out. They can be very reliable cars when modified.

Tierce

I've owned both as well. 86 951 and 00 Boxster S.

I'd choose the Boxster S anyday. Much less mainteance, easy to work on, newer, more creature comforts, and all around better.

SDDave

I hate to throw another hat into the ring...

Have you considered a 968?

Without responding to ALL of the great info that has been posted, I will say a few things.

First off, I currently have an 01 986S and a 94 968 (along with a 4-door sport sedan of Swedish origin for good measure). I've had a couple different 944s in the past, including a 951. I've also had a couple 911s and a 914 or two WAYYY back!

The 951 is a GREAT car. All of the handling of the 944 (considered the peak in its time), with a lot more GO. The comment about mid-range lacking in a 944 is spot on. Unfortunately, the other comments that were spot on are the ones about potential maintainance issues- the 951 CAN become a money pit. And when ANYTHING goes wrong... be ready for your mechanic to ring the register big. A mint-condition later-year 951 is a pretty sweet ride, though.

I LOVE the 968. Performance is on par with the 951, but has MUCH better low-end torque (being NA and 3.0L) to address the above comment on 'daily driver' status for the 951. The car handles like a champ, and with VERY little modification, the 968 runs VERY close to the 986S and faster than a stock 951 (no-cost airbox mod and a $150 chip ups the power to roughly 255-260hp and 245-250lb-ft @ the crank). It's the final iteration of the front-engined, water-cooled design, and it is GORGEOUS. It is a blast to drive, and I'm extremely happy I was finally able to find one in near-perfect shape.

The Boxster is an entirely different kettle of fish. Mid-engined, screaming engine right behind your ear, out of this world steering feedback, and the feeling that you can just keep pushing faster and faster through any corner you tackle. The only car I've driven that felt better was a Lotus Elise. I don't ever feel like I'm lacking space, and have never really found myself thinking 'man, I wish I would have brought the 968 for more room'.

It is always a GIANT toss-up when the SO and I go anywhere as to which car we take. Most times, we just alternate, or let the weather decide. Beautiful weather, drive to Palm Springs- Boxster time!! Comfortable cruise to Orange County with a chill in the air and we don't feel like jackets and HIGH heat- hello 968.

The Boxster is a HUGE jump over a stock 944, a small jump over the 951, and just about even money with the 968... but I do LOVE the engine note on the Boxster!!!

I think if I HAD to own just one car (all of a sudden I'm selling the Saab!? ), I think I would pick the 968. If I could own two, it would be the Boxster and a 968.

My $.02, and I've been accused of over-charging!!

Dave
San Diego

Renn 951

Get BOTH!! (Works for me!)

cas951

I'm seriously thinking about getting a 986S. Currently looking at an 04 S I'm trying to justify having 2 toys with 4 other cars on my insurance list.... Good new is my wife is in Euroe on vacation for 3 weeks. She just emailed me and said it's up to me whether to buy or not....