Shared Reviews

This isn't just a tag line for a car company, it happens to be the truth. Living with a Porsche, old or new, really makes it easy to understand exactly what that tag line means. They are full of charm and character, do what they are supposed to do very well, and become a part of your life in as much as the family pet does. You'll start calling it by it's first name and making allowances for it in ways you would never normally do for a car. There is a culture to the car that is inescapable.

For much of my life I have driven a Honda product, which I have to say is likely the best car you can buy, generally speaking, for the money. And Porsche is kinda like a Honda, but just a whole lot faster...and sexier. Porsche is reliable, almost over-engineered (its German), and overall, extremely solid cars. The fun factor is through the roof, and that is especially true for the Boxster.

Performance

The center of gravity feels like it is right under the gear shift, like the car pivots around the exact center of the car, and with balance this even, the handling is second to none. It's almost too good. This will sound a little odd, but I actually prefer the excitement generated by the 911 when you corner with it, because the car keeps you on your toes - if you aren't careful, a 911 can kill you in an instant if you don't watch the oversteer. The Boxster however just does what you ask with little or no fear built in. So, is this a good thing or a bad thing? Not sure yet...

One indicator that I am not an engine guy, was that it took me 6 months to realize that you couldn't see the engine. I don't mean that it's not possible to work on it, or it's difficult to get to it, I mean you can't see it - it's hidden away, encased behind firewalls and out of sight between the driver and the trunk. I dont really care too much, but it's an odd feeling.

Fuel

When taking advantage of the car's fun factor, then you find yourself gobbling fuel a little more than you may want. Given the amount of use the engine gets though, it's actually quite efficient. I know that with the top down, and being a good boy, I can get to my dad's house which is 500kms away on 3/4 tank of fuel. If I am really, really good :)

Roof down

There is nothing I enjoy more than driving with the top down. In fact, I like it so much, that I refuse to drive the car unless the weather allows me to drop the top. About 11 degrees above zero is my limit - I've tested this a number of times. The car has such a good heating system that this is possible, and the heated seats can be set so hot that it it almost borders on uncomfortable.

With the roof down, the visibility is wonderful and the lines of the car are even further defined, but not only that, the roll bar and seats are visible, which is really quite sexy.

Storage

There is an amazing amount of space to store stuff in the car. It has two trunks, one at the front, and one behind the engine. Ok, I cant get any golf clubs in either one of them, but going away for a week and packing luggage and still having room for stuff bought along the way is not a problem.

Sound

There are two topics here. The sound system is just amazing - for a convertible, I can crank the stereo to the point where it doesnt matter that the roof is down. The stereo was an upgrade, but still - and I'm talking bass too - the car can thump!

Yet it's the car's natural sounds that are the real sound system here - the sound is glorious. One of the best times for me to really use the car and hear the engine is when I am on a highway onramp. Winding the car up to 6000 rpm in each of the gears not only happens very quickly, but the V6 produces a variety of amazing sounds. It starts as a snarl, moves to an electronic whine and then into a howl. Since the engine is just behind the driver, and the exhaust pipe is nice and meaty, it often precludes the radio from being used at all!

Overall

I really love the car from most angles. I'm a visual person (frankly, I don't care too much about how it works) so it means that shape, fit and finish, and ergonomics are high on my list. Washing it and feeling the rise of the back lights or the all-too-familiar headlamp shape is a feast for the senses.

I have waaaay to much fun driving this car. I put on about 10,000kms each summer, mostly because I choose weekend destinations that afford me about 6 or 8 hours of driving just to get there. When driving to Quebec City for a burger and a beer doesn't even phase me, or Lake Placid for a beer and a live band, or even Provincetown for seafood, I know I've got a car I love. It makes the scenery that I pass and the sun that I feel and the wind in my hair so much sweeter. To me, driving the Boxster on a sunny day ranks with cruising on a motorcycle. There is no better way to feed all your senses. Ok, except for taste, but then stopping at a McD's on the highway is even that much more enjoyable, so taste is covered too. Anyway, I could go on forever about the car. The best way to understand it is just simply to go and drive one. A few times...