replacement for a Puma

[SteveTDCi]

I'm thinking of replacing our current second car a ford puma .. its been great and cost next to nothing to run but i'm thinking of a change ...

choices are Boxster or Jag XK8 convertible, nothing else

any thoughts anyone driven or owned either ?

 

[ALPINE]

i have drove a boxster and altho they are fun and nippy, (and rwd ) i think it shouts very very loudly.. I CANT AFFORD A 911 TURBO! i would get the jag on purly that basis!

 

[rodenal]

Utter mince (imo lol)

To me it shouts 'i like driving'

It's not hard to find opinions on the boxster, you can be guaranteed that if you pick carefully you'll have lots of fun and they arent all that expensive to maintain just needs looked after really.

The jag on the other hand whilst looking very elegant and flash isn't actually all that to drive - it's a bit like going sailing unfortunately, although very quick in a straight line (when it's working).

On looks alone i'd have the jag every time but it'll cost you alot more over a few years to run than the boxster and it simply doesnt drive all that well.

 

[ALPINE]

Utter mince (imo lol)

To me it shouts 'i like driving'

It's not hard to find opinions on the boxster, you can be guaranteed that if you pick carefully you'll have lots of fun and they arent all that expensive to maintain just needs looked after really.

The jag on the other hand whilst looking very elegant and flash isn't actually all that to drive - it's a bit like going sailing unfortunately, although very quick in a straight line (when it's working).

On looks alone i'd have the jag every time but it'll cost you alot more over a few years to run than the boxster and it simply doesnt drive all that well.

if you wanted my really honest opinion i would not get either.. if ya wasnna say "i like driving" and wanna have fun at the same time as going very very fast, i would get a vauxhall manaro, or the newer VXR8. personally i like the older manaro but there aint any other car in this planet for that price with that amount of bhp with that amount of yummy looks and reliablity. YES it is a vauxhall, but if it did go wrong then parts are easy to get.

but thats just me... your 2 cars id go jag as said above!

 

[SteveTDCi]

the only others I would consider are the A4 cabriolet either 2.4 or 3.0. anyone owned either of those ? I've been looking a porsche forums and it seems i'd need to budget a few ££ towards running costs.

 

[biggiep]

Monaro vs Porsche erm can I have a Chalk and ham toastie please? haha

I know what you mean about the monaro but they are fugly and its like meeting a bin liner without going to cheetham hill!

My mate had a boxter s and it was nippy indeed, the boss in his m3 was marginally happier tho because the traction control doesn't make you think your lewis hamilton, more like johnny herbert on stilts!!!

If its an S try it see what you think, are there any caymans in ur price bracket?

 

[ALPINE]

oh yes... goes without saying... i would stick with Audi. one assumed one wanted somthing other than an Audi!! lol



lol edit:

the missis said that if she see`s other than a old man in a jag, there either a rich kid... or having a mid life crisis!! lol just thought id share that!!

 

[SteveTDCi]

I don't want to spend much, 12k is enough, although the other option is to sell the A3 and spend its value on the boxster and then for me to pick up something like a mondeo/laguna ( they have lots of toys and start around 4k for something 3 years old )

 

[neil.c]

You should get out and drive your choice of cars, we had a Boxster S for 2 years buying it new in 2005, from a driving point of view I don't think it gets much better (Cayman probably is slightly). In Porsche terms I think they are a bargain but you have to remember that they are £40k+ motors so spare parts can be expensive although services are not much more than at Audi.

 

[SteveTDCi]

Neil, how did you find the boxster ? i'm looking at one of the earlier cars around 2000 it will only be used at weekends and is just something different, servicing at indis seems the best option and I don't expect it to cost as much as the puma to run - thats had 2 tyres and a cambelt + a service every year over the 8 years we have owned it. I've also started to consider the 3.0 A4 cabriolet although those S4's are looking tempting !

 

[Z82]

although those S4's are looking tempting !

Theres your answer then

 

[SteveTDCi]

yeah but they are the wrong side of 15k at the moment !

 

[Oranoco]

Boxster Boxster Boxster!!!!


Drove a mates one the other year and I went from being a hater to a lover. Superb cars, so alive and poised. I know a guy with a Boxster S and a 911 Turbo and he rates teh Boxster in higher regard as far as driving experience goes.

When I was looking the other year I was told to avoid the 2.5 cars.

I defy anybody to drive a Boxster and not love it

 

[benw123]

Funny seeing your post Steve - my missus suggested recently that we sell our Sportback and buy a Puma to free up some cash! I used to own one from new in 2001 and like yours it was faultless over the following two years and 27,000 miles. A great motoring experience all round.

In your position though, I'd probably go for the Boxster too. Early examples like the ones you're suggesting are extremely good value right now, and as long as you don't use it all the time, won't be too expensive to run. I think a 2.7 would be best

 

[Nickynibbles]

I'd choose the boxster over the jag any day!! As has been mentioned the earlier non-s boxters with the 2.5 ltr engine is a bit of a dog apparently, too under powered for the weight of car its trying to shift! Clarkson did a great write up on it when it was 1st released which I only read the other day in one of his older books, he slated it basically for being underpowered!!

The A4 cab i'd say is just as classy as the boxster, and with rear seats a little more practical in reality! The 2.4 engine is to be avoided, too underpowered for the weight so worse mpg than the 3.0 as a result of having to try too hard. The 3.0 would serve you well, great engine with bags of torque & awesome sound! Current used prices will make this a favourable option in my view, but wouldnt match the boxsters handling on a good blast! Its down to what you really want the car to do to be honest!!

 

[SteveTDCi]

Funny seeing your post Steve - my missus suggested recently that we sell our Sportback and buy a Puma to free up some cash! I used to own one from new in 2001 and like yours it was faultless over the following two years and 27,000 miles. A great motoring experience all round.

In your position though, I'd probably go for the Boxster too. Early examples like the ones you're suggesting are extremely good value right now, and as long as you don't use it all the time, won't be too expensive to run. I think a 2.7 would be best

Ours is on 33k and has been great, we have had it for 8 years and I would reccomend one to anyone. I understand what you mean about selling the SB, were similar in that as a day to day car the SB is great but I could just as easily cope with something like a 3 year old Mondeo/Laguna thats going to be cheap and comfortable and if I do get a jetski then the laguna sport tourer would make a better tow car although not look as good ! and I could make do with the A4 or Boxster being the weekend car.

 

[SteveTDCi]

I'd choose the boxster over the jag any day!! As has been mentioned the earlier non-s boxters with the 2.5 ltr engine is a bit of a dog apparently, too under powered for the weight of car its trying to shift! Clarkson did a great write up on it when it was 1st released which I only read the other day in one of his older books, he slated it basically for being underpowered!!

The A4 cab i'd say is just as classy as the boxster, and with rear seats a little more practical in reality! The 2.4 engine is to be avoided, too underpowered for the weight so worse mpg than the 3.0 as a result of having to try too hard. The 3.0 would serve you well, great engine with bags of torque & awesome sound! Current used prices will make this a favourable option in my view, but wouldnt match the boxsters handling on a good blast! Its down to what you really want the car to do to be honest!!

The only scary thing about the boxster is when things go wrong, its not that we couldn't afford to repair it, its just I wouldn't like to hand vast sums of cash to a garage. I've ruled out the 2.5 and think the 2.7 is the best bet although strangly the 3.2 seems to be cheaper. I did also want to look at getting something pre march 01 so that hopefully I could avoid the £400 RFL !

I think the A4 would give less trouble but is a different kind of car one that would probably suit our needs better, but that in the garage as a weekend toy or a Porsche ... its a tough one. I might even hold out until next year when people don't want convertibles and the effect of the emmission tax system kicks in.

 

[benw123]

I might even hold out until next year when people don't want convertibles and the effect of the emmission tax system kicks in.

Or hold out until this winter, when convertible sales are low. If fuel prices continue to rise as well, this will put more pressure on used Boxster values and you could score a really good deal.

 

[SteveTDCi]

thats what i'm thinking, but usually when I start looking either I get something straight away or forget about it altogether !!!

 

[neil.c]

Neil, how did you find the boxster ? i'm looking at one of the earlier cars around 2000

Sorry for the delay in replying been busy at work so not had a chance to get around all of the forums I usually frequent.
I think we may have crossed paths on another forum (have you changed the rear tyres yet?)

I think you should drive a couple of Boxsters (for comparison purposes) and the S4 too, if you like driving your Puma I suspect you will enjoy the Boxster as the dynamics are spot on. As has been said parts are not cheap but services are no more expensive than Audi for both dealer or indi's.

 

[smitch]

By the sound of it you want a convertible, i've had a few and as a second car they are great. I drive an older S4 and it's great but they are a bit soul less and and i'd swap it for a boxster any day as i hardly ever drive cos i work in london.

As much as i like the jags the boxster would be a much more fun car to drive, and it's a porsche. I wouldn't worry about the servicing costs, i had a '77 911 and that was expensive to run but the more modern porsches are less so. That said it will not be cheap to service but my local porsche speialist Camtune are pretty reasonable and anyone who knows anything about porsches wouldn't mind those stamps in the service book.

It's your choice but they are 2 completely different cars. If it was me i'd get the boxster over the jag every time.

 

[Kontraband]

boxster under 40, jag if your over.

 

[Neilybabs]

I'm thinking of replacing our current second car a ford puma .. its been great and cost next to nothing to run but i'm thinking of a change ...

choices are Boxster or Jag XK8 convertible, nothing else

any thoughts anyone driven or owned either ?

My dad had an XK8 and called it the money pit lol so would advise against it.

Our salesman had a Boxter and said he's never received so many dirty looks in any car he's owned. But he is a woofta!

I'd go for a Honda S2000 if it was my money quicker than a Boxter too

 

[benw123]

I'd go for a Honda S2000 if it was my money quicker than a Boxter too

And cheaper to run too! Plus all the Japanese reliability that comes with it.

 

[rodenal]

After you started this thread i actually decided i wanted a boxster lol so on impulse i decided i was gonna use the car allowance to actually buy a car.

Went out, picked one, drove it and all but left him the deposit there n then.

Then i checked out the insurance lol, £1700!!! ouchies

I'm 24 with 3 years no claims so not all that surprised, other than the fact that my corrado is group 17 and i can insure that fine but hey ho, maybe i'll try again when im 25

 

[SteveTDCi]

Sorry for the delay in replying been busy at work so not had a chance to get around all of the forums I usually frequent.
I think we may have crossed paths on another forum (have you changed the rear tyres yet?)

I think you should drive a couple of Boxsters (for comparison purposes) and the S4 too, if you like driving your Puma I suspect you will enjoy the Boxster as the dynamics are spot on. As has been said parts are not cheap but services are no more expensive than Audi for both dealer or indi's.

yep, that would be boxa net. I still think Porsche its just a case of trying one, i did consider the Mk1 TT as well .... as for a Honda, no way ! I just don't like the look of it. I'd rather have an SLK