I have never owned a convertible before and the Boxster's soft top has been a security concern for me. Can you Boxster enthusiasts enlighten me, please? I also a few other concerns about the Boxster soft-top:

How does it hold up against the elements (rain, snow, hail, UV rays, etc.)?
Does it retain heat well in the winter?
Does it retain its shape over time? What about rollover protection?

Since I live in San Jose, CA, top-down driving is quite the allure for me, but I can live without it. The Boxster also fits my budget, performance needs, aesthetic taste, is very practical for a two-seater sports car, and is part of a rich lineage that dates back to the Boxster Spyder. Also, I just might consider the Cayman if I can find a decent CPO Cayman around the Bay Area. I'm starting to feel that a hard-top is essential and I can use that extra hp and chassis rigidity. The Cayman is growing on me!

Any input would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

it will keep rain,snow and hail from you...the RAYS have already done their damage here....a dull swiss army knife can ruin your day and even your foil anti ray hat wont help you in a roll over ,they are cold in the winter

 

If you are worried about your car being stolen, a thief would all but have to flat bed the car to steal it.

If you are worried about people breaking into the car and taking your stuff by cutting the top, reaching into the car when it has been alarmed, will set the alarm off.

I live in Ft. Lauderdale FL. Not crime central, but not Mayberry either. I never left anything of value in the car and just left it unlocked. I did not have a garage, so the car was parked out on the street.

Since the Box was designed as a convertible, I don't know that you will notice any increased chassis rigidity (but the Cayman's are nice too!).

The tops hold up very well as long as you take care of them. There are products you can buy to treat the canvas. The tops are VERY high quality.

 

If you enjoy the top down driving, go for it.

Mine is quieter than the Cayman even in heavy rain. And not it is not colder as it is well insulated. Top down is easy; and as you said, very practical with its two trunks.

I personally went in looking for a turbo and came out with and RS Spyder.

 

I have a Boxster S, so I'm a bit bias... but go for the Boxster. You have some of the best roads in the country for either the Boxster & Cayman... But, when you want to take a drive on PCH on a sunny day,... you'll want to have the top down. I rented a Mustang when I was visiting San Jose last year... and really wished i had a convertible. You just can't beat the open top driving experience.

Sure, the Cayman can claim rigidity over Boxster, but that won't among to much for every day driving, or even track driving. To be honest, Boxster chassis is plenty stiff for 100% of the road driving, and so is the HP. BTW, HP difference isn't that great between the two (15hp?). In fact, 2007 and 2008 have the same 295HP for both S model. So, don't compromise. Get a car that you will enjoy all the time - rain or shine. Instead of waxing the top, just treat the top with Raggtopp or 303 protectant 2 or 3x a year. Without the hard top to washing & waxing = more time driving.

As for breaking into Boxster... it is no harder to break into it then any other car (hard or soft top). If the bad guys want something from your car, they break windows. And don't let vandalism or even accident/roll-over be a reason not to get a Boxster... b/c they're not. Seriously, someone cutting the soft top vs. keying the crap out of the car will probably end up costing the same to replace/fix. If you're concerned about those becoming reality, you have got much bigger problems to worry about. And you need to drive an armored car! :P

BTW, I live in S. FL and I can tell you insulation of the soft top is excellent. My Boxster with black soft top sitting hours in S. FL sun, is no hotter inside than my Audi A4 (light color roof).

I love mine.. and car stable to 158mph (GPS validated) with the top up.
Here is my car at the mile run.
I've also tracked the car at Miami Homestead Int'l Raceway without issue.


When I'm not at the track and the sun is out... top down fun:

 

Thank you for the great posts, guys! I'm settled on the Boxster. I'm currently looking around California for CPO Boxsters...

 

Awesome choice!!

 

Congrats! If I may make one more suggestion... don't limit yourself to just one region (Bay area or NorCal)... I found & bought my car from a dealer in NJ. Bought 1-way ticket and drove the car 1300 miles to Ft Lauderdale. It gave me the opportunity to enjoy the car on different roads and scenery. Good luck with your search!

 

A Boxster was my daily driver for two years and now I drive a Cayman S. I really enjoyed top down driving in my Boxster and think you will too, but I always worried about someone cutting the top. If you are the kind of person who keeps a car for a long time, someday you will have to replace the top, and that is going to be very expensive. In CA you really won't have to worry about the cold but heated seats will really come in handy. Boxsters have more road noise, drive both yourself and see. You won't notice any difference in chassis rigidity.

 

Hmm...how long would the Boxster soft top last? I do choose to finance my cars and keep them over the long run.

 

I never worried about this issue with my Boxster or Lotus... Isn't that what comprehensive insurance is for? If it happens, it happens. It's not worth having a heart attack over.

 

My 02 Boxster's top has held up quite well in all kinds of weather. I bought the car while I lived in the mid-west -- the last 5 years the car's been in the Livermore area -- and drove it year round in all kinds of weather. Even in small hail storms. (But you want to avoid the bigger hail storms. I've seen *side* glass busted from large hail stones. These would likely go right through the top. And dent the heck out of the sheel metal panels as well.)

The top presents no real security to the car's contents. If you leave valuables visible in the car's cabin and park it somewhere you shouldn't, and with valuables visible anywhere but your garage is where you shouldn't park the car someone who wants the valuables will have the top cut and the stuff gone in no time. Or just break the side glass window.

Save yourself some money and the thief some work and just leave the doors unlocked. At least the top or side glass won't be damaged when the valuables are stolen.

The canvas protects the rubber sheet underneath from UV and other stuff. But you have to take care not to subject the top to anymore of this than stuff than you can.

Bird mess is very hard on soft tops. Avoid parking under trees (this keeps tree sap off of top and off of painted surfaces as well) or where birds roost. If any gets on top wash it off with lots of water as soon as you can.

I've not found the soft top in my 02 to be cold in the winter. Any car's going to get cold if left out in the cold.

Since the S appeared S's have lined tops. And since 2002 even the base Boxster's top lined (same lining as the S top).

This lining keeps noise down. With the heater (mine has A/C and autoclimate control which is very nice option) the Boxster cabin heats up very quickly and once moving the rear window clears of any snow/ice accumulation and after a few minutes can be nearly dry and free of any water.

Surprisingly, with 17" wheels/tires my 02 Boxster is quiet, a bit more so than even my 2008 Cayman S or my 03 Turbo.

The top retains its shape due to the top's rails and cross bars. As long as the top's tension kept adjusted -- my car required this adjustment just once early on -- the top covering conforms to the top rails/cross bars and retains its shape.

Rollover protection consists of the top keeping your hands/arms in the cabin. Any other rollover protection comes from the rollbars and seatbelts.

A sufficiently violent rollover is a serious matter in any car at at some point no car will keep you from harm. I would suggest you avoid rollover events. Shouldn't be hard: In over 230K miles of driving my Boxster it has not rolled even one time so it can be done.

One word of advice. If you are not big on top down driving give the Boxster a miss and pick up a Cayman instead. The Cayman has the same sweet mid-engine chassis and handling the Boxster has but sans the extra trouble a soft top brings.

If you decide you really want a Boxster my advice would be to seek out one with the glass rear window. This first appeared in MY 2003.

Sincerely,

Macster.