trying to buy my first Porsche , cant decide between boxster and 911 Carrera ( 2017)
1.price I save $50k with boxster
2.don't care much about speed , but do care about resale value
3.wanted to buy 911 since it has two seats in the back , I have two daughters , who are still small enough to fit in back , so it would be nice for whole family to drive
Buying the new 2017 models , since 911 comes with turbo engines and want safety features like rear camera, lane assists, got the emails for GM for 4 dealers in Houston and Austin , sent email to them and asked for best quote , only one replied , I guess ? its due to the model I asked (the Porsche 911 Carrera 4) or ? allocation issue, that they don't seem interested
newbie - appreciate feedback

 

There are days when I think that my Boxster is ill-suited to my needs.

I can't pull into a rest stop and recline the seat for a break during a long trip. I can't throw a dufflebag or jacket in the back behind the seats; instead, I have to use one of the trunks. And I miss the AWD traction of previous cars that I've had for winter driving. I often feel that if I could only have one car, it should be a Carrera 4.

That said, however, the Boxster is a rewarding proposition. It handles beautifully and turns like a ballerina, and the occasional rides with the top down are exhilerating and make me smile. In the hands of this amateur driver, my 911 was harder to extract its potential performance as it felt more ponderous and very much less nimble than the Boxster.

Conclusion: My Boxster is now my daily driver, mostly because of cost. With an unlimited budget for car purchases, I just might be driving a Carrera 4.

 

if resale value or appreciation is important, Boxster Spyder is the way to go.

 

I'm going to make a prediction (always dangerous, I know) about future Boxster Spyder values: a lot of Spyder owners are going to be disappointed. Why? The convertible top which (due to the novelty of the car) is now accepted, will be what makes the car less attractive in the future to prospective buyers, and that will impair the car's future value.

Time will either make my prediction seem brilliant, or foolish.

 

had 2 911 great cars but i went back to a 2016 boxster its just more fun to drive
without extra cost

 

thank you so much for the feedback everyone

 

You drove both?

 

What you really care about is depreciation and the less of it the better. Generally a lower priced car will depreciate less so there's your answer. Buy the lower priced Boxster.

If you want/need to carry your two daughters then the 911 is the way -- the only way -- to go unless you think you can get away with carrying just one daughter (and no wife) at a time. Fat chance the daughters let alone the wife will go along with this.

The 2017 models have just been announced and there have been intros at various dealers. The dealer personal are not going to react much to an email for info as they probably have all the showroom floor traffic they can handle.

And no dealer wants to get into a bidding war with another dealer for your business.

If you can wait wait until later this year, towards the end of the year or even just after when sales are slow. Then you can walk in and make a deal.

 

I traded a 2014 Carrera for a 2016 Boxster S and have no regrets. Love the drop top and the way the Boxster handles. Don't get me wrong the 911 is a great car but the Boxster is more fun to drive.

 

I've had a Boxster S, a 911 C2S cab and now another Boxster S. Both are great cars, but I found the Boxster S to be the more rewarding and enjoyable car to drive due to the mid-engine handling. Th 911 was the more practical car on account of the back seats. I'm thoroughly enjoying my 12 Boxster S at the moment, but I'd consider another 911 again when I have kids old enough to use the back seats with boosters. Right now we just have one bun in the oven so it will be a few years before we could make use of back seats with boosters.

If you care about resale value, you might want to consider buying a used certified car with an extended warranty. I bought each of my three Porsches a few years old with extended warranties for less than half of the original window sticker. I traded each in a couple years with plenty of positive equity. You loose the most money when you drive off the lot and again once you get past 50k miles. Buying and selling P-cars in between these two cliffs keeps you more on the flat spot of the depreciation curve.

If you really are drawn to the fours seats to share the car with your family, but are attracted to the price of the Boxster, you could likely have your cake and eat it to by a factory certified used 911. You could get a very nice lightly used 911 in higher trim with more options and spend less than you would for a new spec'd out Boxster. By the way, even if you don't care about speed with S vs base model, the base models don't fair as well on depreciation. The S models are more sought after since this is a sports car brand. Also, the myriad of build to order options add up quickly when you spec a new build, but they add less on to a used car. You'd also fair better come trade as you let the 1st buyer take the largest financial hit. Just my 2 cents.

 

Unless the trunk is a suitable seat, the 911 is really your only choice if your daughters are going with you. It sounds more like that's what you really want, but don't want to lose $ on it. Do what Ion is suggesting. There's nothing wrong with a pre-loved car. Nobody else will really know but you, and now us.

 

I agree about e-mail bid....dealers must hate as many/most are probably a waste of time. If I were a dealer I'd try and get you into the store. I would never consider buying this way as I believe in relationships and value add. To each his own.