Hi All,
A friend is interested in buying either a Porsche Boxster or the Spyder,
anyone has / had both and can write about it ?
I own a 2000 Spyder, and a 2006 Porsche Boxster (base trim). Both are great cars, but the Boxster has certainly required more repairs (mostly the convertible top mechanism) than the Spyder. OTOH, the Boxster is more comfortable than the Spyder, not nearly as noisy, and quite a bit faster. I find that I fatigue a lot quicker in the Spyder, probably due to the noise and (for me) cramped seating. The Boxster is not generous on storage but has a lot more than the Spyder, which has virtually none. Overall, the handling of the Boxster is superior.
Buying a Boxster is tricky. Your friend does not want anything earlier than 2006 due to the infamous intermediate shaft issue in earlier models which can destroy the engine and was the subject of a class-action lawsuit against Porsche. There is a saying among Porsche owners that the cheapest Porsche you buy will be the most expensive Porsche you ever own in that the cheaper high mileage cars can be had for low prices, and typically need a lot of repairs which are very expensive. All that said, the Boxster is a great driving car and I love mine. The repairs are hideously expensive and dealerships are notorious for price gouging.
As for my Spyder, after 21 years and 85K miles, the car runs like a watch, and my expenditures have been routine service, brakes, tires, gas, and oil. The car has so far not required any repairs at all. I enjoy driving it although not as much as the Porsche, but the Porsche is a far more expensive car to repair and maintain.
I am going to leave it to other Spyder owners here to comment on the virtues or problems with the car, as I have really not had enough driving time in it to say anything really meaningful about it.