Hey y'all,

I am crossposting this between different forum sites to get both sides of the coin; there's implicit bias when it comes to posting on vehicle-specific websites. Nonetheless, here we go.
I'm both telling my story and asking opinions on performance between cars.
My sections will be long so I'll add TL;DR's to each one.

I have ALWAYS wanted a C4 Vette. The angular wedge-shaped styling, the retro-futuristic interior, V8 performance, pop-up headlights, all the aspects of it despite it being a rather oddball car to most in retrospect, except to me. I wanted one as my first car 5 years ago when I was 14, but got a steal of a deal on a ex-cop Crown Vic, which I still love and own to this day. I also along the way got an LS1 Camaro in a 6-speed manual. My original (and still true) vision was to have my Vic and Camaro ying-yang each other; the Vic was the daily you could have fun in, the Camaro was the performance warrior you could daily if you wanted. I plan on modding both, handling and speed.
TL;DR: Love C4's, still do. Currently own a P71 Crown Vic and M6 LS1 Camaro as the dynamic duo.

But at the beginning of the year, my grandfather and I bid on and won a '97 986 Boxster at an auction with low miles (82K at the time, 89K now) and a 5-speed manual for a steal of a price and little issues. We run a small side-hustle of buying, fixing and flipping cars for a profit. I pitched it as a quick fix-n-flip, where he'd pay for it and I'd own it (our common practice) and have some fun while it lasts, fix the nitpicky kinks it has (which are few and small), and then sell it for a great profit (split accordingly), especially considering the price we got on it.
But what turned into a business venture evolved into a love story, to the point where I'm actually considering buying this car off my grandfather. While I could easily mod my Camaro to handle well, the Porsche, albeit not the fastest thing, is comfortable, tidy with a nostalgic interior, looks sleek, sounds amazing even stock, and is so incredibly well-balanced through the corners. I cannot get this thing to break traction, especially with the Conti ECS tires I put on in the summer. It's a street go-kart, and has turned me into a Porsche lover. So yeah, I'm hardcore considering keeping this as my weekend machine or selling it and getting a 986 S for more power. I'm capable of replacing the IMS bearing myself if I go that route, or if I keep my 986. Also, people love this thing, even telling me I should sell the Camaro and keep this, even though I know the Camaro is faster in a straight line and can easily be modified for handling.
TL;DR: I fell in love with my business venture 986 to the point of considering keeping it for myself.

But I still yearn for a C4, it would be my sweet baby I'd take out for fun and fun alone, even if I want to commute to work in it just to enjoy it. My ideal is an '89 with the 6-speed manual, but mainly any year with the old body style and interior. I've only sat in one, but have never driven one so I don't know the driving experience, especially in comparison to my 986 (I may even ask to look at C4's on Facebook Marketplace as a "potential buyer", which isn't a total lie). And like I said, considering getting a 986 S for the power bump, and also so I have door speakers because I'm a car audio nerd.
The headroom for modding a 986 is small, especially in power. Unless you're autocrossing (which I'm not, this is likely gonna be solely a backroad car), stock performance for the most part is what you get. The C4 has a higher ceiling for modding, especially when it comes to powertrain. Practicality is a tie and I love the styling of both in their own ways, the C4 for being an 80s machine and the 986 for being classically beautiful. I fix and maintain my own cars and am no stranger to German engineering (I rebuilt an Audi 2.0T in my driveway), even though the 986 is very simple with the work I've done. Quickly fixing the shifter linkage in a pinch with zip ties to tide me over without taking anything apart? Impressive. Selling my Camaro is off the table; I've poured and will continue to pour money towards mods as the sky is the limit for it. It's quick even stock and, outside of old car stuff, has been reliable. Why not both? Not in the cards for me yet, I don't have the space.
TL;DR: C4 or 986, maybe even a 986 S at the cost of extra money? Have never driven C4... yet.

Thoughts and opinion time. Shoot away.

 

Personally, I would keep the Porsche.

On a sliding scale between the 986 and your Camaro, a C4 is about 80% of the way to the Camaro for driving experience. It isn't as nimble and fun as the 986, handles far more similarly to the Camaro, but with less power and isn't nearly as friendly to mod. It does tickle the nostalgia itch, but honestly you would more likely end up in the predicament of selling the C4 or the Camaro to keep the other alongside the 986.

Not everyone has the same tastes, so I can't guarantee this as the outcome. I would personally prefer an LS1 Camaro over a C4 because I much prefer the powertrain/drivetrain of the Camaro and it has a nearly endless aftermarket. The biggest thing here though is the condition of the C4. Your average $5-6k C4 isn't even in the same world as a well kept one and will be very different to own and drive. Owning a C4 that is in excellent condition is an experience of its own.

 

Dang. Thought this was going to be a race video....

 

Oh I wish. If I ever have both in the future, I'd do one.

 

A C4 is going to feel like a rattley old ox cart, coming from your Porsche. I haven't driven one of those but if I can substitute a first gen Miata for the general feeling of nimbleness and tossability, then I'd say moving to the C4 is really going to be a shock. They're great in their own burly, sledghammery, wet noodley way but when it comes to the characteristics that make you say, "Damn, this is a great feeling sports car," they may fall a little short of the standards you have come to enjoy. I'd recommend figuring out a way to drive one for a good bit before doing anything rash.

 

Where are you located? Perhaps someone with a C4 would let you drive theirs. While a test drive can't begin to compare to living with one for a while, it might give you some insight.

I'm pretty sure an 89 C4 was quicker and faster than a 986 and likely cornered better too.

 

Allot of good old cars but cant own them all.
I Always wanted a Porsche 911 Myself but the cost to buy and own is very high.
Been looking for a Sports car to replace my 1986 C4.
Worked at a Huge Midwest Dealership as a driver for 3 years as one of my jobs up until 2022 and i Have driven allot of cars, Sports, Hatches, Electric, new and used
along with New trucks, Crossovers and even New Porsches.
Four the price I paid and put into my C4 its Bang for the buck Champion ( If you know how to work on cars yourself).
I could buy a Newer Stang, 370z, C6 and a couple others i wondered about and sell my C4 but Id take a Loss for sure.
Not sure I want another vette so this may be my last but a C6 or a Kia Stinger would be my choice for my next car.
Drive what you like, Allot of fun Older performance cars out there though.

 

This video was put up by member Bfenty a couple of years ago. There is some commentary regarding comparisons of the Boxter and the 85 C4. Otherwise it's entertainment. 2 Couples, a Porsche and a Corvette on a road tour. I thought the video was well-done.


A 97 986 with 89,000 miles, eh? IMS bearing is not too expensive as long as you get to it before the cam comes out of time and it becomes a $20,000+ engine repair/replacement. Although the 97 isn't known for bore scoring, I would still want to conduct a boroscope inspection before committing to keeping it long term.

 

Quite so. North Carolina, Charlotte area, if anyone’s out there willing to let a brother take a test drive. I’d be willing to offer the 986 test drive in return.

 

I've never owned a Boxster but I have owned a 996 / 911. Obviously the 911 is more car than a Boxster but I think the feel of both cars as far as build quality. I'd say the Porsche is going to handle better, will be much more solid, and will provide better feedback than a C4. The C4 will feel more old school while still providing modern amenities. I don't know which one will have more performance (acceleration) but I would recommend a '96 LT4 car as the pinnacle of the C4 (not counting the ZR1).

I sold my 911 because I was probably on Rennlist too much and got paranoid about all the possible catastrophic failure points of the M96 engine and the repair costs. I went from that car to a C5Z and was quite happy. I'd say the C5Z was faster and handled as good but differently than the 911. You have to learn how to properly drive the rear engine 911 and it takes a bit to really know how to wring out the car. I still prefer the front engine / rear wheel drive layout of the Corvette. the Boxster is mid-engine so it will be easier to learn to go fast in it.

I'd say the biggest difference you'll find is build quality. The C4 is not going to be as solid a car with creaks and rattles and kind of cheap interior. They do handle quite well but will feel heavier than the Porsche. I think you'll also find that some are going to be kind of beat up while others will be in better condition. The inly way you'll know if you really want one is to drive several of them.

 

I LOVE that video and have watched it several times over the past few years. Funny and well done.

As for the 986 vs C4 debate, I've had a couple of early Boxsters (1997 and 2001) and a couple of C4s (87 and 89 verts). The Boxters are incredibly fun cars to drive - underpowered in their base form, but still a blast. The sound of the motor directly behind the seats is great. C4s are a barge - they feel HUGE in comparison to the 986s. They also have very cheap, plasticky build quality in comparison (not that 986/996s are that great). However, at least you don't have to worry about a catastrophic engine failure via IMS, AOS, or D-chunking with the C4s. Regardless, they're both cool, fun machines and some of the best deals that you can find in a classic sports car for under $20K. I think a sweet spot are the early, base 987 Boxsters.

2cam

 

Could I trouble you @2cam for the link to your posting on the Porsche forum, and maybe to share this one with them? Could be an interesting comparison read for others down the line in your same position

 

 

Owned a 2002 Boxster S, currently have a 90 ZR1, many years back had a 86 C4. Other than V8 power and torque the Boxster is superior in almost every way, especially an "S".

The Porsches with the first generation M96 water cooled motors do have many potential issues but given their age most have already been dealt with. Changed the IMS / RMS on mine and it wasn't that big of a deal, pricey parts though.

Edited to ad that I just read where you are considering doing the IMS yourself: https://www.renntech.org/topic/32315...anny-r-r-tips/

 

Just to add my two cents, the type of roads you have available to you to drive on is a massive, massive factor in the enjoyment of a car. If all you have are long straight highways with maybe a 90 degree corner here and there, the porsche will be a nightmare and the corvette will only be so fun. If you have winding, slower, mountain roads the porsche will come out on top, and if it's a combo of straight and occasionally bendy, the corvette will make a good all rounder.

 

You think there's a "Corvette Tax"? Try purchasing genuine Porsche parts.

 

Well, I guess I have a little bit of a different of an opinion. The Porsche is a fun car, I've owned a couple... but when you're repairing a Porsche, even if it's an affordable low-cost one, you're still buying parts for a Porsche... and the cost/value goes down significantly compared to the C4. For example, years ago, I bought a running 1985 Porsche 944 5-Speed for $1,600. I restored the entire interior, rebuilt the suspension, all new fuel system, new brakes, and replaced most of the sensors, and spent about $7,000... only for me to sell it a year later for $2,018 (my wife was pregnant and I had 9 cars, and wanted to unburden myself). Anyway... at the miles your Porsche has, there isn't a lot of value left before it drops off pretty steeply. Porsche cars are fairly reliable, but you're kind of at the cusp of where you stand to lose a lot of value on the Porsche. If you've already had fun with it, then sell it and move on to something else for a little while. You can always buy another one.

But, there are a lot of really good cars that are at the lowest point right now...

- BMW Z3s
- Chrysler Crossfire

... etc. The Porsche Boxster and C4 are just some of a handful of cars that people can get super cheap right now. I expect all of those mentioned to only increase in value in the coming years... not that cars are a good investment (they are not).

 

I have a 90 ZR-1 and a 99 911 Carrera. Both are great cars and lots of fun, but they scratch different itches. The Corvette is faster but not as planted in the turns compared to the 911. Your Boxster will out handle a C4 but may not be as fast. The Corvette has more torque at low RPM and is more muscle car at heart. The Porsche is more refined and handles better but does not have the punch of a big V8.

 

Absolutely! Feel free to post it on Pelican, Rennlist, where ever you feel it's appropriate.

Typical wear parts for the 986s are surprisingly inexpensive. I haven't found 986/987 era parts for the non-Turbo, non-special edition (GT3/GT2/etc) cars to be particularly expensive at all. There are a number of good parts sources out there like Pelican that make living with these cars fairly easy. The biggest concern that I had with mine were just the potential IMS/AOS issues. Even though the failure rates on the dual-row bearings is really low, I still found that I always had it in the back of my mind that I'd crater a motor in one of them. It took a bit of the enjoyment away for me. So... I stick with a couple of 80s performance classics (including a C4) and am quite happy with them and what they deliver.

Speaking of value, the Z3 and Crossfire (Mercedes SLK platform) are good options for the price. The Z4s and 370Zs (manual transmissions of course!) are good candidates as well for a lot of fun for under $20K (or less!).

2cam

 

A lot of this has been real informative for me. It sounds like the Camaro from a performance standpoint would cover the C4's ground for the most part and it'd be more looks and nostalgia factor for me. I mean even if it doesn't live up to a competent curvy-road warrior, the vibe would more than likely justify the purchase for me.

Definitely gonna try and get my hands on a test drive once I clear out the other projects. I do like that idea @82-T/A threw out there of selling the car if I've run its course, and it wouldn't be a bad idea at all. I'm still finding new limits for it though so I wonder if I ever will fully run its course, but as mentioned, I could always buy another. Probably an S, as mentioned.