I read this piece drove BOTH cars and made a decision...finally.See it at http://www.windingroad.com

 

IMHO....the author's a bit of a tool. It cracks me up that these "car" guys don't understand why CAGS is there. It's not because GM thinks it's an inherently good thing. The other thing is that I don't think they really understand why the Vette gets so many looks. It's not because of the refinement of the C5 shape that you get.....it's because there are a lot of people that respond to Corvettes. If you are not one of those and your money could just as easily go German, that's fine. But you cannot deny that there are some people who were captivated when they were young and just love Vettes. There may be some who feel the same way about Porsche or BMW, but I think most of those folks develop later.

 

I think the guy that wrote this article has been on one too many twisty roads and it's affected his judgement.

C'mon now. The Boxster better than the C6? Even the major car mags had the C6 on par with the latest 911...

 

 

All depends on who is writing the article I guess. Funny how you see so many folks looking for a reason to find fault with American made automobiles (even though some of it is warranted). If in fact the imports both Asian and European are as great as their owner's purport them to be then, why do they all have such extensive maintenance facilities and sprawling parts distribution warehouses? Just asking the question . . .

 

Who Cares? And why do you think they call it a Boxter?

 

So - is it coupe or vert? What color? What options? You buying out of a dealer's inventory or ordering?

Give us some details of your decision!!!

Bob

 

I could not read the entire article without a subscription. But I suspect that the author did not review the 911. He noted that the 911 was priced $20K higher than both the boxster and the vette. Had he compared the 911 to the vette, as many people do, then he would be forced to justify why the 911 was worth $20K more than the boxster as well. The 911 has more power than the boxster, but not more than the vette. That would leave the author in a position in which he would have to justify the $20K difference based upon "handling" differences on windy roads and other more subjective areas.
The other fault in the author's discussion is limiting the discussion to windy roads, which I only see occasionally on trips. More often the roads I take are straight and with any wind the vette will hold the road better than the Porsches, IMO.
This is the kind of article that supports my belief that the vette's reputation is number one. When Cadilac produced the XLR I received a brochure which praised the XLR, and in the photo, side by side, was another car. It was not a Porsche. To produce a car $30 more than the Corvette and then make an effort to convince people that it was superior to a vette is the greatest compliment of all. The brochure was clearly not aimed at 911 owners, a car in the same price range.
As long as people like the author of this article want to measure their car on a narrow list of criteria against the vette, and then conclude it is as good or better than the vette I will not give serious thought to owning any other kind of car. Only in their dreams will Porsche owners find everyone else measuring their new car against a Porsche. The reality is that Porsche tries to measure itself against the Corvette, but GM makes no similar effort when it introduces a new vette. GM just says "Here it is!"

 

As a footnote to my other response I was thinking about my experiences on windy roads. I seek these roads out because I enjoy them with a vette. But the number one problem is not handling on the curves, which is the author's focus, but getting behind a slow moving vehicle. Worse than this is a slow moving vehicle with the cars immediately behind it afraid to pass. I want a car in these situations which will be out and around other cars before their drivers know I'm even out.
The author mentions that the vette is placed lower to the ground and this is what I'd prefer on the curves. But the author and others may prefer something different. But behind a slow moving vehicle the extra hp is going to make a difference in many situations.

 

This whole "magazine" seems a little odd to me. Based in Texas but judging by the language the article was obviously written by a Brit biased on European cars? Strange. Maybe they hired those two girlie men from Top Gear to do the article? I guess there is a positive side: at least they didn't say "the colonies" or repeat the words "leaf springs" a dozen times.

Mike

 

...at least they got ONE thing right!



....drive a boxter.. and you WILL be seeing a lot of C6 tail lamps.

 

But....guys, the Boxter is GERMAN; so it's better.

 

I submitted this piece to encourage discussion not to define my purchase choice. I find that the 'Flat Earth Society" is alive and well.
Draw your own conclusion.

 

Uh-Oh!!!

He's gettin' the Boxster!!!!

 

Either that or he's also made his way around too many windy roads, and has warped his mind to the point where he decided to join The Flat Earth Society

 

I thought he was saying that the Winding Road is published by the Flat Earth folks based on their rather odd perceptions and preferences ;-)

Ira

 

[QUOTE=rpspa]I submitted this piece to encourage discussion not to define my purchase choice. I find that the 'Flat Earth Society" is alive and well.
Draw your own conclusion.[/QUOTE
Just because people don't agree with you does not mean that they believe the earth is flat. Trying to claim Porsches are better because they handle better on windy roads is silly, especially when you put any slow moving traffic on those roads. The Boxster is a nice little car that should compare favorably with that Honda 2000. I hope you enjoy the Boxster but I would not suggest you keep your thoughts of superiority to a vette as theory and not attempt to put them in practice.

 

The Boxter is a nice little car. Like a German Miata with more power but less reliable. I've spend a great deal of time in one and it is very small, very tight,but a bit like a skateboard with an outboard motor. It has very little room, very little storage space and it is so nosiy that you can't hear the radio on the highway. It is quite buzzy as you need about 2800 rpm to cruise on the highway and the engine is right behind your ear.

The Vette on the other hand is much more roomy, more comfortable by far, MUCH faster and a great deal more powerful throughout the rpm curve. You can cruise on the highway near engine idle and there is enough trunk space for golf clubs and luggage. To compare this car to a Boxter would be like comparing a Mercedes SL500 to a Miata and giving the nod to the Miata because it is more "tossable". Of course it is. It's a toy.

 

[QUOTE=Charles7Mitchell]Mr. Mitchell unlike MANY others I chose to look at both cars without a bias. You assume I feel superior, I don't. I feel informed and unwilling to dismiss a car until I can experience it.
When I first intended to buy an 06 C6 and joined the forum, I was suprised by the closed minds of many members. So continue to buy what ever the General puts out and for crying out loud don't look around....and be sure to "knock it before you tried it".

 

I test drove the new 911 while I was depressed thinking that I'd never get a C6 vert (I did). The 911 is a fine car, but, with all due respect to Porsche owners, I'd never buy one. My purely subjective, personal reasons:

1) I don't think that I could get used to the rear engine configuration; especially having the sound coming from the rear and seeming like it's in the back seat. The sound reminds me of 60's VW's.

2) The car seems so much smaller in the cabin compared to a Corvette, especially shoulder room. It feels like the passenger is right next to the driver. Granted, that could be a good thing, but I'm an old married fart.

3) There wasn't enough room for my legs (I'm only 5'10") -- my right knee kept banging against the center console.

4) The ignition is to the left of the steering wheel.

5) The trunk is in the front and it will hold about one bag of kitty litter.

6) It has fake back seats.

The 911 drives great, has a wonderful gearshift, and handles beautifully. But I like the Corvette design decisions so much more. All a matter of taste and preference.