Opinions Please Slk280 Or Porsche Boxster

[fuzzer]

Porsche every time , its leagues ahead of the SLK in every aspect!

 

[fyonn]

I must admit, for all that people get jealous over boxsters, and call them cocksters etc, I'd still have one as a weekend toy. Alas I've got other things to spend money on atm, but one day in the future perhaps...

dave

 

[fyonn]

I don't see the Boxster as a poor man's Porsche...

I do think that the boxster is a poor mans 911, but I don't see that as being a bad thing. okay, it's not as powerful as a full on 911, but then, so what? there's few places you can use the full extent of the power, and I imagine a lot of people want it for the handling and to have a fun weekend jaunt on the twisty roads.

I can't afford a 911, but I could see myself being able to afford boxster (well, I could afford a boxster now, but there's a wedding next year that needs to be paid for...). I'd be more than happy to have a boxster for fun on the weekends!

I think that saying only 911's are real porshces is just being snobbish[1]. I'm sure porsche have made a buttload of money out of the boxster and it's a great introduction to the marque[2] and it's likely to get people to move up the range.

dave

[1] I have nothing against being snobbish you should see me and food!
[2] I imagine it's a great introduction to the marque, I've never driven one, but they seem to be well liked

 

[BTB 500]

I just don't like the looks of the Boxster. I could never have one, for that reason alone.

 

[Dryce]

I really dont understand statements like these. The boxster is clearly made by 'PORSCHE', therefore if he buys it, he will have owned a porsche. Who cares if it isn't as powerful as a 911, it handles very well and does the job as an entry level to porsche.

I'm not criticising the Boxster as a car, only pointing out the sheer strength of the 911 on the Posche image.

Even Porsche themselves can't escape the 'curse' of the 911.

 

[verytalldave]

The post 2004 facelifted SLK is a cracker to look at. Specially in either black or silver.
The Boxster has always been uninspiring and is now looking quite tired. Years have not been kind to its lines. I cant ever imagine any Boxster being viewed as a classic design.

OK, maybe the SLK would be a couple of seconds slower round the Top Gear track driven by the Stig, but in real world driving conditions both could easily keep each other in its sights.

Come on now.................which of these two would you rather have parked in your drive ? ? ? ?

 

[A210AMG]

I like the Porsche but the stigma of poor mans Porsche does stick with it. Even though you can spec one up to well over 40K and closer to 50K which seems crazy.

One thing I noticed inside the Porche is the fact if you don't have options there are blanks obvious where switches should be. In a Merc even if its basic the wood / carbon fills the gaps...just looks neater.

Roof down and from the front the Boxster is hard to tell from a 911 to be honest.

I'm thinking if it were a Boxster 3.2 or SLK350 I would go for the SLK, with the air scarf option if poss. Just looks much newer and I would rather have goodies over being a bit quicker.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Stopped by our local Porsche dealer tonight. New shape Boxsters from £21,600 makes for a good buy IMHO. A white GT2, and two GT3s lined up outside and a white Carrera S with red stripe.

Comments re poor mans Porsche are interesting.

I really like the Boxster and came very close to buying either a white or brown one 12 months ago - dealer thought the colours would be interesting!!

Anyway, I think if I had one though, I'd always think I should have had the 911. I just wish that I could get comfy in a 911!!

Maybe I am snob. Hopefully not though. Just for me, the 911 is synonomous (spelling?) with Porsche.

 

[A210AMG]

Thats the thing, 911 YES superb but for what ever reason and its not just me the Boxster has the reputation of poor mans porsche.

Same with other cars (BMW's for example) I had a 3 series even though they have an image 'problem' it was actually a nice car.

If the OP likes it then it doesn't matter. Neither would be a bad choice.

I do not dispute on a mountain road in the Alps the Boxster would be a more pleasing drive.

Too be honest at the price you can get both for now I would not say no to either.

 

[Mudster]

When I was in at the local Dealers last Saturday finalising the paperwork for Mrs M's new A class, they has an SLK55 in the showroom......

I looked at it and thought, if I bought that I'd keep my drviers licence for about the same length of time as if I bought a Yamaha R1......

I think I've just become old and sensible, I find myself looking at R230 SL's...the AMG, then the 500...then thinking, actually the 350 would do, as long as it had an AMG bodykit and nice wheels.

I've reached that point in life where I'm more bothered by how comfortable it is and how it looks rather than how fast it goes.....I realised I've become my Dad.....

 

[jeremytaylor]

Sadly I think this statement applies to anyone who has never owned a 911.

The Boxster may be a Porsche but such is the power of the 911 as an integral part of the brand that anything that isn't in the 911 family isn't a 'real' Porsche. It's an almost but not quite sort of situation for the Boxster.

Sadly I think this statement applies to anyone who has never owned a 911 and a Boxster. I've owned both and if I were ever in the position to buy another Porsche sports car, it would be a Boxster or Cayman - no hesitation.

Forget the tired old cliches, the Boxster/Cayman S is a superb car.

 

[verytalldave]

When I was in at the local Dealers last Saturday finalising the paperwork for Mrs M's new A class, they has an SLK55 in the showroom......

I looked at it and thought, if I bought that I'd keep my drviers licence for about the same length of time as if I bought a Yamaha R1......

I think I've just become old and sensible, I find myself looking at R230 SL's...the AMG, then the 500...then thinking, actually the 350 would do, as long as it had an AMG bodykit and nice wheels.

I've reached that point in life where I'm more bothered by how comfortable it is and how it looks rather than how fast it goes.....I realised I've become my Dad.....

Snap.
Welcome to the "grown-up" club.
We all get there eventually. With a modicum of luck.
The trick is to accept the situation gracefully and let others younger and blessed with less experience then yourself tear around like demented idiots.
You on the other hand can relax, confident in the knowledge that while you may take an extra 5 minutes on the journey time, you have saved yourself - and your car - considerable wear and tear.
Enjoy your new found quality. Its only when it progresses into senality and worse you need worry.

 

[pammy]

I do realise that this is a MB forum and that opinions may well be biassed...but would love to hear your opinions to help me decide between a SLK and a Boxster...

Particularly interested in running costs, consumption, resale values etc....trying to think with my head here....budget around £15 000

Any Porsche owners?

cheers

For the budget you have I would suggest the SLK is the better buy as overall running costs will be much lower and as that's the question you've asked so the financial aspect is what matters. What I would also add is that if you have to think with your head then perhaps these are not the best cars - as these come from the heart

 

[A210AMG]

My Dad did exactly this.

He sold his SLK that he had had for 7 years so look for an SL (its his weekend / holiday car)

He started wanting a 911 CS4 or SL55 but having looked at several the SL's look a little tired given the low miles. As you have already said he didn't want the speed but the looks.

Eventually he found a SL500 very low miles and the AMG spec with heated, massage, cooling seats, keyless go etc etc. He then spent a little extra on a nice plate and having the quad pipes fitted.

Its great

 

[C240Sport97]

it's interesting to see how the question of the choice between Boxster and SLK has gone off tanget to the 911/Boxster/poor man's Porsche debate ...

911 and Boxster are quite different cars. One has its engine behind the rear axle, the other in front of the rear axle. The handling and driving characteristics are very different. One thing they share in common is the sports car feel you do not get in the SLK.

Buy a car based on what you want and what you like, not what other people might think about whether you can afford a 'real' Porsche. Those who make these kind of remarks about Boxsters etc simply have not driven them.

It's like say that the SLK is a poor man's SL; or like saying that the Aston V8 Vantage is a poor man's Aston. Who cares what they think? What do they drive? A Mini Metro??

One thing I noticed inside the Porche is the fact if you don't have options there are blanks obvious where switches should be.

This is true of the 986 but not the 987 (current model).

 

[C240Sport97]

Snap.
Welcome to the "grown-up" club.
We all get there eventually. With a modicum of luck.
The trick is to accept the situation gracefully and let others younger and blessed with less experience then yourself tear around like demented idiots.
You on the other hand can relax, confident in the knowledge that while you may take an extra 5 minutes on the journey time, you have saved yourself - and your car - considerable wear and tear.
Enjoy your new found quality. Its only when it progresses into senality and worse you need worry.

there's no rule that says that more mature folk shouldn't enjoy a nimble sports car

 

[verytalldave]

there's no rule that says that more mature folk shouldn't enjoy a nimble sports car

Quite true. But the fact is you extract the enjoyment in different ways. Give my son a Boxster for a day and god knows what he would get up to in it. Same as I would have done no doubt when I was 20.
But now the pleasure comes not from screaming the tyres around a roundabout much too fast, but from simply absorbing all the subtle qualities in a much more restrained fashion. Enjoyment nonetheless.

 

[A210AMG]

C240

For some reason the SLK being a poor mans SL or similar has never stuck? Maybe its as Mercedes has always had a range of cars from entry level to high cost.

Porsche Pre the Bosxter were all expensive supercars and with the introduction of the more affordable porche thats when it got the 'stigma'

The Boxster has always been the poor mans porsche.

I Know you have one (and a nice one but I'm just saying how it is.

Your right buy what YOU like and not the image, I've had a MX5 and Z3 which if you read the hype a bloke should never drive such things...

By the way wasn't yours for sale almost new? what were you going to change it for unless you already have?

 

[fyonn]

C240For some reason the SLK being a poor mans SL or similar has never stuck?

I've always seen the SLK as a poor mans SL, but I personally think that's a good thing. I have owned an SLK, I would have preferred the SL, but couldn't afford it, I could afford the SLK which came with many of the same features and I was happy.

I also think that the SLK deliberately trades on the looks of more expensive cars, the R170 SLK shares many of the styling cues from the old SL. the current R171 SLK takes cues from both the current SL (pre facelift) and the SLR.

they make you feel like you're driving a much more expenive car, but it's less financially crippling. Also, when you trade in your SLK, you might buy an SL instead...

dave

 

[Dryce]

It's like say that the SLK is a poor man's SL; or like saying that the Aston V8 Vantage is a poor man's Aston. Who cares what they think? What do they drive? A Mini Metro??

The SL isn't quite the same icon as the 911 so there isn't the same issue.

The 'problem' is not that the 911 is good or a Boxster bad - it's simply that the 911 traditionally personified the brand. That's all.

The nearest you get to this with a MB is that an A or B isn't a 'real' MB. And that's not to do with driveability, quality, or whatever. It's down to the image of MBs as being large traditional saloons.