I had the opportunity to drive/ride in a 2001 Boxster S today and my friend who owns the Boxster drove my Touring 6 speed Z. Here are our thoughts.


Firmness - I really thought the Z was a taut car, but the Boxster S is so much more so. First of all, the clutch. The Z follows Japanese tradition and is fairly light. The S, is incredibly hard to push. The S also has a friction point that's very very high, it's basically at the top of the travel range. You have to lift your whole leg in order to use it. However, I bet that you wouldn't have to push it all the way down. It makes for very jerky starts at the beginning, at least for me. It seems difficult to stall, and I've stalled the Z twice now.

This theme of firmness continues through the rest of the S. The seats are tighter, the wheel is stiffer.

The S is very comfortable puttering around at low speeds in first gear. The Z I think is better in second at low speeds. Tip in for the S is very rapid. Admitedly, I was much more liberal with the S, as it's been broken in. I've been very gentle with the Z.

At speeds, the S feels very quick. Steering is light. It SOUNDS very fast, as the engine sounds with the top down are great. Feeling the wind whip by is great. The 350Z convertible will be very cool.

Basically, the Z and the S accomplish the same goal in different ways. They're both VERY fun, fast and fairly refined. The S seems to be more difficult to drive, but it's also very immediate. The Z is a little less mechanical. I was amazed by how fast the S is. The Z is equally fast, I can't wait to see what the car is like when it's done breaking in.

My friend just said that the Z is "AWESOME!" He's pretty impressed. On another note, while I was at a Starbucks today, a BMW dealer in a new 7 series stopped and said, "Nice car."

 

Only 1 month Ricky.. only 1 more month *repeats*

 

Expect to start to see 350Z's being used as track-day cars for rich people that don't want to take their exotics to the track.

No I am not joking, I have read threads by people contemplating this on the Porsche boards.

 

Hey, that's great! The Z would be a great track-day car. If those Boxster owners don't want to take out their "exotics" and drive them the way they were built to be driven, then the Z will be glad to step up.

 

A potentially inflammatory comment by someone whose screen-name contains "s2k"... it just never ends, does it?
Are any of these "exotic" owners thinking of using s2000's for track day cars?
I have read and totally agree with the s2k/350Z memo posted by the guy who runs this site, trying to end the incessant bickering and mud-slinging - they are both great cars, and I see no need to nay-say either of them - so what is the point of your post?

 

Oh wait, they are going to use the Z's because they LIKE them?
I'm confused. And the waiting is killing me. So disregard my post. I don't know what the hell you were trying to say, I not only can't afford an "exotic" but a track day is not in my vocabulary, either... so fuggetaboudit.

Peace.

 

Not Boxster owners per se. Look at 350Z-Tako, he owns a ton of exotics and has bought the 350Z for his track car. I think it's a great idea. I'd do the same. I'd rather wreck a $30,000 car than a $230,000 car!!

 

My only question is why these rich folks wouldn't have already bought S2000's for their track bitches...and if so, why they'd be trading them for Z's. The S2000 is an AWESOME track car that can kick *** over much torquier, more expensive rivals.

 

Don't know. Part of the reason they are looking forward to the Z is that the aftermarket is going to be enormous, without the BS that Porsche puts them through (parts only available to Europeans, warranty voiding, etc.).

 

why is a thread titled: DIRECT comparison of Boxster S and 350Z
talking almost exclusively about s2000s now?

 

Hmm, good question, why are we talking about the S2000? Anyways, to sum up again, Z and S, both excellent cars at accomplishing the same thing, but in absolutely different ways.

 

It is my understanding that a lot of track events shun convertibles without aftermarket rollbars. That being true, you can theoretically roll a 350Z off the showroom and onto the track.

 

I drove a Boxster S and at least to me the clutch take up was too sudden and I stalled it a few times. My biggest complaint against is the interior room. My head was able to touch the roll hoop instead of the headrest. Also no tilt wheel making it hard to get in, and my right leg was at an uncomfortable position.

It does have good power for it's weight, but it felt a little delacate somehow. I can't explain it but I thought I could hurt it if I dropped the clutch.(I did once and it was damn fun, On a side note I HATE when salsemen come along for a test drive, you can't do anything fun ).


As for track use, this guy I know has a 911 turbo (2001), and he doesn't track it. I told him he is not gonna be able to experence the full potential of this car on the street. I would bet my life that he never did a sub 14 sec 1/4 mile run. I mean what's the point of spending $120K and then driving it like an ordinary car?? I guess most of these exotic cars are just status symbols.

 

I didn't like my test drive of a boxster S. too heavy and too flimsy. The steering wheel felt pretty heavy and I didn't like the pedal feel. The engine is tucked away so deep it would be near impossible to do any work on it yourself. Japanese engineering all the way baby!!!

 

A relative let me drive his 993 aroung for a few min...and I agree, while the car was great, the clutch was much harder to mudulate. Its grab point was very high, the pedal very siff, and I did stall out a few times. But hey, some poeple love this unrefined feel. I think the Z with VDC off is stable enuogh to inspire confidence and let you push the car harder, yet also have a little edge to it. I prefer the Z, but hey.