- convertible 70,899
- 1,960 below average
- 15,995 good
- Tucson, AZ
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- autoshopper.com
- 1,960 below average convertible 70,899 red
2005 porsche boxster review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Porsche's heritage is closely tied to motorsports and its production cars reflect the attention to detail that separates winners from also-rans. We found the boxster right at home on the track, but don't mistake it for a race car. The new porsche boxster is far too comfortable, far too full of electronic amenities, far too useful for the daily grind, than to relegate it to the short-term abuses of the track. This is a car meant to be enjoyed every day, rain or shine. it's been a long eight years since the boxster first wowed us with its high fun factor, and it was definitely due for a major overhaul. Never rushing to market, porsche responded as it usually does, building upon the boxster's essential goodness with a completely new layer of cockpit friendliness and open-road performance. This is no merely freshened platform. Some 80 percent of this newest boxster is new to the model. More than half of the car is borrowed from the 2005 911 carrera, including the steering, front structure, seats and electronics. And it's all good. driver comfort, essential to the forming of a true sports car/driver bond, has been improved with the new boxster. Safety for these folks has been increased as well from an inch taller supplemental safety bar and two-inch higher headrests. To accommodate these nods to increased survivability in the event of a roll-over, the side windows are larger and the folding top a bit higher. A switch allows the sport-minded driver to disable psm (at least until the braking threshold is reached), but the driver wanting the ultimate range of ride control and electronic handling assist will want to spend the bucks on porsche active suspension management, or pasm, 1,990). The base boxster 43,800) sports a 240-horsepower 2. 7-liter flat six that mates to a newly developed standard five-speed manual transmission. The boxster s 53,100) is fitted with a 280-horsepower 3. 2-liter flat six and a six-speed gearbox. The six-speed gearbox can also be ordered on the base boxster as part of a sports package 2,680) that includes porsche's new active suspension management system (pasm). For those who prefer automatic transmissions, porsche's five-speed automatic tiptronic s 3,210) is an option for either boxster model. safety improvements are among the most significant changes to the new boxster. New passive safety features include a unique head airbag protection system, a first for any roadster and just one aspect of a wide array of safety systems and structures. Night vision can be enhanced by a bi-xenon headlamp option 990), and fitting into tight spaces made easier by park assist 530). Dynamic safety was increased by the simple expedient of fitting larger brakes, wheels and tires. Don't worry about what that means except that these are among the best brakes in any production car. standard running gear for the boxster is 6. 5x17 up front and 8x17 in back, mounted with 205/55 and 235/50 performance radials, front and rear. The s gets 8x18s at the nose and 9x18s under the tail, wrapped by 235/50s and 265/40s, fore and aft. Boxsters can be ordered with the 18-inch s wheels 1,235) or one of the three 19-inch wheels that also are optional on the s 2,785 on the boxster; $1,550 on the s). Not that the standard brakes are underachievers. Still, the composite brakes are from another world of deceleration. Leather adorns the steering wheel rim, shift lever, handbrake lever and door handles; the air is conditioned and the ears are assaulted by, respectively, automatic climate control and a stereo tuner/cd unit; roof, mirrors and windows are all at the electronic mercy of thoughtfully placed switches. but, as with every porsche, many thousands of dollars can be added to the bottom line with just a few ticks of the options list. Then check out the wide range of seating options: six-way adjustable seats are standard; the first of three options is full 12-way power-adjustable seats with pneumatic lumbar support; second is sport seats based on the standard seats but with more side support; and third is adaptive sport seats with full electric adjustment, plus individual adjustment of the various side supports 3,050). Stereo freaks can upgrade to a bose surround sound system 1,665 in the boxster; $950 in the s) and put a six-disc changer in the front trunk 650). gadget freaks, and drivers wanting the get the most out of their boxsters, will definitely want to order the s. walkaroundthe new boxster has a quiet look that speaks volumes about porsche design philosophy. Yet it's also modern in the many small touches that first made their way into the porsche styling idiom through the high-powered carrera gt (note the mirrors) and the new 911 carrera. Their aero-science helped fashion a new rear spoiler, reshaped body panels, a-pillars and door handles and a fully covered undertray to create a more slippery profile with less lift and increased downforce, all good things when speed needs to fight the air. There are no extraneous ducts or style-influenced bulges to be seen. The inlets up front that feed air to the pair of front radiators (and a third cooler in the s) are bigger, and the large ducts in the rear fenders have been made bigger to direct more cooling air to the bigger brake discs, but hey, in the brake world, bigger is definitely better. even where the eye can't see, the attention to crucial detail contributes to the durability and sportiness of the boxster. To cite just two examples: small spoilers on the front longitudinal suspension arms that direct airflow to the front brakes to help keep them cool; and small, flexible blades attached to the undertray that steer airflow toward the transmission for the same effect. saving weight is a constant goal for sports cars, but sometimes, we think things are taken a step too far. For instance, there is no longer a spare tire in the car; instead, an air compressor and tire sealant will have to do. We understand the advantages of this approach (it saves 22 pounds, some luggage room and a bit of cost), but we wonder about that poor driver, crossing the nevada desert, whose tire sustains the kind of damage sealant can't help (sidewall punctures, for instance). the redesigned tail clearly separates the new boxster from the outgoing (pre-2005) model. The seam between body and tail panels now runs above the taillight cluster, which itself has been broken into three elements with more contrast between the red and white areas. Boxster s models are distinguished from 2. 7-liter boxsters by their twin oval exhaust tips. interiorwhen it first appeared, the porsche boxster impressed us with its classic roadster look and road manners, but. Heated Seats✔ Climate Control
15,995 Tucson, AZTucson, AZ at autoshopper.com