i wouldn't have thought to compare the two, but dad bought a 2003 Boxster right after i got my FC vert, and they are actually more similar than i would have thought; to wit

1. power. tie. the Porsche is faster, but the engine feels flat. the Rx7 is slower, but it actually has a power curve, so its fun. fun > flat

2. sound. Porsche. the Rx7 sounds like a vacuum cleaner, the Porsche isn't great either but it does have a little bark...

3. ride. Mazda. the Rx7 is firm, the Boxster is firmer. the Boxster also has a weird front end pitch on rough roads, feels like a canoe.

4. handling. not scored. the Rx7 has a really unnaturally fast turn in response ending in understeer, the Boxster turns in HARDER and feels like it could turn in even harder (when do you need to make 90 degree turns @60?), so its a bit weird, need more seat time.

5. top up rattles. tie. they both do it. the Porsche isn't 23 years old either.

6. top down freeway driving. Mazda. the Boxster puts you in the wind, even with the windblocker, the Rx7 feels like you have a really big sunroof.

7. reliability. Mazda. this is the real prompting for the thread. the clutch switch broke on the Porsche, rendering it dead... other than that neither car has had more than an oil change, in 9 months... i haven't even looked at the spark plugs in the FC yet.

so the winner? the Porsche. its got a better keychain... actually both cars are really nice

 

1: Tie
2: Boxster
3: Vert
4: Tie or TBD
5: Tie
6: Vert
7: Vert
8: Boxster [keychain! XD]

Boxster: 2
Vert: 3

Looks to me like the Vert wins!
[and I think a RacingBeat catback might change 2 ^_-]

 

I wanted a boxster a few years ago too.. they still look great imo. But I looked at what type of mods there are to add hp and there isn't much, without paying a ton. Boxster S looks like the best option.

Pretty cool.

 

This is a very opinionated thread, but hey I'll throw my 2 cents in as I have driven both.

1. Power - Boxter, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
2. Sounds - Vert, probably more biased than anything but I just love the sound of a rotary.
3. Ride - Vert, softer yet you still feel planted.
4. Handling - Boxter, I mean they both are fun to turn, but the boxter just has more potential in stock form.
5. Top - Boxter, vert is 20+ years old, so what do you expect.
6. Wind noise - Vert, just because for a 20+ year old car, driving at 80mph with the top down is surprisingly calm
7. Reliability - Tie, both with age will break parts. Clutch switch on either of the cars goes dead and they won't start.

The winner to me? Well if bang for buck isn't a consideration, I would say the Boxter. But clearly getting a great condition Vert for 3 grand will give you more enjoyment than buying a great condition boxter for 4 times as much.

 

the Porsche 100 more hp its way faster, it just doesn't feel like it.

i like it too, the top goes down, and it makes Porsche noises... mods are expensive, but its a Porsche, there is nothing cheap about it, the clutch switch was $200!

i disagree, just because they COULD break stuff doesn't mean they did (or didn't mean they doesn't?), the FACT is that the Porsche DID break, and the Rx7 didn't. which is funny....

 

Interesting comparison. Porsche noises LOL!!!
Stopwatch number vs pulse-raising ability can definitely be very separate categories. 50mph in a buddy's dilapidated BMW 2002 is thrilling when you're not sure how many times you need to pump the brakes before they start to work.

I'm sure the Boxster drives great, but the model itself says "I've accepted that I can't afford a 911" or "Daddy/Honey, I want a porsche because my BFF Jenny got a porsche". I see it as the automotive version of non-alcoholic beer.

 

this is the problem with porsches. when you buy an Rx7, you're in the club its cool. when you buy a Farrari you're in the club its cool, even if its a budget one, like a 308, they say, hey its a good start.

when you buy a porsche you get into this "i have a better porsche than you" game, the thing is though, is that there is always someone with a better porsche than you!

so its like i have a boxster, and you go, oh well I have a 911, and then the guy next to you goes well i have an AIR COOLED 911, and then the guy next to him has a 993 turbo S...

dad and i went to Rennfest last year, and the guys there play the "i have a better porsche than you" game at a retarded level, but nobody wins! there is ALWAYS a better porsche.

and there are no points for second place, or first place for that matter.

the good news is that when you buy a porsche you're basically trying to impress people who don't have porsche's, and they couldn't care less if you have a 914 or a 959.

so yes, when you buy a boxster it says to the other porsche owners that you were too cheap to buy a 911, but it says to everyone else, i bought a porsche.

 

+1

You don't have to own a porsche to know a boxter isn't a real one. It even looks like half a porshce. A boxer would only impress people who's opinion doesn't matter.

That being said, there are some design elements that would be interesting to see on an FC, most notably that roll bar that someone on the forum is working on.

 

j9fd3s>> I was actually breaking down your results.. But apparently I was too tired last night to make it clear what I was doing XD
and the reply-reply: I meant that a RacingBeat exhaust would help the Vert win #2, sound category.

 

Seems like the majority of current rotary enthusiasts are fiercely loyal, no matter what car they drive. I'm not sure you get that with any other car. If there is loyalty with any other type of car enthusiast, it seems as if it isn't sincere like it is with an RX-7 owner. Obviously this doesn't apply to all RX-7 people, but I have to say it applies to most that I've met. I'm not sure you'd ever get that in a Porsche, because it's a brand name, not one type of car.

On an unrelated note, I played around on the freeway the other day with a guy in a new 911. He seemed pretty cool. But I don't get the feeling he'd pull over to help me if I was on the side of the road...

 

, yes it would help it sound better

 

i disagree, i've seen it first hand, you will NEVER impress another porsche owner, with another porsche, because there is always a better one. i've seen it played on a grand scale, and just when you bring the latest LeMans winning car, Jerry Seinfeld shows up with the first porsche ever.

actually i could be wrong, maybe Seinfeld is the winner in the Porsche game...

and you know what? they STILL have the engine in the wrong end!

 

That would imply that 911 owners know how to use tools.

So the moral of the thread is put your rx7 key onto a porsche keychain and get the benefits of both cars? I'll be looking forward to seeing this comparo in the next issue of Road and Track.

 

BINGO, we are but pimples on the *** of other cars
******* guys showing up to cars and coffee with brand new 500 mile porshes, lambos, vettes and already have modifications with them over 1000hp, you think they care about a FC or a FD? commmon now, lol Driving around on hoosier racing tires

 

j9fd3s nailed everything on the head here.

 

i haven't ever driven a boxter but i love the vert 7. hell, i love every 7. i could care less about the sounds of that boxer engine, it only wishes it sounded as good as a rotary engine. i haven't found anything that sounds as good tome, but maybe im biased.

the "i've got a better porsche game" doesn't ever win, even with the poor guys (924, 944,944 turbo,928) it just doesn't stop.

yet here in the rotary community we love to see a first gen clean and modded as much as an fc na or turbo or and fd and half of us get off on seeing rx3's or rx4's. i agree that the rotary community is the most sincere, i haven't found another car group to be as helpful to each other without making fun of each other or calling everyone stupid for having opinions (i know it happens sometimes, but have you ever spent time on zilvia.com? schassis.com? 240sxforums.com?) they always bash each other and not jokingly either like we do. just my 2 cents.

 

Me too!!!!!

 

I know it isn't a boxster but I just got rid of my 944 a few weeks ago.
It constantly broke down in the three months I owned it.
It never really ran like my fc's did but it was quicker from where it had been rebuilt.
Felt more planted on the road, but also like it was going to break lose and kill me; where as the fc felt a little less planted but I could always tell when it was going to start losing traction.
Rotary engine noise > 2.7L porsche inline 4.

Yes everybody that doesn't matter was impressed because of the words Porsche and the emblem.
My ex was so excited to learn how to drive a 5speed in a Porsche, but she also screwed my best friend while we were together.
As far as I'm concerned, if you are an enthusiast rx7's where it is at. If you want to show off and look important, buy a Porsche.. It is the car world's version of a Turbo Diesel Dually truck.
I'm biased, but w/e. =)

 

I didn't say anything about impressing porsche owners, so you'll get no argument from me on that point. What i said is that a Boxster would only impress people who's opinion doesn't matter. People like.........................

 

update:

the boxster goes back to the dealership for the same intermittent no start problem on wednesday. the $200 clutch switch didn't fix it

i ordered the trim clips that hold the trunk panels on, and what i got looks nothing like what i have, so i'm confused....

 

FC IS BETTER!