Autocross discussion #2 - 986 Boxster S in C Street versus the ND Miata?

I have 3 cars at the moment. The Cobra is likely a keeper because of a host of sentimental reasons and it's really fast on real tracks and would be a great Time Trials car if I get the ability to go that way. Given enough sawzall and welder I feel like it could be a great CAM car because it's so "light" compared to the competition, but that would ruin what street manners it has left. The easy button is to just bolt a blower on and call it a drag car and be done with it. The Mazda5 is the DD but has been stupidly modified out of any reasonable AX class (H&R springs, KYB's, SPC camber arms, 18x9 Motegi's with 225/40 RS3's). The 92 OJ Bronco is an okay rig, but doesn't really fit any needs, I think I need to just flip it. The GF drives the 08 Mazda3 car lot special. We had to do a clutch, both CV's, RE92A's, a lower control arm, and a tune up to that one but it's returning 33-35 MPG and we're still in it less than $3000 into it. The garage can hold 2 cars, and I currently lack a fun street car, so a Boxster ticks off more boxes than just CS while possibly still being competitive. We'll see if it's still around when I get back from FL (and if I don't end up dragging home an AMX instead).

The Cobra isn't a fun street car?

docwyte said:

The Cobra isn't a fun street car?

Right now it's a broken garage car. Needs a clutch, an oil cooler, valve seals, tires, and some suspension work. The clutch is a subframe and engine out service...

Wait, are Mazda5s autocrossable in any reasonable class anyway? (Indeed another reason to want one!) Yours sounds fantastic. 

I say if you want a Boxster, and this one sounds nice, get one and don’t worry too much about whether or not it’s faster and just have fun. 

CyberEric said:

Wait, are Mazda5s autocrossable in any reasonable class anyway? (Indeed another reason to want one!) Yours sounds fantastic. 

I say if you want a Boxster, and this one sounds nice, get one and don’t worry too much about whether or not it’s faster and just have fun. 

No, no they aren't. I won SMF once because I was the only car in the class!

In reply to Javelin :

Wouldn't the $8000 that Boxster costs go a long way towards fixing every little thing wrong with the Cobra?  I know, not the fun answer but I'm being the Devil's Advocate here....

docwyte said:

In reply to Javelin :

Wouldn't the $8000 that Boxster costs go a long way towards fixing every little thing wrong with the Cobra?  I know, not the fun answer but I'm being the Devil's Advocate here....

Yes, only to get stomped by the 10 new GT350s, 5.0 PP2's, 1LE's, and a Demon in CAM-C. The Cobra is just poorly classed and there is no good spot for it in AX, plus I would rather make it a TT car or drag car anyway.

Going to look at the 986S on Thursday...

@ javelin 

I am a Porsche guy and would jump on the car you found. But after reading all this it sounds like what you really need is a C5zo6. 

Oh and if you ever sell the 5 let me know. 

In reply to Javelin :

Yes but every year there's going to be "the hot car for the class" that kills all the other cars out there.  I guess my point is, if you want a Boxster, buy one!  However, don't buy a boxster because you feel the Cobra is uncompetitive if you like the Cobra and enjoy driving it.  Because in a year or two the Boxster will also be uncompetitive.

dean1484 said:

@ javelin 

I am a Porsche guy and would jump on the car you found. But after reading all this it sounds like what you really need is a C5zo6. 

YES! but I'd probably say just a standard C5 which is possible to find under $10k and are competitive in BS. 

Keith Tanner said:

The difference is a lot less obvious on the street, where you rarely go to redline before shifting. 

Rarely go to redline on the street?  I think maybe I am doing it wrong

Toebra said:

Keith Tanner said:

The difference is a lot less obvious on the street, where you rarely go to redline before shifting. 

Rarely go to redline on the street?  I think maybe I am doing it wrong

If I go to redline in 2nd gear anywhere on my commute I'm over the speed limit. 3rd would be approaching aggravated speeding.

dean1484 said:

@ javelin 

I am a Porsche guy and would jump on the car you found. But after reading all this it sounds like what you really need is a C5zo6. 

I have a soured opinion of GM after my last two (and it turns out that Dad's Cobalt SS/SC isn't exactly living up to standards, either) and Corvettes honestly do nothing for me. I've driven plenty of them in anger and always felt like they were the HF hammer of the sports car world. That, and I would much rather take a Boxster on a weekend road trip to the coast than a C5.

Looking at this local one after work. I don't think it's necessarily a great price, but it's worth a look.

dean1484 said:

Oh and if you ever sell the 5 let me know. 

Of all the cars I own you want the MINIVAN?!?!

In reply to AnthonyGS :

It has had the IMS done at a Porsche dealer, the seller has already sent me photos of all of the service records. I'd have to put 200TW tires on it anyway, but that won't stop me from using the tires as a defacto negotiation tactic!

I'n blown away that a Boxter S that's cosmetically ok and had proof of an IMS fix is only $8k. Now we just need Caymans to come down to these prices.

In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :

It's a 19-year old car with 135K miles and expensive maintenance that only makes 200-something horsepower, doesn't have launch mode/track mode/paddle shifters, and has no infotainment. 

From what you have listed.  The Porsche is a great car to run with.  For the price, they arent that bad, brakes and other parts are the main issues.  Wheels are not look around the corner for a set like you get with a Mustang, but not too bad. 

I think you can make the Cobra work, but it will take every bit of the 8grand, a lot of time, and a lot of welding and fabrication.

If I were made of money, I would turn my new car into a ESP car, 07 GT500 with the new open rules for in SP sounds GLORIOUS.  But, I have a DM car to work with.  Oh woh is me :)

So I spent 2 hours looking at the car last night. Looks nice, paint is great, interior is holding up well. Drives soooo good! This thing should be an AX monster. Complete BASE model, manual seats even! Every button is blanked out except the windows and top, I've never seen such a stripper in a Porsche, especially an S model. Top is nice, comes with spares, has all the records. IMS, clutch and 35K mile transaxle all installed by Porsche dealers. Has new exhaust manifolds, O2's, sway bar bushings and links, serpentine, and other various parts. 

The only hangups were the headlights had been literally burned through by too hot of bulbs, it had an alarm and radar detector hard-wired in, the front bumper cover has been hit and repaired twice, and the tires were from 2011 and worn out. I was back at the seller's house after a ~20 minute test drive and the car just flat out stalled. We couldn't get it to restart and I mean it was churning like crazy but not trying to catch at all. No CEL, no anything to suggest something was wrong. I went home and 2 hours later the seller texted that it fires right up and drove around like normal. We're thinking the crank position sensor is getting hot (the temp gauge did not go over 185 and the ambient temp read correctly in the cluster) and then not reading the tone ring.

Thoughts?

Anyways, if he can get it driving again, we are talking $7K cash out the door. It needs the headlight assemblies and tires and anyone can see that, so he's willing to come down on price to cover it. I didn't nit-pick the car, it's pretty nice. 

Well, we'll get to see whether I'm barking up the wrong tree or not... 

This sounds fun. 

Javelin said:

Well, we'll get to see whether I'm barking up the wrong tree or not... 

I'm happy to hear that, looking forward to updates with all of the details.

The headlights are surprisingly expensive if you want new ones. If you don't want new ones, that might be more of a negotiating tactic than an actual downside. 

In reply to Vigo :

They seem to go for about $500 for a pair of used ones on fleabay. Luckily they are the standard lights and not the bi-xenon ones.