2009 Porsche Boxster Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the Porsche Boxster and Cayman from 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 as a used buy.

The Porsche Boxster and Cayman are pure mid-engined sports machines, meaning the engine is installed just behind the cabin, unlike the the engine in the Porsche 911 that’s fitted behind the back wheels.A mid-engine layout gives exceptionally good weight distribution and therefore the best in chassis balance and higher cornering speeds than the 911.Interestingly, the Boxster and Cayman share quite a few of their front-end components with the Porsche 911. At the rear they are quite different machine visually, though there’s still a family resemblance.Porsche Boxster is sold only as a convertible, Cayman is a fixed hardtop coupe and didn’t go on sale till 2006, nine years after its open-top brother.Boxster’s roof is one of the simplest in the business, note the clever way the roof acts as its own cover when it’s powered open. It can be left open even if the weather is threatening as it can easily be powered closed at a red traffic light. You can usually avoid the embarrassment of having to wait for roof closure to be complete after the lights turn green.Both models are brilliant machines that cry out to be pushed hard and fast. Their naturally-aspirated engines are wonderfully responsive, the gearbox is a delight to use, road grip is very high and the feel through the steering wheel and the seat of the pants is magnificent.It takes a lot of provocation to get the tail out of line, and if it does start to slide the cars remains controllable - up to a point, that is. As with all full-on sports cars with mid-mounted engines, if the tail gets out too far you'll need quick reflexes to correct it.An advanced driving course is recommended if you really want to get the best from your Porsche. These days electronics aids can save you from over-reaching; they can be detuned should you wish to make your own decisions, particularly for track days.Unlike the 911, these Porsches are strictly two-seaters. The seats are supportive and comfortable and shoulder room is plentiful, with the two occupants well insulated from buffeting with the roof down.A real bonus of the mid-engined layout is that Boxster and Cayman are surprisingly practical for sportscars, with luggage compartments front and rear, this can almost be used as a daily driver by a one or two-person household.The Boxster arrived in Australia in January 1997. It received minor upgrades in October 1999, August 2001 and August 2002, then a major upgrading in February 2005. The latter, tagged the 987 series, replaced the previous 986 models.This was upgraded again in November 2006, November 2007 and March 2009. An all-new Boxster came out in June 2012, followed by a new Cayman 12 months later.The Boxster was initially criticised for being down on power, mainly due to its smallish 2.5-litre, flat-six engine. That problem was solved in 1999 when a bigger 2.7-litre unit was installed.Even better news was the shoehorning of an optional 3.2-litre engine into the models called the Boxster S and Cayman S. This was increased to 3387 cc in 2006 and to 3436 cc in 2009, with the standard Boxster going up to 2.9 litres in 2009.These superb Porsche engines, even the smallest ones, really come alive above 4000 rpm, their tone initially hardening, then rising to a wonderfully metallic howl as it goes through 5000 rpm. Get the top down whenever you can and hold on to the lower gears just for the sheer pleasure of listening to it.There were major changes to the Boxster engine in 2009. Though the flat-six engines still capacities of 2.9 or 3.4 litres, they featured a direct injection fuel system.This was complemented by numerous other changes. Power was increased, and even more importantly peak torque remained constant over large parts of the rev band. Unlike the older powerplants, that needed 4000 revs to come on song, the newer units really begin to buzz from not much over 3000 rpm.Powerful ventilated brake discs are installed. If you think going from a standstill to 100km/h in under six seconds in the bigger engined models feels sensational, just wait until you experience 100 to zero in less than three seconds. That really makes your eyes bulge and gives a most satisfying feeling of security.Boxster initially used either a five-speed or six-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. From the 2009 upgrade a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox was installed.Porsche is long established in Australia. The dealer network isn’t huge, but it’s well organised and we seldom hear complaints about parts or service availability. Prices aren’t cheap, but neither are they outrageous for what you get.Insurance ratings are generally moderate for what is, after all, a prestige sports car aimed at those who like to drive hard and fast.A Porsche Boxster that’s always been serviced and repaired by an official dealer is relatively common and we feel it's the one to aim for. You probably be asked to pay more because of its history. And may we suggest you keep up the servicing to make your car a sound investmentWHAT TO LOOK FORHard driving is what the Boxster and Cayman are built for - butt too much can decrease their lives. Look for severe tyre wear, heavy brake dust buildup and repairs to the body. Rust is very unusual and almost certainly means the car has been badly repaired after a crash.These cars are well engineered and solidly built and unless poorly repaired after a crash should last well. If you suspect collision repairs it’s wise to have it professionally inspected.Check the interior for signs of mistreatment. Look under the floor mats for signs of dampness caused by a Boxster being caught out in the rain. The engine should start easily, idle smoothly virtually from the moment it kicks over and have throttle response that’s all-but instantaneous.Heavy operation of the clutch is likely to mean it’s due for an overhaul. Not a complex job, but there are no cheap repairs on a Porsche. The gearbox should be light and easy to use, with no noises at any time, even during the fastest of gearchanges.Be sure the brakes pull the car up cleanly without one wheel locking ahead of the others. If ABS is installed feel for a pulse through the brake pedal under hard braking.CAR BUYING TIPMost sports cars are only driven gently - sad but true - however it’s a fact of life they probably make a better used-car buy. 

Everything important about the Porsche Boxster has been updated to give it more appeal in the market.  And in a world still obsessed with the financial crisis – whether or not we’re over it – that includes the price tag.The Boxster now rings the cash register at $113,000, and while that’s a sizable figure it’s just $4000 more than the car cost 10 years ago, with an added decade’s development and a whole lot more on offer.Drivetrain and changesThe new 2.9-litre flat six-cylinder in the Boxster develops 188kW at 6400rpm and 290Nm between 4400-6000rpm --  resulting in a 0-100km/h notch of 5.8 seconds and a top speed of 274km/h.  Porsche says the carryover suspension has been tweaked to give more dynamic handling combined with compliance for around town.AppearanceA new headlight cluster with separate reflectors is the biggest exterior visual clue to the latest Boxster, although there are also slight styling changes to the grilles and exhaust tips.The interior pretty much sticks with the previous version’s recipe, with the exception of the touchscreen stanav now being standard, and the seven-speed PDK twin-clutch gearbox being an option for about $6000.DrivingSlide into the cockpit of the Boxster and take in your surroundings.  Leather, big clear tacho, and sitting in the centre of the dashboard a handsome chronometer.  Look again and you’ll realise that the clock sitting up there is no timepiece; it’s a lap timer. Yeah, right.Foot on brake, turn the key and the 3.8 litre Boxster engine roars into life, then settles to a low gurgling.  Slide the gear-change into Drive, and you’re away.  Every time you use the throttle the car responds, the engine lets you know that it has more to give you.  The changes on the seven-speed PDK gearbox are lightning fast, and the steering is firm and responsive. This is a high performance sports car, yet it is surprisingly easy to drive and comfortable.Porsche have provided two ‘Sports’ modes for the Boxster as well as a standard mode.  Choose ‘Sports’ by pressing a button on the dash; the suspension stiffens up and the engine will spin to higher revs before each gear change.What this really means is that you are getting two cars for the price of one.  Press the Sports button at 80kph, and the purr of the engine changes to a growl, as the Boxster shifts from 7th to 6th.  Choose ‘Sports Plus’ at the same speed you’ll get a roar as the PDK selects 4th gear and the message comes in loud and clear: This car just wants to go fast.Around town the two sports modes are uncomfortable and unforgiving as the stiff suspension on city roads bounces you around, and the high revving engine is just too sensitive to the throttle. A few minutes in Sports Plus mode makes you realise that is the wrong setting for a trip down the road to the shops, but that the Boxster would be enormous fun on a track.  That lap timer might just be useful after all!

Boxster is the purest sportscar in the Porsche range.

The '09 update to the pocket rockets in the Porsche playpen includes everything from a new engines to extra equipment and some minor visual tweaking - as well as an available seven-speed PDK gearbox - but the bottom line is all about the bottom line.The Boxster is now effectively priced at the same level as when the baby droptop first hit the road in Australia - in 1997 - and the Cayman is just as sharp.We're not talking a Hyundai-style $13,990 ticket, so the starting price for the 2009 Boxster is still a lot of money at $113,00. And the top-line Cayman S tips the scales at $160,800, without dipping into the optional equipment.But compare the new numbers with the $109,900 the Boxster cost more than a decade ago, and factor a value improvement which puts as much as $12,000 more equipment into the '09 cars, and the dollars look like a deal.So, too, does the performance upgrade which takes the basic Boxster up to 188kW and 290Nm of torque, and the top Cayman S to 235kW and 370Nm.Anyone struggling with power potential can easily translate the engine work into a 5.6 second sprint to 100km/h and 274 km/h at the top end for the Boxster and 4.9 and 277 for the Cayman S.Those are seriously big numbers for a car which has done a solid job for Porsche sales, particularly a Cayman S which is now a real threat to the classic 911.And Porsche Cars Australia needs those sales. Its results are down by 45 per cent after the first two months of 2009, although company chief Michael Winkler is expecting a rebound - helped by new models including a diesel-engined Cayenne SUV - by the end of the year."We're hoping for 1000 registrations this calendar year. It's a very interesting situation, now, in the marketplace," Winkler says."We've looked at the basic substance of the cars but also the equipment. There is a value story to tell on Boxster and Cayman."So there is a lot riding on the new babies, which are called the 'Generation 2' models of the 987 series and pick up a lot of the changes from last year's updating work on the 911.Visually, the biggest tweak is the new headlamp cluster with two separate reflectors. The grilles in the nose, mirrors and tailpipes are changed, but only a Porsche fanatic would notice.Inside, the only real difference is the shift stick for the PDK twin-clutch gearbox. But there is a major upgrade of the system behind the dash, with satnav and a touch-screen monitor as standard.So the real work is in the new engines, tweaked suspension and the transmissions.Porsche claims it has achieved the extra performance while cutting emissions and improving fuel economy. It's a similar deal to most major makers in 2009, but took a lot of work."There are a whole lot of changes that add up to big things. Porsche has always been good at bringing the detail together. We are a detail company," says technical chief Paul Watson.That detail work even includes lowering the centre of gravity of the engine, as well as PDK gearing which means seventh gear is so tall - for economy - that top speed comes in sixth. A limited-slip differential is now available for the Cayman S.And the work is reflected in lap times at Porsche's ultimate test track, the Nurburgring in Germany.The '09 Boxster is now a massive 31 seconds quicker than the original.DrivingWindswept Melbourne, in a state where speeding is almost a hanging offence, is not the right time to be pushing hard in a new Porsche.Things were so bad with lashing rain showers during the preview drive that I never got a chance to take the top down in the Boxster . . .Even so, the basic Boxster and the Cayman S - top and bottom of the update efforts - showed that Porsche has pushed again to get the best from its cars. They barely look any different, but Porsche people will see the changes and that is what really matters.Both showed more response in the chassis and engine, driving inland down towards the Great Ocean Road, with more a slightly more fluid feeling through the suspension and better drive from slow speed up to solid overtaking pace.It is hard to say what the changes really means because the roads were damp and crowded with all sorts of traffic, including caravan parades and gawking overseas tourists.But the Boxster was a sweet drive, with the incredible mid-engined grip I have come to expect and a little more go from the bottom of the rev range.And the Cayman S, on the few occasions I could crack the throttle, remained as pin-sharp as I remembered with even more of a thump in the back. The PDK gearbox is an excellent device, with sweet auto changes and excellent response in manual mode - although the touch-change buttons on the wheel are a silly fiddle and hard to use, with a gearlever which is set for changes the wrong way (pull back to downshift) for brisk driving.Porsche has given the coupe more go than the droptop because the Cayman chassis can handle the extra, but also because there are a growing number of people who want more from a car they are genuinely choosing ahead of a 911 for driving enjoyment and not just a cash saving.It will take more time with the cars to pin down the exact improvements, but Porsche has put the real emphasis on the dollars and rated against any value-for-money measure in the sports car class the newcomers are winners.Porsche Cayman and Cayman SPrice: from $122,200 to $160,800Engine: 2.9-litre flat six 195kW/300Nm (Cayman); 3.4-litre flat six 235kW/370Nm (Cayman S)Transmission: 6-speed manual, 7-speed PDKEconomy: 8.9L/100km (Cayman); 9.2L/100km (Cayman S) Porsche Boxster and Boxster SPrice: from $113,000 to $145,900Engine: 2.9-litre flat six 188kW/290Nm (Boxster); 3.4-litre flat six 228kW/360Nm (Boxster S)Transmission: 6-speed manual, 7-speed PDKEconomy: 8.9L/100km (Boxster); 9.2L/100km (Boxster S)

It winds its way across the face of the hills and in its extension becomes more littered with mud, increasingly calling for aid from the tyres and drivetrain.Conditions become so bad that earth starts scraping on the underside and pools of water threaten to enter the cabin. On top of that, we are lost.This picture could have been a lot brighter if (a) we knew where we were and (b) the Porsche was an all-wheel drive Cayenne.But we are in Sicily and we are lost — except for the cold comfort of scribbly lines on the satellite navigation system — and driving a Boxster.A Boxster, for those who came in late, is not an all-wheel drive. It is made for bitumen. Smooth, open bitumen roads with signposts.Some time later, when we finally found the proper bitumen road, we stopped for a $1.60 espresso served by a large man who didn't speak English and noticed the Boxster's roof was splattered in mud.Its flanks were so coated that it hid the original yellow paint. I didn't want to think about what the underside looked like.Yet even filthy, this latest Boxster lures its Sicilian onlookers.Exterior Visually this second generation Boxster — the first launched in 1996 — looks bigger with a wider tail and sharper nose.In fact, no dimension has changed. Designer Michael Mauer — ex Saab — said the idea was to portray a more muscular car without making major sheet metal changes.He achieved its stronger appearance by more horizontal red-coloured LED tail lights and projector headlights that have shed the `fried egg' shape once shared with the 911.The more powerful look is pertinent. Porsche lovers will appreciate that the latest Boxster — arriving in Australia in March with keen pricing — is more powerful, faster, more fuel efficient, has less emissions and now delivers a spine-tingling exhaust roar.Models and pricingThe range remains the same: two models, the (prices estimated) $115,000 Boxster and $140,00 Boxster S — each with an electric folding fabric roof.The mid-engine mounting is integral with the car's name and is paramount in delivering its assured handling.Handling ability doesn't change, which is just as well because the chassis now has more power to control.Drivetrains and chassisThe Boxster S powerplant remains at 3.4 litres but the engine shares nothing with its predecessor. It also adds direct fuel injection for the first time.Cylinder dimensions have changed so there is now a shorter stroke and so the extra 11kW is delivered higher in the rev range.Torque is also up by 20Nm to 360Nm at maxs at 5500rpm compared with the previous engine's flat rating from 4400rpm to 6000rpm.This data, however, is misleading because the new engine's torque is practically a plateau from about 4200rpm before starting a slight drop nearing 6000rpm.Its delivery is also masked by the dual-clutch PDK transmission that is optional — though should be mandatory — on all Boxsters.The result is a Boxster S that runs harder and stronger right from idle and, thanks to new exhaust piping, sounds glorious. Spend more money and Porsche will sell you an exhaust with an active baffle to make even more music.Incidentally, the Boxster gets a single rectangular, central exhaust pipe and the `S' has the twin pipes centrally located. Just like the 911 GT3.Fuel economy actually improves. The `S' is claimed to get 9.6 litres/100km compared with 11 1/100km in the previous model.Performance is up. The PDK version hits 100km/h in 5.2 seconds compared with the Tiptronic-boxed old model at 6.1 seconds.At the Boxster's launch, Porsche harped on weight as being absolutely vital to performance. It went to pains to discuss the magnesium roof skeleton, for example, and why it would never consider a metal roof.The proof is the Boxster S PDK, that now weighs 1355kg, down an impressive 40kg on the previous Tiptronic model.The `standard' Boxster also gets the treatment. It has a 2.9 litre engine, up from 2.7, and adds 8kW to 188kW and 17Nm more to 290Nm. Both outputs are delivered lower than the previous model.This Boxster doesn't get the `S' model's direct-petrol injection. Porsche says it reached all its targets without using this injection.Targets included the power output and its impressive 9.2 litres/100km average, down from the old 2.7's 10.1 l/100km. Emissions are also better.Acceleration of the 2.9 is 5.8 seconds to 100km/h with the PDK model compared with the previous version's 7.0 seconds.All this is helped by the 2.9 getting the same weight-loss regime as the “S”, taking it to 1335kg from last year's 1395kg.There have been changes to the suspension — more a re-tune, actually — to align it with the wheel choices and the brakes are bigger and meatier. The composite ceramic brakes are optional.EquipmentCabin changes add the better audio system with its 125mm screen and MP3-compatible CD player.Optional — isn't everything? — is the Porsche Communication Management 163mm screen and sat-nav, USB and iPod availability.DrivingThe rapid-fire gear changes of the PDK box have met their match in the highly-responsive character of Porsche's direct-petrol injection six.Only fitted to the Boxster S — the only model tested at the launch — the PDK perfectly complements the outstanding delivery of the new 3.4-litre engine.While you quickly fall in love with this engine, you notice other aspects of the latest Boxster. For example, the ride comfort is simply remarkable.How on earth Porsche modified a MacPherson strut front end and tuned a multi-link rear end to provide a supple, compliant and always comfortable ride for the occupants while making the car sit flat as a tack through high-speed corners — all on 40-profile tyres — is anyone's guess.Then there's the steering. No electric assist here, despite the long journey for the hydraulic fluid from behind the driver to in front of his/her toes.It is perfectly weighted and so neat that mid-corner adjustments are not only confident but almost invited by the chassis. Lovely.The 3.4 engine has strong torque off the mark to match the PDK's characteristics. Manual changes via the gear lever are delightful but the rocker-switch design of the steering wheel paddle shifters is hard work and badly lets down the gearbox. Standard paddles please, Porsche.I have already repeatedly raved about the exhaust note … so you get my drift.There were a few versions on the 3.4 theme tested on Sicily's sometimes brilliant, sometimes devious and always interesting roads.Possibly the best was the one with the optional sports seats that wrap the body in leather and staple it to the chassis for a ride that feels straight out of Disneyland.This also came with the optional PASM — active suspension management — which is ideal for people with access to a track but really the extra money would be far better spent on upgrading the audio.The Boxster may be relatively small but it has excellent cabin room for two adults and a big forward boot with a smaller luggage area in the rear. A couple could easily live with this.Visibility is great with the roof down, somewhat limited to the rear three-quarter when up. This roof can be raised or lowered when travelling at up to 50km/h which suits the vagaries of women and the weather.Changes to the latest Boxster are predominantly hidden beneath the skin. For existing Boxster owners, that's a good thing because it maintains the ageless theme of this little gem.