Nicholas, better known to you as sellaturcica, sent us these photos of his 2008 Porsche Boxster. Here is what he had to say:
This is my 2008 base Boxster that I never, ever planned to buy. I got this in summer 2009 as a leftover model with a certified warranty, I have 5,300 miles on the car. Porsche dealers seems to routinely have leftover new models well into the next model year. Picking one up is a good way to save a lot on the inflated MSRPs, particularly if you can find a nearly base car like this one.
I had been shopping for a new car for years, had driven a Mustang, GTI, Civic Si, E46 M3, WRX, GTO, 135i, S2000, Miata, Z4 and more. But this Boxster is a blast. It was the car that felt the best to me of everything I'd driven. I test drove it on a whim and ended up with it after years of tire kicking.
It handles better than I drive. It just sticks, I have trouble exploring anywhere near its limit. The engine makes the most amazing sounds after about 3,000 RPM. You can be doing 20 and put your foot in it and it sounds like you're going down the straight at Le Mans. Tunnels and overpasses are great fun. It is not slow- you can get real illegal really quickly. I've bought my first radar detector. My 1993 Infiniti G20 didn't need one.
More story and pictures after the jump...
It's a really good looking car, especially when it's washed. Looks much more exotic than it is, here in Connecticut. I went to a car show and some kids actually took pictures of my car. Blew my mind.
It has two fairly good sized trunks. Two people can go away for at least a week, using soft luggage. It's a great road trip car. Not that soft though, particularly on the cracked Connecticut roads. Good thing I had the dealer swap out the 19s for the 18s. I've been up to the Berkshires, Hudson Valley New York and Vermont multiple times in the last year just for the heck of driving it.
It has a really good top and heater. Can easily be a year-round car here in southern Connecticut. In a place with more consistent heavy snowfall, ground clearance would be an issue. I also feel bad driving it with all the salt crud on the road.
The only option I'd like is the auto climate control. The non-auto setup is fiddly. I'll live.
The gear shift has to be pushed hard into first. I've embarrassed myself trying to start in 3rd a few times, but I've gotten used to it.
The radio is a disaster. I'm still trying to figure out what to do to get iPod access, built-in FM modulator versus yanking the head unit and possibly the speakers too, Luckily I can listen to the engine sounds. I actually do just listen to the engine sounds most of the time.
It's a great all-around car so far. I'm glad I bought it. I couldn't care less what the badge on the front says. I'm just happy that I get to own a car that drives like this one does.
Thanks for sharing your photos with us, Nicholas.
P.S. If you want to participate in the Reader's Long-Term Car segment, click here to read the submission guidelines.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
jeepsrt says:
02:12 PM, 08/31/10
Nice car, I've always liked the Boxster.
bearsdkillz says:
03:01 PM, 08/31/10
Chick car.
miraa says:
03:29 PM, 08/31/10
Ignore the haters, the Boxter is a great car. But why not opt for a Boxter S, especially if you are looking at certified pre-owned or dealer hold-overs?
firstwagon says:
03:38 PM, 08/31/10
Agreed, Boxster is one of my favourite cars. More performance then anyone could use on the street, great sound,looks and doesn't say "Hi, I got way too much money and want everyone to know it" like a 911.
Like to see a 5 year old one as a IL long term used car.
buickboy92 says:
03:46 PM, 08/31/10
Sweet Porsche! glad you enjoy it!
felonious says:
04:02 PM, 08/31/10
Nice car, very good photography too. Good write-up as well.
Does your car have a cassette deck, by chance? (It seems like a silly question, but my 2005 Audi S4 has one!) If it does, there's your cheap-and-good iPod adapter. Don't bother with the FM transmitter, they almost always stink in my experience.
vvk says:
04:06 PM, 08/31/10
Boxter is one of my favorite cars and yours is exactly the way I would buy mine. Enjoy it!
ptcdawg says:
04:14 PM, 08/31/10
VERY nice car....great handling/plenty of power in the standard model/even a REAL stickshift. Great color combo.
makakio says:
04:15 PM, 08/31/10
My dad bought this car (black/brown, base-ish, with the same wheels but tip) after driving my S. It's a niiiice car and the '05+ model upgrade really made these cars the schizz.
Nice whip. I love dusting off kooks who assume it's a chick's car.
sellaturcica says:
04:22 PM, 08/31/10
Thanks, everyone for the comments. It's been a good summer to have a roadster, that's for sure.
lautomobile says:
04:56 PM, 08/31/10
Neat little car. Also, I'm glad to hear that you shopped around quite a bit before finally pulling the trigger on it; if more people did this the automakers probably would not get away with selling so many mediocre vehicles. (Cool background scenery too.)
mustang5507 says:
05:21 PM, 08/31/10
What matters is that you like it. Great looking car, keep up your passion for it and driving. That's what car enthusiasm is about...not impressing others.
*unless you have a rare show car :-P*
hybris says:
05:53 PM, 08/31/10
Nice car that's all I can say.
teampenske3 says:
06:14 PM, 08/31/10
Porsches of any kind are boss, beaten only by a certain brand from Maranello. Don't let the haters get you down, your Boxster is a great, classy, high performance car. Btw, where in Conn. do u live? You should take it to Lime Rock Park and give it some track time.
sellaturcica says:
07:39 PM, 08/31/10
New Haven. Been to Lime Rock quite a few times for the ALMS. I'd have to get a fire extinguisher installed (I think that's the only thing) to do a PCA event at Lime Rock. Apparently very few spots available as well, so competition is fierce.
bkroupa says:
10:23 PM, 08/31/10
Hey Nicholas,
I own an '07 boxster with the non-nav, "premium" OEM stereo. I was able to successfully get ipod integration using the dension icelink system. I bought it online and had a local upscale car stereo alarm place in the SF Bay area install it. Total I think I paid around $700 which seems ridiculous considering this is standard on much much less expensive cars. Things may be easier with your '08 model, or if you have the nav unit it's even better.
http://www.dension.com/
Good luck!
e90_m3 says:
07:05 AM, 09/ 1/10
Excellent! All the Porsche handling goodness at an affordable price. It doesn't get better than that.
To all the haters, if you don't have anything nice to say....
eville_stu says:
10:57 AM, 09/ 1/10
Great looking Boxster, really looks great in black! Looks way better than the 1 gen now that it has the circular headlights.
carlisimo says:
12:29 PM, 09/ 1/10
Looks great! If I can still get away with a two-seater, a Boxster would probably be the natural follow-up to my Miata.
As for first gear, try blipping the throttle before going into first, and/or double-clutching. It works for me (on other cars; haven't ever driven a Boxster).
moar_revs says:
02:00 PM, 09/ 1/10
Sweet car, and good choice on the MT and 18" wheels. How has the maintenance and up-keep been? You've only had it for about a year (so hopefully it's been an easy year), but that's about the time IL gets rid of their long term cars, so.... =)
sellaturcica says:
07:15 PM, 09/ 1/10
Yeah, not that much has gone on. A couple of niggling things have come up (the cupholder access doesn't pop open any more for some reason) and the passenger seatbelt is somehow twisted. I'll get those looked at when I get my yearly oil change before winter sets in. The oil change at the dealer is ridiculously priced, BTW.
anythngbutgm says:
06:40 AM, 09/ 3/10
If the Boxster is a "chick car" then what does that make a Vette? A Di*k car"?
http://mrchevyceleb.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/cm.jpg
Nice car btw. Congrats!
siarizona says:
09:02 PM, 09/15/10
It's Sep 15th, give us another, please! Hard to imagine you're short of entrants... once a week sounds good... that's only 52 per year.
Thanks for the great work on this blog.