Beautiful styling, very good handling and "feel" of the road, excellent Porsche brakes, quick top mechanism. This car makes you feel good when you drive it, whether it is in twisty mountain road or in the busy city traffic. It begs to be driven hard and has a very forgiving handling; it is very difficult to make the tail swing forward.

Very (very!) poor mechanical reliability of early models. I used to joke that with some manufacturers the car assembly continued for 2 or 3 years after the car left the factory. Even though there was only one recall, many early owners shared some of the problems that I had: ignition key getting stuck, top mechanism frozen, failure of the camshaft solenoid (required expen$ive repair$$$ outside warranty), electric windows failure, seat belt problem triggering air bag warning light. Its regular dealer maintenance is very expensive, even when nothing needs to be repaired or replaced.

Hopefully Porsche has improved in the quality control department in the last couple of years, any Japanese car costing a third of the Boxster's price will be far more reliable (i.e. prospective owners should NOT expect it to be reliable like a humble Civic or Corolla). It is very annoying to return the car to the dealer every few months for repairs.

On the other hand, its handling, its driving sensations, the pleasureable open air motoring in twisty mountain roads is indeed what all the automotive journalists rave about.

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Honda S2000 has bullet proof mechanicals, better perfomance, will not cost you an arm and a leg for service, but is not as nicely styled and has less forgiving handling.
Porsche 968 was similarly priced, had more power, but inferior handling and "feel" good factor. Equally unreliable and expensive to maintain.

Brilliant handling. Great looks. Beefy breaks. Short throw, silky smooth shifts. Sweet sound made sweeter by the factory tuned exhaust. More masculine driving experience than most other cars in roadster class. Not common in my neck of the woods (no dealer for 200 miles). Mid engine balance is wonderful (no secret to Indy, F1 and top fuel NHRA). Stability management and Michelin Pilots help make for predictable behaviour even in slides.

Stiff ride though probably necessary to produce the 1G. Back window is tough to keep clean. Fantastic lateral support in seats also make position changes difficult. Not too comfortable for long drives. Low clearance is sometimes problematic. Too many teeny boppers want to race. Octane boost necessary to meet minimum requirement and also makes the engine idle smoother. Tiresome to drive in stop and go or around town driving.

I have always wanted a Porsche 550 Spyder but still cannot afford one. This is a wonderful substitute. I reject arguments that certain cars are "better" based on 0-60, top speed, G's, scarsity, color choices, cup holders, stereos, etc. Who cares- buy the car that you gives you the most pleasure driving, that feels the best to you and does the most things you care about well. With modified exhaust I should get mid 5's 0-60, high 13's quarter mile and 165+ top speed. Pleanty for a rag topped roadster and more than enough for most mortals (me certainly). Anyone who thinks otherwise is trying to compensate for anatomic inadequacies (perhaps a urologist would have a cheaper solution). I like this car alot- it was exactly what I was looking for but it must be recognized that this car is designed for handling, not comfort. If you buy it for the handling only, you will be happy, indeed.

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911, Z06, s2000, Z3. The S2000 is a great car but sounds like a gnat to me and has poor low end torque. The Z3 and SLK do not feel as tight or peppy in spite of any statistics. The Z06 is blindingly fast but feels like a bathtub to sit in and is of no interest to most other drivers. The 911 is too serious. The Viper is too much a "work in progress" so I did not attempt to drive it (even if Dodge would let a potential buyer near one).

Very powerful sports car! The silver rollbars goes perfect with the ocean blue/savanna beige combination. People just stop and look to admire its overall beauty. Fun to drive along the coast. Best car I have ever owned!

Cleaning the rear window. Porsche service departments closed on weekends.

I've owned the Boxster for 10 months and have loved every minute of it. It has 14,000 miles and currently had an oil change for the first time costing $110. I like the fact that I don't have to take it for oil change as often as other vehicles since it uses synthetic oil.

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SLK 230 KOMPRESSOR. Boxster much more fun and powerful to drive. no comparison!

Handling
Noise at 5k rpm
Beautiful
Reliability

Rear window
Stereo
Perhaps a bit more power? (or maybe i should get the S?)

This car is an absolute dream.
Each time I start the engine, I know that it's going to be fun.

A lot of the people I meet think that you have to be a millionaire to run a car like this. I let them think that...

I've driven 32K miles and the only fault has been the alarm siren.

Almost perfect.

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I like the style of the body and the way it handles. I also like the look people give me when I pull up beside them on a red light. I like racing in it and winning.

The nly thing that I don't like about is that it should have a little more horse power like 300hp is a fair number.

I would recomend it for people to buy it because its a great car that I just can't get over it. it also has some power in it to. I enjoy racing young punks and kicking their a**. its not that expensive and its a well known car and a good product.

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BMW roadster, Mazda roadster, Mazda Miata, Corvette, Firehawk

The S power is great, especially given today's speed limitations. Handling is responsive and predictable, especially on mountain roads. Engine has an aggressive sound. You can feel the quality of construction and workmanship.

Great car for a top down drive! Women flirt with me when I am out driving.

Stereo is a little weak (but has low distortion). Glass rear window would be better. Repair and maintenance cost reportedly are high, if out of warranty.

$60,000 OTD. Great car for the price. It's practical for many uses. I would do it again in a flash. Insurance is not too pricey ($900/year).

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My Mitsubishi 3000 GT doesn't compare in handling, power or workmanship. Great stereo in the 3000! S2000 is like riding a motorcycle. Too much noise and work. Z3 styling is too dramatic. Power was better but handling was worse. CLK 430 has a glamorous feel/ride but is not exhilirating like the S.

Tiptronic and Convertible top are definitely the stong areas of this car. Handling is pretty nice too. More trunk space than most sports cars.

I have the Boxter S, which is suppose to be pretty fast (0-60 in less than 6 seconds)...but this car feels so slow. Radio suck, convertible plastic is impossible to clean, back of the car looks uglier each time I look at it. Plus this car is all over the place....you'll feel like you're driving a Honda pretty soon.

Please do not buy this piece of junk (even the S). You'll regret it big time....

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Acura NSX, Carrera 2

Body style, handling, fun car to drive.

For a $50K car, it is underpowered (No low end torque). A "Porsche" shouldn't get beat by a "Honda". Tiptronic is not the way to go, should of gone with a manual. Should have a glass rear window, gets hazy every couple of weeks. Too many of them on the road.

Overall, a very enjoyable weekend car. Fun to drive but I feel that for the price and reputation of a Porsche, it should be faster. If you are not into "Racing" every car you see, you will enjoy it. If you want to show off the name plate, trade up to a Boxter "S" or a 911.

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Mitsubishi 3000GT. No comparison.

Handling is awesome.
Looks are even better - the prettiest car made today, yet still exudes strength.
Everyone is jealous, friends, associates, etc.
Good space for a small car - two trunks, good interior space.

Could use more power; very Euro in that it needs RPM to really hustle.
Long wait to get one - 4-8 months.
A bit too many around now to be exclusive.
Glove compartment would be nice.

Wonderful car - $47K. Best car I've ever had.

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GREAT Performance, handling is superb! twice as much trunk space as MB SLK and Z3. LOOKS. VERY easy to drive.

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I'm living it up! An American living in Germany AND taking advantage of the autobahn - no speed limits. Car handles GREAT and can easily sustain speeds in excess of 100 MPH without a problem. Other drivers let me pass without hestitation. If I wanted to race though, I would buy a stock 911 and go hit the Nurnburgring.
The Boxster is truly the best car I have ever had. Hope to keep it for a long long time. Will sorely miss the autobahn when I take RED back across the big pond....

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Z3s and SLKs are a dime a dozen here in Germany. More exclusive than others. Better touring car than a 911 (test drove one)