Porsche 911UK Forum

Welcome to the @Porsche911UK website. Register a free account today to become a member! Sign up is quick and easy, then you can view, participate in topics and posts across the site that covers all things Porsche.

Already registered and looking to recovery your account, select 'login in' and then the 'forget your password' option.

Test drove a 718 Boxster and Diesel Macan yesterday. Reviews

Norfolk & Idea said:
I'm told you can get a diesel pretty sharpish but petrols (S and GTS) are like hens teeth. I simply don't want an Audi diesel so not decided what to do. I'm not in a rush but 2 years is ridiculous.

I just asked my local OPC for a time and they said 14-18 months for a petrol. That's just crazy
 
kas750 said:
What a great write up! A new career beckons. :thumbs:

Haha, thanks. I was just going to say I test drove them both and liked the Macan but once I started writing it just kept coming!
 
So had some feedback from Wilmslow on waiting times.

"8-10 is for a Diesel. We currently have 15 orders awaiting build slots for the GTS model and we are averaging approx. a build slot per month, Diesel wise we have circa 35 and approx. 4-5 slots per month in allocation following the trends of allowance over the last few months."

It seems numbers are based on CO2 emissions, as they are getting more diesels than petrol slots, that's my interoperation anyway.
 
isysman said:
Evo just released a review of the new entry level Boxster and it's intetesting to read that they have come to some of the same conclusions I did...

http://www.evo.co.uk/porsche/boxste...verything-porsche-touches-doesn-t-always-turn

"If you, or a friend, ever owned an air-cooled VW Beetle you'll immediately recognise the unsophisticated clatter when you hear a 2-litre Boxster for the first time. "

That is a terrible review for a modern Porsche.

Our Cayenne PCP reaches the decision point early next year and our OPC is pushing us quite hard to take a test drive in the new 718 as a new car option, but it leaves me completely cold. The base car does not interest me, and I think the S is just too expensive- I got one to £70k pretty easily on the configurator, and I'm afraid at that money my mind begins to wander to more exotic used machinery (997 GTS anyone?) that my wife could use as a daily and I'm still unlikely loose as much on in depreciation.

I understand the drivers for the engine change (even if I don't necessarily agree with them) and wonder If a new entrant to the brand would care as much about it as we do, but I think this is a real test for Porsche. More than most mass production brands Porsche inspires a loyalty that sees people repeat purchase when new models come out, but reading forum commentary it seems that this change of engine layout is proving a step too far for many.
 
thebig25 said:
isysman said:
Evo just released a review of the new entry level Boxster and it's intetesting to read that they have come to some of the same conclusions I did...

http://www.evo.co.uk/porsche/boxste...verything-porsche-touches-doesn-t-always-turn

"If you, or a friend, ever owned an air-cooled VW Beetle you'll immediately recognise the unsophisticated clatter when you hear a 2-litre Boxster for the first time. "

That is a terrible review for a modern Porsche.

Our Cayenne PCP reaches the decision point early next year and our OPC is pushing us quite hard to take a test drive in the new 718 as a new car option, but it leaves me completely cold. The base car does not interest me, and I think the S is just too expensive- I got one to £70k pretty easily on the configurator, and I'm afraid at that money my mind begins to wander to more exotic used machinery (997 GTS anyone?) that my wife could use as a daily and I'm still unlikely loose as much on in depreciation.

I understand the drivers for the engine change (even if I don't necessarily agree with them) and wonder If a new entrant to the brand would care as much about it as we do, but I think this is a real test for Porsche. More than most mass production brands Porsche inspires a loyalty that sees people repeat purchase when new models come out, but reading forum commentary it seems that this change of engine layout is proving a step too far for many.

And EVO love their Porsches as well. It's not like they are anti Porsche in any way.I hated that Boxster, I could never live with that engine.
 
Well well, I saw a 718 on the forecourt when I collected my new 981 and for a few seconds I had a pang of - "should I have gone for the 718 instead of going for the last of the 981s"?

Having read this report, driven just 300 miles in my 981 Boxster S and as of yesterday, getting into sports plus around the lanes, I have no doubt that my decision was the right one. I actually thought I heard a thunder clap from behind me when I broke at a bend and the gears dropped from 4th to 2nd.

The only doubt that I have on your "road test" is would the 718 have came alive like the 981 had you been in the S model and used Sports plus?

great write up though, Chris Evans with his David Beckham on helium voice had better watch out :)

and as for the handbrake, I can live with that, it saved me from a close encounter with a skip today :oops:
 
Interesting write ups. I loved the EJ20 in my Subaru, but if the new Boxster sounds like an old air cooled Beetle, maybe I'm not old enough to appreciate the modern car.

As an aside, why don't you consider ordering the new car (whatever it is) in Germany? They're cheaper than the UK, and they take orders in RHD. :grin:
 
wilpert said:
Well well, I saw a 718 on the forecourt when I collected my new 981 and for a few seconds I had a pang of - "should I have gone for the 718 instead of going for the last of the 981s"?

Having read this report, driven just 300 miles in my 981 Boxster S and as of yesterday, getting into sports plus around the lanes, I have no doubt that my decision was the right one. I actually thought I heard a thunder clap from behind me when I broke at a bend and the gears dropped from 4th to 2nd.

The only doubt that I have on your "road test" is would the 718 have came alive like the 981 had you been in the S model and used Sports plus?

great write up though, Chris Evans with his David Beckham on helium voice had better watch out :)

and as for the handbrake, I can live with that, it saved me from a close encounter with a skip today :oops:

I think you made the right choice. I was just at Wilmslow and the Boxster I drove was outside with someone testing it and I heard that naff four pot and I just thought I'll never be able to own one of these. Unless someone invents something to make it sound like a flat 6? :D

I spoke to the saleswoman I always talk to and said that if and when I buy it will most likely be a used car because I don't want to wait 10 months for a Macan. I would most likely buy a used 981S or GTS or a used Cayenne.

Didn't know you could order a RHD car in Germany. Maybe that might be an option assuming I go there to work.
 
wilpert said:
Well well, I saw a 718 on the forecourt when I collected my new 981 and for a few seconds I had a pang of - "should I have gone for the 718 instead of going for the last of the 981s"?

Having read this report, driven just 300 miles in my 981 Boxster S and as of yesterday, getting into sports plus around the lanes, I have no doubt that my decision was the right one. I actually thought I heard a thunder clap from behind me when I broke at a bend and the gears dropped from 4th to 2nd.

The only doubt that I have on your "road test" is would the 718 have came alive like the 981 had you been in the S model and used Sports plus?

great write up though, Chris Evans with his David Beckham on helium voice had better watch out :)

and as for the handbrake, I can live with that, it saved me from a close encounter with a skip today :oops:

I think you did to. My wife's last car was the basic 981 2.7 Cayman with manual gearbox and very few options other than PASM and sports exhaust. It was great. A big part of the greatness was the fantastic noise- it was epic, and I can't imagine the car without it.
 
Thanks peeps,
I value your opinions and I don't mind admitting that I had doubts and I've never bought new before but it seemed like a good choice because The spec was really good and I loved the colour combo with the contrasting black and Luxor extended leather. The. When they knocked 8 k off the ticket price I had to commit.

I expect to do around 15k miles a year as a daily ride so it had to be a very low or no miler for me and the 981 does have that quality interior feel for daily use.
I had even considered going over to the dark side and getting a jaguar f type for that extra cash market but the 981 ticks all the boxes so I'm happy.

I'll be keen to see what happens with the 718 sales though.

Gratuitous image:
 

Attachments

  • image_995.jpeg
    image_995.jpeg
    48.9 KB · Views: 8,627
  • image_727.jpeg
    image_727.jpeg
    48.9 KB · Views: 8,623
I can see some sense in ordering a GTS Macan and just waiting it out. With that kind of a queue, I think the times will actually come right in as folk drop out through impatience or they go with the F Pace or new Maserati SUV that they also have deposits on. Remember that a Porsche deposit is 100% refundable right up to the point where you would be asked to lock a spec and make it up to 10%, which is only 2-3 months before delivery.

I'd also want to be sure the queue I was in was for the GTS, just in case you later find it was only for an S...

I fear for the 718 - given the reviews will always focus on the engine, why did they knock the looks back? The 981 (GTS and Spyder in particular) are far better lookers in my eyes than the 991.1 from which it probably robbed a few sales. With the 991.2, the situation is probably back where Porsche want it, with the 982 have a nice arse but borderline face...

tim
8)
 
I would concur with the Sports SUV assessment where Porsche has placed the emphasis on sport.

It's the same in the Cayenne set up (and the V8 derv is the winner) more sport focused. However the 8spd Tiptronic box, for me, let's it down especially when driving it around town/traffic. Even with 'sport' off and PASM set on 'comfort' the gearbox is always looking for the low gear for rapid acceleration - when I dont necessarily want it :what: But on the open road on a 4hr+ continuous drive its a comfortable machine with the right seats, air suspension and 'enhancement' settings :grin:
 

Forum statistics

Threads
124,352
Messages
1,439,438
Members
48,708
Latest member
JLav211
Back
Top