#179 - Thunder Grey/Saddle Leather - Los Altos, CA

[MAPC]

Idk how flexible Porsche is with their prices. I know that there is about a $7K markup on the MSRP without the options. I'm going to Porsche tomorrow to test drive the Boxster as there are no Cayman's on the lot. I'll get back to you with my experience with the drive and the cost. MAPC, nobody is answering if there are any issues with SUV's/Trucks not seeing you on the highway due to sitting low. I do a lot of highway driving and there are stretches where there are a lot of trucks so your opinion would be helpful. Thanks again so much

It is a good and logical question. I actually never felt that way on the highway, although to be fair, there are very few trucks on the highways that I typically travel (for those that are Bay Area based I tend to be more 280 than 101) but I can say that I have felt some angst in the Roadster on local roads with people not seeing you as they change lanes. No truly close calls but definitely situations where I knew the person in the SUV didn't see me.

 

[frequencydip]

I really appreciate everyone's input. I can get a Boxter (not the S) or a Cayman (not the S) in the low 50's new, while the Roadster for the same price would be a 2008 with a few months of warrantee left. Any thoughts about that given I put on about 25,000 miles/year? Also curious to hear if anyone has had problems on the road with SUV's/Trucks not seeing the Roadster as it sits low? I haven't had a test drive with the Porsche yet but the Roadster was wild!

I owned a Boxster 2007 base and a Boxster S 2009 before my Tesla Roadster. If you like sports cars and drive spiritedly do not consider the Boxster base it will disappoint. The Boxster S on the other hand is a wonderful car, and you will enjoy it. I would take the Tesla over the Boxster S, it's wicked quick, silent, handles almost as well (the battery weight is its weakness), and will become a classic where the boxster will not. If your max spend is $50k then look for a used Boxster S and not a new base.

 

[Pantera Dude]

I really appreciate everyone's input. I can get a Boxter (not the S) or a Cayman (not the S) in the low 50's new, while the Roadster for the same price would be a 2008 with a few months of warrantee left. Any thoughts about that given I put on about 25,000 miles/year? Also curious to hear if anyone has had problems on the road with SUV's/Trucks not seeing the Roadster as it sits low? I haven't had a test drive with the Porsche yet but the Roadster was wild!

I've had my roadster since November so I haven't spent much time around trucks, though I've had no problems with them. Having been a truck driver long ago, I stay far away from them now regardless of what I'm driving, they can't stop worth a damn, and if there is any contact, you lose! Of course the bigger the vehicle you drive, the more visible you will be, but I don't think the difference between the Porsche and the roadster is all that significant. It's not like you're comparing the Tesla to a monster truck. :biggrin: One safety feature the roadster has over almost any other car is its responsive handling. Few cars would be as capable of avoiding an accident. I bought my 2008 roadster in November and paid, $57,450. I thought I had gotten the best price ever but I met an owner that bought one a couple months earlier for $57,000. I was so proud of my negotiating prowess until I met the other guy. :biggrin: For what it's worth, the guy I bought the car from was selling it to make room for his new model "S". I would think that roadster prices will continue to soften until all the roadster owners that are going to sell have their new S's.

 

[smorgasbord]

... nobody is answering if there are any issues with SUV's/Trucks not seeing you on the highway due to sitting low. I do a lot of highway driving and there are stretches where there are a lot of trucks so your opinion would be helpful.

Don't get a Roadster, it's clearly too low for you.




































Oh, you want some more info? It's not highway driving that's the problem, and it's not Trucks/SUV that are the problem. It's drivers not completely looking that's the problem. It happens most often to me in rush hour traffic, and not on the freeway, but on multi-lane street-lighted roads that in CA they call "Expressways." For regular highway driving, it's fine. But you seem so worried about it that I think you need to find a taller vehicle.

 

[bart513]

The ongoing discussion has been extremely helpful for me. I've decided to throw caution to the wind, forget about having trunk space, ignore not having a warrantee and work hard to find a low mileage Roadster in my price range!!!!!!! Although I enjoyed driving the new Boxster S (that's what was on the lot for me to test drive) the responsiveness of the Roadster made me feel so amazing. I don't want to give up that feeling!!! Curious to hear from Pantera Dude how many miles his Roadster had for the $57,450?

 

[Pantera Dude]

The ongoing discussion has been extremely helpful for me. I've decided to throw caution to the wind, forget about having trunk space, ignore not having a warrantee and work hard to find a low mileage Roadster in my price range!!!!!!! Although I enjoyed driving the new Boxster S (that's what was on the lot for me to test drive) the responsiveness of the Roadster made me feel so amazing. I don't want to give up that feeling!!! Curious to hear from Pantera Dude how many miles his Roadster had for the $57,450?

My car had 24,500 miles on it. It included the hardtop, adjustable suspension, and most of the clearcoat carbon fiber exterior pieces, (not the hardtop). The car that sold for 57K, I think only had 14 or 18,000 miles on it? The guy bought it from someone that was selling it for his boss. In this case, I think throwing caution to the wind is a good thing! :biggrin: Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[bart513]

Finalizing purchase on the 2008 Roadster Metallic Silver from the MB dealership in Seattle, WA!!!! Very excited. Getting the car completely wrapped before it leaves (Their version of the paint shield) and upgrading the sound system to the Pioneer AVH-XT7500BT Single Din flip up/bluetooeh with Alpine speakers[FONT=Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial] http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/DVD-Receivers/AVH-X7500BT> Single Din flip up)
[/FONT] Hope to get the car in about 2 weeks!!

 

[Pantera Dude]

Congratulations Bart! I had never had a car with the Star Shield before. I am really impressed with how good the paint looks after 30K miles, no chips!

 

[bart513]

That's great Dude. I'm concerned with all the highway driving I do, going over the George Washington Bridge to NJ......... I'm happy happy happy!