Vehicle Description
1998 Porsche Boxster Convertible
At a time when Porsche products were aging and the 928 was being
phased out, the brand needed something to reinvigorate customers to
consider a Porsche. In a stroke of genius, they looked to the
legendary 550 spyder for inspiration, a mid-engine race car with a
low profile, bulbous hips, and balanced performance. The Boxster
718, combining "boxer" engine and "speedster", was born and has
been a success story ever since its debut in 1996.
For consignment, a 1998 Porsche Boxster with a title verified
49,570 actual miles. Although the 718 has gone through a number of
facelifts, the original design, like so much in the Porsche
lineage, still looks fresh 26 years later. With a fresh oil change
and a new battery, this 2 seat Porsche sports car is ready to carve
canyon roads and navigate the pick up line at Starbucks all in the
same day!
Exterior
You can't go wrong with Schwarz Metallic Black and it looks great
on this car. The simple front fascia has two flowing intake
openings below a smooth bumper and 996 era headlights. The fenders
rise above the hood slightly and create a shoulder line that flows
to the rear, finally waterfalling into flush mounted tail lights,
another smooth bumper, and the now epic center exit exhaust. Like
the 550, the cab is short and this one is shaded by a black canvas
top with a glass window in excellent shape. The front windshield is
steeply raked and the brake cooling ducts in the rear quarter panel
are wonderfully integrated into the design. The Boxster emblem on
the back is blackened and the 17-inch Porsche wheels look great.
Minor imperfections include a double scratch on the rear bumper,
one behind the passenger door, and the usual scrapes under the
chin.
Interior
Porsche exterior designs are special and the same can be argued
about their interiors. Saddle leather is a great complement to the
black exterior and includes black accents to make an even stronger
bond. The door panels consist of saddle leather, black door pull
and armrest, and a curved base of plush carpet. High backed bucket
seats have ample side bolstering and a simple stitched pattern.
Both show just a bit of age wrinkles and of course, the driver's
seat shows just a bit more, but no rips or blemishes to detract
from their inviting shape. The arched roll bars with wind screens
are covered in saddle leather just above the carpet covered back
wall. A standard black steering wheel leads to the gauge cluster
which consists of three overlapping circles with Boxster font
letters and numbers. Like all good sports cars, the tach is front
and center. Saddle leather wraps the entire dash and the black
center stack includes the climate controls and an AM/FM/CD radio
with CD changer. It flows into the black center console where the
manual stick is mounted in a black leather boot. Plush color
matched carpet covers the floor and is protected by fitted Porsche
rubber mats. The trunk and frunk are lined in molded panels with
gray cloth and are both very clean.
Drivetrain
A 2.5 liter DOHC flat 6 cylinder engine lives between the seats and
rear axle. It is rated at 201 horsepower, is fuel injected, and
tied to a 5-speed manual transmission. Power appropriately goes to
the rear wheels where it finds 3.889 gears. Power disc brakes are
at each wheel, which are wrapped in tires that are less than two
years old.
Undercarriage
Mostly belly pan as is the case with Porsches, and they are intact.
Robust suspension parts are visible as is the bottom of the engine
which sends out dual exhaust a short distance before joining to
exit as one. Independent suspension with MacPherson struts equip
the car front and rear. There is no surface rust to speak of.
Drive-Ability
Everything from the interior materials, the fit and finish, the
engine note, and shifter are smooth and tight, trademarks of
Porsche quality. The car buzzed onto the test loop with power to
spare, handled like a train on rails, and stopped on a dime.
Ergonomically, you won't find many better, and all functions work
with Stuttgart precision. While Classic Auto Mall represents that
these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we
cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of
your purchase.
"There is no substitute" used to be Porsche's marketing campaign
and it still rings true today. There are plenty of fine cars in the
world, but Porsche produces a driver focused quality that's hard to
beat. As we write this, spring is in full swing, and the weather is
convertible weather. Make this your seasonal spielzeug or daily it
all year! Whatever your intentions, make sure you call the
mall!
