It feels like only yesterday that the 986-generation Porsche Boxster was unloved. A 'starter Porsche,' people scoffed, with its quirky headlights and symmetrical front and rear. But as the years go on, the 986 is aging like scotch in the barrel.
The design is clean and purposeful, with a low beltline and just-right proportions. The driving experience — from the 2.5 all the way to the 3.2 liter Boxster S — is precise and smooth, but refreshingly analog. If you jump into a 993, you'll find more similarities with the contemporary Boxster than you will with, say, a 991.
Is the Porsche 986 the next classic collectable? Good-condition examples aren't depreciating any further, and we think, overall, the 986 is a more desirable package than the 987.1. The Boxster was a revelation when it went on sale in 1996, but for those who have been sleeping on this roadster, it may be even more of a revelation now.
We'll be doing an IMS bearing and some deferred maintenance on this 2000 Boxster S, so stay tuned for updates and tips on what to look for in the coming weeks.
