I have owned my 2002 996tt for several years now and done several track days at Limerock and Louden (NHIS), as well as one autocross. My car is lowered with PSS9's, H&R sways, and has Michelin Pilot cups, etc.

I just purchased a stock Boxster with 17" stock tires and I have to say I am absolutely amazed at the light and neutral feeling of the Boxster. I havn't had it at the track yet, but I was giddy with the crazy amount of grip on high speed exit ramps.

I love my twin turbo and it is so easy to drive, forgiving with PASM, and super quick, but it demonstrates understeer at the limit, and handles like a boat at the autocross.

I can't wait to push the Boxster to the limit to see what happens, so far the stock car hasn't even squealed the tires and seems absolutely neutral, and it seems to corner as well as my TT, and it isn't even an "S" model!

Anyone have experience with the handling of both cars as a comparison?

 

The 996TT is a pig in the corners. Boxster is on rails.


John

 

I'm surprised to hear that. You would think the 911T would handle better than the boxster. I'd like to see comparisons so I'm subscribed.

 

PSS9's are not going to be enough to control the weight of the TT, and the stock TT will not handle better than a boxster, because of the understeer and extra weight.

But the TT will ultimately outpower the Boxster on any road course with equal drivers.

 

mid engine makes a diference over rear engine

 

When the Boxster first came out drivers would loose control and they would spin like a top because they were so well balanced thats when Porsche released PSM to overcome this.

 

I owned two boxsters previously and when I first got into a 911, I felt like the engine was 500 yards behind me. It was very unsettling at first because the boxster feels so nimble and well balanced. It also helps that I was never afraid WOT on the boxster would cause the back end to come around because there just isn't that much power there.

It's sad, but I think on a track with a lot of turns I feel like I could beat myself in a boxster over my 996tt - not because the 996tt isn't faster, it clearly is, but because I had so much more confidence in the boxster because even when braking when I shouldn't or heading into a turn too fast, it would just slide nicely instead of spinning out like I fear the 911 would. So it's very forgiving.

Clearly any good driver with 911 experience would smoke me, but if I had race myself in a 911 for money on a tight track, I'd take a cayman or boxster s and feel like I'd win.

Hopefully when I get some track time and become more confident with all the power that's 500 yards behind me, I'll feel better about heading into a tight corner at 95mph.

just my two cents.

 

The TT is much less tossable, but the driving style of a 911 and mid engine car is completely different, add to that AWD on the TT and it changes even more. There is no way you should be faster in a boxster, maybe on an auto cross, but not any real circuit.

May feel that way, but it's more mental than anything. It's actually not really easy to spin a TT because of the understeer, unless you practice lifting mid corner or jerky steering inputs.

 

we have both a 996 and 986. we also autox them both. the 996 definately has me in the torque department, but i have him in the twisties! gotta love that mid-engine!

 

I never feel scared about spinning my turbo because the understeer gives you plenty of warning and the PSM is always there quietly in the backround waiting to save your but. I guess of the 986 had PSM it would be even better.

 

On the TT, the funny thing is that for DE use I put JIC suspension (and to improve the car), did the GT2 corner, and added front and rear adjustable sways. Most of the understeer is gone. It turns in much better. Much. Given the seat time I now have over when new, I feel pretty good. But take a perfectly naive driver with no HPDE time.....the average Porsche customer for example, the boxster will probably be faster in corners....for sure...and only on long straits will the tt excel. Des is right on the money as usual. Modified for racing...the 911 will blow away the boxster. Saw a boxster engine merge coolant and oil twice this season.....small data set, but I'm sticking to my Gt1 engine....with dry sump. I actually wonder if in very hard cornering whether the boxter starved the engine of oil.....




Jeff

 

I would like to have my car adjusted to make it more neutral.

Jeff, how did you set up your sways front and rear. I have both of mine max firm.

 

I agree on all points.

I owned a Boxster, then a Boxster S prior to my 996 Turbo. The Bosxter presents a more "sporty" driving experience (versus the OEM Turbo) because it has quicker turn-in and because it has no delayed "rear end move to the outside of the turn" during cornering. The Boxster's relatively low rotational movement at trun-in makes the driver feel like his seat is actually carving the corner...a very connected and entertaining feeling. It's not that the Boxster actually goes around a corner faster than a Turbo (on a road course), it's just that it feels like it's going around the corner faster. I did have an issue with the Boxster's lower level of grip coming on-throttle post apex. The Turbo accepts more power in this case, staying way more planted than the Boxster. The Boxster was also way easier to spin than the Turbo.

 

Nothing comes out of a corner like a rear engined Porsche. Just punch it coming out. (but not too early) to set the back. The more gas, the more it sticks. Until you spin that is.

The 911 methodology is slow in, fast out. Cars behind you have to slow down for you coming in, and lose coming out.

 

Do you think the Boxster is easier to spin because it doesn't have PSM?