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I have both a mildly tweaked SE and a mildly worked NA6. I'm thinking about keeping one can't decide which. My head says the SE but I've never really bonded with it and I'm not a huge turbo fan (pun intended ), my heart says the NA6 which I've owned for years and love.

I've also just turned 60 so now I'm a grown-up, I've even started thinking about an early Porsche Boxter. My very limited experiences with Porsches suggests to me that the it would be a bit numb to drive until you really start going hard so has anyone dríven one and is willing give some impressions versus the MX5's?

Cheers

I feel what you mean. I'm 65 and have owned my SE for 10 years. I've enjoyed building her to have mildly upgraded power with much better driveability than stock. She's a really great distance touring car that I'm proud of what I managed to achieve and we've enjoyed a number of holidays touring in her.

I started my MX-5 passion with "Mexie," an NA-6 that I restored. I'm forever wishing I'd never sold Mexie because of the sentimental value she held.

But ... which would I really own.

Well, like you, I'm also not really a turbo driver. Give me naturally aspirated any day. I love my SE, but it's often a 50/50 between them if I had my time to choose again. Mexie's 1.6 needed to be dríven at its max to get the best out of her, but after a drive, it always felt like I'd really dríven a car at its best. I've never owned a car like her that I always climbed out with a smile. But at the same time, she always felt like a "kit" car somehow, despite all the later model comfort upgrades I did to her like NB seats, etc.

With my SE, I have to admit I've just never really felt completely at home in it, and I always feel like I never get the best out of the car. Like Mexie, I've thoroughly enjoyed building the SE up to what she is now - the perfect tourer - but I somehow never get that same satisfaction or thrill I always had with Mexie.

BUT ... I also like my mod cons. The SE is better to drive day to day. It looks and feels more modern. The SE's aircondioner works better. The SE's chassis is much better. The SE is more comfortable (better chassis helps) and "fits" me a lot better.

I also hated Mexie's oversized pop up headlights...

So, for me, as much as I will always sentimentally say Mexie, I would always, in the end, choose MXSE, my SE ...

PS as a "grown up" ... I keep thinking I should just park up MXSE and leave her for my son and buy myself a Golf GTi, which I've always wanted, and tbh, would suit me much better ...

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It sounds like the NA6 is right for you. I have a modified SE, and for a brief time I had an NA8. The SE is more my vibe at the moment, I love the turbo rush and the darty suspension - though the NVH can be a bit much on longer drives. The NA was fun, it was soft and slow, but still enjoyable to rev out. I think with some tweaks the NA would have been a great cruiser, but I couldn't justify having 2 of essentially the same car, and chose the SE.

I love Boxsters, and Porches in general, but they're beyond my reach. I think an early Boxster would likely suit you. They're more comfortable and premium, naturally aspirated, etc. More powerful than any NA, but without the turbo surge and noise of the SE. If you can afford the purchase and maintenance, a Boxster could be just right for you.

aussiecossie wrote:thinking about an early Porsche Boxter. My very limited experiences with Porsches suggests to me that the it would be a bit numb to drive until you really start going hard so has anyone dríven one and is willing give some impressions versus the MX5's?

Earlier this year also considered a Boxster & recalled a couple of forumites posts:
Bigdog on here has/had a 2004 Boxster & posted the following:
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=78526&p=954747&hilit=Boxster#p954747
And Dan has/had a couple of Boxsters & a Cayman:
search.php?keywords=boxster&terms=all&author=dan&sc=1&sf=all&sr=posts&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

I was looking at Boxsters in 2009 because suddenly there was quite a few cheap on carsales.com.au.
They all had just over 1000,000km on them so a bit of internet research told me that they were due for a VERY expensive service, especially if they had oil leaks.
Keep that in mind with the Boxter.

For me, tinkering with a car is my hobby so an SE was perfect and could achieve the "MOAR POWA" I wanted.

I had a "loan NA6" one Christmas period which I thought I'd hate but didn't, you had to drive it hard to enjoy it but the car never complained, it loved to rev and I felt like "the world's best driver" after going through some twisting roads - wouldn't dare try that in Gina, she has WAYyyy more capability than I can drive.

If the NA6 puts a smile on your face and you don't drive it much, keep it - the resale value will always be more than that of an NB, especially the 1.6L if is hasn't been modded too much.

Let someone else "unleash" the SE.

Lokiel wrote:They all had just over 1000,000km on them.

That's a lot of kays!

Boxters are BIG. Yes, they go harder than an NA, but if you love the NA6, I think not only will you feel the same about the Boxter as you do about the SE, you will deeply rue letting the NA go. I have only dríven a clapped out NA6 loaner a few days on a couple of occasions, but it had me smiling and remembering my old Bugeye Sprites ...

I love my SE, but I am a serious petrol head racer type. I would keep the SE and sell the NA, but I think you are probably more of a 'car guy' and will be happier with the NA - if you really have to choose.

I’ll keep my answer short.

NA6. Because you said that’s where your heart is.

Keep it simple.


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bruce wrote:

Lokiel wrote:They all had just over 1000,000km on them.

That's a lot of kays!

Whoops, meant 100,000km

Thanks for all the great responses so yes, I'll keep the NA.

So the SE is now listed for sale at a good price but I'm quite motivated to get on with my NA so if you're interested, make an offer, you just never know .....

Know quite a few MX-5 owners who "upgraded" to a Boxter, then upgraded back to an MX-5.

Stick with the SE, more reliable and if you get bored easier to make more power.

Owning a Porsche just seems so vanilla to me. Boring and dull. Unless it is some expensive 911 which costs a zillion bucks.