Wow. At that price this car is ridiculous and you just gave so many passes on it you wouldn't for other vehicles let alone Porsche themselves back 6 years ago or so. Smh
As a convertible owner myself, I actually really appreciate the convertible process. It keeps the reliability of convertible top. The automatic motor mechanisms tend to cost a lot for maintenance and repair. Also keeps overall cost of vehicle maintenance down due to lack of electrical issues without the convertible mechanism motors. Granted they could’ve done something like the soft top of the modern Miata. But that’s a whole different story.
as an ND owner, the soft top mechanism is so damn convenient that i can literally just quickly close and open it before and after a tunnel while driving with very little effort in a very quick time
I have to disagree when it comes to reliability. I own a 1997 Audi Cabriolet, which once rolled backwards out of my garage. The garage door hit the roof and bent some parts and yet, the roof still works without any issues and also it can be manually operated in case something fails.
As a person who only owns old cars. I appreciate a manual roof from the factory because it will probably still work in 20 years. Taking down a non-manual roof is much harder
While I appreciate your sentiment, I only have to point to the S2000s that my family and I have owned over the last 21 years. Tops still operate with no issue. Do they get holes at specific locations due to the tension in the mechanism? Yes. But they've never failed to move, and that's saying something.
I had an SL500, luckily someone had already removed dehydraulic setup so you could remove the roof manually. But being that none of the mechanisms were designed for it getting it latched properly was a disaster. I could get it down in 5 minutes, but occasionally I just to get it close even after 30 minutes of struggling.
As someone who works at Porsche, this is arguably the best sounding car they’ve made. When clients ask what my favorite Porsche is this is often my answer
@@trigganometry168 You would think so, but no. I have a friend who sold his 991.1 Carrera S a few days before I let him drive my 981 Spyder. His blunt reaction after a spirited drive was, "If my 991 sounded like this, I would never have sold it."
IMHO, as an original owner of a 99 986 , I thought the Boxster has always been underrated. On the track, the handing makes up for a lot of the "low" power.
Back in 2001 i bought a boxster new from the Porsche dealership. I’ve owned a ton of cars since (including 911s, Ferraris and other exotics)…..but that boxster was one of if not the best driving car I’ve ever driven. Everything Doug says is true…..the boxster is magical. It’s so well balanced…..its literally perfection.
My '99 is a better driving car than my '97 and '90 Miata was. It just feels so much more solid and planted and (believe it or not) much more fun to drive! It's hard to beat a Miata in that category!
Glad you like it, Doug! I was exterior designer of all variants of the 981 Boxster and Cayman except for the top and rear of the Spyder which were done by Grant Larson, who has been responsible for so many great Porsches. The engineering team at Porsche is, in my experience, the finest in the industry and the expertise and love of the product from everyone at the company shines through in a n exceptional driving experience…
in 981 / 718 Spyder I just love the idea of this manual roof. Not everything has to be automated and take 5 secounds. It just adds to experience to put this roof down. It's 0530 on the sunny Wednesday morning in early July, you just left your garage, and you reached near gas station for fill her up and buy coffee. You have whole day to make 400-500 km with music you love and audio book you currently listen to and You just put down roof in you Spyder. Life is good. It does not get much better than this.
I've got it down to well under a minute on my 718 Spyder. It's really easy once you figure out the most effective way to do it: unlatch from console, unlatch driver's side buttress, walk around to other side and unlatch pass. side buttress, lift trunk lid up, stow roof inside, flip pass. side flap down, close trunk lid fully, flip driver flap down, DONE!). Reverse for putting it up. I know it sounds ridiculous when typed out but it's quite easy and logical this way.
My 981 Spyder is sapphire blue with buckets and PCCBs. Spot on review by Doug. This car has everything you could possibly need in a sports car and nothing you don’t with probably the best shifter/clutch Porsche has ever made. I have a few friends who are fortunate enough to have this car and a GT3 and they say this is the one Porsche they will never part with. Me neither!
I agree. I often tell people there’s not a car priced below $200k I’d rather own. In fact, I don’t think you could gift me any car of any value (stipulating I can never sell) which would make me get rid of my 981 Boxster Spyder. It’s a car which hits every note perfectly.
@@jscifres100100% in agreement. I keep browsing the auctions and kicking tires on a bunch of great cars and I just can’t find anything that is a better overall package for the road than the 981 Spyder. Easy ownership. Exotic looks. 9.8/10 soundtrack. Perfect drivability on the street. Chassis optimized as a convertible. Can pass as supercar adjacent or dress down as just a Boxster. I *might* trade one for a S/T but even then I’m not so sure because the Spyder has no roof automatically making any road interesting. I would probably try and keep both.
Had an order in for the 992 Carrera S and for the same money, went with 718 Spyder with the lightweight buckets and 6 speed. Absolutely agree with everything here, it’s super fun and very unique. Although not as “rare” as the 981, preferred the facelift/tail lights and all the GT3 bits (brakes, suspension) the 718 gets. And they only imported 2800 to the states over 3 years, so still pretty unique.
@@purwantiallan5089 No. 829 is how many 981 Boxster Spyders made it to North America. He is saying 2800 is the number of 982 (the updated generation) Boxster Spyders produced, which averages out to 933 per year. So bragging you have the "ultra rare 2016 boxster spyder" is like the trope of the corvette owner saying "super rare only one of 23 1987 corvettes in silver with tan interior with an automatic" The 2016 Boxster spyder isn't more rare "per year" than say a 2021, 2022 or 2023 boxster spyder. If you break it down by model years.
I daily drive a 981 Cayman S 6 spd manual with the same suspension, wheel and tire package. Wanted to say, while yes, the little "window" below the center of the tach displaying the gear number does seem redundant and unnecessary, I _will_ say it is actually helpful in a few specific scenarios. The first is when you're stopped and switching from neutral to 1st. It's not difficult to accidentally slide into reverse rather than 1st. There is no lockout ring/device on the shifter handle of these cars that needs to be pulled before being able to engage reverse-- there is only a _slightly_ increased resistance that you need to overcome to engage reverse rather than first. While I've never made the mistake personally, I know others have, and its nice to have peace of mind seeing that "1" in situations where the vehicle behind you at an intersection on a hill is literally 6 inches from your rear bumper. The other thing to keep in mind is that the gears in the 981 manual transmissions are _long_ (it will do 80+ mph in 2nd gear). On interstates and highways, its not difficult to forget if you're in 5th or 6th gear because you've got the windows down and/or the music up. While yes, its not that difficult to differentiate just by looking at the RPM relative to speed you're doing, I've got to say the _first_ thing that catches your eye when you glance down at the gauge cluster is that bright white gear number. FWIW.
I own a ‘20 Subaru wrx which has the same feature and I really enjoy/appreciate it. I think he reviewed a same gen STI as my wrx and wasn’t a fan of the gear notification. It has come in handy for my several times. But this car is beautiful. I actually like the manual top too. They did a great job concealing it when the top is done. I used to own a mustang gt convertible and I hated the way it looked sometimes with the top down. Anyhow hope you are still enjoying yours!
One of the things I usually keep my Boxster gts 4.0 "digital window" selected to is the gear-shifter assistant, it's basically "redundant" from just having the tachometer / Gear shift number... BUT when you are actually driving the car hard it does help. It only lights up when you're getting close to redline and helps you see which gear you're in.
Love the return to filming outdoors as it really gives viewers a better perspective and more appreciation for the style and details by seeing the car in the real world vs seeing it inside the garage with artificial lighting. Thanks for years of great videos Doug! ❤
I just bought my first Porsche, a base black/black manual 981. One of these will 100% be my trade up. I think it will age better than the 718 and values will be better given the lower production. Such an overlooked car.
That red and silver color combo with the Spyder body style is gorgeous. Seems like a dreamy, balanced combo of sporty dynamics, touring car comfort, and classic roaster styling.
Hey Doug, we chatted briefly at RSF last year about 981 Spyders a little after I bought my 981 GTS and i love that you’re finally driving one. I live in WA where the weather is finicky and my Boxster GTS is also my only car so having a roof that went up/down while I was driving (up to 40 mph and in 8 seconds) was super important to me. I was cross shopping one of these with my GTS and loved the decision I made with my car but man do you make me second guess myself now. I will say to those looking for a Spyder to give a Boxster GTS a try. Mine is specced with the full GTS interior (alcantara+leather), Porsche torque vectoring and sport suspension (PTV and X73 - same as on the Spyder) and provide a VERY similar driving experience. The shift isn’t as short but it’s easy to swap and it is an incredible car for the money. Can’t wait to see how this does on C&B!
I currently own a 718 Spyder and I can suggest a quicker way to open and close the top. You just hold the lock/unlock button (closing/opening the top respectively) instead of switching the car on to electronics and closing it from the button in the cabin. Best car I’ve owned. I would still however like to buy a 981 Spyder some day. It truly is a special car.
The rear deck lid on this car not popping up is a flaw with this specific car. Perhaps a latch spring has failed. Whatever the cause, the deck should raise an inch when released.
Doug the kinda guy to describe a car that is out of production and was so hard to get that used cars are still selling over original MSRP as “underrated”.
After owning several Porsches and now an owner on one of these, it truly is an amazing car. Mine is also optioned with PCCB and the carbon fiber bucket seats which makes it just that more special to me.
I had a 981 spyder in white full options and I stupidly sold it after 2 years. That car sounds and drives incredible and was a joy every single time I was in it. Looks stunning as well and for sure I will want to buy another one soon enough.
Hi Doug! This is one of the most beautiful modern Porsche models, well modern cars in general. Also, perfectly balanced, incredible driving experience. This is the car 911 enthusiasts were asking for for years. then the incredible building quality these cars are legendary for, german engineering at its best. It's obvious the previous owner gave a lot of love and care to this vehicle so I'm sure the next one will have a car you will not say is perfect only because of the roof thing. Other than that one of the very best Porsche to have and enjoy. EXCELLENT!
Some of us LOVE process, love wiping down and covering a boat for example. I want this car more because of the style of the top (on top of engine and other fantastic hardware and appearance. I hope the market tanks on these among those that demand convenience to leave some headroom for the rest of us.
The top with the speed humps on the trunk lid is very cool. This car comes with the X73 sports suspension and the steering rack from the 991 turbo. It’s detuned to 375 hp, but with headers and tune it will make at least 430 hp. Evo Magazine as well as Car and Driver hailed the 981 Boxster as possibly the best roadster ever made in 2012. My 981 Boxster S has been bulletproof through daily driving and hard riding through the mountains. If you don’t have a hundred large to drop on the Spyder you can get a really nice “S” for literally half as much and it’s an incredible value.
I am so glad this was not filmed in the dungeon, outside environment is so much better. Not only the audio, but also the cramped feel and bad lighting. Thank, thanks & thanks!
I love the roof top mechanism. It's reasonably simple, foolproof, lightweight and mostly unbreakable. At the end of the day, it's a sports car first and foremost.
We have a Saturn Sky and this top is similar to the steps of operating the top on the Pontiac Solstice & Solstice Sky… actually the Porsches top is a bit more cumbersome… but both are doable…. Love the Boxster & Cayman.
Two differentiators all nerds will appreciate: The Spyder has two more differentiators from all other 981 Boxsters, showing the car was really a love letter from engineers choosing all the details carefully. 1) it doesn’t have Auto Start-Stop, which enables a smaller and lighter battery and starter motor, also takes away a button in the interior 2) the dial needles are white. The other 981s have orange needles, but these white ones are much prettier. Small details that yet cost Porsche a small fortune to not only produce, but also stock as spare parts. Oh, and: the 981 is considerably lighter than the 718. The additional horsepower is pretty much negated by weight.
A very good friend of mine had one of these, he took me out a few times and it was an incredible car for a brilliant man. Unfortunately don't know what ended up happening to it after he passed. Rest in peace Paul
I dont think the gear icon is strange, I have one on my wrangler and I love it, it keeps me from stalling when not paying close attn to 1st or third at a light.
After seeing the roof operation on the Spyder RS, this car's roof is a cinch. But this car is so dang sexy I would happily deal with a somewhat fiddley roof.
i hope they dont get anymore love...i want to be able to afford one someday lol. every car i love have just been skyrocketing in value. as a car guy i absolute hate that cars are investments now.
He never said it was hard. It’s just annoying, because no one wants to pay that much for a car and have to manually put the top up and down, especially when there are that many steps.
Finally, 981 Caymans/Boxsters are peak sports car such a shame that the 982 replaced all of the wonderful engines with ones that aren't really that exciting :(
I agree the 981 is the one to get if you want the one which sounds great from factory. But I have a friend with a 718 and an aftermarket exhaust which sounds like a friggin race car. Both generations are special. Pick your poison.
That is an EXTREMELY handsome looking car with the top down. This one is specced really nice and I wouldn't mind owning it... if my 6' 5" body could actually fit inside of it.
Doug’s the kinda guy to vertical integrate himself into his dream garage, a very comfortable retirement for him and his family and a Ford GT for his dog. All whilst wearing two tshirts.
"...this isn't something you're going to want to be doing very frequently." Doug, if I were so fortunate to own that car, I'd be happy opening and closing that roof even thirty times a day!
These are really cool I don’t think I’ve seen one in person before. And all jokes aside when Doug drives a car and has this reaction you know it’s a serious car to drive
The display that shows the gear you are in is standard to all Boxters and Caymans of the 981 generation. I got the chance to drive an automatic one a few years ago and it was there as well.
@@volvo09 funny thing is that you rarely see a girl driving it. They also call the Miata a girls car yet it is one of the best handling front engine rear drive car and most people cut their teeth in racing by competing in them
My Cayman has a similar back hatch trunk and sometimes it will stick closed like that making it so you have to stick your fingers in the body line to pry it up. But usually it lifts up about an inch on it's own after a moment and makes it very easy to open. I wonder if this Spyder was just lightly sticking closed like mine does sometimes, or maybe Doug was just too impatient?
Doug is the guy who doesn't need to like or respond because he's worked all of his life to build an automotive based online empire. Good for Doug🙏 .... I still think he should pay an intern to like various comments on ytube;)- DaveinSDougfan
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Check out THIS incredible Boxster Spyder HERE -- crsnbds.com/boxsterspyder
Kennan is buying this, right? He has to.
Wow. At that price this car is ridiculous and you just gave so many passes on it you wouldn't for other vehicles let alone Porsche themselves back 6 years ago or so. Smh
Boxster Spyder OR Mustang GT350R? 🤔
FILIPPO NEEDS A QVALE MANGUSTA! 👀
Doug is starting to get the hang of this car review stuff. 😀
And he really sold this car!!!
I LOVE IT!!!!!
I love it when Doug reviews one of my dream cars that I’m close to buying and then I can no longer afford one.
Buy the closest one this afternoon.
Seriously, this is the third video this week I've seen on this car. Is someone trying to pump the prices of these things?
Doug is a glorified used car salesman 🤣
I may not have that Porsche, but thankfully I do have a 986 that I adore. 🤙
He’s a used car salesman never forget it.
“Nice Carrera GT”
- Someone, somewhere
It looks pretty similar, thought the same thing when I saw the thumbnail
Someone, somewhere, sometime.
Your comment proofs that you yourself had to think of the CGT
At some point@@RenamonandLuna
I don't think anyone would know what a Carrera GT is and mistake it for this :(
This is one of the best looking Spyders of ALL TIME.
There’s only 3?
@@yungrichnbroke5199 obviously I didn’t mean just Porsche.
@@NateBee who else makes Spyders
@@yungrichnbroke5199Audi and Lamborghini
@@KC-mw8to corvette, all boxsters, z4, Miata…
As a convertible owner myself, I actually really appreciate the convertible process. It keeps the reliability of convertible top. The automatic motor mechanisms tend to cost a lot for maintenance and repair. Also keeps overall cost of vehicle maintenance down due to lack of electrical issues without the convertible mechanism motors. Granted they could’ve done something like the soft top of the modern Miata. But that’s a whole different story.
Yeah!!!
Agreed 100%.
as an ND owner, the soft top mechanism is so damn convenient that i can literally just quickly close and open it before and after a tunnel while driving with very little effort in a very quick time
Double D sounds like a luxo snob whining about the roof operation. Seems fine and worry free to me, jfc
I have to disagree when it comes to reliability. I own a 1997 Audi Cabriolet, which once rolled backwards out of my garage. The garage door hit the roof and bent some parts and yet, the roof still works without any issues and also it can be manually operated in case something fails.
Doug Demuro the type of guy to open the roof during a heavy rain to impress the ladies
I wonder if Doug is bisexual
cool story bro
Doug is asexual
😂😂
He gets out the car and does it at a stoplight
As a person who only owns old cars. I appreciate a manual roof from the factory because it will probably still work in 20 years. Taking down a non-manual roof is much harder
Correct , have my Miata 24 years and top rolls up and down like new !
While I appreciate your sentiment, I only have to point to the S2000s that my family and I have owned over the last 21 years. Tops still operate with no issue. Do they get holes at specific locations due to the tension in the mechanism? Yes. But they've never failed to move, and that's saying something.
I had an SL500, luckily someone had already removed dehydraulic setup so you could remove the roof manually. But being that none of the mechanisms were designed for it getting it latched properly was a disaster. I could get it down in 5 minutes, but occasionally I just to get it close even after 30 minutes of struggling.
'80s Camaro, 30 seconds either way
@@ErelioMGF also for 28 years.
As someone who works at Porsche, this is arguably the best sounding car they’ve made. When clients ask what my favorite Porsche is this is often my answer
Does it sound the same as a 991.1 Carrera S?
@@trigganometry168 very similar, maybe it’s because of the open top but I swear it sounds sweeter
@@collind328. I believe it. 👍 I wish my Cayman 4.0 sounded better from the factory
@@trigganometry168 You would think so, but no. I have a friend who sold his 991.1 Carrera S a few days before I let him drive my 981 Spyder. His blunt reaction after a spirited drive was, "If my 991 sounded like this, I would never have sold it."
What do you do for Porsche?
doug is the type of guy who calls a boxster spyder UNDERRATED
thank you now my dream car is even more impossible to get
Go buy one this afternoon before sellers watch the video.
Legit same dude. In the market now
u can buy one right now for less and then the next morning you will have made $20k 👍
IMHO, as an original owner of a 99 986 , I thought the Boxster has always been underrated. On the track, the handing makes up for a lot of the "low" power.
And here you are, repeating what he said, making more people aware of it and helping inflating its value
Back in 2001 i bought a boxster new from the Porsche dealership. I’ve owned a ton of cars since (including 911s, Ferraris and other exotics)…..but that boxster was one of if not the best driving car I’ve ever driven. Everything Doug says is true…..the boxster is magical. It’s so well balanced…..its literally perfection.
My '99 is a better driving car than my '97 and '90 Miata was.
It just feels so much more solid and planted and (believe it or not) much more fun to drive! It's hard to beat a Miata in that category!
Glad you like it, Doug! I was exterior designer of all variants of the 981 Boxster and Cayman except for the top and rear of the Spyder which were done by Grant Larson, who has been responsible for so many great Porsches.
The engineering team at Porsche is, in my experience, the finest in the industry and the expertise and love of the product from everyone at the company shines through in a n exceptional driving experience…
Doing the Lord's work🙌🏽
Doing the Lord's work 🙌🏽
Ha!! I have worked at many companies since leaving Porsche, but never experienced such a passionate team of true believers as those in Weissach.
Doug the kind of guy who licks the sharp corners of a Cybertruck.
🤣
And your the type of guy that licks the windows of a short bus.
Ow
So....what's the problem? 😝😁
explains the rust
in 981 / 718 Spyder I just love the idea of this manual roof.
Not everything has to be automated and take 5 secounds. It just adds to experience to put this roof down.
It's 0530 on the sunny Wednesday morning in early July, you just left your garage, and you reached near gas station for fill her up and buy coffee.
You have whole day to make 400-500 km with music you love and audio book you currently listen to and You just put down roof in you Spyder. Life is good. It does not get much better than this.
Love my Spyder manual roof too. Connects you to the car. Just like a manual transmission
This Porsche’s top got Doug doing some cardio today.
He did seem to be breathing a little harder afterwards.
@@thebagnechannel3183it happened several times in 22 minutes.
this car is just perfect. In everything. Modern, yet simple. Peak of automotive engineering, it has everything you need
This video feels like classic doug from back in the days before cars and bids
Purely because it's not recorded in his dungeon, and I agree
@@artoodeetoo3064 even with some of the jokes he makes and the whole thing about the convertible top
@@artoodeetoo3064Exactly!
Strange statement
Completely agree, wish he would do it more like this.
I am sorry. But I ABSOLUTELY do not mind doing all of that to pull down/up the top. I really like it!
He makes such a fuss about it lol. It’s really pretty simple. Wouldn’t bother me at all.
I've got it down to well under a minute on my 718 Spyder. It's really easy once you figure out the most effective way to do it: unlatch from console, unlatch driver's side buttress, walk around to other side and unlatch pass. side buttress, lift trunk lid up, stow roof inside, flip pass. side flap down, close trunk lid fully, flip driver flap down, DONE!). Reverse for putting it up.
I know it sounds ridiculous when typed out but it's quite easy and logical this way.
@@dbworld4k718 Spyder along with Enzo Ferrari?
Like it tho? Why would you actively like it?
@@IceTTomBecause it doesn’t break. My 987 roof broke all the time, my Spyder never.
Doug the kind of guy to talk about someone's quirks and features at their funeral
That’s wholesome
That would be awesome
...and describe every car they've ever owned in the eulogy
Wow, I would love that. Especially if he starts the eulogy with … "THIS!"
My 981 Spyder is sapphire blue with buckets and PCCBs. Spot on review by Doug. This car has everything you could possibly need in a sports car and nothing you don’t with probably the best shifter/clutch Porsche has ever made. I have a few friends who are fortunate enough to have this car and a GT3 and they say this is the one Porsche they will never part with.
Me neither!
Good choice! I unfortunately had to sell it and miss it! My comfort is....for now I can always buy a "better" copy. I know it will not be for long.
I agree. I often tell people there’s not a car priced below $200k I’d rather own. In fact, I don’t think you could gift me any car of any value (stipulating I can never sell) which would make me get rid of my 981 Boxster Spyder. It’s a car which hits every note perfectly.
Sapphire Blue with buckets and PCCBs? You, my friend, have the dream spec 981 spyder!
@@jscifres100100% in agreement. I keep browsing the auctions and kicking tires on a bunch of great cars and I just can’t find anything that is a better overall package for the road than the 981 Spyder.
Easy ownership. Exotic looks. 9.8/10 soundtrack. Perfect drivability on the street. Chassis optimized as a convertible. Can pass as supercar adjacent or dress down as just a Boxster.
I *might* trade one for a S/T but even then I’m not so sure because the Spyder has no roof automatically making any road interesting. I would probably try and keep both.
Only us car enthusiasts understand …. Right ??
Having a manual top is actually a feature! No crazy expensive electronics or hydraulics to replace with age. Huge W!
Totally. The manual top is also another way to interact with this tactile car.
@@jscifres100the best way to interact with this tactile car is the tail pipe
@@Mirstripno , it’s the stick
Makes the process of open driving more fun if you ask me.
As someone that drove a Jeep Wrangler for 12 years seeing you put the top up and back down in about 4 minutes looks like a dream
Had an order in for the 992 Carrera S and for the same money, went with 718 Spyder with the lightweight buckets and 6 speed. Absolutely agree with everything here, it’s super fun and very unique. Although not as “rare” as the 981, preferred the facelift/tail lights and all the GT3 bits (brakes, suspension) the 718 gets.
And they only imported 2800 to the states over 3 years, so still pretty unique.
2800 981 Boxster Spyder units?
@@purwantiallan5089 No. 829 is how many 981 Boxster Spyders made it to North America. He is saying 2800 is the number of 982 (the updated generation) Boxster Spyders produced, which averages out to 933 per year. So bragging you have the "ultra rare 2016 boxster spyder" is like the trope of the corvette owner saying "super rare only one of 23 1987 corvettes in silver with tan interior with an automatic" The 2016 Boxster spyder isn't more rare "per year" than say a 2021, 2022 or 2023 boxster spyder. If you break it down by model years.
I have a 2023 718 Spyder too. It’s insane the smile you put on your face!!! Every time you drive it. Almost never see any others on the road.
On the bright side the chances that top will break is a lot lower than a powered one
no one cares
I got a feeling it’s more likely the top would break due to user error.
Owner here, after a month of using it, the roof takes like 5-10 seconds to open/close it. Love this thing XD
I think Doug is irritated that it requires lifting a finger. I’m with you on this one.
My friend has one, and having driven it a few times, I agree with everything Doug says! Absolutely amazing and special vehicle
I daily drive a 981 Cayman S 6 spd manual with the same suspension, wheel and tire package. Wanted to say, while yes, the little "window" below the center of the tach displaying the gear number does seem redundant and unnecessary, I _will_ say it is actually helpful in a few specific scenarios. The first is when you're stopped and switching from neutral to 1st. It's not difficult to accidentally slide into reverse rather than 1st. There is no lockout ring/device on the shifter handle of these cars that needs to be pulled before being able to engage reverse-- there is only a _slightly_ increased resistance that you need to overcome to engage reverse rather than first. While I've never made the mistake personally, I know others have, and its nice to have peace of mind seeing that "1" in situations where the vehicle behind you at an intersection on a hill is literally 6 inches from your rear bumper. The other thing to keep in mind is that the gears in the 981 manual transmissions are _long_ (it will do 80+ mph in 2nd gear). On interstates and highways, its not difficult to forget if you're in 5th or 6th gear because you've got the windows down and/or the music up. While yes, its not that difficult to differentiate just by looking at the RPM relative to speed you're doing, I've got to say the _first_ thing that catches your eye when you glance down at the gauge cluster is that bright white gear number. FWIW.
I own a ‘20 Subaru wrx which has the same feature and I really enjoy/appreciate it. I think he reviewed a same gen STI as my wrx and wasn’t a fan of the gear notification. It has come in handy for my several times. But this car is beautiful. I actually like the manual top too. They did a great job concealing it when the top is done. I used to own a mustang gt convertible and I hated the way it looked sometimes with the top down. Anyhow hope you are still enjoying yours!
One of the things I usually keep my Boxster gts 4.0 "digital window" selected to is the gear-shifter assistant, it's basically "redundant" from just having the tachometer / Gear shift number... BUT when you are actually driving the car hard it does help. It only lights up when you're getting close to redline and helps you see which gear you're in.
Love the return to filming outdoors as it really gives viewers a better perspective and more appreciation for the style and details by seeing the car in the real world vs seeing it inside the garage with artificial lighting. Thanks for years of great videos Doug! ❤
I just bought my first Porsche, a base black/black manual 981. One of these will 100% be my trade up. I think it will age better than the 718 and values will be better given the lower production. Such an overlooked car.
That red and silver color combo with the Spyder body style is gorgeous. Seems like a dreamy, balanced combo of sporty dynamics, touring car comfort, and classic roaster styling.
REDYPS = SPYDER - well played vanity plate.
Took me longer than I care to admit.
Omg so clever they must work for nasa
wow I really feel stupid for not figuring that out, good find!
Hey Doug, we chatted briefly at RSF last year about 981 Spyders a little after I bought my 981 GTS and i love that you’re finally driving one.
I live in WA where the weather is finicky and my Boxster GTS is also my only car so having a roof that went up/down while I was driving (up to 40 mph and in 8 seconds) was super important to me.
I was cross shopping one of these with my GTS and loved the decision I made with my car but man do you make me second guess myself now.
I will say to those looking for a Spyder to give a Boxster GTS a try. Mine is specced with the full GTS interior (alcantara+leather), Porsche torque vectoring and sport suspension (PTV and X73 - same as on the Spyder) and provide a VERY similar driving experience. The shift isn’t as short but it’s easy to swap and it is an incredible car for the money.
Can’t wait to see how this does on C&B!
A short shifter makes it feel like a bolt action rifle. I’ve never used a rifle but it transforms the shift acting. Highly recommended.
I currently own a 718 Spyder and I can suggest a quicker way to open and close the top. You just hold the lock/unlock button (closing/opening the top respectively) instead of switching the car on to electronics and closing it from the button in the cabin.
Best car I’ve owned. I would still however like to buy a 981 Spyder some day. It truly is a special car.
My 718 Spyder puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. Every time I just look at it. Yes insanely great. Peak Porsche.
I agree with you.
It is an impressive car.
Looks extremely better than many of the 911’s too.
The rear deck lid on this car not popping up is a flaw with this specific car. Perhaps a latch spring has failed. Whatever the cause, the deck should raise an inch when released.
14:44 I lost it! 😆 everyone at work looked at me like I was crazy... worth it. LOL
The little bridge tail light between the humps is body color on 981, but is black on 718. It looks so much nicer on 981 as a whole.
This is honestly probably in my top 5 favourite Porsche's of all-time! Thx Doug!
What’s crazy is he didn’t even highlight the sound. It’s ALIVE.
Doug the kinda guy to describe a car that is out of production and was so hard to get that used cars are still selling over original MSRP as “underrated”.
After owning several Porsches and now an owner on one of these, it truly is an amazing car. Mine is also optioned with PCCB and the carbon fiber bucket seats which makes it just that more special to me.
Doug the type of guy to make his managing editor detail his Countach
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I had a 981 spyder in white full options and I stupidly sold it after 2 years. That car sounds and drives incredible and was a joy every single time I was in it. Looks stunning as well and for sure I will want to buy another one soon enough.
Hi Doug! This is one of the most beautiful modern Porsche models, well modern cars in general. Also, perfectly balanced, incredible driving experience. This is the car 911 enthusiasts were asking for for years. then the incredible building quality these cars are legendary for, german engineering at its best. It's obvious the previous owner gave a lot of love and care to this vehicle so I'm sure the next one will have a car you will not say is perfect only because of the roof thing. Other than that one of the very best Porsche to have and enjoy. EXCELLENT!
One of the best exhaust notes of all time
Some of us LOVE process, love wiping down and covering a boat for example. I want this car more because of the style of the top (on top of engine and other fantastic hardware and appearance. I hope the market tanks on these among those that demand convenience to leave some headroom for the rest of us.
that is not a very big deal to put the top up/down.
@@dalusa81 it is
Another great video! Thanks Doug!
Doug is the type of guy who makes amazing car videos/reviews.
This is what my Saturn Sky wants to be when it grows up.
Same with my 2019 Fiat 124 Spider.
The top with the speed humps on the trunk lid is very cool. This car comes with the X73 sports suspension and the steering rack from the 991 turbo. It’s detuned to 375 hp, but with headers and tune it will make at least 430 hp. Evo Magazine as well as Car and Driver hailed the 981 Boxster as possibly the best roadster ever made in 2012. My 981 Boxster S has been bulletproof through daily driving and hard riding through the mountains. If you don’t have a hundred large to drop on the Spyder you can get a really nice “S” for literally half as much and it’s an incredible value.
Doug should buy this car.
you should always store the car with the roof up so the roof fabric don't crease or lose elasticity
I am so glad this was not filmed in the dungeon, outside environment is so much better. Not only the audio, but also the cramped feel and bad lighting. Thank, thanks & thanks!
Agreed haha. It's a cool little bunker he's got, but I don't like it during reviews.
I'm just happy to see Doug filming outdoors instead of in his dungeon. So much more appealing to look at.
I love the roof top mechanism. It's reasonably simple, foolproof, lightweight and mostly unbreakable. At the end of the day, it's a sports car first and foremost.
Doug the kind of guy who has a Dora The Explorer lunchbox
🤣
3:50 Doug showing the full roof up and down procedure is the most all-time Doug part of the video
Jokes on you Doug, the Boxster is my favorite Porsche.
We have a Saturn Sky and this top is similar to the steps of operating the top on the Pontiac Solstice & Solstice Sky… actually the Porsches top is a bit more cumbersome… but both are doable…. Love the Boxster & Cayman.
To my opinion THIS is the best looking Porsche ever made, you can’t chance my mind
I won't try to chance your mind. The 911 speedster is more awesome.
Could I change your mind? I prefer the Cayman.
@@MrJeepmarine we only chance up in here.
Two differentiators all nerds will appreciate:
The Spyder has two more differentiators from all other 981 Boxsters, showing the car was really a love letter from engineers choosing all the details carefully.
1) it doesn’t have Auto Start-Stop, which enables a smaller and lighter battery and starter motor, also takes away a button in the interior
2) the dial needles are white. The other 981s have orange needles, but these white ones are much prettier.
Small details that yet cost Porsche a small fortune to not only produce, but also stock as spare parts.
Oh, and: the 981 is considerably lighter than the 718. The additional horsepower is pretty much negated by weight.
A very good friend of mine had one of these, he took me out a few times and it was an incredible car for a brilliant man. Unfortunately don't know what ended up happening to it after he passed. Rest in peace Paul
Wow, was not expecting that exhaust note
Doug is outside again! He needed some vitamin D and some color!;)😎
I dont think the gear icon is strange, I have one on my wrangler and I love it, it keeps me from stalling when not paying close attn to 1st or third at a light.
After seeing the roof operation on the Spyder RS, this car's roof is a cinch. But this car is so dang sexy I would happily deal with a somewhat fiddley roof.
My Dad’s friend has one of these and he took me on a drive in it.
These are awesome and deserve more love.
i hope they dont get anymore love...i want to be able to afford one someday lol. every car i love have just been skyrocketing in value. as a car guy i absolute hate that cars are investments now.
Doug the type of guy to call a bright red interior "subtle".
Hey, that roof process is waaaay better than the old Boxster Spyder…
I don’t have such a huge problem with the top. Doug is obviously trying to make it seem harder than it is.
He never said it was hard. It’s just annoying, because no one wants to pay that much for a car and have to manually put the top up and down, especially when there are that many steps.
2024 spyder RS owners have wet dreams about this top.
Finally, 981 Caymans/Boxsters are peak sports car such a shame that the 982 replaced all of the wonderful engines with ones that aren't really that exciting :(
Rear trunk either has faulty latch or a bit of lube is required.
The trunk should popup more like you would expect on a front hood...something is sticky on this one.
Those wheels look great on this 981. Great options overall actually, gray wheels with silver and a red interior.
The flat 6 inside of it is great!
If you can swing a newer model, the 4.0 liter is incredible
But the sound on this one is hard to beat
@@knick11695this is the one to have. The 4.0 is great but doesn’t sound as good and the car is about 300lbs heavier.
I agree the 981 is the one to get if you want the one which sounds great from factory. But I have a friend with a 718 and an aftermarket exhaust which sounds like a friggin race car. Both generations are special. Pick your poison.
@@thedudeabides1443aftermarket over axle pipes fix the sound on the 718s, and the 4L extra power makes up for the few hundred lbs.
the roof doesnt seem that bad tbh
That is an EXTREMELY handsome looking car with the top down. This one is specced really nice and I wouldn't mind owning it... if my 6' 5" body could actually fit inside of it.
Doug is the type of guy to review cars on RUclips, and then sell them on his website.
Well, obviously…
Doug’s the kinda guy to vertical integrate himself into his dream garage, a very comfortable retirement for him and his family and a Ford GT for his dog. All whilst wearing two tshirts.
I love my 981 black spyder! I got mine this year with 30k miles …it’s a fun weekend car
"Annoying" roof situation... now that's a rich people problem.
This car in this exact spec is one of my dream cars 🤩
Never should have sold mine. Best P car I've ever owned.
"...this isn't something you're going to want to be doing very frequently."
Doug, if I were so fortunate to own that car, I'd be happy opening and closing that roof even thirty times a day!
Wait, has Doug never done a Boxster before? Wild.
Doug is the type of guy to put rubber tips on his keys for safety.
The fabric door pull isn’t to save weight, it’s to give a more analog / race-oriented vibe.
I have a friend who has the older version of the boxster spyder. Driving it is the most fun I’ve ever had in a car.
Looks like a mini Carrera GT, thought Dougie was selling his Carrera as I glanced at the thumbnail.
These are really cool I don’t think I’ve seen one in person before. And all jokes aside when Doug drives a car and has this reaction you know it’s a serious car to drive
Nobody has ever said this car is underrated.
Perhaps because it’s underrated?
@@jacksmack6956 you're underrated.
The display that shows the gear you are in is standard to all Boxters and Caymans of the 981 generation. I got the chance to drive an automatic one a few years ago and it was there as well.
I remember there was a sitcom called 'Yes Dear' where the main character got made fun of for driving a Boxster because it was a 'girls' car.
Yeah, I used to call the original boxer a girls car.
Things haven't changed really
In “Two and a half men” as well. Its “cute”
Says all the bros w tiny PPs
@@volvo09 funny thing is that you rarely see a girl driving it. They also call the Miata a girls car yet it is one of the best handling front engine rear drive car and most people cut their teeth in racing by competing in them
single best thing about the 981 Boxster Spyder is the exhaust 💨💥💨💥💨💥
My Cayman has a similar back hatch trunk and sometimes it will stick closed like that making it so you have to stick your fingers in the body line to pry it up. But usually it lifts up about an inch on it's own after a moment and makes it very easy to open. I wonder if this Spyder was just lightly sticking closed like mine does sometimes, or maybe Doug was just too impatient?
Best sounding flat 6 at the price point? Probably yes
boxster spyder prices after this: ⬆️
Doug is the guy who doesn't need to like or respond because he's worked all of his life to build an automotive based online empire.
Good for Doug🙏
.... I still think he should pay an intern to like various comments on ytube;)-
DaveinSDougfan
This is my dream car
I have spyder , great car and i plan to keep it for while
This car is awesome but Porsche could learn a lesson about convertible tops from the Mazda Miata engineers. LOL
I prefer the manual roof