lizzie

My 8 year old Storm battery gave up the ghost the other day and after disconnecting to charge up the battery overnight to see if it would do any good, I found that my alarm now comes on when I try to start the engine. It's a VW Logic 900 (dealer fitted) (which may or may not be the same as a Clifford Arrow 2 as I seem to have papers relating to both which I think came with the car, bought 2nd hand). It's been suggested that I remove the 5amp fuse for a while so that the alarm resets, but I can't even find the fuse! Any suggestions gratefully welcomed, as the alternative seems to be nearly £100 to get the alarm people to sort it out. Thanks Lizzie

Must be getting senile, thought the story sounded familiar but then decided I'd imagined it! Well, you're obviously a man of taste with a Storm and a Boxster. Like the sound of the next one too. Hope it all gets sorted. If you spend the sort of money that Porsches cost, I reckon you can expect a little more in the way of customer service than seems to be the norm though. Time for home I think, the Boxster's outside with the top down and I can't resist any longer...... have a good weekend :)

Sorry to hear your woes. Spend any time on a Boxster forum and you'll find that Porsche customer service is mostly poor and rear main seal failures are well known, considerably higher than the 3% Porsche will admit to. Not so sure about clutch problems, but they seem fairly common too. If I were you, if you've not already done so, I'd seek advice from the boys and girls on boxa.net, they will have seen it all before. By the way, I picked up my brand new Boxster 550 from the factory on Friday. I can't stop smiling, even though I might have trouble ahead! Still keeping my Storm though (well, hubby's getting it actually!). Hope the Boxa peeps can help you. Lizzie

Yee-haa - new Boxster S 550 Spyder Anniversary Edition (or something like that) on order! Funny how the old budget expands as you go through the buying process.... a worthy addition to the family I think but will the Corrado's nose get put out of joint? Hoping for a trip to Stuttgart to pick it up from the factory next month :) Thanks for all the comments (and also the tips about mytyres). Lizzie

Hi VR6-er, can't say silver is my favourite but it's about the right age. Send me a PM with spec and money details and I'll have a think!

Oh well, that was so easy. All that hand-wringing and heart searching and so on and all for nothing! Why? Drove the Boxster at the weekend. Or to be exact drove a 2.7 and a 3.2. I am smitten; all the other cars we've tried vanished from my mind in an instant. I'd be happy with the 2.7 but hubby didn't reckon it was any faster than the Corrado so it's got to be the 3.2S. Anyone know of any good 01/02 S's for sale out there? Also any good websites to find one on other than Autotrader or Exchange & Mart? Finally, anyone know of any users/owners/drivers clubs/forums (like this one) on the web? i've tried to find one but failed so far..... Thanks for your help gentlemen.

Hmmm... interesting. I've been meaning to get mine professionally valeted once the gritting season is over as a place nearby comes highly recommended assuming that they'd be using products not available to Joe Public. However, the car has quite a few tiny scratches caused by the elderly odd-job man at work who used to clean it for me getting a bit doddery and not realising when he'd picked up grit in the sponge. I think most of them will T-cut out but I've not got round to it yet hoping that the valeters would be able to sort it (don't do cleaning, that's what men are for ;-)). Will this stuff do this or does it need the scratches dealt with before using it?

Another favour please. I need to know roughly how much my car is worth, though I won't be selling it. It's a mystic blue Storm, 1996 N-reg. Coming up to 92,000 miles. Virtually standard. VW full closure alarm (I think Thatcham Cat 1). Two owners, I've had it since April 1999 when it had done 28,000 miles. Full VWSH until last service done by John Bowles in Tunbridge Wells last month (thanks to whichever of you recommended him). Pretty good nick, paintwork has quite a few very small scratches which would probably T-cut out, plus a small bash on the rear bumper and a bigger scratch on the rear spoiler. I've seen such a huge variation in prices between what the books say and what the cars are advertised at... Thanks Lizzie

Oh and VR6-er, thanks for the offer. Once I've driven them both and if it looks like it's a goer, I'll be in touch. Why do you want to get rid of yours, though?

Looks like the Porsche is favourite then. Test drives of both the 2.7 and 3.2 are being arranged as I write! I did think about the Elise (saw one whilst out driving the 350Z) and probably should find out where the nearest dealer is. Did also think about the S3 and would probably give it more thought if I wasn't allowing myself to be persuaded that I can manage with two seats! I belong to one of that apparently small minority that actually prefers the looks of the Boxster to the 911 family. To me, the lines of the Boxster are more flowing and the 911 is just too muscular. A pit-bull terrier (though no doubt a well-behaved one) versus a red setter if you like. I've admired the Boxster since it came out though I never really thought about owning one until recently. As far as other's views of it being a poor man's Porsche, I really don't care what other people think. My Corrado sits in the car park at work, a pearl among Mercedes swine, and every time I look out of the window it makes me smile. Everyone else sees an eight year old car among a sea of 02 and 03 plates and feels sorry for me. I'm happy in the certainty that my car is more fun to drive and better looking too. So that brings us on to image. I'm perfectly happy to admit that the looks of a car are important to me, but more because I want one that fits my idea of beauty rather than because of others views of the car. I don't think that alone makes me a poseur, but if you think differently, fine. The looks of a car provide more than a little of the satisfaction to me and much as they are no doubt fine cars, the Imprezas of this world just don't do it for me. I'm well aware that I won't use any of the cars I am considering to the full - I don't (and won't) do track days in any car, though I spend a fair amount of time spectating at bike events and may one day do a bike track day, not imminently though - so I'm less likely to compromise on looks than I am on performance, although performance and handling are obviously still major factors. The Corrado ticks all the boxes, so far none of the cars I've tried do the same. I'm hoping the Boxster will.... I'll let you know... Thanks very much for all your comments. Lizzie

I'm new here - first post - please be nice to me! I'm in what should be the enviable position of looking for a new car. I've had my Storm for nearly five years and I love her to bits and will be keeping her, but we need two cars now so am looking for something new/nearly new. I've never been out testing loads of cars before because my previous cars all seemed to choose themselves and I can't honestly say I'm enjoying it much. Thought you guys might have some views on what I should get and/or what should be on the shortlist, just in case I've forgotten something. The car will be used most days to get me to work, but we've no kids and the Corrado obviously has four seats so could be used when four seats are necessary. I've never particularly hankered after an out and out sports car/soft top but then again most saloon cars are dull. I like coupes, to be honest if the Corrado was still made it would probably still be my first choice, however I do want a car that looks classy, is not too common (in both senses of the word!), is enjoyable to drive and goes pretty fast. I don't drive seriously fast but then again I have been known to exceed the limit ;-) but hubby, who will drive it regularly, drives quite a lot faster than me. I've got a little over £30,000 max to spend. I can buy new or a couple of years old, but no older. I drive about 12,000 miles per annum andI can wait a while if need be. So you can see my thinking, I've ruled out the following (or at least I think I have!!): All Mercedes, Jags and BMWs - too middle aged (despite the onset of middle age here, I don't particularly want to advertise the fact!). I particularly hate the Z3/Z4. TVRs - build quality, just a bit too impractical (and the demonstrator broke down) Evos and Impreza - too boy racer TT - claustrophic and too trendy Audi S4, Alfa 156GTA - still basically quite stylish saloon cars, just don't light my fire Alfa 147GTA, Ford Focus RS etc - jumped up hatchbacks (though I do quite like the Alfa) So the current shortlist is: Boxster - prob 3.2S, maybe 2.7 - not driven either yet. Good reputation, classy, expensive to run? Obviously would be 2nd hand. Nissan 350Z - great fun to drive, nice torquey engine but not at all sure about the looks, bit like the offspring of a TT and a 911 Mazda RX8 - cheap, quite attractive, not enough torque, appalling petrol consumption, but four seats Honda S2000 - nice looking inside and out but didn't feel as powerful as the Corrado. Again, all the power too high up the rev range making it tiring to drive. Relatively high insurance (£10 less than the Porsche) Any constructive criticisms/thoughts/additions? Thanks in advance Lizzie