Bored with work, made a snap decision to head off to the Nurburgring and the last bits of Europe I haven’t done yet.
Then I got thinking about travelling by car for a change. I’ve done 24,000 miles of commuting by bike in the past 15 months, and got rained on a lot. Suddenly the thought of having a little luxury started to appeal.
Then to choose a car. Has to be convertible to preserve some of the feel and atmosphere of biking. Had to be quick enough for easy overtakes. Had to sound good, feel like a sports car and handle like one. The Z4 was very disappointing to drive. Too slow, too quiet. The SLK was ugly and though it sounds OK, the handling is bizarre. The S2000 is too highly strung and too ugly. An M3 convertible was very quick but felt like any old saloon car.
Then I drove a Boxster S. Perfect. The sound, the feel, the handling, the acceleration. I knew immediately it would be a Boxster. Then I just had to find one that wasn’t broken.
A nice 2005 987 S in immaculate condition with just 44,000 miles fits the bill very nicely. A new clutch switch, new front shocks, some attention to the headlamp washer jets, retro-fitted cruise control, an FM transmitter to address the awful stereo, a couple of mounts for the Go Pro and Ion cameras, and she’s ready to go.
The ferry to Amsterdam is booked. Three hotels at the ring are booked. Roll on Thursday.