Hi there fellow Audi owners. I thought I would jot down some informal comparison notes on the above vehicles after getting sufficient seat time. By way of background, I drove a TTRS for 2.5 years and then traded it in to get an RS5 in early February. I really like the RS5, but have always had an itch for the current generation Porsche Boxster S. I found a Boxster S with 11k miles on it a couple of months ago at a price that fit my informal budget. I've put about 6k miles on the RS5 and about 2.5k miles on the Boxster. So, in no particular order, here it is:
Cost (MSRP):
First – TTRS at $60,000
Second – Boxster S at $77,000
Third – RS5 at $87,000
The TTRS was a relative bargain with 911 type speed and excellent world handling at a fraction of the 911 price.
Acceleration:
First – TTRS
Second – tie between Boxster S and RS5, but the Boxster is so smooth that the RS5 feels faster.
Mechanical Sounds:
First – RS5
Second – Boxster S
Third – TTRS
The RS5 simply sounds fantastic. Road noise is not bad and the V-8 is music to my ears. The Boxster sounds pretty good at high RPM's, but is not as pleasing to the ear. When I bought the TTRS I had to get it sound proofed. The exhaust sounded ok but there was too much road noise otherwise. The stereo was getting drowned out by road noise on the highway.
Looks:
Three way tie – each is more lovely than the next.
Sound system:
First – RS5
Second – Boxster S
Third – TTRS
I added a sub to the RS5 and it sounds fantastic. The other two cars came with Bose systems, and they just don't offer much in the way of sound quality. On the TTRS, I added a sub, an amp and 4 speakers just so I could hear the system over the road noise. It sounded great after all the upgrades, but you had to play it loud if you wanted to drown out the road noise. The stereo in the Boxster sucks, but it's a convertible. I didn't buy it to listen to music.
Practical Daily Driver:
First – RS5
Second – TTRS
Third – Boxster S
No contest here. The RS5 is a fantastic DD. You can fit 4 adults in a pinch, it has a full sized trunk, and all the amenities (including 8 cup holders). The TTRS was no slouch in the DD category with a very usable hatchback. The back seats were almost completely useless, and the cabin was not as nice of a place to be in as the RS5. The Boxster has its cargo capacity split into two, you can't fit a gold bag in the trunk without removing the clubs, the cup holders are weak, etc.
Fun to drive:
First – tie between the TTRS and Boxster S
Third – RS5
All the rags say the Boxster S is one of the best handling cars on the planet. It probably is, but I liked driving the TTRS just as much. The torque on the TTRS was fantastic and the TTRS had plenty of it. The Boxster is light weight and great fun in the twisties. The RS5 is a great car, but you can't hide all of that weight in the corners. It probably goes through corners faster than the TTRS due to the sport diff, but the TTRS was still more fun with its superb 6 speed manual tranny and relatively lighter weight chassis.
Reliability:
First – RS5
Second – Boxster S
Third – TTRS
This is what I know so far. I have not had any problems with the RS5 or Boxster yet, but it's too early to tell. I gave the RS5 the nod b/c of all of the reliability complaints I see on the Boxster forums. The TTRS has tranny/syncro problems that cannot currently be remedied with stock or aftermarket parts. My car was modified, but I know of at least one person in my area with a stock TTRS who had the same exact problem. After the second blown tranny, I decided it was time to get something new.
Quality (of feel):
First – RS5
Second – TTRS
Third – Boxster S
This is certainly subjective, but I am surprised at how much higher quality the Audi's (especially the RS5) feel over the Boxster. Keep in mind that the RS5 is the most expensive (as configured) of the bunch, but the Boxster is nicely optioned and I don't think another $10k worth of options was going to make it feel of a higher quality equal to the RS5. Oddly, the Boxster feels like a higher quality car when you are pushing it. The engine sings, the chassis feels planted and suddenly the car feels expensive. The RS5 just feels like a high quality auto all the time. The TTRS fell somewhere in the middle with no notable weaknesses, but just not as nice as the RS5.
Attitude:
First – TTRS
Second – Boxster S
Third – RS5
The TTRS never lets you forget that you were in a sports car. It was loud and bawdy. Mine was metal flake black with black rims that had red around the outer edges. Everywhere I went with the car, people (of both sexes) were greeting me with thumbs up. This car seemed to have fans where ever it went. The Boxster takes second because it's a two seater convertible. It has fans in some sections where I drive, but sometimes I feel apologetic when driving around with the top down. I think one guy driving in the opposite direction gave me the finger just because of what I was driving. The RS5 is elegant and understated with the subtle gray exterior and a touch of flair from the red upholstry. Spotting one of these takes a keener eye, and I only get compliments from "car guys" who know what they are looking at.
Transmission:
First – Tie between TTRS and Boxster S
Third – RS5
I have been a diehard manual fan for the past 35 years, and the TTRS has about the best one I have had the pleasure of using. On the other hand, the PDK gear box on the Boxster is simply amazing. The rags say that it is clairvoyant in its gear shift selections. That may be, but the gear box is even more fantastic when shifted manually with immediate gear changes upon demand. The more I drive the Boxster, the less I miss the manual shifter. The RS5 gear box is nice, but there is a slight lag between the time I call for a gear change and when it actually happens. The Boxster is much more sophisticated.
If there could only be one:
I would choose the RS5 due to its combination of solid practicality and fun driving dynamics. I would choose the TTRS as second place over the Boxster for those very same reasons. I love the Boxster, but not as my only car. Happily, my wife doesn't mind me having more than one. Cheers.
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Originally Posted by SuperMex
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