Sorry if this has been covered in other threads, but I was having trouble pouring through all the search results and didn't see my questions addressed. I currently own a Nissan GTR. Helluva car, but useless in the winter, and the speed terrifies my wife. We are seriously considering trading it in for a used Cayman. I figure we wouldn't have the speed, but it would have the handling and a manual shifter (which I miss). Also, the Cayman will be MUCH less to maintain than the GTR and my wife will have a fun car she can drive when I'm not tracking it.

So I guess my questions are, 1) is the Cayman S worth it over the base Cayman, 2) are there any major recurring problems with the Cayman, and 3) is there good head clearance (I'm 6'2"). Thanks in advance for your feedback!

 

It will be slow compared to your GT-R. I am 6 feet and have to angle the back rest some in order to wear a helmet so with 6'2 you will have problems with a helmet. You can install a sport bucket which will give you a lower seat height but make it useless as a daily for your wife. If you are not planning on modifying the base Cayman is fine, especially with a 5 vs 6 gear trans. The S will give you a higher top speed and better acceleration but not necessarily worth the difference. Best thing about the Cayman is the handling on street and track. Check out Planet 9 for endless Cayman info.

 

EVERYTHING is slower compared to the GTR But that's not necessarily a good thing; I'm just starting out with my track driving, and frankly I can't tap into 1/10th of its potential. It's just too quick for my own good; I could hurt myself with it.

I'm going to go to a dealer this weekend with my helmet to try it out. If I can't fit, then it's a no-go. That'd be a shame; the Cayman sure looks and sounds like one helluva car.

 

The Cayman makes everyone a good driver, probably the easiest car to drive fast.

 

I'm 6'1", 220lbs and car feels really snug...

I wish I was shorter...............Borat pause...................not!


Gotta test drive one for yourself...and sit in it for a while...Good luck

 

I am 6'3" and fit fine .You just have to adjust the seat all the way down and back . Love my cayman after 2.5 years no regrets and it is plenty fast

 

Im 6” 2 and with the seat back all the way. I prefer a little extra room though. They are both pretty slow, the S will probably help at resale though so I would go for that. They have everything mechanically well sorted out on the Cayman. The dealer will still get your for the K services that are basically just oil changes. Honestly, the Cayman is a kind of boring car since Porsche didn’t want it to be the best it could be. I know this is the cayman section so I will probably get blasted for that. Ever notice how many of these sit at the dealer until years end then get blown out. I got close to 10k off the sticker because it was a year old. Same thing goes for the used marketplace, there are a ton of these. If you ask the owners who got rid of theirs they will all attest to how mundane the handling and power is. Even on sport mode it is still a car that doesn’t come across as sporty to me. It doesn’t have an edge to it. If I were you I would go for a carrera. It’s just a bit more price wise but it’s worth it. They have the edginess and feel to let you know you are driving a car that wants to haul *** through the twisties. You can mod a the cayman to get it to where the 911’s at, (How Porsche should have made the cayman) but after you are done you spent more then that carrera that has more room and is a more practical car. It has more leg room too. The rear engine feel is intoxicating, and there’s nothing like it. From a physics standpoint it’s the wrong spot, but it gives the car the soul that the Cayman lacks. End product is a Cayman sitting in the garage with under 3000 miles on it going on 3 years old, that’s my personal review.


Why not just drive the GTR slower? Problem solved! Well other then the manual part.

My summery: The Cayman is a comfortable, quite, good riding daily driver capable of having some fun on the back roads. The mid engine platform is superior, but the performance can only be called boring.

Will also get blasted for this too, but I agree 100% other then on the looks. But that’s subjective isn’t it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riGejPAqNVw

 

Thanks for the input, guys. I'm heading to a dealer this weekend with my helmet...will see how I fit.

I'm also considering the Lotus Exige (thanks for the video embed), a Subaru STi 2004-2006, an Evo IX, or a Noble M12. The GTR is just too expensive to maintain for my tastes, and I worry about the wear and tear track time will put on it. So a less pricey car that I do't mind throwing around the track and is more appropriate for my current skill level would be great.

 

I would honestly have to dissagree with 95% of what 19000rpm posted.
go to the dealer and find out for yourself what an amazing machine the Cayman is for the $$$

We will not Blast you here,you have a right to your opinion and we have a right to ours .

The Cayman has been voted best sports car in many magazines and press funny how you post the only one that is negative and full of the englishmans opinion ,one of wich i totally dissagree with and after viewing this video years ago have lost all respect for this show and its ratings minded cast .

I went in to buy a 911 but drove out in a Cayman and I am still glad I did .

19000rpm you are always welcome here in the Cayman forum even if we dissagree. we are all car nuts here

 

I would actually be interested to see where a Carrera beats a Cayman ...

 

That would be like asking where a cayman beats a boxster. Its just a little bit better everywhere. Don’t argue it because Porsche designed it that way. If they made an awd mid engine car with a real engine it would be their best performing most desirable car. Drive the car and buy the one you want. An e46 m3 has comparable performance and is much less. For what you can get one for now a day, value for fun!! Also with the buyers market we’re in, you can get a 996 gt3 for a great price. Drive one of those, you will forget any other car you’ve ever driven before. Rwd high hp NA 911's are gods gift to car guys.

 

I was talking about the track and not the parts used in the car. Cayman stock beats a Carrera stock on any track other than a high speed oval. As for the M3, you can get a 2-3 old Cayman S with under 10K miles for low 30s get suspension and turbo for about $15K and destroy everything on the track. Nothing beats the balance of the Cayman on the track other than maybe a Lotus.

Porsche also has announced to withdraw any factory support from teams who would pitch a Cayman against a 911 Factory supported team in any race series. We finally have the first Cayman race team at the Continetal Tires series. I wonder why Porsche would do such a thing??? Maybe because the Cayman unmodified already outruns on several tracks a 911. In case you have not looked at my signature I own two 987 and 997tt.

 

serious question... but where can I get a Cayman S with under 10k miles for low 30's? I'm actually very close to buying a Cayman S... but the 06 Cayman S with under 10k miles are mostly high 30k range. I'm asking because I would really like to buy the car you are referring to. :P

btw, i absolutely agree with you about the cayman... it absolutely kills with what it comes with right off the lot and with mods would make it a bit unfair at the price point. Since you own both the Cayman and Turbo, I would bet your Cayman wouldn't be too far behind it on a non oval track...

 

Hell no! I started this thread, I get dibs on a $30,000 Cayman S.

 

It would be way behind if the drivers were the same. The majority of 911 owners out there cant push their car to that 10/10th’s mark without having the car try to kill them(rear engines are trickier to push). I can get in the cayman ½ asleep and push the car to its limit. You can take from that two things. The cayman is very easy to drive, and it doesn’t have near enough power considering what the car is capable of. I agree with Clarkson that when a manufacturer holds back intentionally just so they can fill a market gap, its unacceptable and so will be that cars performance.

Off the lot the Cayman is a disappointment if you’re an able driver. Still a very well built, pretty good at the auto x or smaller tracks, comfortable nice ride. What percentage of 987 owners actually go for large power gains via a turbo kit? I would bet its less then 1%. If you want to see how they do on the track against one another, youtube it. There are so many cayman vs … vids out there. If you could only have the turbo or the cayman? Its fun asking questing I know the answer to. If you think how much Porsche makes off of the turbo, it cost almost three times as much and doesn’t have 3X the material, or 3x the labor, or 3x the performance for that matter. I think a 3.8 might be due when I get up in mileage. Turbo kits are very rarely all they are said to be. Sway bars, bilsteins, and an x51 is the way it should come off the lot. Only thing I have done is gotten rid of the crap bose system.

With all that said, picking a car to drive primarily for fun on the road has a lot to do with personal preference and what makes you happy. For going fast on the track it has to do with numbers.

With some negotiating you can get a Cayman S sub 15k miles for the low to mid 30s. I haven’t blue booked a gtr, but if you can work the trade get a gt3. No one will ague against that car. It is a smile making fun time machine!!! Built to its full potential too.