I was trolling through the P-car dealer when the GM comes out (he's a friend) and he starts talking smack about my M3 and tells me he has something for me and gets one of the sales guys to take me for a ride in the Cayman. Who am I to argue.
First thing I noticed is tight cockpit but I like it, intimate but where your supposed to be and controls are placed very well. Clutch is smooth and light and take up is fairly close to the floor which I like. Shifter is pretty good, after driving an S2000 everything else either sucks or is OK. I know Porsche sport shift is a little better still so acceptable and I didn't miss any shifts and was able to acclimate immediately.
Power is geez, what the hell is wrong with you guys. They need to be putting 400 in the 911's and 325-335 in this car. I mean it goes but it did not feel as fast as my M3. Thats a pretty insurmountable objection IMO. It revs freely and the drivetrain likes to be worked which in part makes up for some of the power deficit but not all. It does ask to be whipped. Not quite as frenetic as an S2000 but still happy to bounce off the redline at every opportunity and the transmission is pretty spot on as well.
Ride quality is pretty good, it had PASM and in the standard setting it was OK. I have noticed that all Porsches have an interesting bucking motion that feels almost as if it rocks on a diagonal axis from the front left to the right rear. Its not bad just kind of a weird trait. In Sport it was much tighter and jiggled like a high school girl in a tight t-shirt.
Handling was near dead flat with Sport active, turn in was very good, very gratifying and apex/exit is simply amazing with some early throttle. Like really good cake icing, sickeningly sweet but the consistency is perfect and it feels good from the moment it passes your lips all the way down the back of your throat. I've never driven a car that was so natural to correct in power oversteer. Excuse the color but really ****ing great! And while it is so F'n great it would literally be unmatched with another 35hp. The lack of power really nueters the car in town, it would probably be wickedly fun at the track but on the street it needs more power. Did I say that already?
The cabin was reasonably quiet for a small coupe, but not as quiet as my M3 and could actually get annoying. Exhaust note on the other hand is not as pronounced as I would like and you actually cannot hear it over your shoulder like you can in the Boxster. Overrall this is a wicked little car that lots of 40 somethings can putt around the autoX or PDE's but not the playa that a hardcore boy racer would really enjoy. Not enough power and for 70K it has gotten all the attention it will get from me. Even with the added power I would still place more value in teh Roadster, but hey Porsche marketing, who knows why they do what they do.
I jumped right into a the Boxster S from the Cayan and hey Porsche, this thing is every bit as fun as the Cayman, the power difference is hardly noticeable at all and its a convertible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wahoo, now I like this car! I knew in 30 seconds from the lot that I was actually into this car. All the superlatives about the Cayman can be slid right over to the Boxsters score card. On the street, the difference between these cars can be measured by the width of dental floss, however, with the top down on the Boxster IMO you have a much more visceral and sporting driving experience. I know not everyone favors the Roadster program, but for those who do, this car is so good its the only thing I've driven that ever made me feel that there was something funner than an S2000. While I would not even consider the Cayman, I could definetly spend some time with the Boxster!!

 

Its a very bias opinion there, which you are entitled to.

Its obvious you LOVE your Soft tops. S2000 and Boxster.

That's all good. But your bias towards the softies shows in your writeup.

You said that the Cayman needs 35 HP more.

Most people couldn't tell the difference with an extra 35HP.

Example in case, I don't know the number but You couldn't tell that the Boxster had less power than the
Cayman, and how much less is that ? (20Hp ? I don't know what boxsters put out)

The main reason you can't tell in this scenario is the Cayman is nicely stiffer, so it gobbles up the extra power and makes it seem so effortless that perhaps it seems slow.

Hard tops will always out handle a Soft top.

I have driven MANY M3's and 6 series at the track.

The scariest car I ever drove fast on the track was a 645 Convertible. I've driven 4 x 4's that sat flater through corners. (Scary as in, this car has no business being on the track. Take it back to the shopping mall where it belongs) The Hard top 6er was fine on the track. No comparison. Every group that went through had to wait for the 6 convertable to catch up.
Thats how slow it was on the track, no matter who drove it.

SO I feel your a little biased towards the soft tops. Each to there own.

But a spade is still a spade. If we are at the Track, I'll back the Cayman over the Boxster everyday.

As you can't have brains and hair, us baldy's prefer a Hard head on the cars.

I'd take an M3 over an S2000 anyday.

How good will the new E90 V-8 M3 be. Theres your new champ.

As you may have notice, I'm a little ///M Biased.

P car had best pic up there game, or the ///M's will continue to embarrass them.

I was hoping the Cayman, would chew up and spit out the ///M3.

But I fear it will be the V-8 M3 E90 that will be doing all the chewing up and spitting out.


regards MJ

 

Hey MJ, i agree with you in theory but in reality the 15hp difference between the cars is noticeable but does not make the Cayman noticeably faster and 35+hp would make a pretty huge difference in both the Boxster and the Cayman.

As you read, I felt the power deficit was apparent on the street but I thought it would be wicked fun on a track. Your comparison of a 645/645ci is not really fair, that is modest GT car, the S2000, Boxster are purpose built play cars that have higher levels of rigidity than many coupes. I do agree a Cayman would probably be faster, but it would be all driver if you pitted one against a Boxster. The Cayman would not walk away from the Boxster.

Getting into my competition package M3 after dirving those two car made the handling feel sluggish! Thats saying something, but I also agree with you in that the new M3 will certainly be a better street car and with such a huge power advantage will probably be a comparable track car as well.

Doug

 

Hey Doug,

Really ? The M3 feels sluggish after those two?

Thats probably the Biggest compliment any vehicle could be paid, buy saying after driving it, the M3 Comp felt sluggish.

I would have thought an M3 to be quicker than a Boxster and Cayman.

252 KW vs 217 Kw. Thus my hesitation to get the cayman.

Especially as the New M3 maybe 18 moths to 2 years away will have 300+ Kw.

That makes the Caymans 217 seem like chicken feed.

They speak of a Cayman RS at 250 Kw's that would be a weapon. But the stock one should have been that for it to easily chew up an M3.

I'm caught between getting an M3 of a Cayman.

The Caymans hit OZ on the weekend.

I have to go take a look at one up close and personal and see if two sets of clubs will fit in it.

I don't need a back seat, but the M3 can take one set of clubs in the trunk and another in the back seat and a Buddy upfront. So it fits the requirements.

I was hoping the Cayman can take a Buddy upofront and two sets of clubs in the rear.

But I want it to be Faster than an E46 252 Kw M3.

If its not, then I may as well get the slighly more practical M3.

Your thoughts on acceleration between your Comp pack and the Cayman?

MJ

 

I said the handling felt sluggish, the power of the M3 is superior. I do have a cat back and an intake but that can't be worth more than 15-18hp so figure optimistically I have 350+/-. The handling on the Cayman and Boxster was fantastic. I ran through a couple of the corners I drove the Cayman/Boxster through on the test drives and couldn't match the cornering speeds but the M3 clearly would out accelerate either one of them. Like I said above, for the streets I think they are both underpowered, you really couldn't legitmately drive through corners that fast all the time as fun as it is so in the real world IMO its better to have a little more punch out of the hole.

They tried to tell me the Cayman would hold two sets of sticks, but I have my doubts. One fully loaded bag looked like a stretch to me.

 

Thanks Doug,

Yes, I have my doubts about two sets of sticks as well.

I'll take a drive tomorrow to the stealer and see for myself.

In a dvd they sent me, it shows one set in a Porsche bag. Even though as a Golf bag it sucked, it looks like 2 of those would fit.

I don't mind getting two Porsche golf bags if they fit.

Power is a concern. My ///M5 has $50K in mods and puts out around 450Hp.

The new V-10 is 507 HP Stock. But its such a big car.

I drove the V-10 at the track, and it chewed up the M3's because of the Huge power difference.

The M3's stayed close by in the corners, but as soon as you got to the straigt, the V-10 said See Ya.

So The M3's could never get close enough to it. But thats 507 HP in a BIG ugly sedan.

I want something Small, nimble and Pretty.

I love the look of the Baby Croc. (Cayman)

The other less practical option would be the Carrera S.

But I think there is less chance of fitting two sets of clubs in one of those.

The Hatch of the Cayman, looks very practicle for Golf.

Now if we just fit the two sets in and Them maybe Mod the Power problem.

A S/C with an extra 100 Ponies ought to solve what ailes it.

I really want a vehicle that is Sweet to steer, Plenty of driver involement and feedback.

regards MJ.

 

I think if you were willing to mod it you would have a very stellar car. Let me know what you think after your check ride.

 

Hey Doug,

I checked out the Cayman S.

Wow. I love it. I was initially concerened about the rear section, but its all good.

I like the shape better than the 911. To me the 911 rear always looked unfinished.

Don't get me wrong, front on the 911 is super sweet, it just seemed to me the did an awesome job until after the rear wheels and ran out of time and just called it a day on the design.

But the Cayman looks finished. A more traditional vehicle rear I guess.

But I took down my Trusty Taylor made Tour bag. The BIG ONE.

It didn't look promising. But looks are decieving.

Length is no problem. I had the cover on and Driver in the bag, Noo problem.

The only real issue was Depth.

But the salesman slowly lowered the top and it was half inch from closing and he said you don't mind if I shut it, I said I don't if you don't.

CLICK. Its in there.

We went around the fron and climbed in, its all good.

Mine has the chubby belly bag, which I may change, two chubby belly full sized Tour bags could be a little over craped but two will go in.

Two normal bags NO problem.

We have Confirmation.

Cayman S = Great Golf cart.

911 No way. You would have to negotiate your paintwork and seats to try to squeeze every thing in.

I'm very **** about paintwork, and scratches.

The Cayman is a Breeze, like chunking them in a trunk.

This is a Pretty little car.

That was my main concern. Looks in person and The two sets of clubs rule.

The only last concern is Lack of Power.

I'm trying to think IF the E90 M3 V-8 were available Now, would I bother with the Cayman?

300 KW of pure Sports coupe & Practicality vs The Cayman's 217 KW.

Virtually the same price, so $$ don't come into it.
The cayman starts off cheaper, but fully spec'ed up is a little dearer. Nothing really in it.

If I were to get a Cayman, Instant gratification, but what would it feel like in 18 months time being blown off the road by a V8 M3.

 

Personally, no I don't think so. If your like me and you need a little function in your play car the M3 is hard to beat right now. With a V8 and possibly a double clutch SMG........game over. I just hope I have found a good 997S or a GT3 by then or all be stuck in an M3 for many years to come.

 

boxXxster is a really underrated cars. I think it deserves more respect.
It's a fine looking mobileeeeeeeeee.

 

Agreed,

I think because its the first mass produced Porsche other than the 911.

The Purists didn't like the brand being watered down.

But for Porsche to survive it was necessary.

So Now they have added the Cayenne.

And now the newbie the Cayman,

Porsche is now a more Traditional style of Car company like BMW and Mercedes.

The adding of the Cayman, will bring more attention to the Boxster and more credit.

I love the Cayman Real coupe, glass lifting up for easy Gold club storage.

I keep the head to closely shaven for a Soft top. LOL

MJ

 

Obviously I'm biased, but from the results I"ve seen, the difference between the Boxster and the Cayman in performance numbers is almost non-existent, despite the theory that because the Cayman is hard top/coupe, it should be faster. Braking is still king with Boxster and also the slalom has not been beaten by any vehicle including the Enzo over the new 987S (Car and Driver, I think).

Anyway, I wanted to ask about the clutch - you said it was fairly close to the floor, and this is far different from my 987S, which has clutch travel about 1/4 mile long. My knee starts at my ear and I have to depress it until my leg is fully straight - it's light, but LONG. Is there a way to adjust this or something?

Great review, by the way...

 

The clutch is hydraulic but should be adjustable though I could not tell you how. As far as take up, I mentioned it because past Porsches I have driven did in fact have a lot of travel before it engaged and I thought both the newer ones were much better.