UCTeeth

Hey guys, on my Youtube Channel and on Instagram I get comments or messages asking me how I chose between these two cars. So I made a video covering the topic. Let me know what you guys chose and why you chose the car you did.

p.s. this isn't a debate of which one is better since they are both phenomenal cars

caymannyc

I chose both!

Cayman pluses:
-lightweight
-smaller
-mid-engine
-no rear seats
-the 981 is the most beautiful current Porsche (other than the 918 and Spyder, in my opinion)
-many young men wave at me when I drive the Cayman

911 pluses:
-rear seats if you have small children
-iconic, classic car
-more "prestigious" or "exclusive"
-many women wave at me when I drive the 911

Note I didn't mention speed or torque or HP in any of the above, because let's face it, both cars are "slow" compared to much cheaper cars such as the Corvette and in the case of the Carrera, the GT-R.

gregp714

I started with 911s before the Cayman was even conceived. Stayed with the 911 models until the GT4 was announced because that was a big enough combination of performance factors to get me to contemplate the platform.

I own both right now - 996TT and GT4 - and the Turbo sits in the garage more often than the GT4.

So I chose 911s because there was no other choice when I got hooked on Porsche, and I chose the GT4 because - race car

PorscheStrong

...both...

The first step is admitting you have a problem

john weires

I own a 2014 GT3 and a 2011 Spyder.
911's are generally a better daily driver with way more interior room, more power and AWD option. Cayman/Boxster offers mid engine fun for less money than most 911's and are the better value. I eventually may have to get down to one sports car for space reasons. The decision will kill me...........

JAhmed

2016 Cayman GTS here

Drove both, but standing at 5'7", felt like the 991 was just too big for me. Felt like I was "drowning" inside. FANTASTIC car, but the Cayman just fit me better.

Selo

Have had both.
Started with 997s.
When 981s came out, really began to appreciate their styling and reviews of inherent handling characteristics. At the same time, the 991 grew bigger, more complicated, requiring more performance options such as PDCC, PTV, RWS, etc, to get the most out of them, and became much more expensive as a result.
When GT4 and Spyder were announced, it was a no brainier. A 911 motor in a mid engine 981,... The answer I'd been waiting for.

cas951

A few months ago I helped my brother go through this experience. At that time he had a 2010 997 and a Macan S and wanted a new 911. All he ever spoke of was a new 911 so I did several Order build sheet for him using the configuration tool. After several visit to the dealership and test driving 911 base, 911 S he had a difficult time deciding to buy the 911 base or S and PDK vs manual as well as color choices. He finally decided he wanted the 911 base, manual trans, Silver with Red int.
He returns to the dealer with his wife to place his order and he sees a brand new Cayman GTS that arrived the day before in silver and red interior in the middle of the showroom floor. He calls me and asked me if I knew anything about the Cayman GTS and if I did why I didn't mention this model to him and I said yes that was one of my choices to be my next car and I didn't mention it because he was so focused on a new 911. He asked if I could go down to the dealer with him later that afternoon to test drive which we did. We had the car about one hour and he was sold on the GTS 5 min after we left the dealer. He had a big grin on his face the whole time. He loved the lightness and road feel of the car over the 911. It felt so nimble. Needless to say the whole car matched what he wanted to order except the 911 badge on the tail. He still has the 997 but barely drives it which is great for me so I have a 911 when I visit him when I'm in Hawaii.

TurnOne

Backseat.

JCtx

I don't get that impression at all. I'm almost sure the 911 has the same seat track than 981s, so if you don't fit on a 981, you don't fit on a 911 either. There's only more space behind the seats, but 981s have a trunk. Yes, 911s are a fraction of an inch wider inside, but can't feel it. When I ride on my buddy's 2016 RS, I feel I'm a passenger on my CGTS. But his car feels way bigger and heavier. And driving it, I just don't like the feeling of the handling, even though it can actually handle way better than mine. I enjoy driving my little GTS much more than any 911. And since I don't need any more power than the little 3.4 provides, I'm super happy with this car (finally!). This is my first and last Porsche. I prefer other cars than a 911.

desmotesta

Its a question or "fork in the road" that many Porsche brand Target audience may not ever have to ask themselves.. Anyone who could option out a 981S or 718S is spending upwards of $85,000 and at that price point, spending another $20K for a 911 is easy...

but for remaining 99%-ers, who eye the pre-owned market , this is usually a fork in the road, especially for those who eventually get over the preconceived panache of the 911 Icon Vs the newcomer model (Cayman).

I longed for the 911 for almost the entirety of my Porsche obsession. it was only in the last 4-5 years that i started paying closer attention to the Cayman.

The more I considered the Cayman, the more it was obvious that the "911" I longed for had grown in size so much so that it dwarfed a 964/993 in comparison.
I have noticed similar thing happening to other brands, People are choosing 1M and 135i M sport models over the much bigger and heavier M3..
Cars are getting bigger and bigger and although they still seem similar on spec sheets, thanks to much more HP, each increase in size results in a loss in chassis communication/feel.

To me the 911 vs cayman argument came down to size and chassis and I picked the one closer to my driving style and preference.
No 911 (or cayman) would be fast enough compared to my bikes, so speed wasn't an issue at all..

At the end of the day, to each his won.

Zeus993

I'm now getting to 10 years of Porsche ownership and feel strongly that the 981 platform really took over the 'small 911 sports car' segment whilst the 911 moved up int the GT segment. You can see my ownership evolution below in my signature. The 981 platform is so fun and so much like the 911's of yester year that to me its a no-brainer. Sure the back seat are nice in the 991 but that lifting rear hatch of the 981? A thing of beauty. And the 981 is really not that small compared to a 964 or 993. I choose 981.

VGM911

.
There's no question in my mind that the Boxster/Cayman mid-engine platform makes for a well-balanced, great handling car. In fact, I'm actually on my sixth Boxster, but I remain a fan of the 911.


The 911 platform provides at least three distinct advantages which I find quite valuable when compared to the Boxster/Cayman:

1) More horsepower/torque,
2) The ability to recline the seats to take a break (or nap) on a long trip, and
3) Convenient storage space behind the seats that's easily accessible by the driver and front seat passenger.


Having owned both, though, I do find that it's easier for this amateur to extract and enjoy the performance available from the more nimble mid-engine car as opposed to the more powerful rear-engine car.

richardbf

I bought a GT4 but I would have bought a GT3 had I been able to save another 50k lol. Both are solid cars. From my long string of M3's I really do see why the Porsche platform is so great. Not that there was much or anything wrong with my Ms but both the Cayman and 911 are just better.

mm1

Have owned two 997 (S and TT) and 2 981 (S and GT4), in my opinion I rank them: GT4 > 981s > 997s > 997tt

Don't get me wrong, they're all great cars. Both 981 and 997 are similar in size, I've test driven the 991 and I can't quite buy in. I think if I had to have ONE car I'd maybe go with a 991 but if you have a 2nd or 3rd car, 981 fits better (IMO).

Grain of salt, take this to the 911 forums and you'll get people selling the opposite side.