btwyx

I just thought I'd introduce myself. I think I've persuaded the wife to go for a Cayman, so now I have lots of questions.

A little background, we currently own MINIs. Since 2004 we've owned 6 different ones, we currently have one of the slowest they sell (the Cooper, aka "JustaCooper"), and the fastest they sell (the JCW, MINI's version of BMW's M division), they're both great fun. The MINIs got both of us into driving on track, mostly with Hooked on Driving out here in the San Francisco bay area. We have lots of good tracks to choose from, Laguna Seca, Sonoma, Thunderhill and Buttonwillow. As we got faster the wife moved up to the intermediate group, where she's one of the slower drivers, so as we're sharing one car, I moved up to the advanced groups, where I have the slowest car. A while ago I wondered about a faster ride to even things up a bit. I wanted to get a Cayman R, but the wife really likes the MINIs. So we got the JCW, its still the slowest car in the advanced groups. In the meantime we got into autocross H Street with the SCCA with our JustaCooper, its been massaged to the fullest extent of the Street rules (which is to say not much more than stock).

Now thanks to some good fortune I'm again thinking of a Cayman, an S this time. This would probably replace the JCW as our track car, and would also be one of our daily drivers. I don't have much of a commute, only 5 miles, but over city streets. My hope would be to leave the Cayman largely stock, maybe change the wheels and brake pads and just drive to the track, which is what we do nowadays with the MINIs. First question, is this feasible? We'll probably continue to use the JustaCooper as our autocross car, but it might be amusing to run the Cayman in a few events just for a change.

We haven't even got to the dealer yet, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to like a Cayman. I have driven a Boxster, around Laguna Seca with Skip Barber and at Porsche World Roadshow around an autocross course. I liked the Boxster, the Cayman is just a Boxster with a tin top right? We prefer hardtop cars to convertibles. By all accounts the Cayman is fine car, my sort of style not overpowered, lots of finesse. More balanced than a 911, I managed to spin a 911 at that same Skip Barber day (on an autocross course).

So next question, is what options should we be looking at. There's a quite bewildering array of options on the configurator, not all of which are totally obvious. What are the go faster options? We'll probably also be looking at some of the creature comfort options, like the automatic seats, as we always have to adjust everything when the other one has been driving. One option that interests me is the Carbon Ceramic brakes. I've read lots of differing opinions as to wether they're any good for track use. (Some seem to think they need the "green" pads, what's that referring to?) My theory is if I got the PCCB, if they didn't work out I could swap in conventional rotors and pads, and still be left with uprated calipers. Also how easy is it to change pads on a Cayman? We've been killing brake pads in the JCW, so we went to race pads, then to endurance pads.

Then there's wheels and tires. I'd probably be getting a dedicated set of wheels and tires for the track (like we have with the MINIs). What are good size wheels and tires to go for? I'd probably stick to wheels which are legal for SCCA Street classes, which means OEM sized, but they can be +/-1" in diameter, usually the widest wheel option is the choice, but that gets complicated with the +/-1" allowance. There seem to be a lot of different OEM wheel size options to also complicate matters. Are there good third party wheels in the right size, or are Porsche wheels the way to go? What's a good size of tire to look at, a quick look at TireRack doesn't have many sets in the OEM sizes, but I'm sure there are interesting options in alternate sizes, I just don't even know what sizes to look at. I currently like to use Bridgestone RE-11 (and not RE-11A) as my track tires, they only go up to 19". What are the good tire models available in the right sizes? I should probably hop over to the track forum and ask these questions there as well.

inkatouring

Well, first off I would take a trip to planet-9.com, where more of the cayman people hang out, especially populated with people who track their caymans.

Second, since you're talk about the configurator, I assume you mean a new 981 cayman not a used 987. There is much debate and difference of opinion on PDK, sportschorno, suspensions, etc. My quick take is that if you're going 6MT, no need for sportschrono but there are those that disagree. PDK, it makes more sense especially if you're going to let the computer do the shifting for you on the track. Once you decide on PDK vs. 6Mt, I folks can explain the differences with sportschrono and you can decide on that.

If you're going to track the car, I assume you do not want standard suspension, so it's PASM vs. sport suspension, which is simply static vs. active. I don't like too many computers controlling the car -- I'm old school that way -- so I went sports suspension. YMMV.

Other options have similar sort of stories. But, honestly, most after that are not go fast but levels of trim and gimmicky (IMO). Porsche offers plenty of gimmicks to make the price (and profit) go up.....

On that note, the cars escalate in price very quickly when you pile on the options and there are differing philosophies on that. Mine was to get only what would cost me an arm and a leg later to add if I would regret not having it (and some color for the interior).

With a little more information on the build you're thinking and you'll get plenty of suggestions both here and on planet-9.

Enjoy the "configuatoring," because you'll have a long wait after you place your order.....

PS -- most say not to go PCCB if you're going to track the car because of risk of rotor damage and unbelievable replacement price. The only advantage they offer is weight saving, which is not enough for me at cost of $7400.

btwyx

Thanks, I'll go checkout Planet-9. We are thinking of a new one, and probably ordering it to our specs. I've also got to get used to these 900 numbers, 981 seems to be the right one.

Transmission is going to be a tricky subject. I've only ever owned manual cars, the wife has used manuals since her second car and is definitely in the manual camp. I'm leaning towards the PDK because it'd be better for track use, my intention would be to use the paddles and tell it what to do. On the other hand the wife would probably benefit from autoshifting on track, she's never quite in the right gear. My big fear is it would make me lazy and I'd rely on it on the street and/or on the track. My excuse for wanting a PDK is a bad knee, at some point its not going to want to be using a clutch anymore.

I've noticed the price goes up quickly with options, the MINIs were also like that, but Porsche does seem to take it to the next level. I think I was up to $101k yesterday, but that was including custom paint, and custom interior. Putting in the go fast options seems to get me to $85k or so.

inkatouring

Ok, that helps narrow the topic. First off, 981 is the new Cayman, 987 is the last generation so you are looking at a 981.

Second, at Sonnen in Marin you can get 8% off MSRP without a discussion. Pile a bunch of options on and you might get more -- 9%? -- off. My build after the 8% off was ~70,500 (76,655 MSRP), so you can tell I went bare-bones. I called all the Bay Area dealers and noone would match it, although two would do 5-6% over the phone, including one near you (Rector).

PDK and track = you probably will want sport chrono, although most of what you get is a gimmick in my mind. But, you'll probably want the sport+ setting for "automatic" track use of the PDK. With 6MT sport chrono only gets you "rev matching" which means you don't heel-n-toe, it does it for you. For the cost of sport chrono, I'd heel-n-toe myself (which I mastered when 16 years old, almost 40 years ago...). There is fiery thread on planet-9 ordering sub-directory about sport chrono.....

I got 18-way power seats because I much prefer the sport seats and the memory/electric adjustment makes it easier for my wife to drive. Otherwise, I would have gone with the semi-manual ones.

The interior can cost you tons if you add the leather here and there, as you experienced. Know you will never recover that money on resale. A lot of people think headrest crests are not worth in a Cayman as you can hardly see them. A lot of people think you need colored gauges because the tach is black with gray numbers, which washout in sunlight. I got yellow dials partly because of that and partly because, well, because. You will see that the trim across the dash and console looks pretty plasticy. I had one painted exterior color (yellow) and one covered in leather, but the vent surrounds and door release are still amde of the ugly plastic. You can't escape it and it's kinda cheesy for a $75-$100k car IMHO.

PSE is a waste of money in my mind as you can go aftermarket for less and the aftermarket ones get more HP, which you don't get from PSE.

PTV is fun but not necessary for track, and not necessary at all for street.

PASM vs. sport suspension is digital vs. analogue.

My advice is make the cheapest build with only your necessities and post here and on planet-9 and plenty of folks will weigh in with their (sometimes misguided) views on your build.

Oh, and don't forget that the Cayman GTS is about to be announced and will be available for order in April. But don't expect a discount on that!!!

btwyx

Thanks, that's very helpful.

As I said, I haven't got as far as the dealer yet, I was probably going to drop into Carlsen in Redwood City as they're close, and I'm already on their mailing list. I'll see what they can do, but now I have some idea what to expect, and gives me somewhere to walk to, if I have to walk away from them.

So far I have no idea on the interior option, except there are a lot of them. We need to see some in real life to see what we like. I'll keep the gauge colour in mind.

PSE is Porsche Sports Exhaust? I wasn't sure that actually did anything for me. I'm also wondering if it makes things louder. One problem running at Laguna Seca is trying to get in under the sound limit. Now a lot of days have a 90db limit, its never been a problem so far, the JCW was measure at 86 (and the JustaCooper at 76), and its not very loud. I wonder if a Cayman would have any difficulty with that limit.

I was interested in the PASM. A friend has it in his Cayman (a late 987), he likes being able to switch it to soft for the street, and hard for the track. I'm not sure the current PASM still works like that, they seem to say its all automatic. I'm in two minds about it.

I hadn't heard about the GTS before, after a little research I'm not sure its that interesting. The S is fast enough for what I want to do. (That is about 10s a lap at Laguna faster than the JCW.)

inkatouring

You should have no trouble with 90db and the stock exhaust.

As you've learned PASM is automatic and "active," which is different from your friend's 987. It doesn't makes sense to me. You push a button so the car doesn't even do what you ask of it? But, I'm an analogue kinda guy and the sport suspension is fine for me -- even on the horrible roads of San Francisco.

bernb6

My experience comes from the 987.1 & 987.2 so adjust accordingly for the 981.

Transmission: I have a MT because I like the "connectedness" much more on the street. I'm used to riding a sports bike and love the ability to manually rev match. But on the track, there's no way I'm faster than PDK colleagues and I figure I give up 1/2 second for every shift. I track with the Golden Gate Region of PCA, as I assume you will. When you initially sign up your car with them, they subtract points in their Time Trials ratings for the older Tiptronics and add for PDK's. MT are the baseline at zero. (BTW, my wife loves the car but is reluctant to drive it because of her knee.)

If you do decide to go MT, consider the short shift option, if available on the 981. My 987.1 did not have it; the 987.2 does. It feels much better and is especially useful/valuable on the track. IMO, you're much less likely to make a "money shift" with a short shifter.

Suspension & wheels: For the 987's, 19" wheels can be pretty rough with standard suspension. PASM is a little softer in regular mode and stiffer in sport mode so it more or less splits the difference with standard suspension. I had 19" wheels on my 987.1, without PASM, and I was aware of rough roads, even at low speeds. My 987.2 has 18" wheels and PASM and it's much more comfortable. We drove it 4000 miles from southern Florida to Palo Alto and never had a complaint on suspension compliance.
I leave it off when on the street and only use it on the track or some spirited driving on back roads.

On the track, larger diameter wheels typically are not faster, I'm told, because of higher inertial mass, i.e. some of your horsepower is used simply spinning up the higher inertial mass. Ditto on braking. And your choice of track tires go down and prices go up.

Exhaust: My 987.2 has sport exhaust and I really like it. As you know, it's cosmetic only and adds no horsepower. Laguna Seca has strict noise limits but just leave the exhaust in normal mode and it's fine.

Brakes: I don't know how the 981 brakes compare but there are complaints about 987 brakes being soft (mine included). There are some aftermarket options such as 2 piece rotors or big brake kits that are far less expensive than PCCB's that you can look into IF you need them.

matttheboatman

Hello BTWYX,

I have a 2014 981 Cayman S and have had it to the track. It is an amazing track car - super smooth, quiet, and always under control. Here are the options you want....

* PDK is simply amazing so I'm suggesting go with it (unless you want the feel of old school, i'd understand).
* Sport Suspension - new for late '14 and the reviews are great. I have PASM its great. But X73 suspension is reported to be the way to go.
* S model gives you 325hp vs the base 275 (rumors a GTS is about to come out and will give you 340hp)
* PTV will make you a tiny bit faster
* Sports Chrono - gives you the fastest auto shift, and few other goodies.
* Standard 19" wheels are fine - you can get them in black to look the part.
* Alcantara Sport Design steering wheel - just like the GT3
* 18 way Sports Plus seat (if you fit, I don't) for more support than standard seats
* Ventilated seats to make you feel more comfortable (come with heat seating option required).
* I can't justify the PCCB's price. You can upgrade aftermarket to 6 piston 911 brakes and rotors on front for $2,500 after market and stop best.
* Also, you can aftermarket exhaust with tuned headers and gain a few ponies for about $6,000 if you want louder.

Good luck, you will not be disappointed.

Matt

mooty

stop
goto Carlsen, ha...
I was one of their biggest customer
u know why no real porschephiles buy from thrm anymore....
think about that...

btwyx

Thanks for the notes about options, they're very helpful.

One more question, what option (if any) do you need for an iPod hookup?

inkatouring

iPod connects with any audio, but on the base CDR (not optional CDR+) you control the selection, etc. through the iPod). CDR+ and Infotainment have the same iPod control through the unit and iPod docks in the glove box. As a cost-savings measure many -- including me -- get CDR+ because main difference between that and infotainment is just nav, which can be used via cell phone (and won't be obsolete in a few years).

btwyx

We went to the dealer today, and ended up putting down a small deposit to get us in the queue. We'll get a September build if nothing sooner turns up in the meantime. Now we have to decide on all the options. For a September build, we'd need to have decided by July sometime. The cosmetics are all open at the moment, but I'm leaning towards Sapphire Blue and Yachting blue interior. The only problem is the Blue is very similar to one of our MINIs, the one we'd keep.

This is my latest build:

Cayman S
Sapphire Blue Metallic Exterior
Yachting Blue standard interior.
19" Cayman S wheels in exterior colour
18 Way Sports Seats
Rear wiper
PTV
PDK
PCCB
Spots Suspension
Sports Chrono
Convenience Package
Instrument dials in white
Fire Extinguisher
Multifunction Steering wheel
Seat Ventilation
Smoking Package
Carbon Fibre interior package
Centre Console in Carbon Fibre
CDR+ audio

The main thing we want in the convenience package is the climate control. Is there a way to get that without the heated seats? (Doesn't have to be dual zone.) We don't actually need heated seats out here. Not totally sure about the ventilated seats. The carbon fibre is just afectation.

There was some discussion of Alcantara seats. I prefer cloth to leather seats, they tend to be grippier, I also used to have a car with an Alcantara interior, I quite liked it. I can't find an option to get Alcantara seats, are they available?

Still not sure about the PCCB, I really like the idea, we're just not sure they'd stand up to our track use. I'd like to give them a try.

AP997S

That's a lot of blue. Must be your favorite color. What ever floats your boat is the way to go. PCCBs can be $$$$ on track if you happen to chip a rotor. Granted iron is heavy but not a big load on your wallet.

trackjunky

I might drop the PCCB's. If you plan on tracking the car, even for Drivers Ed events, you'll quickly want to swap those out for steel or clear plenty of room on your credit card for replacements.

Unless you are driving at the limit of the car's ability, you'll gain more time from spending your money on data acquisition and analysis combined with driver coaching. That money might even be better spent on sport seats where a harness could be used and then a nice roll bar. Adding safety is always a great upgrade!

btwyx

Looking at the various colours on the dealer's wall its the one which stands out as the best. I'd prefer something which isn't non-descript black/brown/grey/silver/white, which is most of the available colours. Like I said, one of our MINIs is a very similar blue (slightly darker I think), which is the third one we've got in that colour.

As for the interior, I'd prefer something which has a little colour. One of the Blue MINIs came with seats with blue highlights, when we ordered it we'd have preferred something plainer, but it grew on us. That wasn't available with the latest MINI, I would have liked a little colour inside.