Impulse818

This will be my first Porsche and I', kind of stuck between choosing two different 718s.

1. Used 2017 Cayman S with all options I want except missing full leather interior.16,000 miles.


2. Ordering a new Cayman (non S) configured the way I want including full leather interior. This one will cost me a about $2500 more.

I don't like turbo lag and I noticed that the base cayman does have some but does it become an issue for any of you? If it wasn't for the Cayman S not having a full leather interior I probably would have just picked that one by now.

donR

I think it depends on where you are coming from and how you are going to drive it.

If you are coming from a more powerful car ie., ~400hp+ then the base will feel slow and you will want the S.

Whereas if you were driving a Miata or something similar then I'd say the base will feel fast and really it is a fast car as is, as fast as the old 981 GTS.

If sitting in first class is more important to you than economy class then make sure you get the leather interior. Personally, if I can afford the leather I will get it. Porsche is about luxury and you really feel it when you can see all that leather around. It really lifts the interior value of the car otherwise you could be just sitting in your Miata.

I also think if you are mainly going to putt around the streets to work and back in traffic then you don't really need an S. But then if you are trying to keep up with GT4s and the like in the mountains then you need the S.

S will also hold its value a little better but more importantly you will be sitting in that car and you want it to feel right from the inside and out.

Impulse818

donR

The base Cayman as 380NM / 280 ft/lb of torque from 1950 RPM which is only a very little bit laggy.

My much heavier twin turbo RS4 has 440NM from 2500 RPM and it is a little bit laggy but you just have to know how to drive it. Part of the fun is feeling the push of torque when it switches on all of a sudden or revving out to 3000 or 4000 RPM and dropping the clutch.

I believe your much heavier 2.0l T 328 has 350NM/ 260 ft/lb of torque from 1250 RPM so it not really laggy. So you are probably not used to driving a performance turbo car.

Even in the Cayman S, the max torque (420NM) does not switch on until 1900 RPM so it too will feel a bit laggy for you. At 1500 RPM the S is still only about 110 NM so your 328 will feel more powerful at low RPM.

However, what you will find if you are in the right gear or sport mode and/or rev the motor a bit it will not feel laggy at all. Normal mode it will never get going until your reach over 2000RPM.

So I suggest test driving the base model again in sport mode and/or changing down a gear with the paddles (if PDK) so RPM is in the range of 2000+ and seeing if you notice the difference.

Or if you are taking off, rev the engine to at least 3000 RPM then take off.

Both the Cayman base and Cayman S are fast cars.

iliveoncaffiene

The better deal is the used Cayman S. The only decision to make: is the full leather a deal-breaker?
If not, get the Cayman S and enjoy a faster car with bigger brakes.

I will say my base Cayman is plenty fast, and in sport mode the lag is nearly non-existent. I have the partial leather interior - and while I would have liked full leather, I don't really think I need it. All the parts I touch are nice leather and I spend most of the time looking out the windshield, not inside the car

In your shoes if I got the Cayman S with a CPO warranty - I'd take that deal over a new base model without question.

worf928

zirrah

No. Porsche is about performance. You can make it luxurious if you want, but that's not what their cars are about.

iliveoncaffiene

Have to agree. A Porsche is a car that is first and foremost a sports car (counting mainly the 911/Cayman/Boxster, the others are still about performance DNA) - what makes them special is that they don't compromise on daily drive-ability or creature comforts and are still some of the best performing cars of all time.
Do they have luxury? Sure - but that's not the point of a Porsche. Take away the luxury and people will still buy Porsches as long as they drive well. Take away the performance and you kill the entire brand's identity.

Greg Fishman

Get the S and if you feel inclined, you can always add the full leather parts later. My guess is the full leather option will be just a memory once you start driving the S.

Impulse818

Thats actually a good idea, I called an upholstery place and was told they can wrap the dashboard in leatherette for around $600 which I definitely would not mind doing and could probably get a good deal if i get the lower dash, center console, and doors also wrapped.

CaymanSinAR

I love my full leather interior but in no way would I compromise an S for a Base solely on that option. But to each his/her own.

White South

I'm in the same boat.

The lowest I'm seeing is a few used S for $64K listed. Tax in my town is 10%, so 70K+ OTD.

I will have to wait another yr and see if I can get a low mileage 17' for 55K.

Max718-19

k3v7n

bgsntth

I think the lag is more pronounced in the manual base, especially while moving out from a dead stop. I attribute this to a relatively tall first gear and the torque dead zone below 2K rpms. The good news is that you will acclimate to it, but even my prior 2014 manual Accord Sport felt torquier and was smoother from a dead stop. After the initial getaway the base is a torque monster, as long as you do not let the revs drop below 2K.