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I currently own a BMW M4 and decided several months ago that I wanted to get into a Cayman 718 this year. Search is starting to get more serious so I went to a local Porsche dealership and drove a used base 718. I came away thoroughly impressed...here is what was a pleasant surprise for me:
- the build quality is out of this world...I have read all about it, but actually seeing/feeling it is a different story
- interior space was not as tight as I would have thought...I am 6"2 220lbs and I fit OK...didn't feel a huge difference vs my M4 for front seat space
- the base model was much more peppy than I expected...I do need to drive an S (as that is what I was planning on buying), but I was thinking that the power is more than enough for regular street driving (and I don't go to the track that often)
- loved the PDK gearbox...so much better than the DSG/DCT in my previous Audis and BMW's
So the good news is that I have def decided to get into a 718 this year...now have to go through the whole debate around base vs S, and new vs used.
The Cayman feels light and lithe compared to the M4.
Not just Base versus S. If you aren't buying until later in the year you can throw the T into the mix as well. And then there is the GTS and upcoming GT4. Possibly something along the lines of a GT4 Touring as well.
Thanks, yes it was a great experience. I am not in a rush so I did talk to the salesperson about the T as well. Looking forward to making a final decision.
I had a M4 (until about 2 weeks ago, I traded it for a Maserati Granturismo MC) and am picking up my base gearshift 718 (dealer is picking me up at 7:30 this morning) very soon. I also own a 718 Cayman S PDK (it is my girlfriends car). I am using the 718 as a track car (already ordered tune, exhaust), and I am still undecided on wheels and tires (I will swap out the 20" on track days) I also have 2 911's. My girlfriend calls the M4 a hooligan's car, and the 718 a pure sports car. She is not that far off the M4 at least to me is not that much fun unless it was in the one of the M modes and being pushed hard. I was always aware of its size and weight though, it was a car that felt bigger than it was to me. If you are willing to do some aftermarket things to your car you can easily get the base car to feel like the S. I am an older guy, drove my first Porsche 48 years ago, and this 718 is Porsche #43, I tend to buy the car and then make it into what I want it to be, I drove a 911T (did not see the big fuss), and I see nothing about the 718T that would interest me. But after 470 cars I am a bit jaded. I wish you luck in your search, and after all the cars I've had (including Ferrari's and Lamborghini's) and have now, I always feel the most at home behind the wheel of a Porsche.
[QUOTE=But after 470 cars I am a bit jaded. I wish you luck in your search, and after all the cars I've had (including Ferrari's and Lamborghini's) and have now, I always feel the most at home behind the wheel of a Porsche.[/QUOTE]
Dang, I won’t have that many shoes in my lifetime. Congrats on the fun miles you’ve driven and will be driving. Cheers.
I currently own a BMW M4 and decided several months ago that I wanted to get into a Cayman 718 this year. Search is starting to get more serious so I went to a local Porsche dealership and drove a used base 718. I came away thoroughly impressed.....
I wonder how many times 718 owners repeated this experience.
I had a 2014 Mustang GT (stick). On a whim, on my 65th birthday, I told my wife I want to buy a Porsche and she agreed enthusiastically!... (she hated the Mustang's hood bulge, as it obstructed her vision).
I always dreamed a 911 stick. 10 minutes in a base 718 PDK dispelled the notion forever.
A stick 911 Carrera, base or S may be a better track weapon, but a 718 PDK in any trim, is a better daily driver sports car. And I love it! I don't miss an opportunity to drive it, even if it is a run to the supermarket... (how many of you take your 911s to the supermarket?). I just choose the fast and long way (we need to bring the oil to temperature now, don't we?).
I had a M4 (until about 2 weeks ago, I traded it for a Maserati Granturismo MC) and am picking up my base gearshift 718 (dealer is picking me up at 7:30 this morning) very soon. I also own a 718 Cayman S PDK (it is my girlfriends car). I am using the 718 as a track car (already ordered tune, exhaust), and I am still undecided on wheels and tires (I will swap out the 20" on track days) I also have 2 911's. My girlfriend calls the M4 a hooligan's car, and the 718 a pure sports car. She is not that far off the M4 at least to me is not that much fun unless it was in the one of the M modes and being pushed hard. I was always aware of its size and weight though, it was a car that felt bigger than it was to me. If you are willing to do some aftermarket things to your car you can easily get the base car to feel like the S. I am an older guy, drove my first Porsche 48 years ago, and this 718 is Porsche #43, I tend to buy the car and then make it into what I want it to be, I drove a 911T (did not see the big fuss), and I see nothing about the 718T that would interest me. But after 470 cars I am a bit jaded. I wish you luck in your search, and after all the cars I've had (including Ferrari's and Lamborghini's) and have now, I always feel the most at home behind the wheel of a Porsche.
Interesting take. I like to hear from people that have owned a lot of cars and have lived with the cars vs a one day review of a car that one does not own. So, thank you for your perspective.
Owning an M3 and find it to be a very fun car on certain roads, long trips, freeway, etc....
But, on a twisty road I prefer my older smaller BMW or Focus RS.
I have been looking at Getting a Porsche for the last year 718 GTS, 718 base, or 911 T.
The looks of the 911 and history draw me to the car more than the driving experience, but I actually think the 718 is more fun to drive.
M3 is just so practical, that the car that replaces it, needs to be amazing to offset the practicality.....(4dors, seats 5, large trunk, blends in, 6MT)
I'll take a Cayman over 911 anyday. In the 911, I can feel the heavy engine hanging off the rear and having to tip-toe at the limit as that big mass swings around like a pendulum in the twisties. The Cayman, it's just handling bliss. I went to school in Austin and was just back there for a friends bday and we hit up some of the wineries in the hill country. Lots of fun little twisty roads out there! It would be a fun weekend getaway from Dallas.
I am a bit unusual, (my girlfriend tells I am like a kid with too big an allowance), my neighbor tells me I buy more cars in a year than most people buy socks, there is even a thread on Ferrarichat called carnut's cars. I never made it past the 8th grade and at one point (a long time ago) I was homeless and living on the streets, so I tend to do some things in excess, (like when someone told me I could never write a novel since I never went to school, so I wrote 4), or I could not start a business (I have 7). I have a rule though every time I buy something more than 10K I donate 10K to a special charity. I always try and balance the scales, without the help of others I would probably had not made past 20. These days I am sort of like the old guy who has forgotten what he has forgotten about cars, though I try and offer advise when I think my experience will be helpful. Here the Cayman I bought it home yesterday, goes into the shop on Wednesday to start its transformation.
[Edit] Ignore this note. After I posted it it didn't show up for several days so I started an introduction thread. DIdn't mean to repost the same content or repost the same content or repost the same content.[End Of Edit]
I'm new here and this is my first post, an introduction of sorts, you might say. This thread seems like the right place for it.
I bought a new 718 Cayman back in July. I loved it when I test drove it, still love it 5500 miles later. Very easy to drive, easy to make it go fast, or go around corners, or cruise for hours on the highway. Fantastic build quality. More power and tire grip than I ever get to use (except on rare occasions).
Some background, FWIW. This is my second Porsche. My first was a '63 912 which I drove for a year back in 1974. Yeah, it's been a while. I replaced it with a Fiat X-1/9 which proved to me that balance could compensate for a tiny engine when the road was crooked enough. That's really why I chose a Cayman over a 911. In the intervening years I went through a number of interesting and less interesting cars. I sold a '70 Triumph GT6+ and an '80 Spitfire to make room in the driveway for the Cayman. The Cayman is better than all of them put together.
Though mine is a base model it has a few goodies. I dunno', maybe nobody ever has one without this stuff. But you see, I took one that was on the lot. PDK, 20" wheels, PDL lights, 14-way sport seats, Bose audio, and a few other features. I love the baritone growl of the engine under power. A 6-cyl would have a tenor scream but I didn't buy it for the sound it makes. The seats clinched it for my wife.
Thanks for all the responses folks, much appreciated! After spending some quality time this weekend thinking about it, I am leaning towards a used 718 S. Since I am not in a rush, I can wait for the right one...plus will give me more time to figure out what to do with my M4 (dealer trade in, private sale, etc...).
I started thinking about a Porsche when the Ford dealership I serviced my Mustang GT sent me a (handwritten) note inquiring whether I wanted to sell my MY14 Mustang. I called for an appointment and in the process, I asked whether any offer would be contingent to buying a new Ford. The answer was no, we will make you an offer and you buy another car based on whatever deal you can make here or elsewhere. The offer was about $6k higher than I had anticipated (blew me away actually). They put it in writing, good for 30 days.
At the same time, a good friend of mine sold his MY09 Mustang GT in CarMax for a very good price too. So I went there and got a written offer for $1k less than the Ford dealership.
Then I went to Porsche and concluded to buy my present Cayman 'if their trade-in offer was acceptable'
They offered $12.5k.
I said 'this is not acceptable', I have two offers in writing significantly higher than this.
When I showed them the papers they decided that it was 'company policy' to honor the (lower) CarMax offer. With the lower state tax due to the trade-in, I ended up better than if I'd sold to Ford and bought the Porsche separately...
Moral of the story:
Get written offers and see what you can do in a trade-in.
Hard to believe, but there are new cars out there, very discounted, even back to 2017 model year. Austin probably still has the new 2017 GT Silver Cayman S they had a week ago, for under $70k. In January I paid thousands less for a new 2018 Boxster GTS ($78k) than I could find a used Boxster S of the same model year. Got it in Dallas at Park Place. Look and you'll find deals on new cars, some of which may be being sold as used, but with no miles and including 2 more years warranty via CPO. My GTS still had the full 4 year warranty, and had 74 miles on the clock. The GTS is the best deal anyway as it comes standard with much you'd option on an S, plus it's the most powerful and why compromise?
02-08-2019, 04:48 PM
Finally drove a 718...loved it
