Waxer

The Cayman R is a great car and its personal choice but for me I just don't see the Cayman R comparing to the above. The Spyder is quick, handles amazing, steering is amazing and just look at it.

Plus, I can tell you that the specialty car dealer I bought the Spyder from just got in a 360 Modena with a 6 spd MT, badges and all the right options with 17K miles. Beauty. I was thinking about it and he candidly told me to keep the Spyder for a number of reasons incuding that he felt the Spyders value and desireabilty is on the rise. He could have easily sold me the Modena. It was a beauty.

daylorb

A good read on the 360 vs. a 987.2:

http://www.evo.co.uk/porsche/boxster...ari-360-spider

spyderphile

Others have shared a number of good options. Let me address this specific question:

The short answer is, 'Yes'! Spyder will make your driving experience better than an S. Is it 2x better? To me it is. However, you or someone else might feel differently. There is no one specific aspect that sticks out, though one might say, 'engine'. It is more than sum of it's parts. When the price is not a consideration, 981 Spyder is the way to go.


I would be interested in hearing more about this mod. Would you mind sharing precisely what I need to get and from where, please?
- Get GT3's LCA (what is LCA?)
- Solid Thrust Bearings
- -2.5 camber in the back.
- 9.5 caster (in front?)

Sorry, I am not mechanically savvy. Actually, pretty dumb. I would be getting these done by the dealer. Would they object? Would you know if anyone else has done this? Have you noticed any intended consequences (aside from tires wearing faster/unevenly from aggressive camber) Thanks.

PorscheAddict

Sure. I don't know that it is an appropriate mod for a daily driver or frequently driven car, because high negative camber will eat tires to some degree (I track my car), but here's the "recipe":

-GT3 lower control arms in the front. RSS makes some, or you can use OEM 996 GT3 LCA's; I used OEM 996 GT3 LCA's I got used on RL. You can vary the amount of camber based on how many shims you use. With 14mm or so per side I easily reached -2.5 camber up front (not rear) and zero front toe.
-Solid thrust bushing in the LCA. I used RSS. This eliminates rubber deflection and improves feel and stabilizes geometry mid-corner.
-spherical inner ends for LCA; eliminate rubber more, better feel.

These mods also widen front track nearly an inch, so you have more overall front grip. Caster is adjustable if you have RSS thrust bushings. Stock spec is 7.5-8.5. I run 9.5, which is maximum without rubbing fender liners too bad with stock tires.

The combination of wider track, much more camber, elimination of rubber, and more caster makes the car turn in really nice, have heavier steering (thanks to caster), and generally feel better steering. I tracked it at Barber Motorsports Park a few weeks ago and am very happy.

You can do all of this for $1,000 plus labor if you buy used here on RL. I installed mine myself in about 4-6 hours including doing brakes for the track. Tarrett and BGB both sell kits too.

This is what you want (these are sold, but you get the idea):https://rennlist.com/forums/parts-ma...nd-tarret.html 9X1 cars need spacers to fit the thrust bushing, but they're cheap from Tarrett.

Dealers may not want to do this for a variety of reasons (non OEM parts, high tire wear, lazy). My local P car dealer won't do stuff like this for a reasonable rate (they wanted $1,600 to install lowering springs on a 987 years ago). You likely have a decent independent shop nearby though.

CaymanSinAR

EDIT: Already answered.

Matador1

Kg11, all the cars you mentioned are worth considering but we will tell you here won't matter if you don't get out an drive each of them. Wait until winter is over so you can drive each model car they way you would drive it if you owned it. Better to wait and drive then to wish you would have!

daylorb

BTW - SPC available on a supposed Black Friday sale on for their LCA's...

https://www.maperformance.com/produc...-996-997-72610

$695, with 2 degrees of adjustment... seems like they get pretty good reviews.

spyderphile

Thanks a lot. Mine is a DD; so, I will need to evaluate this mod carefully. But, I will be glad to chew up tires for better steering feeling. Lack of feeling drives me nuts. The "only" big negative of 981 Spyder (if I discount tall gearing). As for a shop, my S2000 is being maintained by a garage that tunes GT3 Cup cars for various individuals. The owner is the chief mechanic of a Cup team. He himself races GT3s. So, he is intimately aware. Will run this mod by him. Thanks again.


Thanks.

Cool; thanks. Will give them a call.

Kg11

Thanks everyone! I was leaning toward the Spyder, but then realized that I may need room for a roof rack (bikes). I don't think the Spyder will accommodate a Seasucker type rack in the rear. I was thinking 987 Cayman, but with the weight reductions of the 981, am leaning toward the last gen 3.4L.

I just posted about a Cayman S that a person on the board contacted me about. It seems like a great car and everything I want (assuming it is as good as he claims). Just wondering about the price.

I think a Spyder may be in my future too, but I probably need a hard top at this time. Otherwise, I worry that on those long weekends for my wife and I, we end up taking the pickup as our bikes can't come along for the ride in the Spyder.

Kg11

Why do you prefer the 987 over the 981? Purity of feel and purpose?

Zeus993

I'll chime in here too, having just sold a 981 Cayman (that I LIKED) and purchased another 987.2 Spyder (which I LOVE).

As you have queried, it is a very pure purpose car which is good and bad (like many things in life). It's a more RAW car than the 981, without the upgraded interior etc... but the steering is the main thing that shines out. The 987.2 Spyder / CR is a magical set up and just performs so well that it makes me smile driving it. It's like a silly dog chasing ball. It just goes and goes. It triggers more emotions while driving.

I think if I hadn't owned a Spyder before and just purchased a 981 I might not have appreciated the difference. My first experience with the Porsche electric steering was in the Macans I owned. The steering just felt dead and like I was steering a large boat. Sorry Macan owners - I honestly don't mean to trash another's ride, and I had two of them, but it just lacked the feel that I so love about Porsches. It's a stunning SUV, and I may look again at it if and when Porsche release a hybrid / electric Macan. Then my 981, again a beautiful car BUT the steering felt dead. And now back into a 987.2 Spyder the silly grin on my face has returned. Again, the 981 Spyder, with it's Turbo steering bits, has addressed some of this in a great way.

My suggestion? Go drive both for an hour on some good twisty roads. There's no other way to make up you mind IMO. And the bottom line? They're both excellent cars and which either way you go you'll be driving a Porsche.

Waxer

Interesting article. While they conclude the 360 is a "supercar" and I guess implying the Spyder isn't that makes me even more impressed they would compare the F car to the Spyder which compared very well indeed to the F car. It seems that the Spyder performance wise was as good or better. In the looks department they gave it to the F car for the obligatory F car "wow" factor but I think the Spyder is real close if not right there with its unique looks and its neat top when it is up and the fact you don't see many Spyders and F360s are as common as cow pies in a cow pasture in comparison.

I think the Spyder has more of an upside value wise for sure. Plus, its a better car mechanically, as reliable as an anvil and doesn't induce anxiety of whether it will make a long road trip without a flat bed , the fit and finish is better, its leather doesn't wrinkle in the sun, its interior doesn't age the equivilent to 5 years in 1 year, its not prone to catching fire and doesn't need the engine dropped for a scheduled service.

Seems like the Spyder may be the better more desireable choice adding up all the +'s and -'s.

christallon

Spyder, Spyder and finally the Spyder. I've driven and owned all manner of Porsches over the years including RSA, 73 E/RS, 964 RS, 04 GT3, 996TT. The Spyder is a superb car in all aspects. Sure, it's a soft top, along with aluminum hood, rear trunk section, and doors, and all the super unique stuff, only found on the Spyder make it an all around Fantastic choice. The driving experience and feel is unmatched. Porsche got this one right, and frankly there is nothing you need to do to make it better, and I'm not a soft top guy. This is one crazy great sports car....

FlamsteadHill

Must be your pastures are somewhat rarified.

Don't know that I've ever seen a 360 within 1000 miles of where I live, and there are thousands (probably 100s of thousands) of cow pastures within that area. In fact I drive past about half a dozen cow pastures on the way to and from work every day (3.1 miles one-way).

Waxer

Ok, slight exaggeration. But 360s are way more common than 987 Spyders