57staff

I didn't use their service but just bought the key and did it myself. There were some trim issues with the key as some of the buttons were sticking. I don't have a second key so I am going to bite the bullet and get a new one from the dealer. I'll use this one as a backup as it still works to start the car.

kiznarsh

A couple weeks ago I did my first road trip with the car and drove over 900 miles in a weekend. Sadly I lost a family member beforehand and thought about cancelling my plans, but with the services & ceremonies being delayed, I decided that being on the open road would put me in a better mental state than being at home. That's not exactly how it turned out and despite having my camera gear with me, I didn't take a single photo on my way up to NorCal besides a few with my phone (very unusual for me). But I had dinner plans with a ladyfriend in Cupertino and I just wanted to get to her quickly while taking the best roads possible.

Here's the route. I stayed in Ventura the night before to avoid Friday morning LA traffic, and got a fresh start on 33, but the highlight was definitely 229. Wow, what a fun road. Other than a MkIV GTI heading south, I had the entire 9 miles to myself and those undulating curves in the single-lane section were amazing. If I didn't have dinner plans, I definitely would've gone through it again. 33 and 58 were pretty much all mine too.



Stopped for lunch at Route 33 Sandwich Co.



This is the kind of wall art I can get behind.



Even had Mrs. Pac-Man.



So let's talk about the car, after having stretched its legs and thrown it around in the canyons and hills.

Suspension

Being the base model, and having driven the same roads last year with my 981 and the X73 sports suspension, I was expecting a considerable difference in handling but honestly, it was much better than I thought. Yes I could go for less body roll, better turn-in, and slightly better damping, but I definitely did not end the day with a new suspension in my shopping cart. I had the Goodyear F1 tires on the 981 and never liked them, and while the current Hankook Ventus V12s aren't as good as the P4S's that I'll get eventually, I felt more comfortable in terms of grip. This was with the front/rear pressures at the nominal 30/31 psi levels whereas I typically go up by 2 psi.

Having said that, the wheel gap bugs me and now I'm pretty certain I'm gonna go with the Cayman R suspension. I verified the part numbers for the toe links and control arms are the same between the base, S, and R models but I'll get new strut mounts and bump stops to freshen things up. I feel it'll be perfect for my needs and guaranteed to look good.

Exhaust

Let me adjust my Captain Obvious hat for a sec, but the stock exhaust is just way too quiet. I've already decided on the Carnewal mod so look for that upgrade soon.

Steering

As expected, this was the biggest improvement over the 981 however the steering wheel really let me down. That was actually the only thing that kept bugging me, and so I'm going to get a thicker, flat-bottomed one from DCT Motor Sports.

Engine Noise

I wanna say the 2.9 doesn't sound as good as the 3.4, but I think the sport exhaust in the 981 just overpowered the engine noise to the point where I can't make a solid comparison. I'll admit the current engine noise doesn't put a smile on my face at 7k RPM, yet it sounds better between 3-4k RPM when pulling hard in 2nd.

Power

There were a few times when having the extra power from the S (or R) would've been nice in some of the uphill sections, but at the same time I've gone WOT a lot more frequently and there's something enjoyable about that, even if you're not going incredibly fast. And the majority of my driving is not going to be in wide open spaces where I can push the car really hard, so overall my position remains the same: the base power is sufficient for a daily driver/canyon cruiser, but I'd want at least an S for track duties.

I could use better throttle response though. Speaking of which...

I ordered a Sprint Booster in anticipation of this trip. The package required a signature for delivery, but I logged into my UPS account and signed the release form so the driver could leave it at my front door. On the scheduled day of delivery, I got an email saying the package was dropped off at a local store. Then when I got home, I saw a UPS note on the door saying the driver will deliver the package tomorrow. I found it at the store but when I opened up the box at home, it was empty.

I ordered directly from sprintbooster.com and they said they weigh every box before it ships, so there's no way it was shipped empty. UPS store claims the drivers never tamper with boxes. Meanwhile, I paid $300 and got an empty box. Filed a claim and waiting on Hercule Poirot to figure this out.

I took PCH heading back home and despite being frustrated at slower traffic not using the turn-outs, I was fortunately in a better mood and took some photos south of Big Sur. So despite the sad start, it was still a good trip overall and a much-needed break from everything I've done over the past 3 months. Better days lie ahead.

kiznarsh

My low beams are just halogens in projector housings so I did the same upgrade as I did on my old Miata, and picked up some Night Breakers.



Removing the headlight assembly is probably the easiest in the business. Insert the tool, rotate, and out it pops.



Reinstalling them is a little more violent in terms of sound, as it's not so much a "satisfying click," rather an "unmistakable pop" as that bar snaps into place.





Rear cover removed.



Results on the road are more clear but these give you an idea.

PhillyNate

EXTREMELY satisfying watching the progress of your car on a number of fronts. The most being how pleasantly surprised/pleased you seem to be with the car in base form. I too have a (2010) 987.2 base manual and adore the car tho it is unfairly maligned for a variety of nefarious reasons. I agree with most of your observations in reference to this car and believe in all the tweeks you’ve made or plan to make. I’ve made most of the ones you’ve made. Particularly the exhaust. Keep up the good work and the pics coming.

kiznarsh

Appreciate it! I imagine a lot of what I've done has been déjà vu for others. I'm glad I had the experience of the 981 S as that allows me a better perspective on what I have now. I can actually make legit comparisons beyond the numbers.

I have something special planned for the exhaust mod and need to figure out the best way to pull it off. It'll deserve its own thread but will definitely be included here too.

hf1

What an epic thread! Humbling too, as oil, brake fluid, pads, and rotors is as far as I've gone "working" on my cars.

kiznarsh

So here's what I'm planning on doing for the R suspension upgrade with their part numbers:

Front shocks: 987 343 042 09
Front spring set: 987 343 531 40 504

Rear shocks: 987 333 051 18
Rear spring set: 987 333 531 96 504

The parts catalog clearly shows Bilstein for the rears and presumably they're also the manufacturer for the front shocks. So right now I'm planning on getting the following Bilstein B6 part numbers:

Front: 35-122180
Rear: 35-122197

The B8 shocks are for aftermarket lowering springs so I'm guessing those are meant for the Eibach and H&R springs that lower the car beyond 20 mm. Because even though the R springs lower the car, it's still a factory spring so the B6 should pair well with them.

Thoughts?

ibdavid

Inspiring for sure! Excellent.

Keeping an eye on the suspension swap, agreed stance needs to be a tad lower. My next upgrade...

Apex1

I like the feel of a stiffer sprung car, so with your new B6 shocks I would use X73 springs rather than R's. They fit the same socket and would provide about the same ride height. Just a little stiffer front and rear vs the "R". Second, since you will have most of the suspension apart, I would go with Tarett solid thrust puck in your OEM lower control arms. This thrust pucks prevent forward and rear motion of the control arms, which can be excessive and improve turnin. These thrust pucks also allow caster and wheelbase adjustments. Also there is a top bearing that the springs fit into, which I would replace.

kiznarsh

Since this is my daily, I actually don't want it to be too stiff. Pretty sure you actually track your car and while I may do that at some point, that's a slippery slope that I'm trying to avoid because then I'll want to upgrade everything else.

I've looked at the solid thrust arm bushing, but still not sure if I wanna put those in. Might just see how I like the car with the new shocks & springs first, go on another road trip, and re-evaluate for a potential 2020 mod.

All 4 strut bearings will be replaced.

hf1

Doesn't the Cayman R come with X73 suspension standard? What's the diff between the "R" and the "X73" suspensions?

kiznarsh

The X73 nomenclature started with the 981 generation and the part numbers for the X73 springs are different than what's found on the R suspension. They both provide a 20 mm drop but I assume have different spring rates (though likely similar).

I think everyone agrees the 981 X73 is the evolution of the 987 R suspension, but definitely not identical.

higlesias

I was looking through the parts PDF and it looks like the rear sway bar is also different in the R. In case you were going to go full R

kiznarsh

Correct, but it's my understanding that's due to the LSD in the R, which I don't have.

I talked to a Bilstein rep and confirmed the B6 shocks are appropriate so the suspension parts (along with new mounts and bushings) have been ordered! I'll probably do the swap in June.

Apex1

Kiznarsh- you may enjoy reading some of CMOOSE's work on his 06 Cayman S in Pistonheads. He is a auto journalist, who writes many stories about the interaction between owners and cars with pictures,like his winter trip to the Alps in his Cayman. One thread was "2006 Porsche 987 Cayman 3.4 Bore Score Edition", which happened to him. He lives in England and really prefers to keep the car in its original condition, yet does acknowledge some up grades. If you read his entire 28 page journey in that thread, you will find a comparison between his car and another Cayman S on pg 23 with upgraded suspension (Ohlins and sway bars) as they exchanged cars for a few hours. Its an excellant read, inspired me to replace my OEM LCA's with solid thrust pucks and FF Orange motor mount inserts to complete the "feel" that CMOOSE suggests his friends car could improve.