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For those that have the base model are you ever disappointed in the performance (power wise) and wish you would have bought the S model?
"Having isn't nearly as powerful as wanting"
Backgound. First pcar was new 2005 987 base Boxster 5 speed manual. Seemed like everyone wanted to prove their (fill-in the blank) would outrun my new Porsche. Next year 987 Cayman S came out. Was tired of ducking 4 cyl fill-in the blanks ... so yes I was disappointed in the power of my base. Traded it in on a new 2007 Cayman S 6 speed manual. Still wanted more so added a Borla cat back which made it LOUD all the time. Still wanted more power. Ordered new BGTS in 2015 with PDK and PTV. Added race headers and pro tune, has enough power but still want more. Currently first on list for 2020 982 Spyder.
Get an S minimum. The beige dash you mentioned in another thread is a deal breaker (bad reflections). My favorite option is PSE, quiet when you want, louder at the push of a button. PDK is less engaging but faster. 987 hydraulic steering has more road feel than 981 electric steering, that is the only reason to choose a 987 over a 981. If you decide on a 987, choose a 2009 or newer to eliminate the expensive IMS potential failure of 2008 and earlier pcars. No apology to 2008 RS60 lovers, the old man is down the road.
My immediate past cars:
-Lexus ISF (aftermarket bolt ons putting it up to about 450hp)
-Mustang GT (aftermarket bolt ons putting it up to approx 420hp)
-2009 Base Carrera 2 with PDK and sport chrono
-2008 911 Turbo
-2015 base Cayman 6MT
-Current car
I've had and experienced much faster cars. I disagree with several of the people that have posted in that even though I had gotten "used to" having more power, I didnt feel disappointed by the lack of power in my previous base Cayman or my current Boxster. Why? Because I did an honest assessment of how I drove each car and realized that I almost never drove my cars anywhere near the limits. I may have had 480hp, but I never used it. I don't go to the track, and I've become increasingly adverse to driving in a way that could land me in jail. There's simply nowhere around for me to really wring out a car and utilize the power. But these more underpowered base model cars are a BLAST going 65-70mph higher up in the rpm band and then around some twisty backroads even at the speed limit (or slightly above). I realized that more power did not equal more fun for ME.
Now...money absolutely no object, I'd get a GT4 or a Boxster Spyder (or GT3) just because. But for most of us, money is an object. I found that I could spend less and get 98% of the happiness that spending more would bring, and so that's why I've made my decision.
No apology to 2008 RS60 lovers, the old man is down the road.
Issues were very scant by 2008. I'd buy a '07 or '08 and not be as concerned. The DFI motors are much improved in that aspect, but they lost the beautiful flat 6 sound with it. I still think the 987 Spyder and Cayman R and more enjoyable cars than any 981 less the Spyder and GT4. Be careful never being satisfied with power. It never ends. I once had a 987 Spyder and 987 Cayman R sitting side by side in my garage. Now I have a 991.2 Targa 4S and GT4. I wish I could turn back time and still have the 987s.
Issues were very scant by 2008. I'd buy a '07 or '08 and not be as concerned. The DFI motors are much improved in that aspect, but they lost the beautiful flat 6 sound with it. I still think the 987 Spyder and Cayman R and more enjoyable cars than any 981 less the Spyder and GT4. Be careful never being satisfied with power. It never ends. I once had a 987 Spyder and 987 Cayman R sitting side by side in my garage. Now I have a 991.2 Targa 4S and GT4. I wish I could turn back time and still have the 987s.
Boom. Was going to post the same after webinar I'm watching finished. The IMS is, as far as I've gathered, a complete non-issue. Certainly if I considered it one I'd have not just bought my RS 60. And the 2009+ models lost port injection, as MER mentions. If the change doesn't concern you - no problem. But for me it was a positive decision item FOR a 987.1 instead of a .2.
I've had and experienced much faster cars. I disagree with several of the people that have posted in that even though I had gotten "used to" having more power, I didnt feel disappointed by the lack of power in my previous base Cayman or my current Boxster. Why? Because I did an honest assessment of how I drove each car and realized that I almost never drove my cars anywhere near the limits. I may have had 480hp, but I never used it. I don't go to the track, and I've become increasingly adverse to driving in a way that could land me in jail. There's simply nowhere around for me to really wring out a car and utilize the power. But these more underpowered base model cars are a BLAST going 65-70mph higher up in the rpm band and then around some twisty backroads even at the speed limit (or slightly above). I realized that more power did not equal more fun for ME.
Now...money absolutely no object, I'd get a GT4 or a Boxster Spyder (or GT3) just because. But for most of us, money is an object. I found that I could spend less and get 98% of the happiness that spending more would bring, and so that's why I've made my decision.
Completely agree, especially in the US, most never tap deep enough into the power of their car to need 400+ hp or even close to it. Even those who track their cars only touch upon some decent speeds for a few seconds before shaving it all off to enter a curve. Certainly trackers achieve more than most (in the US) but any 300 hp Porsche can thrill on track. The less power you have the more you have to work for speed and there's merit in how fun it is to work versus having so much power there's no effort to go fast. Why are 718s and 991.2s so popular? Because drivers are lazy and want to feel a little pull without bothering themselves to wind the motor up a little.
In 1997 I bought a Ducati 748 versus the 916 expressly to make myself stretch the throttle cable more. Honestly I've come close to "ordering" a base model a couple of times, but spec'd it to cost more than the S. I've always wanted a base with PCCB. If you take a base Boxster or Cayman, or even Carrera, and add PCCB and dress it up nicely with the best suspension option, full leather and a few bells and whistles you have a killer little sleeper that will make you rev it to death and you'll have stopping power well beyond a typical S with red brakes. Haven't quite pulled the trigger and may not since we're in the turbo era now and that's no bueno.
I also have a 2007 MV Agusta F4 1000 R which I brought back from Germany in 2009. Have hardly ridden it since returning to the States as you can't have any fun on it here. I was used to blasting around at 150+ mph (been as fast as 195) and I felt safer there at triple digit speeds than here at 75. It's no fun here, so I'm selling it. For under $10k there's nothing on the planet faster. Kills Ducatis.
So now my wife has looked at a Cayman and she likes that too. So she will be test driving both. I found a very, very nice 2014 Cayman S that is black on black with black wheels. That thing is beautiful, not sure I want to pay the premium but that car says drive me. So much information to digest and think about.....
Yep, test drive both. Same family, but like siblings with slightly differing personalities. Your personal experience will point you in the right direct, regardless of what anyone else thinks.
I recently got bit by the GT4 bug, but it's out of my budget right now....so I started looking at the lower priced 981 Cayman S
I test drove a 2016 base model last week and was very impressed by that car.... so much so that if I had $50k burning a he in my pocket I would have drove it home.(silver 2016 CPO 6 speed/ sports suspension /Carrera wheels with 11k miles)
my salesman was a former SCCA instructor and he himself just ordered a base model 718 Cayman.... he told me the S just wasn't worth the extra $10k and that he could throw a $2000 tune on it and get very close to the power of the S and keep $8k in his pocket....also like others have pointed out some say it's more fun to row through the gears of the base model and push the car a little harder then you would with something with more power
I recently got bit by the GT4 bug, but it's out of my budget right now....so I started looking at the lower priced 981 Cayman S
I test drove a 2016 base model last week and was very impressed by that car.... so much so that if I had $50k burning a he in my pocket I would have drove it home.(silver 2016 CPO 6 speed/ sports suspension /Carrera wheels with 11k miles)
my salesman was a former SCCA instructor and he himself just ordered a base model 718 Cayman.... he told me the S just wasn't worth the extra $10k and that he could throw a $2000 tune on it and get very close to the power of the S and keep $8k in his pocket....also like others have pointed out some say it's more fun to row through the gears of the base model and push the car a little harder then you would with something with more power
This is the spec I'd be looking to get right here
BUT. Keep in mind the performance differences between turbo and non-turboed models. The base 781 is faster than older S models.
BUT. Keep in mind the performance differences between turbo and non-turboed models. The base 781 is faster than older S models.
less power, but 0-60 times a very close.... I have the 4 cylinder twin turbo motor in my 428i and quite enjoy it....but I prefer the looks and especially the sound of the 981 over the newer 718
less power, but 0-60 times a very close.... I have the 4 cylinder twin turbo motor in my 428i and quite enjoy it....but I prefer the looks and especially the sound of the 981 over the newer 718
Perhaps my intent wasn't clearly written. I'm not suggesting that I'd find the base 781 preferable to an S 981 or 987. I wouldn't. I was responding to the comment that an instructor was purchasing a base 781 and the original poster, if I remember aright, was looking at a 987/981. Hence the salesman's opting for base doesn't equate to a base 987/981 but is more comparable to the S in those models.
Perhaps my intent wasn't clearly written. I'm not suggesting that I'd find the base 781 preferable to an S 981 or 987. I wouldn't. I was responding to the comment that an instructor was purchasing a base 781 and the original poster, if I remember aright, was looking at a 987/981. Hence the salesman's opting for base doesn't equate to a base 987/981 but is more comparable to the S in those models.
Btw, its called the 718 , but he was referring to both the 981 and the 718 as far as spending $2k on a tune rather then $10k for the S model for the extra HP
I recently got bit by the GT4 bug, but it's out of my budget right now....so I started looking at the lower priced 981 Cayman S
I test drove a 2016 base model last week and was very impressed by that car.... so much so that if I had $50k burning a he in my pocket I would have drove it home.(silver 2016 CPO 6 speed/ sports suspension /Carrera wheels with 11k miles)
my salesman was a former SCCA instructor and he himself just ordered a base model 718 Cayman.... he told me the S just wasn't worth the extra $10k and that he could throw a $2000 tune on it and get very close to the power of the S and keep $8k in his pocket....also like others have pointed out some say it's more fun to row through the gears of the base model and push the car a little harder then you would with something with more power
This is the spec I'd be looking to get right here
Finding a base model with sport suspension (X73) isn't super easy. Even finding an S with X73 isn't easy as so many have PASM. X73 is much better as it also inclues beefier ARBs and springs in addition to dampers, which is why it cost more. But anyway, I owned a '14 Cayman S very similar to this, and was a little disappointed so I traded it for a '12 Cayman R which is easily the better driver's car, and faster.
04-30-2019, 02:36 PM
but still want more. Currently first on list for 2020 982 Spyder.
