michaelscain

Hi,

I am trying to decide whether to get a Porsche Boxster S or a Cayman S.

My first question is; Has anyone driven the 987S and Cayman S back to back?
What are the differences?

I have read many reviews of both cars but have never read a direct comparison between both. I am aware that the Cayman S has a better more focussed chassis, but then the Boxster s has won many road tests because it also has a very good chassis. Then again i am also aware that you can get PASM on the Boxster s which gives it more focused Cayman like driving experience. I cannot comment here as i have not driven a Cayman s against a 987S fitted with PASM.

Because both the Cayman s and the Boxster s can be bought for the same price on the second hand market, choosing one over the other is now a real choice for anyone who could only afford the Boxster.

Also, which is interesting is that the 3.4 litre Boxster S came out during the second part 2006 while the Cayman s was being sold at the start of 2005. This means that that the second hand prices of both cars are now the same. Is it worth getting the Cayman s because of its excellent and far superior chassis or can you argue that the Boxster s is the better buy because it also allows top down driving which gives you another dimension. Is the Cayman s chassis significantly better than the Boxster s? Also is the Cayman S 3.4L engine notitably different to the Boxster S 3.2L?

Cheers

Michael

PS on BBC2 at 7.30 Tonight there is a program called "How Porsche Made There Millions"

Old Chuck

Either Porsche Pete's Boxster Board or the Cayman Club if no one answers on this forum. The other's have members who have both and can possibly be of help. I know this is not the answer you wanted but trying to help...Have driven both but not back to back and not on a track where any difference could be obvious.

00r101

Michael,

Both cars handle great. Both cars are available with all the same options (including PASM). The '09 Cayman S has a 10hp advantage over the '09 Boxster S. The Cayman's chassis is a bit tighter than the Boxster's. The Boxster has a little bit of cowl shake due to its topless design. But in reality either car handles much better than most drivers can appreciate or should ever experience on public roads.

I have driven base Cayman and Boxster back to back and the differences are piddling and all revolve around roof/no roof. I will say that I think the Cayman looks a lot better than the Boxster IMHO.
So the choice really comes down to are you a convertible guy or not.

vladie22

i was undecided myself . i drove both and decided on the Boxster because 1)i like the idea of being able to drop the top and 2)the price savings ( i bought new in '07). they drive very similar in my opinion.

acadian_dad

Back in '06 I drove a Cayman with sports suspension and a Boxster (non-S) back to back ... I found the Cayman just a little too harsh for daily driving on the local highways and the base Boxster too soft / not enough grunt.

I ended up buying a Boxster-S and love it for my daily commute in the summer ... For what its worth, now that I drive at the track more often I am starting to lean towards moving up to a Cayman S ... I plan to get PASM on whatever I get next ...

Porsche-Jeck

Yes, that's the decisive point indeed. Real world performance is very similar and the Boxster S has a very rigid chassis for a cab (no rattles or other probs with mine even after 6,500 track km). The 3.4 L engine has a bit more punch at midrange RPMs due to the Variocam Plus compared to the 3.2 L, but it's not a huge difference. On the other hand the 3.2 L sounds a bit nicer IMHO.
Make sure to get a PASM equipped car - best of both worlds for a smooth ride on rough surface and less body roll if you want to have fun at the track.

RonCT

You are comparing apples and oranges. One is a coupe, the other a roadster (convertible). Both are similar because they are mid-engined. You can't make a bad decision here, so it comes down to whether you want a hard top or rag top?

As to suspension - I've had non-PASM and PASM Porsches - several. I don't like PASM except for the 2009 Gen 2 version in the 997.2 cars, which is why I just ordered a 2009 C2S with Sport PASM. They finally got it right. If you are looking at a 2009 and they have Gen 2, then I think it might be worth looking at. But, if we had a choice between PASM and non-PASM, I'd go non every time. There's just no reason for the gimmick of having 2 settings, where each has an infinite dampening capacity. When you have it set to hard and want it that way, the computer softens if the road gets rough. Hal is in control.

If it were me and PASM was a true option (meaning it's not standard as it is in the 2009 C2S I ordered), I wouldn't spend my $ on it. You could probably spend the same $ and put a set of PSS9 on and get the capacity to set your ride height, pick from 9 dampening settings, corner balance the car, etc.

I just picked up a 2005 Boxster S CPO and while I was looking I put aside any car that had PASM...

Porsche-Jeck

Ron, did you testdrive a 987 S with PASM ? IMHO the system feels better in the Boxster compared to the 997.1 Carreras, but then - every butt is different

RonCT

Drove one, but while it was fine on the street, so was stock. For the price of PASM, you can get an aftermarket true coil-over system that you can adjust and corner balance. If the 2009 had a Sport PASM option that's Gen 2, -20mm, and with LSD then yes. But if Gen 1, I'd go aftermarket.

Porsche-Jeck

Sure, even more so if you like to track the car. Having said that the choice of PASM-cars is even more complicated, as Porsche obviously has been working over the system from MY to MY. I've driven the 987S (PASM equipped) from all MYs and no car felt exactly like the other. The very first ones (demo cars) felt worse (either too soft/too hard), though I'm quite happy with my MY 06.

Now I'm extremely curious how the PASM works in my GT3 (unfortunately no chance for a proper spirited drive yet due to freezing temps... )

RonCT

The PASM in the GT3 was better than in my 997S for sure. It still is "funky" when at the limits - suspension can't decide what to do when you are really pushing the envelope (ie: Esses at Watkins Glen). Very nice that it's a true coil-over and you can corner balance. Enjoy!

Porsche-Jeck

Thanks Ron Guess I'll be "funky" myself when exploring the limit for the first time

Chris C.

The Boxster is much better looking IMO, and you wont notice any cowl flex or handling shortcomings at all.

Choose the form and looks that work best for you

fast1

Did you see the writeup on the CS in the January 26 issue of Autoweek? If not, please do. Great writeup. Bottom line their observation is that the '09 CS makes the 911 almost superfulous, unless of course you need that parcel spce otherwise referred to as a rear seat.

As to whether or not you want a roadster or coupe, it's a personal choice. If performance is top on your car buying agenda, the CS is a no brainer. If on the other hand, you like top down driving, the Boxster is for you. It has great performance which is just a notch below the CS.

stout

Do you want a coupe or a roadster? That really is all you need to ask.

Between the two, the performance is VERY similar, as is flexural stability in real-world circumstances. Boxsters are VERY stiff for roadsters, and virtually cowl shake-free. Porsche did a lot of work on the chassis, and optimizing it for stiffness. Having an engine in the middle (rather than a wide-open passenger compartment) was a big advantage. The weight figures for the two 987s compared to 997 coupe and cab suggest the Cayman is little more than a Boxster with a (sexier) hardtop. Which is how I've seen it from the start despite its market "positioning."

Both are great cars, and you can't lose.

As for PASM: In my experience, PASM works better in first-gen 987s than first-gen 997s. Much better. Part of this is due to the fact that the sensors measuring body movement are mounted differently on 987s than on 997s, and the longer wheelbase and mid-engine help, too. Finally, because it is adaptive, PASM also works well with lowering springs, which cannot be said for the stock shocks.

However, if you foresee putting real coil-overs in the car, a car without PASM is preferable, especially if it saves you money.

Hope this is helpful,

pete