logan2z

I'm in the market for a 987.2 Cayman S and stumbled across a Cayman R with low mileage at a local dealer. I test drove it today and fell in love. The thing is I've been looking for a Cayman that I can use as a DD and so I was leaning towards PDK. I currently drive an '87 Carrera daily and was hoping for something a bit more modern and easier to drive when dealing with SF Bay Area traffic.

The Cayman R I drove today was a 6MT but honestly felt great. I loved the short shifts and the smoothness of the gearbox. But I'm still torn between the manual and PDK.

I have come across a few PDK Cayman Rs but they seem to go for about $5-$6K less than the comparable manual cars. I'm assuming that is because there is a greater demand for the manuals. I'm not really buying the car as an investment but I'd hate to buy a Cayman R and choose a gearbox that nobody wants if/when I resell the car. So, is a PDK Cayman R viewed as a far inferior car to the manual gearbox Rs, despite the fact that the 911 GT cars are all PDK now?

Really torn about which gearbox to choose. The decision was more clear to me when I was thinking about buying a regular ol' Cayman S.

zedcat

I certainly don't think the PDK Cayman R would be viewed as inferior to the 6MT. The PDK will be a little faster on track in most cases. I have a 6 MT and love the car, but for stop and go traffic PDK is nice. The bigger option question for the Cayman R model is the seats. A car with sport buckets should get a premium. They were a no cost option when the car was new. To buy a set from Techquipment is about 12k. That said they may not be a good fit for all drivers. If they fit you and you can find a car with them they are great.

Spokayman

My $.02
The PDK is a great trans, and it especially fits the needs of certain types of driving, such as commuting.
I also find the PDK to be a lot of fun on tight curvy roads that require constant shifting to keep in the powerband.
It might not be as desirable as a manual trans when is comes time to resell, but the $5K you save now, properly invested, will more than cover the difference later.

Life is short. Buy what you will enjoy and what works for you.

logan2z

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Re: seats. The car I drove had the regular sport seats, not the buckets. I've done some searching around and did run across another PDK Cayman R with the full buckets, but the premium was about $10K. I've never sat in the buckets and have a bit of a bad back, so I'm reluctant to buy a car with buckets before having a chance to try them for an extended drive.

swmic

I have the sport buckets in my spyder. The seats are absolutely great but would might be a hassle for a DD. I'd stick with the regular sports seats and save the cash.

blue44

been driving my 987 Spyder PDK in and around NYC for a couple of years and it's downright relaxing to drive in traffic ( easy, no overheating with 3rd radiator, beautiful interior ), but the performance is always available, a blast on the open road and at the track. The Cayman R PDK will be a rare car as time goes on, and the resale value won't be affected by clutch age or over-revs. Try the sport buckets before you buy, the back is fixed and a little too straight for a dd. Share the ad if you get a chance...

Donn

RDCR

I shopped for my car for 3 months because I wanted LWBs and PDK.
Based on what I have seen other things such as mileage, seats and color seem to influence the price more then the tranny type. I have been told by 2 different local dealers that the price is set by them based on original MSRP and mileage.

Hoopumpers

6MT and buckets or die!!!

logan2z

Could you elaborate? I'm not sure you made your position clear

HoBoJoe

I wouldn't be concerned with PDK vs manual for resale, there will always be someone who wants both. Have you driven any PDK cars yet? If not that might help make the decision clear again.

RDCR

logan2z

I test drove a 2014 Cayman S with PDK. I enjoyed it during the test drive but that may have been the novelty of it. Hard to know how I would feel about it long term. Good to know that most responses here indicate that PDK wouldn't have a major effect on resale should I decide to go that route.

greymanR

I have the PDK CR its amazing....wish it was 6MT though...and wish it had the buckets...

logan2z

Just curious. If it's amazing why do you wish it was 6MT?

logan2z

I wonder how easy/hard it would be to sell the sport buckets and replace them with the standard sport seat if they don't work out?