Bxstr

Great post on what makes the Cayman so special. My friend has a Cayman R and having a lot of experience around in it and in it has made me realize even more what great cars they are. So much so that I started a thread in the Cayman R section basically saying if you want a sub $100k 997 GT3, it's the car to get. Feels special every time you're in it and drives so well. Enjoy!

FilthyF14

Great comments. I'm admittedly "thrifty" but could afford a GT3 on a stretch but don't see the point. I'm retired from the track and find my base 987 Boxster and my wife's base 981 Cayman PDK perfect for the road and road trips. I sure don't need to go 180 miles an hour.....

2swoosh

i'm digging all the + post here i am new to the Cayman scene and can't wait for the track spring/summer season to do HPDEs and see what this mid engined toy is capable of.

fatmike

Thinking about the 987.2 Cayman as an inexpensive GT3 completely misses the point.

The Cayman stands on its own merits.

It's analog and right sized. Curvy in a way only older cars can be.

The car is balanced, playful/tossable and practical. Those aren't words I'd use to describe a GT3.

/

XuTVJet

Great story and I could not agree more. I wanted a Cayman .2 6MT as a fun car and my daily is a tuned 2016 BMW M235. I knew the S wouldn't be a fast but still nothing like the M235 plus the research was pointing to the direct injected 9A1's now seeing bore score but the port injected 9A1s seem to not be afflicted. After months of searching, I found a loaded Cayman 6MT with a factory LSD back in October 2023. I had to put some maintenance into it, but damn is it fun to drive. It's an experience every time I drive it. Like others have noted, it has the right amount of power street and B road driving which is the only driving it will do. The handling and feel are perfect and it is definitely a much more raw experience than the M235. All controls on the Cayman are heavy, connected, and feel robust. I drive the Cayman way more than the M235.

8Lug

You’re exactly right, and that was kind of the point of my original post. I was not looking to compare these cars and judge them against one another. Each provides a different, unique, and wonderful driving experience, which is why I wanted to own both, rather than trying to convince myself or anyone here that one is better for whatever use case.
The 997.2 GT3 is an absolute legend, and provides an unmatched driving experience when I’m able to simply go out for a drive to rip mountain roads. It’s razor sharp, loads of power, sublime shifter and steering, and yes, very tossable. It has everything you want from a dedicated “toy” car. The problem is I can’t go out every day just to drive around.
‘The Cayman is the quintessential sports car. Light, nimble, just enough power, and most importantly, relatively comfortable and practical. It is by no means anything resembling a cheaper GT3. But it is something I can drive every day for my commute, errands, road trips, kids sports, and therefore the total units of fun I can accumulate from it in any given month of driving will equal the less frequently driven GT3. I’m here to sing the praises of both cars, and will appreciate the Cayman on its own merits.

FindingRush

I own a Boxster RS 60 Spyder and my other cars are Jaguar XFR-S (550HP/RWD) and Audi R8. I have more fun in the Boxster because of a few reasons - able to use full throttle more often on the street, 6 speed manual, roof goes down, and I am less worried about the cost of ownership/depreciation. Weight is such a huge factor in the fun as well, Boxster weighs ~1500lbs less than the Jag and ~600lbs less than the R8, which is insane given how both are purpose built sports cars with proportions that are within a few inches.

Here is a comparison of the R8 and Boxster - https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/com...2016-roadster/

sasilverbullet

Great post! Totally agree!
I have been driving my 03 996 Coupe/Tiptronic for five years before I purchased my tricked out 06 Cayman S. It has a Cayman R suspension, upgraded brakes, Jake Raby Stage II Track performer engine, Recarro racing seats, full roll bar, and a Carnewal exhaust.
The difference between these two cars is quite amazing! I've autox'd the Cayman 5 sessions now, and my appreciation for it grows every time I drive it. I took it out for a 300 mile run in the twisties and it handles the road better than my 911. I'm debating trying a track day at Harris Hill...
I do like my 911 for daily use, I have to wear ear plugs in the Cayman, and getting in and out of those recarros is quite an exercise.
But, I do like the way my 911 looks vs. the Cayman.
I love them both!

The Duke

Almost on topic - yesterday, I went to the NNJR PCA HPDE (lotta acronyms!) 2024 kick-off. Many 981, 918, and some other Porsches in the parking lot. Among them all was one red 987.2!

Among those other cars, it did look a bit vintage, a bit small, and - maybe - even a bit underwhelming. I thought it was perfect! A Goldilocks model!

M. Essaie

For me, one of the greatest things about my non-PASM 987S is how closely it matches the feel and ethos of "the one that got away" - my 1987 Carrera. Same length, height, and weight but with 60 more hp.

The only car I've ever been tempted to replace it with is the 718 GTS but if you have the chance to compare it to the 987 it is somewhat disappointing. The "wrap around" feel is gone, it feels comparatively massive, the electric steering IS an issue, and as to extra power...... I am near prison territory many times when I get enthusiastic with 280 hp. What will I do with 380?

I think future generations will see the 987 as a Porsche-purists sweet-spot.

cavediver32043

Agree!!

mytime1

Well, put me in the agree column. Don't have the coin for a 911, but have put 90K miles on my 987.1 S in the past 6 years and wouldn't change a thing. Hoping bore scoring holds off for a while to come, but I'll be replacing/ rebuilding the engine if it does!
Love the coco mats in your car. I have them in mine as well and really like them. They have worn well.

WalkerT

Have had high hp cars and track focused cars, jumping in my .2 manual base just grounds me in the fun to drive category. Had always been a 911 guy and had a 996 c4s daily prior. Also driven a ton of 911’s, but there is a great niche for a mid engine analog run about that can be used daily. Totally find myself grabbing the Cayman keys before the others when heading out the door.

ekam

XuTVJet

^Pretty much this. As I've gotten older, I'm way less concerned about how fast my car accelerates and much prefer connection and a sporty car that I can use without it wanting to kill me or obtaining crazy speeds. I've learned that looking and sounding fast is plenty fun. Everyone looks at my base Cayman and they think it's super fast. I'll let them think that.