soltino

Dan

Can you put a number on the relative stiffnees of the non-PASM?

If 0 is the stiifest and 10 the softest; would it be a 5?


tino

CP

Dan,

Great input.

Since I will keep my RUF, power is not an issue. In fact, I'm waiting to see the specs of a non-S Cayman, primarily to see how much it weights. I can fix everything else (ride height, suspension, and even power: RUF compressor). But the mid-engine lay-out, chasis, and handling characteristics are inherent to the car.

Much as I love my RUF, I don't see how it could corner like a mid-engine car weighing 2,850 lbs. Call me an optimist, but that that's what I hope the regular Cayman, with virtually no options, will come in at.

CP

Jim Michaels

I have a Cayman with 18" wheels with PASM and Sport Chrono, but no driving experience in any other Cayman, 987, or 997, so I can't help with the comparisons requested. I moved from a RSA with H&R lowering springs and Bilstein HD shocks that I tracked and autocrossed for 8 years, so that's the only realistic comparison I can make. Although I haven't autocrossed or tracked the Cayman yet, my impression from driving it through the same curvy mountain roads that I drove the RSA is that the Cayman is easier and more comfortable to drive fast, and will also be quicker on an autocross course or track. My Cayman is completely stock, but I know I couldn't keep up with it driving my RSA. I think the Cayman is fully worthy of all the praise it's received.

mooty

For mooty's level of track use, I'd get 18" & an aftermarket track biased suspension.
_____________
right on. i am waiting for them to come out with it.

mooty

fongster and i were both at LS today and swapped car for two sessions.

cayman doesn't have the GT3 thrust obviously, but it's more confidence inspiring, nice four wheel drifts, very tossable. at my skill level, it's more fun to push cayman than 100k+ GT3. it took fongster quite a few laps to shake me off his rear end ;-), he's ususally faster than me in similar cars. bear in mind my cayman is 100% stock other than pagid RS19's and GT3 seats. 19" street tires PS2 and no pasm no chrono.

it's much softer than GT3, but it didn't lean as much as i expected it to. all in all, i am very happy with how it did on it's first outing to track. 180 miles on LS today. now if i can stuff a 3.8L in there.... nirvana.

CP

John,

RUF in Dallas can do that right now. Give Wayne Corley a call.

Still curious, in tight turns, you think the Cayman corners as nicely as a spec Miata?

CP

mooty

i called ruf... i don't have 40k for it.

in tight turns, yes, cayman will corner as nicely as miata. it's a matter of set up really. my long gone M3 will corner as nicely as any SM and m3 normally understeers a lot. i had toe out front and 3.5 neg camber on the m3.

you asked if cayman cabin gets hot. i didn't feel hot in it. but i am very afraid of cold. that said, when i opened the hatch after 3 sessions, i can feel heat escaping from the hatch.

Fongster

I know I am going to regret doing what I did today..

but this was my initial impressions of the cayman as a week ago

"The cayman feels small, both from the cabin and the exterior of the car. Going thru twisties, you are more aware that its not as long nor as rear heavy as a 911. The power is only marginally more significant at 4000rpm. From which it has a nice liner pull to redline. Power is mostly adequate for street driving and the occasional backroads roaming. The gearshifts are positive, you know exactly where to slot it in to find a gear..nowhere like the previous mid engine that porsche made.

The steering feedback is positive, very porsche and reacts well to any steering inputs. However, the PSAM kicks in way too early, the suspension is too softly sprung for any form of agressive driving. I bottomed out the suspension more than a few times during the drive.

I walked away from the car after the test drive and felt that the car could have been better. The fine balance between mild understeer and crisp mid engine balance is wrong for a car of this statue, but I guess Porsche wanted the car to be able to be marketed to all sorts, not just the nutty brainless minds who lust only for a car with razor sharp handling and refuses any form of understeer. People who belive that cars should be subjected to directional changes with throttle inputs of a mashing nature.
The interior was alittle more than disappointing. I cannot understand the washy waste of space with the stereo. The need by car markers to subject us to their tasteless boring design with regards to the stereo is plain annoying. Why is it so hard to remain loyal to the 1din system of audiophiles? It has worked for decades, leave it bloody alone. Same goes to the controls for climate...coming out of the shaded cool hills into the bright sunshine, those pesky little levels fit for hydralic lifts with a digital readout the size of a 1980s walkman.

All in all, I think Porsche did a great job in making a marvelous coupe for the street, and so much that they probarly got ahead of themselves and turned back the clock on this.
I believe they will sell a load of these cars, esp to people who think that mid engined cars are gods gift to automobile engineering(it is unless you hold back like the Gayman).

It is priced 66k usd as per the one I test drove. (PSM, Bose, TPCM, 19 inch wheels) and one can probarly option a decent one for 60k, but that is just too close in my option to a 997C2."

Fongster

thanks to mooty...

> cayman
>
> I had driven the GAYman last week up and down some mtn
> backroads and hated the ****ing thing. The suspension
> was too soft, kept bottoming out..interior was a
> ragged mess, with the new style stereo, impossible to
> find buttons, climate control levels fit for a
> hydralic operator on stout. The car handles extremely
> neutral, no tail snapping like the regular rear
> engined porsches.
> It picks lines where you want to go..but luckluster in
> feedback...
> Come today, Laguna Seca..10+ degrees all day,
> overcast...after 20 odd laps in the GT3, I was tired,
> hopped into the cayman..The car is amazing. Keep the
> powerband 4-5k and you have an perfect blend of
> horsepower and torque to push you out of turns and
> keeps the car neutrally balanced. The 290 horsepower
> feels inadequate, but once you drive it...its more
> than enough(at least for mere mortals like me).
> Gear**** is very positive(although nothing like the
> GT3) I guess the Germans realises who the main clients
> are going to be.
> The PSM kicks in almost every corner, I was unable to
> find the lever that turns it off, it was hidden
> amongst the other 2.5million buttons and levers for
> drunk forklift operators. Even with the PSM kicking
> in, it was possible to maintain a neutral turn in, and
> powering out with a slight oversteer.
> All this without the 3 metric tons of nuclear waste
> behind the rear axle ready to blow your head out like
> the other 911s.
>
> This car could possibly the best thing that Porsche
> has done in a long time..(again for mortals like
> meself)

CP

John,

No disrespect meant, but each time you flip a car, between the trade and sales tax, you're talking close to $40k, no? If a RUF Cayman last you twice as long as your prior track cars, you've broken even. I personally think a 3.8L Cayman is probably the ultimate sports car (track or street). If I had one, it'll be around for a LOOOOOOONG time.

I'm also happy to hear about the Cayman's cornering prowess. Can't wait to drive one.

CP

mooty

ah, sorry forgot to tell you where PSM button is at.

you should have pegged it at 7k rpm to really feel it. oh, did i forget to tell you i always shift your car at 9k rpm, Hahahaah. anyways, the car really feels better at 7k rpm.

the lack of LSD was not as big a problem for me as the TALL 2nd and 3rd gear. GT3 had better gearing for sure.

Fongster

I know you kept it from me so I couldnt truly "feel" the car...

Its ok to shift at 9krpm, I can tell that you are most willing to buy my GT3 with with a 5 figure amt starting a "9"...

mooty

cp,

no offense taken. but one of the reason i wanted cayman over GT3 is it's slower so one, i can learn how to be a better driver instead of pedal smasher, two, since it's slower, i have more ppl to play with (993, 964, m3 so forth, where as GT3 just blows by all those)...

i thin you will like it.

fong, i am waiting for "noisy-ton" suspension to show up soon. LOL.

Fongster

I dont recall shaking you off...

Fongster

OK, I take it that I will be expected to take it out again to try and use my heavy weight body to "break in" the springs and shocks..
for you..I will skip more classes to do that..