neil.schneider

I had a 2009 cayman and traded up to a preowned 2012.5 911. I am a BIG fan of letting someone else take the first year or two depreciation hit. Ask yourself this...If you get the cayman will you look enviously at a 911 every time you pass on on the road? Will you try to console yourself and say "the mid engine design of the Cayman makes it a better car" trying to convince yourself you made the right decision? If you answer yes to these questions then get the 911.

Porscheforever

I think 996tt has psm, not pasm. But I could be wrong.

You should test drive the 991 when you have the time.

destaccado

I own a 991C2S and quite frankly I've found it to be a rather boring everyday car to drive compared to my first-gen Cayman.

Much like you're considering - I purchased it as a perfect 1-owner CPO car with 8,000 miles and was fortunate enough to find one equipped with all the options I would have wanted from the factory (sport PASM, sport exhaust, 14-way sport plus seats, etc).

My thought is that if you want a Cayman - buy the Cayman for what it offers over the 911; e.g. the cheaper price and the 6-speed manual transmission. Unlike many here - I think the GTS package is a decent value over the Cayman "S" - especially if you take advantage of the Carmine Red GTS interior package which really makes the interior stand out.

"My Cayman GTS order is performance oriented with PDK, PTV, X73 sport suspension. I also added Bose Nav and Carrera turbo wheels and the carmine GTS interior package."

If you're looking to order a 911-lite as it appears you are with all the bells and whistles bringing you up to 991 c2s price - just go ahead and buy the 911. Otherwise be prepared to hear - "why didn't you get a 911?", "that's the girl Porsche", etc... There's a lot of "haters" out there who can't afford either car but I have yet to hear a negative comment about my 991.

On a side note I don't know why anyone would pay extra for navigation when smartphone navigation is more intuitive/easier to use and updated far more often.

My GTS order with the GTS interior/exterior packages and a few extras would only be $83,285 - 8% = 76,622. If yours is coming in so much higher than this I can't help but think you're doing the Cayman wrong...

008

Yes. The windshield had both 981 and 991 clearly marked on it. There is a huge amount of parts sharing between the two platforms, always has been from the 986/996 the 987/997 to the current models.

As far as driving the two back to back, I track my C2S often have thousands of track miles in my old 987 CS, and have driven the 981 quite a bit on the track. Same brakes same motor the cayman would be faster.

solomonschris

So the Cayman is a better track tool. So for the 2-3 days you are tracking you might be better off with the Cayman. The other days of the year you would be better off with the 991 IMO for several reasons. The 991 is much quieter in the cabin. The back seat has always been a big plus for me, and I don't have kids. The 400hp of the S has more usable punch than the smaller engines available in the Cayman offer. The 911 is iconic and is likely to have better resale. The 991 has a dual personality in that it is a fabulous GT car up to about 7/10ths when it turns into a real top flight sports car with few peers. The only thing that I bet all of us agree on is that you will have a blast whichever one you choose....Chris

Grunty

I got a chance to drive the new cayman gts on the track this weekend. Wow, really nice. Much better on the track than the c4s targa, in my opinion. Did not get the opportunity to track the non targa 911.

I would say that the cayman is quite a bit more crowded headroom wise than the 911.

I suspect the 911 is the better choice for non track use as the additional space in the back is handy. Plus, the 911 looks cooler, IMHO.

Bacura

Correct about headroom. At 6'3" I don't really fit in a Cayman.

Grunty

I am only 6 feet. But I was wearing a helmet.

AndrewP

Cayman GTS for track work would be my choice if I did not need the room of the 991. My perspective is not as extensive as others on the forum but here it is: Tracked my 2015 991 Turbo S the other day and it is, as Chris Harris is fond of saying, "a weapon." I'll track it again soon, but if I want to track often, I think a Cayman S or GTS would be the way to go for me. A used 991 S is probably a better value, especially if CPO'd than a new Cayman. Get what your gut tells you because there is little financial sense to Porsche's. They are very expensive vehicles no matter which model or year you select. And the post about sufficient headroom with a helmet is an essential consideration.

Porscheforever

bccars

Get a 991 !
Was at the dealership last week. Completely walked past a Cayman GTS without even noticing it ! Apparently the 911's drew my attention. I only saw it when salesperson pointed it out to me in the conversation about the previous client.

matttheboatman

I am currently in the "hot seat". I have a GTS on order and keep looking at CPO 911s. So, to be clear I am biased toward the 981 model after owning a '14 Cayman S.

I do think the Cayman looks the part of a true racey sports car, except for an Aerokit equipped 991 which I think is the best looking Porsche.

At the end of the day, the GTS is going to be much more satisfying to me than any non-aerokit 911. It has all the sporty bits, it is a blast to drive, and what you lack in straight line power you make up for in the Cayman's ability to let you drive the car comfortably closer to the edge through the corners.

My GTS will cost about $80K. If I could find an Aerokit cup 991s for that price with some sporty bits sports suspension/sport exhaust/sports chrono - I'd make the switch. But, since that is not yet possible, the GTS wins for me.

mtbscott

I had a 987 Cayman S and loved it, and last weekend got a 981 Boxster as a loaner while by 991 was in the shop. There is no arguing the dynamics of the midengined cars are great, and they feel lighter on their feet for sure. The biggest difference is more subjective...and why I chose the 991.
Its cabin is a bit more airey feeling, and its vestigial back seats provide some extra inside cargo space and can hold more humans in a pinch. The other thing that really baffles me about the 981 Cayman is why Porsche did not include a Roof Transport System as the 987 and all 911's have. I need and want to carry my bikes on my cars, one that won't carry one is a deal killer.

abujax

does transmission make a significant difference in this debate?...i know the op mentioned pdk, but for us manual guys, i've heard the 991 7mt is to be avoided, and the fact that the 991 turbo and gt2/3 won't be offered in a manual seems to support that position...

mtbscott

I think the bad press about the 991's 7MT is just that, bad press. I think mine is fine. As noted by me and many others, it will feel quite "stiff" when brand new and when cold, but within a couple thousand miles and when up to operating temperature, it's as smooth and accurate as any manual I've ever owned.
The use of PDK only in the Turbo and GT cars is more an engineering/marketing decision. Porsche knows they wouldn't sell as many manuals in those cars, and it's easier on the designers to build around only one transmission.