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This post is introduce myself and share my experiences on moving from a 987 Cayman S to the 991 Carrera S. It is not intended as review on the Carrera S, or whether it is better or worse than the Cayman S. Others more eloquent than myself have written volumes on that. Instead, I want to share my feelings and experiences on getting into a 991 after owning a 987 for 9 years. I've also included my thoughts on modifying and driving both around town as a daily driver and on the track at high performance drivers education environments.
But first a little background on myself. Growing up in the sixties (I'm currently 60) my dad gave me my first metal model car, a Masserati Birdcage Then, taught me how to hop-up Aurora Model Motoring HO slot cars before owning a series real sports cars.. Fiat/Lancia/Mazda/Nissan/Porsche. I've always had manual transmissions and most had only two seats.
My first Porsche drive was the just released, Cayman S at my local dealer, here in Huntington NY. The fit & finish combined with that awesome "mid-engine on my back" driving experience convinced me to put the money I had saved to buy out my 350Z lease, down on the Cayman.
Enter the Cayman S
Each of my 9 great years with the Cayman came with a new modification that I discovered searching forums, always looking for more performance. Finally, after years of daily driving and DE and downshifting heal-toe, I learned the proper way to enter and exit a turn. I think I have gotten the most out of the 3.4 six (340HP, Milltek catback, EVOMSit ECU, IPD plenum, BMC filter) and Cayman suspension (Bilstein PSS9, TPC Stage 1, PFC brakes, NT-05 tires). I was even starting to catch up to some hot 911s I encountered on the track.
Enter the Carrera S
Then, the venerable 991 entered the picture. This year, more and more 991s started burning up the track and, I couldn't keep up?? How did a out-of-the-box 991 on street tires, put so much torque onto the tarmac without under steering,!? I learned how PTV, PDCC, PDK, PDEM all work together with the refined 3.8 to beat the previous year GT3 Nurburgring times.
I got the chance to drive the 991 back-to-back with the 981 at one of the Porsche Road Shows in Monticello NY. What power, what smoothness, what handling, what refinement, what PDK! The 981 had the same twitchy characteristics as my Cayman but it was no match for the torque and horsepower for the 991S.
I had been saving some money for a 997 3.8 engine swap, the next major upgrade on my Cayman's road in becoming a dedicated track car. Then, I considered of all those return trips to the shop, where they never get it right the first time, and the kinds of major issues may be in store for me with the engine swap. I would also need a daily driver like a Audi or BMW that, though refined performance cars as they are, will never scratch that Sportscar/GT itch that only a Porsche can, in between DE days.
Then, I found an Aqua Blue Metallic 991S offered by Park Place Motors in Bellevue Washington. This car had everything that my Cayman S didn't... plus two rear seats. Here are highlights from the build sheet:
Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control
Porsche Doppelkupplung
Porsche Torque Vectoring
Porsche Dynamic Light System
Porsche Entry & Drive
Porsche Sport Chrono Package
Burnmester Audio
Full Leather Interior
Multi-Function Steering Wheel
18 Way Adaptive Sport Seats
Heat & Vented Seats
Black Painted Wheels
Aluminum Gear Selector
Electric Folding Mirrors
Electric Sunroof
Integrated Passport 9500ix
Aqua Blue Metallic
Key Painted to Match
It was everything I ever dreamed of in a car, plus the 3.8L motor and more!
When the car arrived 3 weeks ago, I was faced with a dilemma. Part of my plan for financing the Carrera S meant selling the Cayman S I needed to be certain this car that will be my DD AND DE for all my future sports-car-loving days. So I needed to be certain that this was the right move. What made this decision even more difficult was that I just realize the full 340HP from the Cayman S hidden by a couple of bad coil packs, after replacing the plugs and packs late this past summer. My old Cayman S was driving more powerfully and handling better than ever with the new Bilsteins!! Two weeks of driving the Carrera S around town in comfort mode then... switching on the 'Mr Hyde' (Sports Plus) button, made my decision a no brainier.
Carrera Non-Performance Options
First, let me tell you about the non-performance items the Carrera has over the Cayman, I will go into the performance aspects and how the combination influenced my ultimate decision to go with the Carrera. When I specified my Cayman build, I selected with minimal options, choosing to spend the savings on modifications learned from others who have made similar changes on various forums such as this. At the same time, enjoying and understanding what made each change important, one-at-a-time over the years of ownership.
Having the above performance options pre-configured and installed on the Carrera was simply a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. I think Porsche realized that many of electronic options that they offered in 2006 were not exactly the best on the market. Such was the case with the Cayman's suspension, engine performance, audio and navigation system. I'm glad I deleted them and went after market. Now, the current options in 991 represent some of the best on the market from any manufacturer regardless of the price.
Carrera as GT
The size of the Cayman is perfect for a sports car, and served its purpose for me as a daily driver, with its hatch and front trunk for storage. But as I modified it more for the track the smoothness and comfort began to wane. Stepping into the Carrera was like a move on up to a proper grand tourer of the Aston Martin ilk. Not that the Carrera is like an Aston Martin but, it sure feels like Porsche imported some of its DNA into the Carrera. I think Porsche felt as if it can grow the Carrera towards a more mature market keeping the purist, sports car fans happy with the handling of the Cayman. Yet the paradox remains the Carrera is faster on the track but doesn't feel that way.
Full Leather Interior
And there is nothing like full leather interior smell and feel each time I get into the car. The interior design and quality of both cars are just properly dressed with a full leather treatment. Speaking of getting into the car, what a exciting feeling you get each time the fold-up mirrors, door lock auto-lifting steering wheel and self-adjusting 18 way seats come alive when I turn on the engine with removing the key from my pocket!
Burnmester Audio
The Burnmester alone has brought me a new appreciation of my old music sonic landscape that I never heard before. Yes it is expensive but, I wouldn't consider anything less in the Carrera. It is so good that I'd love to afford one form my home as well.
Multi-Function Steering Wheel w/ MMI
As a technical writer for optical laboratory equipment and lover of digital innovations, I always enjoyed the enhancement that digital technology brings to the automobile. I've enjoyed controlling the multimedia systems without taking my hands off the wheel. And the TFT color display integrates with the steering wheel perfectly in my field of vision that I don't have to take my eyes off the road as well as my hands off the wheel. I did find the PDK push buttons to be counter intuitive to other sports cars. So I engineered my first modification on the multi-function's wheel PDK buttons to act like the paddles (right rear = up-shift, left rear = down-shift, front buttons = null). It even shifts faster than paddles because my fingers are away on them, eliminating the need to reach for the paddles.
18 Way Heated/Vented Seats
Adjusting the most comfortable driving seat on the market is a dream when compared to the basic Cayman seat. Man, what a God send for the memory and retractable when opening the door. And the heat comes on less than a half a block when driving home from work on those cold Long Island nights.
Carrera Performance Options
PDK
As I have always owned a manual transmission, I simply love having all hands and feet in when driving around town as a daily driver. But on the track, there is a much higher demand one's concentration... perfecting the gear changes with the braking point, track out and chassis balance, it really makes PDK a must have to keep the tach within the power band. And, I'm still amazed how Porsche employs a velocity sensitive throttle that not only knows fast you are depressing the pedal (for gear more aggressive gear changing) but how fast you release the pedal to hold the gear or switch into glide mode for highway driving. I've always theorized that I prefer a manual for the street, PDK for the track but, more and more, I'm loving having my cake and eating it too when ever I damn feel like it. I test drove a manual 991 and found it lacking in feel and confusing to shift when compared to my Cayman. Occasionally, I'll manual shift the Cayman around town and only find it crude and a bother after driving the Carrera. However, I truly miss those in-between gear rev opportunities the manual provides letting you know that it is all there and ready to go.
PDDC
Regardless how well you tune a Cayman's suspension, the Carrera's multi-link rear suspension is a work of state-of-the-art. Net effect over the Cayman, with its wonderful mid-engine layout, more secure feeling over undulating track conditions and... read my lips, MINIMAL UNDERSTEER UPON EXIT. Yes I know this is mostly due to Torque Vectoring but having minimum roll gives one a keen feeling of how the tires are working with my steering input and improves tire wear on the track.
3.8L 400HP 325Lb-Ft
Finally, there is that 3.8L motor. Not only does it act like a track animal but I enjoy the free revving motor, though I no longer get to rev it with PDK. As they say, there is nothing that matches torque and the Carrera has been rightly called out in this department. But for me coming from a Cayman I have no complaints. As the weather is getting colder, I find the tires breaking loose more and more. I can't imagine what the Turbo must be like.
Dynamic Engine Mounts
I don't know how they do it but they sure connect the shift points with the chassis that give one the kick in the but that the Cayman never exhibited. Instills confidents that the whole package is ready to follow my input with no lag.
So there you have it. I will surly miss Cayman's small, analog classic sports car feel and its manual six speed transmission but the Carrera is just so much more car in all aspects. It will fill the DD shoes with accolades while bringing my DE speed up a couple of notches.
Awesome write up and great car, congrats! Love the Acqu Blue. Your build is quite similar to my incoming GTS aside from PDCC and the MF wheel so you obviously have good taste.
Enjoy in good health, look forward to what mods you have planned...
Looking forward to reading about any possible future mods to the new car.
Anything planned or on your mind?
I like the custom radar remote install in the storage/smokers package location.
STG991,
Thanks for the motivating complement. I wrote up my experience modifying the multi-function PDK buttons on the other forum (http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/9...e-paddles.html). Perhaps, I'll write up the whole process if it is requested by others. Otherwise, I've got more features now than I can handle, learning all the advancements the car has to offer.
Oh, I've just got a set of 19" Ultraleggera HLT with Scottozero's for winter driving as I just can't bear not driving the car for more that a few days without getting the shakes:
Welcome from a fellow blue 911 Long Islander! Great car. I was probably parked right across from you at the Porsche Corral at the Lime Rock Historics this year. You'll love the Carrera S. Great track-daily driver combo car.
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My Experience Getting a Carrera S (long)
I needed to be certain this car that will be my DD AND DE for all my future sports-car-loving days. So I needed to be certain that this was the right move. What made this decision even more difficult was that I just realize the full 340HP from the Cayman S hidden by a couple of bad coil packs, after replacing the plugs and packs late this past summer. My old Cayman S was driving more powerfully and handling better than ever with the new Bilsteins!! Two weeks of driving the Carrera S around town in comfort mode then... switching on the 'Mr Hyde' (Sports Plus) button, made my decision a no brainier.
