kinimod

No trolling, I'm serious.

My subjective experience from driving multiple 991s and 981 Boxsters/Cayman is that Carrera feels fat, heavy, with little communication from the front axle.

The chassis feels much less tight/rigid and a 981 interior is far more rattle-resistant.

In fact, 981 with PASM feels more comfortable and compliant to me, because 991 doesn't have that rock solid feel.

The 3.8L engine is clearly a benefit -- and again, I'm not trying to troll here -- just trying to understand what do you like about the 991 more. Obviously besides the rear seats "feature".

Some said that it's the "taming" characteristic that you have to work "harder" to extract the evil from it, which I do understand

997s07

Great post. I have a 991 because I need the "seats" and that is the only reason. It is not as lively as the 981, which is not as lively as the 987.

I also have a 997.1 GT3. That car is much more lively and communicative than any 991 or Cayman can ever be (yes, I've tracked a 991 GT3), so I get my fix on the weekends.

Mid engine Caymans are the best and most fun sports cars around for me. That said, the 991 feels peculiarly mid engined most of the time.

kinimod

Interesting. I almost think that 911 is something that is a product of fantastic generations-long marketing and one has to experience it to get it out of the system. Otherwise if you just go with a 981 car (no matter how good it is) and see a 991 in the street you wish you have bought that one instead.

I've read this sentiment multiple times on the forums.

Archimedes

I have a 981S with x73 sport suspension and a 991S with PDCC and SPASM. While the Cayman is more go karty and raw feeling, the 991 is a better car everywhere. Faster, more planted, better grip, turns in better, and has better brakes. Love them both but the idea that the 981 is a better sports car is a myth. It's been proven over and over on the track as well. Search on YouTube for the track comparison between a base Carrera with no options and a Boxster S. Even the base Carrera outperforms it. Not even close with the Carrera S.

The Cayman S is a blast to drive but it can't match the Carrera S.

kinimod

So, out of curiosity, seeing that you're in SF Bay, which one do you prefer on a twisty and narrow road like La Honda?

Noah Fect

I don't think it applies to the 981. I'm always glad to see a 911 on the road and am happy for its driver, but there is absolutely zero envy involved, the way there might be if I were in a 987.

The 981 basically is a two-seat 991. Those two additional back seats are the most expensive chairs in town.

systemr

i had a 987.1 boxster before my 991.1 S, never drove La Honda but did page mill often and just did it in the 991 this past weekend. i remember the boxster being easier to drive because it felt smaller are more nimble, but then I also owned it for 5 years and must have done that drive 50X.

i disagree with the poster above, the 991 feels much more mid engine than the 997 but it doesn't turn in as well as my old 987 nor the 981 which i've driven as well. where the 991 shines is in the superior braking and the ability to put power down much earlier coming out of a turn. when i first got the car i was actually kind of disappointed because it doesn't quite handle like its on rails like my old car, but as I spent more time it I adjust the way I drive and i'm happier with it now and it suits my driving style better when i'm out on the track.

ocularguy

The 991 feels more spacious inside, so less claustrophobia-inducing than the 981. It's also less noisy which may be a good or bad thing depending on your preferences.

Having some space behind the front seats may sound like a strange reason to pick the 991, but according to my sales person, that's the reason that he hears most often from customers. They don't like the engine sitting right on their back in the 981.

MagicRat

I went from a 987.2 Boxster to a 991 cab, and had the pleasure of getting back in the same 987.2 the other week, because a good friend now owns it. It definitely feels more raw and connected but is also much louder (esp with the exhaust I had on it) and less comfortable. The big thing I was expecting to find better in the 987 was the steering, though, and I just didn't. Felt like there was more of a dead zone in the middle, and when I got back in the 991 the steering felt much more assured. What you do get in the 987 is a lot more road feel coming through the seat. This is good in some ways and bad in others.

I also drove a 981 Cayman for a few days while the 991 was in the shop. I didn't care for it at first - hard top to start with, and felt cramped and loud. After a while, though, I came to really like the nimbleness of it and the quick turn-in. It's better around town than the 991 and, although it has less grip (or maybe, perversely, because of that), plenty fun on country roads. When I got back in the 991 again it felt bigger, more comfortable and more civilised, as well as, when pushed, way faster, which were the reasons I bought it in the first place. The corner speed, especially with PDCC, is ridiculous, and that feeling of being a perfect cruiser in a straight line that then has the ability to make your eyes pop out of your head in a corner is what the car does for me over the smaller ones.

But they're very, very good, and just as 'desirable' in my eyes. Ideal solution would be one of each!

TrappistMonk

Porsche makes another model besides the 911?

Jay-S

Went from Cayman S to Carrera S:
1. Less claustrophobic
2. Noise - engine isn't right behind you
3. Sunroof - seems trivial but not to me
4. Visibility - the Cayman has a very annoying blind spot
5. More comfortable ride - the Cayman's go cart ride is a lot of fun but ultimately is not as livable for day to day driving
6. Acceleration - The axle hop of the Cayman on hard acceleration was annoying
7. Styling - like the 991 styling better than either generation of the Cayman

Grunty

I have both a 2104 50th and a 2014 boxster s.
I prefer the 911 by far. The 911 has a more interesting driving dynamic. The Boxster is great and super planted, but the 911 feels alive.

mtony

More legroom. I'm 6'2" and couldn't quite fit in the Cayman. I also like the rear seat area to put my golf clubs in.

dbm

I drove a Cayman GTS for over a year, trading up to a 911 4S.
Advantages of the Cayman GTS vs the 911:
1. More nimble
2. Rear hatch is great benefit.
3. Ability to change air filters without having to remove rear bumper.

Disadvantages vs the 911:
1. Harsh ride (roads in upstate NY are horrible).
2. Blind spots
3. Exterior styling is less attractive (though subjective)
4. Motor has less torque though still satisfying at higher rpms.

WindyCityC2S

I don't like the boxster, think it is ugly. The Cayman is great. Awesome handling, great looks. I tis just underpowered. The GT4 fixes that. If faced with a 991 C2S or a GT4. I would pick the GT4 every time.