10 GT3

Jim,

Few things:

1. There is a big difference from a completely setup club race car and a stock car. If you don't like the way a car handles you can always change it. I owned my 996 2 weeks before I ordered a different suspension. So, you can see where I stand here and it is tracked in my previous comments.

2. A stock Cayman S is not as fast as a stock Carrera. It came from Walter Rohrl's own mouth that he runs the Nurburgring 5 seconds faster in the 997 Carrera as he does in the Cayman S. Also, check out the Best Motoring Cayman S versus the Carrera where as a result of the power difference the Carrera left the Cayman behind on a tight circuit.

3. I never said the Cayman doesn't handle well. Keep in mind it was Porsche who intentionally restrained the handling and power of the Cayman to keep it below the performance of a Carrera. A Cayman still handles well, but it understeers safely at the limit. Everything I have posted is completely truthful. The Cayman has handling traits I don't find favorable from the factory. I find it stock versus stock a Boxster that the Boxster more compatible with MY driving style. This is coming from someone who moved from the Yellow group to the White group last year. Despite the fact that I could fix the handling with PSS9's and TRG sway bars ($3K just parts). This still leaves with a slower car with need of some power increases. There is also no cheap way to fix the handling as there is no optional ROW M030, X73, of GTx versions you can pull parts from other markets like you can a Carrera.

4. Borrow your Girlfriends Cayman S and take it to the track. Drive it for a while at or over the limit, come back and comment. If you like a car that drives safe and understeers at the limit, you love the Cayman. I don't like understeer and hence it is less than desireable for me. I do happen to like the point and shoot handling of the 987 Boxster.

There are other minor differences I don't like, such as: I don't like that the acceleration it is noticeably slower (also in the Boxster) and the Bose stereo is terribly balanced (except for 2 small speakers in the sides behind you, all the sound comes from the front). Why are the speaker position different from the Boxster, which has much better balance? Although I have these quibbles, it is the handling traits that stick in my mind.

5. There is a very good video you can grab off the web that really shows the differences in cornering balance between a stock Boxster S and a stock Cayman S. Go out to a site like YOURTUBE or RACINGFLIX and download the episode of Best Motoring with the Cayman S challenge. The run the Cayman against a 3.2l 987 Boxster S on a road course. Pay special attention to how the rear of the Cayman tracks versus the Boxster in both tight and wide sweapers and note the lap times at the end between the cars.

JimB

Carrera,
I hope you didn't take my "nuts" comment too seriously. I was just taking a light hearted jab.

I've actually had her Cayman S pretty much flat through what I believe is the fastest corner in North America. T1 at Brainerd. I have quite a few hot laps in the car. It has the normal CYA understeer but overall the car handles great. I wouldn't expect it to handle exactly to my liking as delivered but the potential is there. I realize it's not as fast as the 997 but it sure could be.

I'm a diehard 996 guy but I really think the Cayman is a much better track car. If I was building a new racecar I'd start with a Cayman but since I already have one too many I'm a 996 guy for now.

So, you like 996s. How about a nice X51? With straight pipes it'll scare the hell out of the guys in the white group.
Jim

10 GT3

If I upgrade, most likely it will be a GT2, but I can see what your hinting on. I don't think straight pipes will frighten any of the white drivers I drive with. Many run aftermarket exhausts (I run a Fabspeed) and several of the GT3s run muffler bypasses. It is a pretty normal sound on the track for us. I suspect you won't have much problem moving a well sorted out 996 once we get into the middle of race season. Offereing a demo drive?

I agree and think the Cayman has the potential to being a great track car. The question will be what class would be open enough to let it be fully developed. I think a well stripped out chassis with flared fenders, a CUP motor a a fully developed suspension (Motons, Monoballs and TRG upgrades) could be a pretty unstoppable combination. The question is what is allowed in the rules? As a performance improvement, the rear tire limit is probably the biggest negative factor since you can't get anywhere near as much rubber on the back due to the suspension geometry and relatively limited fender clearance. I know a couple of people running Carrera wheels as track wheels on a 987 and they do stick out, but this is not a problem with the stock suspension. Going lower, this can create some significant rubbing issues.

MagnusB

I have a 1999 996 C2 convertible with standard suspension, to be replaced with PSS9 soon.

Would it be possible to use:
235/40 R18, 8.5
285/30 R18, 11

I want to stay with 235/40 in the front to get some more comfort since it's also my daily driver.