Bullet

Might be interesting to start same thread in Cayman section and compare responses.

-B

robbonds

the reason i didnt buy a slightly used 996 was becuase everytime i would see a 997S drive by i would say to myself "damn, thats nice - i want one"

i suppose cayman owners could be feeling the same way ?

MMD

The HP loss makes it absolutely inconceiveable.

If it had 400-450 HP I'd do it, would be a blast to drive at that level.

BiggerTwin

There are many 911 owners who have bought Caymans (or is it Caymen?). Go ask the question at Caymanclub.net and you will get answers to your question. Somebody over there posted this yesterday:

I traded my 2004 996 cab with numerous options last week (second guessing myself until I took delivery) for my new basalt black Cayman S with sport chrono, Bose, 19 Carrera S wheels, 6 speed.....WHAT A CAR. I really did not expect this much car. The 996 was a great car and I really enjoyed driving it but this Cayman S feels totally different. I have had a 944, 964 and two 996s....nothing even compares. I would describe the feel as more like the 964 yet 10 times more refined. It is the smoothest car I have ever driven. It drives like an older 911 in that it is nimble, quick and has fantastic handling characteristics. This car feels very sturdy and tight. The shifting is almost effortless. I could not be more satisfied. How would you describe your Cayman S?

Hope this helps a little,
Alan

BiggerTwin

I can't speak for all of us but I know for a fact that the Cayman owners who post on the boards are as happy with our decision as you are with yours and there is no envy at all. I still think the 997 is a great car and I consider us all part of the bigger Porsche family since our cars have more in common than the differences that separate them. Personally, the only 997 I am even remotely interested in right now is the new Turbo but I could buy any Porsche in the future. When I see a 997 I think "nice car" but I know I wouldn't be having any more fun in a 997 than I have in my Cayman S. For those who had Carrera posters in their rooms as kids, the 997 is a better car for you since it represents much more than a mere driving experience. For those of us who don't view the Carrera as an aspirational icon, any of the 997 or 987 cars are among the best sports cars on the planet and it comes down to personal choice. I am sure there are some who buy Boxsters and Caymen because they can't afford Carreras but many of us can afford whatever we want and we bought the Cayman simply because we like it more.

Alan

OCBen

I think you meant to say the drop in hp going from the 997 to the Cayman would be inconceivable for you. The Cayman actually gains hp in this "coupe" version of the Boxster, as I'm sure you know.

robbonds

i knew someone would be upset with my commetns - no offense intended - just sharing the way i feel...anyone who is fortunate enough to own a porsche im sure is very happy

MCoupe

I would take a Boxster S as an addition instead. But I do see the necessity for Porsche to sell these cars. Good for business = good for us.

MMD

I have an 03 987S and the 997S. It's fun and easy to drive with the top down; lacks power. Glad I have my Boxster S for the topless sensation more than the handling breezy-ness (once you learn to drive the Carrera there's no big amazing "gotta-have-a-Boxster" difference).

Brings up an interesting point, the Cayman has no topless fun potential, so what your left with is an excellent mid-engine handling experience. FRICKIN' BRILLIANT that Porsche added a few more HP to make up for the lack of rag top fun.

cgomez

Facts IMO:
A midengine car is a better handling car than a rear engine one.
The Boxters S already handles better than the 997 (S included) and the Cayman S even more. The 997 experience is just different, and that's why Porsche has to create the "power gap" to make sure the 997S remains faster.
My story:
I was going to buy a Cayman S, b/c I already have a midengine track car that I love (Lotus Elise) but I needed a comfortable daily driver to ocasionally take to the track. However, the price of the Cayman S with many options didn';t make any sense, so I ended up buying a loaded Carrera S at a nice discount, with the added benefit of rear seats for my kids. I love the 997S, and I'm taking it to the track but I know the Cayman S will be as fast or faster through the turns. I'm glad I have an extra 60hp to keep them behind

The future:
IMO, heritage and "street cred" will continu to back up the 911, the big question is Motorsports where Porsche knows the Cayman platform can be faster (than 911 equivalents given similar hardware) but chooses to hold back to not screw the cash machine the 911 is.

BiggerTwin

No offense taken. I feel the same way about my car and I would be very surprised if 99% of the people on the 997 board didn’t prefer the Carrera to the Cayman.

I follow this board since it is the most active (the current Carrera is still the Porsche icon) and the people are knowledgeable and nice. While I may prefer the Cayman today, it would be a sad day indeed if Porsche ever abandoned the 911 no matter which car is faster around the track or the technically better design on paper. As MMD points out, you only need to learn how to drive a Carrera. One day I will probably do just do that. Being new to the marque, and so far very impressed with it, I picked the easier route and got the mid-engine car to start with.

Alan

robbonds

i started with a boxster s myself

hopefully a turbo s cab will be next!

Edgy01

I really like the cockpit of the Cayman S since it's so much like the 997S. Fit and finish are typical first rate Porsche,--but I've gotten so used to having a back seat that it's not really a choice for me.

Dan

Jim Michaels

I went from a 911 RSA (and an '88 911 before that) to a Cayman and have no regrets. I was considering a 997S (rather than a base 997) when I read the first reports on the Cayman and quickly decided that it would be the better car for me. If the price of the 997S had been about the same as that of the Cayman, I'm pretty sure that I would have ordered a 997S. But if the base 997 and the Cayman were the same price, I might have still picked the Cayman for how it's mid-engine changes the driving experience. The RSA was more track prepared than the Cayman, which will remain stock through this autocross season. I think my lap times during my first track day at VIR were slower in the Cayman. I'm not sure about the second day. The Cayman in stock form is at least as quick at autocross as my prepared RSA. The most significant change for me is on the road. The Cayman is much more fun to drive on curvey roads, so I look for excuses to take it out more frequently. I feel no need to argue over which is the better Porsche, as I think it depends on which kind of driving experience one prefers.

ds2k1

Going from a Boxster S (my current car) to a Carrera. Thought about the Cayman for a few seconds, but it's the 911 that's always tugged at my heartstrings, and I know that I would be dreaming of the Carrera the second I parked the Cayman in my driveway. That's the way it was with the Boxster S. Although a brilliant car, it doesn't satisfy that certain something that I know the 911 will. I can see being a member of the Carrera family for a looooooooong time to come. And, to be honest, the number of times I get to really wring any car out to within 9/10ths or 10/10ths of its potential are few and far between - especially these cars - so the fact that the Cayman might be able to maintain 1mph more in a tight turn doesn't make up the difference for me.