Greetings all! New guy here, seriously considering a 997 C2S or C4S, much to the disappointment of my wife. Was hoping you would lend your expertise for a second (or two).

In short, I'm undecided between a Cayman S and the two above-mentioned cars. AWD aside, this is really a 997 vs. Cayman S decision. I've driven the Cayman, and loved it. I have yet to drive the 997, but KNOW that I will love it. I just can't imagine that I wouldn't. The real question revolves around pricing/value. I know the latter is subjective, but I just can't get my head around the piddly (relatively speaking) price differential between a well-optioned Cayman S ($75K) and a similarly-optioned 997 - it's around $20K. Then again, $20K is not something to be sniffed at. My concern (if I were to go for the Cayman) is that I'd regret it a year down the line - always thinking about what could have been. On the other hand, it drove brilliantly (more fun than my old BMW M Coupe), and I'd save money.

At the end of the day it should probably come down to what's most "fun". Obviously all 997 owners love their 997s (or you wouldn't have bought them). Still, I'm curious if any/many of you considered a Cayman before the 997, and if so, what dissuaded you (and vice versa).

Both are BRILLIANT cars in my mind.

Thanks for reading.

 

It really comes down to what you want. I drove the Cayman S ( and my son owns a Boxster S) and it is a brilliant car. The chassis dyanamics of a mid-engine car are very addicting. The car probably is more tossable, planted than the 997s , though not by much. However, the power of the 997S in the mid-range is quite a bit more obvious. The interior of the Cayman is small but its storage space is much better than the 997.

Drive em both back to back. Drive them if they were the same price. The money difference should not be the only factor in the decision. If you leave the 997 feeling you would be settling and looking at "the 997 that got away" don't buy the Cayman. If you pop for the 997 the $$ will only hurt when you close the deal. If you opt for the Cayman, you are buying the latest design from Porsche and a brillianly sorted chassis.

For me, if I was going to lay down Porsche money, it had to be a 911 variant. I setlled once on a 944 and hated it as soon as I left the showroom.

Good luck..

 

You need to crack the wifey disappointment before you go much further. It will come back and bite you!

You might want to consider a used 997/S as a way of softening the financial impact. You can probably buy a well-optioned 997S with low mileage for what you would pay for a new Cayman. If price is equal then the 997 has to be the way to go.

 

$20k is not a small difference at all. And if you opt for the 4S, you're looking at $100k+ for a well optioned car, compared to a $75k Cayman S. Don't try to justify a 997 over a Cayman on the "just a little more and look what I can get" basis as you'll be fooling yourself.

On the other hand, it is clear that what you want is a 997 but are hesitating ONLY because of the price. Buy a Cayman S ONLY if that is the car you prefer, regardless of price. If you can afford the 997, DON'T SETTLE.

I have been going through the same agonizing argument with myself for the last 8 months. I was sure I wanted a Cayman, and was inches away from putting in an order. Then I started taking a closer look at the Boxster and knew that was what I REALLY wanted. Was ready to put in an order for that too. Then I started considering the 997, which I previously had dismissed because I thought there was no way I would want to spend that much money on a car, no matter how good it was. Yep, THAT was what I really wanted, and I could afford it. But, wait...how about a Ferrari F355 Spider for the same money or even a little less, and it would barely depreciate! Even lower ownership cost overall, and hey, it's a Ferrari. Wait, what am I thinking?? Yep, Boxster is the ticket! And look how much money I'm saving. Okay, it's settled then. No, it isn't...back to the Cayman, cuz I really don't want a cabriolet after all. Then I go roaming around a dealer lot looking for Caymans, and I find myself really admiring those 997's. Could I? But it's so expensive...NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. I'm not going to do this anymore. Deep down inside, there is no question that the 997 is what I want and what I would buy if money was no consideration. Therefore, since I CAN afford one, it seems foolish to not go for that.

Bottom line is that the Cayman and Boxster are wonderful cars, but if you buy one of those because of the money, then you WILL keep wishing you had a 997 for the entire time you own it. That spoils the experience and, frankly, is a waste of money. If you're going to spend a big wad of dough on a car, it damn well better be THE ONE you want, or else spend the money on something else. DO NOT SETTLE! EVER!!

 

I prefer the mid-engine platform of the Cayman; if I could've had a 3.8 in a Cayman, I would've bought one over a 997. The 911's engine slung out over the rear is an interesting characteristic, to say the least. I went with a 911 because I wanted the hottest Porsche available, and at the time, it was the Carrera S. I don't regret the purchase - I love the 997 - but a Cayman with the same motor would've been terrific.

Again, both cars are really terrific. Can't go wrong either way.

 

Agree both are great cars. For me I've always wanted a 911 and anything less I'd be left wanting. My wife has a Boxster and I enjoy driving it. But, it's still not a 911. Most importantly, make your decision based on what you wnat.

 

You're right that I need to "crack" the wife before I buy. Totally agree. And while I wish I'd feel comfortable buying used, I simply don't. If I'm going to pay close to $100K for a car (or $75K even) it has to be 100% what I want.

Unfortunately I also believe that the "don't settle" line makes total sense. With the money I've spent on cars over the last 7 years, I could've bought a new TT a couple of times over, and with hindsight that really hurts (the TT is the ultimate dream, but I don't feel comfortable spending $140K+ for one).

Honestly, in a world with noone else and windy roads (where the only thing that mattered was fun behind the wheel), I think the Cayman S would win over (it's cheaper). It's "perfect enough", if that makes sense. However, in a world where the Cayman is considered by many to be a lesser 911/Porsche and where the price differential is really not that significant, my heart seems to long for the 911. I'll admit that part of that lust is fuelled by vanity and age-old desire for the car. I've never considered myself a poser (I tint the windows to avoid staring at me in my cars - hate the attention), but I have a nagging feeling that I'd regret the Cayman once the initial euphoria wears off.

It doesn't help that Jeremy Clarkson refers to the Cayman as the Gayman ("not that there's anything wrong with that"...). I'm somewhat worried that the car's perceived as a "hairdresser's car" (apologies to any stylists out there - that's a British expression).

So there you go. I've probably managed to offend hair stylists and homosexuals in one short post, being the idiot that I am. Hopefully I haven't lost my audience.

 

The choice was easier for me 911 over Cayman because the wife gave it points for the back seats, yay

We have two kids and those back seats will be good for them until they are about 12.

 

Go with the 997, you can always go backward

 

i bought a base boxster in 99...and when the 2000 s came out,it was hard to really love it when the boxster s was there...i ended up with the s..the 911 is the best porsche out there imho...the cayman just is not as good..j

 

I just ordered a 2007 C2 997. I went in to buy a Cayman, because I've always wanted a 911. The savings was substantial.

Well I added up the money of a Cayman S and easily discovered that I could get a base 911 - well - that is the decision that I made. I know that I will never wish that I would have bought the Cayman. If you also are interested in money (saving) imagine paying a mechanic to look at a problem with an engine that cannot be gotten to. I just don't understand. When looking at the Cayman, I asked to see the engine, and the salesman said that I could not. I asked how does one maintain it? He replied that the engines were very reliable and did not need maintenance. Even if you can get to the engine by ripping the interior apart, what kind of design is that for a $60k car? I can look at the 911's engine easily by lifting the rear deck. If it is mechanical - it will break.

I also am noticing that a lot of Caymans are gathering dust on the parking lots of the dealerships. The 911 is the flagship. I imagine in twenty years, the 911 will still be in the lineup. Where is the 928, the 914, the 944? Perhaps where will be the Cayman?

These and some more questions steered me towards the 911.

On the other hand, I read some really great articles about the ease of driving a Cayman vs the 911. There is a lot of positive stuff about the car.

 

I went through the same internal struggle myself. 997 was what I wanted, but the miser in me kept thinking Cayman. After negotiating a bit, I was able to significantly reduce the differential between the two. 9% off a new ordered 2007 997S sealed the deal. I knew that I'm not going to be buying a new Porsche very often and that if I got the Cayman I'd always be wondering why I didn't just bite the bullet and get the car I've wanted the past 25 years or so.

Having driven both several times I can honestly say that both are fun rides, but very different. I was unable to push either as they were both new and I was obviously not on the track. The 997 is an Icon for sure and if that's what you've dreamed about then you have a tough choice to make. Buy a Cayman to save some money now and realize that in the future you will want to get the 997 or somehow figure out how to make the numbers work now. In my case, my wife surprised me when I talked with her about the two and she said "Ron, the 911 is what you've talked about since we met, why would you not get it?"

 

Thanks for the feedback, thus far. I'm hearing what I "want" to hear - I suppose I should be looking for the disconfirming evidence, but I'm just not that way inclined

I'm 90% sure it'll have to be the 997. Funny thing abolut my wife. She says to me exactly what Ron's wife said to run. But then she'll be shrewd and use the price differential to justify holding off a bit. Very clever. Maybe I should be talking about a C4S vs. TT, or better yet, 997 vs. Carrera GT

 

Sorry - meant to say "said to Ron" not "run"....

 

I can't imagine where you would be getting these ideas - the engines can certainly be accessed. The Cayman and Boxster engines are accessed mainly from underneath, and the Cayman has a large access panel right on top of the hump behind the seats. It's a large panel and it does not require "ripping the interior apart" -- it is designed for routine access to change air filters, spark plugs, etc. If the salesman really told you it doesn't need to be maintained, then either he's an idiot or he thinks YOU are. The fact is that the Cayman is a brilliantly designed car, including the engine position and access.