charlieXS

Was considering a nicely equipped Cayman S for about 66-67ish... then it struck me.

For about 74 I can special order a stripper naked C2 (maybe even get a better deal than on the Cayman). I get free PCM, 2 mini back seats (incase I need to throw junior in) more hp... and more std. eqpt.

I'd order:

Speed Yellow
Black Interior
Yellow gauges
Yellow Belts
Sport Steering wheel
Floor Mats

that's about 74k sticker.

Would I be disappointed or stoked?

mglobe

Stoked

adfsouth

I'd buy a slightly used (low mileage) and fully loaded 06 C2S for very low $70's.

Keista

Maybe consider a CPO C2S. That's what I did. A Cayman with some options gets pretty pricey, and it's not a 911. Drive it and see - a different animal. The Cayman, to me, on a test drive, felt like it was a good sports car, but not a $60k+ car....

StickShift964

i saw a 997 cab, 06 model year i think it was, yellow, black interior with yellow guages/belts @ pepe porsche in NY a few weeks ago, its prob gone now. Where are you located?

charlieXS

SoCal

Jakeman

I was going through the same debate last year. My wife insisted we have a back seat because we have a little boy. I really wanted a 2-seater and 2006 Cayman S's were being heavily discounted. I ordered a 2007 911 with few options (heated seats, metallic paint, Xenons, Sport steering wheel, power seats). It's great because on weekends we all go out in the car, and it's not just "Daddy's Toy." I paid 6.25% over invoice and the car came arrived 3 months later.

I love my base 997 (even with the envy that comes from all of the Forum folks who have a 911s)...

Jakeman

robbonds

buy a cpo 997 s with low miles and never look back

spiderv6

what they all said.

I was serious about a Cayman S as well until I had the "duh" moment when I realised that a used, CPO, low mileage, fully loaded 911 (996 in my case) was easily a better buy......you will never regret the change of heart!

cvazquez

Door number 997!

Jerry Fisher

Son has a Boxster S, test drove the Cayman S ( nice car) but IMHO the 911 is THE PORSCHE..ICONIC for a reason.

The Cayman did handle beautifully and my son thinks the Carrera is a little "looser" then the Boxster.
He also just laughs and shakes his head in awe when he puts the pedal down on the Carrera S.

The Cayman just does not float my boat. It does not have the "presence" or the muscle of the Carrera. Drive em back to back. You will agree.

Jakeman

I drove these cars in the following order:

2002 911 Guards Red with Skirts/Spoilers (gorgeous)
2006 Cayman S Arctic Silver
2004 911 Cabrio (seal grey)

My reactions? The Cayman S seemed to corner better, particularly in very tight descending radius bends, but did not have as good off the line acceleration. The Cayman S was louder than the Cabrio. You could feel the engine in your back and the cockpit felt tighter, especially if you look over your shoulder.

Dumb me-- I didn't even drive a 997; I ordered one instead. Reasons for getting a 997 over a 996: I prefer the newer interior and better side impact safety.

Jakeman

Bob Rouleau

OK here's another perspective.The Cayman S is more of a sports car and the 997 more of a Grand Tourer. Put both on the track and the Cayman S will run away from a 997 as long as there are corners. The Cayman (to me at least) embodies the raw feling so loved in the earlier Porsches - sports car as opposed to luxury. In the end, it dpends on what you want.

To compare the Cayman S to a 997S is unfair given the price spread. It is no longer a matter of 5K any more.

Regards,

Jerry Fisher

I came to the carrera after 24 yrs. w/ a 308GTB. A car does not have to do everything BEST to get under your skin. Certain cars just have that MAGIC. The Cayman probably does handle better than the 997 but its not THE PORSCHE.

One of my good friends traded his M-3 for a Cayman S. He asked me to test drive one and give him my opinion. It was great but the whole time I was at the P car store, I was drawn to the Carrera.

Then I lost my storage garage. Decided it was time to streamline my life. Sold the 308, m-3 and quickly bought the 997S. Its everything I expected and more ( more comfy than I imagined.)

Now...when I ask my cayman buddy to test drive a carrera S and give me his opinion (he loves his cayman) he refuses. I know WHY..it'll be bye bye Cayman and I do not think he wants the upsized financial comittment.


ps..NOTHING dumb ABOUT NOT test driving. I went to the dealer
to try the carrera and carrera S and decide. never got to the carrera. Drove the carrera S and next stop was the salesman's desk
for a close encounter with my checkbook. When its right, its right.

malammik

There might be build quality differences as well because Caymans and Boxters are no longer built in Germany. I think they are built somewhere in eastern europe. If you're going to track your car a lot and dont care about 911 iconic status, I would go with cayman. You can opt to delete sun roof, you can make more chassi adjustments without additional equipment unlike with 997S. If you like autox, midengines rock in it.