dawgcatching

My wife is looking for a fun DD/AutoX car, and I originally though that a GT3 997 would fit the bill, either .1 or .2. A friend recommended the Cayman R though, and I found one in a manual with buckets. Anyone care to compare the two?

My thoughts:

1) Cayman R is lighter
2) Cayman R is cheaper to maintain most likely
3) Neither will depreciate much, if at all
4) My wife loves the 991 GT3, but that is more than she can afford. She likes the presence of the GT3 over the Cayman R. She also has driven a GT4 and loved it as well
5) she thinks the .1 wing looks terrible, but is a huge fan of the .2.

The R is 2500 miles away, but there are 2 nice .1 GT3 within 30 miles that are well priced.

The R is mid 50's (6MT, buckets) and the GT3 are going for low 80's (higher mile examples with all records).

JS

GT3

pissedpuppy

Cayman will depreciate more IMO

GT3 all the way

noro

Cayman R is a brilliant machine and in fact it was a top contender in a similar dilemma I had 2 years ago. For me GT3 won out because .. well ... it's a 911. The R has bottomed out and I suspect it will hold value even better than GT3 because they don't even have cross generation variants.. So far there is only 1 R with very low production count.

If you factor out the magic effect 911 body-style has on people... R may just be the purest form of a sports car. If you do get the R, upgrade the brake master cylinder with the GT3 unit and you are done.

Jrtaylor9

I don't think i can go wrong either way.

dawgcatching

I haven't seen R prices move an inch in 2 years. GT3 prices have dropped by 10% in that time period. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns, but what makes you think the R will now drop? They are pretty rare; one went for $65k (6MT with buckets) on BAT a few weeks back, which is closer to sticker %-wise than most GT3 on the market.

I can't say that is much of a factor, as if GT3 prices do continue to drop, it won't be by much, and I don't see the R getting under $50k for most any manual option. I saw one with buckets sell for $48k and a PDK, but that was a really good deal and advertised as a "track car" when in fact it had a few days a year driven in the novice group.

dawgcatching

John at Soul said the same. With a tune and headers, that car can keep up with any .1 GT3. The trouble is; that exhaust, engine, and body style of the 911 have us hooked!

Really, that is the dilemma now. Wallet says R, but car lust says GT3.

JS

I wouldn't look at depreciation at all in these two.
Focus more on what will she be happy with driving and learning.
What will she has more passion for.

Me, since a kid, always a 911.

dawgcatching

Well, 2 of her favorite moves are 16 Candles and Risky Business, so we are entirely in the wrong place here! Bring on the transaxle options!

ranger22

I had an R, I now have a GT3 and GT3RS. The R is a badass little car. It is a hoot to drive on the street, just lots of fun. The power to weight ratio is pretty good and with the right alignment (maybe add some adjustable sway bars) it's turn-in beats the GT3. I dare to say that for auto-x the R may be the better car. Definitely for street fun, the R is the better car. The GT3 wins on the motor side. The sounds it makes and the way the motor revs makes the car really special. When I owned the R, I also had an E90 M3. I kept both because the motor was special in the E90. After I got the GT3, I sold the E90 because the motor wasn't special like it is in the GT3. There is that big of a difference. The engine in the R is simply competent, but it won't make the hairs on your neck stand up. I also find the GT3 to be better to look at, but I was looking at old pictures the other day and if you set your ego aside, the R ain't that bad either. I prob got more looks in the R because the stickers really made it pop and 99% of people see a Porsche and can't tell the diff between any of them. Just my $0.02. I doubt I helped.

Fisher

She should drive both and get the one that puts the biggest smile on her face.

Abbett

I purchased a Cayman R this spring after months of looking. I believe prices for cars with a manual transmission and lightweight bucket seats are slowly appreciating. The R is a rare car compared to a GT3, it feels small, light and chuckable but the engine is not special like a GT3.

bweSteve

^^^^ Well said Ranger.

The key here is that the wife will be Daily Driving this, with occasional AutoX. Plus she liked the GT4 when she drove that (maybe because mid-engine & she felt like she could push it harder without fear?).

So it's a tough mind melt when, as OP said, the wallet says R, but the passion & desire for that special engine says GT3. It's gonna be a personal choice that comes down to what wifey wants to "feel" on a daily basis (how long is the commute, heavy traffic? City or back roads? ... stuff like that).

GL!!
=Steve

Hella-Buggin'

I love the Cayman R. That being said, I bought a .2 GT3. It's just more suited to the task at hand and I knew that I'd still want one even after getting something else.
The .2 is a fabulous beast. It's not as easy to drive as the Cayman but it has more power and is more solid feeling.
I took GT3 out this weekend and put it though it's paces for about 6 straight hours and it begged for more.
My clutch leg on the other hand was sore the next day.

Bxstr

Engine, exhaust and transmission of the GT3 is hard to beat. But the special factor of the R is great and I am sure it drives well. I also think depreciation will be less on the R than the GT3.