smlporsche

Continuing the discussion...

I was talking with Karl Poetl yesterday ordering some stiffer springs for my 944 S2 and I asked him the reason for selling his very well preparred S2 and getting into a Carera (996 I believe).

He basically stated the obvious, that there are tons of 996 911's out there and the price of them is making them attractive to track so he wanted to get ahead of the development curve for his company, Racer's Edge.

I also heard from another member of this list that the Porsche Junior Supercup Teams are racing Caymans in Europe.. I wonder if that has any bearing on Porsche's furure direction...

171mph

Unfortunately I disagree. I own one. In fact I'm selling it shortly precisely because it is NOT a great track car. Absolutely fantastic car for daily driver and a wonderful stock class competitor (Mantissport), but once you modify it enough so you are pushing decent track times the fun quickly ends.... people start rolling up to you and saying "hey watch your oil" not to mention the notorius power steering pump failures (and i have the Mantissport underdrive pulley). My last 2 pumps have lasted exactly 2 track days. I have a decent track setup (-3 camber, pss9s, sways, sport cups, TBD) but i think the cayman engineers really need to match the various internal systems to the chassis before it's a great track car.

As for prestige, well serious car enthusiasts won't let Joe uninformed Q's perceptions alter their buying decision. I agree that in many years the Cayman (probably under a new name to avoid the unfortunate Gayman jests) will probably supplant the 911 but it will simply become a mid-engine vs rear-engine issue. The 911 will always be revered, but likely replaced.

Nordschleife

Unfortunately, your car is under prepared. Professional teams are delivering cars without the problems you have experienced, because these are known problems that have been dealt with time and time again previously.

In the right hands, the Cayman IS a great track car. This weekend's endurance race at the Nürburgring had 2 Cayman in the top six, against a host of GT3 versions. And take a look at WHO is racing the Cayman.

Now go and talk to experienced professional racedrivers who have driven mid engined race cars and ask them how they feel about what they want to drive at Le Mans next year. You will find that there is a considerable demand for a factory mid-engined racer from Porsche.

I think you will find that the Cayman has a great future as an affordable racecar.

So you want to turn your Cayman into a great track car - take a leaf out of the book the professionals use, you will be very happy.

R+C

Bull

Most are not old enough to remember, but many of those same words were written about the 914-6 in 1969-70...............

cooleyjb

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8137ufJbzR0

Proof that Caymans are good track cars.

joel-cs

Paolo - Take a ride with me at the next event and see what you think. With my setup I am sure you will find that a prepped Cayman is NOTHING like the stock Cayman. It will not be as "raw" as your car, but I would wager every bit as responsive. And no - I am not selling

joel-cs

[QUOTE=171mph;4625324]Unfortunately I disagree. I own one. In fact I'm selling it shortly precisely because it is NOT a great track car. Absolutely fantastic car for daily driver and a wonderful stock class competitor (Mantissport), but once you modify it enough so you are pushing decent track times the fun quickly ends.... people start rolling up to you and saying "hey watch your oil" not to mention the notorius power steering pump failures (and i have the Mantissport underdrive pulley). My last 2 pumps have lasted exactly 2 track days. I have a decent track setup (-3 camber, pss9s, sways, sport cups, TBD) but i think the cayman engineers really need to match the various internal systems to the chassis before it's a great track car.QUOTE]

I have had a completely opposite experience. My Cayman is very well prepped and has 7,000 TRACK miles on it - driven very hard. Not a single issue with oil or power steering (but I also did preventative work for both of these) or engine. Couldn't have had treated me better so far... (I realize that there are a number of people with PS issues, but in my experience they are the vocal minority)

smlporsche

^^^ MAN, those are some well driven Caymans.

How many of my kids do I have to sell to get one of those sequential gearboxes??

171mph

You're lucky - I'm glad for you. Don't get me wrong I realize the Cayman has terrific potential but I can only base my opinion on my experience and those 'vocal minority' two of which i know personally.

Nordschleife if i had unlimited funds i would love to have an Alzen Cayman race car but then again i need a daily driver too!. Anyway, at this point i think i'll cut my losses, do a few skip barber races and then regroup next yr when hopefully these 997 gt3 prices soften (hey i can dream...)

Nordschleife

wel, you can have a track car, or you can have a street car, but if you try and do both....... ;-)

R+C

Gary R.

Actually Paolo you need to drive a new 997S and compare it to your Caymen S, stock for stock... now that you have a better appreciation and feel for it.. very different cars. You would ask the question anyway cause you like to start these small fires ....

BostonDMD

Not trying to start any fires..... I wouldn't do that.........

Point is, I love my Cayman, but until it is set up like Joel's, there will be no fair comparison to any track set up 911s.....

Joel, I would like to go for a ride in your car to see what it can really do......

mooty

having tracked one to death and owned three, i agree. the car has HUGE potential, but it depends on PAG if they want to potential to come out.

a tranny cooler, pwr str cooler, dry sump motor and a gear box that can change ratio. it will be quite a car. just think mini CGT.

but PAG is here to make money. until sales of 911 becomes stagnant, cayman will not get the development it deserves and needs.

robyn, i understand the alzen car is formidable and so are few other german race teams running cays, but they are not caymans per se. it's like saying nascars are like the cars you can buy from show rooms. they may have the same appearance, but the guts of alzen's car is very different than those we can buy from showrooms.

i think joel, me, robyn and 171mph are more or less on same page in that the cayman chassis is brilliant and having had more than 12 911 of different vantage and love my current RS, i would stay argue the cayman chassis is superior. but it needs more than that. joel is really fortunate with his cayman. i have had many pwr str pump issues, blowing smoke etc etc. none would be what i consider MAJOR. i can buy pwr steering rack and pump in bulk and just treat them as disposable items; when i change pads, i can just installed new pwr str pump or even rack, hey i am known to be somewhat insane. but it gets tiring after a while. my 6gt3 and 7rs has had zero prob. just add gas, change pad, tire, oil, then just drive drive drive.

Brian P

Agreed. Look, the Cayman is not very different from a Boxster with a roof welded onto it. Take a look at the Boxster boards, and you'll see that the power steering is a known issue with VERY preventative (and $$) methods for permanently fixing.

Ok, the RMS may leak a bit (if you are unlucky), but name me a brand of 911's where somebody hasn't complained about an oil leak.

If you want my complaint about the Cayman, it's weight. The car should weigh less than a Boxster because it could ditch the motors for the rag top and the extra support needed for a convertible. Instead, it's like the simply welded a hardtop on, so it has all the structural support needed for a convertible even though it isn't a convertible. On top of that, they made a marketing push that it can be decent on the track, but it still has creature comforts like AC. Give me an RS!!!!

It's a great car, and it can hold its own against a 911, but it could really be better. I wish Porsche would just release a club sport version for the small minority who participate on this forum...

VERBOTN

+1 for the clubsport.....and besides it does not have a sunroof