palmpalm

After over 5 years and over 120k kms with my 987.1 CS I traded it on a 2015 991 Carrera 3 weeks ago. I've put about 3000kms on the 911 including highway, city, twisty mountain roads, and everything in between. Granted, I have yet to take the 911 to the track, something which I always enjoyed with my Cayman S. But so far I don't feel totally in love with my 911. It is an amazing car, don't get me wrong, but it just feels less visceral somehow, more of a grand touring car. And it also feels almost too capable, like it's too easy to drive. I took it on some twisty backroads that I know well because I drove them regularly in my Cayman S for the past 3 years and the 911 totally obliterated the Cayman s in every corner, it's faster and shoots out of corners with ease. The transmission is a joy to shift (I put a short shift kit in it, the only modification I made aside from adding an AWE sport exhaust which sounds great) and the steering puts me right where I want to be even if the feedback is slightly less than I am used to from the 987.1. But the car just feels bigger and a bit numb compared to the Cayman S. The Cayman S was a car I could find the limits of, the 911 is a fast, planted beast that I have not come anywhere near the limits of. I rarely need to go above 2nd gear. In the Cayman S I felt like I had to do more to make the car work for me. The 911 just wants to go faster, it seems to be egging me on. It's so easy to go fast in this car because you don't feel the speed, it's so steady and effortless whereas in the Cayman S I always felt the speed. I am a motorcyclist and I always described my Cayman S as "my winter motorcycle" It had a go-kart like feeling to it.

And so, after 3 weeks with my 911 I find myself longing for something else, something more visceral. I love the 911. But I am not in love with it. I wonder if this will change as I drive it more and I wonder if this will change after I take it to the track. I am looking forward to hopefully getting a GT4RS if they ever make one one day. And in the meantime I am trying to love my 911. I do love the sunroof. I wonder if my car had a stiffer suspension (it has the stock Carrera suspension) and shorter gear rations if I would be enjoying it more..... I want to FEEL the car more and I want to have to work to drive it more. I want it to challenge me more at normal road speeds.

Thoughts and opinions on my thoughts are welcome.

Christien

Buy this: https://rennlist.com/forums/rennlist...l#post14979922



Only partially tongue in cheek. An air-cooled is far slower than either the 991 or Cayman, but will have a visceral feel you won't get in a modern car. And believe me, after just having driven home tonight from Oakville with the top down at a very, ahem, visceral speed, it feels amazing.

Cosmo Kramer

As cars get more modern, the driver is becoming less and less involved. More capable, absolutely.

My 996 and Boxster S are both a hoot to drive. Not the fastest thing on the road but they give a great feel and experience . I don't think I would have more fun in the newest version of each for the very reason I mentioned above.

993GT

went from end of 'analog' Porsche chassis 9x7... to first of 'digital' Porsche chassis 9x1...

Wild Weasel

I don't mean this facetiously but I think you'd absolutely LOVE driving a Miata.

For driving on the streets, you just don't need the 911's level of performance and capabilities and as you described, they actually take away from the driving experience because you never get remotely close to using them. I've become a bit of a track addict, and that's the only reason I moved up to a 911 from my Boxster. If not for that, there wasn't anything more I wanted for the roads. The Boxster was sublime. Having been to a few Mazda test drive events where I could hoon a Miata around a parking lot, I can't help but wonder whether that would be even better as a toy to play with on the streets.

I suspect once you get to the track, you'll feel a lot happier about your purchase. That's exactly what I bought mine for.

olegd

palmpalm, Do you mind sharing these twisty backroads you mention? Would love to go for a drive especially if close to Richmond Hill area ...

lowbee

^^^ this

Wild Weasel

Are the Forks filled with people and speed bumps yet?

palmpalm

They are in Southern Pennsylvania.

HyperMike

This doesn't really surprise me much.

I have only driven a few Cayman's and 911's but when I think about the cars that I have in my stable, my experience is consistent. We have an Audi S4 that my wife drives and it is a very modern, capable, easy to drive fast car but the cars that I am drawn to are the one's in my signature that are all older more analog in nature. I've only had the 944 for a few weeks but already I love the way it sounds, feels, and drives...it just has a simplicity and pureness that I love.

To Wild Weasel's comment, the best of the bunch in my opinion is my Miata. Every time I get into that car it feels like I'm in a race car, even when I'm only going at normal road speeds. The steering feel, throttle response (not power, mind you!), brakes and rifle-bolt shifter just feel so RIGHT...it matters less that it's the slowest car I own .

Having said all that, I still aspire to own a truly fast Porsche...someday!

Cheers,
Mike

lowbee

From time to time I thought about selling my 997.1S manual and get into the last of the NA Cayman S with PDK..... but I haven't pull the trigger yet in fear of regret......

jumper5836

The 911 is way more powerful it gearing is matched for the performance, the 991 has a lot of modern steering assist in it. It should out handle and out perform the old cayman and not feel like you have to push it. When not at not lose your license road speeds there is way there is going to be that much fun. It's designed for the everyday person to be easier to drive fast and do it safely. Not saying the a new generation of Cayman is not also the same it is but you just has less mechanical grip, skinnier tires and less hp.

Torontoworker

Anything 991S and quicker would be fun in Germany - not so much here unless you like Provincial court experiences and insurance companies registered mail...

HenryPcar

This is a phenomenon not unique to Porsches. Its the same with BMW. I used to own a E30 M3 which unfortunately I sold it. Had I kept it, the resale value could have easily match any vintage Porsches. That car was purely a driver's car and when people rave about the current M3s, I just shrug my shoulders because they've never experienced what the original M3 is all about. Same with the Porsches. Its getter faster and faster throughout the generations. Now I own a 997.2 and yes, the 991 are faster, but somehow there is a disconnect between the car and the driver that is hard to identify. Perhaps its the longer wheelbase (almost 4" longer than the 997), although the total length is about the same, which really enhances stability, but comparing with the 997, it just doesn't feel as nimble. The 997 have an almost go-kart handling. I might get flamed for this, but those are my own experience after driving the 991s. Don't get me wrong, the 991s are fast cars and have the numbers standing behind it. So its all down to how it feels to you, your hands on the steering wheel and the butt on the seats of your pants.

palmpalm

Yes, that's exactly how I feel.