Talk Me Out Of or Into a Cayman
 

I have fallen in love with the line of the Cayman. I have yet to pilot one. I haven't lusted over a car since I was 8 and lusted over the 911 Targa.

I have told my Wife that in the next few years I want to get one. She laughs and says I should think about a Camry or something along those lines.
Agh...no...F*** that! I don't work my arse off to reward myself with a bland hunk of tin! My family is well taken care of and I see no issues in working hard for something provided it doesn't consume the family operating budget.

So, what do you scallywags know about these gems?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1323795879.jpg
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I guess that book deal advance was pretty phat.

Love our Cayman S!!

If I could buy one, I would, yesterday, or the day before that.

I want one to! The only thing that bugs me is its half Boxter.

Who cares? My wife's daily driver is a Cayman - since December 2006 - and it's a BRILLIANT machine. It has the most amazing sense of balance and razor sharp steering that I have ever experienced. I take it out on canyon roads on occasion and am always blown away by the unbelievable pace this car can carry - and it does it so easily and intuitively. It can carry an absurd amount of speed into a corner and then it just...turns!

The sound of the intake and exhaust at high RPM's is sweet too. There is no doubt who makes this car. :)

Go for it!!

Now, that's a good recommendation right there!

If ya got the hot lust? You gotta go for it!

The red one might be out of your budget...

If you're in love w/ it and haven't even driven it yet, you're a goner once you drive one. My only problem w/ it is its looks, (rear half is ugly to me--overall effect looks like a centaur). Absolutely no one on earth has ever complained about the way it drives/handles/corners/etc. It is apparently one of the greatest "packages" of automotive genius ever to roll on wheels.

Go get one today. How much are they?

Probably should wipe the butt of a 911 if it was properly setup.

I too love the lines especially the rear quarters!! plus the mid engine balance sounds great. I'm not in the place to spend that kind of money for a fun car. I also still use the back seats in my SC, till my younger son out grows the space its works for us.

If it works for you then go for it.:-)

Cheers Richard

Sold my 85 911 and got a 06 CS earlier this year - don't regret it one bit.

If you are looking for the raw visceral feel of the 911, the CS won't have that. The CS is more refined but still a hoot to drive - the mid engine balance is addicting.

For me, I wanted a little more comfort/convenience without giving up performance, and the CS fit the bill. (I loved the body lines ever since it was released). AC really works! and the bun warmers are a nice touch. :)

I've got one.

http://www.erikaslist.com/pictures/prettycs.jpg

+: I think it's gorgeous, it's probably the best handling car out there that is not a pure race car (or a lotus, but way more comfortable and usable), and it's easier to work on that people think. Surprisingly practical too, with 2 trunks, and you can put a 986 spare tire in the nose... Everytime I see that car in my garage, I go "wow"...

Now as far as talking you out of it.... I can try to do that too:

- It's a 2 seater, as you know, and that can suck sometimes...

- It's not as good a track car, stock, as a 911. You need to work on the wheels geometry, oil sump baffling, possibly an oil pump solution to avoid oil starvation... That's annoying to me since I like track days and my old 911s can go to the track bone stock. it's all tweakable, mind, but know it'll cost you a few thou to make it track-durable.

- It's got a few mechanical issues, like all porsches.. you know about the RMS/IMS possibility. I'm more concerned about piddly crap like my water pump going out at barely 40K miles ! Not cheap, annoying at that low of a mileage...

- It's too quiet, the gas pedal is a little hard to modulate from a standstill (stick) vs all my other cars, it can get a little hot inside (engine nearby) but on the flip side it cools off quick, small cockpit... and the gearbox linkages can be a tad noisy vs a 911 of the same era (the linkage snakes around the engine all the way to the gearbox).

- Also, it does not have that 911 "ass plant" in a turn that lets you shoot out of corners, it's more balanced throughout the turn though, so it's a matter of preference/driving style... I like both styles, unfortunately, so I am undecided... Oh, and unless you're a giraffe, you can't tell the rear spoiler is actually up, so you'll never know ;-)

That's all i got, trying hard to diss the car... Personally I think it's a screaming deal of a gorgeous car, w/ incredible steering feel and balance, easy to mod and maintain yourself with an ODB2 cable and software. Lots of aftermarket stuff too... A private party CS 2006 these days is high $20s.. why not, huh?
PS: I prefer the Gen 1 styling, but the GEN 2 cars (2009+) have the new DFI engine that removes the RMS/IMS issues, gives you 20 more hp and better mileage, if you can afford those...

Good write up Deschodt. lets see 06 s in the high 20s, Humm if I sold my driver SC and the targa project car, and threw in a couple thousand, Humm.

I love hearing reports from those that have them.

Cheers Richard

The dealer offered me $26K for my 40K miles 2006 CS, a few months back, in trade for an Audi S4 (what, I've got 2 kids now). PP value was $30-32. I got so pissed at them that I bought a used 528i for $5000 to drive my kids to school, and kept the cayman S ! ;-)

Let me add a post scriptum to this: S vs. base model ? I'm a proponent of the S if you can swing it, used... but if you don't track the car, it's not a HUGE difference in daily driving... and the 5 speed is a nicer gearbox than the S's 6 speed IMO. But if you buy used, in an era where an effing accord makes 280hp, you might as well buy the S ;-)

I want one, might be my next DD.

Downside? To me IMS is really the only one. If/when I need room I can drive my truck.

A Cayman S will be my next toy/track car.

-Z

Here ...

only a used one would be a good IMHO. Depreciation is very steep on these. I'd look for a 5 year old like the one above ...

That said, 993 money badly spent. ;)

George

My next Porsche will be a Cayman S. Ioved my '74 911 Targa but I need a few more creature comforts and a lighter clutch.