Talk Me Out Of or Into a Cayman

[M.D. Holloway]

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?

[Rick Lee]

I guess that book deal advance was pretty phat.

[Jeff Alton]

Love our Cayman S!!

[BeyGon]

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

[911_Dude]

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

[450knotOffice]

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!!

[motion]

Originally Posted by 450knotOffice

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!

[pwd72s]

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

[AFC-911]

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

[speeder]

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?

[dennis in se pa]

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

[tevake]

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

[carreraken]

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.

[Deschodt]

I've got one.



+: 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...

[tevake]

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

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by tevake

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 ;-)

[VincentVega]

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.

[Z-man]

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

-Z

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

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 ! ;-)

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

[azasadny]

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.