Oh yeah I forgot the Camaro...crazy for sure but I hear it's quite a car. Need to go drive one.

If you are buying to impress people, you can do just as well with a Cayenne.

I almost pulled the trigger on a black/black 09 Cayman...but holding out to find what I really want. If anyone knows of a silver/red 09-12 let me know :--) 19" wheels and sport exhaust would make it perfect! There is a 2014 in Oklahoma with that combo, but I want the prior gen. Needle in a haystack I fear.

The Carrera is just too much of a GT car, but probably nicer on long drives. Unless I can find a deal on a 09+ Carrera, it will be the Cayman.

I appreciate all of the thoughts and feedback!

Base model has 255hp for a 2900 lb. car. You really think that's not enough car for you? In the real word, you can't come close to reaching the limits of that car on public roads, unless you plan on getting arrested or killing someone. Drive and tell us if you're mashing the pedal to the floor, while yanking at the wheel, and muttering "Go already.... Jesus! This thing is a pig. HURRY!!! " If you're not going to the track, a Camry V6 is all the car you can possibly use. The rest is gravy.

The last and best advice I can give you is to immediately stop reading ANYTHING automotive media related. Burn it all. It's 99% theoretical bull**** that does not apply to the real world.

Want to decide on a car? Drive the car in the real world, on real streets, without bias and see what is real and what is hypothetical track semantics.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/908540-motor-trend-compares-2015-bmw-m4-vs-2016-camaro-ss.html#post9062468

I haven't tracked my boxster, but I have played a bit here and there and probed the cars limits when space and surroundings permit. I normally drive with the PSM on, but also play with it off. Mine doesn't seem too bad, but then I wasn't on a track at 100mph at 9 or 10 10ths. I assume the Coxster has a longer wheelbase and more mass to move around, so it's probably a bit more forgiving than an Elise.

I used to have a couple of miatas. I was caught by surprise a time or two in one of them. It could be steered with the throttle almost as easily as my old '88 targa, and would spin quick if you got too heavy handed with it.

The thing w/ the snap is it lets go with no warning at the limit. Elise wheelbase is 90 inches. Boxster/Cayman is only a bit longer 95 inches think? Tires, spring and alignment setup, and conditions have a lot to do with it. I would imagine the Cayman is much better especially w/ PSM.

I would get the Cayman because it has the motor in the right place, among other things. If I really cared how my car looked, I would have never bought a 914, view is just fine from the driver's seat.

I don't know about a race track, but I use the 911, 914-6, and Cayman as real world cars.

One night on the way to Morro Bay in the 914-6, I came across a huge buck lying in the middle of 101 just south of Paso. I had to snap the wheel to one side, and to avoid a spin, snap the wheel the other way and get up on 3 tires. I sprained my thumb, but missed it.

I think in the 911 I would have hit part of it with my rear tire. Did that on a piece of angle iron once, similar situation.

In the Cayman, I'd have hit it with one of the front tires.