Should I trade my SC for a Cayman S?

[911sc79]

I own a bone stock 79 SC that has low miles and is in perfect running order. I am happy with it. I drive it about 2000 miles a year for fun rides and I find quite pleasant to own.

Unfortunately, I made a big mistake this PM. I test drove a Cayman S. Now I want one. BADLY!!!!

The Cayman has all the qualities of my SC multiplied by four.

Like I said, my SC is bone stock. If I were to spend let us say up to $10,000 on it, could I make it as much fun as the Cayman. What impressed me the most about the Cayman was:

Power: Of course, it has a ton more power than my SC

Transmission: Immensely more precise than mine. With a 915, I guess I do not stand a chance of coming close to the Cayman.

Mechanical noises: Even tough the Cayman is a modern car it produces all kind of sophisticated noises that are music to my ears.

Driving pleasure: Handling was much more precise than mine.

Help me convince myself that I should keep my SC and that I can make it as much fun as the Cayman.

[ZAMIRZ]

If you have the means, trade-up to the Cayman S.

[sc]

I think you already answered your question and no, $10k will not put your SC in Cayman league.

sc

Originally posted by 911sc79
I own a bone stock 79 SC that has low miles and is in perfect running order. I am happy with it. I drive it about 2000 miles a year for fun rides and I find quite pleasant to own.

Unfortunately, I made a big mistake this PM. I test drove a Cayman S. Now I want one. BADLY!!!!

The Cayman has all the qualities of my SC multiplied by four.

Like I said, my SC is bone stock. If I were to spend let us say up to $10,000 on it, could I make it as much fun as the Cayman. What impressed me the most about the Cayman was:

Power: Of course, it has a ton more power than my SC

Transmission: Immensely more precise than mine. With a 915, I guess I do not stand a chance of coming close to the Cayman.

Mechanical noises: Even tough the Cayman is a modern car it produces all kind of sophisticated noises that are music to my ears.

Driving pleasure: Handling was much more precise than mine.

Help me convince myself that I should keep my SC and that I can make it as much fun as the Cayman.

[poorsha]

I think the SC has more character.
I vote for keeping her and spend some bucks (if required) to make her into more of the car you are after.
I also think the SC will maintain it's value more than the Cayman will in the long run.

[turbo23dog]

I say do whatever you can to have both!!!!!!!!!!!

[Vipergrün]

1. You never (in rare curcumstances) buy a car for an investment.
2. You'd probably be like 15-18K minimum to upgrade the motor and suspension to be remotely close to the Cayman. Even then, you can't compare the difference of nearly 25 years of technical advance.
3. If I had the means I'd buy a Cayman S, bright yellow, and track it every chance I could get.
4. Regardless of what some folks think, they are both Porsche and will leave you with a big grin on your face at the end of the day.

[imcarthur]

You will probably lose the $ equivalent of your SC in depreciation on the Cayman S in the 1st year . . .

Ian

[Jack Olsen]

Your SC is much lighter than the Cayman S, and it is also free from the hydraulic intervention of full-power ABS brakes and power steering, or the electronic/mechanical interference of Porsche's stability management system.

The Cayman S is a great car. I've driven them on the track, and they're a blast. But in my opinion they're very different from an air-cooled 911.

[kilodawg]

This is simple really. You don't trade the SC you keep it. You also don't spend any money in upgrades, you save it and in a couple of years you get a low mileage (already depreciated) Cayman S and thus have both cars for less dough than you're considering shelling out now. Next question...

[Flyer88]

I'll give ya $500 more than the dealer. I'd keep the SC if it were me though.

[DARISC]

Cayman's cool, but it's not a 911 aircooled. If I had both and had to get rid of one, I'd miss the raw, visceral, etc. etc. qualities of the older 911 more than the more powerful & sophisticated Cayman.

Is there any street car now being made, besides perhaps the Elise/Exige, that gives the driver such a direct feeling of connection to its mechanical personality and to the road as an older 911?

I got rid of a very quick, fast and powerful Corvette (love 'em or hate 'em, mine was all three of the above and, as mildly modified, would assuredly outrun the Cayman), to get back to the qualities I find so appealing about my SC.

I'd buy a Cayman before I'd buy another Corvette - But I'd damn sure keep My SC.

[MOMO3.2]

True, $10,000 invested in the SC will not make up for the 25 years of advanced technology found in the Cayman. But, for my tastes, I will take a classic, raw, SC any day.

I recently visited my local Porsche dealer. There was an awsome RS Clone parked among the new Caymans, Boxsters, and 997's. I gotta say, that early 911 looked quite exotic, tiny, and race car like compared to the current models. The new cars looked a little bloated and cold. Their styling appeared bland and lacking in character in comparison. That really solidified my preference for air cooled 911s.


Mike

[porschenut]

No matter how good you make the SC, it still won't be a Cayman S. There are qualities about a new Porsche that no amount of modification will ever be able to emulate.

If you liked the Cayman that much after owning an SC, then the answer should be obvious. If I could justify spending that much on a car, I'd dump my 86 Carrera for a Cayman in a New York second.

[nostatic]

what do you want out of your car?

[randywebb]

"The Cayman has all the qualities of my SC multiplied by four."

But, the Cayman has all the price of your SC multiplied by seven.

Also, a Cayman may not be as much fun on the street, simply because it is too competent. On roads where you get the SC to x 10ths, the Cayman will only get to x/3. ANd you'll be breaking the speed limits to get to that. That is one of the paradoxical things about the new Porsches.

[tshih]

Sell your SC and with the extra $10K you have go look for a 964 RSA 0r 993 which has enough HP and raw feel to temper your newfound lust for a Cayman S.

[nostatic]

Originally posted by tshih
Sell your SC and with the extra $10K you have go look for a 964 RSA 0r 993 which has enough HP and raw feel to temper your newfound lust for a Cayman S.

I'd have to disagree. You're moving away from "raw" with those cars (although I'd like an RSA as the platform for a track car).

You either get it/like it or you don't. If you want a visceral experience, need to smell the burning oil, feel the tail want to step out, and all the other things that go along with it, just stick with the SC.

If you don't value those, then get something else. There is no disgrace in that. This BBS has seen lots of owners come and go over the years. For some it is a mid-life crisis, for other the realization of a life long dream, the reality of which never quite lives up to expectations, still others think a 911 is one thing but find out it is quite another.

And some of us are just plain stupid and/or addicted...and keep dumping time and money into the beast, scouring the calendar for the next track day.

It still comes down to: what do you want from your car?

[Zeke]

Originally posted by Flyer88
I'll give ya $500 more than the dealer. I'd keep the SC if it were me though.

I'll do better.....call me, me, me.

[nigel911]

If you like to take photos of your car, don't buy a Cayman - for some reason they always look ugly as sin in pics. In 'real life' they look good, but SCs look good in 'real life' and in photos.

Not scientific, just my tuppence. Long day.

[umgang]

Time is a funny thing. Everyone is saying how the Cayman S is so visceral, a raw experience. I drove one for several hours, and though it's turn-ins and rotation are phenomenal, it doesn't have near the power it needs to be fun. One still feels like cargo when driving it rather than an integral part of the machine. Put a 3.6, an adjustable suspension and 930 brakes in your SC and don't look back!

Nick