Looking at Caymans

....That butthole exhaust doesn't sound bad to me...

 

There are a number of exhaust tips to choose from (aftermarket or Porsche) and you only need a screwdriver to change them ... for those who don't like the stock exhaust tip on the base Cayman

 

The only thing dealers are short of are customers willing to get ripped on the trade-in and overcharged on the new buy. The "short of inventory" is a standard industry line trying to instill a sense of urgency. If they or Carmax need inventory they will go to the auctions.

Long run, more fulfilling to sell your car privately (on this board?) and to purchase privately. Base Cayman will suffice for your stated needs--cheaper entry price, insurance, better gas mileage, same looks. Exhaust tip is cheap bolt on/off swap.

 

I just turned in a Cayman with the PDK.

One hellva a car; but sadly, a car torn between two words. On the street, it is a rough little corn cob. But what a corn cob. On the track, though, it is good enough to get you excited -- but at the end of the day, it is not a race car.

And don't let these knuckleheads throw you. Get the PDK. There is NOBODY on this planet who can shift like that. Nobody. Moreover, rowing gears on a daily driver is very overrated.

If you want a "real sports car," and not a super car, you cannot go wrong with a Cayman. It is that good.

Dale

 

Interesting comment, Dale. I can relate in that I enjoyed my Cayman (and my 996) but felt the same way i.e. nice/capable sports car, but a typical jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none car. Nowadays, I prefer a more comfortable GT for daily use and a properly prepped race car for the track. Having said this, if I can only have one car, the Cayman is a great choice.

 

Just saw this thread...any developments?

I used to have an 07 cayman s that I bought new. The only reason I sold it is because the 348 of my dreams came along and that was it. I enjoyed the hell out of the car, though. They are very well balanced, beautiful (to my eye, anyway), and extremely involving as modern cars go. Mine was pretty basic, but I never felt like anything was missing (though I must add that I hate sports cars with loads of options). I did get the sport wheel, carbon fiber shift knob, and I installed a fabspeed exhaust which really brought out the throatiness of the motor. The cayman s really made mundane around town tasks a lot more fun. It is very enjoyable in that you can drive it somewhat aggressively without busting every vehicular law in existence. Of course, if you really get on it, you can get in some trouble...but what fun trouble!

The only thing I missed was a limited slip. I ordered an aftermarket unit, but never installed it as the 348 came up right after it was delivered. Also, if you do intend to track the car, the earlier ones have oiling issues under heavy corner loads. I've heard of drivers being thrown off the track because they smoked so badly. I believe someone came up with a fix for this, and IIRC, Porsche addressed the problem in '08. I haven't heard of any catastrophic issues with the cars, though I will say that two years of Porsche maintenance made my 348 look cheap, so find an independent. Parts are a little expensive. I took a rock in a foglight lens and it came to $750 for the part - you can't just replace the lens

The manual with the short shifter is sublime. I would certainly look for a manual car, especially if you are looking at pre-PDK cars. IMO, it may not be as fast or technically amazing, but the manual fits the character of the car so well. I drove a tiptronic equipped car while mine was in service, and it was a serious let down for me. I couldn't wait to get back in mine. PDK is amazing, but very costly and still a bit clinical for my taste.

I guess it all comes down to what is mission specific for you, of course. At any rate, the cayman is a wonderful car, and if you want something accessible, involving, and decently quick, it is hard to beat. I wouldn't be afraid of some miles, either.

Good luck!

 

Smoking issues on track are due to having dipsticks that are too long. The fix? Fill it less. Literally. Fill it to halfway full on the dash display (if Caymans have that). Also don't believe the BS you hear about non-Porsche approved oils foaming at track. Any performance 10w40 to 20w60 oil will work. Depends on your location, engine temps, and oil analysis results.

 

+1 My friend threw a rod in his '05. This is a known issue. Granted the car did see regular track days. $15k on a "new" used engine.
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Look up LN engineering. They make IMS and almost any oiling solution you need for road or track.

 

Congratulations! Best of luck!

 

I drove a lot of cars before getting the 2012 Cayman.... Z4 is what I would have bought for a daily driver if I didn't find the right deal on a Cayman. The Z4 was a lot of fun to test drive.

Cayman has been out of production for a year, so supply is scarce right now, new Cayman will been shown at the LA auto show, end of November.

Enjoy your new car

 

Great choice! Enjoy!

 

congrats!

 

+1

For me, it's not a matter of whether PDK is faster (no doubt that it is), but more of how you want to engage/interact with the car. For me, a conventional stick shift transmission still fits the bill, as it has for every car I've ever owned.

 

...and God bless Porsche for still offering sticks! I just have to shake my head at everyone else lately.

Congrats on the Z4!

 

Love the look of the Cayman - would entertain buying if I didn't need the 2+2 of the 911.

Love the look for sure. Much better than the Boxster IMO.

 

Great car for the money. Very neutral and rewarding. Be sure to get a S!

Traded mine for my GT3, but really liked the Cayman!