Cayman as a daily driver?
Discussion
Caymans keep whispering to me in the night. How would one stack up as a daily driver?
I've not driven one yet, but my previous daily driver was an XKR, which, from a grand tourer type perspective, was actually a comfortable place to be as well as being quick and fun. Anyone driven or owned both?
I do around 400 miles a week, on a mixture of road types, and I like being comfortable.
I've not driven one yet, but my previous daily driver was an XKR, which, from a grand tourer type perspective, was actually a comfortable place to be as well as being quick and fun. Anyone driven or owned both?
I do around 400 miles a week, on a mixture of road types, and I like being comfortable.
My 987 cayman S was a very comfortable place to be-even after four or five hrs-it had the standard seats but they were very good indeed and It was lowered and very firm but I wouldn’t have hesitated to use it daily if I had too and it was great over long distances.
I imagine you’re probably after a much newer one, but I’m sure a newer one would be even better
I was gutted when mine was written off and might well get another at some point (or a Boxster)
I imagine you’re probably after a much newer one, but I’m sure a newer one would be even better
I was gutted when mine was written off and might well get another at some point (or a Boxster)
Notwithstanding the fact that I'm on the hunt for a BMW 440i, and will probably end up with one, I keep having my head turned by Caymans. Amusingly, they're £200 less to insure than the BMW! For me it would have to have six cylinders which, due to my budget, would mean a late 981 and not an "S". The main deterrent for me is the ever present risk of PADM failure.
Residuals are going to take a bit hit unless you get a very low mileage car and keep it a max of 2 years.
Most dealerships wont buy cars with that sort of mileage and those that do will be paying bottom price.
I think if you are happy with that then why not, but do be aware you are at the very top end of usage cases.
Most Cayman / Boxster owners are doing half or a quarter of your mileage.
Most dealerships wont buy cars with that sort of mileage and those that do will be paying bottom price.
I think if you are happy with that then why not, but do be aware you are at the very top end of usage cases.
Most Cayman / Boxster owners are doing half or a quarter of your mileage.
I’ve had three now, all with sports Plus seats.
3.4 981 GTS manual, X73 fixed sport chassis.
Amazing, but a little too stiff for bumpier B-Roads.
It rattled!
Sounded best.
‘Hi-Fi speaker’ audio upgrade was offensively bad. Way worse than cheap vans.
2.5T 718 GTS manual, -20mm PASM.
Sport PASM locks out the dampers, so track only.
The normal PASM setting was probably the the best overall compromise for speedyness on UK B-roads.
Sound was ok I guess.
Very quiet and effortlessly fast on modest throttle openings.
4.0 718 GTS manual, -10mm PASM.
Both suspension modes were ideal for road use, so the best for UK roads possibly.
Sounded amazing and very loud inside when pushed hard, but quiet with valves closed.
Bose was good in both 718 and neither rattled at all.
All have more than average road noise, but 90% of roads I used were ok.
Scattered stone style resurfacing can be unpleasant.
The M25 Leatherhead to M3 was borderline unbearable.
Overall really enjoyable from 2015 to 2023 and less miles than you plan, at 80k across the three.
My Jag experience was limited to a test drive.
For me at the time it was too comfortable and remote. The Cayman was also really commodious with frunk and boot, so fantastic for touring as a couple.
I hope that helps a bit..
3.4 981 GTS manual, X73 fixed sport chassis.
Amazing, but a little too stiff for bumpier B-Roads.
It rattled!
Sounded best.
‘Hi-Fi speaker’ audio upgrade was offensively bad. Way worse than cheap vans.
2.5T 718 GTS manual, -20mm PASM.
Sport PASM locks out the dampers, so track only.
The normal PASM setting was probably the the best overall compromise for speedyness on UK B-roads.
Sound was ok I guess.
Very quiet and effortlessly fast on modest throttle openings.
4.0 718 GTS manual, -10mm PASM.
Both suspension modes were ideal for road use, so the best for UK roads possibly.
Sounded amazing and very loud inside when pushed hard, but quiet with valves closed.
Bose was good in both 718 and neither rattled at all.
All have more than average road noise, but 90% of roads I used were ok.
Scattered stone style resurfacing can be unpleasant.
The M25 Leatherhead to M3 was borderline unbearable.
Overall really enjoyable from 2015 to 2023 and less miles than you plan, at 80k across the three.
My Jag experience was limited to a test drive.
For me at the time it was too comfortable and remote. The Cayman was also really commodious with frunk and boot, so fantastic for touring as a couple.
I hope that helps a bit..
I have driven and owned both and to be fair there is no comparison . In fact I would say that the F Type 5.0 V8 R is more similar in terms of comfort to the XKR than the Cayman is . Where the Cayman excels at least in 4.0 litre guise ( I haven't owned any other ) is in the driving experience . Just a beautiful connectivity and response that I think typifies the Brands sports cars . I found the F type SVR I owned quicker in a straight line but as soon as you turned into a long curve at speed the driving position let it down somewhat . You sat on the Jaguar as opposed to in it as you do in the Cayman . As a daily driver the Cayman is perfectly acceptable though it won't feel as roomy as the X150 XKR . Its also very low and although there is some interior storage its limited in comparison . 718 4.0 GTS is according to last months What Car Awards " the best sports car on the planet " , I have certainly enjoyed mine which I bought new last year and I am looking forward to a GT4 version soon . I have done 16,000 miles in under a year the car being that good . PPF for me is always essential , I just cant bear the heartbreak of stone chip damage . Feel free to PM me if I can be of any further assistance .
gotoPzero said:
Residuals are going to take a bit hit unless you get a very low mileage car and keep it a max of 2 years.
Most dealerships wont buy cars with that sort of mileage and those that do will be paying bottom price.
I think if you are happy with that then why not, but do be aware you are at the very top end of usage cases.
Most Cayman / Boxster owners are doing half or a quarter of your mileage.
I find that mileage quotation a very true but sad indictment on the typical Porsche buyer . Why do you think that is ? I am a 60 year old working class kid that has grafted away to earning a few quid on building sites , what do I care about future residuals . Probably the Worlds ultimate driving machine , get it bought driven and enjoyed then onto the next . You are a long time dead .Most dealerships wont buy cars with that sort of mileage and those that do will be paying bottom price.
I think if you are happy with that then why not, but do be aware you are at the very top end of usage cases.
Most Cayman / Boxster owners are doing half or a quarter of your mileage.
Just out of interest does anyone know if this reluctance to put a few miles on a Porsche exists anywhere else in Europe ?
reddiesel said:
gotoPzero said:
Residuals are going to take a bit hit unless you get a very low mileage car and keep it a max of 2 years.
Most dealerships wont buy cars with that sort of mileage and those that do will be paying bottom price.
I think if you are happy with that then why not, but do be aware you are at the very top end of usage cases.
Most Cayman / Boxster owners are doing half or a quarter of your mileage.
I find that mileage quotation a very true but sad indictment on the typical Porsche buyer . Why do you think that is ? I am a 60 year old working class kid that has grafted away to earning a few quid on building sites , what do I care about future residuals . Probably the Worlds ultimate driving machine , get it bought driven and enjoyed then onto the next . You are a long time dead .Most dealerships wont buy cars with that sort of mileage and those that do will be paying bottom price.
I think if you are happy with that then why not, but do be aware you are at the very top end of usage cases.
Most Cayman / Boxster owners are doing half or a quarter of your mileage.
Just out of interest does anyone know if this reluctance to put a few miles on a Porsche exists anywhere else in Europe ?
The wife used her Cayman as her commuter and shopping trolly from new in 2015 covering circa 150 miles a week up until early 2020. These days it just a shopping trolly with occasional longer trips covering circa 4K miles a year.
The car is nearly 9 years old and apart from a few minor issues (drivers window motor failure, rusty exhaust brackets and a small oil leak) the car has been pretty reliable so based on our experience I'd say go for it.
The car is nearly 9 years old and apart from a few minor issues (drivers window motor failure, rusty exhaust brackets and a small oil leak) the car has been pretty reliable so based on our experience I'd say go for it.
Caymans are perfectly fine as daily cars, with the possible exception of the GT4/GT4 RS. I've done about 125,000 miles in Caymans either as my only car, or in rotation with one or two others.
I did drive my GT4 all year round on Cup 2s for the four and a half years that I had it. Only snow would properly stop it, or a ramp! But it would make a pretty intense, sphincter-tightening daily on certain days in the winter months.
I did drive my GT4 all year round on Cup 2s for the four and a half years that I had it. Only snow would properly stop it, or a ramp! But it would make a pretty intense, sphincter-tightening daily on certain days in the winter months.
My daily for over 3 years was a 2.9 manual Cayman 987.2 with Bilstein dampers, Cayman R springs, a sports exhaust and on Cup 2 tyres throughout the summer. It was brilliant, comfortable enough on longer drives despite the stiffer ride (and did ~35mpg) but engaging and fun on my normal A and B road commute.
Now swapped for my current daily, a 981 Boxster which is equally brilliant. Both are really practical too with the frunk and rear boot. As said, we’re a long time dead, so go for it.
Now swapped for my current daily, a 981 Boxster which is equally brilliant. Both are really practical too with the frunk and rear boot. As said, we’re a long time dead, so go for it.
Sterillium said:
I do around 400 miles a week, on a mixture of road types, and I like being comfortable.
The "I like being comfortable bit" for my money means you need a 981 or newer. 987s are slightly coarse cars, they're not hugely pleasant cruisers.As others have said, that kind of mileage will knacker resale value. My record in a Cayman is just over 20k in one year, but I'm a bit of a masochist and I like ragging it mercilessly at every opportunity. I've taken a hammering on a couple of Caymans as a consequence of averaging 15K+ a year. In hindsight, I should have run a second car in parallel, which I do now. I aim for about 7.5K annually now in the Porsche and concentrate that in summer months. Still drive it in winter, but maybe once a week or once in 10 days depending on the weather.
Anyway, my suggestion is yes, buy a Cayman to daily, but consider running two cars. I bought a B8 3.0D A4 Avant for absolutely nothing as the second car. It's surprisingly nice to ooze about in and I enjoy the contrast. I reckon it was break even after about 18 months, including purchase price given how much cheaper each mile in the A4 is. And I'm still doing more annual miles than most Cayman owners.
Good luck.
I've been using Caymans as daily drives since 2017. I had a glitch over winters from 2018 into spring 2021, when the only Cayman I had was a very well kept 2016 GT4 (that I still have), and the GT4 was used as a daily only if there was no risk of salt on the roads. Wasn't that I couldn't have used the car, more that I didn't want to risk unnecessary corrosion for a relatively limited production car.
Cars used as daily drivers to date have been base 718 2.0 (x2), 981 GT4, and 718 GTS 4.0.
The GT4 isn't exactly hardcore, but you do need to be slightly into the "track day car for the road" concept to put up with the noise, compromised ride comfort, and slightly agricultural nature of the beast on country lanes and in traffic. But I love every minute of it myself, almost as much as slinging a set of sticky tyres on it and hammering around a circuit for the day.
Aside from the GT4, the others have been refined, reliable, and a joy to own. Sensible choice is the base model, plenty fast enough, good, if not amazing on fuel consumption, and the sweetest handling and riding road cars I could ever have hoped for. I'm about to switch back to GTS 4.0 as my current daily drive, because the GT4 is going up for sale as a GT4 RS arrives this week (and might not be a daily, but who knows...).
Only real downside of the GTS 4.0 is fuel consumption - does about 25mpg commuting (mix of B roads, A roads and motorway). But only does 32mpg on a longer run where the base model would do at least 38mpg, sometimes over 40mpg. Not sure if just how quick it is could be a downside, but the GTS 4.0 really is quick, noticeably faster than the old GT4 on the road, with much better response at low revs, and more torque low down.
But all in all, surprisingly practical cars as daily drivers. I used a Toyota GT86 for a good few years before getting my first 718 2.0, and bought it back to fill in for the first few winters of the GT4. Clearly no comparison in most ways, but similarly loveable cars somehow. I can't really see myself jumping into anything other than a Cayman to go to work or make a long journey now. (Unless wife and dogs are coming with me...)
I do occasionally get some funny looks at the local tip, especially in the GT4.
Liam
Cars used as daily drivers to date have been base 718 2.0 (x2), 981 GT4, and 718 GTS 4.0.
The GT4 isn't exactly hardcore, but you do need to be slightly into the "track day car for the road" concept to put up with the noise, compromised ride comfort, and slightly agricultural nature of the beast on country lanes and in traffic. But I love every minute of it myself, almost as much as slinging a set of sticky tyres on it and hammering around a circuit for the day.
Aside from the GT4, the others have been refined, reliable, and a joy to own. Sensible choice is the base model, plenty fast enough, good, if not amazing on fuel consumption, and the sweetest handling and riding road cars I could ever have hoped for. I'm about to switch back to GTS 4.0 as my current daily drive, because the GT4 is going up for sale as a GT4 RS arrives this week (and might not be a daily, but who knows...).
Only real downside of the GTS 4.0 is fuel consumption - does about 25mpg commuting (mix of B roads, A roads and motorway). But only does 32mpg on a longer run where the base model would do at least 38mpg, sometimes over 40mpg. Not sure if just how quick it is could be a downside, but the GTS 4.0 really is quick, noticeably faster than the old GT4 on the road, with much better response at low revs, and more torque low down.
But all in all, surprisingly practical cars as daily drivers. I used a Toyota GT86 for a good few years before getting my first 718 2.0, and bought it back to fill in for the first few winters of the GT4. Clearly no comparison in most ways, but similarly loveable cars somehow. I can't really see myself jumping into anything other than a Cayman to go to work or make a long journey now. (Unless wife and dogs are coming with me...)
I do occasionally get some funny looks at the local tip, especially in the GT4.
Liam
Sterillium said:
Caymans keep whispering to me in the night. How would one stack up as a daily driver?
I've not driven one yet, but my previous daily driver was an XKR, which, from a grand tourer type perspective, was actually a comfortable place to be as well as being quick and fun. Anyone driven or owned both?
I do around 400 miles a week, on a mixture of road types, and I like being comfortable.
The rear tyre noise, on motorways in particular, could not be described as Jag comfortable - drive one.I've not driven one yet, but my previous daily driver was an XKR, which, from a grand tourer type perspective, was actually a comfortable place to be as well as being quick and fun. Anyone driven or owned both?
I do around 400 miles a week, on a mixture of road types, and I like being comfortable.
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