Cayman or Boxter as a track day car?

[deppi0]

Hi all,

I have a couple of cars that I have tracked once in a while (California and Abarth 500) but for various reasons I prefer not to track either one of them too much any more.

After a lot of consideration I have now narrowed down my possibilities for a (mostly) track day car to either a Cayman S or a Boxter S. Do any of you have any experience with either of them on a track? I imagine a Cayman would be better but the saving in the UK for a very similar car is approx £5 -10k which is not bad at all on 2 year old cars....

I am looking to buy either car with no more than 3 years old, PDK with paddles although I can add them later (at a cost) and that's basically it.

Should I be looking out for specific options on the cars as it will mostly be tracked? Obviously I don't care about Sat Nav and other comfort things ;-)

Thanks a lot

[clubracing]

Mechanically the cars are almost identical so if the lack of a roof on the Boxster isn't a problem, then personally I'd save the money and spend it on some upgrades for the suspension and brakes.

Is the plan to make it a full track car with a roll cage etc.?

[mr pg]

Have a look at the RPM Technic (based near Tring) website as they do an upgrade package for track based Boxsters.

[boringbeige]

I went to Spa for 2 open pit lane days with Goldtrack several months ago. I drove down in a 2011 Boxster S and sent 2 track day cars down on a trailer. One car failed on lap 3 so the other was put into more use than I had intended and and I wore a back tire thru till it burst and there was still 3/4 of a day to go. So I took the Boxster on track. It's a 2011, S, Manual, sports seats, ceramics on Michelin Pilot Sports. The day started wet but then the rain stopped and it slowly dried out. With PASM in sport the car made a surprisingly decent fist of itself in the wet and damp but as the track became nearly dry and then dry it was a bit too soft and the tyres not quite upto task either. I did 3 full tanks of fuel on track, only pulling off circuit for the 2 fill ups, so a lot of laps. Nothing broke, nothing wore out, nothing overheated (except tyres) , nothing fell off. The brakes of course were excellent. It was 11mph slower up the long hill than the 6RS i ran the previous day, helped no doubt by a little more committment thru Eau Rouge.
If I were looking to buy a car (Porsche) for purely (or mainly) track days, it wouldn't be either of your suggestions, mainly because they both have PASM and brilliant tho it is on the road, it does detract from the enjoyment the car can give you on track. The Boxster isn't quite stiff enough either, not so noticeable in the wet but as it dries and the lateral forces build and you start to take a bit of kerb then you can feel the chassis twist and the wheels coming in and out of alignment. However, you can take the roof off and have the whole open top experience, which can be great fun and adds another sensory element to your day .
I've not got as much experience of the Caymans but obviously you have to have a roof over your head but the chassis alignment stays straight. I'd be wanting to bin the PASM and fit some decent passive suspension.
And why do you want PDK?? A track day is about fun, not about saving the 4 or 5 tenths per lap that PDK might help with. And have you driven the same car with and without a PDK box? The weight of the PDK alters the feel and balance of the car, in my opinion for the worse. On a 911 anyway.
I would suggest that you may like to consider spending the same budget on a 911. There's a reason why Porsche have raced them for 40 years and still do even tho the Boxster and Cayman have been around for some time now. Look at a 996 GT3 and if that's beyond budget then a 996C2 and spend a little on tickling the suspension and brakes and get help in setting the geometry to suit you.
All free advice, which of course you're welcome to ignore!!

Edited by boringbeige on Tuesday 4th December 15:32

[Actus Reus]

PASM is an option, not standard fit, but otherwise the comments above make sense to me - I have a Cayman S, and had a Boxster S previously - I'd choose the Cayman for track work, though not much in it.

[Raitzi]

boringbeige said:

And why do you want PDK?? A track day is about fun,

Edited by boringbeige on Tuesday 4th December 15:32

Why is not relevant. He wants it. Some people do like PDK, two hands on wheel etc. Also I would not touch manual Porsche on track if I had not practised rev matching with cheaper car. For only track driving, I would not even get Porsche. There just is so much cool cheap cars that are not road legal.

Also you talk that PDK alters feel of the car and suggest buying 911. I mean putting engine in the back alters balance and feel much more than gearbox choice. Well if he likes understeer, that is easier platform to achieve it.

Edited by Raitzi on Tuesday 4th December 16:04

[subaqua]

I go to spa a couple of times a year ... And there's always more pork there than a sausage factory, but I'm always surprised at how few boxsters/caymans you see. Maybe peeps with 40k to spend on a fun car feel that they have to go older GT3, or at least 911 to get some trackday fun and if they can't afford that, they tend to go down the lotus route instead.

I would suggest that the OP would be desperately unlucky (trying to avoid saying careless) to have two cars break on a trackday.... Many of us get to spa and back in the same car we drive through the tunnel in... It looks like the boxster above worked fine!

[boringbeige]

The problem with a cool cheap car that is not a Porsche is that on track it might break, thereby ruining your day.
The problem with a non road legal track day car is that you have to have a tow car and a trailer, so the cool cheap car is no longer cheap.

[deppi0]

Wow guys this was my first Topic but I am amazed at the amount of replies! First of all thanks to all your input (the more the better...)

For the PDK my reason is pretty basic...I HATE driving rhd cars as I am Italian and I prefer to concentrate on the track than having to focus/practice with manual gear change. I would get it with the paddles as the buttons are done in a stupid manner anyway ;-)

Has anyone tracked both?

Thanks again

[boringbeige]

Hello subaqua, the one that broke was a 997gt3rs, an aluminium water pipe pulled out of the block, turns out it's only glued in. Not a brilliant piece of engineering. The next car was a 996gt3rs that did 5 full tanks flawlessly until a Pirelli gave out.

[subaqua]

just a bit of friendly banter boringbeige.

However... The point still stands... The road car lasted pretty much a full day, one of the track ones let you down. And you burst a rear tyre through wear on a trackday? If you're our Nige fighting for a world championship, that's fair enough.... On a trackday though??? I can't convince myself it's really acceptable.

[boringbeige]

More banter. . .
I presume, but I don't know, does the Boxster also have a water pipe that's just glued in. . Or is it just the Metzger?? And as the 7rs in question is taxed, tested and on plates, is it really a track day car?? That failure could have happened on the way back from Tesco. . .
. . .and making full use of a set of tyres on a trackday is only unacceptable if you then can't get home. That's why i take more than one car!
In the Boxster on that trip I knew I had to drive it home, so was therefore less playful on circuit - otherwise that would have been another pair of rears gone.
Anyway, we digress from the thread. . . .

[boringbeige]

deppi0,
What about a Cayman R ?? Would one of those be in budget?

[deppi0]

boringbeige said:

deppi0,
What about a Cayman R ?? Would one of those be in budget?

No that would stretch my budget.... Haven't found one under 44k
Probably best to wait a couple of months to see if the new Cayman / Boxter affects prices though but I doubt it by now.

[Actus Reus]

Boxster Spyder? There's at least 2 in the classifieds under £35k...

[boringbeige]

deppi0,
only my opinion, I much much much prefer the 'old' Boxster to the new one. .
You're Italian but I presume living in the UK, do you ever drive to Italy? For example to see family or friends. If so then get the Boxster rather than the Cayman 'cos in Italy they have something called 'sunshine'. . .

[subaqua]

I'll agree in the boxster. And if you have another car for daily driving duties, Make the Porsche LHD, so you can use gears like god intended

[deppi0]

I have a feeling it's going to be the Boxter S then....at least I might be able to enjoy driving on the track once a year with the top down Gotta love this country's weather!

By the way you guys think the PASM is not worth it for the track?

I will try and go to a Porsche dealer this w-end and have a chat with them regarding stock

[Actus Reus]

I don't think PASM is worth it if it's going to be mainly a track car. Different proposition if you'll be doing many road miles in it too.

[Trev450]

Actus Reus said:

I don't think PASM is worth it if it's going to be mainly a track car. Different proposition if you'll be doing many road miles in it too.

Yes a decent set of shockers and springs set up well with a track-focused geo is miles better than PASM.