Discussion
My wife is looking at a change of car and has been mentioning she fancies a Porsche for a while, was previously a Mustang GT she wanted but has changed her mind it seems.
So, she was looking at spending 20k but my thinking is a flat six might not suit her being used to turbocharged cars and the low down torque. I think the need for revs and long gearing she may find frustrating and the engine note, not sure she is bothered, the 2.0T ones sound sporty enough, we arent purists. It wont be doing huge miles.
So been looking at the 2.0T Caymans, she wants a roof so not a Boxster, she is open to manual or PDK but I would be thinking PDK.
Obviously the budget would need to be stretched a bit. I think a lot of the asking prices are ambitious and not sure how well they sell, seems to be a lot of crossover with 981's, with later ones being more money which I guess is the 6 cyl vs 4 cyl thing, I get it but I just think she would be happier with the 2.0T with a PDK.
Anyone got any insights, experience, what to watch out for ? Any cars for sale anyone knows the history on ?
So, she was looking at spending 20k but my thinking is a flat six might not suit her being used to turbocharged cars and the low down torque. I think the need for revs and long gearing she may find frustrating and the engine note, not sure she is bothered, the 2.0T ones sound sporty enough, we arent purists. It wont be doing huge miles.
So been looking at the 2.0T Caymans, she wants a roof so not a Boxster, she is open to manual or PDK but I would be thinking PDK.
Obviously the budget would need to be stretched a bit. I think a lot of the asking prices are ambitious and not sure how well they sell, seems to be a lot of crossover with 981's, with later ones being more money which I guess is the 6 cyl vs 4 cyl thing, I get it but I just think she would be happier with the 2.0T with a PDK.
Anyone got any insights, experience, what to watch out for ? Any cars for sale anyone knows the history on ?
I ran a 2.0 718 Boxster for around 18 months before getting my current 4.0. In my opinion the 2.0 is the best sports car Porsche makes for the money whether it's a coupe or roadster. It's quick enough when needed, fun to drive when the opportunities present themselves and with PDK, effortless to drive in heavy traffic.
If you get one that has reasonably good spec it's a fantastic all round package. Must haves for me would be duel zone climate, auto dim rear view mirror, leather (extended is best), memory seats (if you both intend driving it regularly) and LED headlights as the standard Xenons aren't great.
They seem to be fairly reliable mechanically but I am aware that some cars from late 2018 to late 2019 seem to suffer from premature GPF failure (see PCGB Forum here - https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/threads/cayman... so earlier or later versions might be a better option.
Good luck with your search
If you get one that has reasonably good spec it's a fantastic all round package. Must haves for me would be duel zone climate, auto dim rear view mirror, leather (extended is best), memory seats (if you both intend driving it regularly) and LED headlights as the standard Xenons aren't great.
They seem to be fairly reliable mechanically but I am aware that some cars from late 2018 to late 2019 seem to suffer from premature GPF failure (see PCGB Forum here - https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/threads/cayman... so earlier or later versions might be a better option.
Good luck with your search
Cheers for that, I really think its the best option if she wants a Cayman, will be plenty fast enough as she is coming from a Fiesta with under half that power.
Have said she should nip down to the local Porsche place and have a nosey round a couple and see if it grabs her.
Think all their stock will be above what we want to spend really, seems to be 5 grand more than comparable ones but that I guess for buying direct with the warranty etc.
Have said she should nip down to the local Porsche place and have a nosey round a couple and see if it grabs her.
Think all their stock will be above what we want to spend really, seems to be 5 grand more than comparable ones but that I guess for buying direct with the warranty etc.
I have a 2018 718 Boxster I use as my everyday car.
It’s an easy car to live with especially in PDK, potters around nicely with 30-32mpg, it’s pretty quick with the Sport button pressed.
Seats are comfy, all the controls are fairly intuitive, good storage space and it’s got a nice quality feel to it.
My wife doesn’t drive mine as she doesn’t like the low seating position compared to her SUV.
With hindsight I would try and find one with PASM, the ride is quite jiggly on 20” alloys and the very poor state of roads.
It’s an easy car to live with especially in PDK, potters around nicely with 30-32mpg, it’s pretty quick with the Sport button pressed.
Seats are comfy, all the controls are fairly intuitive, good storage space and it’s got a nice quality feel to it.
My wife doesn’t drive mine as she doesn’t like the low seating position compared to her SUV.
With hindsight I would try and find one with PASM, the ride is quite jiggly on 20” alloys and the very poor state of roads.
LemonTart said:
I have a 2018 718 Boxster I use as my everyday car.
It’s an easy car to live with especially in PDK, potters around nicely with 30-32mpg, it’s pretty quick with the Sport button pressed.
Seats are comfy, all the controls are fairly intuitive, good storage space and it’s got a nice quality feel to it.
My wife doesn’t drive mine as she doesn’t like the low seating position compared to her SUV.
With hindsight I would try and find one with PASM, the ride is quite jiggly on 20” alloys and the very poor state of roads.
Sounds perfect, will see what she thinks, said she may drop in to have a look round a couple and have sit in it, she isnt one for SUVs but might decide its not for her, the Fiesta Ecoboost is a tough act to follow !It’s an easy car to live with especially in PDK, potters around nicely with 30-32mpg, it’s pretty quick with the Sport button pressed.
Seats are comfy, all the controls are fairly intuitive, good storage space and it’s got a nice quality feel to it.
My wife doesn’t drive mine as she doesn’t like the low seating position compared to her SUV.
With hindsight I would try and find one with PASM, the ride is quite jiggly on 20” alloys and the very poor state of roads.
I had a new 718 Cayman 2.0 in 2017, but moved it on for a GT4 about 18 months later. I liked it so much I got another new Cayman 2.0 in almost identical spec in 2021. I've had 5 Caymans in total, and as an everyday road car that's a bit special, I think the 718 2.0 is the absolute best of any of them.
Mine were both manual, which would still be my preference. The clutch and gearbox are an absolute delight, really light and precise, and just make the car a bit more engaging to drive. However I've driven a lot of PDK Caymans (in fact my GT4 RS only came that way, so it's what it has), and if I was buying used, much like you, I'd take either. Both versions are brilliant.
The 2017 car was in a different emissions spec, and drove nicer for it, especially from cold. If I were looking for a used one, I'd be going for the earlier version.
For me the only "must have" spec. options for an all-year road car would be dual zone climate control and heated seats (which had become standard by the time I ordered my second one). I massively prefer 18" wheels on them, but not many seem to come that way. Just a bit more forgiving on our heavily pot-holed roads. They are actually pretty good on the 19" and 20" options.
I liked the standard seats, and could definitely live with a plastic dashboard to avoid the ridiculous surcharge for the leather interior. I think going without leather was the only way of getting alcantara seat centres, which I prefer.
Mine both had PASM, lower ride height, and had PTV so I got a limited slip diff. I'm guessing these are rare options, and it was only for my ridiculous quest to have the "best driving" version of the base model.
Never got as far as 20,000 miles in either car, so no real idea on reliability in latter years. First one was pretty much perfect in every way. Second one had a slight hesitation at low engine speed that was eventually cured under warranty by a replacement turbo, but had the OPC and then Porsche technical scratching their heads for a bit. Neither used much oil, and both were pretty amazing for fuel consumption, over 40 mpg on long motorway journeys.
I'm currently invested in a manual Cayman 4.0 GTS as a daily drive, and a GT4 RS for better weather and occasional track days. The 4.0 GTS is amazing and opulent, but with hindsight, the old 2.0 cars did everything I needed. They probably did most of it slightly better if I'm honest with myself. If I end up needing to "downgrade" the daily at any point in the future, I can definitely live with it.
Liam
Mine were both manual, which would still be my preference. The clutch and gearbox are an absolute delight, really light and precise, and just make the car a bit more engaging to drive. However I've driven a lot of PDK Caymans (in fact my GT4 RS only came that way, so it's what it has), and if I was buying used, much like you, I'd take either. Both versions are brilliant.
The 2017 car was in a different emissions spec, and drove nicer for it, especially from cold. If I were looking for a used one, I'd be going for the earlier version.
For me the only "must have" spec. options for an all-year road car would be dual zone climate control and heated seats (which had become standard by the time I ordered my second one). I massively prefer 18" wheels on them, but not many seem to come that way. Just a bit more forgiving on our heavily pot-holed roads. They are actually pretty good on the 19" and 20" options.
I liked the standard seats, and could definitely live with a plastic dashboard to avoid the ridiculous surcharge for the leather interior. I think going without leather was the only way of getting alcantara seat centres, which I prefer.
Mine both had PASM, lower ride height, and had PTV so I got a limited slip diff. I'm guessing these are rare options, and it was only for my ridiculous quest to have the "best driving" version of the base model.
Never got as far as 20,000 miles in either car, so no real idea on reliability in latter years. First one was pretty much perfect in every way. Second one had a slight hesitation at low engine speed that was eventually cured under warranty by a replacement turbo, but had the OPC and then Porsche technical scratching their heads for a bit. Neither used much oil, and both were pretty amazing for fuel consumption, over 40 mpg on long motorway journeys.
I'm currently invested in a manual Cayman 4.0 GTS as a daily drive, and a GT4 RS for better weather and occasional track days. The 4.0 GTS is amazing and opulent, but with hindsight, the old 2.0 cars did everything I needed. They probably did most of it slightly better if I'm honest with myself. If I end up needing to "downgrade" the daily at any point in the future, I can definitely live with it.
Liam
Edited by LiamH66 on Sunday 2nd February 23:17
Thanks Liam, thats really interesting and useful stuff, I think to hear that from someone who is obviously fairly expert on the Cayman is really reassuring. I think there is perception that the 2.0 is the wooden spoon of Cayman ownership but hearing it compared to a GT4 in glowing terms does make me think its a good option.
Will see if she manages to go to the OPC and have a nosey, wonder what they will make of her turning up in a ten year old Fiesta !
She seems pretty keen, I really want her to get one, not just as its obviously a car I would like to drive as well but be nice for to have something more special and enjoyable.
I think with base models, if the underlying car is good, you get a lot of that regardless, its easy to think that its not worth bothering unless its a GT4 or RS something or other but you still get a good proportion of what makes it good even on the cheapest, often the best value and its not like they are slow
I think that a GT4 or similar would actually be the wrong car for her (too expensive anyway) and would likely find it a bit hardcore for what it will be used for.
Every model of a car is different, a GT4 is better in so many ways, but its also worse in some I expect, depends on your priorities and really, jumping in for us with a model like that would seem a bit like overkill. Think its easy to live vicariously through forums but nothing is better than actual experience.
Will see if she manages to go to the OPC and have a nosey, wonder what they will make of her turning up in a ten year old Fiesta !
She seems pretty keen, I really want her to get one, not just as its obviously a car I would like to drive as well but be nice for to have something more special and enjoyable.
I think with base models, if the underlying car is good, you get a lot of that regardless, its easy to think that its not worth bothering unless its a GT4 or RS something or other but you still get a good proportion of what makes it good even on the cheapest, often the best value and its not like they are slow
I think that a GT4 or similar would actually be the wrong car for her (too expensive anyway) and would likely find it a bit hardcore for what it will be used for.
Every model of a car is different, a GT4 is better in so many ways, but its also worse in some I expect, depends on your priorities and really, jumping in for us with a model like that would seem a bit like overkill. Think its easy to live vicariously through forums but nothing is better than actual experience.
Just saw the thread so thought I’d add my 5 cents and a quick write up. I bought one of the first 718 base Caymans back in 2016 new when they first came out. I still have it, over 8 years and 80k miles later I can report no issues, and the last time I checked the WBAC/HPI valuation was still well over 50% of the price I paid new, of course values have also changed a bit post covid. A couple of things to be aware of:
Negatives:
Road noise – it’s loud! Very loud in car generally but especially on concrete motorway sections, the wide tyres and minimal soundproofing similar to the 911, but unlike a Macan (or Taycan say ) which is so much quieter. The Cayman seems to amplify the boomy road noise in the space above the parcel shelf unlike the Boxster which is slightly quieter and doesn’t have that space so absorbs the road noise better. I switched to Goodyear tyres quite early on as found the original P-Zeros perform poorly in the wet. Goodyears are slightly cheaper but also have better grip and are quieter in my experience, Michelin PS4S also seem to get good feedback.
Aquaplaning – mid engined cars are definitely more susceptible, there is a thread on here about a 981 coming off the motorway in the wet. Keeping the speed down helps but if you see standing water you will need to know how to control the car in case it develops a slide. Which I guess is one reason why Porsche offer a free day at their experience centre if you buy a new one. For me experience on the kick plate and ice hill was quite important, you need to be so quick to catch these if they start to slide. 30 mph on the kick plate is one thing but having it slide on a motorway is a bit more of a wake up call. Hopefully not a frequent event and if you are driving on the motorway in heavy rain look out for standing water and keep your speed down. In the eight years I’ve had the car go a couple of times despite taking care but the PEC training has always enabled me to recover it- if you’re not used to it you could end up in the barriers so do be careful or book a day at the PEC (Porsche Experience Centre) for you & your wife to learn to control the car in a safe environment.
Battery access – if the battery goes flat as happened to me during Covid you can’t open the frunk to get to it so you have to manually open the driver’s door then connect another spare car battery to the fusebox to provide enough power to open the frunk. Just a ridiculous design in my view but hopefully a rare event only, so if you’re not using the car a lot keep it on a CTEK charger.
Positives:
Cheap to run, I keep mine under extended warranty but haven’t needed to claim. You can decide if it’s worthwhile but having a 15 year / 125k miles extended warranty option @ ~£720 per year shows confidence in the product, but two year servicing in the OPC network is a condition of the warranty and can be a little expensive.
Economy – I have a PDK and in normal mode you can get 40-45 mpg on a longer motorway trip although I usually drive it in sport mode all the time for the sharper power response. The 2.0T is pretty quick.
Rear tyres can wear quickly, if I get 14k miles out of a set I’m pretty happy. I replaced front brake pads & discs at 40k and the rears are still original on 5mm after 80k miles which is impressive. I avoided the torque vectoring option which can wear the rear pads more quickly but PASM can provide a softer ride on terrible UK roads.
Over 8 years I’ve driven most of the Porsche car range at various times e.g. the PEC, test drives and as loaners, the 2.0T base car is a real bargain in my view giving the performance of the old 981S at the base price, the 4.0 F6 costs a lot more and the 981 is now ancient. People on here seem to get fixated on the engine sound but I don’t actually think some of them have ever driven the cars in reality. I’ve taken a 4.0 for a spin and it’s definitely a different sound with a bit more horsepower but it’s all subjective and for me the 2.0 is more than fast enough for UK roads. Far from being the ‘wooden spoon’ in the range the F4T residuals seem to hold strong which is a shame as I’d quite like to pick up another nice cheap one at some point when I eventually need to replace it…
Negatives:
Road noise – it’s loud! Very loud in car generally but especially on concrete motorway sections, the wide tyres and minimal soundproofing similar to the 911, but unlike a Macan (or Taycan say ) which is so much quieter. The Cayman seems to amplify the boomy road noise in the space above the parcel shelf unlike the Boxster which is slightly quieter and doesn’t have that space so absorbs the road noise better. I switched to Goodyear tyres quite early on as found the original P-Zeros perform poorly in the wet. Goodyears are slightly cheaper but also have better grip and are quieter in my experience, Michelin PS4S also seem to get good feedback.
Aquaplaning – mid engined cars are definitely more susceptible, there is a thread on here about a 981 coming off the motorway in the wet. Keeping the speed down helps but if you see standing water you will need to know how to control the car in case it develops a slide. Which I guess is one reason why Porsche offer a free day at their experience centre if you buy a new one. For me experience on the kick plate and ice hill was quite important, you need to be so quick to catch these if they start to slide. 30 mph on the kick plate is one thing but having it slide on a motorway is a bit more of a wake up call. Hopefully not a frequent event and if you are driving on the motorway in heavy rain look out for standing water and keep your speed down. In the eight years I’ve had the car go a couple of times despite taking care but the PEC training has always enabled me to recover it- if you’re not used to it you could end up in the barriers so do be careful or book a day at the PEC (Porsche Experience Centre) for you & your wife to learn to control the car in a safe environment.
Battery access – if the battery goes flat as happened to me during Covid you can’t open the frunk to get to it so you have to manually open the driver’s door then connect another spare car battery to the fusebox to provide enough power to open the frunk. Just a ridiculous design in my view but hopefully a rare event only, so if you’re not using the car a lot keep it on a CTEK charger.
Positives:
Cheap to run, I keep mine under extended warranty but haven’t needed to claim. You can decide if it’s worthwhile but having a 15 year / 125k miles extended warranty option @ ~£720 per year shows confidence in the product, but two year servicing in the OPC network is a condition of the warranty and can be a little expensive.
Economy – I have a PDK and in normal mode you can get 40-45 mpg on a longer motorway trip although I usually drive it in sport mode all the time for the sharper power response. The 2.0T is pretty quick.
Rear tyres can wear quickly, if I get 14k miles out of a set I’m pretty happy. I replaced front brake pads & discs at 40k and the rears are still original on 5mm after 80k miles which is impressive. I avoided the torque vectoring option which can wear the rear pads more quickly but PASM can provide a softer ride on terrible UK roads.
Over 8 years I’ve driven most of the Porsche car range at various times e.g. the PEC, test drives and as loaners, the 2.0T base car is a real bargain in my view giving the performance of the old 981S at the base price, the 4.0 F6 costs a lot more and the 981 is now ancient. People on here seem to get fixated on the engine sound but I don’t actually think some of them have ever driven the cars in reality. I’ve taken a 4.0 for a spin and it’s definitely a different sound with a bit more horsepower but it’s all subjective and for me the 2.0 is more than fast enough for UK roads. Far from being the ‘wooden spoon’ in the range the F4T residuals seem to hold strong which is a shame as I’d quite like to pick up another nice cheap one at some point when I eventually need to replace it…
jimbo761 said:
Just saw the thread so thought I’d add my 5 cents and a quick write up. I bought one of the first 718 base Caymans back in 2016 new when they first came out. I still have it, over 8 years and 80k miles later I can report no issues, and the last time I checked the WBAC/HPI valuation was still well over 50% of the price I paid new, of course values have also changed a bit post covid. A couple of things to be aware of:
Negatives:
Road noise – it’s loud! Very loud in car generally but especially on concrete motorway sections, the wide tyres and minimal soundproofing similar to the 911, but unlike a Macan (or Taycan say ) which is so much quieter. The Cayman seems to amplify the boomy road noise in the space above the parcel shelf unlike the Boxster which is slightly quieter and doesn’t have that space so absorbs the road noise better. I switched to Goodyear tyres quite early on as found the original P-Zeros perform poorly in the wet. Goodyears are slightly cheaper but also have better grip and are quieter in my experience, Michelin PS4S also seem to get good feedback.
Aquaplaning – mid engined cars are definitely more susceptible, there is a thread on here about a 981 coming off the motorway in the wet. Keeping the speed down helps but if you see standing water you will need to know how to control the car in case it develops a slide. Which I guess is one reason why Porsche offer a free day at their experience centre if you buy a new one. For me experience on the kick plate and ice hill was quite important, you need to be so quick to catch these if they start to slide. 30 mph on the kick plate is one thing but having it slide on a motorway is a bit more of a wake up call. Hopefully not a frequent event and if you are driving on the motorway in heavy rain look out for standing water and keep your speed down. In the eight years I’ve had the car go a couple of times despite taking care but the PEC training has always enabled me to recover it- if you’re not used to it you could end up in the barriers so do be careful or book a day at the PEC (Porsche Experience Centre) for you & your wife to learn to control the car in a safe environment.
Battery access – if the battery goes flat as happened to me during Covid you can’t open the frunk to get to it so you have to manually open the driver’s door then connect another spare car battery to the fusebox to provide enough power to open the frunk. Just a ridiculous design in my view but hopefully a rare event only, so if you’re not using the car a lot keep it on a CTEK charger.
Positives:
Cheap to run, I keep mine under extended warranty but haven’t needed to claim. You can decide if it’s worthwhile but having a 15 year / 125k miles extended warranty option @ ~£720 per year shows confidence in the product, but two year servicing in the OPC network is a condition of the warranty and can be a little expensive.
Economy – I have a PDK and in normal mode you can get 40-45 mpg on a longer motorway trip although I usually drive it in sport mode all the time for the sharper power response. The 2.0T is pretty quick.
Rear tyres can wear quickly, if I get 14k miles out of a set I’m pretty happy. I replaced front brake pads & discs at 40k and the rears are still original on 5mm after 80k miles which is impressive. I avoided the torque vectoring option which can wear the rear pads more quickly but PASM can provide a softer ride on terrible UK roads.
Over 8 years I’ve driven most of the Porsche car range at various times e.g. the PEC, test drives and as loaners, the 2.0T base car is a real bargain in my view giving the performance of the old 981S at the base price, the 4.0 F6 costs a lot more and the 981 is now ancient. People on here seem to get fixated on the engine sound but I don’t actually think some of them have ever driven the cars in reality. I’ve taken a 4.0 for a spin and it’s definitely a different sound with a bit more horsepower but it’s all subjective and for me the 2.0 is more than fast enough for UK roads. Far from being the ‘wooden spoon’ in the range the F4T residuals seem to hold strong which is a shame as I’d quite like to pick up another nice cheap one at some point when I eventually need to replace it…
The "wooden spoon" thing was my impression of how people view the 2.0T, not my impression as Porsche generally dont bring poor cars to market, but the 4 cyl wasnt a 6 and a lot found that unforgivable, so the reputation got tarnished.Negatives:
Road noise – it’s loud! Very loud in car generally but especially on concrete motorway sections, the wide tyres and minimal soundproofing similar to the 911, but unlike a Macan (or Taycan say ) which is so much quieter. The Cayman seems to amplify the boomy road noise in the space above the parcel shelf unlike the Boxster which is slightly quieter and doesn’t have that space so absorbs the road noise better. I switched to Goodyear tyres quite early on as found the original P-Zeros perform poorly in the wet. Goodyears are slightly cheaper but also have better grip and are quieter in my experience, Michelin PS4S also seem to get good feedback.
Aquaplaning – mid engined cars are definitely more susceptible, there is a thread on here about a 981 coming off the motorway in the wet. Keeping the speed down helps but if you see standing water you will need to know how to control the car in case it develops a slide. Which I guess is one reason why Porsche offer a free day at their experience centre if you buy a new one. For me experience on the kick plate and ice hill was quite important, you need to be so quick to catch these if they start to slide. 30 mph on the kick plate is one thing but having it slide on a motorway is a bit more of a wake up call. Hopefully not a frequent event and if you are driving on the motorway in heavy rain look out for standing water and keep your speed down. In the eight years I’ve had the car go a couple of times despite taking care but the PEC training has always enabled me to recover it- if you’re not used to it you could end up in the barriers so do be careful or book a day at the PEC (Porsche Experience Centre) for you & your wife to learn to control the car in a safe environment.
Battery access – if the battery goes flat as happened to me during Covid you can’t open the frunk to get to it so you have to manually open the driver’s door then connect another spare car battery to the fusebox to provide enough power to open the frunk. Just a ridiculous design in my view but hopefully a rare event only, so if you’re not using the car a lot keep it on a CTEK charger.
Positives:
Cheap to run, I keep mine under extended warranty but haven’t needed to claim. You can decide if it’s worthwhile but having a 15 year / 125k miles extended warranty option @ ~£720 per year shows confidence in the product, but two year servicing in the OPC network is a condition of the warranty and can be a little expensive.
Economy – I have a PDK and in normal mode you can get 40-45 mpg on a longer motorway trip although I usually drive it in sport mode all the time for the sharper power response. The 2.0T is pretty quick.
Rear tyres can wear quickly, if I get 14k miles out of a set I’m pretty happy. I replaced front brake pads & discs at 40k and the rears are still original on 5mm after 80k miles which is impressive. I avoided the torque vectoring option which can wear the rear pads more quickly but PASM can provide a softer ride on terrible UK roads.
Over 8 years I’ve driven most of the Porsche car range at various times e.g. the PEC, test drives and as loaners, the 2.0T base car is a real bargain in my view giving the performance of the old 981S at the base price, the 4.0 F6 costs a lot more and the 981 is now ancient. People on here seem to get fixated on the engine sound but I don’t actually think some of them have ever driven the cars in reality. I’ve taken a 4.0 for a spin and it’s definitely a different sound with a bit more horsepower but it’s all subjective and for me the 2.0 is more than fast enough for UK roads. Far from being the ‘wooden spoon’ in the range the F4T residuals seem to hold strong which is a shame as I’d quite like to pick up another nice cheap one at some point when I eventually need to replace it…
But, great info, the aquaplaning thing I hadnt thought about so will explain it to her if she gets one, stand to reason, light car, wide tyres and the heavy bits are behind you, not in front pressing the tyres into the water/road.
She didnt go yesterday, we had a bit of news that rattled us a bit but it isnt a major issue thinking about it.
Its easy with lot of things in life to think you need the top version, the fastest, the most expensive, the biggest burger the strongest beer or whatever to enjoy something, especially for men, when we are younger in particular, as you get older you realise that sometimes you dont and other options offer things that the top one doesn't and may be more suitable.
Hi OP. I had a relatively early PDK 2.0T Cayman (67 plate in September) for six years prior to chopping it in for a 992 C2S. I probably would have gone for a 992 inspired updated Cayman if they were doing an ICE one as I initially expected. Also had a Boxster S as a long term loan prior to delivery due to a factory mishap. Much preferred the Cayman over the Boxster, thought it looked better (although Boxster is nice with the roof down) and a lot more practical. Maybe practicality isn't a concern for you, but I felt it was better than the 992 in that regard. Sure you can load the back seats in a 911, but the hatchback design in the Cayman is a lot better, they both have two boots but you can easily load both ends and stack stuff up on top of the engine and restrain it if required in the Cayman. I also wasn't a fan of he lack of rearward visibility in the Boxster with the roof up. Did drive a lot of 718s in both forms, engines and gearboxes as loaners when I had it. Never drove the 4.0 ot earlier NA variants though so can't make comparisons to them.
Never really though the S was that different in straight line performance tbh. Brakes were certainly better, although the base brakes are fine. My gripe with the base brakes, which is the only issue I had with the car, is that the crappy anodised finish is really poor. Easily discolour and turn to silver, you'll probably notice that when you look at them. Turbo is also better in the S, it's variable vane so picks up a lot quicker, so the base feels laggy in comparison in normal mode. as poster above said, best to drive in sport which mitigates that. I spent 95% in that, even for town driving. just used normal for cruising. Other big difference is the exhaust note between base and S. A lot was made in the press about the poor exhaust note of the 718, I think they were reviewing the S models largely, which kind of damned both. Oddly, while all these folk were expressing some disappointment about the sound with their ears they failed to notice the difference with the base. I think only Evo picked up the difference in any review I 'd read and acknowledged the difference in a manner I agree with. Side by side, the 2.0 sounds a lot more sonorous and smooth (as far as a 4 cyl can go compared to a 6) whereas the 2.5 S is a lot more lumpy and deeper. I had a side by side comparison when I test drove them both and it was apparent to my untrained ear. It was one of the reason I went for the base alongside getting the spec I wanted in my budget. Once they added the OPF on 69 plate onwards they do get a lot quieter in exhaust note and strangely the volume of the engine behind you, not sure why the latter happened. Overall I thought it was a fantastic car, I think even underrated for the price and performance it offers. I was quite gutted when I had to hand it over for the 911.
My general spec was graphite blue, with a graphite blue and crayon interior with sports design wheels in standard grey finish. Kind of a retro look. I had a bunch of other options on top. In no specific order, my thoughts on them:
PASM - 20" wheels were a must for me. I think anything less looks underwheeled personally. I didn't have an issue with non-PASM cars on 20s I'd driven. Maybe as I'd come from a BMW with paper thin runflats on M-Sport suspension which was a real boneshaker and felt like it didn't have springs. I'm also more partial to a stiffer ride. PASM does improve things and gives you a 10mm drop which looks cosmetically better. I did find the stiff setting useable on roads and offers a nicer weighting handling. The S has a 20mm drop, which may be a little too harsh, although I found that setup in comfort mode was the sweet spot for me.
18 way Sports Seat Plus - I absolutely hated the standard 4 way seats. Definitely the most uncomfortable car seats I've ever experienced. Ultimately, it's a lot down to your build, but I found them so narrow that I felt like I was sitting on them, not in them if that makes sense. Sport seats plus are wider around the shoulders and did offer an improvement, but both the manual versions don't have the flexibility of the electric versions. I'd be cautious when looing at the seats as a 15-20 minute test drive is a lot different to sitting in them for a couple of hours. I'm by no means a "powerfully built director", but for a point of reference, I'm 6'1" and slightly bigger than average. Other advantage of the memory option is you can save all your preferences for two drivers on different settings or keys. Additionally, you only get a dropping mirror for reversing with the memory package. Scandalous in my opinion as it should just come with folding mirrors, but that's Porsche
PSE - Maybe a personal choice. Certainly on mine it felt like the burbles and pops were verging on anti-social. I kind of liked that. Did become a standard feature on 69 plate onwards with the advent of the OPF to get a bot more sound. I've not heard a non-PSE pre OPF car next to a PSE OPF car. I'd imagine they are pretty similar at a guess so maybe a moot point getting it. One thing I didn't like about the base was the single trapezoid exhaust exit. Much prefer the dual flute design. You could add that as an option to non-PSE early base cars and it's an option on PSE post OPF cars. Either way, it's a bolt on part so you could add it to non-equipped car if desired.
Sports Crono - I like the clock personally, also means you get the more facile mode selector on the wheel. Also dynamic engine mounts. I did read about people thinking the 718 engine felt juddery. I never did so wonder if the mounts played a part in this. I did find the sports response button useful, never really bothered with launch control beyond the initial novelty.
Infotainment - Some of the optional features here become standard on the MY18 model with the first price increase (think that's anything built May 2017 onwards). Just something to consider, so Sat Nav and two levels of CarPlay and connectivity were paid for options before then. Worth having it all either way.
Dual Climate - Big win here is that it will operate to keep an even temperature. The standard setup will just blow air based on an unspecified temperature. Not really sure how useful splitting the temp is in a tiny cabin, unless you favour going out for a drive in a par of speedos while your wife wears a winter coat. Either way, I've never been in the position of having to set different temps for a passenger and myself in all my years of driving with the option.
Auto Dimming Mirrors and rain Sensors - You have the option to flip the mirror at nighttime, although it doesn't help with the wing mirrors. Can certainly be annoying in a low slung car with the latter. Porsche rain sensors are pretty crap in my opinion.
Extended Leather - Big must for me, completely elevates the quality of the cabin. Especially as you can get a two tone interior. I had the Sport-tex option, which had the centre seat elements in a kind of grippy fabric. Wasn't sure initially about adding cloth, but it was the only way I could get the colours I wanted. In many ways it has some of the benefits of Alcantara without the downside. A bit more grippy, not as cold in winter and not as hot in summer compared to leather. Other point of interest is that a black Sport-tex interior has deviated stitching while a black full leather interior doesn't.
Bose - I didn't spec it. The Boxster had it and I couldn't really tell the difference in the Cayman. Maybe due to more interior space or speaker placement but I'm not much of an audiophile anyway.
PDSL - The standard lights aren't full fat Xenons. If you look at them you'll see they don't have a washer. I went for PDLS which is the first upgrade which are. They also get the four point running lights which the standard ones don't have, plus turning with the cars wound corners. Useful if you live in a rural area. I didn't for the PDLS+ as they were twice the price and I wasn't keen on the looks at the time. They will auto dip, but I'd be looking for a car now with either of them and avoid the standard ones.
Heated Seats - absolute must, not least because you'll get a huge blank button on the console.
Heated Multi Function Wheel - Much nicer having a lot of functionality at your fingertips rather than using a stalk. i went with the standard wheel as I preferred the thickness and aesthetics. Over time, I did start to feel it was a bit chunky compared to the GT wheel.
Smoking Package - just finishes the centre console off nicely with a flap rather than a hole.
Warranty - I always extended it, think it was roughly £650 a year give or take over the time. I would want an OPC warranty on one. I may be wrong, but it may be possible to get a warranty on a non OPC car of you go through the 111 point check and pass. Worth double checking that.
I may have forgotten a few options there, but good luck.
Never really though the S was that different in straight line performance tbh. Brakes were certainly better, although the base brakes are fine. My gripe with the base brakes, which is the only issue I had with the car, is that the crappy anodised finish is really poor. Easily discolour and turn to silver, you'll probably notice that when you look at them. Turbo is also better in the S, it's variable vane so picks up a lot quicker, so the base feels laggy in comparison in normal mode. as poster above said, best to drive in sport which mitigates that. I spent 95% in that, even for town driving. just used normal for cruising. Other big difference is the exhaust note between base and S. A lot was made in the press about the poor exhaust note of the 718, I think they were reviewing the S models largely, which kind of damned both. Oddly, while all these folk were expressing some disappointment about the sound with their ears they failed to notice the difference with the base. I think only Evo picked up the difference in any review I 'd read and acknowledged the difference in a manner I agree with. Side by side, the 2.0 sounds a lot more sonorous and smooth (as far as a 4 cyl can go compared to a 6) whereas the 2.5 S is a lot more lumpy and deeper. I had a side by side comparison when I test drove them both and it was apparent to my untrained ear. It was one of the reason I went for the base alongside getting the spec I wanted in my budget. Once they added the OPF on 69 plate onwards they do get a lot quieter in exhaust note and strangely the volume of the engine behind you, not sure why the latter happened. Overall I thought it was a fantastic car, I think even underrated for the price and performance it offers. I was quite gutted when I had to hand it over for the 911.
My general spec was graphite blue, with a graphite blue and crayon interior with sports design wheels in standard grey finish. Kind of a retro look. I had a bunch of other options on top. In no specific order, my thoughts on them:
PASM - 20" wheels were a must for me. I think anything less looks underwheeled personally. I didn't have an issue with non-PASM cars on 20s I'd driven. Maybe as I'd come from a BMW with paper thin runflats on M-Sport suspension which was a real boneshaker and felt like it didn't have springs. I'm also more partial to a stiffer ride. PASM does improve things and gives you a 10mm drop which looks cosmetically better. I did find the stiff setting useable on roads and offers a nicer weighting handling. The S has a 20mm drop, which may be a little too harsh, although I found that setup in comfort mode was the sweet spot for me.
18 way Sports Seat Plus - I absolutely hated the standard 4 way seats. Definitely the most uncomfortable car seats I've ever experienced. Ultimately, it's a lot down to your build, but I found them so narrow that I felt like I was sitting on them, not in them if that makes sense. Sport seats plus are wider around the shoulders and did offer an improvement, but both the manual versions don't have the flexibility of the electric versions. I'd be cautious when looing at the seats as a 15-20 minute test drive is a lot different to sitting in them for a couple of hours. I'm by no means a "powerfully built director", but for a point of reference, I'm 6'1" and slightly bigger than average. Other advantage of the memory option is you can save all your preferences for two drivers on different settings or keys. Additionally, you only get a dropping mirror for reversing with the memory package. Scandalous in my opinion as it should just come with folding mirrors, but that's Porsche
PSE - Maybe a personal choice. Certainly on mine it felt like the burbles and pops were verging on anti-social. I kind of liked that. Did become a standard feature on 69 plate onwards with the advent of the OPF to get a bot more sound. I've not heard a non-PSE pre OPF car next to a PSE OPF car. I'd imagine they are pretty similar at a guess so maybe a moot point getting it. One thing I didn't like about the base was the single trapezoid exhaust exit. Much prefer the dual flute design. You could add that as an option to non-PSE early base cars and it's an option on PSE post OPF cars. Either way, it's a bolt on part so you could add it to non-equipped car if desired.
Sports Crono - I like the clock personally, also means you get the more facile mode selector on the wheel. Also dynamic engine mounts. I did read about people thinking the 718 engine felt juddery. I never did so wonder if the mounts played a part in this. I did find the sports response button useful, never really bothered with launch control beyond the initial novelty.
Infotainment - Some of the optional features here become standard on the MY18 model with the first price increase (think that's anything built May 2017 onwards). Just something to consider, so Sat Nav and two levels of CarPlay and connectivity were paid for options before then. Worth having it all either way.
Dual Climate - Big win here is that it will operate to keep an even temperature. The standard setup will just blow air based on an unspecified temperature. Not really sure how useful splitting the temp is in a tiny cabin, unless you favour going out for a drive in a par of speedos while your wife wears a winter coat. Either way, I've never been in the position of having to set different temps for a passenger and myself in all my years of driving with the option.
Auto Dimming Mirrors and rain Sensors - You have the option to flip the mirror at nighttime, although it doesn't help with the wing mirrors. Can certainly be annoying in a low slung car with the latter. Porsche rain sensors are pretty crap in my opinion.
Extended Leather - Big must for me, completely elevates the quality of the cabin. Especially as you can get a two tone interior. I had the Sport-tex option, which had the centre seat elements in a kind of grippy fabric. Wasn't sure initially about adding cloth, but it was the only way I could get the colours I wanted. In many ways it has some of the benefits of Alcantara without the downside. A bit more grippy, not as cold in winter and not as hot in summer compared to leather. Other point of interest is that a black Sport-tex interior has deviated stitching while a black full leather interior doesn't.
Bose - I didn't spec it. The Boxster had it and I couldn't really tell the difference in the Cayman. Maybe due to more interior space or speaker placement but I'm not much of an audiophile anyway.
PDSL - The standard lights aren't full fat Xenons. If you look at them you'll see they don't have a washer. I went for PDLS which is the first upgrade which are. They also get the four point running lights which the standard ones don't have, plus turning with the cars wound corners. Useful if you live in a rural area. I didn't for the PDLS+ as they were twice the price and I wasn't keen on the looks at the time. They will auto dip, but I'd be looking for a car now with either of them and avoid the standard ones.
Heated Seats - absolute must, not least because you'll get a huge blank button on the console.
Heated Multi Function Wheel - Much nicer having a lot of functionality at your fingertips rather than using a stalk. i went with the standard wheel as I preferred the thickness and aesthetics. Over time, I did start to feel it was a bit chunky compared to the GT wheel.
Smoking Package - just finishes the centre console off nicely with a flap rather than a hole.
Warranty - I always extended it, think it was roughly £650 a year give or take over the time. I would want an OPC warranty on one. I may be wrong, but it may be possible to get a warranty on a non OPC car of you go through the 111 point check and pass. Worth double checking that.
I may have forgotten a few options there, but good luck.
I have a base 2021 vintage 718. It's manual, with very few options. It does have PASM and torque vectoring. It also has dual zone climate control. It has the base seats with manual adjustment, base infotainment and 18 inch wheels.
I'm really happy with it. The standard (mostly plastic) interior looks just fine to me. The seats are really comfortable even on longish journeys (I'm 5'10" and 90Kg, so a bit fatter than the average adult). I prefer alcantara to leather as a general rule - warmer in winter and less sweaty in summer, and easy to keep clean. It has a basic steering wheel with no buttons on it, but the basic radio buttons not only fall easily to hand but are directly in line of sight, and the stalk that works the various options on the multi function third dial in the instrument binnacle is easy to use and quite intuitive. So I don't miss having buttons on the wheel, even though it's the only car I have that doesn't have any. The base radio is OK too. It won't jiggle your eyeballs, but it's fine for listening to the news or Ken Bruce on Greatest Hits.
Performance wise, it's reasonably quick. Not quite as quick cross country as my other car - a Mini Clubman JCW, which makes the same horsepower, but is an auto. The Cayman is quite long geared in first and second, so on a fast A road you spend a lot of time in 2nd and 3rd. I suspect that if my Cayman was a PDK it might be a different story.
Gripes? Servicing is seriously expensive at an OPC, and you have to go OPC if you have the extended warranty. AIUI anyway.
I'm really happy with it. The standard (mostly plastic) interior looks just fine to me. The seats are really comfortable even on longish journeys (I'm 5'10" and 90Kg, so a bit fatter than the average adult). I prefer alcantara to leather as a general rule - warmer in winter and less sweaty in summer, and easy to keep clean. It has a basic steering wheel with no buttons on it, but the basic radio buttons not only fall easily to hand but are directly in line of sight, and the stalk that works the various options on the multi function third dial in the instrument binnacle is easy to use and quite intuitive. So I don't miss having buttons on the wheel, even though it's the only car I have that doesn't have any. The base radio is OK too. It won't jiggle your eyeballs, but it's fine for listening to the news or Ken Bruce on Greatest Hits.
Performance wise, it's reasonably quick. Not quite as quick cross country as my other car - a Mini Clubman JCW, which makes the same horsepower, but is an auto. The Cayman is quite long geared in first and second, so on a fast A road you spend a lot of time in 2nd and 3rd. I suspect that if my Cayman was a PDK it might be a different story.
Gripes? Servicing is seriously expensive at an OPC, and you have to go OPC if you have the extended warranty. AIUI anyway.
Cheers for all the info guys, she is still keen so think we will be nipping into the local OPC to have a look round one so she can decide whether it suits.
Spec wise, well we cant be too choosy as we will be nearer the bottom of the market but will bear in mind the options, I get the impression there are a few cars around that have been sat for a while at a price so may be open to some offers.
I dont think a six will suit how she drives/wgat she is used to, I suspect she may find it frustrating, but thats only an assumption, but I think in low down torque vs high rev theatrics battle, the former would be more to her taste.
Size wise I am 6ft, 230 pounds, she is just over 5ft and 100 pounds lighter than me so she will fit fine in anything I expect.
I think to get the right car I may make a contribution if it helps the process so not looking at the absolute cheapest examples in doom blue running on castors with mega miles and zero options.
Servicing, will likely use a specialist, looks like the old one I used when I had my 944 S2 has retired, will also do interim, additional oil changes myself and can do stuff like brakes as well.
Will keep you posted, might nip to the OPC Friday after work to have a nosey round one, their stuff all tends to be well above budget though but guess they may be able to access other stock nationally ?
Spec wise, well we cant be too choosy as we will be nearer the bottom of the market but will bear in mind the options, I get the impression there are a few cars around that have been sat for a while at a price so may be open to some offers.
I dont think a six will suit how she drives/wgat she is used to, I suspect she may find it frustrating, but thats only an assumption, but I think in low down torque vs high rev theatrics battle, the former would be more to her taste.
Size wise I am 6ft, 230 pounds, she is just over 5ft and 100 pounds lighter than me so she will fit fine in anything I expect.
I think to get the right car I may make a contribution if it helps the process so not looking at the absolute cheapest examples in doom blue running on castors with mega miles and zero options.
Servicing, will likely use a specialist, looks like the old one I used when I had my 944 S2 has retired, will also do interim, additional oil changes myself and can do stuff like brakes as well.
Will keep you posted, might nip to the OPC Friday after work to have a nosey round one, their stuff all tends to be well above budget though but guess they may be able to access other stock nationally ?
J4CKO said:
Will keep you posted, might nip to the OPC Friday after work to have a nosey round one, their stuff all tends to be well above budget though but guess they may be able to access other stock nationally ?
AFAIK there isn't an integrated national dealer network as such, in the sense that there are multiple franchises. Some dealerships have multiple locations and they might be willing to move stock from one place to another, but across different franchises? I wouldn't have thought so. But you could ask.FWIW I live near Exeter and I had to go to Manchester (well Stockport actually) to look at mine (and pick it up afterwards). That OPC is part of the Stratstone group.
But that said, I wanted an Approved Used manual and they were like hens teeth when I bought mine, so it was travel or wait until a more local OPC had something suitable turn up. Just to give some perspective, Exeter have one used Cayman at the mo, it's a GTS with PDK and well out of my price bracket.
Yeah, we aren’t averse to buying outside the Porsche network but when I spoke to the salesman he said they have access to their group stock, they have a very nice agate grey model down south somewhere from what I can see. It didn’t have heated seats, all that money and they don’t come as standard and so many don’t spec them !
An OPC will be the best place to buy, but it’s quite a premium but likely would be worth it.
Some dowdy looking cars out there, there is a dark blue one with beige leather in the base wheels, just not very appealing.
Pity she isn’t keen on the Boxster as it opens up a lot more scope, but do like the added bit of practicality (all relative of course) in the Cayman.
An OPC will be the best place to buy, but it’s quite a premium but likely would be worth it.
Some dowdy looking cars out there, there is a dark blue one with beige leather in the base wheels, just not very appealing.
Pity she isn’t keen on the Boxster as it opens up a lot more scope, but do like the added bit of practicality (all relative of course) in the Cayman.
Must have been some pothole to do that!
I’ve hit a few and wheels are perfect, correct tyres have a good lip protection so unless really s
t at parking it provides decent protection near kerbs.
Just depends on how you want your car to look visually and what risk you’re willing to take financially to achieve that, ie more expensive alloy and tyre replacement should the worst happen.
I’ve hit a few and wheels are perfect, correct tyres have a good lip protection so unless really s
t at parking it provides decent protection near kerbs.Just depends on how you want your car to look visually and what risk you’re willing to take financially to achieve that, ie more expensive alloy and tyre replacement should the worst happen.
Edited by Youforreal. on Friday 7th February 10:57
She is pretty good to be fair at avoiding damage, my only criticism would be she tends to park without worrying about whats next to her, where I annoy her by going out of the way to avoid door dings. I would hope having a nice shiny Porsche rather than a ten year old Fiesta might focus the mind on not getting it damaged by parking next to massive SUVs full of kids slamming the doors into your motor.
Some of the roads are parlous round here, Styal road near Manchester Airport if anyone knows it, its narrow and the surface is deteriorating pretty quickly, some monster potholes appearing.
Some of the roads are parlous round here, Styal road near Manchester Airport if anyone knows it, its narrow and the surface is deteriorating pretty quickly, some monster potholes appearing.
I’d definitely start out the OPC approved route, that’s my preference. A good specialist would be by second choice and then work down from there. Not sure I’d go private, but was told the extended warranty is transferable for private sales last time I extended it. Wouldn’t take that as gospel without checking though.
If you’re keen on a boxster I wouldn’t discount it. Unless your wife has a complete aversion to open top motoring it would be worth a test drive. Like you said, it opens up the options. Had a quick look at the approved site and the cheaper boxes looked better value comparing list price to use than caymans. I’d also consider opening things up to an S or maybe a T. May well be some crossover there price wise as I found with the 992.
If you’re keen on a boxster I wouldn’t discount it. Unless your wife has a complete aversion to open top motoring it would be worth a test drive. Like you said, it opens up the options. Had a quick look at the approved site and the cheaper boxes looked better value comparing list price to use than caymans. I’d also consider opening things up to an S or maybe a T. May well be some crossover there price wise as I found with the 992.
Edited by Pinball on Sunday 9th February 09:56
Edited by Pinball on Sunday 9th February 09:56
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