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<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> It is winter in snow country but we have had some mild weather since I picked up the car and have been able to put a few hundred miles on it.Others have covered the nuts and bolts of this excellent vehicle so I won’t repeat what they have said.My primary reason for buying a Porsche was for the overall driving experience and not objective performance numbers at a drag strip or Nürburgring’s Nordschleife.If I cared about those things I would have upgraded my C6 Corvette to a Z06.</div>
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<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> I have had more powerful cars and have also had many that were brand new so I am used to people looking and asking questions about my cars.I have never, however, had such a thoroughly enjoyable driving and ownership experience as I am having with the Cayman S.</div>
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<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> The Cayman S is simply the best car I have ever owned.After two cold winter days and 134 miles of low traction driving in sand and salt the Cayman S won me over.On the back roads the Porsche felt more like a sportbike than a car in terms of sensory stimulation and driver involvement.The Cayman is clearly a recreational vehicle and any resemblance to an automobile is purely coincidental.</div>
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<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> I was taken with my Cayman from the very beginning.It’s full leather interior reminds me of an Aston Martin.Its build quality and driving characteristics are traditional German.Its handling and overall feel are those of the sports cars from my past turned up many notches.There are times the Cayman S feels a little too refined and times it feels a little too raw; evidence Porsche struck the prefect balance for me.The price is also nearly perfect.While I may have occasional thoughts of an exotic, when I am behind the wheel I realize that the pleasure I get from driving has a finite value to me.In the first hundred miles the Cayman S impressed me with its quality and I was very happy I didn’t spend more for a Carrera or V8 Vantage.The Cayman S delivers what I truly value in a car and I got everything I need without paying for any extraneous stuff like status or exclusivity.While new and sexy models will undoubtedly get my attention in the future, the Cayman S is damn near the perfect sporting vehicle for me and I would have to be rolling in excess discretionary income to consider getting something more expensive that wouldn’t really add much more to the driving experience.With the Cayman S I have hit the point of diminishing returns.I think this car will have a long and fruitful tenure in my garage.For ego gratification I can look at my life’s work and don’t need a more expensive car to do it.The Cayman S is all about driving pleasure and it doesn’t get much better than this.</div>
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<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> The more I drive the Cayman, the more comfortable I am becoming with it; both emotionally and physically.The mid-engine placement feels different than the front engine cars I am used to but it doesn’t feel scary like the rear-engine Carrera can.It will take more time for me to fully get used to it transitioning in the corners but the Cayman already feels incredible.If I tire of this car and look elsewhere soon I am not really looking for a better driving experience but rather just another shopping experience.</div>
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<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> Yesterday I was at the office drinking coffee out of my Porsche crest mug when a completely new feeling came over me.I bought the mug when I was looking at a 996 a couple of years ago and the Porsche crest was always just a nice design that represented a car I eventually wanted to buy.Yesterday when I looked at the familiar Porsche script I felt an emotional connection to the cars and their racing heritage.I haven’t owned the Cayman for very long but already the driving experience has changed my perspective and feelings.I still enjoy driving my Audi S4 but the day before I started to notice the nuances between the two cars and came to more fully appreciate the Porsche’s low polar movement and the effect it has on initial turn in.I had read about these things but didn’t internalize them until I put some miles on my car.</div>
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<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> I was always impressed with the Boxster’s dynamics and went into the Cayman solely for the driving experience without any emotional baggage.I didn’t expect a Porsche to make me better looking, more popular or a fundamentally happier person.I only expected to get a car that was a little more fun to drive than my Corvette.In a very short period of time I found I have gotten much more.While I still don’t like to read posts dumping on other cars, I have a much better understanding of the passion and enthusiasm exhibited on some of the other Porsche boards.</div>
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<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> There may be faster cars, more exotic cars, more expensive cars and cars with more status.However, when it comes to the joy of driving, the Cayman S is a real standout and I am happier with it than I ever thought I would be.I expect it will only get better when spring arrives and road conditions improve in the Northeast.</div>
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<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Alan</div>
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Edited by - BiggerTwin on 02/08/2006 04:39:14 AM