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Cayman ComparisonsThis sub forum is for messages specifically about comparing the Cayman to other cars. For example how the Cayman compares to the 350Z or S2000 or SLK, etc.
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So before I get completely flamed for bring this up yet again, I wanted to preface this by saying I did do a search. I've done a lot of searches. But instead of resurrecting an old thread I thought I would bring up this question again, but with my specific conundrum.
Here are the points I am working with:
- I have the choice between a Cayman S or Carrera S. I have to decide by next week.
- The price differential is not important, and is not a factor in the decision
- I currently own an E46 M3 and an E36 M3. I like the power of the E46 but the steering is vague. I love the precision of the E36 but feel it is underpowered. Both cars have modifications to the suspension, exhaust, intake, etc.
- I am planning on taking the car at least once a month (whenever possible) to the track. I have taken the E46 to the track and loved the power out of the corners but did not like the understeer going into a corner or the vagueness of mid corner correction.
- I am also planning on taking the car on some long road trips this year, as well as use it as a daily driver.
- I have a high threshold for noise and vibration in a daily driver. Like I mentioned both cars have modified exhaust intake and suspension
- I am looking to replace the E46 because of the vagueness in the handling. However, I LOVE the engine in the M3 and really don't want to take a step down.
- I generally like GT's but am willing to try a true two seater. However most of the two seaters I have been in seem a little claustrophobic for long drives. (350Z, Gallardo ) But maybe this is just something you get used to?
- The most important thing to me is the fun factor. I love my E36 because it feels so small and precise but also serves as a great GT. But at the end of the day I am just looking for the car that is the most fun to drive, both on the track and on the street, GT or two seater.
The reason I am posting this on the Cayman forum and not a 997 forum is I believe I will get the most unbiased results.
So knowing my priorities, what do you guys think?
__________________
current:
06 Cayman S Arctic Silver/black
98 M3 Sedan Silver/Dove Gray
95 M3 Coupe Avus Blue/Dove Gray
Hopefully, you will drive a Cayman S and a C2 to see how you like them. Of course, I would choose the Cayman S because it is the most involving and the best car in the corners.
The Cayman Club already hasthe testimony of quite a few M3 owners who are now very satisfied Cayman owners and you will likely be hearing from them. As a happy BMW owner, I think the 3 Series is still the best Sports Sedan while the Cayman S is the best Sports Car. For sporty driving there is little to compare to a Cayman S.
On the Spectrum of Sport Sedan<--> Sport GT <--> Sports Car, I suppose the Carrera would fit in the middle, with the M3 and Cayman S on either end.
Hopefully, you will drive a Cayman S and a C2 to see how you like them. Of course, I would choose the Cayman S because it is the most involving and the best car in the corners.
The Cayman Club already hasthe testimony of quite a few M3 owners who are now very satisfied Cayman owners and you will likely be hearing from them. As a happy BMW owner, I think the 3 Series is still the best Sports Sedan while the Cayman S is the best Sports Car. For sporty driving there is little to compare to a Cayman S.
On the Spectrum of Sport Sedan<--> Sport GT <--> Sports Car, I suppose the Carrera would fit in the middle, with the M3 and Cayman S on either end.
Edited by - mpollard on 04/20/2006 4:50:58 PM
I've driven both but it has been 2 months now so it is a little fuzzy. Next week I will be driving them both back to back again. Also it is so hard to get a good impression from a short test drive. I would interested to hear anyones perspective from being on the track and long term exposure to both cars.
I do want to point out that I am not considering a regular 997, only the 997S as a comparison to the Cayman S. I think the Cayman S is more fun than a stock 997. However with the added power, better brakes and PASM of the Carrera S, I'm wondering if this changes the overall story.
Ideally I would be looking at a GT3 but the 996 is too raw for me as a daily driver and the first chance for me to get a 997GT3 is Spring 07.
hmmm.....decisions, decisions.
PASM - Porsche Active Suspension Management
This active damping system offers continuous adjustment of individual damping forces based on current road conditions and driving style.
The driver can choose from two setup modes, ‘Normal’ and ‘Sport’, using a separate ‘damper’ button on the center console. ‘Normal’ mode is designed for general road driving and circuits with uneven tarmac. ‘Sport’ mode is intended for smoother track surfaces, where the harder settings help eliminate pitch and roll.
In either mode, PASM continuously evaluates the current conditions while automatically selecting the corresponding damper rates from the respective set of mapped values.
A range of sensors are used to monitor the movement of the body under acceleration, braking and cornering maneuvers, as well as on poor road surfaces. The PASM control unit then evaluates this data and modifies the damping force on each individual wheel in accordance with the selected mode. The result is a significant reduction in body movement as well as a better grip on the road.
For example: if ‘Sport’ mode is selected, the suspension is automatically set to a harder damper rating. If the quality of the track surface falls below a certain threshold, the system immediately changes to a softer rating within the ‘Sport’ setup range. When the quality of the tarmac improves once more, PASM automatically returns to the original, harder rating.
Need more information about PASM? Click this link: FAQ for PASM
__________________
current:
06 Cayman S Arctic Silver/black
98 M3 Sedan Silver/Dove Gray
95 M3 Coupe Avus Blue/Dove Gray
The Carrera S is nice no doubt, difficult desicion. I always wanted a 911 but this Cayman things changed all of that. The 997S looks just that, a grown up Carrera. Its a GT and has 2 worthless seats in the back (gotta get rid of those or make them a bit more confy Porche come on). Right now if you asked me my next logical move up after the Cayman would be a TT or a GT3, but with true Cayman DNA. Luv those rear hips! So the perfect car, would be a TT, half 997 and half cayman, an inch longer, targa, and a true 2 seater. Maybe would be called the Gazelle. Drive them both again and make your choice. Wont go wrong with either one, both are sweet rides! Just make sure its a Porsche....COCO
__________________ The first South American modded reptile ~ 350HP - 4.4 sec 0-60 and 12.7 sec 1/4 mile. But looking for extra 100 HP!
I can give you the perspective from owning both a 911 Carrera S (997) and Boxster S (986).
I love the balance and speediness of the Boxster S. It is very similar to a go-kart: inspires much confidence and is enjoyable every second at high and low speeds.
The 997S is a very different beast. It has loads of power, is fast right out the gate in a straight line, and is significantly more torquey than the boxster. It is not as balanced. There is a learning curve to using the car, and it can even be considered scary when accelerating out of the bends. The funny thing is that I've grown to love that 'losing control' feeling, even though the car is VERY planted. Its part of the thrill of driving it: gaining confidence in the car and becoming a better driver.
When I first joined this board, I had the same dilemma as you: Cayman S or Carrera S. I chose the 997S because it was something completely different (rear engine) than my boxster S (mid-engine dynamics similar to a Cayman). I prefer the looks of the Cayman to my 911, but I like the 911 interior's extra space and useless seats (I've stored unexpected passengers on occassion and use the seats as storage space).
So what am I driving everyday now? I'm being thrilled and scared and impressed by the 911. I'm starting to like it for its flaws [img]/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/MWPX/teeth_smile.gif[/img] When I start to get bored of it, I may move into a Cayman next! We'll see how long it will take.
i think you made your decision with one point--it will be your daily drive. I LOVE my Cayman..it has the most fun factor of any care i've ever driven, much less owned. but for a daily driver....the 997 wins. more room, quieter, more comofrtable. simple as that. for fun weekend drives (my reason for buying a p car), cayman wins hands down--eaiser to have fun in, less 'work' to get to 8/10s, more confidence inspiring at 9/10s.
it's my weekend car, and i drive it every weekend and love it. but not every day. small, cozy, noisy, etc etc
I ordered a new Cayman today. It will be an '07 model to arrive in late August or September. I may not be able to add much here that hasn't already been said elsewhere, but you may find my .02 worthwhile nonetheless.
I've been looking for a new car for a few weeks. During one stretch I test drove a Cayman every day for six straight days back to back with a Boxster S, a 997, and a 997S. I have a very laid back local dealer who handed me the keys of these cars with no questions asked. Over those six days I had a fabulous opportunity to put each car through its paces. I came away feeling thoroughly convinced that a Cayman is the best choice for me right now.
I am 50 years old. I can afford to buy any of these cars. I have been a driving enthusiast for 30 years. I have run national driving schools for the BMW Club, I've been an instructor at driving schools since I was 24, and I have done all sorts of competitive driving events short of wheel to wheel racing. I have alot of high speed driving experienceand I have driven alot of different street cars on different race tracks, including the Nurburgring.
After those six days of driving Porsches I can tell you clearly and resolutely that I have never driven a car that handled as well as a Cayman and, more importantly, I have never driven a car that was as much fun to drive as the Cayman. Period. Every time I got out of those Caymans I was grinning.
The Boxster S was a fabulous car. I nixed it for several reasons. I want the safety of a hardtop. I liked the kick of the Cayman's variocam. The Cayman's motor is more powerful and the Cayman just plain handles better.
Eliminating the basic 997 was a no-brainer for me because it just didn't excite me. The 997Sseems to be the sweet spot in that model lineup as far as value and performance go and choosing between that car and the Cayman was more difficult. The power , especially the torque of the 997S, was addictive. The cockpit of the car and the ride are both more refined than the Cayman. But it has its faults. First, it does not provide nearly the same level of feedback to the driver as a Cayman. I found it hard to find the 997S's limits until I had already exceeded them. Second, I thought the Cayman felt more stable at highway speeds and above.
If price were no object, the most compelling reason to buy a Cayman is for the handling. No matter what they have done to that car over the years, the 997 is still a rear engine car. It's an engineering fact that a mid-engine design is just going to be a better platform. The Cayman feels much more nimble than the 997. And, most importantly, the Cayman is much safer and much more fun to drive at and even above its limits. The Caymans I drove did not have PASM or Sport Chrono. I ended up having to shut off the PSM because it kept interfering. Even with it shut off the car still felt incredibly safe and easy to manage at the limit.
As brief as my experience was with the Cayman, I got into the car each time feeling like I was putting on an old pair of shoes. That car is that comfortable and it is that easy to drive.
PASM - Porsche Active Suspension Management
This active damping system offers continuous adjustment of individual damping forces based on current road conditions and driving style.
The driver can choose from two setup modes, ‘Normal’ and ‘Sport’, using a separate ‘damper’ button on the center console. ‘Normal’ mode is designed for general road driving and circuits with uneven tarmac. ‘Sport’ mode is intended for smoother track surfaces, where the harder settings help eliminate pitch and roll.
In either mode, PASM continuously evaluates the current conditions while automatically selecting the corresponding damper rates from the respective set of mapped values.
A range of sensors are used to monitor the movement of the body under acceleration, braking and cornering maneuvers, as well as on poor road surfaces. The PASM control unit then evaluates this data and modifies the damping force on each individual wheel in accordance with the selected mode. The result is a significant reduction in body movement as well as a better grip on the road.
For example: if ‘Sport’ mode is selected, the suspension is automatically set to a harder damper rating. If the quality of the track surface falls below a certain threshold, the system immediately changes to a softer rating within the ‘Sport’ setup range. When the quality of the tarmac improves once more, PASM automatically returns to the original, harder rating.
Need more information about PASM? Click this link: FAQ for PASM
Sport Chrono and Chrono Plus
This optional package is a valuable addition for trackday use. Available in conjunction with the CDR-24 CD radio, it includes a swivel-mounted analog and digital timer unit which is centrally located on the dashboard. All functions are easily accessible via the control stalk for the on-board computer. Analog dials measure hours, minutes and seconds, while a separate digital field displays whole seconds, tenths and one hundredths of a second. A second digital display runs in parallel in the instrument cluster. Click this Link to visit the FAQ entry for Sport Chrono.
PSM - Porsche Stability Management
While it can’t overcome the laws of physics, the revolutionary Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system does lend an added degree of balance and control to the Cayman’s mid-engine driving dynamics, inspiring surefooted confidence in corners and extreme situations.
A standard feature on the Cayman and Cayman S, PSM continuously monitors steering input, road speed, yaw velocity and lateral acceleration to calculate the actual direction of travel. If the car begins to steer off line, PSM instantly intervenes with precision brake inputs on individual wheels to help bring the car back onto the driver’s intended path.
If braking alone isn’t enough to correct the vehicle’s cornering line, PSM then calls on the Cayman’s engine management system, adjusting engine output as needed to help stabilize handling. PSM can also compensate in an instant for mid-corner changes in load resulting from deceleration or braking. When Sport mode is selected with the optional Sport Chrono Package, PSM’s threshold for intervention is raised, allowing for greater driver involvement. If you prefer driving without automatic PSM assistance, the system can be set to standby at any time. In this case, it will only intervene under heavy braking, where both front wheels exceed the ABS threshold.
For all of its technical ability, PSM goes virtually unnoticed in everyday driving situations, preserving the Cayman’s natural agility.
__________________ '06 Midnight Blue Cayman S
Mods: Nitto NT-01's on BBS 8.5" x 18" and 9.5" x 18" wheels, Bilstein PSS Damptronic coilovers, Guard LSD, GT3 adj. front sway bar, GT3 lower control arms, Mantis camber plates, H & R adj. rear sway bar, Pagid yellow brake pads
After owning 944,964,996x2,corvette,BMW (525,530,633,325),Toyota MR2 turbo,Honda Prelude, MB500 SL and others.....nothing even comes close.......handling,looks,ergonomics,ride,tranny, brakes,feeling....LONG LIVE THE CAYMAN S....
If you are coming out of M3s (E46 especially), the Cayman S may feel under-powered. The Carrera S will be more satisfying. I came from an M5 and there is no way I can be happy with a Carrea, or a Cayman S, in the power/torqure department.
However, the handling and fun to drive parts go to the Cayman S hands down. One day I will have a Cayman for my daily driver as I then can enjoy the nimble ride everyday. But that would be in addition to the RUF.
Here are a few more possibilities: A RUF Cayman or a Cayman GTR. That would beat the M3 and the Carrera S any day.
Or a Cayman Splus a 993. That would be similar price to a well-endowed Carrera S.
'06 Midnight Blue Cayman S