[OCastillo]

Hi everyone, I'm new, from Berkshire, England.

Trying to figure out what version to order on a 718 Cayman, base or S, but has to be PDK. Loading the configurator with the essential options gets my 2.0 only £5k or £6k shy from a similarly specced 2.5 S. Any advise?

Also, and since I have two teens (13 and 16) mostly during weekends, have also been considering a recent 911 991 Carrera or Carrera S PDK so I can leave my BMW 5 series at home whilst with the kids. Any suggestions?

 

[Yipekiye]

Well, here is my story. I had a 2011 987 Cayman Base. When I bought it, I figured it would be split about 50/50 with my Toyota Tundra pickup. However, it was so much more fun to drive, I found myself driving it most of the time.

That car was pretty basic and I began to wish it had a few more creature comforts since I was driving it back and forth to work and around town more than I expected. I started by looking at used 981's in the 2015 range, but found that they were mostly bare bones as well. I decided to dig a bit deeper into my pocket and found that there were a lot of used 911's that had all the features I was looking for.

Figuring that it was about time to pull the trigger, I went to a dealer in Dallas and to the sales guy's immense credit, he allowed me to drive quite a few cars. I have to say that I was disappointed in how the 911's drove. Coming out of my Cayman, it didn't have the seat of the pants experience that I was really looking for. The sales guy continued to put me into nicer cars and finally I drove a 911 with 4 wheel steering and that did feel pretty great, but it was substantially over my budget.

Finally, I asked if I could drive one of the new Caymans. He put me into a 2017 718S and then a 718 Base. I was sold, this was the car for me! To finish off this saga, he then had me drive a 2016 Cayman 981 GTS, but I honestly found that I enjoyed the 2017 718 Base more than any of them and it was the cheapest car! It didn't help that the GTS was banana yellow and I wasn't going to help the police find me that easily...

I wound up configuring the car exactly how I wanted and ended up with a luxury car that drives better than any car I have ever owned. I missed the 2017 window and had to wait for months while my 2018 was built, so that was a total lesson in delayed gratification, but it was worth it.

I can't answer the question for you, but I suspect you aren't getting teenagers in the back of a 911 very often, if ever. You won't be disappointed with any Cayman.

 

[4802]

Hi everyone, I'm new, from Berkshire, England.

Trying to figure out what version to order on a 718 Cayman, base or S, but has to be PDK. Loading the configurator with the essential options gets my 2.0 only £5k or £6k shy from a similarly specced 2.5 S. Any advise?

Also, and since I have two teens (13 and 16) mostly during weekends, have also been considering a recent 911 991 Carrera or Carrera S PDK so I can leave my BMW 5 series at home whilst with the kids. Any suggestions?

You really need to take a decent test in both the base & S model before deciding. Personally it was the S with its variable vane turbo charger or nothing for me (Boxster S). Does the base model engine suit your driving style or do you want quicker initial throttle response? It's probably of less relevance in a manual, but given that you want PDK you need to fully check you'll actually be happy with the 2.0 litre. See what you think when you've driven them back to back. If you're happy with the 2.0 litres response, then do you need or even want the extra performance of the 2.5? Some prefer the sound of the 2.0 litre, others the 2.5, again I preferred the 2.5 & even then felt the need for a Sports exhaust. Others however don't like the Sports exhaust. The 2.5 also has slightly upgraded brakes (though it would be pretty much a miracle if you could really tell the difference between the two cars braking systems). How much value do you place on that? You see where I'm going with this? Unfortunately no one can really help to any great extent because they can never really know exactly what you require or how much value you place on certain aspects. Like I said arrange to test drive them both & preferably back to back. If you haven't dismissed one or the other after that, then work out what each would cost in the specification you desire. Only then can you finally make a decision as to whether the price difference is worth it. For myself it was no contest, I just wasn't interested in a base. Others such as Yipekiye came to a completely different decision. As for a Carrera, well yes you could at a push carry people in the back, but unless they're very small & you aren't going far then they won't much like you for it. Unless you're pretty short in the leg they won't be sitting behind you either & as good as the cars are they won't match a 718 for overall driving experience.

 

[Porsche2018]

Hi everyone, I'm new, from Berkshire, England.

Trying to figure out what version to order on a 718 Cayman, base or S, but has to be PDK. Loading the configurator with the essential options gets my 2.0 only £5k or £6k shy from a similarly specced 2.5 S. Any advise?

Also, and since I have two teens (13 and 16) mostly during weekends, have also been considering a recent 911 991 Carrera or Carrera S PDK so I can leave my BMW 5 series at home whilst with the kids. Any suggestions?

I will post my impressions of the 981, 718 and the 911 below. These are my experiences that I have posted before but may be helpful. Though, to answer your question both the base and "S" 718's are exciting to drive and you will be happy with either one......I chose a CS but only because I spent a little to much time with the configurator...

Regarding the 911's, you do have two rear seats but if your passengers have legs it will be a tight squeeze. My wife would have preferred a 911 because it affords a little more room for luggage but the 718 has 9.7 cubic feet in the frunk and trunk which is pretty decent.

Impressions:

I went on multiple occasions’ to Porsche dealerships’ and I was looking for a fun car to drive. I would have preferred to go with either a used older model either a 2014/2015 or even a 2016 Porsche. When I went to the dealership the first time I was going to buy the 2016/981 base with PDK and I test-drove it and quite frankly the car was unruly and not much fun. In fact, I said to my wife….big deal I prefer my Honda Accord…it may not be fast but it was a heck of a lot more comfortable. I was about to leave the dealership and I decided to test drive the 2017 base Cayman and man was that fun…I felt the power of that turbo 4-cylinder engine at lower rpms then with the 2016, and even with the base did not experience the dreaded “turbo lag”. The power and ride was truly exciting and I felt in complete control. I then at a later date, at another dealership, tested both the 2017 Cayman S and the 2017 911 Carrera, and the 2017 Cayman S was like sitting on a rocket but I felt I was one with the car…..it’s hard to explain but it was visceral…..the 2017 911 Carrera was….well Meh, ho-hum. In fact, before I went to the dealership I had a 2017 911 specked out with sports chrono, sports exhaust, front end lift……over 120K thinking that the 911 had to be the car, after all it was revered, it is the Porsche icon but alas that hype fell flat after a test drive. It was all about the ride. To me the base 911 felt like a “family” sports car not a race car…..the 718 is a race car.

I again went to a Porsche dealership and wanted to test both a 2017 911 Carrera S (with the Sports Package including sports chrono, sports exhaust, rear axel steering….etc), and compare that with the Cayman S just to be sure I was choosing the right car. I again specked out a 2018 911 Carrera S before going to the dealership for 137K just in case the 911 Carrera S was more fun to drive than the Cayman S. What I found when I drove both the 911 Carrera Base and the Carrera S models (with PDK) was that with both 911’s the PDK shifting was more abrupt and not as smooth as the 718 Cayman S. I don’t know why the PDK so much smoother and the transition between gears so much more fluid with the Cayman S but it is, and when I brought that to the attention of the SA he stated the shifting in the 911 is smoother when in the “normal” mode, though I did not find that to be the case on my test drive. In addition, heck, I expect to spend most of my time in the Sport and Sport Plus mode so keeping the 911 in normal mode is not my idea of fun.

I also test drove a 2016 GT3 at the West Houston dealership and although it was a powerful car I felt and still feel the 718 whether base or S is much more exciting and fun to drive. Both 718’s, base or S, pull real hard low in the rev range and it’s an amazing experience. In fact, I enjoyed the test drives of the 718’s but owning my CS now is way better……did 350 miles in two days…….could easily be a DD.

 

[Gallatin]

@Porsche2018 very nice write up!! I think you are spot on with many of your observations. When you say "then at a later date, at another dealership, tested both the 2017 Cayman S and the 2017 911 Carrera, and the 2017 Cayman S was like sitting on a rocket but I felt I was one with the car…..it’s hard to explain but it was visceral…..", I believe you are describing the mid-engine experience. I have now owned both a rear engine 911 and the mid-engine Boxster and prefer the later. I know this will be sacrilege to many but it is meant as no disrespect to 911 owners. If I were to buy another sports car--other than another Boxster--it will most likely be a Cayman.

To the OP as many have said you really need to drive a Base and S as well as a 911 and decide what is best for you. As for putting teenagers in the back of a 911--good luck.

 

[PaulFinchley]

Hi paul here, also from uk. Am collecting my 718 boxter next month and am interested in connecting to other uk owners...did you order the cayman in the end?