[santirx]

Hi everyone. Here with my very first post, although been lurking around for a while.

I’m a very active member of the Macan Forum, as I am the original owner of a 2015 Macan S, which I still have 113K miles later… and still going strong.

I decided that I want to buy a Cayman before I’m too old to get into a 2 seater…

Although I found an allocation that would be mine if I wanted it tomorrow, is an out of state allocation and the dealer wanted me to pay $5K over MSRP. When I said no, they came back and offered me the allocation but with the condition that I buy a protection feature (like wrapping the front of the car… etc…). I understand how they want to secure some revenue that they would lose in service revenue if they sell to an out of state customer.

In any case, my local dealer called me today with an allocation that would be available for August/September. My preference would be going that route, but they asked me to submit my build because they want to verify that I’m not ordering a bare-bones Cayman.

I was originally thinking about getting a Cayman Base fairly well spec’d (Premium Package, 14-way seats, PASM, Sport Chrono, etc…). I’m just not sure if the Cayman Base will have enough power or would wow me with the exhaust sound, and I feel it could be close in performance to my Macan (just lower to the ground).

But, on the other hand, I would not be buying this Cayman to go to tracks.

I know it would be best for me to go and test drive a base, and I‘ll plan on doing just that, but for those of you with a Cayman Base, or those who have test driven both, what is your take? Would you buy the Base again or would you upgrade to the S.

I have test driven the Cayman S, and I found it to have plenty power (probably more than what I was expecting).

CAYMAN BASE BUILD CODE: The Porsche Code

CAYMAN S BUILD CODE: The Porsche Code

I don’t want to spend more than $85K… so the Base is within budget, the S would be outside budget so I will probably have to drop PASM and other features.

In any case… this guy is looking for a small brother…

 

[Arne]

For quasi-legal street use, I find the 300HP of the Base to be more than adequate. You should find a Base to listen to, if you are concerned about the sound. It's not as compelling as a flat six, but far from horrible.

Knowing what I know now, and based on how I drive my car, if I were going to have one built I'd stay with the Base. I'm very happy with it.

 

[santirx]

For quasi-legal street use, I find the 300HP of the Base to be more than adequate. You should find a Base to listen to, if you are concerned about the sound. It's not as compelling as a flat six, but far from horrible.

Knowing what I know now, and based on how I drive my car, if I were going to have one built I'd stay with the Base. I'm very happy with it.

Thanks. I‘m of the same thinking. I have a band of friends in the Macan Forum, all of whom have tuned their Macan Turbos with Cobb and other methods…. I find my Macan S (with no tuning) to have plenty power, more than what I need.

I rather have more comforts and better ride, than the power that I may not use with my usual driving.

Thanks for your insight. Very helpful.

 

[ThreePedalEd]

Thanks. I‘m of the same thinking. I have a band of friends in the Macan Forum, all of whom have tuned their Macan Turbos with Cobb and other methods…. I find my Macan S (with no tuning) to have plenty power, more than what I need.

I rather have more comforts and better ride, than the power that I may not use with my usual driving.

Thanks for your insight. Very helpful.

The base 718 Cayman has more than adequate power.

However, I suggest you test drive the 14 way seats against the 18 way or even the less expensie manual sport seats plus. I had the 14 ways in my 911 and the 18 ways in my Cayman S. Much better lateral support and comfort with 18 ways. I now have LWB in my Cayman GTS 4.0 but those are not available on base and overkill for most drivers. Personal choice but for me (5’7”, 155) the 14 ways would be my last choice.

 

[nova996]

I dont have a lot of experience with the base car, but when I drove one it did not lack power IMO. For me it was between Spyder and T as the two most appealing to me. I was not worried that the T was underpowered either.

 

[santirx]

The base 718 Cayman has more than adequate power.

However, I suggest you test drive the 14 way seats against the 18 way or even the less expensie manual sport seats plus. I had the 14 ways in my 911 and the 18 ways in my Cayman S. Much better lateral support and comfort with 18 ways. I now have LWB in my Cayman GTS 4.0 but those are not available on base and overkill for most drivers. Personal choice but for me (5’7”, 155) the 14 ways would be my last choice.

The Cayman S I test drove was a 14-way and found it very comfortable. My Macan is also 14-way.

 

[nova996]

The Cayman S I test drove was a 14-way and found it very comfortable. My Macan is also 14-way.

Did you find the two 14-way seats very different? I’ve not spent a lot of time in Macans

 

[santirx]

Yes, Cayman seats are a bit narrower. The 14-way in the Macan is just pure comfort. The Cayman is not as comfortable as the Macan, but is plenty comfortable for my like.

 

[santirx]

I almost bought a 2018 CPO 718 Cayman S with 13,700 miles out of state (about 1000 miles away). Placed deposit and was almost about to sign, but pulled back at the last minute (last week). Wasn’t too comfortable with the PPI, and the pressure of the dealer for me to buy before end of month which only gave me 2 days to make a decision and didn’t allow me time to plan a visit to see for myself. It was a great price at $70,900, and now that I have done more research I haven’t found anything with this low mileage and these options at this price (probably lost a good deal, but feel OK by listening to my inner voice on this).

It had 18-way seats, but no sport chrono or PASM.

I feel I would’ve get it if I was given more time by the dealer, but the whole process was a deal breaker.

I decided to try to get a new one instead.

 

[rasetsu]

The first 718 I test drove was a base. Second one was a 2.5 GTS. I ended up buying a CPO S with nearly every option I wanted plus a couple I didn't but really enjoy. The base was not underpowered at all but once I drove the GTS, I stopped wanting to buy a base because of how the 2.5 delivers power just a little better. The base is still very good though. I wouldn't choose 50 more horsepower at the expense of PASM. PASM is a must for me. 50 more hp is nice but not really needed. My S has 18 way sport plus seats, SC, PSE, sport PASM, 20" wheels, and full leather interior. It's got all but PTV. Your base build is in T territory. Why not just get a T? Is it because of the 14 way seats? The seats in the Cayman are completely different from the ones in the Macan if that's what you've been using as a gauge. The seat variations are not as dramatically different as the Macan ones are. I would go with a premium packaged T over a low optioned and more expensive S.

I also have a Macan GTS with a Cobb tune.

 

[santirx]

The first 718 I test drove was a base. Second one was a 2.5 GTS. I ended up buying a CPO S with nearly every option I wanted plus a couple I didn't but really enjoy. The base was not underpowered at all but once I drove the GTS, I stopped wanting to buy a base because of how the 2.5 delivers power just a little better. The base is still very good though. I wouldn't choose 50 more horsepower at the expense of PASM. PASM is a must for me. 50 more hp is nice but not really needed. My S has 18 way sport plus seats, SC, PSE, sport PASM, 20" wheels, and full leather interior. It's got all but PTV. Your base build is in T territory. Why not just get a T? Is it because of the 14 way seats? The seats in the Cayman are completely different from the ones in the Macan if that's what you've been using as a gauge. The seat variations are not as dramatically different as the Macan ones are. I would go with a premium packaged T over a low optioned and more expensive S.

I also have a Macan GTS with a Cobb tune.

View attachment 41956

I’ll have to test those 2-way seats. I just don’t like the idea of having to manually adjust. I went to a Porsche Roadshow about 6 or 7 years ago and tested a 2016 Cayman S and a GTS. The S had 14-way seats and the GTS the 2-way. Didn’t like them that much, but as I said, I may need to test those again.

About the Cayman T, you are absolutely right, I configured one and most of the options I had in the Base are standard in the T. I’m not too crazy about the fabric door handle, but the titanium rims are awesome. I spec’s it with 18-way seats. Ended up being about $1000 more expensive that way, but still below my budget. Sent the build to my SA.

The Porsche Code

www.porsche-code.com

Thanks for your insights.

 

[SGPhoto]

Your builds are pretty close to what I optioned. I was going back and forth between a well optioned Base Cayman and a Cayman S with compromises. I decided on the Base.

 

[NPHikers]

I took 6 months to decide between the base and S. All the local dealers had were base models and all but one were pre owned.
My daily driver is a quick car. The base just didn’t impress with its acceleration so I went for the S without ever driving one. I cut PASM and PTV and some cosmetic and leather options to offset the cost.
My Cayman S is still in the break in phase but I couldn’t be happier with the performance. The engine pulls hard when it hits the 4000 rpm break-in limit. It is quicker in turns, launching out of them. And the breaks are phenomenal. Both are noticeably better, to me, than the base. The S is even better for tuning than the base.
The downside is city fuel economy is worse. I’m getting 30 mpg on the highway but 22 in city driving. And I had to drop many options. I only have sport chrono, sports seats plus, metallic paint, boxter wheels, and a few minor cosmetic things.
In the end, the acceleration and breaking were more important to me and that is what I went with. I don’t feel much difference without PASM and I wasn’t a fan of the power seats. If those are important to you, the base may be your better option.

 

[Tulkinghorn]

For quasi-legal street use, I find the 300HP of the Base to be more than adequate. You should find a Base to listen to, if you are concerned about the sound. It's not as compelling as a flat six, but far from horrible.

Knowing what I know now, and based on how I drive my car, if I were going to have one built I'd stay with the Base. I'm very happy with it.

This post sums up my feelings about my base Cayman very well. Except I will add that personally I affirmatively like the sound of my engine. Then again, I don’t have much experience listening to Porsche flat 6 NAs to compare it too. But the bottom line is after owning my base for almost 10 months now I still love it and have zero regrets. Plenty enough power for my needs and preferences. And I’m glad I kept the budget fairly reasonable by getting her optioned exactly as I wanted rather than getting a bare bones S.

 

[santirx]

Is the sport chrono option in a base worth it? Anyone owns a base with sport chrono, and does it really makes a difference?

I saw a YT video where someone tested a base 718 with sport chrono and it seems to accelerate pretty nicely with launch control.

 

[rasetsu]

Is the sport chrono option in a base worth it? Anyone owns a base with sport chrono, and does it really makes a difference?

I saw a YT video where someone tested a base 718 with sport chrono and it seems to accelerate pretty nicely with launch control.

Sport Chrono is very much "worth it" on any PDK car. It's not just about launch control. The mode selector dial on the wheel is what sells it for me. Mine is a manual and Sport Chrono wasn't originally on my new order list but I glad I have it for that mode dial feature alone. If you go with a T, it's standard anyways.

By the way, I always recommend taking the no cost smoking package. It has very little to do with smoking. It gives you an extra socket at the base of the center console which is very convenient for a trickle charging point. It also adds the spring loaded flap that cleans up the look of the center console. Otherwise the little cubby is very shallow and pretty much holds nothing but loose change and dust. There is a guy making 3D printed cupholders to go into the cubby if you prefer that though.

I would also take the extended range fuel tank. It's cheap to take on a new build and will cut down on fuel stops a little but.

Do you really need power steering plus? I don't think I've ever driven a Cayman that had it.

 

[rasetsu]

I’ll have to test those 2-way seats. I just don’t like the idea of having to manually adjust. I went to a Porsche Roadshow about 6 or 7 years ago and tested a 2016 Cayman S and a GTS. The S had 14-way seats and the GTS the 2-way. Didn’t like them that much, but as I said, I may need to test those again.

The manual seats still have a power backrest fine adjustment. It's just forward and back and up and down that is manual. If you are the only one driving, forward and back should be set once and forget it. What you lose is the comfort entry and exit feature which moves the seat back a little automatically when you park and open the door.

 

[Todd Gaine]

I’ll have to test those 2-way seats. I just don’t like the idea of having to manually adjust. I went to a Porsche Roadshow about 6 or 7 years ago and tested a 2016 Cayman S and a GTS. The S had 14-way seats and the GTS the 2-way. Didn’t like them that much, but as I said, I may need to test those again.

How often do you adjust your seats?

I traded my SUV a few years ago and went from a memory package (seats, mirrors, steering wheel) to one without. I thought it would bother me. It didn't.
Then last year I traded my SLK, also with a memory package, for my CPO Boxster with only 2 way electric and manual for the rest. It had all the other options I wanted, so I grabbed it. I very rarely ever adjust the fore-aft or the height, except on the rare occasion I took it to the track.

If I miss anything, it is the seat base angle adjustment, but I doubt it would deter me from getting the car I wanted ASAP!

If there are multiple drivers, that's different.

 

[worf]

My 718 T is every bit has fast as our Macan Turbo. (Both stock.)

The Macan seats are completely unrelated to Porsche sports car seats. “Butt knowledge” of one does not transfer to the other. You must test-sit the seats.

Note that seat/mirror memory is not available on the T if you are leaning in that direction.

Dislike of the door pulls isn’t sufficient reason, in my book, to discard the T from the decision tree. The T’s sport-tex seat material is awesome. While I slightly miss ventilated seats I do not regret the choice of sport-tex over ventilation.

If sticking to the Base, and daily comfort is more important than appearance, consider 18” or 19” wheels. If you think all of those choices are ugly, use the savings from $0 standard wheels to go aftermarket.

If you think you might want to upgrade the stereo in the future, ditch Bose and then reevaluate the Premium Package.

Personally, I’d never order a Porsche without all the performance goodies: SPASM/PASM, PTV, SC. The latter so that you get the “individual” mode and Sport PSM.

 

[santirx]

Sport Chrono is very much "worth it" on any PDK car. It's not just about launch control. The mode selector dial on the wheel is what sells it for me. Mine is a manual and Sport Chrono wasn't originally on my new order list but I glad I have it for that mode dial feature alone. If you go with a T, it's standard anyways.

By the way, I always recommend taking the no cost smoking package. It has very little to do with smoking. It gives you an extra socket at the base of the center console which is very convenient for a trickle charging point. It also adds the spring loaded flap that cleans up the look of the center console. Otherwise the little cubby is very shallow and pretty much holds nothing but loose change and dust. There is a guy making 3D printed cupholders to go into the cubby if you prefer that though.

I would also take the extended range fuel tank. It's cheap to take on a new build and will cut down on fuel stops a little but.

Do you really need power steering plus? I don't think I've ever driven a Cayman that had it.

Thanks for your insight.

In my Macan, I had the hole in center console and that’s why I went with the non-smoking package in the build…

This is what I did with my Macan…. I designed and 3d printed a plate for my Helix conductor. I did a full stereo system upgrade in my Macan…. (Story here: My 2015 Porsche Macan Audio Upgrade Log

But most likely I won’t be upgrading audio in the Cayman, so I’ll probably order the smoking package.