[kfahmi]

When we bought our 718 Boxster last year, we didn't bother cross-shopping anything else. I'd loved the look of the Boxster since 2012, and we'd always talked about one. I was so clueless, I didn't even know the Boxster had been redesigned and renamed the 718 when I showed up at the dealer and got a test drive. As far as I was concerned, we were buying a Boxster, unless a test drive revealed a glaring flaw.

For our next car, though, it was a different story. Initially we wanted a four-door sports sedan with significant power, but nothing too ridiculous, ideally $70K or less out the door. We looked hard at, and test-drove:

• BMW M2 Competition (went like a scalded cat, but the interior felt cheap and the handling felt rough.

• Mercedes AMG C43: Fantastic power, lovely interior, but felt like I was driving a very fast boat.

• Mazda 3: Don't laugh. We have a 2012 Mazda 3 and it's almost as fun on a windy road as the Boxster. The new 3 is even better, with an interior that puts $50K Audis to shame. However, when you step on the gas...a whole lot of nothing happens. That said, it's a delightfully tossable sedan.

• Audi S4: I loved the interior, loved the acceleration, but every curve made it obvious that I was driving a large sedan.

• Audi S3: We almost bought this. It was the closest thing to a 4-door 718 I'd ever driven. Great power, excellent handling. We flogged it on a road near our house that I drive every day, and in the S3 I'm confident I could almost have kept up with our 718. However, I couldn't get past the anodyne exterior styling and the very inexpensive-feeling interior. (We considered the RS3 but those are very hard to find, I think there are 2 for sale in the whole country right now.)

So anyhow, after driving all these, we settled on a 718 Cayman S :laugh:

I'm curious to know what cars you all cross-shopped before taking the plunge...

 

[Snrubel]

Bmw M2 Comp. Nearly bought one, but missed it by about 15 minutes. The M2 was a compromise car for me, however, because I just didn’t want the cayman/Porsche image. In the end I got over it and my new custom cayman S is going to be picked up next Friday. Honestly I looked at everything on the market but didn’t seriously consider anything but the cayman and M2.

 

[718S]

Nothing.

 

[don]

I also looked at the M2 CPT but really only after I decided on the 718 so it was unlikely to sway me. Nevertheless the M2 is great value and handy with the two back seats. Looks very nice from the front but a bit boxy from the side and back. Proportions are a little off. IMO the 718 is near perfect from every angle and a little better in terms of performance and easier to drive near the limit.

 

[wriggly]

I test drove an RS3 and a TT RS. Didn’t care much for the styling of either. I did like the sound of that five banger though.

 

[antennahead]

Cross shopped nothing, although I will be selling a possible future classic, a 2007 Z4 M Roadster.

 

[GTS]

I cross shopped older Cayman's. Was looking at 981 GTS's and 987 R's, but realized I could have exactly what I wanted with a custom build, low optioned 982 GTS for not much more money.

 

[grasmere]

Nothing - previous 2 cars were mk2 Audi TTs, absolutely superb in every way - until they brought out the mk3, dire!

Dire as in styling, could not get past the fact that it had completely LOST its individuality. Looks like every other car in the car park as do all other Audi’s and the BMW’s are just plain ugly, imho!

So I could not decide on what to change to when I saw the new 718 - perfect!

 

[KEN OB]

I moved from an M2. Fantastic performance but i couldn't live with the harsh ride.

 

[sailor99]

I cross shopped the 2016 Cayman 981 GTS.

 

[ArchiProf]

Nothing else. Well, actually we bought a CPO 2014 Cayman in January 2017 to drive for a year or so to be certain a Cayman would work for the purposes my spouse and I intended. It did and we ordered the "perfectly-specced" 2018 Cayman in February with delivery in May 2018.

 

[porkey]

Nothing else. Always a fan of the mid engine layout of the Cayman. In any of its versions, it still remains, IMO, one of the finest sports cars available today, regardless of price. I just have to wait a little longer for this one (GT4), but the wait is almost over!

 

[jimmuller]

I did some spec-shopping, particularly the Jaguar F and Alfa 4C. Less so the Nissan 370Z. But I've driven enough cars to have had a good idea what each would be like. I test-drove the Cayman just make sure it didn't have any unexpected annoying features. Then I asked the salesman to take it out with my sweetie in the passenger seat because that was the most important go/no-go item. The decision was easy, didn't bother driving anything else.

 

[alf_17]

No cross shopping at all, I knew that I wanted a Boxster and I knew that I wanted a brand new one configured to my specifications, so it had to be a 718 Boxster.
So far I am pleased, but I am looking forward to getting past 3000 km on the odometer so I can go past 4000 rpm

 

[duegatti]

Ferrari 360 Spider. With the nearest dealer 250 miles away, I did not want the heartache, down time, and expense. It was a life long goal that I turned my back on. Sometimes wanting is better than having.

Corvette GS convertible. Over wrought styling. No DCT. Manual has too many gears. Don't like the interior. Seats less comfortable. Less room. No good color for body. Hate colored leather instrument cowl.

 

[Baka1969]

Ferrari 360 Spider. With the nearest dealer 250 miles away, I did not want the heartache, down time, and expense. It was a life long goal that I turned my back on. Sometimes wanting is better than having.

Corvette GS convertible. Over wrought styling. No DCT. Manual has too many gears. Don't like the interior. Seats less comfortable. Less room. No good color for body. Hate colored leather instrument cowl.

The answer seemed obvious to Doug:

 

[DriveInHouston]

2018 911 Carrera T 6 sp

2016 911 Carrera4 PDK

Brand new 718 Cayman Base

My current 2018 Cayman S CPO.

Had the salesman of the Carrera T been a bit more motivated, if when I asked to compare the T with a new 911 PDK he obliged, I am not sure... But he pointed to the brand new 718 Cayman base parked outside the door and said condescendingly 'try this'... A new can of worms opened...

The brand new 911 T and the brand new Cayman were about $20k apart (a number I had budgeted for), but when I compared the NA 911 to the Cayman S, the performance of the car, combined with $35k in its favor made it a no brainer.

 

[Hilltop]

Was pretty sure I wanted a Boxster but also drove the Jaguar F, Mercedes SLC and Audi TT . Drove the 718 last and the deal was done, my copilot agreed fully. Was going to order one but the dealer I was working with found one very close to what I wanted about 1000 miles away and had it shipped in . Got just over 2500 miles on last year it before put away for the winter and its coming out today !

 

[aeronca65tl]

I looked at the ALFA 4C. Neat, light car but the interior looked like Dollar Store quality and the wheezy Dodge Dart engine didn't impress.

Also looked at Audi TT as well as the Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86. All nice cars but didn't grab me somehow.

The most tempting thing of all was to buy a new Miata and use the left-over cash to buy a Porsche Speedster replica.

In the end I'm delighted with my 718 Cayman.

 

[MLJJ]

I've test driven multiple Porsche models in my mind and several posters on the wall 40ish years ago led my mind to wander about various driving experiences. That "urge" has been with me for a long time. There was really no other choice so there was no cross-shopping. My base car has met every expectation and more, so far. I mean, really, who doesn't want a Porsche?