Should I buy a Cayman R, or a Boxster Spyder?
Discussion
I do love my Spyder I’ve had since March. Since first seeing the pre-pictures and then the EVO initial review the pennies went in the bank account and I no longer went back to the 997 option.
Very little in the driving experience between the CR and Spyder but the Spyder looks so much more special. Walking up to it especially from the rear those twin domes really stand out, combine that to PORSCHE written down the door it really does grab peoples attention. As mentioned sitting next to a standard Box S is when you notice how it does look special. The fact it has a manual roof was part of the reason I bought it (not many others will) and when its off the cut down windscreen and side windows really lower the whole silhouette of the car. Without doubt the best drivers car I have owned so far, and same running costs as a normal Boxster…
Options on mine and worth having IMHO
Black
Manual (v easy to heal toe)
Silver Spyder wheels
Carbon Bucket seats (so comfy and supportive – and cool)
Sport Chrono (not used it much but nice to play with)
Sat Nav/Upgraded hifi (PCM2 is a decent unit and the sound quality of this over the standard one is immense, loud, clear, crisp and bassy)
Ipod connection (full users interface via PCM and not exactly a heavy bit of kit)
Switchable Sports Exhaust (not driven it once without the exhaust ‘on’ but it sounds sooooo good!)
Climate Control (we do occasionally have hot days and its nice not to arrive a sweaty mess – plus try reselling a 40-50k car without it)
If I could then I wouldn’t mind the contrast red stitching on the seats and and more alcantera.
While performance figures might not be too dissimilar to the S, it has bespoke suspension and geometry, light weight wheels, obviously the lightened mass and I think a different steering rack(?) so off the lights it might be very little in it to 60 but taking it across a great road on an absolute blast, all those little things all add up to make it an amazing drive and visually stand out from the crowd. The CR is just as good, but less pretty or bespoke to view and when the sun comes out a roadster is hard to beat!
Very little in the driving experience between the CR and Spyder but the Spyder looks so much more special. Walking up to it especially from the rear those twin domes really stand out, combine that to PORSCHE written down the door it really does grab peoples attention. As mentioned sitting next to a standard Box S is when you notice how it does look special. The fact it has a manual roof was part of the reason I bought it (not many others will) and when its off the cut down windscreen and side windows really lower the whole silhouette of the car. Without doubt the best drivers car I have owned so far, and same running costs as a normal Boxster…
Options on mine and worth having IMHO
Black
Manual (v easy to heal toe)
Silver Spyder wheels
Carbon Bucket seats (so comfy and supportive – and cool)
Sport Chrono (not used it much but nice to play with)
Sat Nav/Upgraded hifi (PCM2 is a decent unit and the sound quality of this over the standard one is immense, loud, clear, crisp and bassy)
Ipod connection (full users interface via PCM and not exactly a heavy bit of kit)
Switchable Sports Exhaust (not driven it once without the exhaust ‘on’ but it sounds sooooo good!)
Climate Control (we do occasionally have hot days and its nice not to arrive a sweaty mess – plus try reselling a 40-50k car without it)
If I could then I wouldn’t mind the contrast red stitching on the seats and and more alcantera.
While performance figures might not be too dissimilar to the S, it has bespoke suspension and geometry, light weight wheels, obviously the lightened mass and I think a different steering rack(?) so off the lights it might be very little in it to 60 but taking it across a great road on an absolute blast, all those little things all add up to make it an amazing drive and visually stand out from the crowd. The CR is just as good, but less pretty or bespoke to view and when the sun comes out a roadster is hard to beat!
Zyp said:
Oi!
I am here you know...
Retard, indeed.... nnnnnnngggggggg.
Rob, thanks for your kind offer regards the Porsche Post on the other thread - i'll email you my details.
Cheers!
Look, if you don't know everything there is to know about some bloke called Chris Harris, there is no hope for you. Now, back in the cage. When did you have an exige, have I missed something?I am here you know...
Retard, indeed.... nnnnnnngggggggg.
Rob, thanks for your kind offer regards the Porsche Post on the other thread - i'll email you my details.
Cheers!
AdYa said:
Look, if you don't know everything there is to know about some bloke called Chris Harris, there is no hope for you. Now, back in the cage. When did you have an exige, have I missed something?
Chris who?
The Exige...sorry, just too painful to talk about....(actually, it really IS still painful).
eta - why the d & a?
Edited by Zyp on Thursday 1st December 21:37
Zyp said:
AdYa said:
Look, if you don't know everything there is to know about some bloke called Chris Harris, there is no hope for you. Now, back in the cage. When did you have an exige, have I missed something?
Chris who?
The Exige...sorry, just too painful to talk about....(actually, it really IS still painful).
Thought I'd park this here...
Spent a good while yesterday up at the Porsche Experience at Silverstone yesterday, on a 'Test Drive Plus' event that I negotiated in for the missus and I when we bought our Gen 1 Cayman S over the summer. The missus and and I had a bite to eat with a couple of customer service girls from OPC East London and also our instructor - Rob Newall. Firstly I'll say now, Rob is a top bloke and head and shoulders the best instructor I've ever had. Highly, highly recommended - my missus felt the same too and feels a lot more comfortable in the car now.
The point is though we were driving a black Cayman R, with buckets (in red), PSE, Sport Chrono, PDK with paddles and PCCB. To me, coming directly from a Gen 1 Cayman I didn't think that the difference was THAT marked - certainly an improvement, particularly with regards to the motor itself - the DFI is a much more free with its revs, and with the PSE sounds utterly intoxicating...
Overall though I didn't feel that the 'R' delivered that much more in terms of feel or grip over my 'S'. I'm sure that, to a real hand, it would be the quicker car, but in terms of pure enjoyment and satisfaction the only real benefit over my own car would be the DFI engine - a detuned version of which you can get in a standard Gen 2 S anyway.
I went to one of the Spyder launch drives on the other hand, and that car did feel special - much more so than the Gen 1 Boxster S I had at the time. None of this should be read as taking away from the Cayman R, but to a mere mortal like me, it didn't really justify its extra price. For me the answer to the OP's question is an easy one now - get a Spyder.
Spent a good while yesterday up at the Porsche Experience at Silverstone yesterday, on a 'Test Drive Plus' event that I negotiated in for the missus and I when we bought our Gen 1 Cayman S over the summer. The missus and and I had a bite to eat with a couple of customer service girls from OPC East London and also our instructor - Rob Newall. Firstly I'll say now, Rob is a top bloke and head and shoulders the best instructor I've ever had. Highly, highly recommended - my missus felt the same too and feels a lot more comfortable in the car now.
The point is though we were driving a black Cayman R, with buckets (in red), PSE, Sport Chrono, PDK with paddles and PCCB. To me, coming directly from a Gen 1 Cayman I didn't think that the difference was THAT marked - certainly an improvement, particularly with regards to the motor itself - the DFI is a much more free with its revs, and with the PSE sounds utterly intoxicating...
Overall though I didn't feel that the 'R' delivered that much more in terms of feel or grip over my 'S'. I'm sure that, to a real hand, it would be the quicker car, but in terms of pure enjoyment and satisfaction the only real benefit over my own car would be the DFI engine - a detuned version of which you can get in a standard Gen 2 S anyway.
I went to one of the Spyder launch drives on the other hand, and that car did feel special - much more so than the Gen 1 Boxster S I had at the time. None of this should be read as taking away from the Cayman R, but to a mere mortal like me, it didn't really justify its extra price. For me the answer to the OP's question is an easy one now - get a Spyder.
Actus Reus said:
I went to one of the Spyder launch drives on the other hand, and that car did feel special - much more so than the Gen 1 Boxster S I had at the time. None of this should be read as taking away from the Cayman R, but to a mere mortal like me, it didn't really justify its extra price. For me the answer to the OP's question is an easy one now - get a Spyder.
Backdraft Motorsport had their modified Spyder at Silverstone on Saturday and that thing could keep up with pretty much anything on the track - GT3s included. Left my 986 in the dust!Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff