Another 987 vs 981 thread...
Discussion
I bought my first Porsche just over a month ago, an immaculate high spec low mileage 987 gen 2 Cayman S.
My intention was to keep it for a year then buy a nearly new 981 Cayman S, however a few things have happened and I now find myself being able to afford said 981.
The thought of selling my 987 has been made quite sad as I’ve really gelled with it, nevertheless I’ve read and watched all the latest road tests and I have generally been buzzing with excitement.
So I get given a 981 S demonstrator car for 2 days, 20” wheels, PDK, Sport Chrono Plus, PCM etc.
I took some time off work just to drive the car as much as I could, racking up almost 200 miles in just a few hours. Unfortunately for Porsche, all it has made me realise is how good my 987 is and has positively put me off ‘upgrading’ for a sometime, so much so I returned the car the same day.
Believe me when I say I hate to sound like our resident MrDemon and a few of the other users who have been accused of being luddites but I now agree that the 987 is the more fun car and the drivers choice.
The 981 is a fabulous and technically more competent and I will own one someday but only when my 987 is worn out.
The steering and brake feel are a bit VW Golf, PDK is just plain boring, and while cornering speeds are higher I found the chassis just didn’t talk to me through my arse cheeks as much. Amongst all of that what most disappointed me was the engine note, it sounds very fake/artificial indeed.
I suppose you can’t blame Porsche, they’ve made the car easier to drive and more usable for more people so they’ll sell more and make more money but for people like me they’ve drove me in the wrong direction, unfortunately people like me are outnumbered.
For now I’m going to relish my positively analogue Cayman and maybe I’ll swap it for an analogue 997.2 S next year. Which is ironic really as when I first started looking at Caymans I thought they were a bit hardcore for a daily driver but bought one anyway, and now I think everything else is soft and wallowy.
My intention was to keep it for a year then buy a nearly new 981 Cayman S, however a few things have happened and I now find myself being able to afford said 981.
The thought of selling my 987 has been made quite sad as I’ve really gelled with it, nevertheless I’ve read and watched all the latest road tests and I have generally been buzzing with excitement.
So I get given a 981 S demonstrator car for 2 days, 20” wheels, PDK, Sport Chrono Plus, PCM etc.
I took some time off work just to drive the car as much as I could, racking up almost 200 miles in just a few hours. Unfortunately for Porsche, all it has made me realise is how good my 987 is and has positively put me off ‘upgrading’ for a sometime, so much so I returned the car the same day.
Believe me when I say I hate to sound like our resident MrDemon and a few of the other users who have been accused of being luddites but I now agree that the 987 is the more fun car and the drivers choice.
The 981 is a fabulous and technically more competent and I will own one someday but only when my 987 is worn out.
The steering and brake feel are a bit VW Golf, PDK is just plain boring, and while cornering speeds are higher I found the chassis just didn’t talk to me through my arse cheeks as much. Amongst all of that what most disappointed me was the engine note, it sounds very fake/artificial indeed.
I suppose you can’t blame Porsche, they’ve made the car easier to drive and more usable for more people so they’ll sell more and make more money but for people like me they’ve drove me in the wrong direction, unfortunately people like me are outnumbered.
For now I’m going to relish my positively analogue Cayman and maybe I’ll swap it for an analogue 997.2 S next year. Which is ironic really as when I first started looking at Caymans I thought they were a bit hardcore for a daily driver but bought one anyway, and now I think everything else is soft and wallowy.
Edited by SkinnyP on Sunday 31st August 18:50
I felt the same when I was a Cayman owner. I recall driving my 987 back from the OPC having dropped off the 981 I had been loaned for 48 hours and was amazed with the steering feel of my older car.
This actually made me very sad as I've always owned Porsches and was looking forward to buying the new model, I now have no clear idea what my next car will be
This actually made me very sad as I've always owned Porsches and was looking forward to buying the new model, I now have no clear idea what my next car will be
I have just spent a couple of days with a 981 Boxster s courtesy car. Fast, smooth blah blah blah. I was really pleased to get back into my 997s. 981 seems a millions miles away from our old 986s.
As an aside, the 981 was fitted with Pirelli tyres. I found them quite uninspiring in damp/wet driving conditions.
As an aside, the 981 was fitted with Pirelli tyres. I found them quite uninspiring in damp/wet driving conditions.
mrdemon said:
Risky post lol
Cannot have people agreeing with me, people will just say you only like the car you own lol.
Lol I thought the same, no offence intended by the way.Cannot have people agreeing with me, people will just say you only like the car you own lol.
FarQue said:
As an aside, the 981 was fitted with Pirelli tyres. I found them quite uninspiring in damp/wet driving conditions.
I found the Pirelli tyres ok to be honest, better traction or at least no axle tramp compared to my Cayman on PS2s although active engine mounts may be accountable for that. I did lock up under braking on a couple of occassions, smearing those 20" tyres all over the road! itsybitsy said:
I am in the 987.2 camp not just on the driving feel but also the looks of the 981 leaves me cold!
I think the 981 is a great looking car, but my 987 gets more attention/head turns because its instantly recognisable as a Porsche. Hmmm.... tough one this.
I was recently loaned a 981 whilst my 997tt was in for a service. It reminded me what my old Boxsters were like and I really enjoyed it, even the flappy paddle PDK for some gran-turismo style driving on the local country lanes. I wouldn't swap out my 997tt for it, but it has made me go out and look for a 987S, I forgot just how different and fun the Boxster is.
So having driven a few 987S's now I do think it's a close call. The 981 and 987 are very different cars. I prefer the look of the 981 and the extra interior space, but I have to agree the 987s seem to be more go-kart like in their handling, with more feedback and feel coming through the wheel and the seat, and they feel more compact and "chuckable" than that 981.
If I had the choice (which I don't) I would probably but the 981, but it would be close, and in the meantime I'm looking forward to my 987S (when I find it). Give me a few months in this and I may change my mind!
G
I was recently loaned a 981 whilst my 997tt was in for a service. It reminded me what my old Boxsters were like and I really enjoyed it, even the flappy paddle PDK for some gran-turismo style driving on the local country lanes. I wouldn't swap out my 997tt for it, but it has made me go out and look for a 987S, I forgot just how different and fun the Boxster is.
So having driven a few 987S's now I do think it's a close call. The 981 and 987 are very different cars. I prefer the look of the 981 and the extra interior space, but I have to agree the 987s seem to be more go-kart like in their handling, with more feedback and feel coming through the wheel and the seat, and they feel more compact and "chuckable" than that 981.
If I had the choice (which I don't) I would probably but the 981, but it would be close, and in the meantime I'm looking forward to my 987S (when I find it). Give me a few months in this and I may change my mind!
G
Improved interior space seems a commonly quoted advantage of the 981. Am I alone in seeing this as a positive disadvantage?
I like a sports cars to feel tight and cosy with as little extraneous space as possible. It's one of the reasons I chose a 987.2 over a 996 or 997 when I was buying my first Porsche - both the 911s felt too big. I wasn't able to afford the 981 so can't comment on that but if it does feel significantly bigger that would put me off.
I love my 987.2 and can't see wanting to change until its worn out.
I like a sports cars to feel tight and cosy with as little extraneous space as possible. It's one of the reasons I chose a 987.2 over a 996 or 997 when I was buying my first Porsche - both the 911s felt too big. I wasn't able to afford the 981 so can't comment on that but if it does feel significantly bigger that would put me off.
I love my 987.2 and can't see wanting to change until its worn out.
VladD said:
itsybitsy said:
I am in the 987.2 camp not just on the driving feel but also the looks of the 981 leaves me cold!
Is there a reason to exclude the 987.1? I only ask as I have one and I've never driven a 987.2, so don't know if there's a distinct difference.Interesting topic.. Having owned a 981 for a few months now, I would agree that it is not as pure or raw as my previous 987. Also thought this when I had a Boxster on loan and posted the same comments. I suspect going from a manual to a PDK can also create a negative - if you are not familiar with it or understand how to get the best from it.
Once you spend more time in the 981, it sort of confirms that as an overall package, it does most things pretty well.
Having moved from a base Cayman to an S, probably does not allow me to do a proper comparison, as the S feels night and day faster.
G
Once you spend more time in the 981, it sort of confirms that as an overall package, it does most things pretty well.
Having moved from a base Cayman to an S, probably does not allow me to do a proper comparison, as the S feels night and day faster.
G
Ozzie Osmond said:
Whichever way you look at the 981s are crushingly effective real-world sportscars for the money.
981 GTS is an exceptionally fine machine especially with the Sport Chassis option selected but is it cooler than a Spyder to look at and how long before it's price goes well South of a Spyder! 
mrdemon said:
daro911 said:
981 GTS is an exceptionally fine machine especially with the Sport Chassis option selected but is it cooler than a Spyder to look at and how long before it's price goes well South of a Spyder!
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