Test drove two 987 Caymans - are they really all that?
Discussion
So I test drove two 987 Caymans recently and to my suprise, I just wasn't impressed! Am I mad?? One has done 51k and another 72k and they drove much the same.
I've read so much about them basically being the best sports you can buy for £15k and so I went in with sky high expectations.
The clutch felt squishy rather than smooth which I thought was just due to wear but drove another and it was the same. Gear changes didn't felt that nice, quite notchy, again same on both cars. Acceleration was good enough but not as much as expected and sound was good but again not amazing. I can't speak for the chassis as I didn't drive them hard enough but it seemed fine. Suspension felt softer than expected.
For reference my recent cars have been an early RX7 FD Alfa GTV 3.0, Alfa 146 GTA. I'm not saying either was better overall but both had better elements and are cheaper, less well regarded cars.
What am I missing?
I've read so much about them basically being the best sports you can buy for £15k and so I went in with sky high expectations.
The clutch felt squishy rather than smooth which I thought was just due to wear but drove another and it was the same. Gear changes didn't felt that nice, quite notchy, again same on both cars. Acceleration was good enough but not as much as expected and sound was good but again not amazing. I can't speak for the chassis as I didn't drive them hard enough but it seemed fine. Suspension felt softer than expected.
For reference my recent cars have been an early RX7 FD Alfa GTV 3.0, Alfa 146 GTA. I'm not saying either was better overall but both had better elements and are cheaper, less well regarded cars.
What am I missing?
I would agree that Porsche cars can feel rather ordinary...at ordinary speeds. The last time my OPC gave me a 991.2 for a trial day my partner ( who likes fast cars) said when she closed here eyes the drive felt like any semi sporty Audi...not the best compliment but I had to agree with her.. normal driving on B roads and on the motorway the car felt very mundain, normal and short on value for money. Press on and force the chassis to work and you then appreciate the quality engineering , handling and of course "Porsche-ness" . Perhaps a hard fast drive would convince you of the car's real credentials. Good luck if you buy one .
I never had much interest for the Cayster family. One day, I visited a friend who has a 987 Boxster S (PDK) and we went out for a day drive. He and I hammered the car the whole day on great roads and the car did not skip a beat, the only piece that looked tired at the end was the tires. Each time I felt I had been overly eager and was going to visit the ditch, the car’s brakes were still there and it would follow the road like a train. I was so thoroughly impressed I bought a (981) Cayman (manual) a few months later.
Since it was a PDK, I cannot share thoughts with you on the clutch / gearshift but I would concur that for “normal” drives, the car is a normal car (which is probably what you want) but then it comes alive at the same time you do.
Hopefully you get to take one out for a spirited drive to see its other side.
Since it was a PDK, I cannot share thoughts with you on the clutch / gearshift but I would concur that for “normal” drives, the car is a normal car (which is probably what you want) but then it comes alive at the same time you do.
Hopefully you get to take one out for a spirited drive to see its other side.
This all makes a lot of sense, I guess I forgot one of the key benefits of a Porsche being that they are very easy to live with day to day. Whereas I was expecting something more raw..
For the time being I've purchased a R53 Cooper S JCW which is a lot of fun but still have my eye on a Cayman one day, I guess I need to take one out and thrash the daylights out of it before I can really judge it!
For the time being I've purchased a R53 Cooper S JCW which is a lot of fun but still have my eye on a Cayman one day, I guess I need to take one out and thrash the daylights out of it before I can really judge it!
Jamie-rhpkn said:
So I test drove two 987 Caymans recently and to my suprise, I just wasn't impressed! Am I mad?? One has done 51k and another 72k and they drove much the same.
I've read so much about them basically being the best sports you can buy for £15k and so I went in with sky high expectations.
The clutch felt squishy rather than smooth which I thought was just due to wear but drove another and it was the same. Gear changes didn't felt that nice, quite notchy, again same on both cars. Acceleration was good enough but not as much as expected and sound was good but again not amazing. I can't speak for the chassis as I didn't drive them hard enough but it seemed fine. Suspension felt softer than expected.
For reference my recent cars have been an early RX7 FD Alfa GTV 3.0, Alfa 146 GTA. I'm not saying either was better overall but both had better elements and are cheaper, less well regarded cars.
What am I missing?
test drive a Cayman R without P zero's on it with 1/2 the miles then report back.I've read so much about them basically being the best sports you can buy for £15k and so I went in with sky high expectations.
The clutch felt squishy rather than smooth which I thought was just due to wear but drove another and it was the same. Gear changes didn't felt that nice, quite notchy, again same on both cars. Acceleration was good enough but not as much as expected and sound was good but again not amazing. I can't speak for the chassis as I didn't drive them hard enough but it seemed fine. Suspension felt softer than expected.
For reference my recent cars have been an early RX7 FD Alfa GTV 3.0, Alfa 146 GTA. I'm not saying either was better overall but both had better elements and are cheaper, less well regarded cars.
What am I missing?
I find the good thing my 981 Boxster GTS is that it feels normal enough just pottering around, but you can tell its way above the like of my daily (BMW & Audi), you can do distance comfortably, but then when you really press on the car will come alive. I have a manual and really enjoy pressing on and working the car, you do need to be pressing quite hard but it will bring a smile to your face. An then if you wish you can do a track day and drive home. They are an all round great sports car. My 360 Spider felt more special just pottering about, but wanted to kill me on the b roads and you could not push on like the 987/981 range at all.
I like the relative subtlety of my Cayman S 987.2, but I think it's impact is lessened nowadays with all the popping and banging look-at-me hatchbacks. I love the sound of the engine, sometimes it sounds quite exotic with the windows down but it's quite quiet comparatively when driving normally.
It has a best of both worlds character though, like a combination of a hot hatch and a Lotus Elise.
It has a best of both worlds character though, like a combination of a hot hatch and a Lotus Elise.
This is an interesting thread and the answer had already been fully covered for the OP. However, it did remind me of what an amazing car the Cayman S is. I am on my second (now a 987.2 S with pretty much everything on it and in PDK with sports steering wheel) and have grown to love it when it's pushing on. It really does come into it's own then but is otherwise, when I am pottering around the burbs, a pretty mundane vehicle.
I had recently been pulled back to the thought of re-investing in a Chimaera 450 as it is 'the one' so far as my heart is concerned but my head still says Cayman! The Cayman has a lacklustre bottom end and relies entirely on one pushing on to get to the torque'y part at around 3000 whereas the Chim 450 gives full beans from the get go and keeps giving until it hits the red line. That, for me, is a real pull but when I am at full chat on the PDK paddles, winding around a country road using national speed limits, there is nothing to compare with the Cayman.
And then there's the V8 noise. So different from the flat six but oh my, so visceral!!
Some may say 'have both' but this is neither affordable nor practical. Decisions, decisions......
I had recently been pulled back to the thought of re-investing in a Chimaera 450 as it is 'the one' so far as my heart is concerned but my head still says Cayman! The Cayman has a lacklustre bottom end and relies entirely on one pushing on to get to the torque'y part at around 3000 whereas the Chim 450 gives full beans from the get go and keeps giving until it hits the red line. That, for me, is a real pull but when I am at full chat on the PDK paddles, winding around a country road using national speed limits, there is nothing to compare with the Cayman.
And then there's the V8 noise. So different from the flat six but oh my, so visceral!!
Some may say 'have both' but this is neither affordable nor practical. Decisions, decisions......
Edited by Johnniem on Wednesday 15th August 12:38
The thing is that Porsches, all Porsches, are primarily just cars. Posh VWs if you will. It’s part of their charm.
You can drive around town all day and they’re just like a slightly plush Golf. Maybe a bit harsh in the case of the Cayman, even though it's smooth and competent, and has a boot that can fit two sets of golf clubs. So more practical than a Golf, but still just a car.
If you’re expecting some kind of supercar song and dance you’ll be disappointed.
But if you want a practical car that gets properly fabulous when you press on, well that’s what you’ll get with a Cayman. Only you can decide whether that’s enough to justify the cost.
k
You can drive around town all day and they’re just like a slightly plush Golf. Maybe a bit harsh in the case of the Cayman, even though it's smooth and competent, and has a boot that can fit two sets of golf clubs. So more practical than a Golf, but still just a car.
If you’re expecting some kind of supercar song and dance you’ll be disappointed.
But if you want a practical car that gets properly fabulous when you press on, well that’s what you’ll get with a Cayman. Only you can decide whether that’s enough to justify the cost.
k
I have always had some special toys, E30 M3, 964 Carerra 4, Ferrari 360 Modena + a couple of special (to me) Porsche.
I have always shared these with my previously GSXR 1100 riding mate.
In fact this is the only person I have ever been on the back of a bike on, so in my book that’s big trust.
This bestie mate had a 987 Cayman S, I took it out for a bit of a whizz on ‘my roads’ I came back saying if I was ever in a position to have to convert my Ferrari 360 Coupe manual into cash and buy a cheaper toy I would buy one of these... just great.
Since then I bought a 2010 Boxster Spyder and then sold the Ferrari and bought a 991.2 GTS 2WD in manual with virtually no costly extras, as well.. in my view my perfect 2 car garage, well until I can add a 675 LT alongside the BS.
Reflections
Well the Boxster Spyder is just great for a thrash, an A to A car just like the Ferrari.
The 911 is the perfect go places car, an A to B car, civilised for when the misses is with me and can be a devil when want to get on with driving, i bet it can get to three figures very quickly when being naughty ;-)
I reckon one of the most satisfying cheap thrashers is a 987 Boxster or Cayman.
Try a few more give them a good trashing and see what you think then.
Cheers
Ed
I have always shared these with my previously GSXR 1100 riding mate.
In fact this is the only person I have ever been on the back of a bike on, so in my book that’s big trust.
This bestie mate had a 987 Cayman S, I took it out for a bit of a whizz on ‘my roads’ I came back saying if I was ever in a position to have to convert my Ferrari 360 Coupe manual into cash and buy a cheaper toy I would buy one of these... just great.
Since then I bought a 2010 Boxster Spyder and then sold the Ferrari and bought a 991.2 GTS 2WD in manual with virtually no costly extras, as well.. in my view my perfect 2 car garage, well until I can add a 675 LT alongside the BS.
Reflections
Well the Boxster Spyder is just great for a thrash, an A to A car just like the Ferrari.
The 911 is the perfect go places car, an A to B car, civilised for when the misses is with me and can be a devil when want to get on with driving, i bet it can get to three figures very quickly when being naughty ;-)
I reckon one of the most satisfying cheap thrashers is a 987 Boxster or Cayman.
Try a few more give them a good trashing and see what you think then.
Cheers
Ed
Had my 2011 Cayman s pdk for just over a month now. Never had a Porsche so have nothing to compare it to. I agree though, I recently drove the car through central London and it wasn’t much fun, especially with the sports seats which are quite snug. Once I take her on the A roads or motorway she comes alive. I have a habit of just flooring it at around 60mph and the engine just screams, it’s the only way I can describe it. I haven’t used the flappy paddles much (I have the sports design wheel with flappys) but when I do it’s a lovely precise change down or up. For the money (£25k ish for gen 2 30/40k miles decent spec), I’d say it’s probably not bad value. I’ve had a lot of attention in mine, the car seems to always turn heads and it’s a relatively humble Cayman s. I’ve thought about going into a newer model but then I’ve got to find another £10/£15k at least and mines fully loaded bar exhaust and pasm. I think I’m going to keep hold of mine for a year and see where it’s at next year value wise and if I can afford it maybe go into a newer model. Good luck with the search!
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