Alternatives to Cayman 981?
Discussion
I’ve decided to stop racing (historics) as it’s too bloody expensive, albeit great fun.
Got a budget of 30k, which includes the (roughly) 10k I’ll get back from my current Up GTi (amazingly still worth what I paid for it 3 years ago). Brilliant overexcited puppy to drive.
I have been looking around, and keep coming back to a Cayman 981. I’d prefer manual, but rare, so would be ok with PDK.
Any other suggested alternatives for a car I’d plan to keep for at least 5 years, doing approximately 8k per annum? I like the F-Type, a lot, but worried about reliability/depreciation.
I’ve got the wife’s car for normal trips, and if need be would also buy a 1k shed for dogs/tip runs etc.
Suggestions welcome!
P.S. Already scratched the Elise itch, and one would be too compromised for planned usage, not keen on Evora and I’m thinking the F-Type is a bit too ‘GT’ rather than sportscar.
Got a budget of 30k, which includes the (roughly) 10k I’ll get back from my current Up GTi (amazingly still worth what I paid for it 3 years ago). Brilliant overexcited puppy to drive.
I have been looking around, and keep coming back to a Cayman 981. I’d prefer manual, but rare, so would be ok with PDK.
Any other suggested alternatives for a car I’d plan to keep for at least 5 years, doing approximately 8k per annum? I like the F-Type, a lot, but worried about reliability/depreciation.
I’ve got the wife’s car for normal trips, and if need be would also buy a 1k shed for dogs/tip runs etc.
Suggestions welcome!
P.S. Already scratched the Elise itch, and one would be too compromised for planned usage, not keen on Evora and I’m thinking the F-Type is a bit too ‘GT’ rather than sportscar.
Edited by ChevronB19 on Sunday 26th January 11:32
Edited by ChevronB19 on Sunday 26th January 11:33
Venisonpie said:
Alpine.
I bought a 981 Cayman new in 2013 and then an Alpine in 2020. The latter imo was superior in all ways except luggage space and engine character.
More engaging, more agile, more refined, faster. PDK in the pork maybe slightly ahead but very little in it.
30k budget, and that’s a stretch I’m afraid.I bought a 981 Cayman new in 2013 and then an Alpine in 2020. The latter imo was superior in all ways except luggage space and engine character.
More engaging, more agile, more refined, faster. PDK in the pork maybe slightly ahead but very little in it.
ChevronB19 said:
Venisonpie said:
Alpine.
I bought a 981 Cayman new in 2013 and then an Alpine in 2020. The latter imo was superior in all ways except luggage space and engine character.
More engaging, more agile, more refined, faster. PDK in the pork maybe slightly ahead but very little in it.
30k budget, and that’s a stretch I’m afraid.I bought a 981 Cayman new in 2013 and then an Alpine in 2020. The latter imo was superior in all ways except luggage space and engine character.
More engaging, more agile, more refined, faster. PDK in the pork maybe slightly ahead but very little in it.
Venisonpie said:
ChevronB19 said:
Venisonpie said:
Alpine.
I bought a 981 Cayman new in 2013 and then an Alpine in 2020. The latter imo was superior in all ways except luggage space and engine character.
More engaging, more agile, more refined, faster. PDK in the pork maybe slightly ahead but very little in it.
30k budget, and that’s a stretch I’m afraid.I bought a 981 Cayman new in 2013 and then an Alpine in 2020. The latter imo was superior in all ways except luggage space and engine character.
More engaging, more agile, more refined, faster. PDK in the pork maybe slightly ahead but very little in it.
After my 981 Boxster I was left with the same question.
I bought a BMW M2 Comp, hated it, dull as dishwater for road driving, I’m sure it’s lovely on track - sold after 6 months.
I was about to go and buy a 718 GTS 4.0 but my wife told me to try something else first. Settled on an Audi TTRS Convertible. Amazing car, drives fantastically, with an engine equally characterful and mellifluous as the 981 (mine has secondary cat delete). The interior is miles ahead of the 981 and the Matrix LED headlights are wonderful. Burmester hifi is a must.
I bought a BMW M2 Comp, hated it, dull as dishwater for road driving, I’m sure it’s lovely on track - sold after 6 months.
I was about to go and buy a 718 GTS 4.0 but my wife told me to try something else first. Settled on an Audi TTRS Convertible. Amazing car, drives fantastically, with an engine equally characterful and mellifluous as the 981 (mine has secondary cat delete). The interior is miles ahead of the 981 and the Matrix LED headlights are wonderful. Burmester hifi is a must.
Over over under steer said:
After my 981 Boxster I was left with the same question.
I bought a BMW M2 Comp, hated it, dull as dishwater for road driving, I’m sure it’s lovely on track - sold after 6 months.
I was about to go and buy a 718 GTS 4.0 but my wife told me to try something else first. Settled on an Audi TTRS Convertible. Amazing car, drives fantastically, with an engine equally characterful and mellifluous as the 981 (mine has secondary cat delete). The interior is miles ahead of the 981 and the Matrix LED headlights are wonderful. Burmester hifi is a must.
It is rare to get a BMW M car being described as dull as dishwater in comparison to an Audi in fairness(it is usually the other way around). So very high praise indeed for the Audi I reckon. I bought a BMW M2 Comp, hated it, dull as dishwater for road driving, I’m sure it’s lovely on track - sold after 6 months.
I was about to go and buy a 718 GTS 4.0 but my wife told me to try something else first. Settled on an Audi TTRS Convertible. Amazing car, drives fantastically, with an engine equally characterful and mellifluous as the 981 (mine has secondary cat delete). The interior is miles ahead of the 981 and the Matrix LED headlights are wonderful. Burmester hifi is a must.
I've always lusted after that lovely 5 cylinder in the TTRS as well.
I know people will disagree, but just my experience - I wish it wasn’t as I lost £7k in those six months.
The M2 Comp is incredibly competent, the brakes particularly stood out to me as amazing, the car was blisteringly fast, but on UK roads you had to really be in license losing territory before the thing started to feel alive. That engine is also not very sonorous.
The 981 and the TTRS benefit from two of the best engines of recent times (save for super special super car engines e.g. Carrera GT, Lexus LFA etc). With the roof down in either the 981 or the TTRS you can feel much more engaged at regular speeds as the sensation the sound adds is wonderful.
For me the 981 and TTRS differentiate themselves as such:
Both sound epic, 981 has a higher pitch sound and the TTRS has the classic 5 cylinder burble and sounds like a mini R8.
Steering is a little better in the TTRS, which surprised me.
Suspension setup is better in the 981, notably handing rebound a bit more maturely, the TTRS can jump a little.
Both feel light and nimble, well sized for the road.
TTRS feels a lot faster in the real world, the quattro and 400hp means not much can hang with it.
Interior the TTRS is ahead by an absolute mile. If you can get a 981 with extended leather, upgraded seats, CarPlay retrofit and Bose it gets closer, but a TTRS just nails it.
Front boot is a massive plus for the 981, but on my convertible TTRS the rear boot is actually very deep.
Braking performance on the TTRS was marginally better out the box than the 981
Sorry for the long message!
The M2 Comp is incredibly competent, the brakes particularly stood out to me as amazing, the car was blisteringly fast, but on UK roads you had to really be in license losing territory before the thing started to feel alive. That engine is also not very sonorous.
The 981 and the TTRS benefit from two of the best engines of recent times (save for super special super car engines e.g. Carrera GT, Lexus LFA etc). With the roof down in either the 981 or the TTRS you can feel much more engaged at regular speeds as the sensation the sound adds is wonderful.
For me the 981 and TTRS differentiate themselves as such:
Both sound epic, 981 has a higher pitch sound and the TTRS has the classic 5 cylinder burble and sounds like a mini R8.
Steering is a little better in the TTRS, which surprised me.
Suspension setup is better in the 981, notably handing rebound a bit more maturely, the TTRS can jump a little.
Both feel light and nimble, well sized for the road.
TTRS feels a lot faster in the real world, the quattro and 400hp means not much can hang with it.
Interior the TTRS is ahead by an absolute mile. If you can get a 981 with extended leather, upgraded seats, CarPlay retrofit and Bose it gets closer, but a TTRS just nails it.
Front boot is a massive plus for the 981, but on my convertible TTRS the rear boot is actually very deep.
Braking performance on the TTRS was marginally better out the box than the 981
Sorry for the long message!
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