Cayman vs Boxster
Discussion
Ok, why is it that Caymans are seen as being cool/hardcore and Boxsters are seen as being driven by hairdresses? I know the cayman is stiffer blah blah but the interior is the same and now so is/are the engine/s...
The Boxster is cheaper, as fast, you can have the roof down and it's the car that saved Porsche!
The Boxster is cheaper, as fast, you can have the roof down and it's the car that saved Porsche!
I have a Cayman S and would never have thought of buying a Boxster, but would now definitely consider a Boxster S 3.4 after a recent drive in one - the money saved could go on options the demo car had, such as PASM and Sport Chrono - it was a cracking drive. A lot of people have opinions based on unfounded prejudice, plus you have that whole "a 911 is the only Porsche thing", which must account for about half the posts on this forum!
It's nothing new. ALL drop-top variants of coupes are considered, by driving "aficionados", as the less-superior car. It's the same with the 911 frat that the coupe is superior to the Targa and Cab.
Personaly still wouldn't have a Boxster over a Cayman. But that's just me. If the Boxster pulls your strings, and doesn't make you have an inferiority complex every time you get in it, then it's the bect choice for you.
Jack
Personaly still wouldn't have a Boxster over a Cayman. But that's just me. If the Boxster pulls your strings, and doesn't make you have an inferiority complex every time you get in it, then it's the bect choice for you.
Jack
Let's face it, the Cayman version cost PAG millions to develop so it's only right that they charge a premium to the people who want to buy them! (errr... possibly me included!)
You could argue that by increasing the potential demand for the 987 platform, they are doing the Boxster fans a favour by potentially generating economies of scale but don't expect this to have a significant effect of the prices they charge for the Boxster (it will just increase PAGs profits for the greater good of all mankind: More profits, more corporation tax paid, more employees, more income tax deductions, happy Germans, less of a drag on Europe, everyones a winner baby!)
The real price scandals are the cost of paint-to-sample.
What sounds like better value to you £5k to turn your Boxster into a beautifully engineered Coupe (that cost millions to develop) or £2.5k just to have it painted Orange!
You could argue that by increasing the potential demand for the 987 platform, they are doing the Boxster fans a favour by potentially generating economies of scale but don't expect this to have a significant effect of the prices they charge for the Boxster (it will just increase PAGs profits for the greater good of all mankind: More profits, more corporation tax paid, more employees, more income tax deductions, happy Germans, less of a drag on Europe, everyones a winner baby!)
The real price scandals are the cost of paint-to-sample.
What sounds like better value to you £5k to turn your Boxster into a beautifully engineered Coupe (that cost millions to develop) or £2.5k just to have it painted Orange!
The real matter here is how much you play the marketing game. How many friends you have that have Porsches, and how many people will be talking about your car, and, especially, how much do you care about that. There's absolutely nothing else to it.
Some people don't buy a Breitling/IWC etc watch all their life because the "real" Breitling watch they always wanted is too big on their wrist, and the smaller ones are simply not the right thing. End of story. They just can't stand the sight of a second grade watch from the Breitling range on their wrist. Engineering wise, it's all the same between these two watches, and for Porsches, it's actually better than the 911 because it has the engine in the middle.
You are asking about Cayman vs. Boxster: I don't consider the Boxster to be a soft car really, because two-seater roadsters have traditionally been part of Porsche's racetrack success and history. A Boxster's rigidity is miles better than that of a BMW 335i cabrio, which is the size of a boat.
But to better answer your question, I think what separates hairdressers from hardcore in the "street cred" terminology is the fact that the Cayman is more expensive. This filters out some, and increases the respect rating of the Cayman guys. But I saw a basic Cayman once, and with its small wheels, deprived interior, and rather awkward shape that was crying for bigger wheels, I didn't see anything respectable about that since the owner was the mega victim of marketing and the Porsche name, because that object is a pure rip-off.
So I say, buy what you like, and let marketing take the boot.
Kay
Some people don't buy a Breitling/IWC etc watch all their life because the "real" Breitling watch they always wanted is too big on their wrist, and the smaller ones are simply not the right thing. End of story. They just can't stand the sight of a second grade watch from the Breitling range on their wrist. Engineering wise, it's all the same between these two watches, and for Porsches, it's actually better than the 911 because it has the engine in the middle.
You are asking about Cayman vs. Boxster: I don't consider the Boxster to be a soft car really, because two-seater roadsters have traditionally been part of Porsche's racetrack success and history. A Boxster's rigidity is miles better than that of a BMW 335i cabrio, which is the size of a boat.
But to better answer your question, I think what separates hairdressers from hardcore in the "street cred" terminology is the fact that the Cayman is more expensive. This filters out some, and increases the respect rating of the Cayman guys. But I saw a basic Cayman once, and with its small wheels, deprived interior, and rather awkward shape that was crying for bigger wheels, I didn't see anything respectable about that since the owner was the mega victim of marketing and the Porsche name, because that object is a pure rip-off.
So I say, buy what you like, and let marketing take the boot.
Kay
I agree buy the model and car that suits you. What is the point of comparing a roadster with a coupe anyway ? Surely you buy a soft top because you want to drive a car with the top down! If you don't want a convertable buy a coupe. IMHO this girly thing about Boxsters 
is a load of sh1t! I sold my Griff 500 to buy a Boxser S and it is the best roadster I have driven.
is a load of sh1t! I sold my Griff 500 to buy a Boxser S and it is the best roadster I have driven. Edited by silv on Thursday 17th May 11:25
On a red hot sunny day flying down some twisty roads with the roof down i really dont care if certain people on here think im a hairdresser etc imho its good for the soul and puts a right smile on my face. (im driving down to the south of france in a few weeks open top motoring all the way cant wait). Fact of the matter is if Porsche gave the Boxster a LSD and a bigger engine it would be a better car than a 911. Boxster looks better than a 911 convertible in any case.
Toenheel,
I totally agree, there's something about open top driving that makes my heart fill with excitement, don't know how to explain it. When on holiday I could spend days without raising the roof (of course not true in non-holiday office days, except on the way back home maybe).
that's why I don'thave a Porsche yet. Torn between a used 911, a new Boxter S (slightly too expensive, frankly), and what not..
Kay
I totally agree, there's something about open top driving that makes my heart fill with excitement, don't know how to explain it. When on holiday I could spend days without raising the roof (of course not true in non-holiday office days, except on the way back home maybe).
that's why I don'thave a Porsche yet. Torn between a used 911, a new Boxter S (slightly too expensive, frankly), and what not..
Kay
Thorny said:
Ok, why is it that Caymans are seen as being cool/hardcore and Boxsters are seen as being driven by hairdresses? I know the cayman is stiffer blah blah but the interior is the same and now so is/are the engine/s...
I replied once, then reread it and realised I replied to a question you didn't ask!!
I think all convertible cars are called 'hairdressers cars', regardless of what they actually are. I had an S2000, and a TVR Chimaera which were called the same, yet both have a great reputation.
Perhaps the Cayman slips under the radar as it's perceived as boring?
Don't know the answer, but in my opinion generally people who call them hairdresser's cars are simply jealous. The people who aren't jealous say "nice car"...
(The first, non-S Boxsters were underpowered heaps of turd though!)
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