Dare I ask? - Boxster or Cayman?
Discussion
With my current lease coming to an end, i want to get something a little more exciting next. My plan is therefore to dip back into the used car market.
Primary criteria is that it makes me smile and has a throaty exhaust note, number of seats doesn't matter, nor does MPG
Was considering a Bentley GT or Maser GT for the badge and the atmosphere, but my sensible head says these are going to rape my wallet on a regular basis.
I'm therefore looking at the Boxster/Cayman as it has the fun factor, image, badge, performance and sounds. Budgeting anywhere between £13-£20k for the right car preferably post 2005, so a very wide scope.
I've had convertibles in the past and love them, but am looking for a long term car that i will keep (i have a habit of changing every 6 months), but thinking the coupe cayman would be a more all year round enjoyment - Is there really a huge amount of difference in the driving style of the two? are either considered more reliable (i'm making the assumption majority of bits are shared). Having previously driven a couple of 911's, including a turbo at speed, i found i couldn't get used to the feeling of the nose going light at speed - i guess this doesn't happen with either of these are they are better balanced?
Appreciate this is a pretty wide question and i'm a porsche newbie - but appreciate your thoughts
Primary criteria is that it makes me smile and has a throaty exhaust note, number of seats doesn't matter, nor does MPG
Was considering a Bentley GT or Maser GT for the badge and the atmosphere, but my sensible head says these are going to rape my wallet on a regular basis.
I'm therefore looking at the Boxster/Cayman as it has the fun factor, image, badge, performance and sounds. Budgeting anywhere between £13-£20k for the right car preferably post 2005, so a very wide scope.
I've had convertibles in the past and love them, but am looking for a long term car that i will keep (i have a habit of changing every 6 months), but thinking the coupe cayman would be a more all year round enjoyment - Is there really a huge amount of difference in the driving style of the two? are either considered more reliable (i'm making the assumption majority of bits are shared). Having previously driven a couple of 911's, including a turbo at speed, i found i couldn't get used to the feeling of the nose going light at speed - i guess this doesn't happen with either of these are they are better balanced?
Appreciate this is a pretty wide question and i'm a porsche newbie - but appreciate your thoughts
Really hard question to answer, I've had 3 Boxsters and 5 Caymans. I think my all time favourite was my first Spyder and a part of that was the joy of open top motoring. Having said that I really enjoy the closed cockpit feel of my current 718CS, a car feels sportier somehow with a roof 
Buy a Cayman and swap for a Boxster in a year rather than your usual 6 months? Lol
Buy a Cayman and swap for a Boxster in a year rather than your usual 6 months? Lol
If outright pace isn't your thing, I can thoroughly recommend the 2.9, you'd get a boxster in budget and Cayman if you are patient. They don't have the torque of the 32/3.4, but are still quick and an involving engine as it requires a bit more work. You also get other gen 2 benefits.
I think you either want open top motoring or not, which should be the decider on boxster it Cayman. I had a Caymen 2.9 with a Carnewal exhaust and loved it.
I think you either want open top motoring or not, which should be the decider on boxster it Cayman. I had a Caymen 2.9 with a Carnewal exhaust and loved it.
thanks guys - appreciate the feedback.
I prefer the look of the cayman coupe body but also like the occasional top down experience too - perhaps i can get a pop up sunroof fitted from the 1970's?
Need to find some cars to drive - i'm hankering after guards red, anything but back or silver, and an aftermarket exhaust already fitted would be nice.
Just to throw a spanner in the works the boss lady just said - stop over thinking it and get a Bentley.........
Bugga
I prefer the look of the cayman coupe body but also like the occasional top down experience too - perhaps i can get a pop up sunroof fitted from the 1970's?
Need to find some cars to drive - i'm hankering after guards red, anything but back or silver, and an aftermarket exhaust already fitted would be nice.
Just to throw a spanner in the works the boss lady just said - stop over thinking it and get a Bentley.........
Bugga
Just to give an alternative view, I have never felt the lack of rigidity ito be an issue in my Boxster.
It probably would be if I jumped in it straight after a Cayman, however It's just not what's going through my head when I punt it down the road..
When I was looking it basically came down to the following:
Cayman - Pros: Rarer, so likely to hold value more? Better image.
Boxster - Pros: Cheaper to buy, more choice on the market, can lower roof if you want it.
For me the Boxster edged it, I dont think any of those arguements are particually strong though and I'd probably go Cayman on a 4 cylinder 718.
It probably would be if I jumped in it straight after a Cayman, however It's just not what's going through my head when I punt it down the road..
When I was looking it basically came down to the following:
Cayman - Pros: Rarer, so likely to hold value more? Better image.
Boxster - Pros: Cheaper to buy, more choice on the market, can lower roof if you want it.
For me the Boxster edged it, I dont think any of those arguements are particually strong though and I'd probably go Cayman on a 4 cylinder 718.
forgot to add it needs to be tiptronic to meet the bosses demands.
This is the sort of car i was looking at - not the cheapest, but looks (from photos and description) to be well cared for and the sort of person i want to buy a car from.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-55-Porsche-Cayman-S...
This is the sort of car i was looking at - not the cheapest, but looks (from photos and description) to be well cared for and the sort of person i want to buy a car from.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-55-Porsche-Cayman-S...
Yes agree with the s
tronic opinions!
I would go for a 2.9 PDK all day long as such a better gearbox and also the gen2 will give you option for the touchscreen pcm3 Nav rather than the prehistoric pcm2!
Both options should keep the other half a bit happier.
If your wife still wants a £20k Bentley then you should let her sit on the hard shoulder a few times for a couple of hours and take a couple of thousand out of her account maybe every other month or so and after 6 months take another £5k-£7k(at least!) and that's what it will be like!
Also maybe let her get the bus for 1 week of the month for potential breakdowns/workshop time!
All in gest but I think you get the jist.
If you pushed your budget up to £25k you will have plentiful cars to choose from rather than trying to find the cheapest one you can get which takes away some of the fun of looking.
tronic opinions! I would go for a 2.9 PDK all day long as such a better gearbox and also the gen2 will give you option for the touchscreen pcm3 Nav rather than the prehistoric pcm2!
Both options should keep the other half a bit happier.
If your wife still wants a £20k Bentley then you should let her sit on the hard shoulder a few times for a couple of hours and take a couple of thousand out of her account maybe every other month or so and after 6 months take another £5k-£7k(at least!) and that's what it will be like!
Also maybe let her get the bus for 1 week of the month for potential breakdowns/workshop time!
All in gest but I think you get the jist.
If you pushed your budget up to £25k you will have plentiful cars to choose from rather than trying to find the cheapest one you can get which takes away some of the fun of looking.
I would chose Cayman.
I had boxster for 6 years. Great fun car but in U.K. I had to use hard-top most of the time. Rain, motorways, winds and etc.. Hard top felt much safer while driving on m25 and m11 over 60 miles journeys but you get the weird rattle and annoyance time to time. I guess you also try and decide, you never know.
I had boxster for 6 years. Great fun car but in U.K. I had to use hard-top most of the time. Rain, motorways, winds and etc.. Hard top felt much safer while driving on m25 and m11 over 60 miles journeys but you get the weird rattle and annoyance time to time. I guess you also try and decide, you never know.
One very serious thing you have to consider....
If you like driving through the town in a boxter with you face on show, go for it.
If like me, you like to be a bit anonymous and think that no one can see you behind the wheel, and have a wife with long hair........ Buy the Cayman, ......for gods sake buy the Cayman.
Gadgit.
If you like driving through the town in a boxter with you face on show, go for it.
If like me, you like to be a bit anonymous and think that no one can see you behind the wheel, and have a wife with long hair........ Buy the Cayman, ......for gods sake buy the Cayman.
Gadgit.
gadgit said:
One very serious thing you have to consider....
If you like driving through the town in a boxter with you face on show, go for it.
If like me, you like to be a bit anonymous and think that no one can see you behind the wheel, and have a wife with long hair........ Buy the Cayman, ......for gods sake buy the Cayman.
Gadgit.
Or you can put the roof up or you could just not give a damn what others think.If you like driving through the town in a boxter with you face on show, go for it.
If like me, you like to be a bit anonymous and think that no one can see you behind the wheel, and have a wife with long hair........ Buy the Cayman, ......for gods sake buy the Cayman.
Gadgit.
Try driving a Nitrous Blue mk3 Focus RS. Most people want to drag race you!
I find the vast majority of people take absolutely no notice of my CGTS. It could be because it's white with satin platinum wheels, and therefore very subtle looking. The odd person who gets surprised by it crackling and burbling past is the exception, and even then most just stare in disapproval
I find the vast majority of people take absolutely no notice of my CGTS. It could be because it's white with satin platinum wheels, and therefore very subtle looking. The odd person who gets surprised by it crackling and burbling past is the exception, and even then most just stare in disapproval
Are.... Yes, my Cayman is yellow.
I drove out of an area near a school the other day, and for the first time since I've had it a quite large group of teenagers all waved. Two thoughts came into my mind, firstly were they looking at the car and thinking what a great car and wonderful piece of engineering that is with that screeming 6 cylinder engine and best colour in yellow.
Or had they just spotted me at the wheel ????
I just can't make my mind up!!
Gadgit.
I drove out of an area near a school the other day, and for the first time since I've had it a quite large group of teenagers all waved. Two thoughts came into my mind, firstly were they looking at the car and thinking what a great car and wonderful piece of engineering that is with that screeming 6 cylinder engine and best colour in yellow.
Or had they just spotted me at the wheel ????
I just can't make my mind up!!
Gadgit.
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