996 C2 or Cayman S as a daily?

[Coxy914]

So, with a budget of between £15k and £18k set aside for a fun daily, I had my heart set on the Cayman S.
I have a 964 (and 914 if they count!??!) but both are too good to use on a daily basis (as well as getting on in years).

Now, I could get a '55/'56 plate Cayman S with a few toys, and I have found one that ticks all the boxes for me, but more searching at ads (never a good thing), has lead me to keep going back to looking at a nice guards red 996 C2. It's nearly 4k less and 4 years older.

I've read too many stories on how seals can fail etc on the 996, when in reality, it probably doesn't affect more than 5% of the cars made. Maybe highlighted more because there were far more of them made in the first place, who knows?!

So, does the 996 deserve much of it's negative reputation?
can anyone compare the both from an ownership and driving point of view?

I've never read a bad review about the Cayman S and it is probably everything I want from a car, but with the 996 being 4k less and more power as well as being the proverbial Bigger brother, is the 996 the better choice?