Is it worth upgrading a CR?

[J-P]

I like to change my cars quite often but at the moment, I'm really enjoying the CR and thinking about whether to upgrade it or not.

Is it worth doing upgrading the suspension to get more out of it on track? I'd consider some light tuning for it too. Apparently 360bhp isn't too hard to do, which would mean that it would have the same power as a 996 GT3 and be lighter too as well as small, which is good for the little roads around here.

I'd keep the rest stock, which means it'll look like a std CR but might surprise a few of the big boys on track (not that I'm bothered by that, I'd just like more feel)

I know I could just get a GT3 but it'll be expensive to change and cost more to run too I'd imagine.

Thoughts?

[redback911]

J-P said:

I like to change my cars quite often but at the moment, I'm really enjoying the CR

J-P, I love the Cayman and had the same issue as you two years ago, and considered the Cayman R, but I kept my regular Cayman and went down the TechArt route with some extra upgrades:

TechArt GT Sport kit
Evoms Airfilter
Car Graphic Exhaust system
TechArt Air Flow Front
Lowered Springs
Pagid Brake Pads
Braided Steel Hoses
GT3 Brake Ducts
Quaife Limited Slip Differential

Although I have tracked the car a couple of times (Oulton and the Nurburgring) my aim was have a sharper Cayman for continental touring so did not want to go too extreme with track suspension. I have to say mission accomplished! Still all good things must come to an end, as I will take ownership of 991 GT3 and it does not make sense to keep both cars, so I just put my Cayman on PH:

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/p...

Happy to talk about the upgrades for your Cayman.

Br, Dan.

[J-P]

redback911 said:

J-P, I love the Cayman and had the same issue as you two years ago, and considered the Cayman R, but I kept my regular Cayman and went down the TechArt route with some extra upgrades:

TechArt GT Sport kit
Evoms Airfilter
Car Graphic Exhaust system
TechArt Air Flow Front
Lowered Springs
Pagid Brake Pads
Braided Steel Hoses
GT3 Brake Ducts
Quaife Limited Slip Differential

Although I have tracked the car a couple of times (Oulton and the Nurburgring) my aim was have a sharper Cayman for continental touring so did not want to go too extreme with track suspension. I have to say mission accomplished! Still all good things must come to an end, as I will take ownership of 991 GT3 and it does not make sense to keep both cars, so I just put my Cayman on PH:

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/p...

Happy to talk about the upgrades for your Cayman.

Br, Dan.

Saw your car on the driving to Spain thread you posted - she certainly is a beauty. Don't want to spend as much as 25k but would like braided hose, better brakes more adjustability of suspension (full soft for road and whatever a suspension engineer recommends for track). Wouldn't mind a bit more power either - cargraphic seem to do a reasonable mod for £4k-ish which gets you to 360bhp. I reckon that would do for me. Did you notice a big change to yours? If I make the mods, car might have to become a keeper!

[redback911]

J-P said:

Saw your car on the driving to Spain thread you posted - she certainly is a beauty. Don't want to spend as much as 25k but would like braided hose, better brakes more adjustability of suspension (full soft for road and whatever a suspension engineer recommends for track). Wouldn't mind a bit more power either - cargraphic seem to do a reasonable mod for £4k-ish which gets you to 360bhp. I reckon that would do for me. Did you notice a big change to yours? If I make the mods, car might have to become a keeper!

The Cargraphic and Evoms air-filter made a big difference on my Cayman. Really improved the sound and pickup. No drone, and like you said quite a decent improvement in HP as well. The LSD was a revelation on tight corners/roads, especially in wet conditions. Along with a decent Geo setup and lowered springs it is very capable.

Bilstein PSS9 is a very good upgrade for a stock Cayman. Checkout the Laguna Seca Stock Cayman S vs Bilstein PSS9 video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdIfeTgfH54

[mrdemon]

Keep the R suspension, it works very well imo.

Change the geo and tyres which means you can drive it faster.

We have a group buy for the v flow going on, if you want in on that.

Gt3 brake ducks fit and only cost £8

Edited by mrdemon on Monday 12th August 19:11

[J-P]

Done the geo. the CR is a great car but I think red back is correct. Set of Bilsteins and power upgrade would make it awesome on track and still usable on the road. I'll leave it for a year and then maybe do the mods next year.

[J-P]

Can you give me the details on the v flow?

[mrdemon]

£312 delivered from the UK disty normally £345

Have you got RSS lca or gt3 arms ? No point fitting shocks imo if you cannot get the camber increased.
I got -1.2 at the front which while ok for road, would still be way off for serious track work.

[HokumPokum]

J-P said:

I like to change my cars quite often but at the moment, I'm really enjoying the CR and thinking about whether to upgrade it or not.

Is it worth doing upgrading the suspension to get more out of it on track? I'd consider some light tuning for it too. Apparently 360bhp isn't too hard to do, which would mean that it would have the same power as a 996 GT3 and be lighter too as well as small, which is good for the little roads around here.

I'd keep the rest stock, which means it'll look like a std CR but might surprise a few of the big boys on track (not that I'm bothered by that, I'd just like more feel)

I know I could just get a GT3 but it'll be expensive to change and cost more to run too I'd imagine.

Thoughts?

keep it stock JP. if you are thinking and focusing on track days, then i'd advise a Gt3 or better yet, RS, and bite the bullet re a used one. As much as I tried to justify the CR, I just knew that a sorted Gt3 was what i wanted.

AS said before.. A CR is an upgraded cayman whereas a Gt3 is a detuned motorsport car....

not sure it applies to the 991 gt3 though..jury is still out there on eventual motorsport credentials

[J-P]

It's a fair point on the GT3. But I like the idea of having something that's a little bit special but still looks stock. Gt3RS is an awesome car but it's also mega bucks. Mid Sussex has a lovely gen 1 RS but that would mean no track days for me (as cost to change so high). And explaining to mrs J-P why I've bought a 911 with only 2 seats. Cr upgraded would mean a great car, brownie points for not swapping cars and a bit of a sleeper at trackdays. I reckon it'd surprise a few people!

[keep it lit]

J-P said:

It's a fair point on the GT3. But I like the idea of having something that's a little bit special but still looks stock. Gt3RS is an awesome car but it's also mega bucks. Mid Sussex has a lovely gen 1 RS but that would mean no track days for me (as cost to change so high). And explaining to mrs J-P why I've bought a 911 with only 2 seats. Cr upgraded would mean a great car, brownie points for not swapping cars and a bit of a sleeper at trackdays. I reckon it'd surprise a few people!

nice standard 996 GT3.. trick pads, geo & rubber... track king done

no need for the funky 6/7 RS's... money banked.. CR a fond but distant memory

[J-P]

keep it lit said:

J-P said:

It's a fair point on the GT3. But I like the idea of having something that's a little bit special but still looks stock. Gt3RS is an awesome car but it's also mega bucks. Mid Sussex has a lovely gen 1 RS but that would mean no track days for me (as cost to change so high). And explaining to mrs J-P why I've bought a 911 with only 2 seats. Cr upgraded would mean a great car, brownie points for not swapping cars and a bit of a sleeper at trackdays. I reckon it'd surprise a few people!

nice standard 996 GT3.. trick pads, geo & rubber... track king done

no need for the funky 6/7 RS's... money banked.. CR a fond but distant memory

True but mrs expects a 911 to have 4 seats. Whereas CR, trick pads, bilsteins, geo, remap and rubber and hmmm... Was that a 6GT3 I just passed?

[redback911]

J-P said:

Was that a 6GT3 I just passed?

Yes! ;-)

[keep it lit]

J-P said:

True but mrs expects a 911 to have 4 seats. Whereas CR, trick pads, bilsteins, geo, remap and rubber and hmmm... Was that a 6GT3 I just passed?

Jack Wood on here bought a Cayman S years ago... he got the track day bug, after a few years & when funds would allow he slowly started to mod it in a track direction. Quaife diff, Bilstien coil overs, top mounts, suspension arms, exhaust, funky rubber,remap etc...
now Jack is a very good driver.. what do you think he upgraded to last year & which do you think he is much faster in...?

[J-P]

redback911 said:

Yes! ;-)

Haha

[jackwood]

Ade, too kind!

As Ade said, I went down the route you are thinking about.

In the end the 6GT3 is just a better car all round. It's just better built for the job, from engine to suspension and everything in between.

I'd just bite the bullet and get yourself a nice 6GT3 (no need for a 7 or RS in my opinion). If you are into tracking cars, there really is no substitute.

Jack

[Slippydiff]

J-P said:

;)

True but mrs expects . . . .

Forget trick pads, Bilsteins etc. Your problem is far more intrinsic, you need to take these :

|http://thumbsnap.com/XBWN0Vza[/url]

J-P said:

Whereas CR, trick pads, bilsteins, geo, remap and rubber and hmmm... Was that a 6GT3 I just passed?

[url]

Quite possibly, but it would've been on a warm-up or cooling-down lap

[J-P]

Slippydiff said:

J-P said:

;)

True but mrs expects . . . .

Forget trick pads, Bilsteins etc. Your problem is far more intrinsic, you need to take these :

|http://thumbsnap.com/XBWN0Vza[/url]

J-P said:

Whereas CR, trick pads, bilsteins, geo, remap and rubber and hmmm... Was that a 6GT3 I just passed?

[url]

Quite possibly, but it would've been on a warm-up or cooling-down lap

How very true!

[J-P]

jackwood said:

Ade, too kind!

As Ade said, I went down the route you are thinking about.

In the end the 6GT3 is just a better car all round. It's just better built for the job, from engine to suspension and everything in between.

I'd just bite the bullet and get yourself a nice 6GT3 (no need for a 7 or RS in my opinion). If you are into tracking cars, there really is no substitute.

Jack

That's good and interesting advice - thanks Jackwood.

[spareparts]

I wouldn't waste money modding a CR. Keep it as Porsche designed it, or buy a normal/older Cayman and mod that instead - if you must mod it. I think there is very little value to be had modding cars nowadays, or the price of the mod would pay for the cost to change to the GT3 that you really want.