new Cayman - 981 or 718?
Discussion
i've been reading some of the loooooong threads on the new 718 with interest. i'm looking to get a Cayman but can't decide whether to buy now and go for the F6, or wait a while longer and get the updated 718.
i should say from the outset i'm no racer. i just an average guy, finally in a position to treat myself to a decent car and i've settled on the Cayman for a number of reasons.
one of the things (actually, the only thing) that makes me want the 981 is the engine. partly for the different response but mainly for the noise. i'm still lamenting the lack of noise in F1 and for me noise is part of the drama of driving a sports car. otherwise it's a bit like watching an action movie on a huge screen and listening through a phone speaker.
however i also have an eye on resale value, so i'd like ask some advice:
1. resale value - if i buy new, in 3 years time is a 981 likely to be worth less/more/roughly the same as a 718?
2. sports exhaust - PSE has only just appeared on the list of options for the Boxster, so does that mean the reviews that are out were on cars without this option? will PSE improve noise?
3. any school boy errors i should be avoiding?
i should say from the outset i'm no racer. i just an average guy, finally in a position to treat myself to a decent car and i've settled on the Cayman for a number of reasons.
one of the things (actually, the only thing) that makes me want the 981 is the engine. partly for the different response but mainly for the noise. i'm still lamenting the lack of noise in F1 and for me noise is part of the drama of driving a sports car. otherwise it's a bit like watching an action movie on a huge screen and listening through a phone speaker.
however i also have an eye on resale value, so i'd like ask some advice:
1. resale value - if i buy new, in 3 years time is a 981 likely to be worth less/more/roughly the same as a 718?
2. sports exhaust - PSE has only just appeared on the list of options for the Boxster, so does that mean the reviews that are out were on cars without this option? will PSE improve noise?
3. any school boy errors i should be avoiding?
Porsche911R said:
Not being that much of a 981 fan, I would go 987.2 or 718, I did not gel with the 981 base cars at all esp the 1st gen eps.
i'm not much of a 987 fan (looks wise), so definitely a 981 or 718 choice.Porsche911R said:
both will drop 40% of base value plus options after 3 years.
that would put the price of a 3yr old Cayman that cost around £55k @ £33k.but if i look at the price of actual 3 year old caymans with PASM, PSE and PDK with decent mileage, prices consistently seem to be starting at well over £40k.
pete.g said:
To get a 981 now you'll have to either find one that a dealer has ordered for stock or buy used/demo.
hmmm, really? but the 718 Cayman isn't out yet so shouldn't that mean i'm still in time for the 981? i had a couple of deals i was looking at and just assumed they were for the 981... will have to check.pete.g said:
I think the 981 S will drop more than a 718 S
that's what i'm worried about. however i did wonder if the 981, being a F6 would hold its own against the 718 come sale time. i guess only time will tell.pete.g said:
2. Sports exhaust will be louder - whether the noise is more pleasing is another question.
hopefully some showrooms will have one in any time now to try.pete.g said:
3. Errors would include taking advice from eejits online . . .
can't be much worse than my own toing and froing...bcr5784 said:
You said 718 and 981 and no mention of S. Is that what you meant.
I'd hang fire on a non S 718. There are plenty of reviews out there on the 718S but almost non on the base car. The only review on the base car I've seen said DONT BUY. That's just one guy's view, of course, but I'd wait until a consensus emerges - there are good technical reasons why the S will be have a nicer engine than the base car.
Better still wait until the 718 Boxster comes out and try one. Hopefully you can then judge whether you like the engine and (if you can find one with PSE) PSE is to your taste.
sorry. yes, i did mean S - forgot to specify.I'd hang fire on a non S 718. There are plenty of reviews out there on the 718S but almost non on the base car. The only review on the base car I've seen said DONT BUY. That's just one guy's view, of course, but I'd wait until a consensus emerges - there are good technical reasons why the S will be have a nicer engine than the base car.
Better still wait until the 718 Boxster comes out and try one. Hopefully you can then judge whether you like the engine and (if you can find one with PSE) PSE is to your taste.
i wonder how long it will be before the 718 Cayman S is available though?
also i'll be leasing the car through a non Porsche dealer, so if i wait Cayman S (718) and then prefer the 981 S, will i still be able to order the old version? i think no because as soon as the 718 Boxster came out it was no longer possible to order the 981.
interesting comments guys - keep em coming...
honestly though, i'm just getting more and more confused about which way to go. i've just spoken to Porsche and you're right, i can't order a new 981 any more, and the first 718s (Cayman) won't be available until the end of the year(ish).
i've booked in a test drive of the Boxster S, which should give me a good idea of what the new Cayman will be like but in my head i could already see myself driving around in the Cayman this summer, and i really didn't expect the wait for the new version would be so long.
i think i've decided not to go for a new 981 at this stage, as i'll be selling in 3 years time and it's likely that it would be worth less than a 3 year old 718 and i can't justify the difference purely on the basis of an exhaust note (which is what it boils down to for me). also, the reports of the droning are putting me off PSE altogether and i'm beginning to understand that it may well get old pretty quickly.
so now i either wait til the end of the year for the new version, or i get a used 981 for a year or so and then 'upgrade' to the 718 or just keep the 981.
honestly though, i'm just getting more and more confused about which way to go. i've just spoken to Porsche and you're right, i can't order a new 981 any more, and the first 718s (Cayman) won't be available until the end of the year(ish).
i've booked in a test drive of the Boxster S, which should give me a good idea of what the new Cayman will be like but in my head i could already see myself driving around in the Cayman this summer, and i really didn't expect the wait for the new version would be so long.
i think i've decided not to go for a new 981 at this stage, as i'll be selling in 3 years time and it's likely that it would be worth less than a 3 year old 718 and i can't justify the difference purely on the basis of an exhaust note (which is what it boils down to for me). also, the reports of the droning are putting me off PSE altogether and i'm beginning to understand that it may well get old pretty quickly.
so now i either wait til the end of the year for the new version, or i get a used 981 for a year or so and then 'upgrade' to the 718 or just keep the 981.
sorry for the late reply all.
glad the conversation has kept going though. i've got a test drive booked in for tomorrow (though i'm still not 100% sure i can make it :/) and will be driving a Cayman 981 and the 718 S (Boxster of course).
i definitely want the Cayman rather than the Boxster though.
i didn't know that PSE is switchable. so if it's off does that mean it's completely off? and is there any power advantage with PSE or is it purely for the sound?
interesting about the smoker package too. i saw an ad for a 981 that mentioned it and it put me off at the time as i'm an ex smoker and so don't want to buy a car that smells of smoke. will check it out though.
something that i'm also interested in is second guessing whether there will be any 718 F6 engines at some point. if it's only the GT4 then i'm outta luck but if a GTS came with one then it would defnitely tempt me.
i was already leaning towards the 981 and now that the 718 won't be available for some time i think that's sealed it for me. i won't be buying new though as i can't, and so i won't be buying nearly new either. hopefully i can find a 2/3 yr old model with a spec that suits me.
what are the obvious things to look for buying a used 981?
glad the conversation has kept going though. i've got a test drive booked in for tomorrow (though i'm still not 100% sure i can make it :/) and will be driving a Cayman 981 and the 718 S (Boxster of course).
i definitely want the Cayman rather than the Boxster though.
i didn't know that PSE is switchable. so if it's off does that mean it's completely off? and is there any power advantage with PSE or is it purely for the sound?
interesting about the smoker package too. i saw an ad for a 981 that mentioned it and it put me off at the time as i'm an ex smoker and so don't want to buy a car that smells of smoke. will check it out though.
something that i'm also interested in is second guessing whether there will be any 718 F6 engines at some point. if it's only the GT4 then i'm outta luck but if a GTS came with one then it would defnitely tempt me.
i was already leaning towards the 981 and now that the 718 won't be available for some time i think that's sealed it for me. i won't be buying new though as i can't, and so i won't be buying nearly new either. hopefully i can find a 2/3 yr old model with a spec that suits me.
what are the obvious things to look for buying a used 981?
test drove a 981Cs and a 718Bs...
loved both of them really so it boils down to financials for me and they way i see it is:
used 981 from Porsche approved around £45k - 'only' around 12 - 15k lower than list @ around 3 years old and reasonable mileage.
however the monthly payment and final balloon payment are /more than/ buying new from a 3rd party leasing company.
i'm new to leasing so am i missing something? why is the deal i've been offered by Porsche for a 2 year old car more expensive than buying a brand new, same spec car through a leasing company?
an additional consideration is that the approved warranty is only 2 years, so i have 1 final year of additional risk, whereas if i buy new i know i have a warranty in place for the entire period of ownership.
loved both of them really so it boils down to financials for me and they way i see it is:
used 981 from Porsche approved around £45k - 'only' around 12 - 15k lower than list @ around 3 years old and reasonable mileage.
however the monthly payment and final balloon payment are /more than/ buying new from a 3rd party leasing company.
i'm new to leasing so am i missing something? why is the deal i've been offered by Porsche for a 2 year old car more expensive than buying a brand new, same spec car through a leasing company?
an additional consideration is that the approved warranty is only 2 years, so i have 1 final year of additional risk, whereas if i buy new i know i have a warranty in place for the entire period of ownership.
Krobar said:
Check mileage allowance and are you comparing lease with lease? Secondhand is usually best financed privately as new pop deals are often good. You can borrow 25k unsecured at about 3.5% Apr so might be worth looking into that depending on your situation
yes, mileage and other details are all the same. awaiting final confirmation now and will be placing my order... will be a long summer though waiting for early autumn deliveries, but maybe a long summer isn't too bad in my case, all things considered it works out significantly cheaper for me to buy from a 3rd party company on personal contract. that way after 3 years assuming i treat the car well i should have a decent amount of equity that i can put into a new one.
before i commit though, and for comparison, where are you getting £25k @ 3.5%?
Prospective said:
Interesting reading the posts re 981c & 718c.
I have a 2.7 cayman 981 which I am now looking to replace with a 718 Cayman.
I managed a £4k discount on my current cayman from new and was wondering has anyone else managed similar when ordering a 718????
I will be selling my 981C privately etc. Rhodium Silver, Boxster II alloys, Cruise control, Sports steering wheel, Folding Mirrors 7,800 miles from new.
so around 10% off list and before options. from what i've read around here that sounds about right.I have a 2.7 cayman 981 which I am now looking to replace with a 718 Cayman.
I managed a £4k discount on my current cayman from new and was wondering has anyone else managed similar when ordering a 718????
I will be selling my 981C privately etc. Rhodium Silver, Boxster II alloys, Cruise control, Sports steering wheel, Folding Mirrors 7,800 miles from new.
what's your reasoning behind wanting to change? more aggressive styling? power? peace of mind? something else?
Cpb1702 said:
Very interested to know which leading company?
well things have a changed a bit unfortunately...the original quote was on a new 981C. this was only 2 or 3 weeks before the announcement of the 718.
the quote hasn't yet expired, but the car is no longer in production so I received a fresh quote but the lease co. is now telling me that there is no discount available on the 718 as it's a brand new car.
i have no experience buying new cars, let alone one that isn't even in production yet so can anyone confirm if they've been offered a discount on a 718C, or if it's likely that Porsche will offer one?
well i'm getting nowhere trying to get a discount on anything.
i told the guy about the reports of 10% discount but he said it's impossible in general on new orders of any Porsche, let alone a brand new car.
he said maybe on something that's in the showroom or if the current model is on its way out.
there are quite a few posts saying they got 10% off, and i'm wondering if any of these deals were on new orders with a personal spec?
i told the guy about the reports of 10% discount but he said it's impossible in general on new orders of any Porsche, let alone a brand new car.
he said maybe on something that's in the showroom or if the current model is on its way out.
there are quite a few posts saying they got 10% off, and i'm wondering if any of these deals were on new orders with a personal spec?
HighwayStar said:
Face it Jason. It's not going to happen.
honestly, that's what i figured even before i asked the question. it's just that i started seeing some of the threads on discounts and some customers were managing to find 10% off deals so i just wanted to make sure i wasn't paying over the odds.thanks to all of you for your input by the way as it's been very useful and reassuring.
Prospective said:
Hi What delivery dates are prospective new owners of the 718 Cayman being quoted??
Will help me decide whether to wait or look at something else.
thanks
i'm hoping Sep/Oct for mine but no definite date yet.Will help me decide whether to wait or look at something else.
thanks
nsm3 said:
Just looking at the 718 and can't detect these panel changes from the 981?
for me the major difference is at the back with the new lights and the spoiler change.changes to the front and sides are more subtle, though the ends of the front spoiler have different indentations which make quite a difference... not sure if i prefer the 981 or the 718 in this regard. in the end, even though the 981 looks great overall i just don't like the rear lights in particular, and the way the spoiler cuts into them.
this thread on Planet9 has a good overview of the differences (Boxster though, not Cayman):
http://www.planet-9.com/news-items/116640-here-off...
nsm3 said:
gain practicality/save some money?
but you would have a completely different type of car...cypriot said:
you can't go wrong with either cars!
yeah my conclusion was similar, and in the end it came down to looks over engine so i chose the 718.cypriot said:
For me, I would be thinking about how much money I am willing to lose. A new 718 will see the full hit of depreciation in the first 3 years. Whereas you could buy a 2yr old 981 as see less depreciation over the next 3 years.
this was also a major consideration for me and in the end my conclusion (right or wrong) is that the overall cost of ownership over 3yrs is about the same. if you look at 987 prices vs 981, it gives some kind guide as to what the additional hit is due to the model no longer being current. there might be 2/3k in it but over 3 years i figured that's a fair price to pay to be in a brand new car with full warranty and no previous thrashing.cypriot said:
the only thing I will say is make sure you get a car with the climate control (dual zone)
thanks - i didn't realise that but will add to my order 
Edited by JasonSteel on Wednesday 8th June 18:37
i started this thread last year as i couldn't decide whether to go with the newer model and its F4T, or stick with the outgoing model and the F6.
long story short:
i put a deposit down for a pretty basic spec 718CS but had to cancel a couple of months later.
i think that was a blessing in disguise though because it gave me some time to calm down and think about things objectively and finally a couple of months ago i became the lucky owner of a CGTS with sports suspension, manual box, buckets, PTV, interior pack and lots of extras.
completely thrilled with the car and have to say i'm glad i went with the F6. i think when i first tried the 718 i was so excited about being in a great car that i didn't really get just how different the F4T and the F6 experiences are. thought the 718S was great (and still do) but the drama of the F6 and the extra sense of occasion offered by the GTS bits add so much to the whole experience for me.
long story short:
i put a deposit down for a pretty basic spec 718CS but had to cancel a couple of months later.
i think that was a blessing in disguise though because it gave me some time to calm down and think about things objectively and finally a couple of months ago i became the lucky owner of a CGTS with sports suspension, manual box, buckets, PTV, interior pack and lots of extras.
completely thrilled with the car and have to say i'm glad i went with the F6. i think when i first tried the 718 i was so excited about being in a great car that i didn't really get just how different the F4T and the F6 experiences are. thought the 718S was great (and still do) but the drama of the F6 and the extra sense of occasion offered by the GTS bits add so much to the whole experience for me.
JayK12 said:
That is the perfect spec, very nice, i basically have the same spec BGTS but without buckets 
.
i jumped at the chance when i saw the spec, putting down a deposit over the phone even though i wasn't sure on the buckets (which i'd never seen before) or the colour (carrara white). fell for the buckets as soon as isaw them and was sold on them as soon as i sat in them. was sold on the car as soon as the sales guy started the engine .cherry on the icing on the delicious cake is that the carrara white has grown on me and now i love it.
Boxster7 said:
Sounds like you ended up with a great car.
I'm sure every time you you get in you feel that you have yourself a very special motor (not sure it would be exactly the same feeling in a new 718).
I was fortunate enough to get a new Spyder, but if not I would have had a BGTS with pretty much your spec.
Enjoy
thanks - yes, definitely feels great I'm sure every time you you get in you feel that you have yourself a very special motor (not sure it would be exactly the same feeling in a new 718).
I was fortunate enough to get a new Spyder, but if not I would have had a BGTS with pretty much your spec.
Enjoy
. i've always preferred the alcantara interior to the full leather and with the buckets especially it really looks the part.there was a Spyder in the showroom when i picked up the GTS - really lovely car too.
JayK12 said:
If you ever think of selling, be sure to message me please!
will do OOI, why the preference now for the Cayman over the Boxster?
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