Slow car fast - would a base be more fun than an S on the street?

Porsche 's were always my favorite, and when the Cayman was introduced it became my dream car. I always like fun cars, but only a year ago I got my first interesting one, a Focus ST. A few months ago I replaced it with a Subaru BRZ and got hooked on RWD. Now I'm thinking of adding a 987.2 Cayman . I don't track or autocross currently, and at most would try a lead-follow track day or get some HPDE. I don't care about times or being fast - the goal is to have fun, not set lap records. I do several twisty road trips a year and have some nice roads near my house that I can enjoy every day. This won't be a daily driver, and I don't really care about luxury or features - I just want a steering wheel, 3 pedals and a manual shifter. Mid engined, RWD, and perfect handling is the icing the Cayman would bring. I know the common advice is to get the S model for more fun, but is there anything different from the base other than the engine and tire sizes? Is suspension and steering tuning the same between the base and the S? I'm very happy with the BRZ's engine, only finding it under powered in a few very specific turns, so I'm sure I'll be happy with a base Cayman 's power level. I enjoy pushing the car through the corners, feeling the rear end work to rotate the car, and I'm afraid that an S won't allow me to enjoy myself as much on the road, requiring higher speeds to be fun. Does the slow car fast adage apply to the base Cayman more so than to the S? Bonus question - would the 981 be a better fit? My research showed that the 987 is more raw vs. the 981 which is more refined, which is why I'm leaning more towards the 987 as the more fun alternative.

I just bought a 987.2 Boxster S for all the same reasons. I chose the Sport version because I didn't want to go down the under powered sports car road again. My previous Z4 had 265 hp and about 500+ pounds more weight than the Boxa. While it was fun it could be slow to respond in certain situations. Ugh. Plus I see now the whole mid engine thing blows the bmw handling out of the water. The 987.2 is the last hydraulic steering model. Everything after this is steering by wire. Reviews say some road feel is lost in electronic steering. I'm sure it is but E steering has gotten very good over the years. The 987 is narrower, and shorter than the 981 and some people prefer it over the 981 , calling more raw feeling. I'm sure there is no denying the 981 is an amazing car also. A little lighter, more rigid, better driving according to the reviews. But some enthusiasts are saying the 987.2 delivers a more visceral driving experience. And that requires 3 pedals and an abundance of power in my book. I'm loving my choice. Bonus answer; you don't have to drive a bigger engine faster to enjoy it . Let it accelerate you quicker down the straight a ways, pull you harder out of the corner, or pass in a shorter distance. The old saying is true, there is no substitute for hp

A few fun facts... Base has lighter weight, S has bigger brakes, base 2.7L is not prone to cylinder bore scoring. Regarding being able to "wring out" the base due to lower HP: The S can also be wrung out, just to a lesser degree. 295 bhp is certainly not overkill for spirited driving on public roads. When my S was at stock power/tq levels, I was able to wind it out with relative ease on certain roads. I'm sure the base is still a fun car but, you may develop buyer's remorse afterwards thinking what could've been with the 3.4L.

I suppose you're referring to the 987.1 base? Does the same apply to the 987.2 2.9 engine vs the S?

I own the 2.7L with 100K miles on it and it's a lot of fun on the twisty's. I personally don't feel it's underpowered, it has a great chasis and is able to hold its own, even with other 997's.

I have a Base 987.1 and love it. There is always a more powerful version / Car out there. Im very happy with my Caymans power and Handling. Its also just a beautiful car to look at . I don't regret getting the Base Model at all. Just a side note . I don't track it or anything. I just drive around my Twisty country roads up here in the North East

Hello , i bought a Cayman 2.9 PDK , and before i had 996/94/930, to be honest the power on the road is more than sufficient, and if your use it for the racetrack the driver will make the difference, base or S !

The 987.2 engines are a completely new engine designed to address design flaws in the earlier engines. No IMS - so no IMS bearing . Much better oil scavaging (5 oil pumps) so no oil starvation in sustained high G turns. About 40 less moving parts in the engine according to Porsche , which makes 40 less parts to wear and break. I purposely looked for a 987.2 base. There were a few reasons - cost - the "S" goes for a real premium (about $4-6K) over the base. I was stretching my disposable budget with the base model. I didn't need the power, if I want power I have 500HP available in my turbo Cayenne . I didn't want direct fuel injection - all the 2.9 engines still used port-injection. While there is a slight loss in efficiency there is also a big gain in service needed. The port injection intake valves don't get coked up like DFI ones do, so lower running costs. And I like how the 2.9 feels in Sport mode (90% of my driving) with the PDK transmission . I believe somewhere in the past few days I made the same statement - it's more fun going fast in a "slow" car than it is going "slow" in a fast car. The base isn't slow - it has more than enough power to leave most cars at the light when the light changes, and enough power to make the handling fun in spirited driving. It's less likely to get me performance awards which is a good thing. I don't regret base over S - the base is what I was looking for and bought. Would I have bought an S? Only if it had been the same price as I paid for the base. I saw no reason to pay the premium for an S - I'll leave those to the people who race them... and there are a lot of those.

It all depends on the point of reference. For example if you come to a base 987 or 981 from some sterile car like an Audi sedan. If what youre really trying to do here is an argument that having the base car is better than not having it at all - absolutely yes. When I drive my 987.2S sometimes it's too slow for a head to head pull against american muscle, leaves me underwhelmed, but only a little bit. Maybe the key to my happiness is not ever downgrading my Porsche experience. I'm 100% sure that when I get used to a quicker P-car like a turbo 911 my 987.2S will feel slow. But maybe the 3.4 liter is the perfect match for the Cayman chassis. I drove both 2.7 and 2.9 engines and I see how they are good, efficient and enough. But the 3.4 gives you the theater above 6500 rpm that I think doesnt have anything to do with the chassis, is based on power and is the classic Porsche experience, for me. Edit: What Porsche did with the DFI 3.4 liter going to the 981 is moved the peak horsepower from 7200 to 7400 rpm - both cars have 320 bhp. It says quite a lot about the philosophy of the car, which again I think is pictured by the 2.9 liter very well.

Not sure how reliable this source is, but it says that only the 2009 2.9 engines had port injection on the Cayman (for the Boxster it lists port injection for 2009 through 2011), with the 2010 and 2011 having direct injection - 2009 Cayman (987 v2) | Specs | Excellence | The Magazine About Porsche . Do all 987.2 base have port injection? I completely agree about the reliability benefit with this. I've read enough direct injection valve fouling horror stories in the Focus ST engines, and am glad the BRZ has both port and direct injection to keep the intake valves clean. That's a very good way to look at it, and I think you are of the mind as me in this. Obviously for the same price, year, mileage and condition I'd probably grab an S over a base, but fat chances of that happening. From the specs the 987.2 in both base and S seem to be high revving. Since I like a high revving naturally aspirated engine, how much better is the S vs. the base in this regard?

Is there a lower set of gears available for north American drivers who want better gear selection and can't drive the autobahn.

I had a 981S PDK and now own a 987.2 base. I also own an NC2 MX5 which is similar to your BRZ. To me the base is more fun as a street car than the S as you get to go full throttle more often and the shorter 2nd gear of the base means you get to enjoy shifting gears. To answer the question about 981 vs 987. The 981 is a better car overall with a far nicer interior, more space and a better performing chassis (stiffer, wider front track). The trade off you make though is feeling, the 987 steering is just better and while the chassis isn't as good as the 981 it isn't bad at all! I'd buy a 987.2 base and spend your change on some nice Ohlins coilovers or Cayman R suspension bits.

Perfect! That's exactly my concern with getting the S. Thanks!

The 987.2 Base is plenty quick enough. I drive mine like I stole it and never think about an S. Cruise at 4k and run it up over 6k and you always have power.

I've owned all the same cars. Ex-GF had a 2013 BRZ when they came out. I owned a 2015 BRZ, totaled by a deer. 2016 Focus ST, sold when I moved to CA, great car, should have kept it. ...and now 2009 Boxster S with the PDK . My dad had a 987.2 base PDK and has now upgraded to a 2013 Boxster S PDK basically max optioned minus PCCB . I've autocrossed them all and tracked the Porsches. If my budget was ~$35k-$40k, I'd buy a 981 S. It's a more modern and nicer car. It's not any quicker than a 987.2 S. I'd actively seek out a car that has PASM , Sport Chrono , HID/Xenon headlights , ventilated seats. I wouldn't shy away from a good condition base 987.2 . The 2.9 is no joke. It runs high 13s from the factory. Unless your budget restricted, I'd wouldn't buy a 987.1 , the 987.2 is barely more for a superior AOS and oiling system. The 987.2 are likely bottomed out in resale value for the next few years. One downside to the hydraulic steering in the 987 is that the lines leak from time to time and aren't cheap. I can't speak for the reliability of the 981 e-steering, but I haven't heard/read anything. I've driven the 987.2 and 981 both on track. The steering feedback is slightly noticeable, nothing to whine about. It's not like the 981 has zero feel, just less then the 987.2 , which has some of the best around. Not gonna lie, I'll probably sell my Boxster in the next year or so and get a hail damaged BRZ as a trackcar. Cheaper consumables and event insurance won't feel mandatory. Message me if you have any questions.

I have a 987.2 base and love everything about it EXCEPT the crappy interior. That soft paint Porsche uses sucks. I found myself in a Hyundai rental at the airport wishing my Porsche had that interior. SMH

I have a 987.1 (06) base, and I love it. The car is capable of a lot more than I, as a driver, am capable of, so it suits me well. I don't track it, but there are a lot of twisty mountain roads where I live in California, and for that it is a perfect car. The lack of bore scoring in these engines is one more nightmare I don't have to worry about. I didn't need to buy more car than I was competent to drive.

0 to 60 the 981S is only 1.1 seconds faster than the Base. That 1.1 second wasn’t worth an extra $10K to me. I found a 2014 Base w/14k miles for $38k. Put and a used IPD plenum , 82mm tbody and FVD tune for $2K and I bet I can stay with any stock S anywhere.

Ditto, I have a 981 base with PDK and did the IPD plenum and the GT3 Throttle Body . Two good upgrades for not a lot of $$$. Getting ready to add the Cobb tune. I also have the Porsche Sport Exhaust which never fails to get compliments on the great engine sound of the naturally aspirated flat 6.

When I bought my 987.2 I had pretty much the same aims as you - fun, fun, fun. Never regret my decision buying the base - though tbh there weren't any 987.2S models available in my part of Australia at the time. I drove a few 987.1 S models ( Cayman and Boxster ) but in the end my 987.2 base with PDK and Sports Chrono gave me everything I was looking for. Nothing beats driving it in Sports mode on winding, hilly country roads (except maybe driving it in Sports + mode). I'd be surprised if you didn't love it too.

I was after a manual transmission 981 for the involvement factor - it's not a daily driver and is used mainly for recreational purposes. A low km manual 2.7 came up which ticked all the boxes (service history, 19" Sport wheels, colour, etc). I'm more than happy with the performance and never feel that I should have held out for an S. If I want to explore the limits of performance, shifting down a gear or two and running it to redline provides plenty of thrills. I'm not particularly concerned about the extra second it takes for the 0-100 kmh sprint compared to the S as I rarely want to do that anyway. Very happy with the base.

Nice to see a group hug for the base model drivers.

I just got a 987.2 2.9. Previous car was a modified ND Miata . To me, the core driving experience isn’t worlds better in the Porsche , but it is different and it offers things that you just don’t get with the Miata (and BRZ, though I haven’t driven one): It’s a Porsche. This either means something to you or it doesn’t. I’m a big fan of the brand and the motorsport heritage. It’s been a dream of mine to own one so just seeing the key on my key hook is a win. Build quality. All around, it just feels more solid and better engineered. The engine. The sound. The mid engine layout. All more exotic than the pedestrian offerings in the Subaru or Mazda. The looks. This is subjective and I still think the ND is a great looking car, but the Cayman is better. Practicality. This may be a wash coming from the BRZ, but coming from the Miata the two trunks and the hard top make it a lot more usable. The ownership experience. I’m already pretty impressed by PCA and going to Rennsport Reunion a couple years ago really made me set on getting one. Things that are notably different (granted only have had it for 2 weeks): The steering is sublime It feels a little heavier, but a lot more solid and rigid The traction limits are just not as accessible as they are in the BRZ or ND. More tire and more grip. It feels overall like a more serious car and less like a toy Its harder to heel toe at normal speeds. Doable when pushing it. Still getting used to it. The Miata was dead easy. Theres really not much going on below like 3500 rpms. Like it’s fine for cruising around but if you put your foot down it doesn’t do much. Above that and to redline it’s great and feels quicker than the ND but it’s not crazy. I can use all of first and second on the street or canyons but the top of third is pretty much highway only. In fact I can stay in second pretty much the whole time in the canyons, it’s right in the power band. I kind of wish the gears were a little shorter so you could shift more but it’s not too bad. Its harder to use the revs and power than the Miata which you can rag out all the time and still be going sane speeds. That’s good and bad. Mods are much more expensive. Its too quiet. I’m not a loud exhaust guy but what’s the point of having this engine if you can hardly hear it? I want to add the PSE. Service and maintenance is more expensive, everyone knows this. I’m finding that if you use an Indy shop it’s not that big of a deal though. Where I ended up was that an S would be nice but getting a .2 was most important along with condition. Having the updated engine is really nice, mostly for reliability and piece of mind but also the extra power. The other updates are also really nice and together make the whole car nicer. Even the brakes are the same as the S, minus red paint and some minuscule difference in the rear rotor size. I feel like the extra power of the S would be nice but you wouldnt be able to use it much. The large premium that the S commands was just out of my budget as well. If that weren’t the case I suppose it would have been a harder decision, but its the same exact car just with a little more power. With Porsche there is always some faster version. Good luck finding a .2 at all much less having a lot to choose from. A super nice 2.9 popped up near me and I jumped on it.

I wouldn't worry about having too much grip with a base model or an S. The way mine eats tires , in 2,000-3,000 miles the rears will have lost so much tread the rear end will step out easily. I bought a low mileage 2008 S in Chicago two years ago. It had almost new Michelins . By the time I drove it roughly 2,400 miles to my west coast home, the rears were almost gone. And that was driving conservatively. If you're going to challenge the twisties every day, you might think about buying an interest in your favorite tire store.

If you come from anything <250hp the regular Boxster/Cayman are great. More than enough to get into trouble anytime of the day. if you have other cars >300hp then you're going to feel it a little light on power. Personally, the only time I've ever felt a little slower than others is on the open track day where hp makes a bigger difference. #BoxsterCayman2.72.9grouphug

That's a good point. I came from a 265 hp Z4 when I wasn't driving a 438hp Mustang GT. I knew it was S or nothing for me. I'm happy with the way it accelerates out of the turns or when I step out to pass

07 base here - it's plenty of fun, especially considering the premium for S cars and the fact that the 2.7 seems to be less prone to score cylinder liners. Power doesn't really come in til you're halfway through the rev range which was a little disappointing off a dead stop compared the the VQ35 in my old Infiniti, but that just means I have more of an excuse to put my foot into it. Part of that may also be my reticence to dump the clutch at 3k and YOLO my way off a stoplight. The way the power comes on is interesting. Not sure if it's Zee German VTEC, but just over 4K and you can feel it go from mild-mannered commuter-car-mode to "More, please." If you can keep it above 4k it's more than fast enough, though I'm considering some light bolt-ons (intake, headers , tune, maybe a catback) to try and eke a little more out of the lower rev range in terms of both power and sound.

My 6 speed 2016 Base cayman is fast as hell and handling like rails. ( 20" wheels w pZeros) I live in a hilly area w plenty of turns. Without a turbo, you only need to keep revs over 4k to be fast. But even screwing around w a GT3 on the freeway where he easily is way faster. Due to other cars he could never get away from me. ( Yes we were going too fast 😁)

I didn’t have time to read all these replies and jumped to the end. I’m retiring (for me) my ‘07 2.7 5 speed Cayman at 220k and 13 winters of daily commuting on mountain roads in northern NY. I’m shopping 981 ’s and not even considering an S. Don’t want to pay for it. Don’t want to feed it. Don’t need more power or bigger brakes. That is all. Drive and enjoy. C.

After many years of searching for the right car, 2009-2012 base model Boxster (port fuel injection, no IMS ), I've been enjoying our new purchase for the past few months. I have to say I never really understood how good a car could handle. I've been experimenting to find the limits of its capability, but my limits as a driver seem to intervene. What a joy this thing is to drive.