Best options on your cayman 981 - Page 3 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

Hey Folks There is a nice Cayman coming into our local dealerships that i am looking to purchase, but i noticed that it does not have PASM and a few other options i was looking for. With that being said, if i decide to order my own i was wondering if there were any options that others have that you like or dislike and what you would have added if you had the chance ? Thanks MB

Hello, Just to get an idea of what you are looking for, what are the options you were thinking of? It's all going to get very subjective when asking for options. For us, buying a Porsche (any) was a big milestone - which we still grin about. But not only that, we went for electric memory seats and are so glad we did. There is 1ft height difference between us and so we'd been promising ourselves a set long before we knew which car to get! Likewise PDK which leads to the obligatory sports wheel so that you have paddles. Others will no doubt add their views about exhausts, different wheels and another button on the central console. They are absolutely right. For them.

Scottish981insch said: Hey Folks There is a nice Cayman coming into our local dealerships that i am looking to purchase, but i noticed that it does not have PASM and a few other options i was looking for. With that being said, if i decide to order my own i was wondering if there were any options that others have that you like or dislike and what you would have added if you had the chance ? Thanks MB I love these posts lol as every one likes what they like Buckets seats Sports chassie PSE Sports crono Full leather. Sports steering wheel Manual xenons must haves imo ;-)

For me this is a massive purchase so i want to make sure i have it 100% or as close as possible. Options i was thinking about that are not on the vehicle coming in are: PASM Bose Carbon steering wheel Bucket Seats - are they comfy for long trips ? 20" Carrera S in Satin (they are Black, but unsure if they are all black or partially with the lip stainless) It has PDK, Sport Chrono Pack, and Sport Exhaust (which is what i wanted), but unsure if i should hold out and just order everything i want... More curious about the PASM opposed to what comes standard, Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) incl. mechanically locking rear differential, and also if the power steering plus is any better or worse... Probably going to get "each to there own answers" , but thought i would ask anyways... Cheers

If I could go back, I would add heated seats (was frickin freezing yesterday!) and cruise control (helps me get good consumption in our Q5 on the motorway). I opted for PASM, but tbh, I haven't driven it in "sport chassis" for more than a few minutes as the roads locally are getting a bit crap - perhaps the passive sports chassis would have been a better option (and cheaper)? The most impressive option (so far) to me is the PDSL - the lights are awesome down a country road and the swivelling function really helps you to keep the pace up. PSE is pretty good, PTV I'm not sure on, as I didn't drive a car without it, but I know it flicks through S bends like anything, then again the Sport Chrono gearbox mounts will be having an input also? I am also pleased with the Bose and the Sports Plus seats are great, more comfortable than the adaptives from my last car. Edited by nsm3 on Thursday 21st November 17:06

If its your DD or only car: PASM - Yes (best of both worlds crappy road surfaces or great driving roads) BOSE - Yes Carbon steering wheel, no leather or Alacantara but you can always add this afterwards if you really want one. Bucket seats - yes they are comfortable for long trips but they are a pain to get in and out of if you are parked with anything next to you. 20" Carrera S in Satin - Wheels make or break the look of a lot of cars but how long do you spend looking at it rather than driving it so 50/50. I dont have BOSE and wish I did, the sound pack plus isnt great especially when using an Ipod. I do have Bucket seats which really are great when your driving but started annoying me at times when getting in and out. Even when you park in a reasonable space when you come back find some a... has parked too close.

nsm3 said: If I could go back, I would add cruise control (helps me get good consumption in our Q5 on the motorway). Edited by nsm3 on Thursday 21st November 17:06 Cruise is a simple retrofit for under £500 (iirc) from OPC

The above picture could almost be my car. Without listing all for which I opted, PDK with the sports steering wheel, PASM and PDSL are all brilliant. If you're spending a fair chunk of dosh, make the thing as you would wish otherwise you will always be wondering........

Ah cheers Pope, that's good to know.

Also regarding Power steering plus, personally really dont like it but might be worth checking with OPC if it can be disabled as think its only software.

Tick the option for the removable roof.

Spec a 987.2 S. :-)

Guys Thanks for the advice. I think maybe the best thing to do is go and see the car when it comes in and see what its like. Showed my 8 year old son a few pics and videos (with PSE) and he was like "man that's pretty awesome. Your crazy buying that awesome car " lol ! Had a E46 M3 CSL 6 years ago and after that it was family time and moved to Audi A4's and now currently 11' Q7. Finally in the position again to get a weekend toy (wife said i could treat myself for my 30th ) and I've grown up around Porsches so when the 981 cayman came out I knew it was going to my first. Must admit I have been tempted by a used r8 v10 's but after driving the cayman it leaves you wondering what more you could really want out of a car. Well excited , even writing this thinking about being a Porsche owner is giving me a massive grin on the face haha - Dad would be proud ! Only downfall is getting this car in Jan , not sure how many times it will actually get out the stable. Any good Porsche club meets throughout the year to go to or any other meets worth heading to ? Cheers MB

Scottish981 said: Only downfall is getting this car in Jan , not sure how many times it will actually get out the stable. Just get a winter wheel set and you'll be happy using it whatever the weather. S

Depending on weather and how much salt they are throwing about in my neck of the woods will depend on if i get a set of winter tyres, but we'll see...May not be that bad Thanks for the advice Moose, i'll need to have a look at that as its not something i was really paying attention to

^full leather is fantastic IMHO.

i got a 2.7 981, basalt black, full black leather, red seat belts, dab radio, ipod connection etc, no nav, sports steering wheel, pdk, 19 inch cayman s wheels, no ptv or pse,but have the sports exhuast tip, my only issue is it aint loud enough! so new exhaust is on the cards!

From my experience there are 4 essential options. Sports Exhaust PASM (if not you get sPASMs in the back) Heated Seats Electric seats

esp a 2 seater one lol, I never move mine bar the day I bought it. leather dash is the big one imo, the cars without really look cheap for a car like a Porsche for £50k+ not having full leather would be a deal breaker these days.

it's not about moving the seat!! It's about adjusting the angle of the base etc so you are properly supported (legs, lumbar etc), the electric seats are far more adjustable than the standard seats. I reckon a lot of people sell their cars early because they can't get comfortable in the seats, especially in a sports car where the seat is low and that can induce bad backs and sciatica in people with no prior history of back problems... I've heard lot's of stories on this forum like that.

One thing you will not need is a rear wash/wipe and I am glad I didn't spec it for my 981 Cayman. Even in quite heavy rain, the rear window stays dry. It gets wet of course when you are stationary but as soon as you start moving, it clears. I would agree with those who say that the bucket seats are comfortable when you are driving, but they make it more difficult to get in and out especially for passengers who aren't used to them. I have done track days in my car and haven't yet felt the need for grippier seats than the Sport Plus ones in my car.

Why not go and drive a base car, then ask yourself "what part of the experience is lacking?" and spend your money to adjust the car to your taste. Otherwise you can easily blow £10k on things you don't really need.

Interesting comments. For me, not sure if it is worth getting BOSE as I have found interior is noisy from tyres on poor quality roads and don't get me started on some motorways. Point being, try one with and without as you may not be able to hear difference during your regular drives.

One of my few options was the Bose. It's a bit pricey but IMO gives a good result. I'm surprised by your comments about tyre and motorway noise. I find my Boxster S incredibly quiet - on standard wheels and suspension.

The view on planet 9 seems to confirm the Boxster cabin is quieter than the Cayman, due the the engine cover not being inside the car?

nsm3 said: The view on planet 9 seems to confirm the Boxster cabin is quieter than the Cayman, due the the engine cover not being inside the car? This is also the case with 987's too.

nsm3 said: The view on planet 9 seems to confirm the Boxster cabin is quieter than the Cayman, due the the engine cover not being inside the car? That's an interesting thought. When I previously owned a mid-engined coupe there was an additional glass screen behind the cabin - I think the Cayman goes without.

Thanks for all the help guys. Just bought a Cayman S within Edinburgh Porsche group thats sitting in a holding unit just now (well it was until this morning ) Options below: Bottom of Form Cayman S OPTION 567 Top tinted windscreen OPTION 710 Floor mats (choose from list) TOPCLR 0Q White INTERI AZ Black leather interior OPTION P13 Automatically dimming interior egrated rain sensor OPTION 748 Electric folding outside mirrors OPTION 666 Telephone module for PCM OPTION 844 Multi-function steering wheel OPTION 342 Seat heating OPTION 573 2-zone automatic air condition OPTION 220 Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) ar differential OPTION 475 Porsche Active Suspension Management OPTION 250 Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) OPTION 636 Park Assist front and rear OPTION 446 Wheel Caps OPTION 427 20-inch Carrera S Wheels in Satin Platinum OPTION 810 Floor mats OPTION P23 Porsche Communication Management module with universal audio in OPTION 680 BOSE® Surround Sound System OPTION XFJ White instrument dials OPTION CGJ White - Sport Chrono stop clock OPTION CPK Vehicle key painted OPTION XLF Sports exhaust system (incl. s BDYCLR 0Q White OPTION 640 Sport Chrono Package with dynamic Total: Had a couple of things i wasn't so fussed on like folding mirrors, 2 zone climate air conditioning, and multifunction steering wheel, but overall it had the spec i was looking for. Could have been doing with the Full leather on door cards and dash though ! With all that being said they even took £3k off the price tag too. Collect in a couple of weeks (hopefully) !!!

Scottish981insch said: Hey Folks There is a nice Cayman coming into our local dealerships that i am looking to purchase, but i noticed that it does not have PASM and a few other options i was looking for. With that being said, if i decide to order my own i was wondering if there were any options that others have that you like or dislike and what you would have added if you had the chance ? Thanks MB Assuming we're talking about a manual 2.7. The standard suspension is just fine on the 981 (yay!). The car even sounds good so I'm not sure I'd even bother speccing the sports exhaust. Indeed after I'd driven it, I wondered what options I'd bother with at all and couldn't really think of any that were worth dishing out for. nsm3 said: The view on planet 9 seems to confirm the Boxster cabin is quieter than the Cayman, due the the engine cover not being inside the car? The 981 Boxster is eerily quiet considering it's a soft top. Yep, better than the Cayman too! Couple that to an utter lack of any scuttle shake and I'd have a tough call now going for a Cayman over a Boxster. Especially with the Boxster being cheaper. When there's no downside to the roof being up, then there's only the upside of the roof coming down when it's sunny. Edited by juansolo on Wednesday 4th December 10:32

If I were buying a 981, I would not even think about one that didnt have: (1) Manual gearbox (PDK bores me). (2) Sports chrono. (3) Full leather - cheap dash just isnt right. (4) PASM if, but only if, you live somewhere with horrific road quality (e.g. London and most of the country). (5) Phone prep. (6) Sports buckets if you are cool with getting in and out. Otherwise, you are pissing money up the wall. Porsche options are absurdly overpriced - see, e.g., the PCM for about 3 times its market value.

It's funny that the same people who go on about modern Porsches being too capable would spec PTV and thereby make the car even more of an absurd cornering machine.

Does anyone know if you can get an OPC to get full leather dash and door cards ordered and fitted if not on a vehicle they have ?

I suspect that such retrospective fitting is probably not on, but if it was then the price would be prohibative. After a test drive of a Cayman 981 back in June and then having placed an order, the remarks on this forum which denigrated the standard dash concerned me somewhat to the extent that I went back to the OPC to see what I had done. Another look confirmed my original impression - there's nothing wrong with the standard dash. I've now done 5000mls behind my "cheap dash" and I have to say it's still a pleasure to get into each day. The material is a soft touch, textured synthetic material which is as good, if not better, than that on my previous Audi TTS and much nicer than the stuff used on the wife's Beemer. Usual disclaimers.

I've done 6,000 miles in my almost base Boxster S. Haven't found much to gripe about yet - except the ghastly electric parking brake.

Radish said: I suspect that such retrospective fitting is probably not on, but if it was then the price would be prohibative. After a test drive of a Cayman 981 back in June and then having placed an order, the remarks on this forum which denigrated the standard dash concerned me somewhat to the extent that I went back to the OPC to see what I had done. Another look confirmed my original impression - there's nothing wrong with the standard dash. I've now done 5000mls behind my "cheap dash" and I have to say it's still a pleasure to get into each day. The material is a soft touch, textured synthetic material which is as good, if not better, than that on my previous Audi TTS and much nicer than the stuff used on the wife's Beemer. Usual disclaimers. Totally agree. I'm very happy with the standard dash on mine. Better things to spned money on. IMHO.

Folding mirrors for me and their intelligence

^In my 2013 Box they're not particularly intelligent. I partly wanted them for the puddle lights, but they only fold down when the engine is started, rather than what most cars do which is fold down when the car is unlocked. So the puddle lights are kinda useless. "They all do that sir" Any change on the 2014 cars? S

stevod said: ^In my 2013 Box they're not particularly intelligent. I partly wanted them for the puddle lights, but they only fold down when the engine is started, rather than what most cars do which is fold down when the car is unlocked. So the puddle lights are kinda useless. "They all do that sir" Any change on the 2014 cars? S you can set them to fold in on locking and fold out on unlocking using the lever that controls the extreme right display.

Really?! I thought the only option was for them to fold or not, rather than when. Is it an option that isn't on the PCM screen? I'll look tomorrow. S

SFO said: you can set them to fold in on locking and fold out on unlocking using the lever that controls the extreme right display. Sadly, I was right. S

stevod said: SFO said: you can set them to fold in on locking and fold out on unlocking using the lever that controls the extreme right display. Sadly, I was right. S sorry, I must be mis remembering how they worked on my 981S ..

Scottish981 said: Had a E46 M3 CSL was it the yellowy greeny one i have seen in the village a few times?

Pretty sure all CSL's were black or grey?

istoo said: was it the yellowy greeny one i have seen in the village a few times? Mine was grey and sold it quite a while ago. They did only come in black or grey so wouldn't have been mine...

Scottish981 said: Mine was grey and sold it quite a while ago. They did only come in black or grey so wouldn't have been mine... Sorry was a bit worse for wear when i wrote this. Utterly. I have an E46 M3 at the moment which is rarely used. I have been contemplating what to replace it with, considering a Cayman S, scanned PH and caught this thread... anyhow, I would love to hear how you are getting on with it, with specific reference to how it feels over the M3, specifically as a weekend car for me. Apologies, I wasnt intending a privacy invasion. Edited by istoo on Wednesday 8th January 21:17