I put down deposits of $1000/each to be number one on my local dealers Cayman and
Carrera
4S list today. The Cayman has a projected build date of January and the
Carrera
has no future date projected.
So 'which to go for?' I've owned seven Porsches and four have been
911
varations. I've never owned a mid-engined car and they have always appealed. The price difference is substanial but not something I could not overcome. The only concerns I have about the Cayman are its interior size and the upcoming non-S model which could eliminate its rarity. I'm 62 and don't plan on buying too many more sports cars.
I've owned the 996 C4S and the 997 version is supposed to be even better. I would say it really depends on what you are looking for in your car, start a list of pros and cons for each and see what you come up with, feel free to post them here and let people add on and see what others come up with, might be fun!
If I were in your shoes (i.e., if I had the money and an agreeable wife), I'd spec out both so as to be easily resalable (i.e., no funky one-off options or odd colors). Then I'd take a look at the Cayman when it comes in, and if I didn't like it, I'm sure the dealer would sell it (check with him first) to someone else (probably fora premium) , as long as he still had your deposit in for the 4S.
Also, you could take the Cayman, drive it for a while, and then when the 4S comes in, make a similar decision described above. Even if the 4S comes in 12mos later, my bet is that the Cayman will still be in high demand and you'll get great resale on it if you decide to take the 4S instead.
IMHO
BTW, at 48, this is my first Porsche. At 62, I'm hoping that the
Carrera
GT will still be around, or...?
I think you have to ask yourself whether you will be looking at
911s
while you are driving around in a Cayman. Those of us on this board want a Cayman because it's a Cayman, not a wannabe
911
. I liked my Boxster but I wanted a coupe and more HP,but it wasn't available, now it is. The Cayman is my first pick, not an alternative to something else. Usually when we 'settle' for something less than what we really want we're disappointed.
Well said, DaveC. I also love the
911
, but I am not buying a Cayman to get "as close" as I can afford to a
911
. If I wanted a
911
I would decide whether or not to buy one. Right now I want to buy a Cayman.
Many folks say, why not spend a little more and get a stripped base
911
. That's not the point. I don't want a stripped base
911
. A 997S similarly loaded to my Cayman is an entirely different story and more than $20K more. But it is not just a price issue it is also an issue of what I want now. That would be a
Cayman S
.
By the way, I drove a new Boxster S today, to be sure I would be happy without
PASM
. Only my second drive in a 987S. Man, I love that car. What a blast. My
M3
felt like a boat afterwards. I can't wait until I get my
Cayman S
in March.
It feels good...I am finally rock solid on my specs.
Good thoughts. I guess I'm after something that I will be satisfied with for ten years or so. The Cayman certaintly is not viewed as a
Carrera
subsitute. I'm trying to decide which is best for me for the long haul. Good looks, performance, winter driving, not 'in your face' are all attributes that attract and which eliminated a lot of other contenders.
