Alpine A110 S vs Cayman 981 S - Page 1 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

I currently have a 987.2 Cayman S (manual) I don't know if the clutch has got heavier or me older (60) and perhaps a bit weaker. Now and then I'm getting pain in my knee and hip from driving the manual. I never previously thought the clutch was that heavy although other people who drove the car said it was. So now I'm looking at upgrading to a Cayman 981 S, whilst looking at them and working out my finances. I came across the Alpine offer at the moment 0% interest on a new car, this got me thinking. I also noticed that they can have issues and that Alpine (the company) aren't always immediately helpful. My question here is has anyone done the move from a Cayman 981 to an Alpine or vice versa and their opinion of the car and drive. Should I post this in the Alpine forum? Thanks Pakora

The Alpine has an absolutely terrible record for reliability with something like 75% of owners having a complete breakdown. Here's the Which reliability rating of which they are one of the least reliable cars. Now Porsche may not be perfect, but they are vastly better than that...

I have a 718 Spyder and an Alpine S. I like them both, perhaps not surprisingly. The Alpine is lighter (c300kg or 25% I think) and breathes a bit more with the road. The Spyder is heavier, stiffer and subdues the road. The Spyder has more power, but largely offset by the added weight. Similar cars point to point, at least in practical everyday driving terms, but they go about their job in different ways. Gearing is different and noticeably shorter in the Alpine. The Alpine is a bit lower key and generally attracts positive interest. The porsche is more recognised and not always happily. There have been some Alpine issues. There was a fuel pump problem, but largely fixed under recall. There is also some paint oxidisation on wheel arches on some cars, but generally fixed under warranty. There’s not much else that I’d refer to as endemic. On the flip side, my Spyder has had two engine mounts replaced under warranty which has been tedious. Edited by jimmyslr on Monday 20th January 17:52

Johnson897210 said: The Alpine has an absolutely terrible record for reliability with something like 75% of owners having a complete breakdown. Here's the Which reliability rating of which they are one of the least reliable cars. Now Porsche may not be perfect, but they are vastly better than that... What website is that please?

MannyLon said: Johnson897210 said: The Alpine has an absolutely terrible record for reliability with something like 75% of owners having a complete breakdown. Here's the Which reliability rating of which they are one of the least reliable cars. Now Porsche may not be perfect, but they are vastly better than that... What website is that please? Which - a national UK consumer publication, should be fairly well known. it's subscription only but I can share the next page as well if it helps: Alpine was bottom of the table, i.e. least reliable.

Had a 981, 987, 911 and an Alpine. Very different cars in many respects. The Alpine was by far the most comfortable cruiser over long distances - it's quiet and supple at a cruise and the seats are cosseting. It's not as practical as the Caymans but not a deal breaker. The Porsches are heavier and you can really tell the difference. They do have a better soundtrack and you can get them in manual. I once drove the Alpine up to the Lakes from London to run an ultra marathon and drove back the next day. It was very ideal and I got back feeling perfectly fine and as fresh as I could be. I couldn't have done that with the others even if they were PDKs. In fact some longer drives just left me feeling drained with the others. That being said, I always felt invigorated driving old 911s over long distances as they are so engaging. All my modern Porsches have had problems. Engine / transmission mounts, wiper blades, exhaust flaps, faulty stereo / electrics, blisters on trims amongst others. My Alpine had a small paint defect which was rectified quickly and I had another A110 loan car for a couple of weeks so the service I got was fine. No other issues. I'm aware of the starter motor issue though that other owners have had. I'm a big fan of both Caymans and Alpines - they do different things well and I don't think I could split them. I do think the Alpine is easier to drive and more comfortable though and It doesn't lose out on fun even if the engine doesn't sound as good.