Going Backward? Depends on your point of view :)

I'm trading a 2018 718S for a 2011 987.2 CS. My car holds are usually around three years and that's what this works out to be. Both cars are track prepped street cars for Track Day fun but also grocery getting. I am definitely going to be going slower on the track in the 987, but I only do that a few times a year at best right now. The trade is with a friend, who is excited to get back into a manual car as the 987.1 is a PDK. It will be my first PDK Porsche and lets see how much I enjoy it (or not) as I am a pretty dyed in the wool manual sports car driver. We will still have our 2001 986S with the 6 speed to practice heel and toe Obligatory Pics: https://www.planet-9.com/threads/im-baaaaack-997-1-gt3-718s.251840

If you are like me, you will enjoy your 987 immensely. I have a 987.2 and consider it one of the best cars ever made at a decent price point. Like you, I had a 718. It was a 2024 GTS 4.0. A very nice car and certainly more powerful than my 987. But I sold it after about 18 months of ownership. It was too fast for the street and too nice for the track. Plus, the 987 connects one to the driving experience in a way that newer models can’t touch. I know part of it is the hydraulic steering. But it’s more than that. Enjoy your new ride.

For those that haven’t looked at my post history, I had a 987.1 CS back in the day that I track prepared. It was Cobalt Blue Metallic which I loved. So this Aqua Blue Metallic is sort of a back to the future moment. https://www.planet-9.com/threads/2006-cayman-s-street-track-edition-sold.94345

I miss dearly my 987CS with the 6 speed transaxle..

I think you're going to love the PDK, I really love mine. When I get in a regular automatic-equipped car - the difference in shifting is immediately noticeable to me. The 987.2 PDK, in Sport mode (I assume it has sport/sport-plus?) makes shifts that are perfect - you can feel them, but they're never harsh. If you drive it in grandfather mode (I am a grandfather).. it gets smoother. If you decide to have some fun - the best way I can describe it - it tightens up. A regular automatic may change shift points, but it doesn't change shift personality/feeling. The PDK can do that, changing the speed of the clutch engagement.. The other day, on the way back from a few days celebrating Oktoberfest in the NY German Alps (Round Top area), the 987 seemed to be behaving oddly.. it didn't want to upshift until 7,000 RPM, then when downshifting it usually downshifted into the 7,000 RPM range. It made me think something was broken, so I started shifting it in manual mode with the paddles. That was fun, but I was still concerned about the transmission - why it was behaving like that.. finally I glanced down, and on the dash was "Sport PLUS" - I'd accidentally hit the SportPlus mode getting my sunglasses out of the little cubby, and didn't notice it. I pressed "Sport" button and all was right with the world. Enjoy your new car - I love the 2 tone interior. The 987 has had an odd effect on guys who regularly change cars due to boredom - it tends to stick around a lot longer.. you may find it's your forever car.

Thanks Don - I’m familiar with the PDK, as I have been fixing quite a few of them for others. In fact I replaced the distance sensor on this 987.2 last year. I just haven’t lived with one as a personal sports car transmission, and I haven’t driven said personal sports car on the track with a PDK. I did have a dual clutch automatic in my VW TDI SportWagon, but that was more about Wagon than Sport I’ve instructed many students with PDK vehicles and it makes their lives easy, shifts super fast and prevents money shifts so I get the appeal. My wife has driven some customer cars with PDK and stated “it feels weird to be driving a sports car with an automatic” - gosh I love her! So we shall see how the experience shakes out, I embraced rev matching on the 718 so I guess this is the next logical step. This 987.2 does have Sports Plus BTW.

CB RacerX. What seats are in the new car. They are really nice.

Folding Carbon Fiber Sport Bucket Seats as found on the Cayman R

Do it! Even if it's just for the exterior color and the two tone interior. That 987 is gorgeous.

It's happening on Friday.

For posterity, here is the detailed description of the 987.2 from the original owner (I will be owner #4) The car was ordered by me in aqua blue with a black full leather interior with deviating panels in natural brown. This car has been a labor of love. I waited to place my order until Porsche released the details on the Cayman R. At the time, the sport buckets, aero kit and 10 additional hp didn’t push my buttons, so I went ahead and ordered an S. Then I got bit by the track bug and in the years that followed, I ended up retrofitting the sport buckets, aero kit and Cayman R PSE (attributable to the additional 10hp that the R has over the S). Lesson learned that I probably should have gone with the R in the first place. The seat cushion covers were sewn up by Classic9 using Porsche leather to match the outgoing sport seats with deviating centers. I debated sewing some seat heaters into the cushion covers that I had made up. But because the car is garaged winters and the seats are warm due to their snugness already, I chose not to bother. The dash buttons and wiring remain though. Classic9 also wrapped the dash end caps in the same leather as I thought it looked odd with the black [plastic] end caps that it came with from the factory. They also wrapped the factory vinyl sunshades in black with stitching to match OE. Window sticker was ~$82k and I've been throwing money at it in the form of modifications with both hands since. This was done to make the car more track worthy (suspension), more durable (diff rebuild) and more luxurious (leather bits). Factory Options: -Design Package: (Package consists of wheels, mirrors, side vents, exhaust tips and "Cayman S" emblem in gloss black on the outside and gloss black dash trim strip, and center console horseshoe on the interior.) -Sport Chrono -PDK -PASM -LSD -Sport Design Steering wheel -Full Leather -PDK lever surround in Leather -Sport Seats (no longer have them) -Fire extinguisher (no longer have it) -Seat heaters -Deviating lower dash in natural brown -Deviating door panel inserts in natural brown -Deviating seat inserts in natural brown (no longer have the seats) Tasteful modifications that will come with the car: -PNR rebuilt LSD -PNR RSS anti-sways & adj drop links -RSS Front LCAs -RSS Toe Steer Kit with locking plates -Rennline front grill mesh -OE Cayman R PSE -OE Cayman aero kit -OE Sport Bucket seats* -Brey Krause sub bars -OE rear center console cover in leather with crest -Leather trimmed sun visors by Classic 9 -Leather trimmed lower dash end caps by Classic 9 -OE headlamp washer nozzles in exterior color -Rear diffuser mesh by porschemesh.com -Black vinyl headlamp trim by Ki Studios The PSE retrofit was a complete install. It is wired to a new switch panel and behaves as it would if it were ordered from the factory. The kit was pieced together by Suncoast as the R PSE isn’t available as a retrofit kit from Porsche. The midpipes are 5mm larger in diameter than the exhausts found on the S. All of the suspension work was done by either PNR or Chicago Performance and Tuning. The LSD rebuild was done by PNR. I have all of the receipts.

Swap completed. Both owners report being happy

You really can't go wrong with either a 987.2 or a 718. I own a 2011 cs that came with the design package that essentially includes the R aero. It's PDK. I bought it mostly for the track and I normally do 4 or 5 events each year. I searched for my car a long time and found one in 20. Although high mileage, the PPI was done at P dealer and it didn't provide any major concerns. It had 108k. Tracked for 3 years wo issues. Opportunity to purchase and R engine with 32k, switched it. Had it tuned which results in even quicker shifts. Great car for the track. Had an opportunity to buy/order a 718 4.0. I consider it a more refined car inside and out. The 4.0 is why I bought it and it doesn't disappoint me. Would love to take it on the track, but, not ready to do that. I am in the advanced groups and even though my car doesn't have the hp, like allows me to improve driving skills to improve speed and track times. My point is that both Caymans are great, the 718 is an updated and any view, improved version, while the 987.2 is more raw. Fortunately, I am able to have the best of both of these amazing cats.m

My other mid engine car these days is a 2001 986S - Lapis Blue with 50K miles. So the 2011 is the “new Porsche” in the stable at the moment. I have no complaints about the 718, it was a fantastic street and track car.

Love this Lapis Blue (and the Pepita interior of your former car!) Paint looks excellent! Looks like the stance is lower than stock? Any other modifications?

I was intrigued when I saw the title of your post "Going backward". This is what I did in 2019 when I sold my 981 Cayman GTS, considered by many to be the "dogs whiskers", but which didn't do it for me and bought a 987.2 Cayman Black Edition. They both have the PDK. Although I have taken them on a track, I mainly do road driving as I'm fortunate to live in a country with fabulous, open, empty, curvy roads. The difference was night and day- there is nothing which is better than that connected feeling through the steering, linear suspension and general tightness of the 987.2. I also acquired a 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 about a year ago and I'm not sure which car i enjoy more.