Carrera 996 Vs Cayman

With a budget of £35k I can either get a 2003 Carrera 2 or a 2005 Cayman S Whats better and why? And... does anyone else think that the back end of a Cayman looks like the back end of an elephant? (as in its not attractive). Mind you the Caymen is quite modern inside... something that the 996 certainly is not.

Are you a hairdresser? If so, buy a Cayman Otherwise, get a 996...... Actually, I can't post anything useful as I've never driven a cayman. Supposedly very good handling but so has a 996 so...... But if new and modern is your thing then the cayman might win.... it's really a personal preference thing. You need to decide which one you'd prefer weighing up the pro's and cons of each.

996 or cayman I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM, TRYING TO DECIDE BETWEEN A 996 3.4 OR 3.6. SAVED MYSELF 6K AND BOUGHT A 3.4 AND IM COMING FROM A MODERN AUDI TT! PERSONALLY THINK THE 996 IS A PROPER CAR, WHILST A CAYMAN IS SLIGHTLY CONFUSED ABOUT ITS IDENTITY, WHICH IM SURE IS NOW REFLECTING IN POORER RESIDUALS. IN THE END ITS DOWN PREFERENCE. BEST O LUCK

Actually I am a hairdresser! The Audi.. is the the new one.. or the older shape... What do you guys reckon on the shape of the Cayman. I dont get this concept of 'its not really a car' and its 'confused'. Its a car, but is it better then the older 996... and maybe your right.. its each to their own. For sure in terms on performance the Cayman is not as good as the 997 as it sits between the 997 and Boxster. But... is it better then the 996 which is older... get what i mean? cheers chaps!

cayman i had the last of the old tts, 240 sport model, nice! new tt is v.nice especially with dsg but still not a 911 and in my mind the caymen is the same, yes its a porsche, but not a legendary 911! purists will of course say the previous 993 was the best, being air cooled but whatever, when you have that 911 bacge you feel very special indeed. If you drive the tt every day then you want the 996, for a more focused buy the cayman. I dont mind the cayman at the back, not as pretty as a 911 but hey, what is! Drive both and only you can decide!

The Cayman is the reason I actually own my 996. I have to go past the Mayfair OPC everyday and they had an all black Cayman S with black wheels in the window that just looked stunning. After a few weeks I mentioned it to a pistonhead friend who suggested looking at 911's. For 10k less than the price of that car I could get a very good example of one of the best Porsches. It was an easy descision and less than a week later the holding deposit had been paid. Not a day goes by without me admiring my 996 and it's all thanks to that Cayman. At the end of the day go with your heart. Alot of people put too much emphasis on residual values but you can't put a value on the size of your smile as you turn that Porsche key

Hi Ameer - agree with you on the looks of the Cayman - not to everyone's tastes and IMO a 996 looks much better. The Cayman might win on handling due to its later design and technology and the fact its mid-engined but it's true - a 911 will make you feel better. I also think the Cayman is confused too. You pay more for it than a similiarly mechanical Boxster but have no folding roof and also looks less attractive, again IMO. ~ Maxie

Depends whether it is fulfilling the everyday role or as a second car. if I had to use it every day it would have to be the Cayman. It is more modern, refined, rides a bit better and being a bit annoymous you could leave it anywhere. It would easily do the daily grind as well as a 3 series coupe. Although some do use a 996 as their daily drive - depends on how many miles pa However, I didn't get that sense of occasion that I get from the 996, it didn't feel special and it is worth remembering the Cayman S is £45K the 996 C2 was nearly £60K The Cayman feels more "mass produced" the interior is not fantastic in terms of quality and look. By most standards it sounds great but not as good as a 996 especially with PSE. All in all a bit souless - like a BMW It is a great handling car - very benign and easy to drive closer to the limit. I drive the 996 (mine doesn't have PSM) with a bit more respect. Smile factor has to go the 996. An object of desire, the kind of car you turn back to look at when walking away from it. The Cayman is more of an appliance, much more every day. Both great cars though. They just tick different boxes. One last thought - The 996 felt quicker. Not sure if it because of the noise, mine is a 3.4 so 300hp and 250 odd lb/ft torque along with the weight all very similar to a Cayman S

Have a drive of them both. My guess is that the 996 will hit you with more soul. Cayman is a superb car though by all accounts, just not quite sure about the looks. Also, the 2+2 seating in the 911 is the icing on the cake for me. That said, if funds ever allowed, I could really fancy one of the Caymans built by RUF. In many ways, I'd prefer a Boxster 3.4s to a Cayman- somehow the Roadster bit is more appealing.

kahostheory i totally agree with you!!! The cayman seems to be an appliance...! Also the Boxster 3.4s... has real issues... check out the readers views on www.whatcar.co.uk!

Imagine that you have a Cayman, then imagine how you would feel driving it down the road and a 996 crusises by, or perhaps you park next to one in a car park - which car would you rather own? That's the process I went through when I purchased my Porsche - I chose a 2004 C4S and boy did I make the right decision! Ray

Has to be 911 The 911 is the car we all aspired to as a kid, you just have to have owned one in your life. The Cayman - is Microsoft to the 911's Apple Mac People just look at you differently, and it will never be boring and bland, it puts a smile on my face, and if I am passing the garage I will look in and admire the rear of my C4S, maybe a bit sad, but wanted one since I was a kid, now have one and tottally love it! You know it makes sense............ Cheers Paul