718 Cayman S vs 991.2 Carrera Base

I am going to be placing an order soon for a new Porsche . I have already test driven the 991.2 Carrera Base and loved it! I feel it's very underrated in comparison to it's big brother the S model. The new 991.2 base model is no slouch! Until recently I was set and had my mind made up, but now that the 718 Cayman was announced, I am reconsidering. I owned a Cayman R and loved it. It truly was a drivers car. In your guys / gals opinions, what is the better buy if you are looking for a drivers car? 718 Cayman S or 991.2 Carrera Base? They have identical performance numbers, but the 911 is 20k more with the same options!!! 911 definitely has the sound over the new Cayman in my opinion, but looking for others opinions as well. On paper I can't see why anyone would buy the 991.2 Base over the Cayman S ... Please enlighten me!

Try this same question on a 911 forum like ******** and I'm sure you will get very different answers. However, I would say the primary reason is a 6 cylinder engine rather than a 4. There are other intangibles like 911 history and iconic status but, ultimately, only you can decide if it is worth 20k more to you. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I can't wait to test drive the 718 because I think that will be the ultimate factor. There was always a gap in performance before resulting in an easier decision. With that gap now becoming irrelevant, it's a lot more difficult. Thanks for your response michael818.

I plan to order next year and I am in the same boat. I need to test drive both but I believe from a pure handling stand point the 718 will probably get the nod and definitely from a price point. I was all set on the Carrera S but now I am looking at the Carrera and that leads me to the 718 . My current C2 is pretty much stripped, still a blast to drive and way more car than I can push to the limits.

+1 to what Micahel said. I have a 981BS and I am buying a 991.2 base next year. I would also add that the +2 seats matter to me even though they are tiny. My fully grown son can fit in the back but not comfortabley. Since I want to keep the 981 , I need a four seater to transfer people in an emergency.

You have to decide what suits you and your budget. But since you asked, I would buy the base Carrera just for the flat six engine alone. I am not remotely interested in the 718 . Don't care how fast it is.

I will take the base 991.2. Here is my story and I am sticking to it - Want convertible get Boxster - Want coupe get 911 .

+1. I have both now. A 981B because I like the top down. A 991.2 C4S for a daily driver with AWD here in Wisconsin. As to handling, on a skid pad I can spin the 981B with PSM OFF but not with it ON. I cannot spin the C4S in either mode. I have Blackhawk coming up with Road America closely following and then I will have more experience to make an informed decision on which I like better on Track. With 1493 road miles on the C4S, it's a toss up but the 991.2 comes with a few things I think are options on the 718 like PCM , Apple CarPlay , Porsche Car Connect, Proximity Sensors, Rear Camera, PASM . So for a weekend vehicle the 718 fits the bill but for a daily driver, the 991.2 base simply outclasses the 718 base with standard features. Of course it costs more!-Richard BTW, I think a more sensible comparison is a 718 base a against a 991.2 base. You simply can't use the power of a base Porsche on the road. so why get an S. My 918B for three years has been simply awesome as a road car except that it sits in the garage during the winter. Not so the 991.2 C4S. I got an S because PTV Plus is standard on the S and the 20" Carrera Sport wheels are less.

I will lease or buy next year. I plan to drive both cars before I decide. I like the size of the Cayman / Boxster but I like a 6-cylinder engine and there is something to be said for making my last Porsche a 911 . (I started with a 911 35 years ago. I might as well end with one.)

Thanks for all the replies! I am still leaning towards a 991.2 Base. I do like the fact the S comes with torque vectoring and bigger front brakes though. Does anyone here that has a 991.1 or 991.2 and have an opinion on quality of non-upgraded interior? I may do without some of the luxuries to go with the S instead.

I have a 991.1 CS with base interior. The interior is fine and has never been a cause of concern to me. The fit and finish is top notch. Leather is nicer but much more expensive.I have PTV and am not really sure it makes much of a difference in daily driving, it may on the track. The brakes on a base 911 are the brakes from my S, I believe. You don't need anything bigger. Make an informed decision but decide what you want to do with the car before adding options that may be unnecessary for your use.

Madam (or Adam), I would absolutely get the "base" 991.2 over the 718. Of course it is more expensive, but you get a 6-cylinder twin turbo instead of a 4-cylinder turbo. Also, the 718 has gotten really expensive (85-90K if you order all the bells and whistles). I would rather pay 20K more for a base Carrera that is stronger and better equipped (see post #9). I have driven 3 991.2s recently and was very tempted to get one. The new Audi TT RS will be a very interesting car that would compete with the 718S at a slightly cheaper price. Mini Me

You would think that the TT RS would provide close competition with the 718S, but isn't the TT built on the VW Golf platform? So for those who track their cars, they may find the TT wanting. On the other hand I expect that the vast majority of TT owners will not track their cars, and in that case the TT RS and 718S may be very competitive since I expect that their turbo 4 engines will have similar outputs. Moreover, the TT may have the edge since Quattro makes the Audi a great car for those who encounter snowy wintery conditions.

Thank you all for the input! Here is my resting place "for now" on what I will be ordering: Porsche Code I tried to go pretty basic and only added the comfort features I need since this will be a daily driver. I don't really have much interest in the upgraded seats as the base are very comfortable to me. Thanks again and let me know how this looks or if you have suggestions!

Your build looks great. I too am very comfortable in the standard 4 way seats. In my next one I will upgrade to at least the 4 way Sport Plus seats. However, I have really short legs and by the time I get the seat far enough forward for proper clutch/brake operation, it is difficult for me to get in and out of the vehicle. I don't want to manually slide the seat and readjust it every time I drive the car so the next one might very well have the 14 or 18 way memory seats. That is a function I will use EVERY time I drive the car.

I'd lean towards the 991.2 , I love my 987.2 but prefer the 6 over any 4 .

The turbo issue aside, my experience choosing a boxster or a 991 came simply down to go-kart versus GT.

I had a 2016 CGTS as noted in previous posts. It was a beauty but the Exhaust drown did me in. I had a 2013 911 base cab previously and found that the 911 was more roomy inside and just a better all around dd. I seldom took my wife in the Cayman as compared to often in the 911 (you have to determine if that's good or bad for your circumstance). The Cayman 's msrp was 98k. I bought it pre-owned for 83k plus $2,200 to have it certified. it only had 2,400 miles when I bought it and around 7k when I sold it. I owned it for 6 months and took a beating on it. I got 71,500 from the dealer. I traded it for a Macan Turbo which I currently own. It's a great car but I'm going back to a 911 .2 S. Can't get that 911 sensation out of my mind. I believe the 911 will hold it's value better than a Cayman . Either way, If your getting a Porsche , it's a good dilemma to have! Good luck

I created a 718 Cayman S for $120,000 on the configurator. Yes it can be done and it's not hard. Ceramic brakes and natural leather interiors help, as do PDK , PASM and Sport Chrono . And that was before I added the Burmeister stereo. All that said, even if I were to win the PCA raffle I wouldn't build a $120k Cayman .