"B_dol" (bdolan40)
03/03/2015 at 11:05 • Filed to: None
3
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"B_dol" (bdolan40)
03/03/2015 at 11:05 • Filed to: None | 3
| 21 |
I have a confession to make. Over the past few years my passion for all things Porsche has grown to worrisome levels, enough to spark a dedicated "911" emergency fund (hah, get it!). I don't need Chris Harris, Matt Farah or the duo to convince me Stuttgart engineers have produced valhalla in car form. Agile. Low. Fast. Simple, yet elegant lines. Even 12 yr old me agreed, amassing all too many diecast models and appreciating German heritage through EA Sports Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed.
In a little over a year I will begin to seek my very own Porsche, but that has not stopped my mind from compiling the list of leading ladies. My requirements are simple, it needs to be MT and go like hell in the canyons. So far the contenders are as follows
Porsche 987 Cayman R
Porsche 987 Boxster Spyder
Porsche 997 Carrera S or GTS
Let's revisit that confession. I have yet to drive any Porsche. Minor itty bitty detail. My short time in the driving community has blessed me with the opportunity to pilot a Nissan GT-R, Ferrari F430, Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Gallardo, BMW Z4M, BMW E30 (s54 swap), Corvette C5 Z06, Camaro Zl1 and more… Alas no Porsche, not even a ride in a passenger seat.
While I work on that, let's dive into my desire for the following gems.
Porsche 987 Cayman R
Purchasing a Cayman R would be a no brainer, it's a performance hound of high regard and a worthy replacement for my tuned Scion FR-S built from the same ethos. The subtle mechanical and functional changes make for a unique car capable of the commute, canyon run and track day. How to spec it? Red with black wheels or dare I say black (PITA cleaning).
Porsche 987 Boxster Spyder
This represents everything inside the Cayman R without the roof. Arguably the collector item if you can live without a real roof. I live in CA, this may not last. I feel like everyone needs a roofless steed at some point and I love the looks even if folks find it polarizing. Specs? Silver or Black (blue seems impossible to find in MT).
Porsche 997.1 Carrera S
What can I say? My original dream car, the real deal no questions asked. My only concern is that the Carrera will be more expensive to purchase, own and maintain. It will feel commonplace in CA at the Whole Food parking lot and attack the canyon's and track with slightly less purpose. Ohh, and the girlfriend (to-be partial financier) loves the 911 and hates the Cayman/Boxster looks. Specs? Blue or dark grey, without a doubt.
Weigh in with your opinions, ownership experience and passenger seat ride offers below. Stay tuned for the next article, when I finally get a chance to enjoy the Porsche experience.
Brian Silvestro
> B_dol
03/03/2015 at 11:09 |
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I'd rather have a Carrera GTS over a Cayman R, but not a Carrera S.
CB
> B_dol
03/03/2015 at 11:17 |
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Get the 987 in green, please. One of my favourite colours.
K-Roll-PorscheTamer
> Brian Silvestro
03/03/2015 at 11:18 |
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You may only if it is this one, and I'm calling dibs on it first.
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Brian Silvestro
> K-Roll-PorscheTamer
03/03/2015 at 11:19 |
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I don't understand
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K-Roll-PorscheTamer
> Brian Silvestro
03/03/2015 at 11:28 |
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You can only haz dis one and I called dibs
alwaysmiata
> B_dol
03/03/2015 at 11:37 |
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My father has a 987.2 boxster S, I've actually driven it a good bit as well as a 997.1 Carrera non-s. So I can't give you a perfect comparison, but I am guessing that the delta between a boxter spyder or cayman r and a 997.1 S would be pretty similar.
Anyway, the boxster S was definitely, noticeably, a better drivers car, it just felt smaller around you and like you were more connected with it (and all that other standard crap you read in magazines). I really finally understood why people gush about boxsters and caymans, it honestly felt so much better than anything I had driven before and made my miata feel like a toy. Also if you get a 987.2 you don't have to worry about the dreaded IMS failure YAY! But in the end if you want a better GT car the 911 is still amazing to drive and more comfortable.
P.S. Porsche unleashed is, in my eyes, the best game EA ever made. I spent so many hours playing it, I'm gonna have to dig it back out now.
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B_dol
> alwaysmiata
03/03/2015 at 14:42 |
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Haha yes the EA game is awesome! Can't understand why they haven't released anything similar since.
To be honest I already own an FR-S, and the Cayman is a car built out of the same ethos. That makes the Boxster Spyder and 911 more appealing as it gives me a slightly different driver experience. Hoping Porsche releases a new Spyder so used values will fall :)
SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
> B_dol
03/03/2015 at 14:47 |
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Cayman R. No competition. That's the one to get. Be wary of expensive repairs, though. I know a guy who needed to get the diff replaced on his, and um, yeah. $14k.
Jonathan Harper
> B_dol
03/03/2015 at 14:56 |
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Did the original post get borked or something?
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B_dol
> Jonathan Harper
03/03/2015 at 15:29 |
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Seems so, then again I am extolling my 1st world problems eh...
Flat Six
> B_dol
03/03/2015 at 15:42 |
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All the cars you listed out are great, however you don't HAVE to buy the most hardcore / track focused version possible, especially if it is your first sportscar or daily driver. Obviously the R/RS/GT3/Spyder versions are the coolest, but you may find yourself actually driving it more and using it more if you have a car with:
A front lip / ride height that lets you go to the places you like to go (restaurants, parks, etc...) and survive the speed bumps or parking lot entrances
Suspension / seats that your girlfriend doesn't hate
An RPM range that is appropriate for the roads you drive on (these cars want to be at 4000+ RPM, would suck to be in 2nd/3rd all the time).
A price tag that is not so precious you are afraid of using it / scratch it / depreciation
I'm very happy with my 997.1 base model which was a nice balance of price/performance/capability/convenience for how I drive.
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B_dol
> Flat Six
03/03/2015 at 15:49 |
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Touche. I appreciate the dose of reality. I should go out there and buy a car that I can use to its full potential and not be anxious/nervous every-time it is on the street. What will I do? Only time will tell.
Full discloure: I own and DD a tuned FR-S which sucks up a lot of the miles and track time (its simply cheaper to track). I will obviously shop the S alternative to the R/Spyder variants. Next week I get the keys to a 991 911 Carrera S for 24 hrs, which will be eye opening. Perhaps a religious experience after this article.
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B_dol
> Flat Six
03/03/2015 at 15:57 |
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I am also curious how your search, test drive and purchasing experience went. Used or new?
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Flat Six
> B_dol
03/03/2015 at 16:05 |
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I bought used about 6 months ago. I probably spent > 6 months looking. I finally found it on Autotrader and bought from local private seller. I tried a few different cars including Cayman S, Carrera, Carrera S, Carrera 4 from dealers around town. I spent a lot of time talking to owners, dealers, and reading Rennlist. I love how friendly Oppo is (like hanging out with family/friends), but you will definitely find better information there.
CaptDale - is secretly British
> B_dol
03/03/2015 at 16:44 |
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I got to test drive a 996 (manual) and it was one of the best drives I've had.
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B_dol
> Flat Six
03/03/2015 at 17:32 |
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Fair enough. Can you give a high level comparison of the bunch and perhaps who the ideal owner may be?
At this point in time I am still doing my homework, letting the piggy bank grow and trying to stay off dealer lots. Once I join Rennlist and start test drives it all over...
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Flat Six
> B_dol
03/03/2015 at 18:10 |
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Haha I'm not a auto reviewer so you shouldn't listen to me :)
You know how much money is in the bank, and what cars have the specs you like and the looks you like. Now is the time to try them out and see if the specs meet reality, or if things look as good in person, or what's really valuable to you.
Here are the kinds of things that surprised me:
The 996/997 Targa models are very convenient because they have a lot more headroom in rear seat plus opening the hatch. However I don't like the way they look in person - weird chrome strip, and same lines as Cabriolet.
Base Carrera felt faster to me than Cayman S
Cabriolet's rear seat is completely unusable.
The 4's widebody looks great, but I don't like how it takes up so much road, and takes up too much garage space.
I like having more seat controls (don't like the 4 way manual seats)
etc...
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B_dol
> Flat Six
03/03/2015 at 19:28 |
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Thanks for your 2 cents. It's true you can read reviews, scour forums and watch Chris Harris hoon car all day. Ultimately, it comes down to what you want for your situation and thankfully options are aplenty.
davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
> B_dol
03/04/2015 at 22:41 |
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Sex.
Maxima Speed
> B_dol
03/18/2015 at 18:51 |
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Im alot like you. A dedicated fan of ALL things Porsche, but I have never driven, rode, or even sat in a Porsche of any kind. However I to have vowed to get one someday. For me its the 1986 964, preferably a wide body, it must be in black or white. Although a dedicated 911 fan I would have to say go with Cayman R (but in black or white), that think is sweet.
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B_dol
> Maxima Speed
03/18/2015 at 19:23 |
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I finally got my shot and I have seen the light, perfectly engineered car with loads of accessible performance. The 911 might be too much for the streets though, quick to get in trouble. Plus a cayman at a reduced cost provides me the confidence to drive it more.