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2008 Cayman S vs 2014 Cayman Base

19K views 23 replies 11 participants last post by  kiznarsh 
#1 ·
Hope everyone's doing great! Curious to get your thoughts on which Cayman to go for. Also considering a 2009 Cayman S given the increase in HP compared to the 2008 model. I'm looking for any and all thoughts. I test drove a 2014 and felt like it may have been a little under powered and "too quiet" haha but maybe I'm mistaken. I'm still looking for a 2008 and 2009 to test drive but figured I'd throw the question out to you guys. I currently drive a 2009 Infiniti G37 Sport. I absolutely love to drive so looking for something more fun. I would most likely track the car a couple of times a year. Thanks in advance for your input.
 
#3 ·
I have a base 2011 Cayman. I don't track it, but I do drive it hard.

To my mind the less powerful the car-within reason, the more you can push it to its limit on regular roads. James May of ex-Top Gear-now Grand Tour fame can afford any car in the world. One of his favorites is a Fiat Panda, a real slug, but he gets lots of fun out of driving it 100%, i.e. thrashing the crap out of it.

I run my Cayman with several Ferrari friends, I can use 70-80% of my power, where as they are intimidated to use more than about 50% of their power.

In addition I use it as my daily driver, gets great gas milage and doesn't attract too much attention in the parking lot etc.

Machog
 
#5 ·
Thanks a lot for the constructive feedback. What you're saying makes a lot of sense. For some reason I'm a little hung up on the fact that the Cayman has considerably less power than my current car. With that said, I do realize how differently the Cayman is actually designed and how much better it will perform. My hesitation getting the Cayman S is the fact that it's a 2008 or possibly a 2009; and even though the options I'm looking at only have around 50K miles on them they are still 7-8 years old and that concerns me a little.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the response. I would say performance is top of the list. The car will most likely be a daily driver but comfort isn't a huge thing as i don't drive that much. Ultimately looking for the more fun option but also keeping reliability in mind.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I have a '14 Cayman Base and I've very happy with it... After owning lots of sports cars, and 996 and a 997 Porsche's, I prefer the modern 981 Cayman over them all. The upgraded styling, interior, and electronics really set the car apart from the prior generation in my opinion. It drives great as a daily driver and it handles better than any car I've owned. Even with the 20" wheels (in "normal" suspension mode) the car is great over bumps...The power is very linear and the Base really shines in the higher RPM zone with a higher redline over the S...My only criticism is that it doesn't really push you back in the seat like other cars I've had...but everything else more than makes up for it! Now that the 718 is out, the 987 is showing it's age...Still a great car and can be found for a bargin...so it depends on your budget.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the insight! I agree with everything you've said about the styling, interior and electronics but, as you mentioned, it really lacks the power to push you back in your seat. The lack of power was a little bit of a letdown but feedback from you and Machdog is making me reconsider how important it is to have that extra 20-45 HP.
 
#9 ·
Glad to help. At the end of the day you have to pick what excites you, keeping reliability in mind, etc., etc... Too many times I've splurged for a car to only be let down a couple months down the road and wish I would've waited and spent a little more to get what I really wanted. I honestly don't have any regrets with my choice on the Base model...in Sport + mode (car has Chrono package) it's more than fast enough for me and the engine screams, it's just a different kind of experience. I'm more of a fan of a quick 0-30 or 0-40mph rush, so it's more than adequate. I say drive a few in "normal" conditions and get the options you want...even if you have to get one on the west coast!
 
#10 ·
I'll definitely take my time but hoping to take advantage of any deals to be hand before the new year. I haven't driven an 08/09 CS in quite a while so i'm looking for one in the area. I remember being wowed when I test drove the S while the 2014 Cayman I test drove yesterday left me yearning for a car with more power. I'll definitely need to test drive it again after this conversation. My only challenge so far is that i can't find too many that are manual. Although they aren't the easiest to find period it seems.
 
#14 ·
For what it is worth..........I had a 2008 Cayman S 6MT, a Cayman R 6MT, a 2014 Cayman Base PDK, and now have a 2016 Cayman Base PDK. The 2008 Cayman S was 295 hp the 2014 Cayman Base is 275 hp....the 2014 is also a bit lighter. The weight difference and the PDK vs 6MT gave me about equivalent performance between the two. I would drive all cars under consideration. If it is between a 987.1 and 987.2, I would go for the 987.2 for non IMS engine a bit more hp and torque. The 981 will give you enhanced structural rigidity which can benefit handling a bit. This is all aside from style differences inside and out.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Sounds good. Based on how many you've owned, I take it you'd recommend the car? : ) I've only owned manual cars and was planning on keeping that trend alive but was curious what your overall thoughts are on the PDK vs Manual since you've owned both.

I definitely plan on test driving them all before making a decision but I think it's going to come down to a 2009 CS VS 2014 Cayman. With that said, I may test drive a 2014 CS and if it blows me away I may have to convince myself to go that route even though they are more than I'd prefer to spend on a car.

I'm certainly not looking for the fastest 0-60 car and certainly know the Cayman isn't designed for that. I'm looking to get into a car that's going to be incredibly fun to drive hence me shopping for a Cayman; while the 2014 Cayman base is probably fun, my instincts tell me that the S may end up being that much more fun to drive and own haha
 
#16 · (Edited)
Get the newer car if it has the manual transmission. 2009 vs 2014? Seriously? Not even worth a thought. PDK? Just read the thread on the 987 forum about a PDK dying with 100k miles and needing a new one to the tune of 20k. It is rubbish if a replacement transmission needs that much money. i would be so pissed if that happened to me. Thankfully, I bought the manual which not only saved me 3200 bucks but is also more fun.
 
#18 ·
I had the same dilemma you do now. I was looking at '09-'12 Cayman S's and '14-'15 Cayman base models. There is no denying the S is more fun. The previous generation is also slightly more mechanical and connected in feel. If the only thing you are considering is which is more fun to drive, then an '09 S is probably the way to go. But I went with a '15 base model and couldn't be happier. The 981 is an ergonomic marvel and everything is exactly where it needs to be. the 987 was a little awkward for me, given I'm 6'4". Being this is also my daily driver and I drive about 25-30k miles per year, the comfort and reliability outweighed the performance for me. Ultimately only you can make that call after driving both, but I might add that my wife's car is a G37. Her car will beat mine off the line any day of the week. It has that pin you back feeling when you floor it, and the base Cayman does not. But it is still no slouch, and everything else about the car more than makes up for it. Since I've had my Cayman, driving her G37 feels like driving a truck, even though it may be faster it just doesn't give me the same excitement. Everything about driving my 981 just feels like it's an extension of me, as soon as I think it, it does it. If a 981 S had been in my budget, I would have gone with that, but I don't regret not getting a 987 S at all.
 
#20 ·
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, especially since your wife has a G37 as well. I'm totally with you about the G feeling like a truck. After my test drive I felt like my car was so heavy. While I like the G, i never really fell in love with it and don't get too excited when i get into it. With that said, it does have the ability to take off which i absolutely love. I plan on test driving an '09 and a '14 CS and will go from there. a '14 CS would be stretching the budget a little too much but I don't want to make the mistake i've made in the past which is settling and then regretting not getting what i truly wanted. Thanks again for your feedback!
 
#19 ·
I'll echo's everyone's sentiments about buying the newest one you can afford. I was pretty close to getting a 987.2 S several years ago but after knowing what the 981 was going to be, I held off. The 987 is more raw and still has hydraulic steering but the 981 is a significant increase in refinement and style IMHO. Plus these engines are solid and very reliable.

My last 2 cars were a C63 and a modded S4 so the Cayman is really low on torque compared to those beasts, but I can go full throttle for more than 2 seconds and still not wind up in jail. ;)

The right car in manual will definitely be hard to find, so be patient if you can. I bought mine in New Jersey and shipped it back!
 
#21 ·
Thanks for your response. I love the "I can go full throttle for more than 2 seconds and still not wind up in jail" and that makes sense. Less power may disallow me from doing stupid stuff haha I'm also with you about the 981 being a super looking and performing car. There's no doubt that it's the better looking car. It's good to know that the engine is very reliable. I'll keep looking and hopefully I'll come across "the one" :)

By the way, I'm considering a move to San Diego some time next year and vowed that i need to own a Cayman before i make the move because driving on those roads would be intoxicating! Unlike the straightaways we have in South Florida.
 
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