Planet 9

Our sons are now out of college and we want to get out of the SUV and move to a "fun" car for a change. I like the Cayman and the wife likes the Boxster. She wants the convertible. My opinion is that the Cayman just looks better to my eye. She just wants the top down. We're not looking for a track car but something that could be a daily driver which we'll maintain well and enjoy road trips with. By the way, she insists on a Tiptronic and while I might prefer the manual, I do recall her frying a clutch in our son's car in an afternoon. As she described it, "the traffic was so heavy I got tired of pushing that pedal in and out so I left it halfway down"!

Given our desired use, is there a reason to lean towards one vehicle over another or is this simply a matter of personal preference? If the latter, I guess we'll flip a coin.

Somehow, wives tend to get what they want anyway. Have you ever had a convertible? I never had but I would never buy one. I've been out in the sun...and rain and cold too many times, give me an enclosed cab anytime. That being said, you have to live with your wife after all, she has to be happy about the purchase, or you will never hear the end of it. How about compromise , get a cayman with PDK? You get the car you want without worrying about burning up the clutch!

That just got me burst into laughter

No offense to anybody here but I think it is a gender issue here. Somehow I feel the Boxster more feminine than the Cayman. And the Cayman is more feminine than the 911. For me, I can't even look at the Boxster in the presence of the Cayman... but that's me! In the end, I think the looks are what sums this up.

As for manual or tiptronic, please forget the tiptronic! You'll sacrifice much of its acceleration with the tiptronic. If she doesn't favor the manual, then PDK is your answer as you get with it both; the acceleration along with comfort.

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www.Hassaan.com
Mine: Cayman S '06
Mine: Land Cruiser '10
Bro's: GT2 '03

Has your wife ever owned a convertible? If not then take her out in one for a test drive and hit the expressway with the top down and try to have a conversation and also deal with her hair blowing around.
Then tae the same drive with the top up and listen to the wind noise. You cannot see out of them as easy as well. I have had 5 and every time I buy one for the romance of the open air I wonder why I did this again. It is either too cold, too hot, raining and the list goes on. My last one my wife actually tried to talk me out of it and said we could not take the top down f going to dinner because of her hair. Kept it for 14 months and said this was my last time around for a convertible. I am waiting now on my 2010 Cayman S. The Cayman has so much more room for storage where as the Boxster seems to have very little. The noise alone from open air should change her mind. Maybe get both and only take the Boxster out in the early Spring and early Fall. Good luck and have fun with your choice.

I had 2 Boxsters and whenever I had the top down. My wife would always complain that it messed up her hair. If I rolled up the windows she would question why I had the air on (This is Florida). It was always a no win situation. So now we have a Cayman and everybody is happy (most of the time). As for the manual transmission. Get the PDK it’s a very good compromise. Search on the site for PDK and you will find some good reviews. And remember “happy wife, happy life”

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Cayman 2007
Boxster 2005
Boxster 2001

Geez!! I know this place was called Cayman Club, but I didn't know there were such harsh feelings towards the Boxster!

Really though, convertibles are not for everyone. Myself, and my wife would not be happy in a Cayman. I have had only two convertibles in my life, and I don't regret either. I guess I'm made of a little hardier stuff than most?!? If I'm not driving with the top down, its only because my daughter (10yrs old) says not to. But she is learning! There are times when the temp is questionable, and I ask her; top up, or down. She says, "are you kidding, top down!!" That's my girl!!! After all, that's why there are heated seats and the temperature setting on the climate control.

When I'm driving with the top down, there is another dimension added to the driving experience. It is far more exciting. It is difficult to describe, but even driving across town is an experience.

Ultimately the decision is yours (and your wife's). Drive them both, think about it, talk about it, enjoy it.

BTW, you could consider a Boxster and a hardtop. There's even one (zeintop) that makes it look like a Cayman. Though hardtops are not mycup of tea.

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Jason

Jderiansf, no Boxster hater here. I loved both of my Boxsters. But living in central Florida and driving in the heat and even with the air on made it unpleasant. Plus add the wife (hair thing). Once again a no win situation. As for this site having harsh feelings towards Boxster is not true. We love all things Porsche. Even the 911 guys like us “I think”.

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Cayman 2007
Boxster 2005
Boxster 2001

You are exactly right with everything you said. That's why I got the Cayman instead of the boxster (that and it just plain Looks Better, IMHO) and just kept my Jeep wrangler which is of course, the ultimate convertible.

Get both

Older Boxsters can be had for pretty good prices these days, and if you also go used on the Cayman, you could likely get both for the price of a new CS (or BS)!

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Boxster owner here.

It all comes down to requirements. Either you want a convertible or you don't.

If you're not going to drive around with the top down for any significant period of time, buy the Cayman. If you get the convertible because "you might use it", or you "like the idea of it" and then only open it ten times a year, it's not a good idea. You'll be regretting the wear and tear of the cloth top.

I live in San Diego. The top is down at least 50% of the time. Works for me, but in Florida or Iowa, etc, I'd be in a Cayman, dripping condensation or running the wipers!

edit: The "get both" argument is pretty compelling, actually. Used Boxsters from my year can be had for probably $20,000 to $30,000 easily. Which makes me cry big crocodile tears. If you've got the spread and the garage space, that'd be the way to go!

I grew up loving British sportscars from my first new car a 1973 TR6. From then on I've been hooked on convertibles and/or cars with at least sunroofs. That to me is the choosing point between a Cayman or a Boxster. If the Cayman had a sunroof I'd be in a Cayman in 2 seconds I like the look of it so much. Without at least the sunroof option, for me there was no choice but to get a Boxster. I think the most important thing you need to consider is whether its getting year round use in a crummy climate or nice weather use only regardless of where you've got it. If it was my daily driver in Chicago it would be a Cayman, if its my daily driver in Miami or San Diego it would be a Boxster. I'm in NY that has convertible weather about 50-60% of the time. But its not a daily driver and it was bought for nice drives on beautiful days so the Boxster does the trick. And for whoever has this thing analyzed down to the point that the Boxster is more feminine than the Cayman and the Cayman more feminine than the 911 it may be time to lie down on a couch for some help.

I live in an area that only gets about 9 inches of rain per year, which means lots of sunshine. I also intend to garage the car during the winter months. My wife has long hair and has not once complained of her hair blowing around. If the side windows are up and the wind deflector in place, it has not been a problem. If we go onto the freeway for a distance (under ten miles we'll keep the top down) we keep the top up. The noise is not bad enough for us not to be able to hear the stereo or each other. In other words, a Boxster works for us. There is nothing better than driving with the top down on a clear summer night!

In the end, it really is a personal choice. Roadster and coupe people are different. I've always enjoyed roadsters and the boxster is the best handling roadster on the market. I would also enjoy the Cayman but would miss the open air driving. As for Tiptroninc vs manual, you have my sympathies in having to get a tiptronic (or look forward to a burnt out clutch). Thank the lord for my wife having no desire to drive my car and so I got a manual.

Happy wife; happy life. If you have to share--get what ever she wants.

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Nov 16, 2007 build:
'08 CS Midnight blue metallic--6 spd
Black sport seats, Delete model designation
Fire extinguisher,Floor mats, Sport steering wheel

We had the same question that you have, which do we go for? Here is a pic of the outcome

Attached Thumbnails

   

Interesting but a fun dilemna. It is still between Porsches as a choice. Our recent purchase was between (all new)a Boxster S, Carrera, and Cayman S. We test drove all three and my wife preferred (as did I) the manual Cayman S. Of course, she also used to have as a daily driver an 00 Audi S4, 03 E46 M3 and an 04 Mini S. By the way, she strongly prefers manual transmissions. Counting my blessings once again...

I suppose if I had infinite funds I'd have one of each, but chose the Cayman S for a few reasons:

o I like the intimacy of hard top/enclosed cars.

o I like the somewhat improved security vs my friend's Miata where they just slash the top to get in.

o Most soft tops look ragged to me after a year, some just don't look very good even new.

o When it is cold out I like the feel of a hard top.

o My dad was hit in a Triumph once, rolled it, no major injuries to him but I still was left thinking, hard tops are a bit safer (maybe bunk).

o I think the CS looks better ... the long sloping back and rear haunches is pure sexy.

o I like the rigidity of hard top cars; the Engineer in me cringes at the thought of all that stress without a connecting top (yet even so, the Boxster is very rigid).

Just a personal choice really. And yea, the top down is fun but check out the wind noise/feel first. What is fun at 20 is not necessarily such a thrill at 55+.

This is my first post here but I believe I have one of the oldest 987s around here. I got the Boxster (pre-Cayman) because I wanted a convertible. End of story. Only Porsche is able to create two cars from one and charge a premium for the metal roof model.

So, the original post is really asking the wrong question. Anyone read arguments about whether to purchase a Mustang metal roof or a Mustang convertible? Whether to purchase a BMW 3 series coupe or convertible?

The fact is that the cars are aimed at totally different audiences. I guess the issue for the OP is whether how much more does her wife desires a convertible. And if so, it is not whether Cayman or Boxster. But maybe whether Boxster or BMW Z4. If he prevails, it would be more likely whether Cayman or Nissan 370Z? Otherwise, as another poster stated, get both. As to whether to get a stick shift or PDK? I would say PDK just because of the way it behaves.

There was no contest for me... My wife hates wind. She was happy that there was no sunroof on the Cayman S. She loves LOVES the trick cupholders. She also loves the concept of "his and her trunks". She doesn't mind the "trunk clunk", which is almost fixed now. She's diggin' the Bose since we stuffed it with pillow batting.

Oh, and she's terrified of driving it but loves riding in it on weekend trips

Am I lucky or what?

I sacrifice attacking corners (most of the time) and driving at speeds I shouldn't. We got over 25mpg on our last trip. Our CS is really fun at moderate speeds. It's just a nice car to drive.

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OK, but that's not helping. I got the Cayman S because it is a phenomenal handling car and I'm a DE instructor. This thing is gonna get some choice tweaks and it is going to be tracked.

Your situation is different. I love Bosxters. You have to get the wind deflector. It makes a huge difference. They handle great too, just not as well as the CS because of the body flex but you have to push pretty hard for that to bother you.

If you can put up with a roadster, get it. Make the girl happy.

But get an '09 or better with PDK. Tiptronic really sucks the life out of these cars. PDK is a dual clutch manual that shifts itself. You can also shift it with buttons on the steering wheel like the F-1 drivers. It gets better performance and better economy than the manual and much better than the Tiptronic. It adds a little more weight than the manual, but weighs 50Kg less than the Tip.

So, Boxster or Boxster S with PDK. That's my vote. S or non-S is strictly a money decsion. I'd probably go non-S and put the money toward some good options like those Boxster S II wheels, heated seats, maybe a good stereo...

Porsche no longer offers Tip. That should tell you something. A lot of track guys are going for PDK because it shifts faster and better than they can, so this is no compromise. Best of both...a smooth clutch free car and a sporty and quick and fun manual.

With an older Boxster, I'm afraid the Tip is quite a compromise. Get an S if you have to get Tip because you'll want the extra power.

First Boxster I drove was an early 4-cyl with Tip. It was a nice "momentum" car but you could feel the weight of the trans going around corners etc.

-Six

4-cylinder Boxster? I've never heard of such a thing.

I must be the only one who likes the looks of the Boxster better.
But I'm just not a "top down" kind of guy.
Yeah.
You'll be getting a boxster with PDK.