Planet 9

I posted this on another 987 board and thought I'd share. If you are considering buying the 987.2, don't! As has been mentioned in similar threads, the new design is worth it. Read below...

My first Porsche was an 05 base Boxster that I traded last year for a Lexus ISF. The ISF is a great car (V8 is awesome) but the Porsche bug has never left me and I have been eagerly awaiting the introduction of the 09 models.

I had the opportunity to drive the 09 Cayman S and base Boxster and I have a few comparisons for those of you "out there" considering these outstanding vehicles.

Base Boxster, 2.9 liter, PDK (no sports chrono)

Exterior - The new body style looks great in person. The rear diffuser with the combination of the new LED tail lights is very exotic looking. The front fascia is okay, I actually prefer the new front of the Cayman but the new headlights look very much like those of the Carerra GT. The Boxster S wheels look good, I actually like them better than the new Carerra 2 wheels.

Interior - The PDK steering wheel is very "meaty" and much nicer than the regular wheel. The new CDR is soft touch and looks much nicer in black than the gray CDR. The model that I drove had the heated/ventilated seats. I'd pass on this as an option as the air is not significantly "cool" although I'm sure that the heat is welcome in colder climates.

Drive - PDK without sports chrono is not as exciting to use unless you use PDK in manual mode and shift for yourself using the buttons. Putting PDK in auto mode is very uninspired since the transmission tries to get to 7th as soon as it can. In my opinion, the new suspension is spot on, not too harsh or soft. The steering "feel" is a bit lighter than the 08's (I also noticed this on the 09 911) but much better than that of Audi which is way too light. The car corners as expected and the only way to drive this car is with PDK in manual. It's a really "fun" car and the increase from 2.7 to 2.9 is noticeable.

Cayman S, 3.4 liter PDK with Sports Chrono

Exterior - I didn't think that I'd like the exterior changes but I do. Pictures do not do the changes justice and the car needs to be seen in person. I really like the new headlights and the changes to the front facia. Much nicer in front than the Boxster. I like the rear re-design of the Boxster better.

Interior - This model came with the new PCM. I like the touch screen nav system. Much better than the 08 version. The ipod connection does not work too well with the iPhone. You are better off skiping this option and getting the AUX unless you have a true ipod.

Drive - The 2.9 driving experience with PDK (no sports chrono) is really "fun." The 3.4 driving experience with PDK and sports chrono is "EXCITING and GRIN inducing!!!"

From the second you turn the car on and strap yourself in you can feel and sense the difference between both cars. The suspension is much better than the 08 in feel (I don't think that you'll need PASM unless you will be tracking your car, this new suspension is that good) and the overall feeling you get when driving the car as compared to the base engine is of surrounding yourself with some type of space age battle armor as your every move is augmented and transmitted via the car.

You are truly "one" with the 3.4 as compared with the 2.7. The steering feel is still lighter than the 08 and equal to the new 2.9. If you have PDK with sports chrono, you get three modes. Normal, sport and sport plus. Normal is good for parking lots, sport is good for street driving, and sport plus is good for tracks or getting on/off the interstate or when you want to "play." Sport plus is too harsh (gear changes occur at higher rpm's and shifts are abrupt).

Summary

If you can afford it, I would without a doubt buy a 3.4 (Cayman S or Boxster S) over the 2.9 It's that significant a driving difference.

The S feels so much tighter and solid as compared to the 2.9. Getting a 2.9 with PDK and sports chrono may make a difference. If you are going to get PDK, sports chrono is a must have. I was looking at taking advantage of the specials on 08's and was thinking of buying a manual or even tip if the price was right.

After driving the 09's, there is no way that I can do that. I am not downplaying the amazing capabilities of the 06-08 models, just pointing out that the 09's have raised the performance bar and further substantiated the motto, "Porsche, there is no substitute."

P.S. A 3.4 with PDK is much better to drive than the 911 with PDK. The balance is better and the price difference between the two is no longer justified. A 3.4 with the LSD should beat a 911 at the track.

In case you noticed in the first sentence, I meant "don't" hesitate! Not "don't" buy. The new cars are amazing...

Just saw these at the dealer on Friday. Does everyone else like the new headlight shape? I love the look of the 05-08 front, but don't like the 09 at all. The rear LEDs are cool, but don't like the lower details (black panels on either side of the exhaust). I'm sure the new look will grow on me over time, as all the other changes did. just curious if any one else was not overly happy with the new look. The new stock radio is nice....

I like the new head lights a lot. As the OP has stated, you have to see it in person to appreciate how subtly the minor changes transformed the design for the better. (certainly not to suggest that the 06-08 did not look great to begin with)

You're comparing a Cayman S with a Boxster! Obviously the S will fill tight and sharp but not because it's got the 3.4 engine over the 2.9...

What was the problem with the iPhone connection?

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2006 Cayman S Tiptronic (Year-round Daily Driver & Part-time Track Toy)
Mods: SRP, DREAM-1, VentureShield, Xpel Headlamp shields, 35% Tint, MotorDrive Front Mesh Grills, Bumperplugs..
Track Prep: Pagid Yellows, Champion RS98s/NT05s, Deka ETX14 Battery, CG-Lock, Extinguisher, Rennline towhook, BBI Harness/Rollbar

I saw a couple of new 09s on my local dealer lot this past sunday, and wow, yes, gives the front of the car a more aggressive look which reminds me of the Carrera GT. Hardly a bad thing.

You must get sport chrono with PDK or to me it's a waste of money.

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2007 Porsche Cayman S
Guards Red over Sand Beige - Gone and missed.

Looking for my next Porsche.

KS-CS, I believe that you asked about the iphone connection. I bought the 09 S Cayman that I test drove and wrote about in the article. It will take me a week or more to absorb the gazillion manuals that came with the car. That and acquiring a PHD to understand the new PCM.

In the meantime...to answer your query, the PCM manual states "you can connect one of the following iPod models to your PCM via a jack in the center console:

- ipod 4th generation
- ipod 5th generation video
- ipod nano
- ipod nano second generation
- ipod mini
- ipod photo
- newer ipod models**

**(the operation of newer ipod models at PCM 3 cannot be guaranteed.)

My iphone connects and it does play music via the ipod connector but I cannot control it from the iphone and I'm not sure if I can control it via the PCM 3 since I literally bought the car today.

Until I figure it out, I'll use the AUX and control the iphone music directly from the device.

Hope this helps. Still have a while to go before I break in the car.

09 Cayman S, Silver with black Sport design wheels, plus all the usual goodies...

Iphone update and other 09 Impressions.

It works!

I wrote yesterday that the ipod connection for PCM 3 does not recognize my iphone. I tried it again today and the integration is seemless. You can now select your play lists and tracks from the PCM. Blue tooth works seemlessly as well. This is a very good integration and I take back what I wrote, for ipod/iphone users, the PCM 3 interface is worth it if you are considering the PCM option. If not the AUX works just as well.

Driving impressions continued...

The more I drive this car the more I'm convinced that the 09 "S" version is perhaps a tad too powerful for the street. Driving the new PDK feels like driving an Indy car in rush hour traffic. It's got so much potential that will never be realized except on a track or auto cross course. I wrote in the original post that the new 2.9 was "fun" as long as you shift using PDK or leave it in non-manual mode if you purchased the sports chrono.

If you are not planning on tracking your car, the 2.9 may be a good alternative if this will be your daily driver. I didn't feel that I had too much power and I really enjoyed the car. Although I must admit that the "S" gets the blood flowing when you are driving on the interstate. It really is in its element when driving faster than 75 (spoiler up).

If you bought the iPhone package, it comes also with a USB plug. In the brochure, and marketing materials, they say PCM3.0 can also integrate/control the USB stick. Have you got a USB stick lying around to test the functionality? Very interested to see how much "integration" the USB with PCM3.0. It would be great if it was able to read generic playlist files and browse the folders manually.
Thx

Morbo,

I'll check the USB compatibility tomorrow. The interface has an ipod connection, USB and AUX. The manual for PCM 3 (184 pages long) states that:

You can connect a USB memory stick or USB MP3 player containing audio files to the USB interface. Using it you can:

- play audio data from your USB stick (MP3, WMA, AAC-LC)
- download data from the sport display
- download data from the PCM logbook

You cannot USB devices that require the installation of special drivers. You cannot use a USB hub.

Of note...

- the maximum number of tracks per USB device is 10,000
- the USB can hold a maximum of 2,000 folders in total

I'll follow up on your query tomorrow.

I'm glad you clarified your iPhone experience as it was exactly opposite mine. I took a bunch of gadgets down to the dealership and the iPhone worked just fine. I could not, however, get my usb hard drive working, and I'm not sure why. Wasn't about to waste hours of the salesman's time putzing about when I can just wait for my own car.

I'm curious as to where you got this info, however. I'd not seen it specified anywhere before. Seems like a stupid limitation to me, but what do I know, I'm only a code monkey, not a Porsche engineer...

I guess the real question is....are the 09's so good that it is worth passing up the 10 - 15k MSRP discounts being offered on the 08's while they are still available. I know I was willing to give up some performance to save money when I just bought my 08....here is the dilemma as I see it...I came from sportbikes before and the one thing that happens year after year is that the bikes got better designed, lighter, quicker, faster and more expensive....at some point most (not all I admit) of us don't use what these cars can already do let alone what the new ones do....so as nice as the 09's are, based on your test drives what would you tell people to do...09 or 08 less 10 - 15k?

Morbo - As promised, I connected a 2 GB USB that I have and did not have any luck with it. It connected to the PCM but it could not read the two “test” music files that I put on it. This doesn’t mean that it does not work. Perhaps the USB that I used or the music file format as not compatible.

CCollins - Read the note above regarding the USB. As to where I got the info, it’s on page 42-45 of the 184 page PCM user manual. As noted in prior posts, I ended up buying the 09 Cayman S that I test drove.

Poults – You asked in your post, “are the 09’s so good that it is worth passing up the 10-15k MSRP discounts…What would I tell people to do, 09 or 08 less 10-15k?”

That was my exact dilemma. I actually had a few choices.

- Do nothing, keep my IS-F and save, save, save
- Buy an 09 Audi TTS
- Buy an 08 Cayman S Sport (I’ve test driven it so I know the car)
- Buy an 09 Cayman S
- Buy an 09 Boxster, Boxster S, or Cayman

Like many readers “out there,” I am a die hard Porsche driver and any info that I can get to help in my decision making process is greatly appreciated. This board and PPBB are amazing sources of information and help to unify our Porsche community.

I realized that as good as the IS-F was, it was still a “sedan” and not a true sports car. So the decision to sell it for another car was made. The next decision was the Audi TTS. It is an amazing car for the value/price point and was very, very tempting when compared to the other cars that I considered. However…the steering “feel” was too light and the four cylinder engine was too quiet. Not sporty enough. So that option was passed on.

That left me with the Porsches. But which one? The 08 Cayman S Sport felt light, powerful and agile. But it did not have the technology that the 09’s have, although the 10-15k price difference and it still being a Porsche was factored in. My first P-car was a Boxster so I felt that I could pass on the convertibles for now. Perhaps I’ll return to them in the future.

That left the 09 Cayman, Cayman S and the 08 S Sport. Once I drove the 09, the sheer power seduced me so I took the Cayman out of the equation. One word of advice, as I wrote above, the 09 Cayman is a very capable car and may be more “fun” than the S, especially if it is a daily driver and you live with traffic.

Ultimately, the decision to go with an 08 or an 09 is a personal choice (do you like the exterior/interior changes, how much are the changes worth it to you personally, etc..).

I selected the new technology, new engine (no possible IMS/RMS issues) and the fact that the dealer was willing to deal and go slightly below MSRP (this is a good time to buy these cars). However the 08’s (and the 06-07’s) are all great cars and no one that is a true Porsche fan can go wrong with their decision.

One note, since the 08 S Sport is a manual, the car “felt” lighter somehow when compared to the 09 PDK. Perhaps it’s the new transmission and the dual clutch set up, but at low speeds the 09 just “feels” heavier. It’s hard to describe. You’d have to drive it to experience it.

Keep the questions coming as I’m learning more about the car each day and I’m glad to help answer any questions that may assist you with your purchase decision.

Thx for taking time to try it. If you have an ipod, i'm guessing your music is in .aac and not mp3? That could be why. (hm, just re-read your post with the quote from the manual, wonder what aac-lc is, is that different from regular aac?)

ccollins, was your usb hard drive NTFS or FAT32? I'm guessing the PCM3.0 only reads FAT32 (to be backwards compatible, plus most USB thumb drives come OEM as FAT32)

Good point on the file system. I'm pretty sure I formatted it NTFS without thinking. I'll redo it with FAT32 and test it out.

That was the best concise post on the "what-to-buy dilema" that I've seen.

Living in LA, I really doubt I would get to enjoy the meat of the CS, and although a CS with PDK etc. would be awsome, I too question whether I really need it. (When I worked at Universal in the eighties and drove a BMW coupe, my average speed was 20 MPH for a 30 mile commute! That's including as many short blasts as I could with the traffic. It's far worse in today's world.)

Frankly, I'm considering the CS, Cayman and Audi TTS. The Boxster S would definitely be in the mix, but I'm tired of taking my top off. (Porsches would have to have PDK and SChrono.)

Yes, the Audi steering is lighter, but when you compare them on paper, as well as on the road -- since that's the only place that really matters -- there isn't much the Audi doesn't offer, and the interior is far superior, all at 53k. That really makes one think objectively (if anyone can when buying a new car) about the differences and compromises. And many dealers are cutting both marques. Having said that, I've never been one for the sound that so may crave. What I do value is stock performance. I learned long ago that you can spend endless amounts on mods, but I don't really like them. I want what is their representative efforts. That's the true mark of excellence. No pun intended.

I also don't have to drive every day as I work at home, so when I do I want something capable, reliable, quick and fun to drive. That's mho and certainly is not a criticism of either make. And, in the end, if you don't track or autocross, but love the Porsche or the Audi, you must absolutely consider the fun quotient.

Hence, my question is: Can you elaborate on what you meant when you said the Cayman might be more "fun"?

Oh, not to be confused with "outlaw" mods. And, that's my imaginary friend talking.

ASF17 - I think you must be the first member here to buy a PDK 3.4.
Congrats on your purchase. You made the right choice!

POST SOME PICTURES PLEASE!!

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I am dumbfounded by ISF17's statement that the new 3.4 may be "too powerful for street driving"! I can't even process that statement...