Planet 9

anybody consider getting a 135 instead of a cayman? i'm having sooo much trouble makin the choice but i'm leaning towards the 135 because of the twin turbo. other than that they both handle very well and the bmw even has a back seat :O

then again... the porsche brand is... the porsche brand.

I'd say they're both good brands.

Personally, I think the 135 looks awkwardly short, and is not a good looking car.

Depends do you want a Sports Car that is very track capable (Porsche) or do you want a people hauler that has some sportiness tacked on? (BMW). Drive both, choose the one that best meets your needs.

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K-Man S

I think if you drive both you will be able to make the decision a lot easier.

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2006 Porsche Cayman S
2007 Volkswagen GTI DSG

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I wasn't too impressed with the steering feel with the BMW. Another aspect of personal preference would be whether you preferred an acute sense of attunement to the complete driving experience (Cayman) or perhaps preferred a bit more laid back, but still a good driving experience (BMW).

Comes down to personal preference and transportation need.

Also, the turbos of the 135 will respond extremely well to chip and tuning influences, tipping the equation to the 135 if (relatively less expensive) horsepower is your most important need.

Of course, you know which forum you asking here, and you might find just a tad of bias here.

Good luck either way. And if you decide for the Cayman, this is a great forum.

mike

I drove a 135i and was ready to buy it before driving the Cayman S once for 10 minutes. After driving the CS the matter was settled. The 135i is nice but the Porsche is a totally different car.

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Brett

2008 Cayman S Arctic Silver, Carrera Red full leather, Carbon Fiber package +, 19" Carrera Sport wheels, short shifter, Quaife TBD, GT3RS steering wheel

Some interior carbon fiber pics: ClickMe!

I think if I could afford a CS it would be another story.. but i can't :'( so I'm looking at regular cayman vs 135 so the performance is a lot more even. haven't had a chance to drive the Cayman yet so I figured I'd ask around here if anybody else went through the same dilemma.

Also, I don't know if I'd call the 135 a people mover with sportiness attached. It's got a usable back seat but it's really not that big

Try a used Cayman S. Good deals can be had. Especially now that a new version just started shipping the used and new old style cars will be offered at a better deal. You will let somebody else take a big chunk of the depreciation.

Good luck whatever you decide.

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Having fun in Puerto Rico

Hmmm... maybe *your* Cayman is "track capable", but from the factory I'd describe even a CS as a street car that can feel nice on the track, but is only a good track car to a point. Pure stock it can belch smoke due to the oil separator issue, the power steering system is inadequate for heavy track use (leaks or overheats), and there's no available factory LSD until '09. Perhaps a "reasonable platform for a track car" is a better description.

Also, calling a 135i a "people hauler" is a bit harsh, don't you think? Perhaps a 528 is that.

To the OP, these cars don't compete much on price either, new against new. Driving away a 135 for $40K is pretty easy. You can't do that with a new Cayman, not even a stripper.

As for advice, I agree with jaica - there are some incredible deals on nearly new used Cayman Ss from 2007 right now. Low $40Ks probably gets you something with <10K miles, and it'll be a heck of a lot more fun than a 135.

I've test driven a couple of 135's, and liked them, but not enough to trade in my CS. The question is, do you need practicality beyond what the CS offers? If not, go for the CS. If you do, and can afford a CS, then I'd look at the M3 - I just traded my CS for one, and am quite happy w/ it w/ the caveat that I have no intention of tracking it....that's what the Miata is for.

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'08 E90 M3 (replaced '07 Guards Red Cayman S, which will be fondly remembered)
'08 Miata GT
'08 Honda Ridgeline RTL
'07 KTM Super Duke 990
'07 KTM 300 XC-W

You can if it's a leftover 2008

I own a 2008 135i and have put about 12k miles on it so far. We bought it new. I am basing this on test drives of CS's only as I unfortunately bought the 135i. I have not driven a base Cayman.

The 135i is a good/very good GT type car, but in my opinion it is not a sports car in the classic sense. I find the 135i to be over-teched, isolated and heavy in feel. The motor does pull strong, a little stronger than a pre-2009 CS anyway. I can only assume they are closer now. But the handling is FAR inferior to the CS.

I bought the 135i because the Cayman S we were close to buying was about $19,000 more than my sport, premium, manual trans 135i. On paper the CS was not worth the extra bucks.

I literally regret my choice every damn day. The Porsche is a completely different car, well connected, awesome handling, good power (320 would be even better!) and an overall "feel" that simply trounces the BMW in my opinion.

I will say one very positive thing about the 135i though. We had winter tires on it over the winter (duh,lol) and the car was fantastic on snow and slippery roads. VERY impressive winter use capabilities.

I would buy a certified used Cayman S before a 135i if I had to do it all over again. I still might.

Now if you go over to 1addicts.com, you will find that my great dislike for the 135i is a minority opinioin. Most there LOVE the 135/128 like the people here like the Porsche's, not unexpected. Over on 1addicts.com do a search on the words "boring" and "drawbacks" those are two of the longer threads where there are a few dissenting opinions, including mine. But again most like/love the car.

Good luck either way, it's of course going to come down to the mission your car is expected to fulfill and your budget.

Turtleking - I went through the same dilemma. I drove the C 3 x and the 135 twice. I loved the 135 and thought it was an absolute beast with great low-end torque and good handling. I have 2 young daughters as well, so the back seats made it more practical. With that said, I picked up my base 09 Cayman 3 wks ago and absolutely love it. You can't compare the 2 for looks (the 1 is truly awkward looking, although I could have lived with it) while the C is a work of art. The base has plenty of power and superior handling. Unless you must have back seats, I (obviously) would go with the C. My wife and daughters are shaking their heads, but they know how happy I am with the C so it's OK. You only live once. Good luck

Turtleking- you said that the performance between a base cayman and a 135 is "more even" then said you "havent driven the cayman yet"
Not trying to be a wiseguy but...How can you determine the "performance of a car without driving?

I have owned many BMWs. I was was waiting for the 1 series to arrive, since the smaller BMW, the 3 series was getting too big and too ugly. (Chris Bangles "flame styling")

When I saw what the 135i was going to look like with that sagging line on the side coming toward the front wheel well, I cringed. I absolutely could not stand that styling feature. The rest of the car was acceptable. I have to be able to look at my car and admire it. I knew I would never be able to do that with the 135i. I have driven it and it is fast and sporty, (too much body lean in the corners), but I did like driving it. If I were going to get a BMW today, the 335i is the best looking model.

Then after seeing a Cayman, I dropped in to drive one. I bought one in less than a month. The 135i never had a chance.

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I had i 1-series as a rental for a week this winter.
It is the best rental I have ever had.
But - there is absolutely nothing about this car that in my mind makes it a legit substitute for a Cayman.

(Yes, the 135 is of course a different car; the gas pedal is not malfunctioning. But, part from that, same proportions, steering feel, spongy brakes, wallowing chassis, boring color, and so on.)

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Øyvind Kvålsvoll

2006 Cayman S
1991 928 GT

To be honest I was surprised to see this comparison. It's like comparing Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Personally I would take a step back and think about what exactly it is that I'm looking for. There aren't many things they have in common so take whichever one has the most of what you want.

I'd bet that once you've driven the C you'll know.

I have never driven a 1 series so I can't make a direct comparison. I went over to 1addicts and took a look at some AX video of the BMW.. I can say from that video that the 1 series has a LOT more body roll than a Cayman. I have never driven a car that handles like the Cayman and I'm sure the 135 doesn't match it. Now I know Fifth Gear did a comparison against a base Cayman, but the short slalom they used was not a particularly good test and they should have used a CS to match the hp (they were trying to equalize the price). The steering feel and precision of the Porsche is FAR superior to the BMW I owned (admittedly older and not a 1 Series). I think driving these two cars would provide a very different experience behind the wheel. I personally like the styling of the Cayman more than the 135...but since I own one that probably doesn't help in comparing the two (the 1addicts folks probably would say the opposite). I also believe that a 1 Series BMW won't turn as many heads as a Cayman.

All of that said, I'm certain the the BMW is a fine car and you should purchase the one that makes you "feel" (and the feeling in the wallet is part of that) best after driving both of them. While I haven't driven a 1 series....I already know my decision was the right one for me.

Your assessment is pretty accurate. The 135i felt "artificial" to me.

The Cayman even has a nicer interior, especially with full leather.

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2006 Porsche Cayman S
2007 Volkswagen GTI DSG

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Generally, I like the looks of most BMW's (5-series styling is getting quite old). IMO, the 135, however, has no redeeming asthetic qualities about it.