Planet 9

Sorry … long.

Took my wife and went back to a local dealer for a third time. This time I had a scheduled appointment for a test drive. This was the first time I have driven a Cayman. It was their only '06 CS in tiptronic. Last I heard the car had about 220 miles on it and was being sold as a demo. It now had 418 miles. A bit nervous at the mileage and not being "new", but went ahead with the test drive. The salesman had 24 hours notice but the car was not clean. I figured since this was my third visit (only second looking at this car), and it was the ONLY tiptronic on their lot, maybe they'd try to make a good first impression for the test drive. Nope. The car was a bit dusty / dirty and the driver's side had bird **** on it. (Black CS, so everything showed.) The inside looked like a car that had 400 miles on it and could have used a wipe down and a light vacuum. I tried to be optimistic and hoped the car would thrill me. The dealer drove a few miles with me in the passenger’s seat and was not pushy at all. He showed me their "route" for test drives and then let me take my wife along. Just as we were about to get in, I happened to look at the back tire on the passenger's side and noticed a gash in the side wall. It was not from curbing the car and looked like vandalism. There was no scrape on the rubber, just a gash. It didn't look safe, and I told the salesman I was not comfortable driving a $60K+ car on the highway and testing it out at higher speeds with a gash in the sidewall. Thanks, but no thanks. Our previous jaunt was only a few miles at speeds no greater than 35 mph. I just didn't feel safe about it. You know, Murphy's Law. We declined to drive it and left. The salesman came running out after us and caught us as we were about to turn out onto the main road. It was an awkward customer / salesman moment. He said they'd put a new tire on it if we'd wait a few minutes. We had driven 35 miles to visit the dealer, so we figured we'd give it a try.

So the car went into the service area for a tire change and my wife and I kicked around the showroom. Of course the standard sales questions began: “Are you looking to buy outright, finance, or lease?” “When are you looking to purchase the car?” Etc. It was a little premature to talk about purchasing; I hadn’t even driven it yet! I also made it very clear when I scheduled the test drive that we were not looking to purchase at this point in time, just test drive it. All this said; I cannot blame the salesman for trying, that’s his job.

Eventually the new tire was on and we were cleared for takeoff. Saturday traffic sucked and I had to baby the hell out of it. (I had it in automatic, not tiptronic.) The car felt whiny / gummy at low speeds, not smooth. It felt like it wanted to go faster to smooth out. Surprisingly, there was quite a bit of lag at lower speeds. From the time I pressed the gas down to the time the engine responded was disappointing. The car felt much more responsive at higher speeds. Due to traffic and the roads / speed limits where we were, I did not get to rip through any curves. The car did feel solid and well-planted to the road overall. I’ll take everyone’s word for it that it is a blast shredding turns at the track or taking cloverleaves at warp speed.

Probably the biggest surprise was how quiet the engine was. I keep reading on here about the fabulous exhaust note of the S. Heck, I must be engine tone deaf. It sounded like an engine. My wife said it sounded awesome when standing outside the car. But I was inside the car. When accelerating on the highway, it sure didn’t sound like it does in the videos of the Cayman on the Porsche Web site. No way. I have a feeling my entire disconnect with this car is due to the fact that I am not driving a manual. You probably come in tune with the car a lot more and appreciate its response better when it is directly reacting to your commands.

The ride seemed relatively bone-jarring, although consider that I test drove on Illinois roads. (They’re terrible!) It did not have PASM and had 18” wheels. It took some getting used to. I have not driven sports cars like this before, so perhaps this comes with the territory. Everyone seems to rave about PASM, so maybe that’s worth considering.

The interior felt fairly sparse (default black, nothing special). It did not say $60K car to me. The Bose stereo (I brought a test CD) was nothing to write home about. It sounded OK but did not blow me away. I’m sure I could have fiddled with it and fine-tuned it some more (I hope!).

Overall, the outside of the car is sexy as hell. It is beautiful! The inside just gets an “OK” from me, without sinking a lot more dough into it. The ride would take some getting used to. It didn’t blow my hair back and leave me saying, “Oh my God, I have to have this car!”

These are my honest opinions after only one test drive and granted, the day did not start out on the right foot. I’m going to try another dealer and drive a base Cayman and another S. I have a feeling that if I purchase one, it’ll probably be the base.

I have read and researched so much about this car I feel like I’m through the emotional part of the car fever and have come back down to earth. Ever read about something so much you start to get sick of it? That’s kind of where I’m at. This experience didn’t help.

Hopefully, I’ll have better drives down the road.

These cars are way too much money if it doesn't move you. Plus you'll take a fairly big hit if you buy on impulse and find out two months down the road it doesn't ring your bell. I'd probably shop around for something else, as I don't think another test drive is going to make that much difference.

A couple of points that might help

First, any automatic in a sportscar is kind of strange anyway and will drag down the HP. Maybe that is part of the lag you felt. As to the rest

Demos are just that ... demos. They get dirty. A dealer got to worry about getting their regular cars serviced. It probably did not make a good impression and they SHOULD have cleaned it up ... that is the Dealer ... not Porsche

While your waiting, the dealer is going to try to sell. Why else are you there? Again, that's the dealer, not Porsche. If you don't like this dealer, walk ... well run ... to another.

I test drove a "demo" and said no way. Car wasn't dirty inside but the outside had what looked like overspray on it. They said they could "buff it out". Yeah ... right.

As to the ride ... well that all depends upon what your used to. If you got plush rides, the CS will feel harsh. If your used to a harsh suspension, it feels soft. We came from some very harsh suspensions and my wife says the CS, with 19s and NO PASM, rides soft.

Its all what your used to.

As to the exhaust. Outside the car with OEM exhaust it sounds very good. Inside ... well your inside You DO hear the engine more than the exhaust. Thats how its supposed to sound ... that sweet flat-6. Also consider, if you didn't crank it over 4500, you haven't heard the real engine yet.

Stereo. Your lucky you even got a stereo. I think the consensus is the stereo does suck but hey ... its a sportscar meant to be driven ... not calmly cruising luxoboat listening to audiophile quality sound. How are you going to hear the engine over the music?

Interior, not sure what your expecting. Its not a luxoboat, it meant to be functional. For example, the first time I sat in the car for a test drive this is what registered in my brain:

1. The shift knob was perfectly placed, my hand fell right onto it
2. The Tach was about perfectly placed.

Thats about it. All those silly little buttons on the center console? For example, with the PCM I have NO idea how they all work. No idea which one to turn for whatever. The silly manual is HUGE. Someday, when I have patience, I might read it but for now ... I really have no need to check it all out. (At least the GPS is fairly intuitive).

So, I dont know what your expecting for an interior. If the shifter is in the right place and the tach in the right place ... what else is there?

No disrespect intended at all but I do believe Porsche puts the engine/car FIRST ... luxaries like the stereo barely register in their brains. From what I have read, your lucky to have cup holders.

I would suggest trying another dealer for a better dealer experience. Try a manual.

As to what DaveC said ... I agree. If it didnt meet your expectations ... what were you expecting?

Eric, I am not at all sure what you are looking for here. You say that the car felt sluggish but if you purchase one you would go for the base model. So I am a little confused what you were looking for in terms of power. Mine just seems to jump and keep climbing as long as I hold down the gas pedal -- almost regardless of what gear I am in. (It does not have the brute torque of my 98 Camaro SS LS1 but then I don't expect to either.) The suspension on these cars is tight and may feel "harsh" depending on what you are used to -- to me it feels just about right (I have an S with PASM and the 19 in wheels) but then I like a tight ride. The interior is rather stark -- not at all like my wife's Lexus or even like my Suburban -- but it has everything it needs for me to get the job done when I am driving. And, I have the Bose but I am one of those that doesn't even listen to the radio all that much. The problems with the dealer are just than -- problems with the dealer. Other dealers might be better or worse. It might just be that this is not the car for you. I know I thought I wanted a Vette and after I drove one, I came to the conclusion that it just did not feel right in spite of how great the dealer told me I looked sitting behind that wheel.

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Mike E
VA, USA

You have to make the decision. It is a fun car to drive, its nice to merge onto the freeway and just use the first two gears to get to speed. The sound is awesome once you get it winding up the tach. The ride is stiffer than a lot of cars but when you get to a curve you forget about it. I have the stock 18's and suspension but you don't notice as it is so much fun, but you have to decide for yourself. At this price range there are a lot of car to chose from.

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Red 06 Cayman S
White 01 Ford Ranger
Blue 73 914
Did not try, just happened

If you were to go with a Cayman it sounds like you would want to special order the Cayman S with Full leather, manual transmission and PASM and SC.

I probably missed your post about what you are driving now and why you would be interested in a Cayman. It has been described as hard core.

If you can find one, test drive a BMW 335 Ci. It might be more to your tastes, plus with your family, you will be able to take rides together

It sounds like your expectations are out of whack with what this car is. The Cayman is a sport car. It's meant to be a precision driving toy. It's made to satisfy people who care most about the driving experience, period. In a car like that, the stereo is of little importance. The interior is meant to be plain and functional. The emphasis is on balance, driving position, handling, braking, drivability, steering feedback, etc.....

With all due respect, it sounds like you are looking for something different and I don't think a Cayman is going to make you happy. If you came out of that first drive feeling the way you do, another drive isn't going to change your mind. I think you need to find something that's going to blow you away.

What kind of qualities were you hoping for? There are many enthusiasts here and I bet you'll get lots of good recommendations if you tell us what would make you happy.

Good luck finding the right car for you. I really don't think the Cayman is it.

I remember being unimpressed with the power of the base Cayman on my first test drive. It's a great car, but I wanted more. It was also too stiff a ride with the 19" wheels and no PASM. Then I tried a CS with 18" wheels and no PASM. Coming from a BMW 5 series, it seemed like the perfect balance between handling and ride. Certainly much firmer than my BMW, but I was looking for that. I usually trust my first impression so I got the CS.

One thing to keep in mind is that the car will have a stiffer ride when it's cold. If you decide to give it another try, if you don't get pumped driving it, don't get one. When I first drove the CS, all of the objections I had been conjuring up in my head (expensive, impractical, I don't need that) just disappeared. I knew I had to have this car. Bottom line: Get the car you love. Above all, have fun figuring it all out.

I made a decision to by a CS and did so without test driving it. 5000 miles later, I am delighted. That being said, when I first got it, I was surprised at the power being as low as it seemed. I was used to V8 cars with low end torque. Still, the accuracy of the handling on a winding road is absolutely incredible. I track the car and in between track dates, I enjoy driving mountain roads as my wife and I explore new places to have a meal. I think if I was only going to drive the car around town, I would have preferred something else. Like mpollard says, an M3 or even perhaps a powerful Mercedes etc. I still might do something in the future to give my CS more HP. In the meantime, whereas I used to drive seldom, having the CS, I will drive 250 miles one day on a trek as described above, get home and wish I had enough energy left to just go for another drive. The interior of the car is to my liking. Taut, but not spartan. Very well crafted and beautiful. Small, but not crowded. Comfortable. I am amazed that I can drive the CS for hours on end and not feel crowded or tired. Still, my first drive was not amazing. I was concerned that the car was too pedestrian, as I drove home from the dealer. It was only as I became more familiar with the car that I came to appreciate its amazing qualities.

Thanks. I appreciate the level of integrity that has been maintained in the responses. I was expecting to get bashed for the write up. I'm not knocking the Cayman. I have a feeling the particular car I drove may have had some issues. There is a reason that, with the tiptronics in fairly high demand, nobody has snapped this one up. It is a nicely optioned '06 S with a deep discount. It just did not feel right.

My wife loved it. She commented on how roomy it felt in the passenger's seat and loves the sexiness of the exterior of the car. She was the first one (a few dealers ago) to comment on the sparseness of the interior. That was after looking at Mercedes roadster (I have no idea on how much of that car's interior was upgraded).

At higher speeds the Cayman was nice to drive. It had good acceleration and I could feel the top end had a lot more to give. I barely scratched the surface of the top end, if at all. That was a factor of traffic on a Saturday. Unfortunately there is no speedway around.

What am I looking for? A car that I can keep long term and that is as exciting to drive as it is to look at. Going to drive the base and the S at another dealer. Also considering the 350Z roadster, although it is not as sexy and looks a bit like a gym shoe with wheels (terrible front end). Although it is a good buy for the money. Also looking at some BMWs. Still doing some homework although I find the Cayman the sexiest looking. You pay a lot for that Porsche badge though!

My wife loves the Boxster and is trying to sway me that direction if we go Porsche. I'm for the Cayman, but we'll see. No rush.

The nice thing about this place is that it's not that kind of forum. There are those that wish that it was, and those that try to make it that, but the vast majority of this 'community' work hard at keeping it friendly.

The Boxster S is one heck of a car. Don't be afraid to drive one of those. You might just fall in love. And don't be afraid to try another Cayman S, this time with a stick....

Also, see if you can sit in one with 'Full Leather'. I think you will find the dash a lot more appealing than standard.

Good luck.

I second trying out either the Boxster or Boxster S. Both are excellent. Everybody taps to a different tune in life. Having a drop top makes the sports car experience for some. One general piece of advice--don't force the sale of any car on yourself. Forget what anybody tells you is good or bad, you're the one paying the tab. If the emotions are there the rest will fall into place, if they aren't walk away.

Another vote for the Boxster. In fact, we were going to buy the upgraded 07 Boxster but one look at test drive of the CS and it wasn't for us. To appreciate the Boxster, I think you really need to live in a warm climate.

Z car? I would seriously read the Z car forums for research. Not always good thing said.

Check out the Z4M roadster. That might be the one your looking for

There is a difference between a pure sports car, which I categorize the Cayman S as, and a GT car. It sounds like perhaps you are leaning more to the GT side. Nothing wrong with that. But if you are, the Cayman S is probably too "raw" for you.

You might also look at the Corvette (although people complain about that interior too) and, if you really want to swing all the way to GT, the Infiniti G35 coupe. People have already mentioned the BMW Z4 which is another option.

The sad fact is all of these cars are overkill for the traffic most of us live with.

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Robert

Sometimes the moment for your first drive just isn't right. Frankly, if I'd been offered a dirty car with a bad tire for my first drive in the CS, I wouldn't have been impressed by the car, either. It's like a restaurant with lousy service - the food needs to be 3x as good just to make up for the unpleasant experience.

Also, I agree about the interior being a bit plain. I love my CS with a passion, but I don't get turned on by looking at the interior, which is just OK IMO. The rest of the car, though, really gets my juices going. Please consider giving the car another chance, perhaps in a couple of months. Even with this mild Winter, it isn't like driving the car in the warm part of the year.

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“Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” - Ernest Hemingway

Eric the Cayman does not sound like the right car for you,It is as close to being a pure sports car as you can get without the extreme discomfort of a Lotus Elise. My first drive was in a CS with 18's sport chrono and a manual. I fell immediately in love it was as quick as my M3 it was twice as nimble and not quite as harsh a suspension as i thought it would.I bought a CS with 19's and no sport chrono or PASM the car is purely for the fun of driving the streo is secondary,I live in Florida and am very pleased that the AC works real good.The car is not for everyone if you drove it and did not fall in love dont buy one you will be sorry.

I too had some reservation about throwing a lot of hard earned cash down on a car. But I have had other performance autos(M5's, 540's,)But be realistic. Remember, it's a demo. I drive a V70 daily for work and after a week of mashed potatoes, my Cayman is a huge rush. If you don't get positive vibes from your dealer, find a new dealer. Again, it's your hard earned money. You call the ball Maverick. To me , this was a somewhat large purchase, put the ball in the dealers lap to make you happy. If not, FIND A NEW DEALER.