[Zip]

It is all about the sound of the engine. When the top is down, it is like nothing else...nothing else... to experience on the open road. It totally connects you to the drive.

 

[c-rizzle]

I only regret that I don't have a Boxster Spyder! I'm not a huge fan of the styling of the regular Boxster S.

So the Spyder is kind of the best of both worlds. It has the increased power/performance of the Cayman and its redesigned rear end looks great like the Cayman.

It really depends on whats around in a few years, when I'm looking for my next upgrade.

In 2-3 years, I will have a decision to make:

my options will probably be:
buy a year old+- Cayman S PDK
buy a year old+- Boxster Spyder PDK
or drop $15k-20k on TPC Turbo, LSD, exhaust on my '06 Cayman S and turn it in to a monster of a car

 

[jimher]

I wanted to avoid the whole regret thing so I got both :dance:

I work at a fairly button down place with a parking lot filled with Camry's and the like. When I got the CS after owning the Boxster for a few years, I was often asked by people here why I have two Porsches. I use to him and haw about how I dont have kids, didn't overspend on a big house, blah blah blah. Now I go with "cause I can't afford the third one quite yet" :hilarious:

 

[Boxsterbob]

Love top down driving and the only time the top is up is if it is raining, too cold or over 95. Would love to have a CS as a Track car but topless days outnumber track days 6 or 7 to one.

 

[jcanrun]

I too was deciding between a cayman and boxster. In my case, it was between my 08 Cayman and a pair of 2006 Boxsters (different shades of gray). They weren't exactly apples to apples comparisons but the deciding factor to me was that the seat belt on the boxster was rubbing against my neck and no way to adjust it. On the Cayman, the seat belt sits nicely on my shoulder. So, I ended up going with the Cayman. Plus, I really didn't want a convertible (just that it was cheaper). So, no regrets for me in choosing the Cayman. But, once in a while I regret the Speed Yellow color and wish I got a tamer gray color. But I noticed that the Speed Yellow gets way more attention from on lookers.

 

[dwynne]

Well, I think everyone should own a convertible. I have owned a Miata M, C5 'vette, and and I am my 3rd S2000.

If you can only own and drive one car, then the Boxter would be the choice over the Cayman.

If you love your Cayman, then pick up 2nd car - a used convertible of some type. S2000 would be my obvious choice, but a used Boxter or even I Miata to enjoy on top down days (and there are a lot more than you think).

 

[Flea]

I too was deciding between a cayman and boxster. In my case, it was between my 08 Cayman and a pair of 2006 Boxsters (different shades of gray). They weren't exactly apples to apples comparisons but the deciding factor to me was that the seat belt on the boxster was rubbing against my neck and no way to adjust it. On the Cayman, the seat belt sits nicely on my shoulder. So, I ended up going with the Cayman. Plus, I really didn't want a convertible (just that it was cheaper). So, no regrets for me in choosing the Cayman. But, once in a while I regret the Speed Yellow color and wish I got a tamer gray color. But I noticed that the Speed Yellow gets way more attention from on lookers.

I really like silver/gray vehicles (obviously, since I got one), but sometimes I wish I would've gone with Speed Yellow. I like flashy colors on sports cars.

 

[porscheforever]

We own both. My spouse definitely prefers the Boxster, because she loves top-down driving and does it literally every day she can. Handling on the street is about equal, assuming equal wheels and tires and suspensions. She has a base Boxster with 18s, and it handles an awful lot like my Cayman S with 18s. I know there's a technical difference in chassis rigidity, but I can't feel it while driving, even on rough roads. Top up or down there's less road noise in a Boxster. Wind management is very good with the top down. Even though I'm a Cayman fan, I will say that when the weather is right and the road is right, the Boxster with the top down is a more engaging driving experience.

On the other hand, when the top is up the Boxster is claustrophobia-inducing. You could hide a Hummer in the blind spots. At speeds over 80mph, top up or down, the Boxster is noisy in a bad way. Finally - one major annoyance - there's a lot less space inside a Boxster. If I'm the passenger (almost always) I'm sitting with her purse between my legs.

Oh yeah, one more thing, engine compartment access on a Cayman is bad enough, on a Boxster it is the making of a temper tantrum.

Sorry I know this is a old thread, but I have the boxster and don't regret it. I like the look of the cayman but would miss having the top down.

As for the Boxster being claustrophobia-inducing, I disagree. I developed bad claustrophobia as an adult and I don't feel it in the boxster with top up but I've felt it in a Toyota Avalon in heavy traffic, amusement park rides, on planes, etc. I also don't think the boxster is noisy at all at any speed but of course it will be worse than any hard top vehicle.

 

[2015CS]

So many legitimate but subjective issues here . . .

The Cayman price is a bit more of a rip than the Boxster price. But does that make enough difference for you?

The Cayman has better storage and can therefore be used for extended road trips for 2 people. But is that an issue for you?

Also, the engine sound difference (favoring Boxster, top down) and road noise (favoring Cayman) means something to some folks--not others.

Where you live is a big one--to me Boxster is the only way to go in Southern California. In contrast, here in Puddletown (Portland OR), I think the Cayman wins the prize.

I few of the differences are so trivial as to not be worth counting (like the trivial difference in horsepower to somehow justify the padding of the Cayman price)

One isn't better or worse than the other. In my case, the BIG deal is that my wife always gave me sh*t when the top was down in previous cars--too hot, she needs AC on, her hair is blowing around, too much sun in her eyes, etc., etc., etc. It ruined it for me. So in our case the Cayman was clearly the right choice. My brother wishes he had a Cayman instead of his Boxster. Why? In his case, he has hearing issues that make the noise of the Boxster top up AND Boxster top down a drag for him. All this shows how the decision about "what's right" is all about what's right for you.

 

[Lkdiver]

Boxster here with absolutely no regrets whatsoever.
My daily driver is an Acura TL with all wheel drive and some really nice HP and torque. In the northeast neither the Boxster nor the Cayman works well in the winter. Although some may disagree, a rear wheel drive car just does not wrk very well in the snow and ice.
I do not track the car (although I have opened it up to 115 on the turnpike) and was looking for a roadster. There is nothing like the open road on a sunny day with the top down. The ventilated seats are not the best but the A/C with the ventilated seats and the wind blowing is still extremely comfortable on a 95 degree day.

 

[jtucker]

I have both. Boxster for top-down fun. Cayman for raw driving experience and looks. Expect to have both cars for a while.

 

[SteveInNJ]

I have no regrets because I ordered the. Boxster. With the top down the boxster is one of the most gorgeous cars money can buy. Just gorgeous. Just my opinion. The good news is that they make cayman and boxster per your preference.

 

[Highlander]

I thought about a Cayman for a millisecond when the time came to replace my old 986S. Then the thought went right out of my head. There is nothing like carving up the canyons with the top down just soaking in the smells, the temperature changes and of course the engine and exhaust notes. Boxster all the way!

If I were to get back to the track, things would be different. I'd be in the market for a Cayman GTS.

 

[az erik]

I live in Phoenix. It's 'summer' here 90% of the time. Night cruises (now that temps have dropped to upper 70's for lows) with the top down, even on the freeway are refreshing. I do plan on some AX and DE but not enough to make me give up the drop top. Plus my daughter LOVES the moon, wait till she can see it without the roof in the way.

Strangely the 06 CS I drove was noisier than the 11 Bb with the top up. There was just so much road noise with the CS (on 19's) but nothing from the 11 Bb on 18's. I wish I lived somewhere there was nice mountain roads to run through but I'll take what i can get as it's a 3rd car and will only be driven on nice days.

 

[speter20]

The cayman is a beautiful car, but its fall and driving with the top down now is priceless!! I would regret buying a cayman during spring and fall. You guys with both are some lucky basxxxx.

 

[allen986]

Had a 2000 Boxster base and loved it before moving on to an '07 Cayman S for the added rear shelf (great for trips) and spending more time on the track. My wife and I both missed the top down experience, so last year we purchased a 2009 Audi A4 converible as her daily driver. It's not near as fun as the Boxster but it has back seats (for the rare time we need it) and the topless experience.

 

[dougn]

I had a boxster and realized I didn't really like driving with the top down

 

[speter20]

Yeah its not for everybody. Adding a after market exhaust was the icing on the cake for me at least.

 

[KRG]

On a perfect summer/fall evening with crisp 70 degree temps, stars in the sky, and nowhere specific to be..top down cruises are absolutely like nothing else and a Cayman could never compete. Unfortunately, what I just described is an extremely rare event for me. After 18 months with a 981Boxster, I've realized I don't really care for top down drives during hot southern days in the concrete jungle I live in. I'm also usually on my way to somewhere and can't arrive with wind-blown hair and sweat dripping down my face. I wish I had the time for more joy-riding, but it makes up a small percentage of my time. Because of this, I chose to order the Cayman to replace my Boxster. It will suit me better 80% of the time, and honestly driving a sports coupe with the windows down gives much of the same "open" experience. The Cayman has large windows and I still feel connected to my environment when I want to be. I do agree the Boxster feels claustrophobic as well. You have a massive wall with tall roll hoops behind you and the cloth roof makes for massive blind spots. The Cayman is open in comparison, and the rear quarter windows increase visibility quite a bit. If you drive top-down most of the time, this isn't as much of an issue.