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is the cayman a tad small ?

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3.5K views 31 replies 21 participants last post by  kehr  
#1 ·
i feel a bit silly asking this question after i made the down payment, but i bumped my head both getting in and coming out of the cayman during my test drive.

And when i was in the car i felt the wind screen is smaller then what was used to so i could see less stuff...

I am normal height 173 cm, slightly build, i could still fit quite nicely inside, don't have to wrap my legs around the ears.

My question is does the caymans size become restrictive or one would simply get used to it ?
 
#3 ·
I've been used to driving a supercharged MX5 (Miata to you US folks) and my reaction after first getting into a Cayman was "wow, it feels awfully big". Truth is it still feels a tad big after four months. So I guess that, like almost everything, size is relative. PS I'm also about 1.77m.
 
#5 ·
i guess its all down to where you've come before the cayman.

I had a VW family sedan, and the first impression in the cayman coming from that; was that its slightly constrained. also the steering wheel is quite tiny.

is the tiny steer wheel a problem ? i tend to drive with only one hand, some times only two fingers.

but now that i ordered a tipS i should keep both hands on the wheel
 
#8 ·
I'm 6'1 and fit very comfortably in the Cayman.

Somewhat surprising as I just barely fit in a Boxster with the hardtop, and I don't fit at all in a new M3 Coupe for headroom reasons.

Really, once you drive one for a few weeks, most other cars will feel like overly large, unmanageable "boats."
 
#10 ·
I think it's a matter of what you're used to. I'm also 6'3" - but my other cars are SUVs. I have to remind myself to bend when I get into the car.

In terms of windscreen and bonnet (hood) - the thing I love about the car is that the 'humps' tell you exactly where the wheels are. So left to right - the car is exactly where you think it is.

The trick is front to back. Because it's mid-engine - I used to find myself in the wrong spot in the parking lot when I got out of the car.

But have no doubt - this is a small car. I think I can fit underneath an Expedition!

Dfogal.
 
#12 ·
yeah im 5' 10" and it took me a bit of time to get the seat and more importantly the steering wheel to where i felt comfortable. I pull the steering wheel out a good distance which allows my legs room to bend. Head room was a never a problem though
 
#14 ·

It does take some getting used to, but once its done, most other cars feel strange when you try to "climb" in :D

________________________

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"Sir! We're surrounded!" - "Excellent! We can shoot in any direction!"

A good car will get you from point A to point B. A great car... will just get you into trouble!
 
#15 ·
I'm 6' 4" or 1.91m and like others above it took a few weeks to figure out how to get in and out. The best way for me is butt first then swing the legs in, once in its pure pleasure.

The CS made its first road trip this past week from Dallas to Marble Falls for a 5 day golf tournament. Two golf bags (the reason I purchased the CS in the first place), two luggage bags and two men had nary a problem.
 
#16 ·
Cayman is comfy for a tall person, when you compare with everything else out there. Want to feel good about your purchase, go try to get into Elise, Miata, or S2000 :D
 
#18 ·
I continually compare the CS to the other best mid-engine cars in the $70,000- $130,000 range. All of these cars work comfortably for drivers up to 6'3" (191 cm). The cockpit in the CS is kinda small, and does have a slightly tighter feeling. But its not cramped in any way. In comparison, the CS is not quite luxurious, but it is very well layed out, very good looking when in full leather, and extremely functional.

The storage areas in the CS are huge in comparison to these other mid-engine cars due to the rear storage area... 2 sets of golf clubs! ( if I only played golf!). The other cars have only one small luggage area. ( 20"/51 cm luggage max). And a big plus for the CS, is that the CS has a hi quality roof rack system where it is easy to add skis, bikes, surf boards, and even smaller storage pods. No one else has these things. For a mid-engine platform, the CS is easily the most practical.

I think Porsche recognizes the everyday value of storage space better than most hi performance car makers. Its my guess that its Porsche's perceived need for customer storage space, that keeps the old and obsolete 911 design active.( Yes, I do know that the CS has slightly more storage area in total cubic units,... but it is not quite as user friendly as the 911.) Once again, the CS proves to be a really wonderful mid engine platform.
 
#21 ·
Hi All!

I'm a shade under 6'2" and have no difficulty entering or exiting our 2008 CS. Inside, there is significantly more head and lateral room compared to our 1983 911 SC. The only aspect that feels a little "close" is the read deck / engine cover. I'm used to the vestigial back seat space in the 911 but I'll get used to the lack of this space in the CS.

Best regards,
Steve
 
#28 ·
I'm only about 5'7" (I don't know how many mm that is:D) Seems like plenty of room inside to me. And my clubs are always in the back during the warm season.

One worry I've had: because I'm short the seat is moved pretty far up. I get in by putting my butt in the seat sideays and then spinning around. Wish there was an easier way cuz it's kind of a Pita. I have a Mercury Mountaineer and every time you shut off the key the seat moves all the way back. When you turn the key on the seat moves up to a preset position. I almost wish I had manual seats in the CS cuz moving the seat back and forth is slow and tedious.

So how do you guys enter the car? Butt first? Maybe I should start a poll.
 
#29 ·
Plant your butt and swing your feet in. I'm 3.31 Cubits tall.:D
That is the same way that you have to get into a Lotus Elise or Exige. That is how I get into my CS. Make sure you have the seat adjusted for the correct driving position. If you have the April 2008 edition of PORSCHEFORUS look at the article on page 49.