Talk Me Out of Buying...

[FormerHangie]

A new Porsche Cayman

And here's the kicker: Go to Germany to take delivery. I'd be getting the base Cayman, not too heavily optioned. Once it got home, it would be my daily driver, since I will only be going into the office one day a week once we resume that. I'd also use it for some track duty, probably around 10 hours of track time per year, mostly at SCCA Track Night in America, which give you an hour of track time in about a four hour span.

Is this a bad idea?

 

[RyanB]

I love those cars, base model or not. Buy it!

 

[Sac Arrow]

The journey itself is worth it. But you already knew that

 

[Flying_Nun]

Do it!

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[Grum.Man]

Either splurge for the GTS or get a last gen model. A 4 cylinder just doesn’t have the engine note worthy of such a car.

 

[eman1200]

bonanza

 

[MountainDude]

A Tesla Y Performance is way better, IMO. Not to mention that with the flood of EVs coming, your gas-powered car will be worth very little in a short time.

 

[Deelee]

Is this a bad idea

No. It is not a bad idea.

I had a friend back in high school in the 80's. We were skipping school one day and his dad had an amazing collection of cars. One of which was a Ferrari 250 GT California. I gave him the same advice I will give to you. -

It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.

 

[Grum.Man]

A Tesla Y Performance is way better, IMO. Not to mention that with the flood of EVs coming, your gas-powered car will be worth very little in a short time.

Comparing oranges to pizza??? The model y is cool but it is no track car. Clearly buying a base model German car means he cares very little about resale value. Not that electrics will have any impact on that in the first place.

 

[SoonerAviator]

Either splurge for the GTS or get a last gen model. A 4 cylinder just doesn’t have the engine note worthy of such a car.

Agreed. The base Cayman may be a Porsche, but it's not really going to live up to the hype. I'd rather grab a used 911 instead of the hopped up Cayman unless one really wants the mid engine layout and RWD. They are a bit lighter than the 911 though.

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[SoonerAviator]

A Tesla Y Performance is way better, IMO. Not to mention that with the flood of EVs coming, your gas-powered car will be worth very little in a short time.

It's also the equivalent of a Honda Crosstour in appearance. I seriously doubt the Model Y is going to make it more than a few laps around a racetrack before it goes into battery protection mode.

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[GRG55]

A new Porsche Cayman

And here's the kicker: Go to Germany to take delivery. I'd be getting the base Cayman, not too heavily optioned. Once it got home, it would be my daily driver, since I will only be going into the office one day a week once we resume that. I'd also use it for some track duty, probably around 10 hours of track time per year, mostly at SCCA Track Night in America, which give you an hour of track time in about a four hour span.

Is this a bad idea?

Sounds like fun all around. I'd arrange for a few laps on the Nürburgring before it gets crated for shipment.
https://www.caradvice.com.au/586416...everything-you-need-to-know-about-green-hell/

A Tesla Y Performance is way better, IMO. Not to mention that with the flood of EVs coming, your gas-powered car will be worth very little in a short time.

Perhaps. But then you have to bear the stigma of being seen in a Tesla Y.
That would worse than arriving in a high wing at a Beechcraft homecoming.

 

[Grum.Man]

Agreed. The base Cayman may be a Porsche, but it's not really going to live up to the hype. I'd rather grab a used 911 instead of the hopped up Cayman unless one really wants the mid engine layout and RWD. They are a bit lighter than the 911 though.

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I’d rather have the GTS Cayman to a 911. Regardless I would never own a 4 cylinder Porsche.

 

[GRG55]

...Regardless I would never own a 4 cylinder Porsche.

I'm much less fussy:

 

[Matthew Rogers]

I just got talked down to about having an iPhone that can also be used as a tachometer, and that the money should have instead been spent on 250 gal of 100LL, but somehow this is a better use of money? Just saying, make sure you downgrade to a flip phone before buying the car.

Nice car, another toy. Not much different than any other, just hope you don’t get sideswiped by accident in the winter. But it if you have the funds, why not.

 

[Grum.Man]

I'm much less fussy:

View attachment 93408

I stand by my statement

 

[Ted]

I think the "pick your car up at the factory" options are a fantastic idea. I also am a fan of the Porsche Cayman.

Normally I would be against a 4-cylinder engine. However it remains a Boxster, and it's not like it's a slouch. It's still paired to a manual transmission. 4-cylinder turbo vs. a 6-cylinder naturally aspirated like they used to do? Well, I'd prefer the latter, but I'm sure it still is a nice package.

I wouldn't buy it in white, but I think it's a great idea. Go for it. And spend some time driving it around the Autobahn and absolutely Nurburgring before returning home.

 

[FormerHangie]

A Tesla Y Performance is way better, IMO. Not to mention that with the flood of EVs coming, your gas-powered car will be worth very little in a short time.

Rather a different sort of a vehicle. Besides, If you're going to get a Tesla, you might as well go all the way.

Agreed. The base Cayman may be a Porsche, but it's not really going to live up to the hype. I'd rather grab a used 911 instead of the hopped up Cayman unless one really wants the mid engine layout and RWD. They are a bit lighter than the 911 though.

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I really want the mid engine and RWD, and 300 hp is plenty. I'm more interested in driving the traditional sports car line than trying to keep up with an overly powerful car. Let's face it, I'm getting older, not better.

Sounds like fun all around. I'd arrange for a few laps on the Nürburgring before it gets crated for shipment.
https://www.caradvice.com.au/586416...everything-you-need-to-know-about-green-hell/

It's definitely an option, though I might want to use a rental rather than my new, not entirely broken in car.

I’d rather have the GTS Cayman to a 911. Regardless I would never own a 4 cylinder Porsche.

Four bangers and I have a long history together. The majority of my racing was while sitting in front of a four, most of my miles logged on the street is behind a four, all of my PIC time is behind a four, my boat has two fours, and my waverunner has a four. It would be nice to have a six, but I think $75,000 is enough to spend on a car, and the turbomotor will be a little easier to drive on the track.

 

[FormerHangie]

I think the "pick your car up at the factory" options are a fantastic idea. I also am a fan of the Porsche Cayman.

Normally I would be against a 4-cylinder engine. However it remains a Boxster, and it's not like it's a slouch. It's still paired to a manual transmission. 4-cylinder turbo vs. a 6-cylinder naturally aspirated like they used to do? Well, I'd prefer the latter, but I'm sure it still is a nice package.

I wouldn't buy it in white, but I think it's a great idea. Go for it. And spend some time driving it around the Autobahn and absolutely Nurburgring before returning home.

Please don't hate me, but I'd be getting the PDK. I rented an MX-5 with a six speed last summer, and after driving the PDK equipped 911 GT3 at Atlanta Motorsports Park, I can't go back to something that shifts as slowly as does a synchromesh manual transmission, especially with an H pattern shifter. Plus, my wife could drive it with the PDK.

This won't be happening until next year, so I've got time to learn some German, and convince my wife. Hey, she gets a trip to Europe out of the deal.

 

[YKA]

Buy it

Buy it

Buy it


Don't even think about it, just go get it. Germany is a fun place to party as well.
Porsche cars are great, i bought a used 911 and had it 8 years, pure awesomeness!
Unless you have given up on life, and are over 80, don't buy a tesla. To me they scream 'I've completely given up, and willing to settle for anything, because my life is pretty much over'.

 

[MountainDude]

If you have not driven a Tesla and you are knocking it down, well...

 

[Bill]

Agreed. The base Cayman may be a Porsche, but it's not really going to live up to the hype. I'd rather grab a used 911 instead of the hopped up Cayman unless one really wants the mid engine layout and RWD. They are a bit lighter than the 911 though.

Except for the track focused versions, the 911 has drifted more towards being a GT car. The Cayman, especially in sportier trims, is the better sportscar IMHO.

I’d rather have the GTS Cayman to a 911. Regardless I would never own a 4 cylinder Porsche.

Yup.

@FormerHangie , are there any nice CPO Caymans to be had? My brother scored a cherry 25kmi CPO Cayman a few years back, the car is awesome and he let someone else take the initial depreciation hit.

Still, I understand the buy new thing. You know it wasn't abused, and you can make sure it is maintained by the book.

 

[Hang 4]

I hate to say it as a former 911 guy, but the Cayman blows the doors off of a 911 on the track. They handle awesome and stick like glue in corners. Lot of belief on the Porsche equivalent boards to POA that they hold back big engine options on the Cayman to not cannibalize the 911.

 

[Ted]

A Tesla Y Performance is way better, IMO. Not to mention that with the flood of EVs coming, your gas-powered car will be worth very little in a short time.

********.

Please don't hate me, but I'd be getting the PDK. I rented an MX-5 with a six speed last summer, and after driving the PDK equipped 911 GT3 at Atlanta Motorsports Park, I can't go back to something that shifts as slowly as does a synchromesh manual transmission, especially with an H pattern shifter. Plus, my wife could drive it with the PDK.

This won't be happening until next year, so I've got time to learn some German, and convince my wife. Hey, she gets a trip to Europe out of the deal.

Well, I'll try not to be judgmental.

 

[Bill]

********.

Counting asterisks, I am.

 

[JCranford]

Horrible idea.

Do it!

 

[ktup-flyer]

Agreed. The base Cayman may be a Porsche, but it's not really going to live up to the hype. I'd rather grab a used 911 instead of the hopped up Cayman unless one really wants the mid engine layout and RWD. They are a bit lighter than the 911 though.

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The Cayman is a better platform than the 911. GT4 is the trim level to get though.

 

[bnt83]

A new Porsche Cayman

And here's the kicker: Go to Germany to take delivery. I'd be getting the base Cayman, not too heavily optioned. Once it got home, it would be my daily driver, since I will only be going into the office one day a week once we resume that. I'd also use it for some track duty, probably around 10 hours of track time per year, mostly at SCCA Track Night in America, which give you an hour of track time in about a four hour span.

Is this a bad idea?

The taxes, title, and registration fees around here alone would buy a decent car.

 

[jsstevens]

I'll only add that my wife & I did the factory delivery thing with a Volvo in 2014. The car was a disaster but the experience of the factory delivery (and trip) was wonderful and memories will we always cherish.

 

[Ted]

Before you go with the automatic (yes I realize it's a dual clutch whatever they call it, but it's an automatic ), let me offer a couple of points to consider for the manual.

1) You said this is primarily going to be a street car, not a race car. The concept of super-fast shifts is something that matters much less in a street vehicle. If anything, you can have a more relaxing drive with more relaxing shifts vs. instantaneous shifts that make it feel like "Must be racing" and might make the car more boring in normal use. I say might because for me it would absolutely make it more boring in normal use, but I understand that's a personal preference.

2) You're not going to be competing on the track from what you've said. Track Night in America doesn't even have a "place", it's just about having fun on a track. So sure, for the few nights a year you do that it might feel more appropriately racey, but I would submit that at your point in driving it's about having an enjoyable time on the track rather than fully attempting to win because there's nothing to win.

Sure, competitive nature comes in for those of us who have it. But it seems to me that the automatic is spec'ing the car to be more race-ready when that's not what you really need out of the car.

The wife may prefer the automatic too, and that's certainly a consideration. But how much does she drive your car? My wife can drive manuals, although she always seems to prefer the automatics. She also rarely drives the manual transmission vehicles in the house. She has her cars, I have mine.

 

[SoonerAviator]

If you have not driven a Tesla and you are knocking it down, well...

It's because it doesn't fit the use case of the original post. The Telsa Y is mundane-looking and is NOT going to handle anywhere near as a Porsche Cayman. It wasn't built to, and that's fine. Also, he stipulated that he wanted to take the car to some track days periodically. The Tesla Y (or even Model S) is not going to do well being pushed for multiple hot lap sessions over a 4-hr period. I also doubt there'd be anywhere to charge it between sessions even if it DID manage to not go into self-protect mode.

Except for the track focused versions, the 911 has drifted more towards being a GT car. The Cayman, especially in sportier trims, is the better sportscar IMHO. . .

I don't disagree on the platform itself, but the problem for me is that to get to the overall performance of the 911 you have to spend $$$ to get it there and you're basically spending 911 money at that point. The base model Cayman isn't worth it, to me. Getting the GT4 would be my only option if I were going Cayman, just because of the 3.8L powerplant, but it's something like $90K which is where the 911 starts.

 

[kayoh190]

If you have not driven a Tesla and you are knocking it down, well...

Driven the S many times. Nice car, but if you're suggesting a Tesla, you're not understanding why the OP desires a Cayman.

@FormerHangie - go for it man!

 

[cowtowner]

I trust this guy more than someone saying buy a Tesla.

 

[Kenny Phillips]

Agreed. The base Cayman may be a Porsche, but it's not really going to live up to the hype. I'd rather grab a used 911 instead of the hopped up Cayman unless one really wants the mid engine layout and RWD. They are a bit lighter than the 911 though.

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The best handling Porsche is the Cayman; I'd get one of the last six bangers, and not a base model, if I was going that way.

 

[Ted]

The best handling Porsche is the Cayman; I'd get one of the last six bangers, and not a base model, if I was going that way.

While I love the sound of a naturally aspirated flat 6 Porsche engine (and that's what I'd go for personally), part of what the OP is looking at is the experience of picking up his new car in Germany. That's something I've always wanted to do, and it's enough to make me consider buying a brand new German car, if and when I could afford such a thing.

 

[kyleb]

A wealthy friend who is a Porscheophile is a believer in 3 year leases. New ones are fairly maintenance intensive and you move to the next one before the big dollar stuff hits.

Another friend, less wealthy, was using a Cayman as his daily driver (Marietta-Cartersville) and was *real surprised* the first time it needed tires and brakes. He immediately made it "not the daily driver".

Me? I'm a bit old school. I've been looking at early 70's 911's. Much friendlier to the DIY mechanic. But prices on 10+ year old Boxsters are attractive. Prices on 10 year old Miatas are attractive too, as are maintenance costs.

But I'd love to have a current Cayman.

The real answer is "Do you want one, and can you afford it?" After that, it is about priorities.

 

[Ted]

 

[RyanB]

Not to mention that with the flood of EVs coming, your gas-powered car will be worth very little in a short time.

Not the case. The EV market has a good bit of work to do before it will become mainstream. Until they can improve the range, lower the recharge time and make the prices more affordable for most people, they’re just not practical enough to become a staple. Combustion engines are here to stay for awhile.

 

[steingar]

Were I to blow that level of money on a car I'd be Vette shopping. A Vette can do everything any other supercar can do for a lot less money. I think they're cheaper to fix, too.

 

[Grum.Man]

Were I to blow that level of money on a car I'd be Vette shopping. A Vette can do everything any other supercar can do for a lot less money. I think they're cheaper to fix, too.

Agreed but the OP wanted the exotic experience of taking delivery in a different country. Of all the poorly engineered and built cars from Germany, Porsche is probably the best.