Next Pcar...CaymanS

[RandallNeighbour]

Last night I uttered this confession to my wife:

"As much as I wanted a convertible Porsche, I'm not buying another one new or used. My next Porsche will be a mid-engine hard top with the biggest motor I can get in it."

My reasoning for this is two important factors that when combined, made the decision easy.

1. I live in Houston Texas. It's hotter than hell here most of the year. And it's unbearably humid too... which means I bake AND steam with the top down and suffer a lot with the top up as well due to the lack of insulation in the canvas. I really do not enjoy driving the car from May to September during daylight hours.

What I loved most about the boxster was the way it looked with the top down, not the actual top-down experience living where I live. The Cayman looks great with the top up, and has all the handling benefits of the boxster plus more rigidity.

2. The top itself, the motor, the cables, the transmission, the electronics, and the switches are all maintenance items that seem to fail in older boxsters. It's like having two engines to look after when you look at the dollars involved. Granted, the top isn't nearly as expensive as a new Pcar motor, but it sure is the same price as the motor in my Toyota!

Since I buy used Porsches and keep them a long time, #2 is a really important issue to me. I must have the peace of mind knowing I don't have twice the repair bills and repair hassles ahead of me in the years to come.

So, when it's time to trade my old boxster in for a newer Porsche, it's gonna be something like a Cayman S.

[unklekraker]

Randall...that thought has been lingering into my head ever since i convince m friend to get one...although I love the 911 line ups, cayman s would be the next new affordable car

But I'm still keeping the Boxster...and that's where the struggle begins
I would like to have a convertible and a coupe in my garage

[drburton]

Very interesting it seems there is a bit of a natural migration from Boxster to Cayman. Although I go to the Cayman forum and there was a thread earlier this week regarding how many of the Cayman owners miss their Boxsters in nice weather - now that they can't put the top down.

Personally, since I have a 987 Boxster, going to the Cayman next would seem a bit redundant, basically the same car with a fixed top. Therefore, I would consider the 911 as a potential new experience. I have always liked them anyhow. The new 997 Targa really peeks my interest.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by unklekraker

But I'm still keeping the Boxster...and that's where the struggle begins
I would like to have a convertible and a coupe in my garage

Get a hardtop Unk! Best of both worlds!

[CJ_Boxster]

I'd go with a 996 or 997 model, 2 words... Back Seats! There small but hey you can fit more than just 1 person in the car with you which is nice and dont forget, YOU CAN ROLL YOUR SEAT BACK SOME MORE!

[unklekraker]

@ adam...I thought about that too but if I want to get a "newer" Porsche coupe, Cayman S would be the next affordable one that's only 2 or 3 years older by the time Im ready

[Chills]

I love my Boxster. I love the way it looks and how much fun it is to drive. When it is time to trade her in on a newer car I'll most likely get a 911 (997 by that time). I've always loved 911's and I like new experiences. While the mid-engine car is amazing I've always wanted to drive a rear-engine car.

Hopefully I'll be able to keep the Box and get a 997 in the next 4 years. Best of both worlds.

Would I get a Cayman? Probably not. Like drburton said it would be a bit redundant.

[Ronzi]

Amen, Randall. But it would be a 911 in my case.
When the top goes down, the price goes up, but it takes quite a while for that to happen.

[Boxter]

911 cab for me...either a 996 or 993

...echoing CJ_Boxster - back seats
I have three boys under the age of 6, it would be nice to take them all along and not limit trips to just the wife, or just one of the boys...
..this is in addition to the fact that I have dreamed of owning/driving a 911 since childhood.

[hamstur]

The 911 has always had the iconic mystique, but the 987 is definitely Porsche's greatest chassis. The Boxster is as "pure bred" as you can get being a direct derivative from Dr. Ferry Porsche's original vision, but the Cayman is definitely a more "pure sports car."

Aesthetically, the Cayman gets my vote and I'll definitely swap my non-S Boxster for a Cayman S in a couple years.

[IowaS]

Originally Posted by drburton

The new 997 Targa really peeks my interest.

yep, no doubt...

[porsche986spyder]

Why not just get the 987 Boxster and add the hard top. That way you can still have the look and feel of both cars. Here is an image of a 987 with the longer extended hardtop now availible. Makes it look just like the Cayman. Only made in Europe, but you can have it shipped here to the U.S.

[super66]

I am not a 911 fan and would want a new boxster s just for the power...no cayman interest. I would likely go with the 911 because it would be nice to take the kid and wife in a convertible at the same time....like I said though, not really a 911 fan....I could always get a turbo vw bettle like T.O.

[RandallNeighbour]

Originally Posted by porsche986spyder

Why not just get the 987 Boxster and add the hard top. That way you can still have the look and feel of both cars. Here is an image of a 987 with the longer extended hardtop now availible. Makes it look just like the Cayman. Only made in Europe, but you can have it shipped here to the U.S.

Here's the problem... there's still a convertible top under it to maintain and keep in good condition should the car ever be sold.

Moreover, anyone who's got a hard top of any kind on their boxster had better take notice that leaving it down and covered year after year stretches out the cables in the sides of the top and makes it really loose fitting and hard to close properly. I know this from personal experience. My car had a hard top on it for a number of years before I bought it and my top looks great, but fits like crap.

And one more thing... why would I pay big bucks for a new 987 and then pay a whopping $8k for this top just to get a Cayman S style boxster? It makes no financial sense to me...and I do not care about the top down experience any longer.

[Brucelee]

I supposed as long as I live in SOCAL, the roadster is the deal.

[FrayAdjacent]

Actually my next car will be something more practical, something to be used as a commuter....

Something like the Chevrolet/GM Volt.

[porsche986spyder]

And one more thing... why would I pay big bucks for a new 987 and then pay a whopping $8k for this top just to get a Cayman S style boxster? It makes no financial sense to me...and I do not care about the top down experience any longer.[/QUOTE]

Wow! It was just a sugestion. I thought you were torn between the 2 and could not decide and I was only offering an alternative option that worked in both situations. It's only $5K plus shipping, not 8. Good luck on your decision.

[Thumper]

I'd probably opt for a used 996TT or a GT3. I'm continually amazed at the depreciation these seem to be experiencing. I like the Caymen VERY MUCH, but it would have to be a steal of a deal at this point. I plan on keeping my 986 around for a very long time and any other P car would be an addition rather than a substitution. I'm having too much fun modifying the Boxster.

Although I'm still intrigued by the Targa.........

[Perfectlap]

I highly doubt I would ever trade in a roadster for a Coupe.
THis is my second and I can't begin to tell you how much I HATED being in hardtop sports car when I was on vacation last year in Florida.

I think having a CaymanS and A BoxsterS would be novel but kind of excessive since they are so similar. Heck even Porsche lumps their sales numbers into the same boat.

The 996 prices droping like an anchor lately have surprised me and gotten my attention. This week a guy on Rennlist took home an 02 C4S with barely 25K miles for ......drum roll......$43K and a CPO to boot!!! Car was absoultely MINT.
Porsche has simply produced more cars in the last 7 years than ever before in its history and the demmand is just not there to keep those 911 prices prop'd up.
The deals will be even sweeter 12 months from now. Back a few months ago I even saw an 02 996 Turbo 30K miles with BBS, spotless all around, go without a single bid on Ebay for $55K.

Similarly the Caymans are a crashing. 06 CaymanS leftovers going for $50K is not unheard of. The guys who paid $70K are eating $20K in depreciation in barely 18 months....OUCH. But aestheically I doubt I would buy one for even $40K because I know I would end up spending $10K on exterior cosmetics, wheels, GT3 seats, etc.

I dunno I would never consider a 911 or Cayman a replacement for a benchmark roadster but if room and $$$ allows, its a fine addition to the collection.
Right now I think the 996 Turbo dry sump engine (far superior to the lower 911 engines) is the best value going. GT3 also has this engine but that's not a car I particularly enjoyed being a passenger in on one very wet drive. If its mis-aligned its down right dangerous. The Turbo is like the Oprah Winfrey of Porsches: Powerful, expensive and heavy.

[racer_d]

Until 996 GT3 prices drop dramatically, I will go back to an Aircooled Porsche