Hi looking for my first Porsche and either looking at an 06-07 Cayman S or a 05' Carrera or Carrera S.

Here is my brief description of each of the driving experience in my 1/2 hour test drive of an 05' Carrera S and an 09 Cayman.


Suspension - Cayman - Felt planted and more road feel than my 08' BMW. Seemed a tad "softer" than the Carrera

Suspension - Carrera S - Firm and taught a bit less forgiving on bumpy pavement but more feed back from the road.


Straight Line Acceleration - Cayman - Did not do a big 0-60 sprint from any lines but it was adequate and never felt sluggish. The mid range acceleration was very immediate.

Straight Line Acceleration - Carrera S - More push down low, mid range push was strong. The snap of the engine was maybe a little better but nearly equal(meaning how quickly in responded to the impulse of the pedal)

Road Feel - Cayman - I guess this is what people talk about with mid engine mounting - The care felt so "planted" like I had bricks anchored to all four wheels, Steering felt nice and chunkier than my BMW.

Road Feel - Carrera S - Steering felt tighter and maybe a little "lighter" than the Cayman, definately did not have that planted feeling to the car. The Shove of the engine around turns was nice though that felt a tad different than the Cayman.

6 Speed - Cayman - This one had the short throw shifter, and felt chunky, notchy, and exact to what gear I was going in.

6 Speed - Carrerra - The one I had was not the short throw but it was chunky and a similar feeling to that in the Cayman. I am presuming that if I had the short throw (which I feel is a must) the would be equal.

Cluth Cayman - A small tap down on the cluch only an inch or so and I could engage easily and row threw the gears. Even after not shift my first time around the corner the car stayed polite and there were no "bunny hops"

Clutch - This was my big problem with the 911 - Which I am hoping that it was a problem with the car. If it is not if I get a 911 s I am will want to replace the clutch. The cluth was stiff even harder the the Cayman(no problem here) but, I HAD TO PUSH DOWN A FULL 3 TO 4 INCHES TO ENGAGE THE CLUTCH! The salesman told me this is more of a characteristic of the 911. Did not feel good to me.

Sound - Cayman - Really liked it, not quite as good as an M3 but very pleasing "purr" to it.

Sound - Carrera - For a little background my sister has '74 S and I am amazed how similar the engine note still sounds to that car. Nice sound, but not as loud as the Cayman, maybe an alternate air filter is the answer.

So in conclusion each car has its benefits but the real deal breaker for the 911 will be the clutch. I am going to drive them again but I could not believe how it reacted. I love the 911, and that is really the car I want for looks, but the cayman is a great balanced car and can't be knocked. If I can fix some of the issues I would like to get into a 911. I will test drive some more, but if you guys think otherwise maybe another car is for me, and I will wait until I can afford a 997 GT3.

 

You didn't like having to push the clutch in all the way on the 911? Then you will HATE the clutch on the GT3. MUCH stiffer and you have to also push it to the floor.

The Cayman is a great car, and many like the balanced engine feel you noticed. For my money, a 911's rear engine bias, that you have to work the clutch and it's rawness are part of its charms - ones I did not have to acquire, but liked right away.

Sounds like you are almost trying to talk yourself into liking the 911, but if you didn't like your first impressions, it sounds like the Cayman is a better fit for your tastes.

 

just get the Carrera and be done with it. you'll never look back.

 

I tried both and the cayman is definitely easier to drive fast... The Carrera will require more finesse if you want to push it hard through corners and is ultimately more rewarding... I did feel a big difference in power especially through the mid-range. Ultimately, what did it for me was the lack of space in the cayman. At 6"2, I did not have enough leg room to fit comfortably and felt too restrained. The 997 has plenty of room inside and is quite practical.

 

If after all the analysis a stiff clutch is keeping you out of a 911...then maybe you should get an Infiniti G37 (just kidding).

But really...These cars are two completely different animals. Apples and Oranges. If you want 'easy to drive', 'very forgiving', and 'more predictable', get a Cayman. ( It is superbly balanced with that mid-engine.) If you want quirks, character, and tradition, get the 911.

Good luck with your deicision. After a few more test drives, you'll know which car is right for you.

 

It does feel different for sure. Technically there is a reason why this clutch is built like this. On your question - yes, it is stiff and yes it has to be pushed down. In 3 weeks time you will not feel it anymore at all and it will be perfectly fine.

 

agreed. I drove a manual BMW 335 for 2 years before the 997 and I don't find the 997's clutch to be too heavy at all. There's no question that you will get used to it and not even notice it after a few hundred miles.

My first stick car was a Jeep with a hydraulic clutch - it was practically feather light, and everytime I drive one these days it feels almost stupid with how light it is. I came to like the heavy clutch a lot.

 

I came from driving an audi and a beat up Ford F-150 before the C4s. The stiff clutch was the first thing that I noticed as well, but now that I've had it for 8 months, I tend to think that all the other cars had too loose of a clutch.

 

You and I are in the same situation. That is, looking for a used Cayman or Carrera. Based on a few test drives I was--and had been for nearly two years--certain a used Cayman S would be the ideal next car. On a whim I took a test drive (last week) of a 2007 Carrera S. I was completely enamored within six minutes. It has made me reconsider everything.