After owning a 997TT for six months, I have a few observations:

1. The TT is not a sports car. As fast as it is on the straightaways, it is a cumbersome beast in the turns. I'm actually shocked at how bad the suspension is on this car. It's soft, lumbering and really twitchy at the limit, with under/over characteristics that make the car feel like its got two left feet. It feels more like a sports sedan a la Mercedes E55. Ride quality is quite excellent, however. As a highway cruiser, it's an awesome car.

2. Power gets old very quickly. As fast as the car is, you get used to it very quickly and then what you're looking for is the overall package.

3. I miss the Cayman S in terms of an engaging car to drive. The car felt so balanced and it was so easy to control the dynamics of the car with the throttle. The 997TT makes me always feel disengaged, and I feel like I'm "steering" the car rather than "driving" the car.

4. If I had to do it all over again, I'd get a Cayman R over the TT. I test drove the R and GT3 back to back, and I have to say, I loved the R. They took the goodness of the Cayman S and just raised it up a notch. The only reason I chose the TT was the ability to take more than two people in a pinch, and the overall usable space. As much as I like the fact that I got to own a TT once in my life, I don't think I'll miss the car when I get rid of it.

Are there other owners who have stepped up from other Porsche models who feel the same way as me?

 

A lot of people choose to upgrade the suspension on the TT. Motons, or MCS are top choices, especially for the track. I would venture to say the all-wheel-drive is what makes it so disengaging for you. I hear a lot of disdain about it from drivers, especially racers. I know what you are thinking; if you buy a car like that and pay the premium, shouldn't it come more set up? It's set up for doctors and lawyers. The cars set up for drivers are the GT's. Don't lose heart though, your car has the potential to be whatever kind of monster you want it to be. It's just going to take some component changes. You have an awesome car, just make it yours with the changes you want. The sky is the limit with that car

 

That's so funny and exactly why I like the car. If the cayman had 200 more HP, 2 back seats and didn't crack your teeth over bumps I would get it. I love the cayman and think it looks nicer too. What I want is a nice hill country road carver that is stupendously fast, can take the kids on occasion and good for the occasional date or overnight trip with the wife. No plans to track it regularly or drive at the limits on public roads. If the track bug ever bites me, a used cayman s plus TPC turbo and handling upgrades will set you back a lot less than a 997tt and look great too!

 

My exact sentiments. I had a Cayman S PDK that I modified with Softronic flash, plenum and throttle body. You just had to point that car. That mid engine vehicle is "set up". However, I do love my 997TT and as a DD, it suits me just fine. I must admit the power gives a whole new meaning to the "Nut*******". Another 100 horses and a sunroof for the Cayman would kill a lot of 911 sales for sure.

 

When i test drove a stock 09 TT, i honestly thought the car was floating up in the air.. Infact it was worse then my E55

However with a good suspension ( mine is lowered on H&R springs) and with a good alignment, the car is a different beast altogether..way tighter now and handles a lot better too.

 

I traded my 2007 Cayman S for 2008 Turbo. I had over 43,000 miles on the Cayman and have over 28,000 on the Turbo. The Cayman S was fun but the Turbo is my choice over the two. Sport mode tightens both up quite a bit and makes them handle better. I don't track, so for me, how much car do you need on public roads. I live in foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains and there are lots of great rural roads that provide great thrills. For cars and motorcycles, which I also enjoy. The Turbo is more than enough car for me and my butt does not ache after an hour ride in the Turbo like it did in the Cayman. My girlfriend prefers the Turbo as well. Both are great cars and provide for thrilling drives. I'm a dentist, not a racer, so I guess the Turbo is set up just right for me. lol

 

OP - agreed with many of your points (and the very good responses here). While personal preferences vary and some like the Turbo as is (nothing wrong w/ this), my poor Turbo baby does receive an unusually large number of complaints about its suspension, doesn't it? Starting with 996 Turbo, Porsche designated the Turbo as daily driver - and tuned it accordingly. The trend hit rock bottom with 997.1 Turbo, the softest sprung car in all of Porsche 911's! Porsche engineers finally admitted their wrong-doing LOL and took step to increase roll stiffness of 997.2 (stiffer springs, stiffer sway bar).

While the Turbo could never match a mid-engine light car like the Cayman as far as steering purity/quickness, and chassis transient responses, there are most definitely things you could do - and it's very very very simple: increase the roll stiffness by changing to after-market coilover.

Stiffening the chassis and increase front camber remarkably correct two major issues (for some of us, not all) of the Turbo: its slow/numb steering and its excessive weight transfer (front/back, side/side, everywhere!! ). Many here have done it - if you do, you will be a happy man. I guarantee.

 

I have had nine different Porsches.....including an 06 Cayman S....now a 12 TT....I too loved the Cayman S....the sound and the handling.....but I really love the TT....the build quality is IMO much better that the Cayman S....the power is intoxicating....the ride ultra smooth which as others have said can easily be modified to your liking.....I also have a 87 930 S Slantnose Sunderwunsch which lets me enjoy the completely pure driving experience with no PTM, PASM...etc.....
I laughed when I read one poster stating "The TT is set up for doctors and lawyers"......I guess we cannot appreciate the fine handling characteristics of the the "real" Porsches......typical stereotypical thinking.....

 

Cannga.....I love your car.....I enjoy reading your posts which are most informative......what kind of wheels are those?

 

I feel for you, but inherently 911's are "bad" handling cars with 60+% of the weigh on or behind the rear axle. Basically, a pendulum and as such there is a way to drive them. It is critical to go in slow, apex late and come out fast. At the limit or close to it, there is no mid-corner correction. Just beware that the more you modify the suspension to be more responsive (like the GT3) the snappier it becomes and the cleaner you have to be in the corners. Off throttle over steer becomes off throttle snap and spin!

Also, beware that 911s pick up their inside front wheel under hard cornering and by definition the steering will get incredibly light. I love these cars for their idiosyncratic set-up and behavior and no matter what you do, they will not be like a Cayman (nor should they be). The Cayman is an incredible handling car.

Regardless, you have a great car and hope you enjoy it. Cheers.

 

Unfortunately, the Cayman is Butt ugly... personal opinion of course.. but somebody has to buy them :-)

 

. I am thinking even the Boxter S will give you that for a lot less money AND it is a convertible... very good feature if you still have hair. As in blowing in the wind...

 

I just had the TT in for service and was given a Cayman S as a rental from Rodger Jobs Porsche here in Bellingham Wa. I too was taken by the characteristics and nimble handling of the Cayman. I did not take but one spirited corner to know where the engine was mounted as well. She also had a very nice sometimes brappy (made up word for lack of a better one in English dictionary) exhaust note that had me leave the stereo off on every drive. With those compliments come some complaints. Not a overly gorgeous car to look at. I did not once park it and when walking away look back to admire her sexy curves. Secondly at 6'1'', I did not fit in her. My knee was constantly hitting the base of the wheel whilst shifting her even with the partially squared wheel. I was never completely comfortable in the car. Just my take.

 

Yeah, it looks like I have to go the aftermarket route to get the suspension sorted. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to fiddle with this car as my other car is a money pit.

 

911 and cayman/boxter are two completely different cars and to say a tt is not a sports car indicts a complete lack of knowledge and understanding of the 911 chassis. Sorry, no offence OP but there is no other way to put it. Punting a Cayman or Boxter around a circuit requires far less skill and finesse in comparison to driving a 911 equally fast/or faster and there would be few qualified persons that would dispute that fact. I've seen good drivers in boxers lap ordinary drivers in TT's (that think they are good) and i've seen good tt drivers (that ARE good) round up and lap pro drivers in boxters.....both cars with stock suspension. Naturally a decent wheel alignment will change that game dramatically for the car as well for the lesser skilled driver but ultimately the 911 requires proper driver training to fully understand and appreciate the dynamics of the chassis and the enjoyment it can bring when punted hard correctly. If one requires a car that requires less finesse then the cayman and boxer is the chassis to be in. To opine the suspension is inadequate arriving at a conclusion the car is not a sports car is completely absurd....laughable in fact. I would totally agree with what the other poster (512bb) said about how stiffening the suspension only makes the car more twitchier and harder to catch if lost at high speed...but thats the start and finish of it. The 911 has many benefits beyond what a cayman can deliver (roomier/airier inside the cabin space, better looking etc etc) but it does require a specific skill set to be able to punt it hard through corners. And how often in DD would a driver arrive at the limits of the 911tt's chassis? The AWD system combined with the general power and brilliant engineering of this well developed chassis is simply not to be underestimated in the hands of a skilled driver. We all know the .2tt chassis has been further advanced from .1tt as we will all soon find the 991tt will also substantially advance from the .2tt chassis. So when that happens i will then be listening to the same story how .2tt was "not a sports car" too i suppose ....and how soft and floaty it is against 991tt....and so it will continue . The fact remains that stiffening up the .1tt suspension may make the car feel more competent in the hands of the inexperienced but in reality all that has been done is to move the inexperienced driver closer to having a high speed accident. I'm not saying it shouldn't be done but until such time the operator can properly manage the car in stock trim then it's all a bit of a toss off. And to say the car is not a sports is . There is no disputing the fact that an atmo P engine will ALWAYS have a more seductive engine note than a TT....you can't change that. But can you make that atmo engine push you into the seat like the turbocharged engine during that in gear pull?.....hahah i think everyone here knows the answer to that one. Best advice here for the OP coming out of a cayman is to get some proper driver training and a decent wheel alignment (and get some synthetic brake fluids into the system) followed by some seat time before doing anything. Excusing inadequate driving skills by blaming the car is like a bad mechanic that always blames his tools. And turning a DD like this into a bone shaking buckboard defeats the entire purpose of a car Porsche designed for DD use. The car has soft and hard settings....(learn to) use them properly. And if trackdays outnumber DD street days then just trade it in for a GT3 or 2 and be done with it. Why ruin a perfectly good ride.