Hi,
I am struggling to make a final decision on the wheels and suspension for the Cayman S I have on order. At this point, it's configured with 20" wheels and the standard suspension. It will be an everyday driver and I won't drive it on the track much, if at all.
I have not been able to A/B compare the 19" and 20" wheels. And, I have been unable to find a car that has PASM. I've drive the car with 20" wheels and, while it's suspension is firm, it doesn't strike me as harsh. I was told by several people that the ride of the 19's vs 20's is almost indistinguishable.
So, do you think PASM is a better choice for an every day driver? And, is it really true that the 19" won't give an appreciably softer ride?
Dan

 

I have a '14 Cayman S with the standard suspension and 20'' wheels. I would describe the ride as firm, but it's certainly not harsh. Actually, I can't believe the car rides so well on such low profile tires. The car also handles just fine with the standard suspension, it does not feel floaty or exhibit excessive lean.

I have not driven one with PASM nor one with 19'' wheels. I have driven a Boxster S with the Sport Suspension and 20'' wheels and thought its ride was bordering on harsh (too firm for a daily driver, IMO).

In terms of road comfort and handling, I don't think PASM is necessary. However, if one is often driving on very bad roads or tracking the car, then PASM may be a good choice.

 

Rob,
Thanks for the thoughtful response. So, today I managed to arrange some more test driving with the dealership. I drove:

-Cayman with 19" wheels (no PASM)
-Cayman with 20" wheels (no PASM)
-Carrera with 20" and no PASM
-Carrera with 20" and PASM

They didn't have any Caymans with PASM so I had to do the PASM A/B comparison with the Carreras.

Here are my opinions:

-The 19" are definitely softer than the 20". It's subtle but noticeable.
-The Cayman with the 20" is quite firm. I agree that it's not harsh, but it is very firm.
-With the Carreras, the PASM seemed to smooth out the 20" wheels a bit. The ride without PASM on the Carrera was a teeny bit softer than on the Cayman with 20", I assume because the Carrera is a little heavier. But, when comparing between the non-PASM and PASM cars, the PASM was definitely smoother.

So, at this point, I think I'm going to go with the 20" wheels and PASM. I think this combination will give me the best ride for when I'm being casual and, if I want something stiffer, I'll press the button .

Dan

 

I ordered my 2014 boxter s with 19's because I was concerned about the ride, even though I really liked the look of the 20" Carreras s wheels.
I now have the 19's for sale and the 20's on the car. The ride quality is very close to the same and I think the turn in and cornering is a bit better.
I'm thinking of installing the x73 suspension package but am concerned about ride quality once again. I think you're on the right track with the 20's and PASM.
Good luck.

 

I opted for the sports suspension over PASM and am very happy with it which includes both on and off the track.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I'm at the point of either going with x73 sway bars with HR springs (less cost), or the full x73.

 

I have PASM on 20". It took me time to get used to the car to tell between PASM being soft vs stiff. On Rougher roads once you get used to the car you can definitely tell a difference IMHO. I'm glad I have it but it might be one of those things I could have lived without in reality. Some people have a hard time telling the difference. Remember too PASM is always on, it's just how it adjusts the ride to be stiffer or not that changes the computer response when "on".

 

I have H&R springs and 20s, but the ride is not as harsh as I expected. Firm, but not harsh.