[midblue]

Thought I'd share.....



Had some work done on the car (took them almost 3 weeks!?!) and went to pick it up last Friday. Of course it was not ready when promised so I grabbed a Cayman for a "test" drive. I put about 20 miles on a $78,000+ model with a few options and 19" wheels. I did a stretch of about 10 miles on the freeway (nice, solid feel at speeds up to as fast as I could get away with (about 110mph) but surprisingly louder inside then my 968). I was disappointed with the acceleration as it truly did not feel ANY quicker then my 968. Another surprise was the somewhat claustrophobic feel inside the car. Everything was too close and I cannot imagine anyone taller then me (5'11") finding too much comfort as there was little forward/back adjustability. The space behind was not very useful with metal? pieces back there across the floor that I could see being completely scratched and destroyed the first time the clubs get loaded into the back. The quality of the interior of this $78K+ car was a major disappointment with HARD plastic in the center tunnel and a general feeling of "cheapness" and cost cutting throughout (no big surprise). I got off the freeway and found some twisties and I have to agree with everything I've read that the Cayman is a very well balanced, easy, fun to drive fast car. The thing sticks like glue and was near impossible to break the rear loose (believe me I tried).



The car was fun. I returned to the dealership and within a couple of minutes jumped into my car for the drive home. I am in a place in my life that (within reason) I can drive about any car I choose and if the Cayman driving experience (as lovely as it was) was a noticeable improvement then it would be on the list.....it is not on the list.



I've got to reiterate what I have been saying for years......we all own a great car that I feel fortunate to have the priviledge of ownership (even if the maintenance issues SUCK!). The fact that a $10K-$15K car with 112,000 miles on the clock was every bit as satisfying to drive as a $78+K car is a true testament to the quality of the driving experience of the 968 and I for one am still "high" on the car even after all these years.



Ron

94 coupe/6 speed

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ether_joe]

sad to hear it's got plasticky bits. I love the interior in our cars.



Is the Cayman built in Finland like the Boxster?



BTW - why do maintenance issues suck? Mine haven't been bad. . . did you get hit with the pinion bearing bit?

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[flash]

oof - lol - don't get him started - he's spent more on maintenance than anyone i have heard of - the pinion bearing is only the tip of the iceberg - we have a running joke around here - if can go wrong to a 968, it will go wrong on ron's car

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[midblue]

Thanks Flash. Even though your car is now going through an issue that my car has not yet figured out how to emulate I am sure it is just a question of time till my car develops sympathetic symptoms.



And yes Ether it is probably better if we do not go down that path. I still love the interior of the 968 as well. I can't stress enough the cheap quality of the the interior plastic in the Cayman......the type of plastic that if you smacked it too hard it would crack.



Ron

94 coupe/6 speed

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Etnier]

Thank you for tempering my lust. There are a few of these at the local dealer (along with a Carrera GT that's been sitting there for quite a while behind a rope barricade: they don't look like much in black FWIW) and they really got me interested.



Now I can relax. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[flash]

lol - fair enough - nothing but love in the room - should i break out the contact cleaner now, or wait until you pop over for me to fix the rocker panel?

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ether_joe]

sounds like we should all take $ that would have gone on the Cayman, plunk it into RS Barn upgrades and modern suspension bits, and WE'LL SEE WHAT'S WHAT. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/huh.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ds968]

Ron,

well done. that should mitigate any Cayman-envy.. in case there was any .



and to add to your " no the seat of the pants difference " observation ( though a 200lbs passenger would cause a notable change ): a 968 with minor modifications -the chip, the air box holes and the RS Barn or BB or other top notch exhaust - will probably accelerate par with the Cayman. Sure that's not exactly apples to apples, but neither is $ 15 k with a $ 1k worth of mods vs. $ 80,000...and two more friggin' cylinders on top of it all ! Sheesh, 13 years of advances in technology over our car and Porsche is not capable of getting at least 375 hps out of a six when they got 240 out of a four banger more than a decade ago ? for shame... <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/dry.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



and we still have a better looking car, IMHO. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/cool.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[flash]

if you were to spend 80k, imagine the 968 you could buy, build, and then drive for a long time with the money left over

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ether_joe]

[quote name='flash' date='Mar 21 2006, 07:07 PM']if you were to spend 80k, imagine the 968 you could buy, build, and then drive for a long time with the money left over[/quote]



THAT'S exactly what I'm talking about! Either a beautiful Turbo copy that really hauls ass, or a tricked out RSBarn NA car. Man oh man.



Also isn't the consensus, it's not that Porsche can't make the Cayman faster, it's that they're worried about taking sales from the 911. Ergo, no limited-slip diff.



Hate to see the car hamstrung like that. although hearing about cheap plastic inside and I lost most interest. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/ohmy.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ether_joe]

[quote name='ds968' date='Mar 21 2006, 06:22 PM']and we still have a better looking car, IMHO.  <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/cool.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />[/quote]



hear hear, timeless styling. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/happy.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



Although I fear the 16" stock wheels are looking a bit dated. Easy enough to upgrade though.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[SANDOVAL]

They need to build a stripped down Cayman with a Raw RS/Clubsport feel 3.8 engine, Coil over suspension, PCCB, body kit. That car would be a winner although they will never build it.



This is the Car Porsche should build: http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/02/15/cus...debut-in-march/



However they will not touch the car due to the 997 market...what a shame. The GTR is worth the $70K price tag.... the Cayman S loaded does not!



More on the GTR http://www.farnbacherloles.com/st/projects.asp

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[wjk_glynn]

[quote name='ds968' date='Mar 21 2006, 06:22 PM']..a 968 with minor modifications -the chip, the air box holes and the RS Barn or BB or other top notch exhaust - will probably accelerate par with the Cayman. [/quote]



A Cayman S is a smidge lighter than a 968, and makes 295-bhp (SAE).



I reckon a 968 would need to be very close to the 300-bhp mark for it to match a Cayman S in terms of accelerative grunt.



Karl.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[midblue]

I put my car on a diet (not the flash diet but a diet non the less) and figure I'm pretty close to 3050lbs. I have the airbox mod and the chip and if I am to believe (actually I saw it with my own eyes because I was there when the testing was being done) then my car should have a minimum of 255hp and a maximum of about 263hp.



The Cayman has 291hp or 295hp depending on what article you read and weighs a low of 2954lbs and a high of 3100lbs again depending on what article you read. Also I remember reading somewhere that Porsche hobbled the Cayman with different gear ratios so there was no chance it could be as fast as a 911.



Now take into account the rather large person sitting in the passenger seat (200-220lbs) and I believe this is why the Cayman did not feel noticeably faster then my car. Just seat of the pants but still telling.



Ron

94 coupe/6 speed

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ds968]

I lost confidence in published statistics after pulling ahead of not one, but two

( '04 or '05 ) Carrera 4 cabs, ( no passengers ) which were at full throttle from, IIRC, about 30mph to around 140mph, at which point I actually increased the already 1/2 car length margin I had on them until then.. their stats indicate I should in no way be able to do that..



So I suspect there are lots of things at play which could affect the results, even where the margins are as much as 1 sec in 0-60, or in the 1/4 mile.. IMO, the only safe stats you can bet on are wide margins where no elements can change the outcome.. like racing a Viper for example <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/dry.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



I'm guessing with my mods the car is likely between 265 to 270 hp, and I probably shed close to 70 lbs by getting rid of the stock exhaust and the spare tire, so while still not a pony/weight ratio that's in "super sport" category, it's fast enough to outrun every Boxster S that had the misfortune to test this old 968, and a couple of $ 90K Carreras on top of that.. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/cool.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



If Ron had a 200+ lbs passenger, that's a decent % of the Cayman's weight.. pretty sure that would mitigate the seat of the pants acceleration sensation quite a bit. As it does in the 968, when there's two in the car..



LOL, there was one time when my son was about 6 and I gave him and his buddy a ride in the back seats, while my wife was in the car as well - the car pulled as if I was towing a 747 ! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/blink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Cloud9...68]

[quote name='flash' date='Mar 21 2006, 08:07 PM']if you were to spend 80k, imagine the 968 you could buy, build, and then drive for a long time with the money left over

[right][post="17777"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



What an affirming thread! It's great to know how well our cars stack up against a highly regarded modern state-of-the-art sports car.



I've often wondered what I'd do car-wise if the proverbial unmarried, childless Uncle Olaf, the one who sold off his heavily-levereged stash of tech stocks the day the NASDAQ hit 5000, keeled over and left his favorite nephew three quarters of a bazillion dollars (I lose sleep over the strangest things...). Would I buy a modern marvel, or go hog-wild with 968 mods? After reading this post, I may just go with the latter. Thanks for giving me one less thing to worry about!



Is it worth a separate thread to collect ideas of fantasy 968 mods? I mean going way beyond the wonderful RS Barn exhaust, chip, cams, etc. I'm talking things that don't even exist yet, like ceramic rotors, carbon fiber wheels (hey, the Koeningsegg has them; can it be long before they're available on your cousin's Golf GTI?), electric steering, the ever-elusive fixed headlight mod in carbon fiber fenders, a lightweight flywheel that can accomodate a spring-centered clutch disk, etc. Just wondering if anyone else daydreams about stuff like this, or is this just yet more proof that I need to get out more...?

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[flash]

lol - are you kidding me? what do you think?



join the club - we're getting jackets made up next week

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ether_joe]

my name is sean and I am a Porsche 968 addict.



damn, the way I check these forums, I'm not kidding, I AM an addict. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ds968]

[quote name='flash' date='Mar 24 2006, 07:55 PM']lol - are you kidding me?  what do you think?

join the club - we're getting jackets made up next week

[right][post="18003"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



straight jackets ... and a padded room <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> but the 968 obsession is a good kinda' insanity, isn't it ?

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.