Cayman S advice sought - demystifying the options list

captaintibes · 15 Aug 2010

Hi All,
I'm in the market for my first Porsche and after lots of deliberating I've decided that a Cayman S is the one for me. I've set myself a budget of 30k. Been hitting Pistonheads hard and seen loads of great looking cars but I'm getting mired in what I suspect may be lots of useless and uneccesary details.

I know i'd like a car in something like meteor grey or black and i am rather partial to the carrera sport or turbo 997 wheels. It looks like i should be able to get a 2007 model in the low or sub-20k mile range.

However I am now becoming focused on the list of possible extras and having never owned a Porsche before I've no idea which are even worth having. Certainly i don't know if any of them add value.

I want something that will ease me into the Porsche brand and enjoy my (weekend) motoring, occasional track day and odd jaunt down to Europe. I also want a desirable looking car that if I treat well will hopefully hold some value and be easy to sell on Don't we all!?

So to the extras:

Is the Porsche sat nav any good?
Is the Bose upgrade worth having?
Will I notice PASM?
Is sports Chrono a gimmick or worthwhile?
Ceramic brakes sound great but how long do they last and what are the replacement costs?
etc etc. You get the idea and the list goes on.

I'm not looking for a detailed essay on the pros and cons of each option but just a hint from those of you that have used and experienced these things. There are so few Caymans around in the Channel Islands where I live that i can't really even get a test drive sorted locally.

Am I simply better to find the cleanest base model I can, sod the extras and but my own nice stereo/sat nav system? I'm also assuming that sticking with black leather is the safest way to go as I suspect the beiges and cocoas and similar things of that ilk may harm potential resale.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as i'm itching to pull the trigger and get me a car.

mark pearce · 16 Aug 2010

Is the Porsche sat nav any good?
Is the Bose upgrade worth having?
Will I notice PASM?
Is sports Chrono a gimmick or worthwhile?
Ceramic brakes sound great but how long do they last and what are the replacement costs?
etc etc. You get the idea and the list goes on.

The sat navi s fine, it may not have full post code facility but its a lot easier to use than BMW i drive
Bose is questionable in my opinion, if its got it fine but dont let it be the deal raker
PASM is to stiff in the sport mode for most roads, but usefull if you track the car
Chrono is rare on a cayman, enhanced throttle response, and stiffens up the PASM, but you can revert the pasm to the normal modePCCB discs are £5000 each and you need to buy both for each axle, but you can replace with steels,

i find that although the ride is probably a little better on 18's most cayman buyers are looking for 19'' wheels, and xenon headlamps and a s many little options as they can, most would rather have 19's than nav for example

captaintibes · 16 Aug 2010

Hi thanks very much for that, very useful indeed.
As you rightfully say, the more the merrier when it comes to extras but certainly they should not be governing a potential deal.
It also sounds like the chrono packs and PASM might pack a little more substance than some of the other available features and may appeal more to potential buyers.

Rob.S · 8 Sep 2010

I found my black S with sp chrono, nav, 19's black leather and cruise I have to say that it's the perfect spec for me and not felt like I have needed much else except the cd changer.
The PASM is too harsh on most roads where you may want to use it but it's not an essencial tool for having fun.

The PCCB are an expensive option but are said to last 180k miles

R8SSO · 30 Sep 2010

I have a fully loaded (~19k of extras) Cayman S and I have to say, as much as I like having them on the car most are not neccessary and the surprisingly the ones I wasn't interested in when buying are the ones I find I like the best!

Xenon headlights are fantastic and not somthing I considered but are a must have now. The tinted mirrors are good as well and are again something I never considered.

Sports Chrono pack is not neccessary for me as I don't do track days but I like dial you get on the dashboard as part of the pack so happy with it!

The sat nav unit is poor in my opinion, lack of full post code functionality is a school boy error! I like the traffic warnings you get with it but trying to recalculate a route around the traffic while driving is difficult so not much point.

My 19" Turbo alloys are the best extra I've got on the car and in my opinion make it. Tyre pressure sensors are good too and have come in handy over the winter when the cold has dropped the tyre pressure to a very low level.

I've got the 6 CD changer and Bose upgrade and it's good, but I find it hard to compare as I can't remember being disapointed with my last Cayman S which didn't have it...

Maxie · 30 Sep 2010

captaintibes said:
So to the extras:

Is the Porsche sat nav any good?
Is the Bose upgrade worth having?
Will I notice PASM?
Is sports Chrono a gimmick or worthwhile?
Ceramic brakes sound great but how long do they last and what are the replacement costs?
etc etc. You get the idea and the list goes on.

I think most of the optional extras are exactly the same as you'd find on a 997 series with updates coming out at the same times.

SatNav - on the 997 post code search came out from 2006MY. I'm sure it's the same with a Cayman, so if you buy anything before this MY then it probably won't have the post-code facility.

Bose - I didn't have it in my 996 but I do have it in the 997 and for me it's big difference in the quality of sound. However, as Mark states, it should not be a deal breaker.

Sports Chrono - largely a gimmick but again a 'nice to have' feature and like R8SSO states, I like the extra dial in the middle of the dashboard because, well, it's unique.

Ceramics - Personally I think it's overkill for such a car. If we were talking Turbo or GT3 etc then there might be a good reason for them but if it's on, then great, if it's not, then don't fret. Again as Mark states they are very expensive to replace with even 911 drivers replacing them with steels.

I won't comment on other extras because the list really does go on and on. I have just remarked about the ones you highlighted to add to the debate.

All in all, happy hunting; the Cayman is a great car and half of the fun is in the search for the right car.

~ Maxie :thumbs:

GT4 · 30 Sep 2010

Serious users seem to be backing out of ceramics to steels anyway.

Great as a option buzz-word, and may even look good on a spec sheet, but better to pull them off day one, fit steels and re-fit for resale.

Certainly any 996 ceramics are a big no-no for track work. Even Porsche state they are for road use only.

997/987 PCCBs are apparently track approved, but damage them physically, or with too much heat fatigue, and it's big bills.

Big Bob · 9 Dec 2010

After a long time away from this Forum :sad: , I have a confession to make:
I've sold the 997 GT3 and bought a new Cayman S!!!!!!!!!!!

It was a good deal at OPC Sutton Coldfield, and by trading in also my Smart Roadster Coupe (which after 6 years was the loss leader on the deal) I did not lose any money from the Porsche standpoint.

On Options I went for PDK, Sports Chrono Plus, Sports Exhaust, PASM, Bi Xenon with Dynamic Cornering Lights, Country Packages on Convenience and Communications, + Sports Styling Pack.

Do you know while I loved the GT3 and am extreemly pleased I had it, its so relaxing to shift to the Cayman S and get away from the corrosive need for more and more power.

Clearly I'm getting old

ld: , but I'm happy

Best Regards to you all
Big Bob :bye:

tim993 · 9 Dec 2010

Much though i am increasingly liking the look of the Cayman, what is the main reason(s) to buy one over a Boxster? Sorry, I know that sounds daft, but given they are such similar cars, having the option of the hood down seems like a win-win to me. As far as I've read, the Boxster is still a beautifully balanced and sweet handling car and is not that far off the Cayman in this regard. As for performance, I think they are both pretty similar as well.

:?:

Cayman S advice sought - demystifying the options list

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