Boxster or Cayman

[TomTSH]

Hi, I am new to this forum, currently 22 and from the west midlands. I test drove a Porsche boxter GTS on Saturday. I initially didn't want to test drive this and it was out of my price range but after driving it, it was incredible. Ive driven many sports cars, and that's possibly the best ive driven, blows an r8 out the water IMO. I currently drive an Audi TT and just always loved porsche's. Currently looking at either a boxster S or cayman S.
What are the pro's and con's of both? Caymans are a bit extra, are they really worth it if on a budget?

I've been to Porsche Solihull and given them a few cars to look out for.

Ideally want a white convertable, sports exhaust (sounds amazing) with the sport crono package, bose speakers, Pdk, and heated seats. Any other options you'd suggest would be worth getting?

Anything to look out for?

Thanks

 

[s999sws]

If you want a convertible then you can only look at Boxsters . Cayman are only hardtop. Cheers

 

[TomTSH]

I see, well ideally convertible would be nice, but if the Cayman was the right price and spec I would have it.

 

[Motorhead]

I prefer tin-tops myself Tom, but if it's convertible you're after, then it has to be the Boxster. What's your budget, as this will depend upon it being a 987 or 981 model? S models are generally spec'd better than base models and the options you've mentioned are worthwhile. You may wish to consider PASM as well, particularly if the car has the 19" [987] or 20" [981] wheels fitted. The standard seats are fine but the Sports Seats [called SS Plus on the 981] are more figure-hugging if you like more side support, but it really depends upon your frame size. Some people wouldn't buy a car without the expensive PCM; useful if the car's a daily drive but a TomTom's fine if not. Auto-aircon isn't standard, so Climate Control is good if you don't like having to adjust the controls continuously. I wouldn't buy a new car without Cruise Control - just a personal opinion - but this can be retro-fitted if required. There are plenty of very nice cars out there, so take your time deciding. If purchasing from a PC you'll get an excellent warranty but if you're buying from a non-specialist, it's probably worth getting the car checked-out by a Porsche specialist prior to purchase. Good luck. Jeff

 

[rob.kellock]

Choices of options are very personal and would depend on how you intend to use the car. Cayman or Boxster has to be your personal choice too. I went from a manual Boxster Spyder to a PDK Cayman S. Quite different cars. My Cayman has various options you don't mention: PCM3 - built in satnav - worth it for the secondary map in the instrument cluster alone. Mobile phone preparation - needed for bluetooth / hands free Rear parking sensors - rear visibility is not the best Sports seats plus - I find them better than standard Leather pack - lifts the feel of the interior a great deal - dash, door tops etc. Interior light pack - quite cool but essentially pointless 20" wheels in satin platinum - aesthetically lift the car and hide brake dust well Cruise - essential for long stretches of 50mph roadworks on motorways these days Sports design steering wheel - if you go PDK most people vastly prefer the flappy paddles On your list, I'd not worry about sports exhaust on a Cayman so much, I'd not bother with sports chrono but Bose is a useful upgrade. You may wish to look out for twin zone climate control - it is the only way to get climate control at all and the standard system is fiddly. PDK does what it says on the tin but the 6 speed manual is a belter too. Don't forget a lot of stuff that is standard on most cars is an option on a Porsche so if you are used to xenons, magic wipers, dimming mirrors, climate, park sensors, decent stereo, big wheels etc they may not be there... Play around on the approved used section of the Porsche website, you'll soon get a flavour of spec.

 

[dereksharpuk]

Tom, if you want a convertible then a Boxster is the way to go. When I last purchased a Boxster I evaluated it against a 911 cab... I found the Boxster better AND more than half the price. In the end I went for the 2.7... absolutely brilliant and more than enough performance.

 

[TomTSH]

Guys, thank you for all the responses. I've found the car I want and I'm awaiting a price on. Its going to be a finance job, around £500 a month I have to spend. This one im after is a Porsche Boxster S 3.4 PDK - 2dr white convertible. Its up for £41,990 I reckon I could get myself a decent deal. the specs are as follows White, Service History, Black Leather, 3400 cc, Stereo, Aluminum pedals, Cruise control, Floor mats, Mesh wind deflector, ParkAssist rear, Porsche crest embossed on head restraints, Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK), Porsche wheel crest, Preparation for mobile phone, Roll-over bar with exterior color paint finish, Seat heating, Sport Chrono Package, SportDesign steering wheel, Sports exhaust system, Sports seats Plus (2-way, electric),tinted windscreen, Wheels painted in Black, 2-zone automatic air conditioning, 20-inch Carrera S wheel, 62 Reg What you think? The sound of the GTS was incredible. I've been told if I get the same size engine with the sports exhaust and crono package - the boxster and the GTS will sound the same. Is this correct?

 

[dereksharpuk]

Seems a bit old for the price. From an OPC? Warranty? Do you actually want all those options? If not, they are worthless. PASM? PSM? Both you need. That price is close to a brand new basic 2.7 981.

 

[MrDemon]

ORIGINAL: TomTSH Its going to be a finance job, around £500 a month I have to spend. This one im after is a Porsche Boxster S 3.4 PDK - 2dr white convertible. Its up for £41,990 I reckon I could get myself a decent deal. the specs are as follows White, Service History, Black Leather, 3400 cc, Stereo, Aluminum pedals, Cruise control, Floor mats, Mesh wind deflector, ParkAssist rear, Porsche crest embossed on head restraints, Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK), Porsche wheel crest, Preparation for mobile phone, Roll-over bar with exterior color paint finish, Seat heating, Sport Chrono Package, SportDesign steering wheel, Sports exhaust system, Sports seats Plus (2-way, electric),tinted windscreen, Wheels painted in Black, 2-zone automatic air conditioning, 20-inch Carrera S wheel, 62 Reg What you think? The sound of the GTS was incredible. I've been told if I get the same size engine with the sports exhaust and crono package - the boxster and the GTS will sound the same. Is this correct?

take a look at the finance, and your deposit, because come the 2 years or 3 years is up which ever you choose, you are going to have one hell of a balloon to find (est £20k), or give the car back to them and then you have nothing. the deal is then to be had on the finance not the price of the car. At 22 I was driving £10k cars and I have worked my way up over the years getting a better car every time. I did a PCP once it lost me 12k and took me another 3 years to get over the lost and build back up again. Also may I ask what your insurance price is, 22 years old, Birmingham, £42k Porsche eak they love the saying what can you afford "£500" but that £500 don't buy you the car !!!! at £42k I would say that's 10k worth of interest if you keep it. So getting a deal say £1k off is nothing on the 10k you have over spent and the deposit you will have lost ! my rule of thumb is, if I cannot afford to buy it out right on a 5 year loan, then I cannot afford the car, that has stood me well.

 

[TomTSH]

ORIGINAL: MrDemon

ORIGINAL: TomTSH Its going to be a finance job, around £500 a month I have to spend. This one im after is a Porsche Boxster S 3.4 PDK - 2dr white convertible. Its up for £41,990 I reckon I could get myself a decent deal. the specs are as follows White, Service History, Black Leather, 3400 cc, Stereo, Aluminum pedals, Cruise control, Floor mats, Mesh wind deflector, ParkAssist rear, Porsche crest embossed on head restraints, Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK), Porsche wheel crest, Preparation for mobile phone, Roll-over bar with exterior color paint finish, Seat heating, Sport Chrono Package, SportDesign steering wheel, Sports exhaust system, Sports seats Plus (2-way, electric),tinted windscreen, Wheels painted in Black, 2-zone automatic air conditioning, 20-inch Carrera S wheel, 62 Reg What you think? The sound of the GTS was incredible. I've been told if I get the same size engine with the sports exhaust and crono package - the boxster and the GTS will sound the same. Is this correct?

take a look at the finance, and your deposit, because come the 2 years or 3 years is up which ever you choose, you are going to have one hell of a balloon to find (est £20k), or give the car back to them and then you have nothing. the deal is then to be had on the finance not the price of the car. At 22 I was driving £10k cars and I have worked my way up over the years getting a better car every time. I did a PCP once it lost me 12k and took me another 3 years to get over the lost and build back up again. Also may I ask what your insurance price is, 22 years old, Birmingham, £42k Porsche eak they love the saying what can you afford "£500" but that £500 don't buy you the car !!!! at £42k I would say that's 10k worth of interest if you keep it. So getting a deal say £1k off is nothing on the 10k you have over spent and the deposit you will have lost ! my rule of thumb is, if I cannot afford to buy it out right on a 5 year loan, then I cannot afford the car, that has stood me well.

Nowadays mate people who spend 30K+ on cars don't buy them outright anyway, my insurance price is 1100 for the boxster s, £500 on the TT. I live In a town near Birmingham so not as high risk as you think. I understand with the finance the balloon payment you have, but once your 2 3 or 4 years of pcp has ran out you just had them the car back and get another one, I understand you do lose some money on the pcp, but you'll also loose money buying cars outright as well. Swings and round abouts.

 

[dereksharpuk]

Tom, yes & no to you last... Firstly you don't always lose out on finance. If you get the rate low enough to beat net interest rates you may win. I have zero % interest on my PCP and obviously am winning. Secondly, you don't always lose out when buying sports cars. True I have lost shed loads on brand new 911s, but if you bought a 996 GT3, 993, 3.2 Carrera, E Type or Lotus Elan 3 - 5 years ago (to name a few) you would be in clover.

 

[MrDemon]

Nowadays mate people who spend 30K+ on cars don't buy them outright anyway

ok. I'll leave it at that, if you are happy losing your deposit and handing the car back for a fixed fee per month that's great ;-) Enjoy the new car ps as you are neither a friend a companion or my sexual partner ! I guess you may be from Australia , if so "g'day mate how r ya? " Did I say it right ? see I am trying to fit in a new me !

 

[TomTSH]

ORIGINAL: dereksharpuk Tom, yes & no to you last... Firstly you don't always lose out on finance. If you get the rate low enough to beat net interest rates you may win. I have zero % interest on my PCP and obviously am winning. Secondly, you don't always lose out when buying sports cars. True I have lost shed loads on brand new 911s, but if you bought a 996 GT3, 993, 3.2 Carrera, E Type or Lotus Elan 3 - 5 years ago (to name a few) you would be in clover.

How have you got 0%?!?!

 

[rob.kellock]

ORIGINAL: TomTSH I've found the car I want and I'm awaiting a price on.

Is this at a Porsche main dealers? If not, it is main dealer priced and Porsche provide the best warranty and for 2 years minimum too. I only ask because I just looked on the Porsche site and that car isn't there!

ORIGINAL: TomTSH The sound of the GTS was incredible. I've been told if I get the same size engine with the sports exhaust and crono package - the boxster and the GTS will sound the same. Is this correct?

No, the GTS engine has been tweaked, as has its exhaust. The S set up is a bit more "mature" (or should that be disappointing?) with fewer pops and bangs on the overrun.

 

[dereksharpuk]

I agree with Rob, buy from a main dealer or pay much less (with a full inspection at an OPC!) & yes, I do have 0% finance, but not on a Porsche!

 

[MrDemon]

ORIGINAL: dereksharpuk I agree with Rob, buy from a main dealer or pay much less (with a full inspection at an OPC!) & yes, I do have 0% finance, but not on a Porsche!

silly to quote 0% and misleading, you can get 0% on a Lotus or a ford or a white van ;-) but as most of us seem to own outright our porkers, a mute point ... PS I sell my cars a the same price as OPC's , a OPC offers no more than I can, plus I make better coffee and my GF is fit and can open the door for you if one so wishes. why pay much less from non OPC ?

 

[Rocket Man]

you could always go Boxster Spyder and loose a lot less!!!

 

[dereksharpuk]

ORIGINAL: MrDemon

ORIGINAL: dereksharpuk I agree with Rob, buy from a main dealer or pay much less (with a full inspection at an OPC!) & yes, I do have 0% finance, but not on a Porsche!

silly to quote 0% and misleading, you can get 0% on a Lotus or a ford or a white van ;-) but as most of us seem to own outright our porkers, a mute point ... PS I sell my cars a the same price as OPC's , a OPC offers no more than I can, plus I make better coffee and my GF is fit and can open the door for you if one so wishes. why pay much less from non OPC ?

Aaaaah, so you are a motor trader! Do you sell new Porsches?

 

[rob.kellock]

ORIGINAL: MrDemon why pay much less from non OPC ?

Full 2 year warranty was my main point. Full comeback too. Sale of Goods Act rather kinder to consumers than those involved in private transactions. With the best will in the world, I could pay top dollar to liberate you from your Spyder tomorrow but if it turned out to be a ringer and you emigrated the next week, I would be up a creek without a paddle...

 

[TomTSH]

Been out all night only just got in so thats why the slow reply. Strange you ask about this car and you can't see it,,... it was at leeds Porsche for £41990 - on their website today, and when i spoke to tony from solihull he said they couldn't find it at about 10am this morning, and neither can you find it.... yet i saw it at about 3pm today. Here's the link for that Porsche. http://www.jct600.co.uk/dealerships/Porsche_Centre_Leeds/used-cars/Porsche/Boxster_S/car-details/porsche-boxster-s-leeds-sv62oek-21262960 Also tony has found me a similar priced car which quite honestly looks like its a no go at this stage. 4K deposit and £850 a month for a £42K Boxster S which i feel is too expensive - here is the finance quote - thoughts? (see attached)