Chrismalberts

I test drove a Cayman 718 T, mainly because I love the look and packaging etc. However, I was very surprised to find it not obviously faster feeling than my 2015 2.7 Cayman. I think a big part of that is the softronic tune I have. Stock to stock the 718 would feel a lot more lively lower in the rpm range, but the softronic REALLY helps the 2.7 in that regard.

Clearly it's not apples to apples, and a tune to the turbo 4 can get you 50+ hp. But if you want basically the same car with the same options and want something a little faster, then you can save a boatload of money by just tuning the car you have.

zstokes

Somehow I missed this in your original post.
You're going to have to drive a 718 and see what you like. I will say though, that Everyday Driver video is great as far as impressions of each.

EDIT: My Cayman search is solidly in the 987.2 area, S if I can but base will be just fine. My color option choices skew heavily towards the unattainable - Ruby Red with black or black and grey two toned interior. NO sand. I also really want Lobster Claws, and they just don't look right on the 981 at all, IMO. Beggar should have been a chooser in 09-12, in my case.

maximusbibicus

Really? Just like that? Did you drive it? Impressions?

michaelscain

I love this EVO review by henry of the 981S.

Chrismalberts

I know you weren't replying to my comment, but when I test drove the T I thought it sounded horrible. Loud, but like a bunch of bolts in an oil drum and it seemed reluctant to rev and just sounded awful at steady 3500 to 4000. However, my guess is that additional miles (it was brand new) would loosen it up and aftermarket exhaust and disabling soundaktor would make the exhaust acceptable, so that on its own wasn't a deal breaker. I'd think that an ECU tune would probably help it out a lot - the Softronic made a world of driveability improvements to my 2.7. The dealbreaker was that it didn't represent 40k's worth of additional driving pleasure or value over my existing car.

EDIT: Lout sb loud.

Tommy L Garage

I didn’t even drive it. I sat in it. Felt similar to the 981. But the engine note was just terrible

NoVACayman

I test drove a 718 S and base as well as a 981 S and base (in that order) in my search for a Cayman. I didn't find the exhaust note that bad in either 718 (actually didn't really mind them to be honest), but the flat six wins hands down. While the extra power of the 981 S was nice, I didn't get the "this is my car" feeling until I drove the 981 base. It felt like the right amount of power combined with the chassis to make a sublime machine. I knew I had to have it and I paid pretty much what 981 S's were going for before COVID hit, but I didn't care as I'll likely be buried in this car.

The car is my DD and only car so maybe I would have gone with more power if it was a car reserved for the weekends, but the 981 base has more than enough to take me straight to jail everyday. I'm also using it as my track car and am firmly in the "get the most out of the car" mindset versus just throwing power at it, so that also drove my decision. I plan on getting either the softronic or FVD tune not for the power bump (which is extremely modest), but for throttle response and driveability. You might want to give that a shot before switching cars. The grass is not always greener, unless you're someone contemplating the switch from BMW to Porsche

zstokes

Is it okay I changed this a little?

ncster

I was planning on getting a 981 base before I saw (and bought) the perfectly spec'd 981 CS on PCA. Coming from a Miata, the power does feel a bit too much for putting around the city. Can't really rev it out and throw it around as much as the miata. But the extra power is great for passing on the highways. I never tried a base but I can imagine it would have more than satisfied me. My 981 is also my only car. No commute so mostly weekend drives, trips to costco, and eventually track use.

The throttle response in regular mode is really bad. Maybe I'm too used to my miata's relatively aggressive throttle response but the 981's regular throttle response makes it feel very sluggish. Sports (and sports plus) mode fixes it though. I wouldn't mind the same (or similar) pedal respnose as sports mode in reguar mode.

Chrismalberts

I test drove a 981 S before passing then buying a base. It felt a LOT faster but part of the reason was that my son (18 at the time) was going to be on the insurance for this car and at least occasionally drive it and the 981S was enough power to surprise an inexperienced person. Actually, the first time he drove the base after the Softronic update he was a bit freaked out as he usually drives our Subaru Crosstrek (MT - but slooow). I don't regret not getting an S - the only thing I slightly regret is not holding out for a car with Xenons, but apart from that the 2.7 I have checked every other option box I wanted...and still does.

NoVACayman

That's fair!

maximusbibicus

A fifteen minute drive would have been great to at the very least experience another dynamic, for better or worse.

maximusbibicus

Similar experience driving the 718, albeit a base with PDK. I had heard so much **** talking about how bad the engine and the noise it makes is so I figured it would be worthwhile to check it out. At the time I was driving a MK7 Golf R so the power delivery and the sound wasn't too different. The midrange grunt was wonderful and it pulled really hard to redline. I though it sounded appropriately sporty, no issues with the sound but there is no way it matched the sound of the flat 6. Not a bad sound, just very different. Make no mistake, it is certainly a Porsche. Fantastic dynamics and it felt a lot more solid that other 981's I had driven. I won't write it off as a future purchase.

All that said, my 981 Boxster 2.7 with the manual is a much more engaging experience and the noise from 4500 to 7500rpm is intoxicating. Very glad with the decision I made. Don't discount the 718 though, still a Porsche. Full stop. Depending on the type driving you do (daily driver?) it may actually be a better choice because of the punchy midrange and how the PDK always keeps it in boost.

manifold danger

These 718 vs 981 threads are always full of bad takes. Never disappoints.

The major two offenders here are claims that a) a base 981 somehow feels the same acceleration-wise as a base 718- sure, if a half-second 0-60 difference "feels the same"...

And that the 718 "sounds terrible". The 718 objectively does NOT sound terrible. Neither does the F80 M3. They're just victims of their predecessors' success. The E9X M3 sounded absolutely amazing, no way a turbo car can live up to that. And the 981...

Just put on a pair of decent headphones, and listen to just the first 2.5 minutes of this (but watch the rest if you haven't seen it, Henry Catchpole is arguably the best auto journalist alive today):


FWIW, I was going through the same situation a couple years ago, and that video made my decision for me.

Full disclosure, I have a 991.2 right now that I absolutely ADORE... but watching this vid literally makes my heart ache with envy. What a noise.

So yes, comparing that to a 718 isn't close. But that doesn't mean a 718 sounds "terrible"... that's hyperbole, sensationalism, whatever you want to call it. A bad take, but one that's all too common on this board in particular.

remington

I have a 981 Base which I prefer to the 718 Base but it's not because of the sound, it's because of the power delivery characteristics of a turbocharged vs a NA engine. The turbo will feel faster because of the low end torque, but then again a GTI will also feel faster than a 981 base for the same reason. It's just the nature of how that power is delivered that you may prefer one over the other.