Is The Base Porsche 718 Cayman Not Worth It?
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2024
- The base Porsche 718 Cayman is the cheapest sports car you can buy with a Porsche badge on it, but is it any good. And even more so, is it overprice? The Porsche Cayman has had its fair share of time out of the spotlight. As car enthusiast's almost were begging Porsche to give it more performance, it almost looked like it was falling on def ears as Porsche continued to give all the love to the 911.
But things changed recently for the Cayman. It started getting more performance. The desirability went up as it got bigger engines, better looks, and even more tech from the 911. So, Porsche listened! Kinda. In the 718 Cayman, Porsche took away the naturally aspirated flat 6 in the base level and replaced it with a 4 cylinder. Something the Cayman crowd wasn't very happy with. So did that ruin the base Cayman? Is it still the loved car that everyone wanted more performance for? Im going to find out in this video.
Thanks for watching
#porsche #PorscheCayman #718Cayman
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What do you think of the base Porsche Cayman?
Overpriced by about 10k imo.
Yah base price of 70k is pretty steep, especially considering some inevitable options most will get
99% of CZcams would take a car over another because of exhaust notes, the absolute dumbest reason to buy a car
True statement
Have a 718 manual, want to try it?
Most internet opinions about the Cayman are from people who’ve never driven one.
Yup
Porsche has become very profitable from cannibalizing its product lines, meaning a large amount of parts are shared between model lines. I own a 2017 Cayman S and it's well optioned, so no problem there. I must say this is the best car I've ever owned and I've had too many cars to remember over my 77 years. I think it sounds wonderful, even better in sport mode or sport+ and have no complaints about the performance, 350 HP is way more than enough to get you thrown in jail. I find these horsepower wars really silly, you simply can't use the power on the street. These are not race cars and how much time do you really spend at the track??? All I can tell you is that there a lot of Porsche snobs out there who stick their noses in the air to everything that's not a 911. Final thought, when the Porsche badge goes on the hood they're ALL Porsches.
You shook ferdinand Porsches Hand right ?😂
Jokes aside you must be healthy af to get into a low car like a Porsche with 77.
Not to mention your girl and everyone else doesn’t know the difference between a 718 and 911 😂
I agree 💯, I own a 2014 981, best car I’ve ever owned, well I kept secret 🏎
autobahn :D
Love my base 718 Boxter
....By far best car I've ever owned.
People who say it's not worth probably can't afford it either way. I own a 17' Cayman, first thing you do is pull the fuse that eliminates the fake engine noise that is being pumped into the cabin, takes 2 minutes; then you get a tune from Softronic, or APR, immediately bumps torque/hp anywhere from 35-50 lb-ft/hp depending on octane level, takes your base to S territory for less than $1500; do this to an S and you outperform the GTS. The chassis is why you by the car, it's fantastic on a twisty road....
Agree
For real? 50 hp its plenty.
Toss a nice fi exhaust on it and it sounds better than the gts as well🤷♂️
Odd but when I’m banging thru the gears at my local track I don’t think about the GTS l designation , I just race and the sound chases me. . On the way home the GTS is quiet, smooth and beautiful inside. Full leather, great stereo and the money means less than how I feel driving.
Watched a killer video by an Australian who bought two boxsters,one to drive and the other to examine. Then he went thru the parts list and repair info for Porshe. For every previous series the cayman / boxster twins are almost Identical under the skin to the same year 911 . People who buy 911 subsidize the rest of us and we get the better( personal opinion) car. I’ve driven Porshe turbos and other 911 S. When I’m old I will get a 911 ,I am 70 and I will stick with my CGTS until I can’t get out.
I love my 2019 718 Base. For me to drive it to it's fullest, I would need driving lessons. My friend has a 2020 911 Carrera S, which is a fantastic car, but it's a foot longer, heavier and doesn't have a mid-engine . . . I have the six-speed. I love the shifter. So crisp and mechanical.
I have had my 718 base 5 years and Love it, love the PDK too, power seats wit air and heat. Had my 09 Cayman 10 years Loved it also, daily drivers, you won’t be disappointed.😊
718 if you want balance, handling, precise and clean drive. BMW M if you want power, oversteering, fun and corrections.
Having a base model 718 with some mods and tune. It honestly punches above its weight class for the price. Yes, I bought mine used that already had the suspension upgraded, but I will add that its a lot of car still. Porsche Engineering makes 300 hp perform and feel like a 4-500 hp front engine counterpart in the same price range. I think many people would rather opt for the Cayman S for the bigger 2.5L engine but for myself I could not justify a 10-12k premium for a car that I could match with a $2k tune and have the $10k extra to put towards servicing and general ownership costs.
I was thinking to do the same thing…buy a base 2017 cayman and add the tune for the power delivery. And still save all that money for maintenance like you said
Which tune?
I daily drove a 2017 base Cayman, 6 speed manual for years. Fantastic car. Sure, the older ones sounded a little better, but the new one beats it in every other way.
Im still looking for that 70 thousand dollar corvette. Lol
Just got a 718 base boxter... PDK is awesome ... great car.
I own this exact car. It is incredible and has way more power than you could ever use on public roads. It is beautiful to look at, and it's mid engine, which means it is much safer to drive than the widow maker the 911.
Widow maker 911? Are you comparing the 718 to a 930? Do you realize that the current Cayman/Boxster and 911 share a common chassis? The modern 911 and 718 both have turbos that don’t turbo lag-then-surge mid corner. So I’m not sure what you mean.
@@nateisright It's an old moniker the 911 earned before the era of traction control. The 911 still swings like a pendulum in turns.
My dreamcar was the 911 Turbo from 86❤❤
The 4-banger puts out more bang than the flat 6 that it replaced.
I traded a 2013 Boxster for a 2017 and it's night and day. The 2013 sounded great but the 718 is in a different league. It's a ridiculously quick car, whereas the 981 couldn't beat a v6 Camaro...the 718s are very, very worth it.
i changed from a 981 boxster 2015 to a 2018 cayman 718 2.5..what a difference
In a strait line maybe, I bet that 2013 cayman will get around willow springs or COTA faster than that V6 Camero.
@@rdsii64 I'm sure, but I'm talking about regular driving out on the street...the base 981 was NOT a quick car off the line
When they install those cheap Chinese screens and “modernize” everything to be touch-controlled, everyone complains about the lack of buttons. Now, when the interior is as it should be, not overly designed, someone still finds a reason to complain, just to have something to talk about. Modernization is just an excuse to cut costs on car interiors because designing all the buttons is more expensive. Stop complaining and be happy that there are still real cars like Porsche or Mazda offering interiors worthy of humans instead of brainwashing with excessive pseudo-touch screens.
Well said. It was a deciding factor in my purchasing decision.
Actually, I like to push a button. This obession with electronicising everything has gone too far
We are taking delivery of our first Porsche next week, a 2024 Cayman 2.0L PDK that we ordered in Feb.. This video gave me a good overview of what to expect, and I don't think we'll be disappointed. Our 2019 Audi A5 Cpe also has a 2.0L turbo and I have no complaints about the power it has, so the 300hp Caymen is going to be just fine. We can't wait to get it.
Congrats! Enjoy in good health
You’ve just got to drive to appreciate the engineering integrity and sheer joy. There’s lots of YT wannabes with opinions but trust your own
I managed to test drive 718 base. After owning 987.1 S in manual. I wanted to see how flat four turbo compares. I’ve got to say, I prefer my 987.1 S over 718. My flat six produces a series of sound that ends with a grunt that sounds like a lions purr. 718 flat four turbo has its own series of sound but it’s more high pitch. My hydraulic vs. electronic steering has more feel for the road. Shifting my analog gears is like loading a finely tuned rifle. Brakes are really good for both. Handling is same as they’re both mid engine. Though my centre mass is heavier given I have bigger engine. The weight difference is 2900lbs vs. 3100lbs roughly.
Thanks for the honest review. I’ve never owned a Porsche but would like to, and the Cayman may be the only one I can afford. Like you mentioned, I think I need to test drive it to be SOLD.
Porsche has always overachieved with small displacement engines. They were the giant killers for years in racing. A rewarding sports car is not always the fastest accelerating car. Too many other factors make a sports car more fulfilling than straight line acceleration. Corvette has always been the best bang for the buck in speed. I've owned Corvettes and Porsches. They both are fine cars. I prefer the Porsche as a better overall driving experience. If you put enough horsepower in a dump truck it can be incredibly fast. But you are still driving a dump truck.
Yes you can get a C8 corvette for the around the same MSRP as a base cayman. One thing is being overlooked. Its more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. I bet you will have more fun thrashing a cayman at the limit on the angles crest highway than driving a C8 corvette at one forth of what it can do, (even though the vette is the fastest car in the world under 100K.)
I use mine as a daily driver! I get excited just looking at it! It does everything that I want it to do! I have driven the Vette, and it has merits of it's own, but I definitely prefer my base (but loaded) Cayman!
I guess for some it what’s being said here in the video but for meI have the ‘18 S and I changed the shift to short shift, APR tune and it’s a beast. Just need to pull the fuse for the cabin noise. Car is outstanding.
I bought 718 6 speed base with chrono sport and Pasm. Sounds, drives, feels amazing too me. And if I get a hair across my back I’ll tune it and have S power for $1000
Having owned a 981 Base Cayman and a 981 Boxster S, I still have a hard time with the sound of the motor. I've driven the 718 Cayman S a few times and it was quick and felt good, but the motor sound was just a killer for me. I did REALLY like the steering feel of the 718. Super quick and well done and easily my favorite part of the car and better than the 981. But if I were to get back into a Cayman or Boxster, it would be either the 987 or 981 models.
I'd take the Porsche as a legitimate daily driver every day of the week. First I am not really a fan of the Vette's LOOK AT ME styling. And as for the extra power. Carrol Shelby himself said you can't really use more than 300 HP in the street. Not and keep your license. The base Cayman makes usable power you can actually exploit and enjoy on public roads and not end up in jail. And Porsche consistently finishes in the top 5 in initial build quality. I would take the Porsche over the Vette any day of the week.
Definitely have a point!
The base cayman is absolutely great. And no you don't need the S model unless you plan on racing.
Don't get a PDK unless you plan on racing because the manual is so much more fun
LOT of rules with the Corvette though. You have to be over 50 to buy and wear corvette ball caps, t-shirts etc all the time.
Don't forget the white New Balance shoes.
The Cayman is even worse in that regards. I’ve never once seen a young guy driving one. Like the Vette, the Cayman is expensive and usually it’s only the old guys that have the $ (and no kids) to buy one.
Way more older guys drive Porsche hahaha
@@DH-mp6fg Bulll....shit. I saw a dead guy driving a new vette a few weeks back. He was doing 55 on the freeway.
Good luck finding any C8 for under $100k
I was thinking the same thing
They're around $75k in my area now.
@@JS-fc3vq yeah now you can get a stingray for reasonable money.
The base car will deliver a drive that is unique to Porsche. If you have the means, I highly recommend it. I have a Cayman S, and it’s a terrific car. Rather have a 4.0 6-cylinder, but those are hard to find.
its a porsche..enough said..wonder full car..quality built.
Same money ima get a used 981 GTS, would prefer that
I have the GTS Boxster that is something else whole new level
Gts 4.0?
The real reason is: you can actually buy one of these 718’s, meanwhile the C8 corvette is basically impossible to come by right now.
I love mine. Get the 14 way seats, sport exhaust, PDK for a perfect commuter car. I traded-in a 2012 Z06 Corvette for this car. The Porsche is no question the better car to live with - not even close. Better in every way. A great daily driver. Plenty quick for public roads. Comfortable. Decent mileage. Looking forward to taking it on track.
Corvette? Man the new ones are Sooo uncomfortable!
70k? 718’s used are under 50k lol
The flat six GTS is the perfect 2 seater sports car. I choose it over turbo charged 4seat 911.
Agree. The 4.0 gts is great. Manual or pdk?
@@DriveSteady. Manual of course. 😎
👌
A tuned 718S Will just as fast and powerful as a 4.0 GTS.
Now a tuned 4.0 GTS might be really really fast
@@drunvert. I like naturally aspirated but yeah tunes are good for turbos. I think from factory the 4.0 is the perfect balance of weight and power. I don’t feel I need more maybe if I put bigger wheels and tires and track it.
Have 2019 718 and love it. Although vette and supra are perhaps faster in a race neither compare to the class and respect only Porche implies
also it keeps better value
The 4 pot Cayman just isn't as good as a 6... FACT!
Good review. Is an excellent car, in the canyons it shines.
Can't lie, my 2003 6-cylinder Boxster sounds a lot more aggressive than these turbos.
night and day, so true (and sad)
Put an fi exhaust on it and it sounds better than the 981 cayman🤷♂️🤷♂️ i understand why people cry about losing the 6 cylinder but theres a lot of nice exhaust companies that wont break the bank that make these 718 sound beautiful
Very awesome car, hope you review G wagon and Lamborghini as well, keep up the amazing work
I dont know how you can evaluate the car in a City. Take it to a mountain road. Then dump your corvettes or toyotas.
Great review! Appreciate your insight. Watched your Supra review months back and looking at either of the two. Like ordering a sub sandwich the 718 is just so expensive once you build to what is necessary and I’m at 85 Cad. And the more meat you want it sure adds up! Wish the Porsche design engineers would amp it up so you can tell what year the car actually is. Any ideas on how long it takes to get the sub after ordering online? And which would you choose between the two? I have yet to see both in real. Thanks again!
That's a tough choice and yes the Cayman price tag really balloons after some needed options. Not familiar with the ordering process to comment on timing. I like the feel of the Cayman more but the Supra is definitely faster and not that far behind on feel. Personally I would go with the Supra because it's much cheaper than the Cayman and basically as good in the areas that the Cayman excells in.
@@DriveSteady But the BMW Supra is just sooooo ugly on the outside!
@@jsz2619 nailed it
The Corvette is well.....a Chevy typically driven by old men at 55 in the left lane. Not the group I want to be part of.
I consistently trade my wife car for car... her 718 base boxer for my 2019 Targa4S, its just so much fun to drive, it does have seat and wheel upgrades so its just as lux. It is an awesome car
Gotta drive the S version with the 2.5. It’s better, worth the upgrade imo
Would love it drive it with a manual
I'll take my base with a 6 speed over an S with PDK, thank you very much.
So basically, don't snob the Cayman just because it is a 4 popper, save money and get the manual transmission and base suspension, spend money and upgrade the seats. Was the Chrono Package with the money? My guess is yes.
Anyone have the 718 2.5T GTS? If so, how you liking it?
I'd take it over my Golf.
😄
I love my base 718 Boxster, its a keeper. No talk or bore scoring with the four cylinder. Also a load of noise attracts the wrong attention in a world where EVs are the acceptable face of motoring
How necessary is sports chrono with the PDK in yr opinion?
You mix the outside noise and in cabin noise, and this is misleading to the viewers.
Is that color the Agate Gray or the Aventurine Green?
Green
Sounds like a beatle!
Well I got a brand new c8 lt2 z51 mag ride... 1 month old... I hate it... Just drove a year old CPO 718 base.... Made me hate my c8... If I was old and lazy the c8 is great.. if I want to drive a car.. the 718 is so much more fun... Yes I doesn't have guts... But the c8 is so freaking boring...
I can certainly understand why you feel that way after driving the Cayman
@@DriveSteady I'm trying to order the last of the gts 4.0... finding the dealer is a struggle... The c8 is a fine car, but it's not a driver's car.. It is a Cadillac that you sit in a cockpit... The computer controls so much .. I want the cars of my 20s, let me decide how much a spin the wheels, manually set up the suspension, adjust the brakes, etc... The c8, I feel like I'm just operating a computer and I can go just as fast in an electric car now.. for relatively the same money... There is no skill needed to make the car drive nice, hit an apex, shift perfectly, heel toe and brake and rev match at the same time... I know I'm a small percentage that enjoys that still, and the c8 is not that car.. it's fast and makes a bad driver good... 🥱
Yup. I wish the C8 still came with a manual, it would bring back some of that analog it's missing. If you're still looking for a gts I can put you through to the Porsche dealer I work with and maybe they could do something for you.
@@DriveSteady I'm in the east coast... But always worth a try... I might just go 911s ... Not sure.. I got some time for 2024s... My gut is they will still make 2025 since it is so popular.
Little update.. I got a build slot for a 24 gts with the 4.0. I'm debating trading in the c8 or keep it a little longer and abusing it.. v
Is that exhaust stock?
Yes
Only like the Porsche due to available manual transmission. The cayman just needs more power.
Video has poor sound quality. Why not fix it before posting?
Supra and Corvette are not in the same league as the Cayman. Not at all. They are cheap for a reason.
Good review. But every time I hear ‘four popper’ I cringe a little.
I went used base 981 for the flat six sound. For me other than sound the 718 base is an amazing car. As they age, the used ones will be a deal.
I have both, I love the sound of my 718 better! Way better!
Why do you call it a 4 popper? Is that an American thing or just you? It’s a 4 cylinder, yes.
Might be an American thing
don't like your outside exhaust edit. It gives people a false impression. The sound is nice but you faked it.
Thanks for the feedback. I also got this from a couple other people. In some of my newer videos I note that the exhaust mic is ON or OFF so no false expectations are made.
@@DriveSteady ok. I would prefer outside sound check and then cabin sound only. Otherwise well done.
@ralfulrich6254 👌
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I test drove the cayman. Dynamically it was amazing. However, I couldn’t get past the engine. Engine reminded me of my old WRX STI. I ended up purchasing an M3. Much uglier, but more exhilarating to drive. I can’t see its ugly face when I’m driving.
LOL. I like your logic. The m3 is an awesome car and dynamically great. I liked it when I drove one
That's why I bought a 2016 manual. 😊❤
I literally bought a C8 Corvette instead
In my humble opinion on a proper sports car, infotainment is irrelevant - the drive and feel should be the "entainment" ??
Agreed
Sorry mate..... seems like you don't understand why ppl buy sports cars ... it is not about 0 to 60... or 70k for this or that... It is about the feeling when you look, when you hear when you drive it... if you chose ur car based on price and 0-60?!?!? buy a motorcycle...
It 's one of the most beautiful cars around! However, the interiors are so outdated. Why Porsche??? : )
current 718 models carry the previous 911 models interior, just because Porsche needs to make significant (at least from what you can see) difference between 718 and 911. If 718 has the same updated 911 interior, the sales numbers of 911 will drops, a lot
Great point
It's the same interior carried over from the previous 981 model which was around in 2012. It's essentially over a decade old now.
Can you get a manual corvette?
Unfortunately no
You can just not the C8
Well I think option is not matter
Only important option is just rear view camera, actually it doesn't need for me too
Because without the option. I am still good driver
Bascically, Porsche have good control and efficiency
So even the basic is good
Pros
Really good to drive
Their technology is perfect
Cons
If you add the options it became too expensive
Maintenance is expensive but not usually happen it's porsche
I bought 2014 718 base in the carmax and it's perfect and even cheap
sounds like a sti
Sorry mate ! You can’t compare the Porsche to a cheap made corvette!
Sounds awful. I’d rather have a bit slower Porsche that sound like a European sports car not a Subaru
🤣
In 2023 and still having that old interior with Porsches horrible infotainment is so bad defiantly not worth it
Time for a refresh
@confusedgamer-It’s not a horrible infotainment system at all. Have you actually used one? It’s still better than most other cars. We’ll see what people say when GM discontinues Apple CarPlay. “DEFIANTLY not worth it”?
@@drbobs8267 my dad uses to have a 911 carrera 2017 with the Infotainment and it was so bad and the navigation was so bad
Funny that’s the reason I got a Cayman instead of the updated too many screen less physical button 992 911. I love my analog gauges!
It has Apple car play what more do you want
It 's one of the most beautiful cars around! However, the interiors are so outdated. Why Porsche??? : )
The interior is perfect. Especially with GT wheel, full leather carbon and racetex…. 😉