Porsche

[j44ke]

I bet I can put a plow on this.

[kdawg]

I am sure the Porsche website has accurate specs. And yes, smaller rims and bigger tires will often ride "comfier" on and off road.

I couldn't find it on their website but found the tire specs.

The Dakar wheel/tires have a radius of 704/744 mm and a "regular" 911 (they vary a bit but this is most of them) have 681/716 - so they are smaller wheels but some extra tire too to more than make up the difference. 25/30mm more is fairly significant so that's why they looked a lot chunkier to my eye.

[ides1056]

I bet I can put a plow on this.

and I could drive my tractor where it doesn't belong

[Philster]

I bet I can put a plow on this.

You will not regret getting a Mini and equipping it with good winter tires. I just sold mine a couple months ago and I miss it.

[vertical_doug]

I thought this was a RC.

[sk_tle]

I thought this was a RC.

That is because the photo has been edited to blur everything but the car.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniature_faking

[Saab2000]

I’ve been wandering into the local Porsche store the past few days to look at Caymans. They sure are nice and if you don’t go too crazy on the configurator they’re only mildly outrageous. I’ve always thought it the perfect next car after my departed GTI. Super nice materials all around, beautiful design, physical controls for everything and a manual transmission. What’s not to like? I’d likely be looking at the base 2.0L 300 HP model with the suspension upgrades and a few cosmetic items but not a ton else.

Anyone here have any long term experience with one? I’m a guy who follows the manufacturer’s maintainence schedule and I’m not particularly hard on cars. Obviously it’s going to be a Porsche but where are the problem areas? Or will it be a solid car with regular TLC and maintenance?

[Too Tall]

I’ve been wandering into the local Porsche store the past few days to look at Caymans. They sure are nice and if you don’t go too crazy on the configurator they’re only mildly outrageous. I’ve always thought it the perfect next car after my departed GTI. Super nice materials all around, beautiful design, physical controls for everything and a manual transmission. What’s not to like? I’d likely be looking at the base 2.0L 300 HP model with the suspension upgrades and a few cosmetic items but not a ton else.

Anyone here have any long term experience with one? I’m a guy who follows the manufacturer’s maintainence schedule and I’m not particularly hard on cars. Obviously it’s going to be a Porsche but where are the problem areas? Or will it be a solid car with regular TLC and maintenance?

Not that car specifically. If you are serious, suggest you cozy up to the local P-Car club. My experience with the clubs is they are very inclusive, they WANT you to be part of the fun. I learned to do all the mechanical work on my (former) car from the clubs.

[Saab2000]

Not that car specifically. If you are serious, suggest you cozy up to the local P-Car club. My experience with the clubs is they are very inclusive, they WANT you to be part of the fun. I learned to do all the mechanical work on my (former) car from the clubs.

I am actually semi serious. Not 911 serious, but Cayman serious. I’ll have a look around at Porsche clubs locally. Having owned VWs previously I’m familiar with the overall brand and what’s going on with them. I’m aware that VW and Porsche aren’t the same, but they’re closer cousins than people know as well.

The Cayman fits me well. There’s another option on the table that’s about half price and then there’s the no-cost option of passing altogether. But I’m not unserious about this.

[sk_tle]

I am actually semi serious. Not 911 serious, but Cayman serious. I’ll have a look around at Porsche clubs locally. Having owned VWs previously I’m familiar with the overall brand and what’s going on with them. I’m aware that VW and Porsche aren’t the same, but they’re closer cousins than people know as well.

The Cayman fits me well. There’s another option on the table that’s about half price and then there’s the no-cost option of passing altogether. But I’m not unserious about this.

Do Lotus and Alpine have a dealer network in the USA ?

[Too Tall]

I am actually semi serious. Not 911 serious, but Cayman serious. I’ll have a look around at Porsche clubs locally. Having owned VWs previously I’m familiar with the overall brand and what’s going on with them. I’m aware that VW and Porsche aren’t the same, but they’re closer cousins than people know as well.

The Cayman fits me well. There’s another option on the table that’s about half price and then there’s the no-cost option of passing altogether. But I’m not unserious about this.

For small dinars you "could" consider a well loved Boxster. I've driven several 100,000+ iterations all were solid cars. They are surprisingly durable.

[Saab2000]

It is likely I could find support for Lotus in the Chicago area but the overall network of support for a German brand is vastly larger and deeper. Alpina would be through BMW. If you mean Alpine I am less familiar. It would be a tiny following.

While a semi-niche brand in the US, Porsche is represented well in most areas in the United States and finding parts and service in most places likely wouldn’t be too difficult. I’m pretty anal retentive about service and maintenance and doing this with a Porsche and keeping one for a long time wouldn’t be too problematic. I’m less optimistic about a brand like Lotus.

[72gmc]

I’ve been wandering into the local Porsche store the past few days to look at Caymans. They sure are nice and if you don’t go too crazy on the configurator they’re only mildly outrageous. I’ve always thought it the perfect next car after my departed GTI. Super nice materials all around, beautiful design, physical controls for everything and a manual transmission. What’s not to like? I’d likely be looking at the base 2.0L 300 HP model with the suspension upgrades and a few cosmetic items but not a ton else.

That’s what I’d go for if I could. Base Cayman, manual. Plenty of performance for me, and I’d just focus on driving. Probably get some instruction.

[sk_tle]

It is likely I could find support for Lotus in the Chicago area but the overall network of support for a German brand is vastly larger and deeper. Alpina would be through BMW. If you mean Alpine I am less familiar. It would be a tiny following.

While a semi-niche brand in the US, Porsche is represented well in most areas in the United States and finding parts and service in most places likely wouldn’t be too difficult. I’m pretty anal retentive about service and maintenance and doing this with a Porsche and keeping one for a long time wouldn’t be too problematic. I’m less optimistic about a brand like Lotus.

Yes I was thinking about Alpine, not alpina. Despite not having a manual gearbox the Alpine A110 is arguably one of the most driver's focused stock car right now.

I've checked and they have plans to enter the US market in 2026 only.

[ldamelio]

I’ve been wandering into the local Porsche store the past few days to look at Caymans. They sure are nice and if you don’t go too crazy on the configurator they’re only mildly outrageous. I’ve always thought it the perfect next car after my departed GTI. Super nice materials all around, beautiful design, physical controls for everything and a manual transmission. What’s not to like? I’d likely be looking at the base 2.0L 300 HP model with the suspension upgrades and a few cosmetic items but not a ton else.

Anyone here have any long term experience with one? I’m a guy who follows the manufacturer’s maintainence schedule and I’m not particularly hard on cars. Obviously it’s going to be a Porsche but where are the problem areas? Or will it be a solid car with regular TLC and maintenance?

Six years in with my 718 Cayman S. Really enjoy it and no desire to 'upgrade' to a 911. It's been used heavily on track (49 days) and has been bulletproof and remains a joy just to drive around. Maintenance is not overly expensive if you find a good independent. PM me with specific questions.

[rmplum]

Six years in with my 718 Cayman S. Really enjoy it and no desire to 'upgrade' to a 911. It's been used heavily on track (49 days) and has been bulletproof and remains a joy just to drive around. Maintenance is not overly expensive if you find a good independent. PM me with specific questions.

The 2.5L 718 Cayman S with that variable geo turbo feels like the most underrated 350 HP ever. We had one of those in our fleet for a few years and OMG did it pull. I think if you are not a noise snob, those 4-cyl caymans and boxsters are a lot of car for the money.

[Saab2000]

I doubt I’d go for an “S” though I’m sure they’re very strong. It’s very unlikely I’d ever be a regular at a track and honestly, I don’t know that I’d ever do it. It’s not my thing.

I could possibly be talked into a Boxster because honestly, this is competing with two other options, one of which is a 2024 Miata MX-5. I know a Porsche and a Miata aren’t naturally cross shopped but what I’m looking for is a lot of fun for the 8 or 9 months of the year it’s appropriate to drive these cars where I live. I’m all in for 12 months but I don’t want to expose either of these cars to excessive road salt. The third option is to not get a fancy mid-life crisis car and put the cash to another goal.

Looking to have fun in a small, agile car. I used to own a Miata and it was just a blast to tool around in. I think one of the turnoffs of the Miata is what appears to be an under-tired car with lots of body roll. I know the engineers know what they’re doing but this seems odd.

The Porsche I sat in the past couple days just seems so premium WRT everything you touch and interact with in the car. It reminds me a lot of my GTI just next level. The family resemblance is clear, to me at least, and I did drive the GTI hard on occasion and it never let me down (well, once it needed a new camshaft and high pressure fuel pump, but that’s another story for another time and in any case it didn’t leave me stranded and it came after 100K miles).

An event is happening on the 20th of this month and then I can assess with more clarity.

What I do know is that if I get one I want a current generation with as much of the analog experience as possible. I am on board with electrification but not for this mission.

[ldamelio]

Miatas are superb. The further down the automotive rabbit hole I go, the more I appreciate them. Current models are very capable and you may find that the under-tired and body roll aspects have been fixed. I've seen well-driven Miatas dance away in the corners from cars with multiples of horsepower and price. Fit and finish aren't much different than a base Boxster/Cayman and overall I think the Miata is a better value. Porsche does require ticking a lot of pricey boxes to get premium fit and finish. I'm in love with my 718S but you can't beat the Miata for your stated goal of pure fun.

[Saab2000]

Miatas are superb. The further down the automotive rabbit hole I go, the more I appreciate them. Current models are very capable and you may find that the under-tired and body roll aspects have been fixed. I've seen well-driven Miatas dance away in the corners from cars with multiples of horsepower and price. Fit and finish aren't much different than a base Boxster/Cayman and overall I think the Miata is a better value. Porsche does require ticking a lot of pricey boxes to get premium fit and finish. I'm in love with my 718S but you can't beat the Miata for your stated goal of pure fun.

I sat in a base Cayman yesterday. It was pretty premium in terms of fit and finish! Many boxes ticked but many were things like fancy wheels and painted body panels and the painted spoiler, which looks nice but is something I’d pass on. As mentioned, I’d get handling stuff. PASM, Chrono package and the locking diff. One of the few aesthetic boxes I’d check would be the sport exhaust tips, because the single exhaust tip on the base Cayman is really embarrassingly ugly! And I might splurge for nicer-than-base wheels and painted black. But I also live in Chicagoland with potholes, so maybe more sidewall would pay off. I’d also get the manual sport seats and a Bose sound system. Because I like music. And sports seats but I wouldn’t get electric seats or memory seats or any of that junk. Or body colored valve covers with the Porsche crest…….

[ldamelio]

Very nice proposed spec on the Cayman. You're hitting all the good stuff. They offered the 'T' last year as a discounted package with the base engine and all of the handling goodies and Sport Chrono. Not available now but your spec is close. One note about the Bose - the cabin is a noisy place and the upgrade may not be worth it. Test drive and judge for yourself. Some people unplug fuse 10 - the Soundaktor - a diaphragm that resonates engine noise - to quiet the interior.

Just for the heck of it, I looked at the Miata configurator. Holy crap - you can configure a nice Miata for 1/3 to 1/2 the price of a Cayman! Even though Porsche is religion with me and i worship at the altar of horsepower and torque, I am even more impressed with the MX-5 now.