Automobiles

[christian]

There's no soul in any Porsche that costs less than $90 for an oil change. So Cayman because it's the best handling car they make. And who cars about dogs and kids. You presumably have other cars, or a Kona Ute, for those.

[Philster]

Try one with three pedals. I believe that the Cayman still has the old 6 speed. Otherwise, I would (I did) find a lightly used 997. I think the 991 manual has 7 gears. It's a gutted PDK. That's just too many gears for me to handle. Funny how I have no problem with Di2 11-speed!

Kind of unrelated: Look at prices for '68 to '73 non-S 911's, if you want to see what a bargain 997's are.

[Jason Musgrave]

Real cars is a relatively relative word. Sweds are nuts for big @rse gas guzzling american muscle cars for instance. I'm pretty darn impressed with how dedicated Swedes are to restoring old American muscle and driving around for oh say a couple weeks during the summer ;)

The Scandinavian's are all nuts. Which reminds me that making Gatebil is on my bucket-list. One of these years...

[rmplum]

And who cares about dogs and kids. You presumably have other cars, or a Kona Ute, for those.

Not owning a car is pretty awesome actually....

[rmplum]

The latest Car and Driver is pretty heavy on 911 stuff and perhaps good for someone who wants a quick primer re: the various iterations through the years. I am always kind of thinking ahead to the day when budgets continue to go down and my grandfathered status in the company/test car program goes away - and what I would get. An older, cosmetically challenged (paint, dings, etc) 911 is always at the top of that list.

The 991 is a great car, but for some reason the sharing of interior bits and theme between that and the Panamera didn't sit well with me. That same theme has now worked its way down into the Boxster and the Cayman too.

[nahtnoj]

The latest Car and Driver is pretty heavy on 911 stuff and perhaps good for someone who wants a quick primer re: the various iterations through the years.

I was flipping through that issue in B&N on Sunday. The photo of Csaba launching the 959 - I would hang that up as a poster.

[rmplum]

I was flipping through that issue in B&N on Sunday. The photo of Csaba launching the 959 - I would hang that up as a poster.

I still have my 959 poster. Loved that car so much.

[rphetteplace]

Can we talk Porsche Cayman? Spent a good part of the day dorking around in a 2013 Cayman with PDK. First impression is that the car makes no sense just driving it around town or on the freeway. No soul, terrible sightlines (unless you are a munchkin) and feels curiously underpowered. All that changes when you get it onto some backroads, press the sport button and do some stupid things...the car makes a ton of sense BUT it pales in comparison to a Carrera and it's missing a pedal.
Anywho.

You fit in a Cayman??????? I tried and my head was crushed on the headliner :(

[sine]

Can we talk Porsche Cayman? Spent a good part of the day dorking around in a 2013 Cayman with PDK. First impression is that the car makes no sense just driving it around town or on the freeway. No soul, terrible sightlines (unless you are a munchkin) and feels curiously underpowered. All that changes when you get it onto some backroads, press the sport button and do some stupid things...the car makes a ton of sense BUT it pales in comparison to a Carrera and it's missing a pedal.
Anywho.

Regular Cayman/Boxster disappoint at the light. My mantra.......sports car has to be noticeably faster in a straight line than our MB V8 wagon. The S models should do the trick........then there is this firm (TPC Racing) north of Laurel, MD that offers turbo kits. Met the owner at the drag strip as he and his engineer were sorting a 997 GT2. I think he hit 129mph on his first run.

[Flying Pigeon]

Regular Cayman/Boxster disappoint at the light. My mantra.......sports car has to be noticeably faster in a straight line than our MB V8 wagon. The S models should do the trick........then there is this firm (TPC Racing) north of Laurel, MD that offers turbo kits. Met the owner at the drag strip as he and his engineer were sorting a 997 GT2. I think he hit 129mph on his first run.

Mike at TPC?
Yeah that's my dream car: 987 CS with his turbo kit.
Or it was until I asked about the turbo AND a X51 3.8l swap and he said sure.

THE GT3 THAT PORSCHE WON'T MAKE .. or however the cliche goes

[Too Tall]

You fit in a Cayman??????? I tried and my head was crushed on the headliner :(

I barely fit...it's just a test drive yo.

Modern 911s fit me just fine.

[Eddie]

Just traded the Allroad for an '07 A4 Quattro. 47k miles. 6 speed manual. It is everything that the Allroad isn't, and that's a good thing.

What are your biggest complaints from the allroad? Air suspension? Timing belt? I just got back from Seattle where it always seems one in four cars is a C5 allroad.

[ned]

What are your biggest complaints from the allroad? Air suspension? Timing belt? I just got back from Seattle where it always seems one in four cars is a C5 allroad.

Didn't like: poor handling, disconnected road feel, heavy, poor gas mileage, automatic trans, air suspension (crapped out so I replaced it with tradition spring/strut--helped the handling considerably but not enough), psychotic climate control system, coolant and oil leaks that were poised to cost a lot of cash to fix. Did like: having a wagon that was cosmetically ragged enough to not care, proper ergonomics, AWD, AWD with snow tires.

There are a ton of Allroads around here (2nd largest Allroad market behind Denver) and people do like them. But I laugh everytime I see one that's been parked overnight and is sitting on it's shock bumpers because the air bag has leaked out. Had a mechanic buddy to try explain to me that everything I don't like about the car is exactly why the original owner payed so much for it. We were hoping to find an AWD, manual trans, wagon with under 70k miles, under $25k, and isn't a Subaru. That ain't easy to do. The A4 sedan is a compromise on the wagon part, but it does open up the prospect of getting back on the track. This car goes exactly and predictably when and where I want it to go--that is essential criteria in a car.

[Crashburn]

What are your biggest complaints from the allroad? Air suspension? Timing belt? I just got back from Seattle where it always seems one in four cars is a C5 allroad.

Don't forget the inevitable K03 replacements.
If VW sold a TDI Sportwagen 4Motion they could put a serious dent in Subaru's sales in the Rockies.

[72gmc]

A moment to sound like the retrogrouch I am in light of these Allroad/old Porsche comments:

A modern version of my 1985 Audi 4000CS Quattro would be a lust car for me. 5 speed manual, great powerband, AWD, no screen in the dash, no suspension settings other than "damn good suspension," no dashboard doodads beyond the differential lock selector and the audio. Just for driving and super fun. Maybe even a wagon.

As you were...

[jitahs]

What are your biggest complaints from the allroad? Air suspension? Timing belt? I just got back from Seattle where it always seems one in four cars is a C5 allroad.

They're the ultimate tech $/poseur-thon/inattentive-impulso-i-ski-needmobile up there. Much REI street, er parking lot, cred.

[Crashburn]

A moment to sound like the retrogrouch I am in light of these Allroad/old Porsche comments:

A modern version of my 1985 Audi 4000CS Quattro would be a lust car for me. 5 speed manual, great powerband, AWD, no screen in the dash, no suspension settings other than "damn good suspension," no dashboard doodads beyond the differential lock selector and the audio. Just for driving and super fun. Maybe even a wagon.

As you were...

I think this one might satisfy your criteria. For Audi content skip to about the eight minute mark although I wouldn't turn my nose up to an RS 200.

[Auk]

There are a ton of Allroads around here (2nd largest Allroad market behind Denver) and people do like them. But I laugh everytime I see one that's been parked overnight and is sitting on it's shock bumpers because the air bag has leaked out. Had a mechanic buddy to try explain to me that everything I don't like about the car is exactly why the original owner payed so much for it. .

Talked with a sales guy the other day when I saw the new Allroad siting on the lot. Based now off the A4 platform. No body armor. Asked him if they were still using the air suspension and he laughed and said noooooooo. Was told that basically every allroad that had over 100k on it were driving around on either a new air suspension or retrofit to standard issue stuff. I still watch for the first year model that was offered with the 6spd manual, but damn hard to find.

[jscottyk]

Can we talk Porsche Cayman? Spent a good part of the day dorking around in a 2013 Cayman with PDK. First impression is that the car makes no sense just driving it around town or on the freeway. No soul, terrible sightlines (unless you are a munchkin) and feels curiously underpowered. All that changes when you get it onto some backroads, press the sport button and do some stupid things...the car makes a ton of sense BUT it pales in comparison to a Carrera and it's missing a pedal.
Anywho.

Funny how things move in the orbits of the zeitgeist around here, I've been debating the pros/cons of Cayman S (2009-2012) as compared to a 997 Carrera 2 S (probably a 2008; don't think I want to fork over the extra coin for a 2009) and keep coming up with it being a push. All considered have 6 speed MT. All come in at roughly the same price. I've considered the earlier 911's but this car needs will be a daily driver that goes to the track occasionally. Put gas in it and go. Change the oil. Rinse and repeat.

I'm still doing a lot of reading and talking but the best advice came from a car-nut colleague who has a 997 cabriolet in his lineup, "Go drive them both and decide. One has more horsepower, one has more neutral handling. One has more space inside. The other doesn't. Really can't make a wrong decision with either."

[jscottyk]

True admission? My bias is soley due to the fact there is no place for the dog to lie down.
I hear you. The Boxters are no doubt a blast.

The back *seats* of a 911 are attractive to me primarily for dog carrying purposes. My wife would be really pissed if the either of ours had to ride up front in the Cayman.