cayman or carrera
 

Hello my name is Nicolli and I would like your opinions on a little debacle I am experiencing. I currently have a 2007 mercedes e350 and I absolutely fell in love with porsche. The lease for my car ends in mid October and I really want a carrera but leasing a new one is too much I do not mi d leasing a used one except that I heard there is a new body coming out really soon. So now I am considering a cayman but I think that's a little more for the younger age group (not that I am very old) and a little too cheap plus I love the carrera. I'm looking to lease a new one for around 950-1000. Help me?

RE: cayman or carrera
 

The Cayman might be a bit on the small size on the inside, but the looks you will get are worth it!!! If you go 911, you will enjoy the status of the 911, but there are getting to be a bit common on the roads (here in Sunny Arizona). Just my two cents, but go for the Cayman and make people break their necks looking at it.

Brian Minson
Editor
9 - The Online Porsche Magazine
www.9magazine.com

RE: cayman or carrera
 

I'd get the 911...a bit more expensive, but you'll love it.

RE: cayman or carrera
 

I also would go with the Carrera... Not to look down on the Cayman, but there is a difference...

RE: cayman or carrera
 

If you really want a 911, then I'd suggest getting one. Otherwise, when you get your Cayman, you'll be wishing you got a 911.
I don't think there is going to be a huge body change. They tend to do subtle things over the years and the cars evolve. Check the difference of the lights on the front from 2001 to 2005. Otherwise they're hard to tell apart to the untrained eye.
As for the big change, in 2005 they redid the interior. Much nicer and less sparse in m/o.
As for the $$, you can get a used one, say 2 yr. old with warranty (perhaps extended depending on the dealer), and save a ton of money since the car will have already depreciated a bunch.
I would opt for an '05 as the oldest. In fact, consider a cab. Now there's a difference from the Cayman.
In fact, since you're talking about this now, why not just do it and get out of your Oct. lease end early?

RE: cayman or carrera
 

Dude--get what you can afford, but definitely a 911. I drive an 04 Turbo and wouldn't trade it for an 05. I personally like the 996 over the 997--personal choice. If you plan on testing the car's limits on the track go for a coupe vs a convertible.

RE: cayman or carrera
 

ok well you see its not that the price is too much, and well you must know that here in beverly hills carreras, bentleys, turbos, ferraris are all common. I am 18 and i think i could wait unitl my lease to end to trade in my car, im just not sure that 1000 dollar lease is fair, and the pressure of having a really nice car here is very high. I really think i will be going for the carrera if the difference between the old one and the new one is not too great. anytihng else i should know? i saw a special eddition one with the body painted some type of orange and the side irrors painted black, sort of like in that fast and the furious 3 move.

RE: cayman or carrera
 

If you live in beverly hills, you'll want to get the new BMW M3. BMW550sport said it's the hottest car out there and can smoke the Porsche GT3. Have you seen the pictures? It will turn heads!

RE: cayman or carrera
 

There is nothing wrong with the Cayman, but go for the S with the 3.4l Engine.
Clearly as a single man the advantage of the Carrera's 2+2 configuration does not worry you at present. Some say that the Cayman handles better than the Carrera, but I have not the balls to find out, so I'll leave that with those who have!
What ever you do do not buy a BMW!!!!!!!
If you can afford the Carrera then that is good too!
Either way you will have a great time, whether Cayman or Carrera, as long as you dont make the biggest mistake of your life and buy a BMW.
Best Regards Big Bob

RE: cayman or carrera
 

Agree, DO NOT by a BMW!!!!!!!!!!!!

RE: cayman or carrera
 

Dudes, I wasn't serious. I'd never own a fricken bimmer are you kidding me.

RE: cayman or carrera
 

i think im going to wait for my lease to end around october, and then either find a low mileage carrera only if the new body is not too different.

RE: cayman or carrera
 

good call

RE: cayman or carrera
 

One thing I find interesting but am truly not being judgemental about is the "image" or social status factors associated with cars and how difficult it is to rid oneself of any taint of that in making a decision. I think all of us, including me, sometimes weigh somewhat the "what will people think of me?) factor. ((((I recently asked a co-worker, who is not very car-wise but was lusting after an M5 for all of its technical sophistication, he claimed: "If you could have an M5 for half the price, butfor that it wouldlook just like a Honda or Camry or whateverunder-$30,000 car you think is prettest, but still be just as fast, etc., would you take it?" Answer: No. Conclusion, half of the reason he wanted it was to impressive other people.

As to the original question that started this thread. For a moment, imagine that the Cayman and the Carrera cost exactly the same and that everyone (at least everyone who cared) knew that. Which would you want? Basically you trade a back seat/heated storage spacealong with a warm association to a 44-years long tradition of 911s, for improved handling and corneringand what most people think is greater beauty. The backseat is very useful: the 911 is really more of a GT, not a sports car, but the Caymen is sexier and faster.

Think aboutwhat you want inthat way, then buy that car you want most (even if its a BMW, or, for that matter, a Lincoln).

RE: cayman or carrera
 

...wait a second... you're 18 and there's pressure of having a hot car????
dude, there's something missing here....

RE: cayman or carrera
 

About the comment a few lines up that "996s have depreciated to Camry levels" or something. In a way this is true, older ones (but good condition) cost no more than a new Camry. It's a very good car (I bought mine -- the last new 996 my dealer sold-- after back to back drive with a new 997: I actually liked the 996 better, particularly given the discount I got on the older model -- but mostly it was the rear fenders (I don't like the bulge--I know, makes me in a minority) and the headlights (much better in my book) -- and it was a bit lighter driving for some reason.

Anyway, buying an older car saves you $$ but I still advise my long-standing rule (and the reason I don't ownthat '02 Bentley Continental GT I mentioned a month ago): never buy a car used that you could not afford new: sooner or later you will run out of luck and need an engine or trans rebuild (or both): make sure you could afford it, even if tight.

RE: cayman or carrera
 

Check out the used car listings on the M3 and other BMW models. There are hundreds on the market and most have the same level of depreciation as the 996. You can pick up a used M3 for about $20K for about the price of a nicely equipped Ford Taures. It's all about supply and demand. If you want to compare the BMW to Porsche for maintenance problems, do the research. The Porsche has consistently been more reliable than the BMW. In fact, take a look at the reliability record of the 5, 6 and 7 series BMW's--horrible! On average the maintenance expenses exceed that of the Porsche.

RE: cayman or carrera
 

Basically I agree about the BMWs although I am not going to get into an adolescent flaming match with those who disagree. BMW has built some world class engines (the 4-cylinder in the early/mid 70's 2002 and various TTii versions was a work of art), but in the last few years they have engineered a good deal of cost out of it: I have no problem with that type of engineering when it works, but BMW seems to have a had a lot of problems, such as the sheered water pump impellers on M3s of a few years ago (they went plastic) etc. On the other hand, several friends that had non-performance Bimmers have had good luck -- the problem inmy mind is that the cars are designed as family sedans (good ones, at that) but don't have the margins of a car like Porsche, designed only as a performance car.

Regardless, I personally am staying away from BMW for a while (don't like the styling either). I did look at both the 3 and the 5 but not the M models (I wanted to deal with the facts -- no way unless you test drive) before buying my Lincoln last weekend, but I didn't like what I saw or felt.

Someone that loves BMWs though: okay with me if they have a dozen.

RE: cayman or carrera
 

Lee--good points, but why pay $70K for a family sedan when you can get a more reliable SUV (Toyota 4 runner) for half the price. BMW550sport is trying to get a family car combined with a sports car and he just can't get there. If you go on line, you'll see the same reliability issues with the non high performance bimmers. I'd never get one. Your new Licoln is more comfortable and much more reliable.

RE: cayman or carrera
 

actually my father leased ( we only lease our cars because we like to replace them ever few years for a newer body/ model) a BMW M6 from when it initially came out, but now over the years, flat tire emergency light this, i drive problem that, the computer for the idrive has slowed down, however i must admit that it is a good drive. However after driving the carrera a few times I absolutely fell in love with it, i mean i love how small it is, how it looks, i love how the key is on the left side of the stearing wheel, or that the spoiler raises with the button, i especially love how because the car is so small and low to the ground, that you can really feel the road, unlike my merc e350, and the parking situations are awsome. i love this car and i plan to keep driving porsches.

RE: cayman or carrera
 

Personally I would not pay $70k for any sedan: my Lincoln cost less than half that and has everything I need, and if I wanted "premium" and status the XF is only $50K and the XF-S is only $65k. I don't own SUVs (although many many friends do)because I just don't like a heavy vehicles - 3500 lbs seems as big as I want (the Lincoln weighs 3470).

As to leasing vs buying, I've looked at it and they net outvery littledifference over short or long periods: if you shop well and trade every three years, sayyou're ultimately going to pay about the same whether you lease or buy: leasing you have no trade in value at the end of three years and buying you have a bit -- sometimes leasing is a bit more conveinent though. One advantage of leasing is that the payments are lower (I personally think 70% of buyers who lease do it for that reason alone) but the dis-advantage is you are "upside down" (owe more than the car is worth if you decide to trade) for the entire period of the lease -- until the full period is over, if you trade early, you will typically have to pay something. Regardless, Ialways lease one car for business reasons -- its easier to tax-deducta good portion of its costas a lease rather than if buying (whether cash or financed).

RE: cayman or carrera
 

What's wrong with having the best of both worlds [sm=gears.gif]

[IMG]local://upfiles/4832/66DA9E20C3484CE1932810CB49B0580B.jpg[/IMG]

RE: cayman or carrera
 

I don't think there is anything wrong with BMW at all. Great stuff. Different headspace.

RE: cayman or carrera
 

We each pick what we like best. I drove a 5 series and both the C and e class, and preferred the Lincoln I just bought, particularly given the cost differential.

RE: cayman or carrera
 

to each his own...I'd never own another bimmer.

RE: cayman or carrera
 

cool, then get a bimmer

RE: cayman or carrera
 

20/20.

My current daily driver is a 2004 M3. I love this car and put about $30K of performance mods into it to enjoy it more on road trips (you folks south of the border have THE best secondary highways) and some track days. Sure, it's pushing 480bhp and has a great suspension and an ok back seat for storage. For the money, it is a great drive - you can feel the drive.

But then, after a car show, I took a 996TT and 997TT for test drives. It was a whole new world of driving for a 55+ old geezer. Wow, a completely different driving experience - even my wife in the passenger seat loved it! So I have one arriving soon (not soon enough!) and I will pass on the M3 to another happy driver (at considerable loss re mod costs). My point here (you are probably asking) is that I realized that while I was modifying the M to be more and more there is a ceiling for this kind of car. When I drove the TT it hit me that this was the kind of car and driving experience I was "trying" for and here it was right out of the box (mods bring their own challenges). I had actually never thought of buying a Porsche, as I was one of the many who buy the myth they are unrealiable and need lots of tuning. They are expensive, for sure, but it seems you get what you pay for here. So, from my experience it's a good idea to reach as high as you can now otherwise you will later wish you had reached higher and may end up on the modification treadmill. If I had known what I know now (actually, what I'm beginning to know) I would have checked out Porsche long ago and in the long run it would have been a lot cheaper than trading up through the BMW ranks and into mods. Hindsight is always 20/20.
There you have it from a newbie. Still, driving a BMW or Porsche , if this is all we have to worry about - no problems.