M3 Vs. Cayman R

[Nine]

Cayman R is (in my opinion) a purely play car, weekend, track, fun. If I was in the market for a fun car it would be a tough choice between the boxster spyder and the cayman R.

For a car that I drive a lot I chose the M3 over the Cayman S - mainly because of cabin and cargo space and the ability to road trip the M3.

[crackberry]

cayman r gets my vote.

m3 is great and there are a lot of things that make a m car special. but, there are even more things that make a p car special. its a visceral feeling that cant be measured on paper and not everyone gets that visceral reaction.

to the underpowered argument: i see where you are coming from. but if you are really concerned about power, then id say that both the m3 and cayman are not the optimal car that fits your needs as both cars are more about handling and less about power.

[SUB-ZERO]

Man...the more I look at the Cayman R, the more I love it! The CF Seats are just awesome! I would get the PCCB option and the Sport Exhaust!

-SZ

[crackberry]

Originally Posted by shift@red

Cayman S or R arent too far off the straight line speed of the M3. They trap ~110-111mph while the M3 is usally ~112-113. And youre not going to touch the Cayman's speed in corners or windy roads.

Caymans and m3s are not about straight line speeds, and neither am I. Wrong car for the wrong job. But the cayman does handle beautifully around corners at insane speeds.

[SUB-ZERO]

Originally Posted by crackberry

Caymans and m3s are not about straight line speeds, and neither am I. Wrong car for the wrong job. But the cayman does handle beautifully around corners at insane speeds.

It can't be far off the straight line speed of an M3. Does anyone have concrete numbers? I know it is 85Hp down from the M3 but it also weighs 794lbs more (M3). According to both manufacturer websites, the PDK Cayman R tips the scales at 2910lbs (2855 for manual) and the M3 at 3704lbs.

Cayman R = 8.81hp per pound

M3= 8.94hp per pound.

Essentially, the Cayman R should match the M3 in straight line speeds. On the track, the Cayman should edge it out.

-SZ

[SUB-ZERO]

Originally Posted by shift@red

In a straight, even a Cayman S with PDK is not far off as I said in my prior post.
A good buddy of mine has a Boxster Spyder, and it is able to keep up considerably with a stock e9X M3.

As for the weights, the m3 weight does include 75 kg for passenger and weight, and the Cayman R's doesnt. Delta is still likely around 500 lbs between them.

I test drove a Spyder a few months ago. It felt a little low in power but was amazing! It looks great too!

-SZ

[crackberry]

Originally Posted by SUB-ZERO

It can't be far off the straight line speed of an M3. Does anyone have concrete numbers? I know it is 85Hp down from the M3 but it also weighs 794lbs more (M3). According to both manufacturer websites, the PDK Cayman R tips the scales at 2910lbs (2855 for manual) and the M3 at 3704lbs.

Cayman R = 8.81hp per pound

M3= 8.94hp per pound.

Essentially, the Cayman R should match the M3 in straight line speeds. On the track, the Cayman should edge it out.

-SZ

on the cayman s, 0-60 is 4.9sec

[SUB-ZERO]

Originally Posted by crackberry

on the cayman s, 0-60 is 4.9sec

4.7 sec for the R.

-SZ


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[Brandon26pdx]

They're similarly priced but otherwise two entirely different cars. One's a mid-engine sports car and the other a much larger GT car. Porsche is really on a different level than BMW though in terms of price. A base 265hp Cayman with 6mt and just a few choice options is $60k

[Brandon26pdx]

Originally Posted by SUB-ZERO

Man...the more I look at the Cayman R, the more I love it! The CF Seats are just awesome! I would get the PCCB option and the Sport Exhaust!

-SZ

Oh yeah those Porsche sport bucket seats are beyond awesome. (They're optional on all Caymans.) You won't find anything like that in an M3 short of a CSL or GTS

[MVF4Rrider]

Originally Posted by Brandon26pdx

They're similarly priced but otherwise two entirely different cars. One's a mid-engine sports car and the other a much larger GT car. Porsche is really on a different level that BMW though in terms of price. A base 265hp Cayman with 6mt and just a few choice options is $60k

For what you paid for your 135i you could have had a barely used Cayman S or 997S. Why buy a depreciable asset new? Especially new cars as they devalue quickly.

[Brandon26pdx]

Originally Posted by MVF4Rrider

For what you paid for your 135i you could have had a barely used Cayman S or 997S. Why buy a depreciable asset new? Especially new cars as they devalue quickly.

I've looked. Even lightly used base 09+ Caymans are still quite a bit more than I paid for the 135i new, and they're always loaded with options I'd never pay for ,or lacking options I'd definitely want (ie; the sport bucket seats)

[saeyedoc]

Originally Posted by Brandon26pdx

Oh yeah those Porsche sport bucket seats are beyond awesome. (They're optional on all Caymans.)

They are standard on the R.

[yemenmocha]

I had the privilege of taking the Boxster Spyder around a little autocross track at a Porsche event and the handling was insane. I have never felt that much driving pleasure around a little autocross course before. The wheelbase on that thing (and the Cayman R) is wider than a GT3. It just carves up those corners with so much speed and composure it is unbelievable. With the weight & braking it just does exactly what it is told, and allows you to brake incredibly late. I was giddy.

For a DD and ONLY car I'd rather have the M3. Cayman is a toy car, not a DD, unless you're young and single or something like that.

[saeyedoc]

Originally Posted by yemenmocha

For a DD and ONLY car I'd rather have the M3. Cayman is a toy car, not a DD, unless you're young and single or something like that.

Or 50 and your kids both have their own cars

[yemenmocha]

Originally Posted by saeyedoc

Or 50 and your kids both have their own cars

That works too, but honestly by 50 it can be a bit tough getting into and out of that car. M5 fits the bill then.

[King Tut]

Originally Posted by saeyedoc

They are standard on the R.

Yep. Honestly they are one of the reasons I decided to order an R.

[FattyK]

i just sold my cayman S PDK
thinking of getting an M3. the sound of v8 is simply awesome.
i enjoyed the sharp handling of the cayman alot.
how does the M3 handles compares to the cayman?

[Team Plutonium]

Originally Posted by FattyK

i just sold my cayman S PDK
thinking of getting an M3. the sound of v8 is simply awesome.
i enjoyed the sharp handling of the cayman alot.
how does the M3 handles compares to the cayman?

I've made the switch last summer... sold my '10 Cayman S to get the M3. At first the steering of the M3 felt like the steering from a caddy... leagues away (IMHO) form the crisp steering of the Cayman, but you'll get used to after a week.. and now it feels perfect.

The Cayman S is much more spartan and focused, but the M3 is the better all around car - no question. It also gives you a lower profile, which I like. I always felt that the Cayman S (even the new one) was a little underpowered, but then again, I feel that about any car after two weeks of ownership.

I think you'll be pretty happy with the M3.. personally I don't regret my switch, in fact, I'm very happy about it.

[crackberry]

This is for sure more of a fair match up than the cayman r vs the 1m.

[stylinexpat]

Went and looked at some Cayman R's today. I really liked them bucket seats and interior on the Cayman R.

[dvpouldar26]

As a current cayman owner, I'd say the comparison is somewhat uncomparable. The m3 is a sports car with GT characteristics. The cayman R is more focused and a dedicated sports car. While the m3 is great because of its power and also the availability of the aftermarket, the cayman's handling an braking is hard to match. Having driven both, I can say the cayman is much more confidence inspiring and is just an overall much more fun car to drive, but lacks the power of an m3. The m3 is better as a daily driver though. The aftermarket for the m3 is leaps and bounds ahead of the cayman market. There are a handful of exhaust systems, 1 turbo kit (albeit with different power levels), a few coilover companies. Many mods are done by transplanting gt3 parts such as brake ducts and lca's. In comparison to the m3, where there are endless aftermarket options for different budgets and endless possibilities. If I wanted to keep both cars stock, i'd say cayman R hands down, no questions asked. A downside to the porsche is that everything is an option from the transmission, to having no stereo, to the seats, steering wheels, etc, they nickel and dime you. If I was planning do alot of upgrades for both cars, then that decision between which to get would be tougher.