Just curious as these car have piqued my interest and was looking for some first hand information.

How do they compare to the "fun/scootability" factor of the MINI? Granted you can own three MINI's for the price of entry into one of those cars (or at least 2.5 ), but still curious.

 

I have a 911. Since it's not an everyday driver for me, ordered a Mini to fit the bill. Obviously the power is much different but the drive and handling of the Mini is very rewarding. Also, hard to use the power of the 911 in the city.

 

I previously had a 911. I had already received my wife's nod of approval to buy a Cayman when we decided, on a whim, to try out a Mini. We left the Mini dealership with our new Hardtop.

Another member of our forum described it the way that I think best explains the Mini. With the Mini you get 80% of the fun for 25% of the cost.

 

I don't own a Boxster or Cayman but I have driven them, I have been looking at them for some time as well... What I find is that ... looking at the Boxster I tend to want the S for the extra power, then I think I should just get the Cayman because I would want to track it from time to time, but the convertibles are getting harder and harder to track, so I would go with the Cayman for the Hardtop, and I would want the S, then I think well for that price I can find a five or six year old 911... and then the confusion really starts... how many models of 911 are there?

Now as for the comparison driving ... I think the MINI is a little quicker off the line, and can hug the curbs a little better... but once you get them up over the posted speed limit the performance of the Porsche starts to come into it's own.

But the bottom line should be this...

Which one are you more comfortable in? Form, Fit, Function, and most of all Fun.

Sure I would like to add a Porsche to my stables... for now... I'm happy with my MINIs and the other things I have.

Motor on!

 

My friend drove a 911 to work as a DD some years back, I had my 2007 MCS. When you're just driving on normal roads I think they're pretty similar, we drove to Monterrey, CA on summer in them. I think like JABowers above: you start getting your money's worth in the Porche when you're going really fast. Not that the Mini's any slouch going fast mind you, but it's less than half the cost to boot.

 

I sold a 2010 Boxster S to get the Mini. I had a mini in 2003.....and then basically a car every other year after that trying to find the next fun car, but never finding it (2008 M3 V8, 370Z, Mustang Cobra 500hp, Boxster, etc). Now i have a 2015 mini and am happy again.

The boxster was an amazing car. Handled better than any of them. However, as has been said, you have to be driving it SO FAST to really enjoy it that you never really get to. The mini on the other hand is just right such that you can beat on it all day and get the thrill out of it at much lower speeds. The threshold is just so much lower, yet it is still a blast.

It really makes me wonder if i need a chip/piggyback on it at all. Would be afraid that I would have too much power and be back to not being able to use it again......never thought i would say that sentence by the way. I do have the JCW kit and feel that is probably enough (along with the Craven speed short shifter which i highly recommend).

My guess is that you will need to find this out for yourself, as the allure of a Porsche is strong and if you have the means you won't know until you find out for yourself (if i was a betting man).

Good luck

 

I owned a Boxster, and have driven multiple Caymen (Caymans, Caymanies?). First off, they're great cars. They feel special and unique (kind of like a MINI, but fancier). The base models are not blisteringly fast, but the S models scoot pretty well--faster than a MINI. Get a used, 987 Cayman S. You'll love it.

 

Truer words were never spoken (written). The only cure is to buy one, get it out of your system and try in every way to become normal again.

 

Have been thinking of selling my 2015 C7 and look at a Cayman S. Mid 2016 a revision is coming w/turbo 4's instead of normally aspirated 6's in the Cayman/Boxster. I'll wait until I see what's shakin' before I do anything. The new turbo 4's are supposed to have he same or better HP than the outgoing 6's.

Admittedly I enjoy driving the MINI as much as my C7 as I can zip and scoot around town fast with it . Corvette is a fast car you have to drive slow. There is only so much HP you can use on the street (unless you want to finance the Mayor's kid's college fund).

I'll rent a Boxster for a couple of days and see if it agrees with me. Not a rag top guy but should give me the basic feel. If I like it, I'll wait until the mid 2016 change and see what deals can be had on the new Cayman 4's or on in stock or lightly used 2015's. Usually on a big change the market softens on the previous series car.

 

I owned a gen 1 cayman. It was very easy to drive fast and very forgiving in the corners. Very easy to rotate bec of the engine placement. Brakes are strong and fade free but be sure to use endurance pads if bringing to track. From the factory the suspension is stiffer than the mcs so you have more of the go kart handling feel. In the straights your c7 will leave it behind but it can catch up to you in the corners if you start making mistakes in the c7. Some of the gen 1 3.4 engine owners had issues with oil starvation on high g turns using r comps or slicks but mine was bullet proof for the 7 years i owned and tracked it. It's a car you can drive to and from the track. Mine was also fitted with aftermarket exhaust so the flat 6 note was intoxicating above 4500 rpm. Go for it. I myself am saving up for a gt4 or a c7 z06. Those are the cars i'd buy if i win the lottery tomorrow.

 

"We" also have a 2006 Boxster..."We" means it's my wife's car. I drive it once in a while and it's a very fast, it hugs the road, and it's a convertible which all add up to a real joy to drive -- but I always feel a little conspicuous when I drive it since it's bright yellow and pretty flashy. My Mini is pretty tame compared to the Boxster, and I'm ok with that. One thing I can do that she can't (or chooses not to) is drive through the winter (stored Nov 5 though Apr 5), when she transitions over to a Toyota Sienna minivan.

 

Can't think of a bigger difference between summer and winter cars. This is nuts.

 

I think that's one reason she hates winter.

 

The Porsche bug is pretty bad. I think I'll wait until mid-yar 2016 when they roll out the 4 cyl Turbos for the Cayman. I'll make up my mind then on whether to grab the discontinued 6 or a new 4 (also rated HP on the new cars will come into play).

If the new car produces higher HP than the current S (and will naturally be a lighter), then that may be the way to go. Only thing to deter that choice would be a "smoikin' deal on the outgoing models (dealer wanted tounload the old series cars).

I see a number of mildly used low mile certified Cayman S cars offered at significant discounts over new. Maybe a consideration too.

I love my C7 and have zero problems with it. Crazy fast, but with any high performance car, when driven on the street (and not using every stop light as a timing light), whether a car does 0-60 in 3.7 or 6.0 makes little difference. It more about the handling and sheer joy of the car itself.

I can half pedal my C7 and rocket away from a light and be 10-15 MPH over the speed limit in nothing flat (as I can with my MCS -although I have to use somewhat more pedal to get there. The end result is the same -and I can honestly admit to getting the same driving enjoyment from both cars.

Hoping that maybe this "bug bite" will ease before mid 2016 when the new Cayman/Boxster hits dealerships.

 

I own both an R53 and a 987S, track them both and enjoy them both. the Mini is completely built and set up for the track but still drivable on the street if you can deal with the heavy clutch in stop and go traffic.
I love the Cayman for driving on the street, back roads and highways alike.
The mini is a blast to drive on the track. My local track here in CT is Limerock witch has a lot of turns, perfect for the Mini and not too good for the high horsepower cars that see me in their rear view mirror and cant shake me. I think its an ego thing.
I don't track the Cayman that much as it costs allot more to repair than the Mini but it makes a great back-up track car.
The Cayman is more refined and drives/rides much nicer at high speeds, the balance is awesome.
I like them both and think they are 2 completely different vehicles.
Buy both if you can!

 

I've had several P cars (996, two 997s and a Boxster S) and several Minis (R56 JCW cabrio, R56 S, GPII and now F56S with JCW kits). I used to daily drive my Porsches in the US and they were great for that as well as road trips and track days. Now I'm overseas and traffic is insane. The Mini is ideal for city driving in congestion and making quick moves when no one pays much attention to traffic rules. Plus it goes relatively unnoticed. I use my current 997S for road trips and track days. The Boxster and Cayman are fun and more practical than they look having two storage areas. They have better balance than the 911's. For me, they are more fun than a Mini in twisties and mountain roads, while the Mini is more fun in traffic and city driving.

 

I have a 911
Short trips the Mini , hands down.
Longer trip on the Fwy, 911
Mini is much easier in traffic
they are both manual trannies.
Mini is just F U N.

 

I was lucky enough to drive both a 996 and 997 turbo this past summer. Both are phenomenal cars, especially when the boost kicks in. I'd sell a nut for one of those. They're way too fast to really enjoy on the street though. I honestly have 80% of the fun driving my mini. Though I'd imagine a cayman or boxster s would be the perfect compromise

 

That was my thinking. C7 is a great car, but hard to drive slow with 460 hp and as much lbs ft of torque. I really like the MINI S I have and was looking for something a bit quicker, but not by a country mile. Maybe a JCW (and save about $35K from a Cayman S), but the Cayman seems like a great choice. (Not a Convert guy so Boxster is out). Thinking the S model for a bit more grunt.

 

2016 JCW on the way from the factory as I type.
Will be my 1st hot-rodded MC.
These are our current two daily all wheel drive Porsche Turbos.
Should be an interesting adjustment to such a small car.

 

Niiiiice cars.