Well, today I went and test drove a 2011 Subaru WRX STI in white pearl. I’ve read a lot of reviews and opinions and the general consensus is the Mini is more fun to drive.

So I took it for a test drive anyways.

Power is obviously better. The ride is mushy and the brakes are HORRIBLE!

The transmission shifts beautifully and in general, the car would make a fantastic daily driver for a sedan. With a few mods, it would be hellacious.

Bottom line, for me, I’d rather keep Oscar.

BUT, before I left, I spotted this.... a 2008 Porsche Cayman S.














I spent almost 2 hours on a test drive and I have to say, for an out of the box car, the thing is unbelievable. Very neutral, not under or oversteer, VERY SMOOTH, the Germans really know how to make that car. The seats fit me perfectly, the exhaust has a nice growl (factory electric “cut-outs”), the brakes feel stable like the mini and the handling is phenomenal.

I drove that thing around for almost 2 hours and I think I’m in love.

I’ve read over the years many Porsche owners who either had or still have a Porsche but rather drive the mini as a daily driver. Can anyone comment on this?

The mini is paid for. When I did owe money, the payments were in the 500 dollar range and I would pay 750 each month just to knock it down. Even buying the Porsche (used, 2008), my payments would be in the 700 dollar range so I’d be used to making those type of payments, but I’m not sure if it’s worth getting rid of Oscar for that?

I know one thing, I’d never get to meet the type of people I have met with my mini.


Thoughts?


Thanks,

Mark

 

Keep both.

 

Will your payments be in that range even after you sell your MINI and dump that onto the Porsche loan? Yikes!

I know this is heresy to say, but if I were you, and I could afford it, I'd seriously think about the Porsche. That's a sweet car, and it sounds like you two really hit it off! Cars come and go, no sense in committing to one brand for life.

 

No, that payment would be assume I kept the mini. The mini is a blast, it’s fast, handles well and is paid for. I’m not sure if I’m bored or what but I really enjoyed driving the Porsche.

I thought about keeping Oscar and just making him a track **** but I’ve got so many damn cars, got to get rid of something.


Mark

 

Welllll, that yellow looks similar.

How many miles on the 08 P car and what is it's history?

Now, if I was going to make a switch I would add a few hundred to the payment and go with a Cayman R.

Now that is a true P car for the enthusiast.

Funny I have been looking since Scooter is paid off and just about out of warranty (June 12). I'm going to wait for the sweet Alfa Romeo 4C. Yummmmy.

If I was in your shoes, I might keep both since you have storage space.

Don

 

i know the cayman's a great performer, esp. when you consider it's hp to weight ratio. but at the end of the day, it's still a cayman an i personally think it's a pretty ugly car. if there was a 993 for around the same price as the cayman, i'd take the 993 over the cayman for sure.

 

Don,

Damn yellow, can’t seem to get away from it. Hmmmm, perhaps I could paint it Porsche GT3 orange... nahhh, that’s stupid, who would do something like that?

The car has 35K miles on it and it’s MINT. The dealer put all new tires, brakes, rotors, etc, etc on it.

The damn thing just handles so much better than the mini but honestly, I’m not sure how much faster it is. I mean, I know it’s faster but it just doesn’t “feel” it in a seat of your pants feel.

Maybe I will keep both, my wife doesn’t like me already anyways...lol.

 

Oscar and you have been through so much together. Don't sell him.

 

Haha.. your logic is flawless, enjoy the Porsche!

 

You have been a big part of NAM, you need to keep your mini so you will keep contributing to NAM...

 

The Cayman S is one of the nicest cars on the planet, with regard to design.

But, if you really are into the track, it's not even close on costs to maintain the MINI versus the Cayman S. It's stupid money on the Porsche--tires, brakes, pads, etc. Heck, even running a MINI isn't cheap, but the Porsche is in another league.

Flip side is if you can afford to maintain the Cayman S, especially if you can do the work yourself (It's not as easy to work on a Cayman as Mini though; the engine location makes some things a bit more difficult), it's no contest on a long track, especially if the Cayman S is set up well. I have two friends who drive Cayman S's, and at Road America, with it's long straights and elevation changes, they just kill me, it's not even funny. At shorter tracks (Blackhawk), they can't catch me.

So it depends on what you're after. All that being said, it's a hell of lot more fun to pass a Porsche in a MINI than it is to pass a MINI in a Porsche....

 

I would say that dealer owes you a good price on the Cayman.

Sounds like the good work has been done, the reason the Cayman does not feel faster is it is insulated by all the German engineering.

Not a bad thing, that is why I mentioned the Cayman R.

Keep us up to date, keep both.

Don

 

I have been looking at a 2006 porsche cayman s for some time now. I have been driving a 997 for six years and a 955 for five. Have to say they are great cars but the expense is why I did not get a cayman yet. Almost have to add 50 percent to maintenance for track days. I have driven the gt3 rs and would say that is a absolutely great track car but at too high of a price level for me. You should look ar the gt3 as well.

I think my mini may be at the end of it's track development. So I may look for something next year.

 

That's a tough decision. For how expensive the Cayman S is, and for how much power it has, I really don't think it's that impressive. I'm a huge fan of Porsche, but I'd keep the MINI.

Have you ever driven a Lotus Elise/Exige? I think you mind find one of those to be more fun. Faster too. Well, besides top speed.

 

Yikes.

Search for "IMS failure". You think we have trouble with fuel pumps and carbon buildup? HA! A walk in the park compared to the IMS debacle.

May I suggest something a little less common, something *really* special? I present the Z4 M Coupe & roadster. Here's an awesome comparo vs the Boxster...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FTcr2IFeg0

My other ride is an '07 Coupe. An absolute monster.

 

It's hard to knock the Porsche. But I know someone personally that traded the Porsche for a MINI - more fun, less money.

And that doesn't cost you a dime!

 

That is the best advice I have gotten from NAM. I will file this away for future use.

 

Not sure if it helps, but my wife has an '01 Boxster and dang is it awesome to drive. The MINI is our daily driver and the Boxster....well, it's in a class all by itself. Just awesome.

We have both. =)

 

No, sorry... no help at all.


Mark

 

I didn't think it would help. Good luck!

 

I had an 07 M Roadster and it's the one car I have ever owned that I regret getting rid of. It was just amazing,

 

It is precisely why I would not drive a Z4M. Just scares the daylights out of me when I drove the older version on the track. A few too many tank slaps and major oversteer events for me. From my experience, it is why M coupes and roadsters are together with Lotus Elise/Exige is the car you are least likely to drive home with after a track event. I will stick with the Mini for now and am thinking, perhaps, of upgrading later to the cayman.

 

I forget where my Dad this, but the MCS has a better slalom time than the Porsche Cayman S, along with the 911 Turbo. The MINI's handling is exceptional, and even then, the JCW had a better slalom time than a Bugatti Veyron. $28k > $1.5-2.5M

 

I went back and looked at the Cayman S again today. I reallllly like that car but I’m having a problem.

First, the mini is putting out as much if not more HP and TQ than the Cayman S

Second, the Cayman S handles beautifully. The problem is, the mini is already modified. (ie. coilovers, swayers, etc, etc) which make the mini handle as well if not better. I know at the track, my mini has embarrassed quite a few Porsche drivers.

Third, the mini is paid for.

Fourth, though the back seat is crappy, the mini has a back seat. The cayman does not have one.

Fifth, I’m not sure why I keep trying to talk myself into buying the Cayman. If I buy it, I’ll probably keep the mini but at the end of the day, I don’t think the Cayman would be my first pick as the fun car to drive on any particular day.

I guess I just really love the Porsche engineering for an out of the box car. It’s a driver’s car, it’s smooth, refined with class. The mini is more of a toy...

I dunno, I’m going to sleep on it for a while... my wife says I’m too impetuous.

LOOK! Squirrel....


Mark

 

Well, for what it's worth, you have one of the sickest looking and apparently very well modified MINI's around, which has a lot more prestige (IMO, anyway.) than a stock Porsche, as beautiful as it is.