Anyone go from an F80 M3 to 718 Cayman S?

[Takumi587]

I test drove a buddies Cayman GTS and fell in love with the car. Now thinking of picking up a 718 Cayman S Manual or PDK. Would most likely trade the F80 and keep the E46. Or trade the E46 for a 718 Boxster (my E46 is convertible)

Anyone made the switch and regretted it? Only issue I found with the Cayman was getting in and out of it because of how low it is.

[mnikhil]

Originally Posted by Takumi587

I test drove a buddies Cayman GTS and fell in love with the car. Now thinking of picking up a 718 Cayman S Manual or PDK. Would most likely trade the F80 and keep the E46. Or trade the E46 for a 718 Boxster (my E46 is convertible)

Anyone made the switch and regretted it? Only issue I found with the Cayman was getting in and out of it because of how low it is.

I can't exactly say I made "the switch" since I've never had an f80 but I daily my MT 718 base cayman. I have been lucky enough to behind the wheel of the m3/4 on more than a dozen occasions. Once you get used to how low the 718 sits it's not a big deal and I actually enjoy how close to the road you feel. Sound wise neither the F8X or 718 sound particularly good but I prefer the 718.

718 steering and handling are just on another level and BMW cannot compete there. F8X does have the power advantage but i feel like the driving experience just isn't on par with the 718.

Some of the biggest trade offs of course depending on budget are the creature comforts you may be used to in the f80. Porsche is driver focused as BMW has become more daily driver focused IMO. Depending on what you are looking for this could be a good thing.

I switched from an m235i so it was a similar size car but I had many trade offs to get the 718 within my budget. Since Porsche makes you pay a la carte for options and those start to add up quick when speccing the car similarly to a BMW. My lease payment is around the same as most F8x's and is definitely not fully specced out.

All that being said I love the 718 and I am planning on either getting another one or upgrading to the 992 once my lease is up.

[saeyedoc]

I'm a short fat old person and had no trouble getting in and out of my Cayman. I daily drove a Cayman S after I had a 335i and around the same time my wife had an E90 M3. I liked it so much that I bought a used 911 after I had the Cayman for 5 years.

[alex2364]

Originally Posted by mnikhil

I can't exactly say I made "the switch" since I've never had an f80 but I daily my MT 718 base cayman. I have been lucky enough to behind the wheel of the m3/4 on more than a dozen occasions. Once you get used to how low the 718 sits it's not a big deal and I actually enjoy how close to the road you feel. Sound wise neither the F8X or 718 sound particularly good but I prefer the 718.

718 steering and handling are just on another level and BMW cannot compete there. F8X does have the power advantage but i feel like the driving experience just isn't on par with the 718.

Some of the biggest trade offs of course depending on budget are the creature comforts you may be used to in the f80. Porsche is driver focused as BMW has become more daily driver focused IMO. Depending on what you are looking for this could be a good thing.

I switched from an m235i so it was a similar size car but I had many trade offs to get the 718 within my budget. Since Porsche makes you pay a la carte for options and those start to add up quick when speccing the car similarly to a BMW. My lease payment is around the same as most F8x's and is definitely not fully specced out.

All that being said I love the 718 and I am planning on either getting another one or upgrading to the 992 once my lease is up.

Can you share the MSRP of your 718 and your lease payment? I was looking into a 718 GTS around $105k MSRP and I think it would be over $1500 a month.

[Takumi587]

Originally Posted by mnikhil

I can't exactly say I made "the switch" since I've never had an f80 but I daily my MT 718 base cayman. I have been lucky enough to behind the wheel of the m3/4 on more than a dozen occasions. Once you get used to how low the 718 sits it's not a big deal and I actually enjoy how close to the road you feel. Sound wise neither the F8X or 718 sound particularly good but I prefer the 718.

718 steering and handling are just on another level and BMW cannot compete there. F8X does have the power advantage but i feel like the driving experience just isn't on par with the 718.

Some of the biggest trade offs of course depending on budget are the creature comforts you may be used to in the f80. Porsche is driver focused as BMW has become more daily driver focused IMO. Depending on what you are looking for this could be a good thing.

I switched from an m235i so it was a similar size car but I had many trade offs to get the 718 within my budget. Since Porsche makes you pay a la carte for options and those start to add up quick when speccing the car similarly to a BMW. My lease payment is around the same as most F8x's and is definitely not fully specced out.

All that being said I love the 718 and I am planning on either getting another one or upgrading to the 992 once my lease is up.

Thanks for the feedback. I visited the dealer and saw a few CPO models that are nicely optioned. I feel there are actually similar creature comforts available on the 718 like my F80.

What are the costs in terms of a simple annual oil change? And was there a noticeable difference in premium for your insurance or pretty minimal?

Just getting a few facts together considering the wife will have to approve this purchase as well. =) (main reason I may opt for the PDK so that she can drive it too)

[Takumi587]

Originally Posted by saeyedoc

I'm a short fat old person and had no trouble getting in and out of my Cayman. I daily drove a Cayman S after I had a 335i and around the same time my wife had an E90 M3. I liked it so much that I bought a used 911 after I had the Cayman for 5 years.

Thinking about that route as well. Going with a Cayman S then moving up to a 911. Was considering the Panamera as the best of both worlds but since I no longer need to haul clients I am going to treat myself lol.

[mcc3456]

Almost bought a 2018 718 Boxster GTS (only 1,200 miles) last weekend. Really nice car, but couldn’t get together on price. Damn shame because it was a very versatile car.

[saeyedoc]

Originally Posted by Takumi587

Thinking about that route as well. Going with a Cayman S then moving up to a 911. Was considering the Panamera as the best of both worlds but since I no longer need to haul clients I am going to treat myself lol.

Panameras are really nice. My wife had a '12 base model that someone totaled last summer, we replaced it with a CPO '13 GTS that is really amazing.

[mnikhil]

Originally Posted by Takumi587

Thanks for the feedback. I visited the dealer and saw a few CPO models that are nicely optioned. I feel there are actually similar creature comforts available on the 718 like my F80.

What are the costs in terms of a simple annual oil change? And was there a noticeable difference in premium for your insurance or pretty minimal?

Just getting a few facts together considering the wife will have to approve this purchase as well. =) (main reason I may opt for the PDK so that she can drive it too)

CPO is definitely the recommended route if purchasing! You can find loaded 718s for a great deal! I leased so I was not trying to load up on options due to budget. I just really just wanted to get into the Porsche brand.

Oil change is about $250-300ish at the dealer but you can probably get it done sub $200 at an independent.

My premium increase to my surprise was only 2.7% or $75. Keep in mind i was coming from and m235. While I was shopping i got insurance quotes for the F80 and my premium would have almost doubled. So it may be cheaper insurance wise to be in the 718.

[mnikhil]

Originally Posted by alex2364

Can you share the MSRP of your 718 and your lease payment? I was looking into a 718 GTS around $105k MSRP and I think it would be over $1500 a month.

MSRP: $60,890
Monthly: $980/mo (with tax)
Mileage: 12k/Yr
Term: 3yr
No Down Payment


Definitely not a deal but I can live with the numbers.

[gatorfast]

^ouch that is a crazy price for a $60k msrp car but non-SUV Porsche's don't lease well.

[JTO24]

I went from an F80 DCT to 981 6mt Cayman 2.7L base and had no regrets. Car was a fun daily just way slow in a straight line.

I actually like the 718 S/GTS a lot, too; I've driven several and had one as a loaner from Porsche. It's super quick and nimble; if you can live with the sound it's a tremendous car. My oil changes were $440 at the dealership in NJ. My 20k service was going to be ~$1k but I traded it in on an M2 before that came up.

Just as another data point, my Cayman lease numbers below (not great but like the guy above, I was able to live with them)

[2016 timeframe when 718s were first arriving to dealers to probably not applies-to-apples]
MSRP: $69,xxx
Monthly: $726/mo (with tax)
Mileage: 7.5k/Yr
Term: 2.5yr
$4k total due at signing

[Funf6cyl]

Originally Posted by JTO24

I went from an F80 DCT to 981 6mt Cayman 2.7L base and had no regrets. Car was a fun daily just way slow in a straight line.

I actually like the 718 S/GTS a lot, too; I've driven several and had one as a loaner from Porsche. It's super quick and nimble; if you can live with the sound it's a tremendous car. My oil changes were $440 at the dealership in NJ. My 20k service was going to be ~$1k but I traded it in on an M2 before that came up.

Just as another data point, my Cayman lease numbers below (not great but like the guy above, I was able to live with them)

[2016 timeframe when 718s were first arriving to dealers to probably not applies-to-apples]
MSRP: $69,xxx
Monthly: $726/mo (with tax)
Mileage: 7.5k/Yr
Term: 2.5yr
$4k total due at signing

718 GTS is a brilliant car and to be honest, it still (much) sounds better than the S55 while being obviously a better driver’s car and faster on track.
Pending though, I am getting a GT4 with Ceramics.

[mnikhil]

Originally Posted by Funf6cyl

718 GTS is a brilliant car and to be honest, it still (much) sounds better than the S55 while being obviously a better driver’s car and faster on track.
Pending though, I am getting a GT4 with Ceramics.

Beautiful GTS, enjoy the GT4!

[alfonseexists]

I am thinking of going to a cayman gts after my m4 lease expires.. Im also quite interested in the "T" cars as well.. I really would like to explore a much more "driver" focused twisty road burner (has to have a manual as well)

[mnikhil]

Originally Posted by alfonseexists

I am thinking of going to a cayman gts after my m4 lease expires.. Im also quite interested in the "T" cars as well.. I really would like to explore a much more "driver" focused twisty road burner (has to have a manual as well)

GTS and T are similar in the sense that they are both "performance" variants but imo they are on opposite sides of the 718 spectrum.

I am excited for the arrival of the T hopefully later this year. What ever you choose you cannot go wrong!

[JTO24]

Originally Posted by alfonseexists

I am thinking of going to a cayman gts after my m4 lease expires.. Im also quite interested in the "T" cars as well.. I really would like to explore a much more "driver" focused twisty road burner (has to have a manual as well)

The "T" is an interesting car.. def driver focused and the 2.0L F4 should be entertaining enough. I would consider one depending on where it falls in the price range. A low-option 718 S is always going to be tempting because the 2.5 L is, IMO, a better engine; less turbo lag, slightly better (relative) sound, more power, better throttle response etc. Plus, I'm still not 100% sure if they're bringing em stateside... at least there's been some mild debate on Rennlist about it.

[hellrotm]

I would not happy if I got a 718 GTS and the Cayman 6 ends up being a real thing.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by Funf6cyl

718 GTS is a brilliant car and to be honest, it still (much) sounds better than the S55 while being obviously a better driver’s car and faster on track.
Pending though, I am getting a GT4 with Ceramics.

Despite my better judgment regarding feeding trolls...

I look forward to you or any other 718 driver to prove this on track.

Why are you on this forum anyway?

[EricSMG]

Originally Posted by alfonseexists

I am thinking of going to a cayman gts after my m4 lease expires.. Im also quite interested in the "T" cars as well.. I really would like to explore a much more "driver" focused twisty road burner (has to have a manual as well)

No doubt that a 718s is going to be "better" than an M4Z in the twistiest, if nothing more than due to less weight/size... BUT... I can't let this comment go without responding.

The F80/2 ZCP is an amazing corner carver. One of the most responsive/direct/precise handling cars ever designed. You saying that you "want a much better" twisty road burner tells me that either A) you're not actually, really, driving your M4 that hard in the twisties or B) you come strictly from small cars and simply haven't grown comfortable with your M4 (which means that you really fall into A in that you're not driving it or you would be very comfortable).

Please clarify what you mean, because your insinuation that the M4 ZCP isn't good in the twisties is laughable, at best. If there's ONE thing it's good at it's that.

[BMW M Power Mexico]

Originally Posted by EricSMG

No doubt that a 718s is going to be "better" than an M4Z in the twistiest, if nothing more than due to less weight/size... BUT... I can't let this comment go without responding.

The F80/2 ZCP is an amazing corner carver. One of the most responsive/direct/precise handling cars ever designed. You saying that you "want a much better" twisty road burner tells me that either A) you're not actually, really, driving your M4 that hard in the twisties or B) you come strictly from small cars and simply haven't grown comfortable with your M4 (which means that you really fall into A in that you're not driving it or you would be very comfortable).

Please clarify what you mean, because your insinuation that the M4 ZCP isn't good in the twisties is laughable, at best. If there's ONE thing it's good at it's that.

Excellent comment. The Porsche fanboism is strong here. Everyone who switches immediately and obviously gets owners bias and waxes poetically about how the Porsche is a level above and blah blah blah.

My CS is MORE fun than my GT4. Period. And part of the fun is that it takes a lot more skill than the "glued to the road" GT4.

Both are great cars.

[FreeDarko]

Originally Posted by BMW M Power Mexico

Excellent comment. The Porsche fanboism is strong here. Everyone who switches immediately and obviously gets owners bias and waxes poetically about how the Porsche is a level above and blah blah blah.

My CS is MORE fun than my GT4. Period. And part of the fun is that it takes a lot more skill than the "glued to the road" GT4.

Both are great cars.

This was my experience when I rented a 871 Cayman S for a week in San Francisco. Great car and the mid engine allows it to rotate around in a completely different manner but it's always glued to the road.

Maybe the 718 will give a different experience but my tuned m3 is so much more fun on a daily basis than the 871.