2005 Porsche Cayman S from UK and Ireland - Comments

Rear hatch rattles over bumps - a common fault with early build cars, a fix is now available from dealers.

Superb engine, full of torque with excellent high end power. Not temperamental in traffic and quiet when cruising.

The ride is very good considering the type of car, and is very comfortable on the motorway. Tyre noise is quite high.

Steering is full of feel and very direct, but does not kick back or tramline under braking.

Brakes make your eyeballs hit the windscreen, but easy to modulate.

The gearbox is direct and lovely to use, but needs to warm up before the changes are totally smooth.

I tried the car with both 18" & 19" wheels, and decided on the smaller wheel as the ride was better, and it didn't affect the handling enough, but made the ride much firmer, to warrant the extra outlay.

The BOSE stereo option is good, PSM sat nav very good, telephone module very good.

Getting on average (mixture of motorway and city driving) 24/26 mpg.

Can I recommend one - Oh YES, a great car to own and drive, and in my opinion it looks fantastic.

I love my Cayman S as well. The first thing I noticed weird was how far away fifth gear was from the rest. But, I guess it could just be me. It shifts great, runs well, has a nice, firm sporty clutch as well. Although it has less than 350hp, I find myself often beating cars with much more power. I would recommend to any avid Porsche enthusiast. I currently have a Cayenne TT that is my Daily Driver as well. Also a highly recommended vehicle.

This is a terrific car! I have a 2006 Cayman S with the performance package (Bose 10 speaker sound system and a few other goodies). It is a perfect driver’s car; great steering, brakes and road feel. My other Porsche experience was with a used, but well cared for 1970 911T I bought in 1985, it was also a great car. This is my first new Porsche and an even better car. So far we've only gone about 7K miles, but they've all been very sweet. Here are the few criticisms:

The car carries no spare tire! And if you damage one of the Michelins hang on to your wallet!! The fronts are about $280US and the rears are about $325US. The tires are noisy as hell, but keep the car glued to the road very well.

The cockpit is cramped; you don't get in the car you put it on. The mid engine allows for two boots, but the rear is very small.

The rear vision is compromised so back up with care.

I was treated like a king by the dealer, but my first oil change and minor inspection was $175US! The factory recommended service interval of 2 years/20K miles seems too long; my dealer (Las Vegas,Nevada,USA) recommends 1 year/5K miles.

Watch the Porsche options ‘menu”; you can make this car cost more than a 911 Carrera4 if you're not careful!!

Otherwise it's a terrific sports car that you can drive every day. Typical excellent Porsche quality including very nice fit and finish and perfect leather. Nice slightly understated interior, but it all makes sense if you're a serious driver. Mixed driving gets you about 20mpg and highway driving is good for about 26mpg. It will sprint to 100mph in a flash or cruise without breaking a sweat all day @ 85-90mph. Not the cheapest sports coupe in the crowded field, but a great value and I don’t see one @ every other stoplight like I do the Corvette, or Nissan Z's.