Jump to content

New 718 Owner - Initial Impressions

Gronk

By Gronk
in 982 / 718

Recommended Posts

Gronk

Gronk

Posted
Posted

So after a small gap was opened by the wife, my perfectly honed skill with 'man maths' did the rest and I picked up my 718 Cayman yesterday. 

Had both a 986 & a 987 along with many BMW’s & Mercedes so not completely unfamiliar with ‘nice’ cars and like many of us have an opinion! 

So first impressions…

Lets get the big one out of the first, the F4T engine! It was a showroom car so haven’t been waiting for the factory order to slowly progress instead I’ve been watching various Youtube and reading web reviews and of course opinions on the various forums and I have to admit to some concern over the response to the F4T. Had a 986 & currently have a 987 so familiar with the F6 engines and like many love the character (ok the howl) of those engines. However, after a good long drive after pick up last night I’m not sure what all the fuss was about the engine is fantastic! I was worried when it started and there is 15-30 seconds of rattle as it circulates oil, but then it settles down into a pretty throaty rumble, pressing the sport button raises the volume and it settles into a not unpleasant noise . My BMW driving best friend actually complimented on how good it sounded. in my experience of the 986 & 987 (I can’t compare to the F6 in the 981) yes, its different in character to the F6, but it’s a potent engine! So far nothing in terms of the noise or the performance makes me think it it’s a bad engine, just different! I wasn’t around at the time but can only imagine the response must have been like the move from air > water cooled that still rages today! 

Anyway, now that’s been said, the rest of the car…

The good 
Build quality - exceptional, everything feels fantastic to the touch, nicely weighted…I have a 66 plate C220 AMG that was a class ahead of anything else I’d ever ownedi in terms of build, the Cayman is better hands down…naturally its light years ahead of the 10year old 987
PDK -not sure I can say anything else about this box that hasn’t been said, yes manual is purer, but I commute in the car so wanted PDK. The changes are instant, it has a fantastic ability to predict what you want, I suspect that the lever won’t be moved in the manual position often!
Engine – OK I touched on the F4T above, but it really is astonishing the amount of torque available thru the rev range, in fact scary when I was expecting to have to drop a gear like I would have in the 987 and found it just accelerated like a train! 
Brakes – OK brand its new car, after tip toeing around out of the dealer in, when I arrived at the 1st junction at prdriving speeds, they pulled me up about 10m sooner than I thought! 
Ride – I’m on the 20in optional wheels and was expecting to have my fillings loosened but rides better than the C220 on 19in wheels 
Porsche Connect– Talking here about the whole shebang hardware etc not just the services, OK the setup can be a little convoluted seemed to be getting SMS’s and emails continuously for 2-3 days but the touch screen systems is fantastic. Sound is great even without BOSE. Love the mirrored SatNav display in the main cluster. Overall light years ahead of the equivalent Mercedes Connect
Sports Seats – Most comfortable seats I’ve sat in. Also loads more leg room (I’m 6’4”) vs the 987
Steering – Phenomenal OK I’m comparing it to a C220 and a 10 year old 987, but it is phenomenal….the steering wheel itself feels fantastic too! 

The bad 
Cupholders – the design still impresses (almost the same as the one in the 987) but I still feel like my travel mug is going to fall onto my lap! 
Storage - 2x door pockets in each door, glove box, armrest (although that’s now optimised for the phone, it attenuates the mobile signal into the cars aerial apparently!), 2 big compartments behind the seats and a little coin tray. So plenty of places but not sure how practical any of these are, ie where do you put a bag of Sports Mixture on a trip! 
Standard Equipment – I’m spoilt, the C220 has everything…OK I could have spent more money if I’d ordered from the factory, someone will try to point out its about the driving experience but this is an expensive car, not to have things that I’ve taken for granted for >10 years like auto dimming mirror, steering wheel controls etc. is just ‘nickel & diming’ especially at the prices they charge! 

I know ‘first world problems’, but really that’s all I can think of at the moment! 

Collection, pretty much spot on with one slightly uncomfortable exception. Picked up from the office by the salesman in a Panamera Turbo (wow, just wow!), and spotted the car covered in the handover bay, plaque welcoming me to the showroom, impressed so far. Very thorough handover, nice bag of goodies…the spare key presentation box is just overkill LOL, handwritten card from the salesman, choice of accessories from the display cabinets, fantastic unveil etc., same thoroughness in taking me thru the vehicle etc….so the exception? Keys on the desk, handover forms signed etc…business manager comes down, you guessed it GAP insurance etc. Almost became a standoff…told him I had seen same cover (as it happens here on PH’s) for a fraction of the price; ‘….they are company doing it out of a small office…’ , ‘…I have a letter from our Finance Director showing how much we have paid out and how good our product is..’, I’m not saying it was high pressure, but he had to be firmly told that I wouldn’t be taking the product…and it did sour the overall experience a little. 

Now waiting for the Porsche Driving Experience invite! And looking for any excuse to get in the car
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CMA

CMA

Posted
Posted

Congrats on the new car :) But your post is useless without pictures :)

I've just bought from an OPC and had the same "Business Manager" chat.... If you go with PCP we can give you a better deal on car or if you go with X, Y Z.... I just gave him the glazed look for long enough until he got the hint I had no interest in it. As you say sours the moment a little.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ringer250

Ringer250

Posted
Posted

Congrats, enjoyed the write up. Car looks great!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Malcolm E Box

Malcolm E Box

Posted
Posted

I have just gone from a 981 Boxster to a 718 Cayman. I have to agree with pretty much all of the above. I am really starting to enjoy the new engine. The power is more usable more of the time, couple that with the steering, suspension and brakes that are even better than the 981 make my 718 out of the world.

Enjoy your new car. I know I am enjoying mine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ArthurG

ArthurG

Posted
Posted

Congratulations!  Looks beautiful.

I'm never going to be collecting a car from an OPC sadly, but I think I might be able to do without the whole handover thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gronk

Gronk

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, Malcolm E Box said:

I have just gone from a 981 Boxster to a 718 Cayman. I have to agree with pretty much all of the above. I am really starting to enjoy the new engine. The power is more usable more of the time, couple that with the steering, suspension and brakes that are even better than the 981 make my 718 out of the world.

Enjoy your new car. I know I am enjoying mine.

The F4T certainly seems to be causing some controvosy...on Pistonheads there is a 59 page thread of argument betwren 981 and 718 owners and I imagine quite a few people who have neither driven either but are offended all the same! 

I’m pleased to see your comments as someone who has actually moved from 981 to 718! Although I missed out the 981 I’ve had the F6’s in the 986 & 987 and they sound fantastic. I never noticed the need for it to be right up the rev range, or any lack of power until I drove the F4T! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Stuart21UK

Stuart21UK

Posted
Posted
11 minutes ago, Gronk said:

Thanks, how’d you do that? It just posted the hyperlink for me! 

using Chrome as a browser...

right click 'copy image address'

'past' into forum box

tada!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Malcolm E Box

Malcolm E Box

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, Gronk said:

The F4T certainly seems to be causing some controvosy...on Pistonheads there is a 59 page thread of argument betwren 981 and 718 owners and I imagine quite a few people who have neither driven either but are offended all the same! 

I’m pleased to see your comments as someone who has actually moved from 981 to 718! Although I missed out the 981 I’ve had the F6’s in the 986 & 987 and they sound fantastic. I never noticed the need for it to be right up the rev range, or any lack of power until I drove the F4T! 

Let them argue.

Those that know, know

Link to comment
Share on other sites
r1flyguy

r1flyguy

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, Gronk said:


So first impressions…

Lets get the big one out of the first, the F4T engine! However, after a good long drive after pick up last night I’m not sure what all the fuss was about the engine is fantastic!  My BMW driving best friend actually complimented on how good it sounded.
 

I was at my local OPC the other day and heard one drive away & thought it sounded rather good too. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lofty

lofty

Posted
Posted

Looks great, I seen both the silver Caymans in the showroom so now know which one was yours.  

I drove a Cayman S  a few weeks ago and was blown away, similar to when I test drove the 981, but after all the reviews I had read about the 718 I wasn’t really expecting to like it. Noise is a huge part of the enjoyment for me and having been lucky enough to own a Vantage/ R8/ Maserati GrandTurismo and a F-Type I was expecting the 718 to be a major disappointment. It wasn’t, total opposite tbh and I was very close to buying a GTS, I still haven’t totally ruled one out but I’m tying to spend a bit less on my next car.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gorsh

Gorsh

Posted
Posted

@Gronk Bit late seeing this thread.  Congratulations on your new car - looks great!

My previous car was a 981 Boxster GTS.  Fantastic car all round, but I know where you're coming from about the power delivery.  The F6 has to be above 4k revs before it really gets going, and if you look at the torque curve it's flat between 2.5k and 4k.  I now have a 991.2 GTS and the difference is amazing - masses of 'pull' right through the rev range.

Enjoy your car!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
GTB981

GTB981

Posted
Posted

I am currently in a 981GTS and have itchy feet. I am fortunate that when the new 911 is available I could order one or I could buy a 991.2 GTS used. However for me it is massive overkill for loads of money. I don`t need 4 seats and the 981 is actually very practical. I don`t aspire to the 911 cult. I can`t fault the 981GTS at all. Oh, apart from the grossly over engineered cup holders !

I drove a 718S before I bought the 981GTS and was very impressed with the performance. However, at that time I was sold on the sound of the flat 6. The 718S is quicker than my GTS. Portsmouth have 2 x 718GTS and I am sorely tempted to take them up on their offer of borrowing their loaner for a weekend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...