Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman

[krayzie]

There's something about these newer generation designs of VW/Audi/Porsche that I don't like, but I can't really pinpoint exactly what it is. Maybe because they now have too many angular lines.

I think it has gotten to a point where Porsche really needs a back-to-basics sports car like Toyota did with the twins. But VAG will never let them since they operate like the Swatch Group where each brand is sandboxed into a certain market segment / price point. Most people who buy a Porsche these days don't give two shits about their engineering capability, it's all about luxury and the badge.

[vh_supra26]

[nikitopo]

Let's hope that the upcoming GT4 will be better on reliability. Not ideal the issues of the current one:

A detailed thread with the strut tower failure here: https://rennlist.com/forums/gt4/9483...r-failure.html

[LancePower]

Yikes. Sheared off like it was plastic.

[NoHaveMSG]

The thread claims it is the same tower as the GT3 and RSR too and there have been some failures noted there. At least it is replaceable so calling it a write off is over dramatic.

[mav1178]

reading the thread, you'd think this was a Porsche general problem and not GT4/Cayman-specific.

[nikitopo]

Yes it is replaceable. It is not write off.

[Rampage]

I read through most of that thread and saw the references to BMW having a similar problem in the past. I hope they completely solved it for the Supra's sake.

I had toyed with the idea of letting my Spyder go and getting a Cayman despite my aversion to German engineering because my wife had given me the "go ahead" to do so. That desire is now squashed if the older Cayman S also have these aluminum strut towers.

I have owned 53 cars. The only time I have seen a shock tower failure was in my rusted out 1973 Datsun 210 after my brother hit a huge F'N 12 inch deep pothole in it during a particularly bad Ohio winter. It ripped the shock tower loose along the rusted weld seams. I paid $200 for that car when I bought it in 1978. That should not happen on a newer car.

[EAGLE5]

Porsche people are a bunch of shits anyway. At the track, even the Mustang drivers are cooler.

That is a pretty amazing engineering failure for a sports car.

[krayzie]

I've heard ages ago from a 911 owner that this similar thing happens quite a lot with aftermarket Bilstein coilovers for Porsches but I think it was just sheering the bolts going to the top mount.

This is like parts of the body couldn't handle the stress?

[ripper]

Been on the fence for many years about what would be the next car I would add to the lineup. 2004 STI and the 2013 BRZ have been great affordable cars that I've driven and loved over the years, but they left me wanting a bit in both power and refinement. I thought the new Corvette C8 was going to be the answer, but almost a year after I submitted my order and still no end in sight I checked out the competition.

Never considered a Boxster because I already owned a 2.5L turbo, but when I found out the 4L was available with the GTS I took another look. Almost 100 miles so far and I can say that my search for more power and refinement has been met in spades. And.... I also get the added benefit of now having a "frunk."

Cheers!

[Lantanafrs2]

Quite the upgrade

[Irace86.2.0]

I'm guessing this is the PDK, right? I have heard and read that the 4.0 has the benefits of being a higher revving engine with a better sound that has better throttle response because it is NA, but the 2.5T has more useable, low-end torque considering the tall gearing and can be more powerful when lightly tuned. Plus, it is cheaper and is 80lbs lighter.

https://www.goapr.com/products/softw.../ECU-25T-S-982

I don't know which one I would pick. I would really have to drive them back-to-back, but I would want a manual above either engine option, unless the sound and feel blew me away. Clearly you have driven them back-to-back. I have heard the PDK improves the experience of having tall gearing, so it is the definitely the way to go for the 4.0 and that people should get the 2.5T if they want a manual, so there is some useable torque in 4th and 5th without egregiously violating the speed limits. Even if the motor blew me away, if the manual experience was a dud because of the gearing, I would probably go with the 2.5T.

What has been your experience? Was your 2.5T tuned or modified?

[surfwaxsmitty]

Nice! Major congrats! Well done for getting the boxster, my allegiance to hard tops would be tested as I know how enjoyable that must be to drive on a scenic route.