Cross Shopping: Used Cayman S or Used Fiat 500
 

Yes I know, two completely different cars and different price ranges but hear me out. Lately I've been wanting to try something new. I love the BRZ and I have no plans to sell it but eventually it will transition to mostly track use and will remain in my forever garage. What I am looking for is something that will not only make me excited to drive everyday but also keep me awake on my daily 45 minute commutes

On one hand I like the fiat because a decent used convertible abarth runs around 15k and offers a totally different driving experience than the BRZ. I find it to be somewhat more of a novelty and I think the car has tons of character.

On the other hand an older decent used 1st gen cayman S for about 30k is obviously the better performer and track car, and, well it's a Porsche. I've always dreamed of owning a Porsche, but I worry that at the end of the day it might be almost too similar to the BRZ.

Will the novelty of the abarth wear off after owning it for a while?
Will the cayman S be too redundant to have alongside the BRZ?
From the standpoint of pure fun, is the extra 15k for the Porsche worth it?
Are these terrible choices?

Cayman, best sports car ever built. Mid engine, well balanced, boxer 6, 295hp.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

I had a 2001 Boxster S, and I loved it.

The whole IMS Bearing thing spooked me though and eventually sold it for about what I paid for it.

Porsches when bought used tend to hold their value...

I do not know much about the Fiat 500. Have heard bad things about reliability...but those sources were not super reliable.

It does seem odd to garage queen an FR-S/BRZ and DD a Cayman though...

I used to have a 2009 Boxster S (310 hp) and enjoyed it a lot. The driving position, size and weight were all similar to the FR-S, just with actual power and refinement. It had all the feedback that makes for a really good driver's car (steering feel, chassis feedback) but everything was refined and well damped. The engine was strong but never harsh. I think what Porsche did amazingly well with that generation Boxster/Cayman is give you that "German" car premium feel in a lightweight and communicative chassis, then threw in 300+ hp.

There is some overlap with the FR-S though, whereas the 500 Abarth convertible should offer a very different driving experience with its high seating position, convertible top, FWD layout, etc. I haven't driven one but hear they're fun as daily drivers. I think once you test drive both you'll know pretty quickly which is for you.

a Cayman would be a better choice, Imho, just get something 2009 and above to avoid the IMS problems of the 2006-08. If you have the money for it go ahead, but the Porsche tax is pretty high for fixes on the older model. (this is because I was looking into a Cayman)

A Fiat would be fun if you wanna zip around in the city, I don't think you'll enjoy alot of Highway commute with that little thing. (Speaking from Living with one of those for a week, and I have a 60 mile commute everyday about 30 miles each way)

Most important part of the whole post right there ^.
The Porsche is a great car and a nice choice if not racking up miles. Unfortunately the cost of upkeep on an extensively driven DD is what has kept me out of one all these years. May not be a big factor to everybody but it is worth keeping in mind.


Have no idea about the Fiat as I have never given them much thought but you may want to check maintenance costs before considering it to strongly.

What do you need in a DD? If you have a track car (BRZ/FRS) and a DD, do you have a "utility vehicle"? Like something that can drive with more than you in it, through the snow, on a trip, etc? How much are you willing to spend on regular maintenance?

Lot of things to consider you aren't mentioning.

Thanks, I agree it's weird, but I love the BRZ on the track and on shorter drives. On my daily commutes, I get really annoying sciatica pains and I have to take multiple breaks on road trips because of it. I also figure the wearable parts for track use, cost of repairs, are cheaper on a BRZ than a porsche

Yeah I test drove the Fiat and I thought it just felt like kinda special. Hard to explain, it has it's own character. It wasn't necessarily exciting, but I think it was just nice to drive something different. I haven't driven a cayman yet. If it's too similar to the BRZ that might actually be a negative, but if there is something about the experience that sets it apart and can justify the extra cost then maybe it will make sense

We have a CRV for everything else. My BRZ survived the winter on snow tires. Maintenance I try to do as much myself, I dunno, is it any harder doing the basic fluid, brake changes on a porsche? I guess the thing I prioritize the most in a DD is simply fun factor... for instance my prior cars were a toyota celica which I absolutely loved to drive every day, and a BMW 328 which bored me to death and put me to sleep.

You'll be fine, your just going to have a bit more in the cost of the pads and rotors.

I too have been cross-shopping a Cayman S with the increasing amount of work my BRZ is requiring these days. Every day it is down I think, and go back to the mentality of 'I should have just got something that met my goals stock.' They only issue I'm having it I really like the newer updates but, not the 45-60k used prices.

I have no Porsche experience, but driving an Abarth is still the most fun I've had on public roads, you'll get 30+ mpg and won't feel bad using it hard.

Stop wasting time and go drive them both.

Go drive both. You sure won't hear me chide you about how different those two cars are, if you happen to like them each for their own merits.

I test drove a 2012 Cayman S this past weekend then repeated the route in my BRZ. The Cayman is much faster and, obviously, the overall fit, finish, materials, sound system, etc, are leagues better. It is better balanced with awesome traction from apex to corner exit, where the BRZ will spin an inside wheel. (For reference, I'm on 225 wide MPSS on the stock suspension). The Cayman is a tighter fit for me, with marginal leg room. Overall, I would say that the Cayman and BRZ are not fundamentally different types of cars, just opposite ends of the price/performance/quality spectrum. Stepping out of the Cayman into the BRZ I had the feeling that it still makes a compelling case for itself. Overall, I found the BRZ a little easier to "read" on the road, though I am sure that is 90% familiarity. The ride over ripply pavement is similarly jiggly but the Cayman was way less crashy over larger and sharp edged bumps (sorry for the technical lingo). I put that down to better quality damping and more rear suspension travel before the bump stops, but I might be imagining it. I think the trunk and folding seats in the BRZ are slightly more practical than the Cayman's frunk and shallow hatch.

Afterwards, I did some calculations based on torque curves, gearing, wheel size and weight. Surprisingly, from the engine torque curves I was able to find, the 987.2 Cayman S has a similar torque dip to the twins, just more torque everywhere. Basically, the Cayman S has ~50% better in-gear acceleration at any given speed, not unexpected given the 1.7 times bigger displacement balanced by ~7% higher loaded weight and slightly taller gearing.

Basically, I liked the Cayman S more that the BRZ for the higher quality feel and I was certainly going faster everywhere, but I wasn't having 50% more fun.

Having said all that, I'd love to have a little city car with more power than it deserves, like a Fiesta ST, JCW Mini or Abarth. The roads around here are crap, so I'd need something with decent suspension travel. It will never happen because it would be a 4th car that we don't have space for. I've even thought about a Smart Electric, which would fit our lifestyle pretty well given our short daily commute and available outside power right where we park.

Could you talk about your experiences with the Abarth more? I was considering one for a daily! I had a 500 for a week and I liked it alot, but I never drove the abarth.