Cars at a Glance
2006 Porsche Boxster and
2007 Porsche Cayman

by Dave Stall
 
September 23,2006 - Cars at a Glance
2006 Porsche Boxster and 2007 Porsche Cayman
Pioneer Centres Porsche

This review is about two cars from the Porsche stable that may look different at a glance, but upon closer inspection they are almost identical except one is a 06 and the other is a 07.  Garth Jones from Pioneer Centres Porsche up on Miramar Road gave me an opportunity to test drive both cars back to back, thank you Garth.

What was surprising is I didn't catch the similarity between the cars until he pointed them out.  The only difference between the two cars other than the years was one is a hard top and the other one is a convertible, but the rest of the car is all Boxster.  Just cover up the top half of the Cayman and you have a Boxster.  I was amazed, not only with the looks of the two car,s but the way the Cayman handled versus the Boxster.  By having a solid roof coupe, you get better cornering and the 07 did have a little more in the engine compartment. Still running the flat six cylinder the Cayman does give you 2.7-liters and 245 horsepower with 201 pound foot of torque versus the 06 Boxster, which comes with the same 2.7 liter and 240 horsepower with 199 pound foot of torque. Go for the 07 Boxster and you get the same power as the 07 Cayman.

If you have been in one of the first generation Boxster you need to check out the new 06 or 07, boy what a difference. The Porsche Stability Management, Anti Slip regulation, 11.7 rotors up front and 11.8 rotors in the rear all equipped with a four piston brake system and does it stop on a dime.  It comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, but I would go with the 18-inch optional wheels, the Boxster had 17's and the Cayman had 128's what a difference.
When it came to creature comforts it didn't matter which car you choose, adjustable steering wheel, adjustable seats, optional Bose Surround System ( A must) a trip computer standard, remote entry and surveillances, very comfortable seating, that really keeps you put and unlike a lot of small two seater sports cars, the Cayman has tons of storage areas, up front and in the rear, the Boxster doesn't do bad in that department either.  Both testers came with the standard 5-speed manual transmissions, which suited me just fine.  Now if you're into a little more performance, both cars come in the S version which if I were going to slide one of these in my garage, it would be the Cayman S.  I'm not much into the sun beating down on my head and I really like the way the Cayman feels on the road.
There is so much more to write about concerning the Boxster and the Cayman, but what I recommend is to take a drive over to Pioneer Centres Porsche on Miramar Road and have Garth Jones answer all your questions.  He can show you the cars from front to rear and help you make your decision, 20 years in the Porsche business, not only is he knowledgeable, but he is very patient customer and he wants to make sure the decision you make is the right one, you can reach him at 858-695-3000 ext. 1215.
If your looking for a fun sports car, you must put the Porsche Boxster or the Cayman on your list of cars to drive. For what ever reason if you can't swing new, Pioneer has an unbelievable collection of quality used Porsche Approved Certified to choose from and you will be very impressed what you get when you go "Porsche Approved Certified", and don't forget to tell Garth, Dave said hi! 
2006 Porsche Boxster
2007 Porsche Cayman