Hello everyone. This is Mina, the administrator of “Welcome Home, PORSCHE.” This project, Porsche Owners File, was born from readers’ requests to share the genuine voices of various Porsche owners. The 16th installment features a purchase, options, and driving review of the Cayman (981) from “Takemaru.”

〘Owner Information〙
・Car introduced this time: Cayman (981)
・Pen name: Takemaru (Twitter @tkr9811)
・Residence: Kanagawa Prefecture
・Family: Father, mother, younger sister
・Past cars:
(Though these were my father’s cars) BMW late-model E46 320i M Sport → BMW early-model F10 523i M Sport
・A word to readers:
Though I’m a young person turning 24 this year, I boldly bought my first car—a Porsche. I hope this helps those young people who, like me, are interested in Porsche.

1) How I Came to Purchase

—Looking for Something to Make Life More Enjoyable

I’ve always been interested in cars, and after starting my first year as a working adult, I vaguely set a goal to “one day drive a supercar.”

When I actually started working, there was a period when I lost motivation due to workplace environment, treatment, and breaking up with my girlfriend. But then I thought, “This won’t do! I need to start something new that makes life fun!” That was the initial trigger to consider buying a car.

—Why I Chose Porsche

My father is also a car enthusiast and has driven BMWs, but since he hardly drives, I was in the luxury position of being able to freely use his BMW.

Since he drove a 523i, I wanted to differentiate my car by choosing the opposite of the F10 523i’s “4-door, FR, automatic” setup—so I aimed for a “2-door, MR, manual” car.

Additionally, I looked for a car that met these conditions: “large engine,” “enough space for luggage,” “reliable,” and “cool interior.” The 981 Cayman met all these criteria.

I was searching for an Agate Grey MT, which was hard to find, but when one finally appeared in good condition and was highly recommended by the sales rep, I decided on this Cayman.

I believe there’s no other MR car that can carry this much luggage. Depending on the item, it can even fit one golf bag. The 987 model can fit two, apparently.

—What Sealed the Deal

It was that my loan was approved. Since I was trying to buy a car costing more than twice my annual income, I secretly thought, “There’s no way the loan will go through.”

I was prepared to give up if the loan was denied.

2) Options / Specifications

Since I bought it used, I don’t know all the details, but it seems to have “sports steering wheel,” “carbon interior,” “sports exhaust,” and “all-leather interior.”

The previous owner made quite a few modifications: carbon lip, bucket seats, ducktail(?) spoiler, and aftermarket coilovers.

Additionally, at delivery, I had the wheels painted black and fitted with colored crests. When I have more room in the budget, I want to paint the calipers yellow.

The steering wheel is left-hand drive. I chose left-hand drive thinking “Since imported cars have the turn signal stalk on the left, it’s better to operate the shifter and turn signals with separate hands.”

However, getting parking tickets is tricky. (In urban parking garages, there are often ticket machines on the left side as well.)

3) Timeline to Delivery

After confirming the loan was likely to be approved at the dealership, I started searching at the end of December 2018, and delivery was in April 2019. If you’re not particular about “body color” and “MT,” I don’t think you’d have to wait this long.

4) Porsche Performance Impressions After Ownership

① Engine

The engine revs smoothly, and I’m especially satisfied with the sound. Maybe because it’s MR, mechanical sounds come through clearly, enhancing the feeling of controlling the car.

② Manual Transmission

Originally, I only had an automatic license. After deciding to buy the Cayman and while searching for one that met my conditions, I upgraded my license. Besides the Cayman, the only MT cars I’ve driven were training cars.

So, I don’t fully understand everything, but the 981 Cayman’s manual shifter has a satisfying, crisp “click” feel that’s addictive.

Even if you stall, the engine automatically restarts when you press the brake and clutch, so it’s a generous feature that makes it beginner-friendly.

However, the electronic handbrake usually holds automatically on most slopes, but since it’s automatic, it’s hard to tell when it will release, which can be inconvenient. On subtle slopes, it often doesn’t hold at all.

③ Handling / Brakes

Compared to the 523i:

“It turns insanely well! It’s shocking how well it corners! Even at decent speeds, it handles with ease!”

I feel the car still has more to give, but I’m too scared to push it to the limit. Sorry, Cayman…

On the other hand, I sometimes think, “It’s scary beyond the limit.” I’m considering taking a Porsche driving lesson (Porsche Track Experience) to learn the car’s limits and how to handle it properly beyond them.

Regarding brakes, in everyday driving conditions, the 523i has more pedal travel and a more gradual bite even when pressed firmly, while the Cayman has less pedal travel but a sharper, more precise bite without sudden grabbing.

This likely reflects the conceptual difference between the comfort-focused 4-door sedan 523i and the 2-door sports car Cayman.

I imagine the difference becomes more pronounced on circuits or downhill mountain roads. (Mina recently bought a BMW too, so I’m curious how she feels comparing it to Porsche.)

When I drive my grandmother’s Aqua in Fukuoka, her brakes are scary—just a light press causes a sudden grab, making it jolt until you get used to it, haha.

Next page → Cayman’s Fuel Economy, Ride Comfort, and Circuit Driving…?