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. For the eighth installment, we bring you a purchase, options, and driving review of the 718 Cayman from “Porsche Dreamer,” who lives in Fukuoka City. Since there were hardly any articles about the Cayman on this blog, this review—long awaited and dearly desired—is a real treat (laughs). Please enjoy.

〘Owner Information〙
・Car introduced this time: 718 Cayman (MY2017)
・Pen name: Porsche Dreamer
・Residence: Fukuoka City / Apartment (parking on-site, flat)
・Family: Wife and me (two children live separately since university, recently independent)
・Past cars:
■ Cars at parents’ home: Dodge Dart → Corolla 1200 Hi Deluxe → Corolla Hardtop 1200 Hi Deluxe
■ My own cars: Honda Ballade CR-X 1.5i → Bluebird SSS Attesa X → Subaru B4 RS 2.0 → Subaru B4 3.0R specB → current 718 Cayman
・Message to readers: If you’ve decided “Someday I’ll own a Porsche,” it’s best to act sooner rather than later. Especially if you have specific preferences or want to order options, timing is crucial. When a model change occurs, expect about a six-month period when orders cannot be placed.

1) Background to the Purchase

– Why I bought a Porsche

From the moment I watched the movie “Le Mans” (1971) with my mother, who took me as a “car-loving son,” I developed a strong admiration for Porsche. Later, I found an ad in the morning paper for the “CAR GRAPHIC April 1972 issue (Porsche special),” asked my father to buy it, and decided in my heart that I would buy a Porsche someday. I was eight years old then.

– Why I chose the 718 Cayman

By 2016, when I started thinking “It’s time to prepare for purchase,” I felt that the Cayman most closely matched the Porsche image I first admired. I liked the design of the 981 Cayman and went for a test drive, but the timing was off to order the 981. After gathering detailed information for several months, I decided to buy the 718 Cayman.

– Deciding factor for purchase

With the children independent and some financial stability, plus my wife’s encouragement, I remember her asking, “When are you going to buy a Porsche?” which pushed me forward.

2) Options / Specifications
– Options

Model	718 Cayman	¥6,190,000
Exterior Color	Rhodium Silver Metallic	¥150,000
Interior Color	Black	¥0
Package Option	RHD Specification	¥0
Exterior	Park Assist System (Rear) Rear Window Wiper Power Folding Mirrors Transmission Chassis (MT)	¥93,000 ¥63,000 ¥55,000 ¥0
Wheels	19-in Boxster S Wheels	¥325,000
Wheel Accessories	Colored Crest Wheel Center Caps	¥30,000
Interior	Lane Change Assist Vehicle Theft Protection System Standard Seats Floor Mats	¥106,000 ¥89,000 ¥0 ¥20,000
Audio / Communication	Connect Plus	¥199,000
Total Price		¥7,320,000

(Options and prices at time of purchase)
Additional options: 18-inch Boxster wheels, winter tires

*Additional notes (2019.1.15)
[Standard and available options vary by model year. Not only the base vehicle price but also option prices have changed. Trying the configurator now shows differences from the original order:
・Vehicle price increased, but standard equipment increased
Park Assist Rear and Porsche Connect are now standard
・Rhodium Silver is no longer available; GT Silver and other colors added
Basically, the base price is up, option prices slightly down.
If configured close to my specs, it would be about ¥7,484,000, so a slight price increase. PDK may be cheaper.]

– Aftermarket Options

I requested paint protection film for the rocker panels (including rear fenders) and protective film for the headlights. (¥81,000 + ¥20,000 + tax)

– Why I chose these options and specifications

Power / Torque

Comparing specs of my previous Subaru B4 3.0R, the 981 Boxster test drive, and the 718, I thought power and torque didn’t need to be from the Cayman S. Also, the Cayman S’s 2.5L engine has an unusually large bore, while the 2L version is a 4-cylinder variant of the 911.2 engine, which attracted me. (By the way, recent BMWs reportedly consider 500cc per cylinder optimal.)

Exterior Color

Since it was an early 718 model, available body colors were very limited. My wife initially said “No yellow or red,” and I wasn’t confident in keeping black clean, so I chose a classic German silver body color. (Only Rhodium Silver was available, but I liked it.)

Interior Color

I chose black for the interior. Including my past 911, sports cars should have black interiors!

RHD or LHD

Left-hand drive was available for a limited time, but for regular driving in Japan, I thought right-hand drive was better. Also, my commute includes intersections without right-turn lanes and rural roads with many blind corners, so considering all that, I chose right-hand drive.

Park Assist System (Rear)
I never had park assist on previous cars, but for the Cayman, I thought “I’ll at least get rear sensors.” I didn’t choose front sensors because I prefer a clean look on light-colored cars without front bumper sensors.

Rear Window Wiper

Personally, I consider it essential for rainy city driving and checking behind when parking. Note that unlike typical Japanese cars, the rear does not have washer fluid. So I keep a water bottle handy.

*Rear wiper: dust and dirt can be easily cleared by spraying water.

Power Folding Mirrors

In Japan, mirrors folding when parked is standard, and it’s convenient to confirm the car is locked when the mirrors fold upon locking. So I chose this option.

Transmission

I went with a manual transmission. I believe gear selection and shifting are a big part of driving enjoyment.

19-in Boxster S Wheels

Porsche catalogs don’t showcase wheels well; few 3D views are available. I ordered the 19-inch Cayman wheels without seeing them in person. Fortunately, my wife liked them. The tires fitted at delivery were “ADVAN Sport V105.”

Colored Crest Wheel Center Caps

With a silver body and black brakes (standard), I was advised that colored center caps would add a nice accent. I really like them now.

Lane Change Assist

I was a bit concerned about the Cayman’s diagonal rear visibility, so I wanted to try this feature.

Vehicle Theft Protection System

This seems standard on US models. Since Porsche orders can take over six months and desired specs aren’t always guaranteed, I wanted this for peace of mind.

Standard Seats / Floor Mats

As my first Porsche, I started with standard seats and floor mats.

Audio / Communication

I considered adding the BOSE system but heard that when the 911 switched to PCM (Porsche Communication Management system) as standard, BOSE sometimes caused noise issues that couldn’t be fixed.
Since the Cayman also switched to PCM from the 718, I checked with the Porsche Center but they weren’t sure yet, so I kept the standard system and added Connect Plus to make the most of PCM.

Winter Tires

As with previous cars, I naturally purchased a winter tire set, probably with 18-inch Cayman wheels. (Wheels cannot be selected.) Although few buy winter tires at the Fukuoka Porsche Center, the tires delivered were “PIRELLI Sottozero Serie II.”

Paint Protection Film (Aftermarket Option)

I had heard that the bulging rear fenders of the 911, Cayman, and Boxster are prone to stone chips and scratches. I found a place in Kitakyushu that seemed reliable for paint protection film and booked it when delivery was confirmed.
I was advised that unless you do circuit driving or drive aggressively, front protection film isn’t really necessary, so I only applied it to the rocker panels. Also, since the parking spot faces west and gets strong afternoon sun, I added headlight film to prevent discoloration.

The MY2017 has rear overfenders, and they carefully finished the surrounding areas.
Paint protection film is great because you can just wipe off dirt with a sponge without worry. However, even on highways, the front bumper and trunk lid get quite scratched, so next time I’d like to protect the front as well.

– Options I didn’t choose

Sport Chrono Package

I wanted to enjoy traditional manual shifting myself. However, from the 718 onwards, Sport Chrono Package enables automatic blipping in SPORT mode, and I couldn’t find a way to disable just the auto-blip, so I skipped this option. (I researched extensively.)
Note that SPORT mode exists even without Sport Chrono Package. In MT cars, engine mapping changes and response improves significantly, though fuel economy drops slightly and idle stop is disabled.
Even without sport exhaust, SPORT mode changes exhaust sound on sudden throttle-off, producing a subtle “bababababa” sound inside the cabin.

PASM

I have no plans for circuit driving and wanted to experience the standard Porsche suspension setup for my first Porsche. Also, I found reports that suspension without PASM is quite good.

PCCB (Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes)

Attractive but expensive, and it prevents use of 18-inch wheels, so I passed.

Automatic Air Conditioning

I prefer to manually adjust temperature and airflow, so I didn’t choose it.

3) Delivery Process

2016
① End of April: 718 Cayman order start
② May 8: Order placed
③ October: Production completed
④ December 10: Arrival at port
⑤ December 26: Arrival at Porsche Center
⑥ December 27: Delivery

4) Porsche Performance Impressions

① Engine

It has enough power to enjoy driving on highways and mountain roads. Full acceleration in first gear causes wheel spin above 5000 rpm if the road is even slightly rough. The only time I feel it could use more power is full acceleration on steep hill climbs.
The most enjoyable rev range seems to be around 4000–5000 rpm at speeds above 70 km/h.

② Manual Transmission

Shift Feel

I’m satisfied with the 6-speed MT shift feel. Although the lever is some distance from the gearbox, it shifts crisply with a “click-click” sensation.Reverse was quite stiff when new but softened a bit after about a year. The best technique is to move the lever to the first/second gear row, then push firmly to engage reverse.

Clutch

The clutch’s biting point is very narrow, so it felt a bit tricky at first, but it became easier after a year.
With a top speed over 270 km/h, gear ratios are relatively tall. Below about 10 km/h is the half-clutch or coasting zone. The high mechanical precision and low rolling resistance mean starting on flat ground is easy without revving, but on inclines or with steering input, you need to keep the revs up by adding throttle.

City / Highway Driving

In city fuel-saving driving, you can shift from 1st to 2nd at 2000 rpm, 2nd to 3rd at 1800 rpm, 3rd to 4th at 1600 rpm, and 4th to 5th at 1400 rpm. Simply put, “gear × 10 km/h or more” allows smooth driving. On highways, I wish for an even higher cruising gear.

[Next Page] → Handling, Fuel Economy, Ride Comfort of the 718 Cayman…