GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Porsche to VW??

Somnospeed

New member
Location
Michigan
Hey folks,
I used to lurk around here while I worked on finding a nice R for myself, but I came across a "too good to pass on" deal on a 2009 Porsche Cayman. It's a manual, which I love, but I blew up my knee a few years ago and driving a stick in traffic is becoming painful. I never let go of my desire to own a R as I love fast sleepers and the R is as good as they come for that category. So I'm thinking of selling the Cayman for the R. Finally.

The R would smoke my Cayman in almost any scenario as far as stats go, but the Cayman is f&%king amazing to drive. I can take corners in that thing at speeds that would make my old Mazdaspeed3 flip and roll at least 5 times.

So my questions are these...

1. Does anyone realistically get 0-60 times under 4.0 with just a JBR? I don't know why but I'm obsessed with getting a car that does 0-60 in under 3.9 lol. I don't prefer to mod any more than tune and exhaust, at least not for a while.

2. Most importantly.... Do you guys feel like you're driving a "sports car"? By that I mean, do you feel like you are driving a hatchback that goes fast and handles well, or do you get the same enjoyment you do when you drive a dedicated sports car?

I know I will love the R. I've driven a couple GTI and loved them, but they just weren't fast enough for me. The Cayman is slow, but it handles like a freakin F1 car and makes going 150mph on the highway feel like you're barely speeding.

Thanks!
 

Spoolin

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Asheville, NC
Car(s)
2015 Golf R
I love my R as a daily driver (stage 2, DCC, DSG) but having owned a couple of S2000's and hopefully a Boxster soon, I rarely feel like I'm in a sports car with the R. Maybe with enough money spent on handling mods I would feel differently, but I'm also afraid to ruin the comfort. As far as handling improvements go, currently I only have an upgraded rear sway bar and PS4 tires.

If it's for daily driving, I think you would be quite happy with an R + JB4, but if it's a weekend car, I say look for a Cayman with PDK. For me, the handling of the R leaves a lot to be desired compared to a balanced, RWD sports car with a double wishbone setup like the S2000.
 

Fastlax16

Autocross Newbie
Location
Chitown
Car(s)
2019 DBP R
dragy showed 4.14 0-60 with just a jb4 on my 2019 R (dsg). I'd only had the car a week and had all the other bolt ons ready to go so it wasn't setup like that for long, was just curios. Pretty sure I would have been able to get under 4 if I'd gotten more seat time with that setup. it was 0-60 in 3.92 with a 1 ft rollout... You wouldn't get there with a manual car.

With regards to handling, its sporty but you don't sit down in the car like a true two seater. My dad had an 01 Boxster and its just not possible to get that feel in a 4 door hatch. That said I've done PCA autocrosses and finished ahead of a good deal of p-cars.

Just for fun here's my old manual R with just a JB1 against a base cayman in a half mile.


 

scrllock

Autocross Champion
Location
MI
Not sure people would agree with me, but the R feels like a way more civilized STI to me. Similar great low-end torque (for a single turbo 4cyl), and the car responds well to handling mods. The combination of DCC and valved exhaust gives the R a much more civilized, neighbor/partner-friendly optional mode though, which can be a plus. It's certainly easier to get in and out of compared to, say, a Z.

I don't know about 987s, but I would consider a 981 Cayman S w/ PDK to be a significantly better sportscar. It's not hard to make the R "sporty," but it adds up, and you don't have to do anything to a Cayman.

Since you're looking at DSG cars, I will say that a DSG tune might be the #1 mod you could do to the car. I would add an actual ECU tune and the usual bolt-ons (intercooler, downpipe, stock intake mods, dogbone insert) and you'd probably be happy with that level. I didn't get to sub 4-sec 0-60 times on the stock turbo though I have seen people do it on a full weight is38 car.


Depending where you are in MI, I'd be happy to give you a ride sometime to give you a feel for an R with some extra exhaust and intake noise.
 

Lager_Ace

Go Kart Newbie
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Car(s)
2017 Golf R
dragy showed 4.14 0-60 with just a jb4 on my 2019 R (dsg). I'd only had the car a week and had all the other bolt ons ready to go so it wasn't setup like that for long, was just curios. Pretty sure I would have been able to get under 4 if I'd gotten more seat time with that setup. it was 0-60 in 3.92 with a 1 ft rollout... You wouldn't get there with a manual car.

With regards to handling, its sporty but you don't sit down in the car like a true two seater. My dad had an 01 Boxster and its just not possible to get that feel in a 4 door hatch. That said I've done PCA autocrosses and finished ahead of a good deal of p-cars.

Just for fun here's my old manual R with just a JB1 against a base cayman in a half mile.


I loved driving and the feel of an 02 Boxster S.
 
Last edited:

vbrad26

Autocross Champion
Location
St. Petersburg FL
Car(s)
'15 CSG GTI 2DR M/T
I have only driven a modified 987 S and I'd have to say that the R will have nowhere near the same driving experience.
That's not to say that the switch would not be enjoyable, but they are just two totally different cars.
What you would loose in corners you'll make up for in straight line speed. The R would also be a little more civil and overall refined in my opinion.
I'm sure you'd enjoy some of the more modern tech in the R as well. But I guarantee you'd miss whipping the Cayman around.
But that feeling may pass with time. And maybe down the road you can have both...
So I guess what I'm saying is that I don't think you'd totally regret it if you made the switch.
 

Lager_Ace

Go Kart Newbie
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Car(s)
2017 Golf R
I love my '17R (DSG) W/JB4 ,owned for 4 years. Picked it over an Audi.
My 1st automatic, got sick of shifting in traffic as well. old guy back, leg pain.

It's practical, great daily, especially with the adaptive cruise in stop and go traffic.
I drive it all year, amazing in the winter.

To answer your question #2 : I don't feel like I'm driving a sports car.
I feel like I'm driving hatchback that goes fast and handles well, a Swiss Army knife of cars. Does a little of everything. Different fun factor.

I've driven a Boxster S and a Ferrari 458. an old Triumph Spitfire... To me, sports cars don't have to be fast, to be a sports car.

It takes corners very fast compared to most cars and you can spend a lot to make it stick like an F1, it's no Porsche though.

But it does puts a smile :giggle:on my face everyday I drive it.

Try an R out but I'd suggest sticking with Porsche and going to a PDK.

Cheers
 

Lager_Ace

Go Kart Newbie
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Car(s)
2017 Golf R
I have only driven a modified 987 S and I'd have to say that the R will have nowhere near the same driving experience.
That's not to say that the switch would not be enjoyable, but they are just two totally different cars.
What you would loose in corners you'll make up for in straight line speed. The R would also be a little more civil and overall refined in my opinion.
I'm sure you'd enjoy some of the more modern tech in the R as well. But I guarantee you'd miss whipping the Cayman around.
But that feeling may pass with time. And maybe down the road you can have both...
So I guess what I'm saying is that I don't think you'd totally regret it if you made the switch.
My goal is to have both :LOL: miss that analog feeling.
 

miikez.

Autocross Newbie
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Car(s)
'18 GSW 4mo 6MT
Sure a Porsche would be nice, but I always stuck with VWs.
Porsche vs vw.jpg
 

RudyH

Go Kart Champion
Location
Kitchener, ON
It can certainly be done, but takes a lot of money to make a gti or an R feel like a sportscar. After going down that rabbit hole, I wish I had a cayman.
I don't know if it's 'a lot of money' for say. $10k would make the R pretty incredible, but you don't even need to spend that much. Even $5k and doing work yourself, would have you tens of thousands under say the price of a Cayman. Stock for stock, yes I would take likely the Porsche.

Power wise a stage II R, is already getting into more fun and power than you need - generally speaking an ECU tune, TCU or clutch and a downpipe to have that well sorted out - intercooler.
Suspension and chassis is maybe a bit more work, but not a lot of money let's be honest. I found springs, sway bar / end links, toss in a Wavetrac to be great. I know after doing that, the car handles like a little go kart through the roundabouts we have here. The sway bar / end links made it fun, the Wavetrac makes a massive improvement. Still tempted for a Haldex tune and little tweaks, as the back end still seems a bit slow in keeping up with the front now. I can get on the gas way earlier than before, but the MK8 R I feel like will clean up all the issues I am currently having.

Brakes and shocks, personally just waiting until the wear and tear requires me to replace and will put in something that is pushing the performance side of things.

Now that I am working permanently at home, I was thinking to venture towards a Cayman GTS (preferably 4.0) and selling the R. We still have winters and I love just getting out of the house to drive, so keep going back and forth. It is still tough to truly make the jump, and honestly, I keep going back to 'maybe next year', as handling wise I am extremely content, and just tweaking engine with Cobb / EQT that is somewhere with UPS right now.
 
Last edited:

jay745

What Would Glenn Danzig Do
Location
Slightly Outside Chicago
Car(s)
Mk6 racecar, Tacoma
I don't know if it's 'a lot of money' for say. $10k would make the R pretty incredible, but you don't even need to spend that much. Even $5k and doing work yourself, would have you tens of thousands under say the price of a Cayman. Stock for stock, yes I would take likely the Porsche.

Power wise a stage II R, is already getting into more fun and power than you need - generally speaking an ECU tune, TCU or clutch and a downpipe to have that well sorted out - intercooler.
Suspension and chassis is maybe a bit more work, but not a lot of money let's be honest. I found springs, sway bar / end links, toss in a Wavetrac to be great. I know after doing that, the car handles like a little go kart through the roundabouts we have here. The sway bar / end links made it fun, the Wavetrac makes a massive improvement. Still tempted for a Haldex tune and little tweaks, as the back end still seems a bit slow in keeping up with the front now. I can get on the gas way earlier than before, but the MK8 R I feel like will clean up all the issues I am currently having.

Brakes and shocks, personally just waiting until the wear and tear requires me to replace and will put in something that is pushing the performance side of things.

Now that I am working permanently at home, I was thinking to venture towards a Cayman GTS (preferably 4.0) and selling the R. We still have winters and I love just getting out of the house to drive, so keep going back and forth. It is still tough to truly make the jump, and honestly, I keep going back to 'maybe next year', as handling wise I am extremely content, and just tweaking engine with Cobb / EQT that is somewhere with UPS right now.
Eh not sure about that. I have close to 100k into my gti and still think a cayman handles better. Granted it's a mk6 but the suspension and handling characteristics aren't drastically different between the two generations.
 

scrllock

Autocross Champion
Location
MI
Eh not sure about that. I have close to 100k into my gti and still think a cayman handles better. Granted it's a mk6 but the suspension and handling characteristics aren't drastically different between the two generations.
Yeah, you'd have to literally rearrange the drivetrain to get it to compare to a rwd mid-engine platform. A go-kart golf is certainly achievable but the center of gravity and moment of inertia on a cayman aren't something you can bolt onto a golf. Plus the beautiful NA flat-6 sounds.
 
Top