One of the most amazing perks of working for The Soave Automotive has to be the ability to drive some of the most amazing vehicles in the world every day. From SLR McLarens to Jaguar F-Types, and the occasional Maserati chauffeur duty with Jay Leno, it's a car geeks dream.
However, when it came time to replace my daily driver Mazda3 (one of the best cars on earth btw), a few eyebrows were raised when I chose a replacement: a 2014 Porsche Cayman S.
Lets start a bit with the car. The Porsche Cayman S is a rear wheel drive 325hp mid-engined sports car. The particular one I chose had 20" Carerra S wheels (from it's big brother 911) with some rather nice Pirell P-Zeros. Vehicles like this are typically relegated to weekend only and track-day duty. Needless to say, many friends and colleagues inquired as to how the heck I could make this work every day.
I'll address some of the biggest questions I get asked all the time.
Practicality: At first glance, a two seated sports car may not sound like the most effective vehicle to use for everyday items. But, here's the thing: The car has TWO TRUNKS. Because the engine is behind the seats, the front cavity is large enough for 2 standard carry on suitcases, bags of mulch, or the monthly run to the recycling dumpster. 95% of our weekly grocery runs are in the Cayman.
Winter Driving: Simce KC isn't South Beach and has more closely resembled Seattle as of late a rear drive car with summer equipped tires may not look like the best choice. What's more is that since I leased the car I opted not to invest in a set of winter wheels and tires. That, and the fact that my fiancée was not keen on the idea of storing wheels and tires in the living room of our downtown apartment.
The truth is that the tires that come on the car are excellent in rain. Despite the huge storms recently o have yet to even have tractio.n control engage in daily situations. In the cold the tires also do pretty well as long as the throttle is gently engaged when leaving a standing stop. Snow? The 3 days that snow was phsicaly on the road and not yet cleared my fiancée drove me to work. Props to Brooke and the local plowman for the support.
Cost: Obviously this isn't the most budget friendly car. With a starting MSRP at $58k, there are definitely better options. Regular services are pricey too, with services in the $500 range, although when you consider that the car only needs one service per year, it ends up only being about 2x as much per year compared to a normal vehicle.
Fun: Regardless of the small detractors that may spawn from operating a cat like this every day, the fact is that it is the single best driving vehicle I have ever experienced. It puts a smile on my face every morning on the way to work and helps me de-stress every night on the way home. I don't regret the initial decision for a second.
I kind of feel like going for a drive right now.
Questions? Drop a comment below and I'll answer them as they come.