Our Long-Term 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 Will Soon Be Departing

30,000-Mile Update

There’s a looming issue concerning our long-term 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 that makes us very sad: In a mere 8052 miles it’ll be leaving us. We’re already feeling separation anxiety about the day the 718’s odometer hits 40,000 miles and it rolls out of the Car and Driver test lot. We’re going to need some help getting over it. Is there a support group for former Cayman owners? We may just have to binge-watch every Ted Lasso episode to raise our spirits.

More than three-quarters of the way toward the conclusion of this test, little has changed about our feelings toward Porsche’s mid-engine sportscar. The 718 reignites our respect for it every time we light off its sonorous 394-hp naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six. In virtually every category that enthusiasts prize—driver engagement, handling, ride, acceleration, engine note, manual-gearbox shift quality, brake response, everyday usability, and long-haul comfort—it’s become the benchmark we compare other performance cars to.

The accolades have continued since the last update, through the winter months when most Porsches are hibernating in warm garages. “No matter how bad of a day you’re having, a drive in the GTS 4.0 will make it better,” wrote senior editor and new (tired) dad Greg Fink in the Cayman’s logbook. Associate editor Caleb Miller said, “I went to run some errands and ended up driving around aimlessly for an hour just because this car is so much fun to drive.” Added associate editor Jack Fitzgerald, “I spent the last 10 days traipsing around lower Michigan and Wisconsin in this car only to fall more in love with it. Friends and family all requested rides.” Note that all of those comments came during a period when we were driving the car on its winter wheels and tires.

Admiration hasn’t blinded us to imperfections. The logbook contains multiple references to the Cayman’s almost laughable shortage of interior storage; there’s no convenient place to put your phone. Its flip-out cupholders are flimsy. Road noise can get loud on rough surfaces, and wind noise can flare up, especially in crosswinds. During a trip to Chicago, senior editor Andrew Krok noted that “the brakes do not enjoy prolonged bouts of dense urban driving.” Light use causes them to squeal, which goes away once you have the opportunity “to give the stoppers a good clamping.” While most editors found the seats comfortable, deputy editor Carlos Lago did not, and he couldn’t do anything to change that situation. Blame the seats’ dearth of adjustability; besides manual fore-and-aft and height adjustments, there’s only a power backrest recliner—and no way to change the lumbar support.

Most of us have had no problem looking past those issues, thanks to the driving joy our dark-green Cayman delivers. It’s a lot harder to ignore another fact of life when it comes to Porsche ownership: the cost of maintaining and repairing this thoroughbred machine. During the 8222 miles since we last checked in, that reality has arrived like a thunderclap in the middle of the night.

At 29,915 miles, we sent the Cayman in for its scheduled 30,000-mile service, consisting of an oil-and-filter change, a set of fresh spark plugs, and a multipoint inspection that includes everything from clearing the water drains to checking the tires’ tread depth. Oddly, the local dealer didn’t have the special tool needed to replace the GTS’s difficult-to-access spark plugs that are part of that service, so we had to bring the car back when the tool came in. The first half of the service came to $390, to which we ponied up an additional $72 for a fresh set of wiper blades. The return visit a short time later to swap in the new plugs added $659 to the total.

If those maintenance charges seem steep, they’re nothing compared to the cost of a problem we apparently caused ourselves. At about 26,000 miles, we noticed the clutch slipping during high-rpm shifts. The only way to understand the cause was to inspect the clutch, which requires removing the Cayman’s engine.

This is neither a quick nor an inexpensive process. What the Porsche techs found was a worn clutch disc and extensive discoloring of both the pressure plate and dual-mass flywheel, indisputable evidence of overheating—abuse, in other words. We can’t say for sure who or what caused it, except that it’s on us and not an inherent issue with the Cayman’s clutch. Unfortunately, clutches are wear items and are not covered under warranty, so the parts and labor for a new one came to $4898. An oil leak from a chain tensioner was remedied during the same visit, and that work was performed under warranty. This could well be the reason that the Cayman consumed more than a half-quart of oil in the 1000 or so miles leading up to the service.

During the winter months, the Cayman stayed mostly close to home, but editors still found reasons to venture as far north as Wisconsin and as far south as Kentucky. With the Midwest weather warming up (sporadically), the Cayman back on its summer tires, and fortified with a fresh clutch, we expect the last batch of miles will accumulate quickly—much too soon for us.

Months in Fleet: 14 Current Mileage: 31,948 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 21 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 16.9 gal Observed Fuel Range: 350 miles
Service: $1856 Normal Wear: $908 Repair: $4898

20,000-Mile Update

Ah, new love! So fresh, so dizzyingly wonderful. That time when you want to spend every moment with that special other. When their eccentricities and shortcomings seem merely like cute peccadillos. Fun, passion, excitement—it’s all there. The days fly by. And that’s the way we feel about our new Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0 long-term test car, which we took delivery on—wait. Stop. What? We’ve had it since February 2022? We’ve driven it through four seasons and over 20,000 miles already? Huh. It’s not new love at all; it just feels like it.

The Cayman is proving to be that rare automobile that defies the conventional story arc of long-term testing, in which we see a certain cooling of initial passion as the months go by. The Cayman is more than halfway through our 40,000-mile stress test, but neither the months nor the miles have dimmed our appreciation and affection for the mid-engine Porsche. From the gushing commentary in the Cayman’s logbook—and on the office Slack channel and in informal coffee-maker confabs—it’s clear this is a landmark enthusiast vehicle, a high point in driving engagement and satisfaction.

Even after nearly a year of getting to know the GTS, our drivers continue to gush effusively: “A near-perfect machine. Best steering in the industry. A perfect road-trip car. The engine sound is nearly as good as the new Z06’s. Builds power with passion. Perfect power for the street. The pull of the engine is intoxicating. Steering, throttle response, brakes, and shifter are all perfectly tuned. Every time I get out I turn back to admire its sultry curves and compact stance at least twice. I don’t want it to leave. Can we keep it forever? Let’s roll back the odometer Ferris Bueller-style.” Should we add a heart emoji here?

No car is perfect and, yes, over time we have found some issues with the Cayman. No one is happy with the rickety cupholders or the awful in-cabin storage, which offers no convenient place to house your phone. Road noise is on the loud side and plain annoying over concrete pavement. One tester wished for firmer brake-pedal feel. Another rued the lack of an adjustable lumbar support for the driver’s seat, though someone else who put in 600-mile days thought the seat was perfect. The electric parking-brake actuator button seems to work opposite the way it should. But virtually everyone tempered their criticism with a statement akin to “this is only a minor issue.”

In the 12,000-plus miles since our last update, we’ve driven the Cayman as far north as Wisconsin and as far south as North Carolina, with visits in between to Virginia, West Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, and every corner of Michigan. All those miles necessitated the normal amount of scheduled maintenance but absolutely nothing beyond that. At 11,476 miles, the Cayman went in for its 10,000-mile service, which included an oil-and-filter change and an inspection, all at no charge. At 19,838 miles the Cayman was back at the dealer for its 20,000-mile service, which included an oil-and-filter change, a fresh engine air filter, replacing two pollen filters, and cleaning out the car’s water drains. This service we paid for, and once you start shelling out for Porsche service you’ll find, not surprisingly, that it’s not cheap: This visit cost us $807. Exercising a GTS the way it begs you to isn’t cheap either. Just two miles later, we had to replace our car’s 265/35ZR-20 Pirelli P Zero PZ4 rear tires, which ran $836 for the pair. Blame our enthusiastic right feet, not the Cayman.

We’ve now fitted the Cayman with winter tires in preparation for the upcoming season. The winter rubber will enable us to keep piling up the miles through to spring. Will the GTS’s reliability remain perfect? Will an unexpected event take place that ruptures our relationship with it? Will our hearts be stolen by another vehicle? Or will the rapture continue? Watch for the next episode of this amore-laced series, which will drop when the odometer passes the 30,000-mile mark.

Months in Fleet: 10 months Current Mileage: 23,726 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 21 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 16.9 gal Observed Fuel Range: 350 miles
Service: $827 Normal Wear: $836 Repair: $0

10,000-Mile Update

This much was probably predictable: We were going to like our long-term Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0. A lot. Several intrepid web commenters said as much after reading our introductory piece, and one even wrote a synopsis of what he expected to read in the wrap-up story. We appreciate the help, but we don’t test vehicles for 40,000 miles based on what we or anyone else thinks the results are going to be ahead of time—even if we have certain suspicions. And, once again, the Cayman GTS proved the value of spending lots of seat time getting to know a vehicle as an owner would. In the Cayman’s first 11,476 miles, we’ve learned some important things about it we didn’t expect—and found that no one’s predictions about life with the 718 have been entirely correct.

Sure, we thought we’d dig this 394-hp flat-six-powered sportster. What we didn’t know is just how much we’d love it. Our logbook is one long love letter to the Aventurine-Green-over-Espresso fastback. Surprise number one: how livable it is. Some Porsches that wear the GTS badge are an assemblage of options that make the car more aggressive and stiffer riding, so we weren’t sure if we’d find the Cayman GTS too hard-edged to use as an everyday car.

These first six months have assuaged those concerns. The GTS has turned out to be just as content and comfortable cruising down the interstate on a road trip as it is adept at attacking switchbacks or howling its tires around an on-ramp. It rides better than some sports sedans, steers as if it’s an extension of your psyche, accelerates with gusto, and makes thrilling yawps as it pulls to its 7800-rpm redline. It’s a sweetheart worthy of paeans, which we have not hesitated to scribble into its logbook. Here are just a few:

“Sublime handling and engine coupled with uncanny comfort and flexibility—a truly epic machine.” —Technical editor Mike Sutton

“Love this car. Perfect amount of power. Never discover something that feels like it hasn’t been thought through. Sign me up.” —Editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga

“The coordination and integration of the steering, suspension, and body dynamics is sublime. So natural, progressive, and predictable. A high-water mark in sports-car tuning.” —Chief brand officer Eddie Alterman

“There’s something delightfully vintage about this car. It expertly blends just the right amount of modern tech without diluting the driving experience. I love driving it.” —Buyer’s Guide senior editor Drew Dorian

And the praise goes on and on, which is why the Cayman has proved to be a popular road-trip car for those traveling two-up who can fit their gear into the equivalent of three carry-on bags, two in the frunk and one under the rear hatch. Our Cayman has traveled as far north as Escanaba, Michigan, and as far south as Alton, Virginia, for a visit to Virginia International Raceway. The remainder of the miles to date have been piled on in local commuting and errand-running—as good a test of daily livability as there is.

Those miles have surfaced a couple of minor annoyances that made it into the logbook between the epic poems of praise. Just try finding a convenient storage spot in the Cayman’s cabin for your phone, wallet, or keys. The interior cubbies include a standard passenger-side glovebox, hard-to-reach flip-out door pockets, and a wafer-thin bin under your right elbow, none of them easy to use. Things can get loud inside as well; the GTS registered 75 decibels at a steady 70-mph cruise—and that’s on the smooth pavement of our test track. Hit rough asphalt or a section of coarse concrete on an interstate, and road noise reverberates through the cabin. One editor wondered why there was no on/off switch for the rev-matching feature and why it was always operating in Sport and Sport+ drive modes. (Turn off stability control in Sport and Sport+ modes to disable rev-matching –Ed.) Another wished for wireless Apple CarPlay, the lack of which is an oversight in such an expensive automobile.

Yes, these are small issues in a car that spoils us in so many other ways, so they’re easy to shrug off. The GTS has also pleased us with its maintenance record—at least to this point. We’ve made it thus far without bending any of the GTS’s gorgeous 20-inch satin-platinum-colored 10-spoke wheels, and we’ve spent only $21 in the first 11,500 or so miles on maintenance-related items—for two quarts of oil to replace what the GTS ingested during that time. The just-completed 10,000-mile/one-year service, which includes an oil-and-filter change and a multipoint inspection, is complimentary. (We’ll be paying for future scheduled-service visits.)

We did make one unscheduled trip to the local Porsche dealer since the GTS arrived in mid-February, though. A warning light came on for an engine-cooling-fan fault, but it had apparently cured itself by the time the car arrived for its checkup. Maybe the GTS is scared of going to the Porsche doctor, because another one-off episode of electronic weirdness also corrected itself before we could take the car in: The air conditioning refused to blow cold air on one boiling-hot day, while at the same moment the SiriusXM radio-station icons disappeared from the touchscreen. The cold air came blasting on suddenly a dozen miles into the drive, and the station-button icons slowly came back to life by themselves over the next few days. Go figure. Maybe it was sunspots or errant radio-frequency interference from a hostile country’s cyberattack. All has been well since.

Indeed, the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0’s few minor hiccups have been easy enough to forgive considering the joy it’s given its many pilots. We’ll happily keep rolling up the miles. As features senior editor Greg Fink put it: “If I had to spend the rest of my life driving only this car, then I’d die a happy man.”

Months in Fleet: 6 months Current Mileage: 11,476 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 20 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 16.9 gal Observed Fuel Range: 330 miles
Service: $21 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0

Introduction

The very first day our new Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 went into long-term service, it got snowed on. Heavily. Six inches of powder, the kind skiers live for, piled atop a crust of ice from a blast of freezing rain that had arrived in Michigan earlier in the day. Welcome to your new home, Cayman!

Why would we subject a car this nice to weather this harsh? Because we praise Porsches for being everyday-drivable sports cars. Testing that belief requires living with one of our favorites from Stuttgart—we know, tough duty—long enough to experience it in a multiplicity of driving situations. A Cayman owner in Los Angeles might decide to take his or her car up to Big Bear for some skiing; a Michigander might want to do a little slip-sliding on a snowy day. We happen to know that a former C/D editor-in-chief bought a new 911 a few years ago and proceeded to use it as a daily driver in winter.

This isn’t the six-inch snow that buried our GTS on its first day in service. This is the two-inch snow that fell on it a few nights later.

So, as we do with all our long-term test cars, we fitted the Cayman with winter tires when it arrived in late winter and proceeded to break it in. We’ll keep it long enough to rack up 40,000 miles through all four seasons and learn things about it that a short stay could never reveal. We’ll take it on cross-country trips and trundle down to the corner grocery in it to pick up a dozen eggs. We’ll lean on it hard on gnarly two-lanes. We’ll bring it to the dealer for service. And we’ll record every penny spent on maintenance, fuel, and repairs.

Snow or no snow, our Cayman will not remain parked for long periods, and with good reason: It’s the quintessential driver’s car. After all, the Cayman earned a spot on our 2022 10Best list—its 16th straight year—for its “shimmering combination of poise, grace, and grit.”

Our new Cayman arrived well dressed for its stay with C/D‘s staff of hot-footed drivers. It wears a coat of sweetly understated Aventurine Green Metallic paint—far better that than arrest-me red. This is the GTS 4.0, after all, which is Porsche-speak for “racy.” It’s powered by a mid-mounted, naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six that spins out 394 horsepower at 7000 rpm and 309 pound-feet of torque at 5000 rpm.

If that power curve sounds peaky, you’re right. This motor gets a big jolt of caffeine at about 4000 rpm—typical behavior for an unboosted Porsche engine—and it fills the intimate cockpit with an exquisite baritone wail as the revs race to the 7800-rpm redline. As if we needed more incentive to go fast. We opted for the six-speed manual gearbox—of course—and the stubby shifter moves through the Cayman’s tightly spaced gates with precision and delicacy.

Yes, Porsche’s brilliant seven-speed dual-clutch automatic would chop a few tenths of a second from the acceleration times, but initial instrumented testing of our manual-equipped long-termer (conducted after easing it through its 2000-mile break-in period), confirmed that it’s plenty quick. It’s not the easiest car to launch—it doesn’t like its clutch slipped off the line—but it still busted out a 3.9-second run to 60 mph and galloped through the quarter-mile in 12.1 seconds at 118 mph. It also circled our skidpad at 1.03 g’s and stopped from 70 mph in 145 feet. That’s appropriate performance for a car wearing a Porsche badge and a $99,070 window sticker.

Ninety-nine large is a lot of money, and our long-termer is actually lightly equipped for a Porsche. Our test car (base price: $88,750) has $10,320 in extras—a mere sprinkling by Porsche standards. The list includes the special green paint ($650), rich Espresso leather slathered on most interior surfaces ($3680), and ventilated seats ($740). We also added a Bose Surround Sound audio system ($900), brushed aluminum interior trim ($900), and gloss-black-painted brake calipers ($900). Wait a minute: plain black brake calipers for 900 bucks? Yep, this is a Porsche all right. At least Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM)—meaning, adaptive dampers—is standard along with Pirelli P Zero PZ4 summer tires, size 235/35ZR-20 up front and 265/35ZR-20 rear.

So now it’s on to the driving, 40K miles worth. We expect to bask in the Cayman’s sweetly intuitive steering; sharp, powerful brakes; and gutsy flat-six every time we climb behind the three-spoke steering wheel. What we can’t be sure of but hope to learn is whether that special driving character is matched by an equal measure of reliability though every season and situation. We’ll report back soon enough, with updates on how the Cayman’s stress test is going every 10,000 miles.

Months in Fleet: 1 month Current Mileage: 3845 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 20 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 16.9 gal Observed Fuel Range: 330 miles
Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0

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Director, Buyer’s Guide

Rich Ceppos has evaluated automobiles and automotive technology during a career that has encompassed 10 years at General Motors, two stints at Car and Driver totaling 19 years, and thousands of miles logged in racing cars. He was in music school when he realized what he really wanted to do in life and, somehow, it’s worked out. In between his two C/D postings he served as executive editor of Automobile Magazine; was an executive vice president at Campbell Marketing & Communications; worked in GM’s product-development area; and became publisher of Autoweek. He has raced continuously since college, held SCCA and IMSA pro racing licenses, and has competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona. He currently ministers to a 1999 Miata and a 1965 Corvette convertible and appreciates that none of his younger colleagues have yet uttered “Okay, Boomer” when he tells one of his stories about the crazy old days at C/D.