I replaced my 981 Cayman for a 997, thinking that it would be better for 2 kids. It wasn't. The back is really cramped, despite my kids being small. It's hard to find child seats that fit in the back, and it's always a chore trying to get the kids back there. On the other hand, since the Cayman only has 2 seats, it's legal and convenient for one kid to hop in the front seat. I can't really say that there's a good solution here. Perhaps a Macan would be the closest for long term ownership. In the end, I went from being able to easily travel with 1 kid in the Cayman to travelling with no kids in the 911 because it's so inconvenient.
Think it depends on the size of the kids, vs age. Smaller and skinnier kids will certainly be more comfortable. No doubt about it though - it’s tight back there.
I've done the same, albeit from a GT4 to a 992 GTS. I have one kid at the moment, but my wife, little one and I can use a 911 more.
My wife sat in my GT4 3 times in the 8 months I had it.
My wife can’t stand the GT4. “Too showy” and “loud”. Can’t stand the engine noise right behind us…. think she would have been a bit more comfy in a 911, but think she would have been genuinely excited about a Macan. That’s the one she wants. She’s unexcited by virtually all other Porsches. But I digress.
Kids are going to dictate your cars for another 15-20 years. My advice as an older father (20/17/14) is to keep your Cayman and get another car. Like I have a Lexus CT200 thats basically an old beater. Kids can ride. Dogs can ride. I can buy mulch.
Get a 5 door beater and drive your Cayman when you can.
And…get used to telling your children “no”. It’s sometimes the best thing you can do as a father. I mean, your kids are really fortunate to have a father who can afford a Porsche. You want them to be in the position to do the same in 20-30 years….and they won’t get there by complaining about who gets to ride. They need to consider who gets to buy.
I have a Sequoia and my wife has a new passport so I have something we can all ride in. And I agree, they definitely need to learn "no" and that sometimes we can't have everything. I was seeing if anyone had experience with a track capable car that could hold 4 people relatively easily. Appreciate it.
Sold my Cayman for an i30 N, it's totally track capable and works great with kids at the back. It's honestly more fun on the road than the Cayman because the manual gearbox is a LOT shorter so you can actually bang a few gears before going to jail.
Oh I'm used to being downvoted and called crazy :-) Hyundai N cars are no joke, department was created and run by Albert Biermann who worked for 30 years as BMW M chief engineer, and the only goal is to make cars as fun as possible. i30 N, i20 N, Veloster N, Elantra N and now the electric Ioniq 5 N all had amazing reviews. "Road and Track" chose the Veloster N as Performance car of the year 2020 over the new 911 CS, Corvette, Lambo, McLaren, Lotus, Supra etc:
[https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-comparison-tests/a29640493/2020-performance-car-of-the-year/](https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-comparison-tests/a29640493/2020-performance-car-of-the-year/)
The i30 N never made it to the US so that's probably why you never heard of it, but in Europe there's tons of them in every track days. Here's a video of Misha driving it at the Nürb:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eBukNeZFpk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eBukNeZFpk)
My 75 year old mother at 5 ft fit just fine into the back of my 964 C2. (We just wanted to see if she would. turned out to be surprisingly comfortable). The cars now are sooo much bigger.
and what's the problem with taking turns?
I’d wouldn’t get rid of the Cayman, for the simple reason that kids really value 1 on 1 time with a parent (and some kids need to learn patience and that they’re not the center of the world). They can take turns.
That said, for family engagements I’d look at a Panamera. I think it is a criminally underrated vehicle in the Porsche lineup. Not a sports car, but good enough for driving fun, far above what is possible in an SUV. And its space and snow performance would get you a lot of what an SUV would.
If you do go for another SUV, keep an eye out for manual Cayennes, there are still a few floating around!
One of the three reasons I preferred the cayman to the 911 was the lack of unusable back seat.
Solution: take one at a time and just live with the fact they both can’t go at the same time
I absolutely loved my 718, so definitely not a knock against it at all. The back seat of the Evora is decent for my 6 and 9 year olds. My 16 year old has sat back there and didn’t complain, but a grown person definitely wouldn’t be practical for more than a local cruise (he is 5’8” and 160lbs). The driving experience is very comparable to the Cayman, but the handling in my opinion is a step up. When I first test drove it, my comment to the salesman was that it made my Cayman feel like it had the body roll of a small SUV… very stiff and planted, but I have not taken it on a 2+ hour drive yet and I am expecting that it won’t be as comfortable as the Cayman was for the longer trips.
Oh and sorry, missed the 911 part, I have driven one. 911 is a great car, I did not utilize the back seat (had it as a rental on a work trip), I would say the back seat was similar in size to the Evora in terms of leg room, but overall, maybe a bit more roomy in the chest area. If you want to take the longer trips in comfort, the 911 is the way to go, but being more of a touring car it does change the driving experience slightly, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing depending on the experience you are looking for.
Gt4 now, 991.1 c2s was my last one, just get a 991.1 S the 3.8 is off the hook get one with PSE and you’re done there is no height issue I’m single and miss the back seats a couple times a month… people sit back there no problem adult men in fact 6’2” etc it’s not a comfortable road trip w 4 adults but you could do it plenty of room for kids of any age
Some sort of competition where they present their ideas on how they're going to show their undying love for you when you are old and feeble - winner takes all! 😁
My kids are on the very small side, but my 11 year old seems more than happy in the back behind the passenger seat and my 6 year old says she’s comfy in her booster behind me. I’m 6’4”, so my seat is most of the way back. I scoot it forward a little for her. It works, but I wouldn’t call it convenient. My 4 year old hasn’t ridden in my 997.2 at all because I can’t get a car seat with a harness in there without mutilating my interior. There’s no latch point for the top strap, and my wife isn’t okay with just the seat belt holding it. I’d say it’s likely to be a mixed bag for people with 911’s and use of the back seats
I can still put my 10 year old in the back of my 911 if my wife scoots the front seat almost all the way up.
Yeah it's not comfortable for a cross-country drive but for a pleasure cruise it'll do.
So although those seats don't look like much, they should work for this purpose.
My advice is just take turns, they’ll learn how to share a good thing and that they can’t have everything they want, it’s not worth giving up the cayman and compromise for something else imo
Sounds like it’s time for a 911.
I think so too. Just wondering if and how long the back seat is usable
I replaced my 981 Cayman for a 997, thinking that it would be better for 2 kids. It wasn't. The back is really cramped, despite my kids being small. It's hard to find child seats that fit in the back, and it's always a chore trying to get the kids back there. On the other hand, since the Cayman only has 2 seats, it's legal and convenient for one kid to hop in the front seat. I can't really say that there's a good solution here. Perhaps a Macan would be the closest for long term ownership. In the end, I went from being able to easily travel with 1 kid in the Cayman to travelling with no kids in the 911 because it's so inconvenient.
911 was fine for my kids up until about 8-10. Ymmv
Think it depends on the size of the kids, vs age. Smaller and skinnier kids will certainly be more comfortable. No doubt about it though - it’s tight back there.
Just don't overfeed your kids.
Logically, this would mean that it’s Panamera time for OP 😬
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I think the macan is more fun. Panamera is so heavy.
1 to 2 more years, like you said. The Macan GTS is the obvious solution.
It’ll be fine until they are about 5 feet tall, you have lots of time.
A 911 is the solution to most problems
I've done the same, albeit from a GT4 to a 992 GTS. I have one kid at the moment, but my wife, little one and I can use a 911 more. My wife sat in my GT4 3 times in the 8 months I had it.
My wife can’t stand the GT4. “Too showy” and “loud”. Can’t stand the engine noise right behind us…. think she would have been a bit more comfy in a 911, but think she would have been genuinely excited about a Macan. That’s the one she wants. She’s unexcited by virtually all other Porsches. But I digress.
Put one up for adoption.
That would solve a lot of problems
Put one in the frunk, the other in the trunk.
https://preview.redd.it/b0bfkiez8l8d1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac9a00a6ecd55d68b1b8e140744a0c450791ce12 This could work
Problem solved. We did it, reddit.
His face, lol. He looks mildly concerned. "You're not really going to shut me in here are you!?"
Honestly the frunk is bigger than you think and there’s a glow in the dark escape handle if they run out of oxygen
😂
Kids are going to dictate your cars for another 15-20 years. My advice as an older father (20/17/14) is to keep your Cayman and get another car. Like I have a Lexus CT200 thats basically an old beater. Kids can ride. Dogs can ride. I can buy mulch. Get a 5 door beater and drive your Cayman when you can. And…get used to telling your children “no”. It’s sometimes the best thing you can do as a father. I mean, your kids are really fortunate to have a father who can afford a Porsche. You want them to be in the position to do the same in 20-30 years….and they won’t get there by complaining about who gets to ride. They need to consider who gets to buy.
I have a Sequoia and my wife has a new passport so I have something we can all ride in. And I agree, they definitely need to learn "no" and that sometimes we can't have everything. I was seeing if anyone had experience with a track capable car that could hold 4 people relatively easily. Appreciate it.
Sold my Cayman for an i30 N, it's totally track capable and works great with kids at the back. It's honestly more fun on the road than the Cayman because the manual gearbox is a LOT shorter so you can actually bang a few gears before going to jail.
Had to look up an i30N. A Hyandai? More fun than a Porsche? Color me skeptical. But I’m glad it works for you.
Oh I'm used to being downvoted and called crazy :-) Hyundai N cars are no joke, department was created and run by Albert Biermann who worked for 30 years as BMW M chief engineer, and the only goal is to make cars as fun as possible. i30 N, i20 N, Veloster N, Elantra N and now the electric Ioniq 5 N all had amazing reviews. "Road and Track" chose the Veloster N as Performance car of the year 2020 over the new 911 CS, Corvette, Lambo, McLaren, Lotus, Supra etc: [https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-comparison-tests/a29640493/2020-performance-car-of-the-year/](https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-comparison-tests/a29640493/2020-performance-car-of-the-year/) The i30 N never made it to the US so that's probably why you never heard of it, but in Europe there's tons of them in every track days. Here's a video of Misha driving it at the Nürb: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eBukNeZFpk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eBukNeZFpk)
Front wheel drive
Not possible
Roof rack
Make sure to really lock em down with some ratchet straps!
My 75 year old mother at 5 ft fit just fine into the back of my 964 C2. (We just wanted to see if she would. turned out to be surprisingly comfortable). The cars now are sooo much bigger. and what's the problem with taking turns?
I’d wouldn’t get rid of the Cayman, for the simple reason that kids really value 1 on 1 time with a parent (and some kids need to learn patience and that they’re not the center of the world). They can take turns. That said, for family engagements I’d look at a Panamera. I think it is a criminally underrated vehicle in the Porsche lineup. Not a sports car, but good enough for driving fun, far above what is possible in an SUV. And its space and snow performance would get you a lot of what an SUV would. If you do go for another SUV, keep an eye out for manual Cayennes, there are still a few floating around!
Nobody wants a Panamera. . . Their values fall like lead rocks falling down at terminal velocity
You can say that again.
Nobody wants a Panamera. . . Their values fall like lead rocks falling down at terminal velocity
Boarding school should help the problem.
One at a time, I have an E90 M3 for fun drives with both kids
Now you get to see which of the two has promise as a fighter!
Do you like one over the other?
One of the three reasons I preferred the cayman to the 911 was the lack of unusable back seat. Solution: take one at a time and just live with the fact they both can’t go at the same time
Had the same issue, I solved the problem by selling it and buying a Lotus Evora S 2+2.
Interesting. How does it compare to 911 rear seats?
I absolutely loved my 718, so definitely not a knock against it at all. The back seat of the Evora is decent for my 6 and 9 year olds. My 16 year old has sat back there and didn’t complain, but a grown person definitely wouldn’t be practical for more than a local cruise (he is 5’8” and 160lbs). The driving experience is very comparable to the Cayman, but the handling in my opinion is a step up. When I first test drove it, my comment to the salesman was that it made my Cayman feel like it had the body roll of a small SUV… very stiff and planted, but I have not taken it on a 2+ hour drive yet and I am expecting that it won’t be as comfortable as the Cayman was for the longer trips.
Oh and sorry, missed the 911 part, I have driven one. 911 is a great car, I did not utilize the back seat (had it as a rental on a work trip), I would say the back seat was similar in size to the Evora in terms of leg room, but overall, maybe a bit more roomy in the chest area. If you want to take the longer trips in comfort, the 911 is the way to go, but being more of a touring car it does change the driving experience slightly, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing depending on the experience you are looking for.
Not let the kids ride in the cayman…
No way lol
A Panamera GTS is also a possible solution. After 2017 they look a lot better too. Rear 3/4 view is very 911 ish.
It is time. Hand them each a weapon, winner takes all.
center seat conversion. now you get two smaller passenger seats on each side. /s 
Gt4 now, 991.1 c2s was my last one, just get a 991.1 S the 3.8 is off the hook get one with PSE and you’re done there is no height issue I’m single and miss the back seats a couple times a month… people sit back there no problem adult men in fact 6’2” etc it’s not a comfortable road trip w 4 adults but you could do it plenty of room for kids of any age
They can sit in on top of each other for 10 min. Fight the nanny state; I rode on the center console for 10 years.
Some sort of competition where they present their ideas on how they're going to show their undying love for you when you are old and feeble - winner takes all! 😁
Keep the cayman, add FL5 CTR
/r/parenting lol
My kids are on the very small side, but my 11 year old seems more than happy in the back behind the passenger seat and my 6 year old says she’s comfy in her booster behind me. I’m 6’4”, so my seat is most of the way back. I scoot it forward a little for her. It works, but I wouldn’t call it convenient. My 4 year old hasn’t ridden in my 997.2 at all because I can’t get a car seat with a harness in there without mutilating my interior. There’s no latch point for the top strap, and my wife isn’t okay with just the seat belt holding it. I’d say it’s likely to be a mixed bag for people with 911’s and use of the back seats
I can still put my 10 year old in the back of my 911 if my wife scoots the front seat almost all the way up. Yeah it's not comfortable for a cross-country drive but for a pleasure cruise it'll do. So although those seats don't look like much, they should work for this purpose.
Definitely sell the kids. C’mon you already know this 💀💀
My advice is just take turns, they’ll learn how to share a good thing and that they can’t have everything they want, it’s not worth giving up the cayman and compromise for something else imo
If you drive fast enough you can just take them one by one on rides/school