utmiken

I have always been a car enthusiast and thus my last 3 vehicles have all been very fun. The problem is my wife cannot drive a manual and it is now necessary she be able to drive our 2 cars. Her's is a Ranger Rover Sport Supercharged and mine currently is an '06 Cayman S.

I absolutely love the S5 styling and interior especially and think it is the best car out for under $65K. However I feel remorse for for getting rid of the Porsche that is so very fun to drive. There are s so much more amenities that come with the Audi that it is hard to pass up as a daily driver.

Would you other Audi guys do the same thing or keep the Porsche? (under 16k in miles and I own it outright)

P.S. I have a deposit on S-tronic S5 to begin production next year.

dopevector

Other than trading in the manual for a tip Cayman or something sounds like your situation is dictating some change.

I'd personally opt for the S5, but it's really a matter of preference. Cayman will no doubt be much sportier, but the S5 will have a much nicer interior and I personally think looks a lot better (I'm admittedly not a fan of Porsche designs). Could always trade in for a tip Cayman if you prefer to stick with the sportier ride.

Oh, and unless you know something that I haven't heard announced anywhere, the auto transmission is going to be a Tip not DSG sadly. =\

utmiken

Tiptronic really? My dealer must be misinformed Regardless that really isn't a deal breaker. The Cayman is not practical (2 seats) and draws a little more attention that I would like at times.

The Cayman goes for sure and the candidates I had in mind were:
MB C63 (tons of power but kinda bland looking)
BMW M3 (6 speed manual only and not in love with styling like the E46 M3 I had)
Audi S5 (best in looks and interior and very attractive at $60k)

I'll be following the forum for the next 6 months until my tip S5 comes in (Ibis white on Tuscan brown). I hope all the new model gremlins will be all figured out before mine gets built.

dopevector

M3 will out perform it, but to me it looks ricey. Not a fan of the new styling at all. =\ Mercedes-Benz are just really boring in my mind. Neither will come anywhere close to the S5 interior.

The TT is a horizontal mounted engine vs the S5 which is longitudinal. They have yet to release a DSG for longitudinal applications. Hopefully, that will change soon.

nirad

assuming you don't need real back seats, that may be closer to your Cayman in handling, and the DSG is far better than a traditional tiptronic.

Another possible option i sthe M3 w/ DCT, but it may be a year or longer before that's on the market.

Misplacedyankee

Really want a Cayman, but fairly worthless to me. I have 3 kids, at least I can get 2 in the S5 and I can put my golf clubs in the trunk and use as a daily driver. With all options cheaper than the Cayman S and just as fun from my perspective plus the added utility makes my choice the S5. Just my 2 cents.

Now I debate s-tronic vs. 6 speed. I have to figure how much I will be heading into NYC before I decide for good.

BD_TT_225

I just tried one today. Quite amazing.

Better mileage, same performance, less money.

I have been disappointed by Audi's TT 3.2 and S5 engines - the efficiency/power output trade off is not favorable.

The twin turbo 335i nails it (sorry Audi).

Ben

utmiken

I partly agree with you there. It really boils down to power (S5) versus handling (BMW). People can say all they want but the steering feel of a BMW is hard to beat and the S5 is no exception. It is probably my biggest problem with the Audi but it makes up for it in styling and interior. Plus everyone and their dog is driving a 335 coupe these days. If I got a another BMW it would be the new M3 just for the sheer performance not looks.

sjenner

I drove all three cars: the new BMW 335i coupe, Audi S5
and Porsche Cayman S. While the Cayman S was sporty, I liked the performance, looks and creature comforts of the Audi S5 overall the best. And it costs less than the Cayman S but more than the BMW 335i coupe.

Audi finally is building fantastic cars- once they work out the reliability gremlins in next few years, I think that they will build cachet and beat competition. Its cool that Audi won Le Mans recently for racing heritage.

BBT

Whether DSG/S-tronic or Tiptronic, automatics are extremely convenient and easy to drive but SUCK the fun out of driving. it might take 3 months, 6 months or a year but eventually you'll find you can't beat the manual for pure driving fun, and no matter how nice your car is it feels like something is missing.

I made the mistake of getting a Tip because I was sick of heavy city driving and traffic and the paddle shifting seemed like a breath of fresh air at the time.

I've test driven the DSG a few times -- a little faster shifting and smoother without a torque converter but still boring. Don't believe the hype, it's just a fancy automatic. But the auto really is great around the city where it's hard to enjoy driving whether you're in a porsche 911 or a Prius.

I since bought a manual mini cooper S and now selling my tip S4 for a manual S5. Will not get another automatic until I'm an old fart (or until they stop making them!).

Either keep the porsche or get the manual S5.