How Did Your Passion for Porsche Begin?
My name is Aaron Tang and I am born and raised in Calgary, Alberta here in Canada. I am an engineer delivering projects within the energy industry. I own a 2012 Porsche Cayman S Black Edition with a 6-speed manual.
My first love for Porsche started when I was roughly 6 years old. By this age, I was able to name any car on the street instantly.
This is not unlike most lifelong car enthusiasts and I see the same behaviour in my two young boys. I would frequently converse about cars with my dad and it was at that point that I realized he held Porsche on a pedestal.
Eventually, I learned the way.
Porsche to me is a brand for the grown-up car enthusiast. Sure, there are flashier, louder, faster and more raw vehicles out there. What Porsches offer is an immensely enjoyable and balanced driving experience. Porsches are the enthusiast’s choice because the cars can be used for daily errands while also allowing for double duty on track days. There is also a timeless heritage to the brand that will always be appealing.
What Was Your Approach to Choosing the Right Car?
I buy cars to own long term, so I pick the model and options carefully. Prior to my Porsche, I had just two cars; an E36 M3 which I owned for 9 years followed by an E90 M3 for 10 years. I always enjoy the journey with my cars, picking modifications and slowly improving them through the years. When I looked for my next car, I went into it with the same thought; that this would be a long-term purchase, likely for the next decade.
Through the years, as an aspiring Porsche owner, I had done my research and was aware of the internet lore around the common pitfalls of certain Porsche models. With that in mind, I began to look for a 2009+ Porsche that I could fit within my budget. The car that made me sell my E90 M3 was a manual 981 Cayman S in Agate gray. I wasn’t able to sell my car in time to buy this 981, but I continued my search.
When the opportunity came up to drive a 981, I felt that the car needed to be driven in Sport Plus mode for it to feel exciting at slower city speeds. For me, I wanted a car that was always exciting and felt special/unique as this would be a weekend/evening car only. I then went and test drove a 2009 C4S and didn’t feel it had the nimble go-kart feeling I was looking for.
How Did You Discover and Decide on the Black Edition?
Without a path forward but knowing I still wanted to enter the Porsche realm, I went for a lengthy and aggressive test drive of my dad’s 987.1 Cayman S. I found that it most resembled what I was looking for. It had the nimble, turn-on-a-dime feeling, felt special with the engine right behind me, and had enough power to keep me satisfied.
After this, it was settled. I would look for a 987.2 Cayman S. A friend of mine sent me the link to the Black Edition that I ended up buying.
I was initially on the fence because it had higher mileage. But looking closely at and requesting more pictures, it was clear the car was in great condition. The wheels had no rash and it also had little bolster wear and no sagging headliner. What really decided it for me was my research into what the Black Edition is.
The Black Edition on these cars isn’t only cosmetic; they came with the Cayman R power kit, factory short shifter and Spyder wheels. There were also only 500 worldwide and fewer so with a manual transmission. Porsche marketed the BE as the ultimate touring Cayman while the Cayman R was the ultimate track version.
Upon realizing the specialness of what’s in front of me, I was immediately sold. Upon a satisfactory pre-purchase inspection, me and one of my best friends flew across Canada to Toronto and got ready to drive it back.
What Was the Drive Like—and What Upgrades Did You Make?
The journey back was generally drama-free but it did allow me to enjoy and see Canada for all its beauty. Some highlights included the beauty of the Great Lakes and the Terry Fox museum roughly a half hour outside Winnipeg.
The Cayman definitely “feasted” on its fair share of bugs. The car functioned flawlessly and made the trip especially enjoyable.
Since getting the car back to Calgary, I mostly immediately performed some maintenance including new spark plugs, new ignition coils, new water pump/coolant flush, brake fluid flush and updated OEM shifter cables.
The car was also much too quiet for me, coming from a high-revving BMW V8, so I purchased a factory Porsche Sports Exhaust (valves always open), and Top Gear Catted Headers. To me, this combination was best given noise restrictions at some local tracks and I also enjoy higher-pitched exotic-sounding exhaust tones.
I have been able to enjoy a few short track sessions at the Jacques Villeneuve-designed Area 27 in southern British Columbia. This is an annual trip I take with my cars to enjoy good food, wineries, golf and exercise my automotive passion. I have learned that a small amount of preventative maintenance with these cars will pay off exponentially in terms of enjoyment.
What Comes Next in Your Porsche Journey?
I am absolutely in love with this car, but recently, my two young sons have started to become petrolheads. Much like myself as a kid, they never stop talking or writing about or drawing cars. I love the automotive lifestyle and want to enjoy it with them and the two seats do not work for this. The boys fight almost every morning about why I can’t take them to school in the Porsche.
So alas, even though this car has the perfect dynamics for me, I believe it is time to move into something with at least four seats, with the 911 being on the top of my list.
So far, joining my local PCA region and having met a couple of members, I am enjoying the ownership experience and hope to continue it.
Attention Stuttcars Readers: Want to Share Your Porsche Story?
Have a Porsche you’re passionate about? A unique build, an unforgettable road trip, or your first day at the track? We’d love to hear it.
Email me at [email protected] with a few details about your car and story, and you might be featured in an upcoming article. This site is built by enthusiasts – for enthusiasts – and your voice deserves a place here.
