Cayman Advice - Looking to buy possibly
Discussion
Hello.
I currently have C220 Merc for mundane stuff and a TVR Sagaris as the 'nice' car/toy. Problem is the Sag is getting too valuable to track nowadays. So I was looking initially at an mx5 and turbo kit etc.. But over the years I've learned that instead of making a slow car fast, better to get a fast car to start with. So on that basis I'm looking at a Cayman. I know it won't be balls out Sag style but should still be a hoot.
Problem I am having is the more I read about them, it seems they are more prone to breaking than TVR's?? What with RMS / IMS problems. I thought OK, skip the 2.7 and go for a 3.4 then they seem to suffer bore scoring?
So, putting aside loyalties to your particular brand, this is a serious question. Are those issues real repeating issues? Or is it like the whole unreliable TVR myth just put out by non TVR owners. Are they able to be spotted and repaired properly before something big happens? As TVR's generally had failed engines, but that has all been fixed now and you can get rebuilds with 100k mile warranties etc..
As an example is this one any good? What are the options I should be looking at. As it will be a toy and track w
e also.
http://www.mastercarsales.co.uk/used-car-porsche-c...
My budget is around 14k so I understand 06 / 07 Cayman. I'm not particularly keen on the Boxter, but (hard top) right price and options I might consider it.
Failing all this I might just go get a Chimaera and stick to TVR.
Alan
I currently have C220 Merc for mundane stuff and a TVR Sagaris as the 'nice' car/toy. Problem is the Sag is getting too valuable to track nowadays. So I was looking initially at an mx5 and turbo kit etc.. But over the years I've learned that instead of making a slow car fast, better to get a fast car to start with. So on that basis I'm looking at a Cayman. I know it won't be balls out Sag style but should still be a hoot.
Problem I am having is the more I read about them, it seems they are more prone to breaking than TVR's?? What with RMS / IMS problems. I thought OK, skip the 2.7 and go for a 3.4 then they seem to suffer bore scoring?
So, putting aside loyalties to your particular brand, this is a serious question. Are those issues real repeating issues? Or is it like the whole unreliable TVR myth just put out by non TVR owners. Are they able to be spotted and repaired properly before something big happens? As TVR's generally had failed engines, but that has all been fixed now and you can get rebuilds with 100k mile warranties etc..
As an example is this one any good? What are the options I should be looking at. As it will be a toy and track w
e also.http://www.mastercarsales.co.uk/used-car-porsche-c...
My budget is around 14k so I understand 06 / 07 Cayman. I'm not particularly keen on the Boxter, but (hard top) right price and options I might consider it.
Failing all this I might just go get a Chimaera and stick to TVR.
Alan
Agreed. Had a few sessions in it around F1 SPA at SPA classics month or so ago, it was great. But rarity of it now and I just cant take the risk of someone else punting me off. Rare I know, but a chance. I also find I don't push it as hard cos of that reason, which is a shame. So just looking for something I can chuck around a bit more freely and properly push it. But I am worried it will break....
That's the problem I have looked through here and I am more worried about failures than I was before I read all this.
I see no real problem tracking a car. Surely they were designed to be driven fast and you cannot do this properly on the road. But tracking a car that hasn't been made for 10 years and is losing numbers (think around 100-150 left) makes less sense.
Besides all I really need to know, are the IMS / RMS / scoring issues real issues or exaggerated by non owners?
I see no real problem tracking a car. Surely they were designed to be driven fast and you cannot do this properly on the road. But tracking a car that hasn't been made for 10 years and is losing numbers (think around 100-150 left) makes less sense.
Besides all I really need to know, are the IMS / RMS / scoring issues real issues or exaggerated by non owners?
mollytherocker said:
I get that, but the rising value of the sag will offset that wont it? Even if it is used hard. As long as you maintain it properly.
It seems a shame to sell a Sag, they are massive fun and you would probably struggle to ever get another!
No panic, the Sag is going no where at all. The Cayman / Chimaera track wh0re is an addon, not a replacement It seems a shame to sell a Sag, they are massive fun and you would probably struggle to ever get another!
mollytherocker said:
They are certainly 'real issues', its just the level of risk of one of these failures happening that people dont agree on.
I am not sure that anybody really knows apart from Porsche themselves.
Yeah. I am trying to gauge that. As non TVR people believe the engine is made of chocolate and will die the second you open a door, but in reality they are great and maintained, very reliable.I am not sure that anybody really knows apart from Porsche themselves.
I am just trying to figure out if the same applies here. People love to pull things apart and scare monger all too easily nowadays
Is there a way to detect or pre-empt failure though? I did see a place advertising to do the RMS & IMS for about 1k. How on target is this or is it a possible DIY job. Looks like it is possible but requires some special tools in which case buying them and parts is going to be not a lot less. Especially if doing once and the problem is cured?
PR36 said:
I am not referring to Porsche dealers, I am referring to Porsche specialist independent workshops, places like nine excellence, parr, hartech, etc. There are many gen 1 owners who 'occasionally' track their cars in totally standard form, but if you are tracking regularly and considering track specific mods like sticky tyres, lowered suspension etc then you have to start to think about engine specific mods, they can suffer oil starvation at high g, also they can blow smoke out the exhaust under high g due to the flimsy stock aos. You can read all about the suitability (or not..) of the gen 1 car for track work and the list of required mods on the planet 9 forum. It doesn't make for great reading, most will say if you are serious about a cayman track car it really makes more sense in the long run just to pay the extra to buy a gen 2 car.
I am confused on gen 2? I have seen one for sale on an 09, but seems gen 2 started in 2012? I will research more but what is the main difference gen 1 to gen 2?Thanks. OK. PDK.
Yes or no? I undertand its a personal choice, but are there any inherent issues with either? Weak spots or is going one way a complete nobrainer as opposed to other?
I think I've decided on an R. Only thing I dont really like is the garish sticker down the side they all seem to have ala US muscle car stylee that they all seem to have.
Thanks for all the advice everyone and apologies for any dumbass q's
Yes or no? I undertand its a personal choice, but are there any inherent issues with either? Weak spots or is going one way a complete nobrainer as opposed to other?
I think I've decided on an R. Only thing I dont really like is the garish sticker down the side they all seem to have ala US muscle car stylee that they all seem to have.
Thanks for all the advice everyone and apologies for any dumbass q's
Sorry. Not having a pop at tradition. It's just a 'feature' I'm not happy with and should I get one will remove. As I would have if my tvr had them. Sags don't do subtle, so I'm not worried about that, just never been a fan of stripes.
Regarding PDK, does it have to come with the 'chrono' option to release more power or something? Am I reading this info right? Is it pointless to find one without both options?
Regarding PDK, does it have to come with the 'chrono' option to release more power or something? Am I reading this info right? Is it pointless to find one without both options?
Hi,
Yeah the more I looked the more I fancied the 'R' but also the more confused I get. Even to the point of sticking to what I know and getting a tamora.
As for extending the budget I was goint to use on the road also and the R seemed a good allrounder.
Elises are nice, but they just seem underpowered (I'm not the stig so can't make up for my lack of abilities lol) and have never floated my boat. Although that one with the hardtop looks better.
Its all so darn confusing.....
Yeah the more I looked the more I fancied the 'R' but also the more confused I get. Even to the point of sticking to what I know and getting a tamora.
As for extending the budget I was goint to use on the road also and the R seemed a good allrounder.
Elises are nice, but they just seem underpowered (I'm not the stig so can't make up for my lack of abilities lol) and have never floated my boat. Although that one with the hardtop looks better.
Its all so darn confusing.....
Well, thanks for all the help and advice. I test drove a few fri-sunday. Listened to what you guys said and the majority seems to believe I can't just get a gen 1 and track it with out mods, I cant be arsed with that. And the failure possibilites also? Seems worse than TVR. I did get a bit carried away and liked the look of the R, but the budget was getting a bit silly...
I have to admit even though I like the look of a Caymen and quite wanted one, the drive didn't inspire me. Didn't feel like what I had hoped a Porsche should. To be honest didn't feel much different to the Merc. Which I guess can be a good thing as its a classed as a sports car and rides comfy.
So I went and bought a Tamora instead. Kinda sticking with what I know, but easier to work on at home. The more I looked at Caymens, the more un homeworkshop friendly they seemed. This could be wrong, but I know what to do on TVR's. So again, thanks for input and sorry if anyone feels I wasted their time. I genuinely was looking at a Caymen, but just didn't have the spark TVR's have, maybe all I drove were bad ones? But 3 I feel are enough to figure out they weren't for me.
Alan
I have to admit even though I like the look of a Caymen and quite wanted one, the drive didn't inspire me. Didn't feel like what I had hoped a Porsche should. To be honest didn't feel much different to the Merc. Which I guess can be a good thing as its a classed as a sports car and rides comfy.
So I went and bought a Tamora instead. Kinda sticking with what I know, but easier to work on at home. The more I looked at Caymens, the more un homeworkshop friendly they seemed. This could be wrong, but I know what to do on TVR's. So again, thanks for input and sorry if anyone feels I wasted their time. I genuinely was looking at a Caymen, but just didn't have the spark TVR's have, maybe all I drove were bad ones? But 3 I feel are enough to figure out they weren't for me.
Alan
Beanoir said:
I might as well sell the R, keep the 'more involving' 986 as my daily and get a Merc C220 for the fun weekend car then....
Oh dear. I tried to be careful with wording to not upset the fanboys. Guess I failed lolNo one suggests you get a c220 for a 'fun' car, muppet. Life's too short to take things like this so serious. From your messages I think you need a lie down and a beer or 6 to chill out....
PorscheGT4 said:
deluded
NO one wants a monoball kitted out race car on the road lol
Most people would hate the R ride for a daily. My Dad hates it as an example.
Has nothing to DO with cars WE own, we buys the cars which feel nice to drive, it's that simple.
To say an R rides like a Merc 220 is just daft !
The reason I keep my R is because it feels tight and has feel, NOT GT3 unusable feel, it has perfect road feel imo, I have not kept a car so long for years.
The last Cayman with passive dampers, a real diff and hydraulic steering, it's just a nice thing.
I have stated the 981 is now like an Audi, which goes some of the way you talk about, but again a reason I still own my R and not a 981.
I hate the "you own it comments" I owned a GT3 and people did not say "you own it" if you say bad things, but people jump on the "you own it" if you say good things !
To clarify, I drove older gen 1 caymans, not the newer R.NO one wants a monoball kitted out race car on the road lol
Most people would hate the R ride for a daily. My Dad hates it as an example.
Has nothing to DO with cars WE own, we buys the cars which feel nice to drive, it's that simple.
To say an R rides like a Merc 220 is just daft !
The reason I keep my R is because it feels tight and has feel, NOT GT3 unusable feel, it has perfect road feel imo, I have not kept a car so long for years.
The last Cayman with passive dampers, a real diff and hydraulic steering, it's just a nice thing.
I have stated the 981 is now like an Audi, which goes some of the way you talk about, but again a reason I still own my R and not a 981.
I hate the "you own it comments" I owned a GT3 and people did not say "you own it" if you say bad things, but people jump on the "you own it" if you say good things !
Edited by PorscheGT4 on Wednesday 5th August 10:19
Gassing Station | Boxster/Cayman | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff