Cayman for around £15k
Discussion
Hi all
Not new to the forum, long time browser (5years +)
Currently drive an m235i running around 400bhp which is great fun and fast but not really to be compared with a Porsche in terms of dynamics!
I no longer commute to work every day so have been looking at other options Now that I no longer need a day to day car
I’m looking at a 06 onwards Cayman for around the £15k mark (can increase budget by 1/2k slightly if needed) to drive around 2-3000 miles a year and had some questions, would appreciate any input please
My dad has a 2002 911 996 and tells me about all the horror stories of the engines with IMS etc. Is this the same with the caymans? Is there a certain engine to avoid or one to go for?
I’m clued up when it comes to cars in general, what specifically am I looking out for when viewing?
Do they all come with a proper diff?
As it’ll be a fun/weekend only car, I’m thinking manual is the way to go but happy to be persuaded either way, When did the auto box turn to PDK from an old school slush box ?
Any common faults?
Thanks in advance all
Not new to the forum, long time browser (5years +)
Currently drive an m235i running around 400bhp which is great fun and fast but not really to be compared with a Porsche in terms of dynamics!
I no longer commute to work every day so have been looking at other options Now that I no longer need a day to day car
I’m looking at a 06 onwards Cayman for around the £15k mark (can increase budget by 1/2k slightly if needed) to drive around 2-3000 miles a year and had some questions, would appreciate any input please
My dad has a 2002 911 996 and tells me about all the horror stories of the engines with IMS etc. Is this the same with the caymans? Is there a certain engine to avoid or one to go for?
I’m clued up when it comes to cars in general, what specifically am I looking out for when viewing?
Do they all come with a proper diff?
As it’ll be a fun/weekend only car, I’m thinking manual is the way to go but happy to be persuaded either way, When did the auto box turn to PDK from an old school slush box ?
Any common faults?
Thanks in advance all
Nerdherder said:
That budget will get you and early one with an engine made of cheese or other expensive repair bills in a very neear future.
Not all of them have an lsd.
When did they get stronger engines? What actual issues did they suffer from, was it all or just certain engines?Not all of them have an lsd.
Apart from doing burnouts which wouldn’t be appreciated on a test drive, how can you tell which models do or don’t have an lsd? Did all the cayman S’ come with an lsd?
At that budget, aim for a 2.7, not a 3.4.
Why? All 2006 and later cars have the bigger, stronger IMS bearing. It can fail, but failures are very rare. The 2.7 doesn’t have bore score problems. With the 3.4 it seems that it’s a case of ‘when’ it develops bore scoring, not ‘if’.
But, with a 2.7 you may find you’re going to miss the power......
Why? All 2006 and later cars have the bigger, stronger IMS bearing. It can fail, but failures are very rare. The 2.7 doesn’t have bore score problems. With the 3.4 it seems that it’s a case of ‘when’ it develops bore scoring, not ‘if’.
But, with a 2.7 you may find you’re going to miss the power......
SukiKaur5 said:
Nerdherder said:
After mid-2009 you're safe. Not to say that all older models are bad, but there is increased risk of things going wrong with the engine.
Is it just the ims? Or other issues too?Oh yeah, and you can forget about non manufacturer schemes. One in particular was showcased in its full glory earlier this year about how they went to hell and back to avoid a payout, absolute scamming
s. For the record the company sounds similar to “guarantee straight” or somesuch...Schmed said:
Hmm, now I’m not going to be popular here but I’d suggest ... warranty. If it doesn’t have it, or you can’t get it (through the 111 point check) then don’t bother. Porsches have chocolate engines, and that’s a fact, I’ve owned three and all have cost the warranty company thousands. Unless you want to burn 15 grand I’d seriously consider waiting and saving up a little more to get something a little newer that you can actually warranty.
Oh yeah, and you can forget about non manufacturer schemes. One in particular was showcased in its full glory earlier this year about how they went to hell and back to avoid a payout, absolute scammings. For the record the company sounds similar to “guarantee straight” or somesuch...
Fair comments and thanks for the honestyOh yeah, and you can forget about non manufacturer schemes. One in particular was showcased in its full glory earlier this year about how they went to hell and back to avoid a payout, absolute scamming
s. For the record the company sounds similar to “guarantee straight” or somesuch...If I up the budget to early £20’s I’ve found some nice gen 2’s, are they much better in terms of reliability? Man maths here saying better to get the newer car and pay less in repairs over the long run.....?
SukiKaur5 said:
Fair comments and thanks for the honesty
If I up the budget to early £20’s I’ve found some nice gen 2’s, are they much better in terms of reliability? Man maths here saying better to get the newer car and pay less in repairs over the long run.....?
As other posters have said a gen 1 2.7 or a gen 2 car would be the least risky way forward. The Cayman 2.7 gen 1 was only 245bhp. I own one (a 2008) and on a twisty road, held in second gear with the engine screaming it's a really nice thing. It feels alive, all about the balance, engine and exhaust note. But coming off a roundabout onto a major A or M road will see modern diesels keeping up without too much effort. It is very much a car for the right road, although very easy to live with day to day. Really depends on what you want to use it for. It's not objectively fast or powerful but on the right road it feels it. If I up the budget to early £20’s I’ve found some nice gen 2’s, are they much better in terms of reliability? Man maths here saying better to get the newer car and pay less in repairs over the long run.....?
The gen 2 cars are completely different engines and have more power. Gen 1 finished in 2008 although a few cars sneaked onto 2009 plates, most 2009 plates I've seen are gen 2 . Obviously a 2009 gen 2 is now a 10 year old car so picking up your comments on the 'newer car' you need to look at each one individually as suspension components etc may be closing in on needing replaced shortly.
Good luck
I went from a manual 2.9 Cayman to a m240i due to increase in commute, but I miss the Cayman badly. The general sense of connection is so much better, better steering, ride, handling. Pace wise, in a straight line it will feel a lot slower than the m240i, but it isn't actually that slow if you really work the engine and gearbox, which is a pleasure not a chore. Might be a struggle to adapt after 400bhp, so a gen 2 S might be worth looking for but that stretches man maths further.
The other factor to consider is that a Gen 2 might cost more, but it will retain a lot of its value as well, so the total cost of ownership is relatively low (notwithstanding servicing and maintenance if you buy poorly).
Personally, I think £15k is sort of 'danger territory' for Porsches in the current market. They're not old/cheap enough to be worth the risk.
Personally, I think £15k is sort of 'danger territory' for Porsches in the current market. They're not old/cheap enough to be worth the risk.
Thanks for all the replies guys
So if I up the budget and save for another couple of months, aim for somewhere in the region of £20k, pickup a gen 2 (hopefully an s with some haggling) it should be a better overall ownership proposition with less chance of known engine issues?
Are there any other common faults to look out for?
I will probably miss the outright speed of 400bhp with silly amounts of torque from the turbo, but let’s face it, on our roads it’s wasted most of the time as you’re doing 3 figure speeds within seconds!
My next question is around depreciation. Are gen 2 caymans likely to hold much value? Looking at the gen 1 as an indicator, id say so?
So if I up the budget and save for another couple of months, aim for somewhere in the region of £20k, pickup a gen 2 (hopefully an s with some haggling) it should be a better overall ownership proposition with less chance of known engine issues?
Are there any other common faults to look out for?
I will probably miss the outright speed of 400bhp with silly amounts of torque from the turbo, but let’s face it, on our roads it’s wasted most of the time as you’re doing 3 figure speeds within seconds!
My next question is around depreciation. Are gen 2 caymans likely to hold much value? Looking at the gen 1 as an indicator, id say so?
It's certainly a good option not to discount the smaller engined cars as, by and large, they give 90% of the Porsche experience even if you're not getting quite as much performance.
I run a 986 2.7 Boxster and love it just as much my previous 987.2 S which had 90bhp more. If anything I like it a bit more because it cost me a fifth of the price and makes a much better noise.
I run a 986 2.7 Boxster and love it just as much my previous 987.2 S which had 90bhp more. If anything I like it a bit more because it cost me a fifth of the price and makes a much better noise.
Agreed with above. I had a 987 Spyder put 10 k miles on it and lost only 2k selling back to original dealer.
Now picked up in feb a 7k mike 2.9 boxster. 80pc if the car for 50 pc of the money. Lovely to wring out, lacks a little torque in 3rd for up hill climbs but a few cheeky mods will sort it out no issues.
I’d Defo recommend gen 2 but wouldn’t discount the boxster. Can’t go wrong on crisp winter mornings or summer evenings.
Now picked up in feb a 7k mike 2.9 boxster. 80pc if the car for 50 pc of the money. Lovely to wring out, lacks a little torque in 3rd for up hill climbs but a few cheeky mods will sort it out no issues.
I’d Defo recommend gen 2 but wouldn’t discount the boxster. Can’t go wrong on crisp winter mornings or summer evenings.
987.2 Boxster/Cayman, manual of course is the sweet spot of all the models from 986 to 718 .
You are better off buying a 987.2 2.9 than any 987.1, early £20s may get you a nice 987.2 3.4s , but having some remaining Porsche warranty is a bonus. Get an over rev report your ok in range 1/2 but anything higher have a bore scope done. Generally the gen2 engine is bullet proof and the basic architecture is still used today but you can get the odd random failure like any make of car. Full history and rev range stats a must over low mileage
You are better off buying a 987.2 2.9 than any 987.1, early £20s may get you a nice 987.2 3.4s , but having some remaining Porsche warranty is a bonus. Get an over rev report your ok in range 1/2 but anything higher have a bore scope done. Generally the gen2 engine is bullet proof and the basic architecture is still used today but you can get the odd random failure like any make of car. Full history and rev range stats a must over low mileage
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