Discussion
Hi Guys,
I'm in a position to be able to buy a sporty 2 door and am considering a 987 Cayman S and wanted to get some opinions from people who own or have owned one in the past.
I'm looking at cars with around 70-80k miles on them and just want to know what they're like to live with on a daily basis and more importantly what servicing and maintenance costs will be like.
I've read a lot about IMS bearings which has scared me away from the idea of a Cayman but want to know realistically how common an IMS failure is on the 3.4 and if anyone has had one replaced, what it set them back.
I'm crosshopping with an S2000 which is another car I've wanted for a while, the reliability is appealing but I don't think it quite has the overall appeal of a Cayman!
I'm in a position to be able to buy a sporty 2 door and am considering a 987 Cayman S and wanted to get some opinions from people who own or have owned one in the past.
I'm looking at cars with around 70-80k miles on them and just want to know what they're like to live with on a daily basis and more importantly what servicing and maintenance costs will be like.
I've read a lot about IMS bearings which has scared me away from the idea of a Cayman but want to know realistically how common an IMS failure is on the 3.4 and if anyone has had one replaced, what it set them back.
I'm crosshopping with an S2000 which is another car I've wanted for a while, the reliability is appealing but I don't think it quite has the overall appeal of a Cayman!
I've owned a few budget Porsches and currently have a 987.1 Cayman for track days and weekend blasts (if/when I can escape from the kids for a few hours). In general they are nicely made (and compared to other cars, very well designed) but they are getting old and things will need replacing.
Mine was well looked after but even so it's needed new suspension arms (a balljoint had failed in one of the replacements) and new coolant pipes (they will all eventually fail - £200 if you are doing it yourself, £800+ if somebody else is doing it). One of the top mounts failed after the last track day so next weekend it is getting new rear arms, new shocks, new springs, top mounts etc (obviously most of this is discretionary but after 70-80k miles, dampers will start to feel worn and so you may wish to replace them). So in short, they are getting to the age where you will need to spend money to keep them in top top condition.
On the other hand, my other car has in the last 2 years has had about £3k worth of warranty work (stupid things like steering rack parts and diff seals etc) so combined with depreciation, an old Cayman may not be the worst financial decision you have ever made.
As per the above, if budget will stretch, a Gen 2 987 is probably a better bet and some will still be young enough to be in the extended warranty.
From a driving point of view they are throroughly fantastic and the steering feel is great. After driving my other cars, the Cayman feels like a scalpel.They're alsofairly practical and you can fit loads of junk in the boots.
Mine was well looked after but even so it's needed new suspension arms (a balljoint had failed in one of the replacements) and new coolant pipes (they will all eventually fail - £200 if you are doing it yourself, £800+ if somebody else is doing it). One of the top mounts failed after the last track day so next weekend it is getting new rear arms, new shocks, new springs, top mounts etc (obviously most of this is discretionary but after 70-80k miles, dampers will start to feel worn and so you may wish to replace them). So in short, they are getting to the age where you will need to spend money to keep them in top top condition.
On the other hand, my other car has in the last 2 years has had about £3k worth of warranty work (stupid things like steering rack parts and diff seals etc) so combined with depreciation, an old Cayman may not be the worst financial decision you have ever made.
As per the above, if budget will stretch, a Gen 2 987 is probably a better bet and some will still be young enough to be in the extended warranty.
From a driving point of view they are throroughly fantastic and the steering feel is great. After driving my other cars, the Cayman feels like a scalpel.They're alsofairly practical and you can fit loads of junk in the boots.
If your budget means you're buying a 987.1, avoid the 3.4 unless you have a very big bork fund available.
This engine has very few IMS bearing failures, the larger bearing fitting in the M97 engine largely resolved that problem. Unfortunately, the M97 3.4 engine is the one that bore scores instead. You're safer getting a 2.7 with the larger IMS bearing and no known bore score issues, or stretching to a 2.9.
The other option is a 987 Boxster 3.2S. You need to get the IMS bearing upgraded in this engine (there's a rumour that the very last 3.2s got the larger bearing, but I've never encountered anyone with a 3.2 that actually had the larger bearing). The LN upgrade is quite a straightforward change and can be done at the same time as a clutch replacement. 3.2s don't bore score either.
This engine has very few IMS bearing failures, the larger bearing fitting in the M97 engine largely resolved that problem. Unfortunately, the M97 3.4 engine is the one that bore scores instead. You're safer getting a 2.7 with the larger IMS bearing and no known bore score issues, or stretching to a 2.9.
The other option is a 987 Boxster 3.2S. You need to get the IMS bearing upgraded in this engine (there's a rumour that the very last 3.2s got the larger bearing, but I've never encountered anyone with a 3.2 that actually had the larger bearing). The LN upgrade is quite a straightforward change and can be done at the same time as a clutch replacement. 3.2s don't bore score either.
These are great cars, had two in the family, both 987.1S. As others have said, you need to be careful about potential bore scoring. I did come across one with a failing IMS bearing recently but that's the only one I've ever personally seen or spoken to an owner about in more than 10 years of following them very closely.
Pretty much everything else is typical of all flat 6 watercooled Porsches at that age and mileage. Be prepared to spend money on an ongoing basis to keep them up to scratch but if you can find a good one, you won't regret it. Pretty easy to work on if you are handy with the spanners.
As for maintenance costs, I spent about £5000 on maintaining mine, almost all in parts (DIY), in about six and a half years and about 30K miles (bought at about 45K miles, sold around 75K). This included clutch, flywheel and rear crank seal, several services, discs and pads, partial suspension overhaul, aircon condensers, coil packs, coolant pipes, TPMS sensors, wheels refurb, window regulator, Carnewall exhaust, battery and a few odds and ends here and there.
I preferred ours to my current 981S in many ways.
Pretty much everything else is typical of all flat 6 watercooled Porsches at that age and mileage. Be prepared to spend money on an ongoing basis to keep them up to scratch but if you can find a good one, you won't regret it. Pretty easy to work on if you are handy with the spanners.
As for maintenance costs, I spent about £5000 on maintaining mine, almost all in parts (DIY), in about six and a half years and about 30K miles (bought at about 45K miles, sold around 75K). This included clutch, flywheel and rear crank seal, several services, discs and pads, partial suspension overhaul, aircon condensers, coil packs, coolant pipes, TPMS sensors, wheels refurb, window regulator, Carnewall exhaust, battery and a few odds and ends here and there.
I preferred ours to my current 981S in many ways.
Edited by DRH986 on Friday 25th September 21:17
Magnum 475 said:
If your budget means you're buying a 987.1, avoid the 3.4 unless you have a very big bork fund available.
This engine has very few IMS bearing failures, the larger bearing fitting in the M97 engine largely resolved that problem. Unfortunately, the M97 3.4 engine is the one that bore scores instead. You're safer getting a 2.7 with the larger IMS bearing and no known bore score issues, or stretching to a 2.9.
The other option is a 987 Boxster 3.2S. You need to get the IMS bearing upgraded in this engine (there's a rumour that the very last 3.2s got the larger bearing, but I've never encountered anyone with a 3.2 that actually had the larger bearing). The LN upgrade is quite a straightforward change and can be done at the same time as a clutch replacement. 3.2s don't bore score either.
If you check the chassis numbers, the mid 2005 onward 3.2 S supposedly have the larger IMS bearing. As far as reliability and resale are concerned, it's the best engine. Boxanet has a thread on this.This engine has very few IMS bearing failures, the larger bearing fitting in the M97 engine largely resolved that problem. Unfortunately, the M97 3.4 engine is the one that bore scores instead. You're safer getting a 2.7 with the larger IMS bearing and no known bore score issues, or stretching to a 2.9.
The other option is a 987 Boxster 3.2S. You need to get the IMS bearing upgraded in this engine (there's a rumour that the very last 3.2s got the larger bearing, but I've never encountered anyone with a 3.2 that actually had the larger bearing). The LN upgrade is quite a straightforward change and can be done at the same time as a clutch replacement. 3.2s don't bore score either.
Love my 987.1s. I bought a minter that had had loads of work over the years inc a full 6 cylinder rebuild/liners + a whole host of choice mods..It's a phenomenal car for the money..
If you do your research and shop carefully you can bag yourself a cracker. I'd always buy on condition and evidenced history of work rather than mileage..
If you do your research and shop carefully you can bag yourself a cracker. I'd always buy on condition and evidenced history of work rather than mileage..
Gassing Station | Boxster/Cayman | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff