Buying a Cayman 2.9 PDK
Discussion
Hoping for some owner input if anyone would be so kind to spend some time answering my questions.
I am off to look at an early 2.9 PDK tomorrow, it has covered 45,000 miles and has FSH. If serviced according to schedule when should the plugs and belts last been done and when would they likely need doing again?
It will be regularly used, I assumed the cayman was a quieter cabin than the boxster but I have read a couple of articles that imply the boxster is actually quieter?
I have spent a few weeks researching what to look for such as coolant pipes, damp carpets under the seats, rear hatch leading edge, suspension knocks indicating wear plus the obvious like interior wear matching mileage, crash repairs, tyre condition and so on but is there anything else?
I really wanted xenons but they are like rocking horse poop so I will retro fit and the same for the stereo so I can get CarPlay for waze and podcasts.
Just for background I have had a couple of Z4’s and TT roadsters previously but before ICE disappears I really fancy a cayman, I can remember when I first saw one and I was blown away. Again doing research it would appear I am better off in a a base, early 2.9 than a loaded 2.7 from a reliability perspective.
Thanks for reading If you made it this far.
I am off to look at an early 2.9 PDK tomorrow, it has covered 45,000 miles and has FSH. If serviced according to schedule when should the plugs and belts last been done and when would they likely need doing again?
It will be regularly used, I assumed the cayman was a quieter cabin than the boxster but I have read a couple of articles that imply the boxster is actually quieter?
I have spent a few weeks researching what to look for such as coolant pipes, damp carpets under the seats, rear hatch leading edge, suspension knocks indicating wear plus the obvious like interior wear matching mileage, crash repairs, tyre condition and so on but is there anything else?
I really wanted xenons but they are like rocking horse poop so I will retro fit and the same for the stereo so I can get CarPlay for waze and podcasts.
Just for background I have had a couple of Z4’s and TT roadsters previously but before ICE disappears I really fancy a cayman, I can remember when I first saw one and I was blown away. Again doing research it would appear I am better off in a a base, early 2.9 than a loaded 2.7 from a reliability perspective.
Thanks for reading If you made it this far.
I'm currently toying with the idea of a base 986 or 987. I can't answer all your geeky questions which probably tells you more about me than these cars. What I do know is its not just the chocolate engines of the earlier cars which can get costly to maintain. It is also all the fixings, bolts, nuts and brackets. So simple jobs like removing exhaust manifolds on the early engines can turn into a nightmare requiring specialist tools for drilling out studs.
I'd you're new to Porsche ownership then the main concern with these cars compared to those from a different manufacturer will be the longevity of components. These cars work and feel great when they're tip top. But as time goes by components can wear and degrade. So suspension components gets talked about a lot. Yes a car with all brand new suspension arms, bushes, shocks and springs will feel great. But over time these components will wear and start to feel loose. Other manufacturers might make their components last longer. Porsche tend to think about feel and function first with longevity last.
A full suspension refresh can end up costing over £3000 easily and some owners talk about doing this every 3 or 4 years. Obviously its up to you at the end of the day. My mate has a 2003 996 with what he believes are the original shocks. The car works OK but would it feel better with new shocks? Is it worth spending 2 or 3000 to experience this improvement? That comes down to what you want and how much you're willing to compromise.
Suspension setups vary a lot on theee cars. You can get standard which is quite high and soft, then the lower and stiffer setups and then there is PASM with active shocks. Lots of owners dabble with different springs on standard shocks so if the car is sitting lower then someone may have modified the setup. The original spec should tell you what the car came with.
I'd like to try a base car with standard squidgy suspension and little wheels. I know that's not a popular opinion with these cars. Everyone seems to want their Porsche to be low and have massive fat wheels.
If you do buy a car with PDK I would change all fluids in the gearbox immediately and do this regularly. There is clutch fluid and also gear fluid. The diff is integral to the box so there is no diff fluid.
I'd you're new to Porsche ownership then the main concern with these cars compared to those from a different manufacturer will be the longevity of components. These cars work and feel great when they're tip top. But as time goes by components can wear and degrade. So suspension components gets talked about a lot. Yes a car with all brand new suspension arms, bushes, shocks and springs will feel great. But over time these components will wear and start to feel loose. Other manufacturers might make their components last longer. Porsche tend to think about feel and function first with longevity last.
A full suspension refresh can end up costing over £3000 easily and some owners talk about doing this every 3 or 4 years. Obviously its up to you at the end of the day. My mate has a 2003 996 with what he believes are the original shocks. The car works OK but would it feel better with new shocks? Is it worth spending 2 or 3000 to experience this improvement? That comes down to what you want and how much you're willing to compromise.
Suspension setups vary a lot on theee cars. You can get standard which is quite high and soft, then the lower and stiffer setups and then there is PASM with active shocks. Lots of owners dabble with different springs on standard shocks so if the car is sitting lower then someone may have modified the setup. The original spec should tell you what the car came with.
I'd like to try a base car with standard squidgy suspension and little wheels. I know that's not a popular opinion with these cars. Everyone seems to want their Porsche to be low and have massive fat wheels.
If you do buy a car with PDK I would change all fluids in the gearbox immediately and do this regularly. There is clutch fluid and also gear fluid. The diff is integral to the box so there is no diff fluid.
Cayman 2.9 PDK is exactly what I had. I loved the car and had it been a manual, I would still have it. Personal preference.
Servicing was minor/major/minor/major on a 2 year cadence, and I think the plugs were due every major, so every 4 years. The schedule is in the maintenance service booklet anyway, so you can always double check, but there is a service at 6 or 8 years where the PDK clutch fluid needs changed, which often gets forgotten about.
2.9 is - IMO - worth it over the 2.7. The 2.7 isn't a worrisome engine, it's just that the 2.9 is - by most accounts - a better bet for longevity.
PDK - I believe there were a number of versions or perhaps just versions of control software. My car was a 2009, so on idle in neutral you could hear the clutch plates rattling, and it would often engage drive with a bit of a clunk. I drove a 2011 997.2 which was not as audible as this, but I was assured "they all do that sir", hence the comment about different versions of PDK or software.
I had the original steering wheel with the sliders for changing gear - there is a paddle steering wheel available which I would recommend - the sliders have a push-to-change-up and pull-to-change-down orientation that took me a while to get my head around.
Otherwise it's the usual issues with the 9x7 platform - air conditioning condensers, radiators, suspension creaks/rattles, leaking door membranes, corroding exhausts (at this age). As mentioned above, if you've got a creaky suspension on turning the steering wheel, or a rattle about 20-35mph, it's probably control arms or top mounts, or both - which, by the time you've replaced all of the components, realigned the suspension, etc, can cost a fair amount.
I don't think you'd quite need to do this at the cadence suggested by ATM, but - for information - my first Boxster exhibited the issues when it was at 80k miles, and my Cayman was starting to creak from the top mounts at 60k miles (7 years). My 911 is doing it too, I wonder if I'll ever be able to enjoy one of these cars without rattly suspension!
Servicing was minor/major/minor/major on a 2 year cadence, and I think the plugs were due every major, so every 4 years. The schedule is in the maintenance service booklet anyway, so you can always double check, but there is a service at 6 or 8 years where the PDK clutch fluid needs changed, which often gets forgotten about.
2.9 is - IMO - worth it over the 2.7. The 2.7 isn't a worrisome engine, it's just that the 2.9 is - by most accounts - a better bet for longevity.
PDK - I believe there were a number of versions or perhaps just versions of control software. My car was a 2009, so on idle in neutral you could hear the clutch plates rattling, and it would often engage drive with a bit of a clunk. I drove a 2011 997.2 which was not as audible as this, but I was assured "they all do that sir", hence the comment about different versions of PDK or software.
I had the original steering wheel with the sliders for changing gear - there is a paddle steering wheel available which I would recommend - the sliders have a push-to-change-up and pull-to-change-down orientation that took me a while to get my head around.
Otherwise it's the usual issues with the 9x7 platform - air conditioning condensers, radiators, suspension creaks/rattles, leaking door membranes, corroding exhausts (at this age). As mentioned above, if you've got a creaky suspension on turning the steering wheel, or a rattle about 20-35mph, it's probably control arms or top mounts, or both - which, by the time you've replaced all of the components, realigned the suspension, etc, can cost a fair amount.
I don't think you'd quite need to do this at the cadence suggested by ATM, but - for information - my first Boxster exhibited the issues when it was at 80k miles, and my Cayman was starting to creak from the top mounts at 60k miles (7 years). My 911 is doing it too, I wonder if I'll ever be able to enjoy one of these cars without rattly suspension!
delays said:
I don't think you'd quite need to do this at the cadence suggested by ATM, but - for information - my first Boxster exhibited the issues when it was at 80k miles, and my Cayman was starting to creak from the top mounts at 60k miles (7 years). My 911 is doing it too, I wonder if I'll ever be able to enjoy one of these cars without rattly suspension!
I'm not suggesting everything needs changing every 3 or 4 years. I'm just saying some people do say that. I had to change both pass side lower control arms [the front and the rear] on my 981 when it was 6 years old and 38000 miles due to MOT failure. So yes I believe arms can go first, then top mounts but shocks seem to soldier on for much much longer.
Just checked my service book, I have a manual S version but shouldn't be any different interval wise other than the PDK box services which I think are every 8 years?
Plugs - Every 4 years or 40,000 miles
Drive belt - Every 6 years - with intermediate checks every 2 years
Brake Fluid - Every 2 years
Hope that's helpful! Also don't get hung up if it doesn't have N spec tyres, just get a set of MPS4S once you purchase it.
Plugs - Every 4 years or 40,000 miles
Drive belt - Every 6 years - with intermediate checks every 2 years
Brake Fluid - Every 2 years
Hope that's helpful! Also don't get hung up if it doesn't have N spec tyres, just get a set of MPS4S once you purchase it.
Thank you all so much for the really helpful replies, I really appreciate you taking the time.
I was planning on refreshing most of the bushes myself probably in the spring once the better weather arrives. I am reasonably handy with a spanner and have most tools. The Gearbox and clutch fluid change I was unaware of so that’s another thing for me to check when I take a look at the service bills.
I was planning on refreshing most of the bushes myself probably in the spring once the better weather arrives. I am reasonably handy with a spanner and have most tools. The Gearbox and clutch fluid change I was unaware of so that’s another thing for me to check when I take a look at the service bills.
Standard suspension even on 18” isn’t squishy. It is a sports car after all. It should feel tight and responsive and feel better above 30mph on smooth roads.
Lots of communication through the steering wheel and through the base of the seat / back rest.
Usually new top mounts, track rods, drop links and coffin arms front and rear will tighten up. That with a nice fast road alignment won’t cost 3k
If you need a set of new dampers and springs I have a mint set off my 2.9 that only had 15k miles on them when removed last year in November.
Lots of communication through the steering wheel and through the base of the seat / back rest.
Usually new top mounts, track rods, drop links and coffin arms front and rear will tighten up. That with a nice fast road alignment won’t cost 3k
If you need a set of new dampers and springs I have a mint set off my 2.9 that only had 15k miles on them when removed last year in November.
Don’t rule out a 996. In the last 4 years, I have had a 987 as a daily driver and a 996 as a fun car. Get a good one and both will be lovely to drive. Hard to be specific but the 996 seems to have more of a classic driving experience than the 987 and weirdly would probably make a better daily driver!
Do remember that they both cost roughly the same to keep maintained and a good 996/997 will probably retain more of that spend.
Do remember that they both cost roughly the same to keep maintained and a good 996/997 will probably retain more of that spend.
Retrofitting xenons is either unrealistically expensive as it will mean wiring looms, washers, self-leveling, etc.
Leds can improve the headlamps for less than £50 and be mot legal.
I love my base 987 2.9 cayman and the only unexpected repair was the gear change cables. If these need doing there is a set of upgrades that were a USA retrofit during recall that was not applied to Europe. The additional cost over the cables was about £100 but makes it a permanent fix... allegedly.
Leds can improve the headlamps for less than £50 and be mot legal.
I love my base 987 2.9 cayman and the only unexpected repair was the gear change cables. If these need doing there is a set of upgrades that were a USA retrofit during recall that was not applied to Europe. The additional cost over the cables was about £100 but makes it a permanent fix... allegedly.
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