Can I afford it??
Discussion
Hi
I've just realised that a an earlyish Porsche Cayman is within my car buying budget - somewhere around the 16k mark.
My current car is an Audi A4 2.0Tfsi Quattro SLine SE with a remap. Previous to that I had a BMW Z4 3.0SE.
I'm used to fairly expensive cars to run since the BMW achieved around 29-30mpg, while the Audi is around the 25-28mpg mark.
Both are quality cars so again, I'm used to expensive parts and services that cost more than your average Focus or Astra.
My Audi runs 19inch wheels and tyres, Z4 was 18inch so tyre purchases I can deal with.
I typically do around 6000miles per year and also run a motorbike so the Cayman while being my daily driver, will do a lower than average mileage while I own it.
If I was to buy something like an early 3.4s (with cheaper tax) or a slightly newer 2.7 would the running costs be much more?
Is the difference in running a Cayman from the two cars above really that big? Is it such a big step that it should put me off?
Many thanks for the tips and advice.
I've just realised that a an earlyish Porsche Cayman is within my car buying budget - somewhere around the 16k mark.
My current car is an Audi A4 2.0Tfsi Quattro SLine SE with a remap. Previous to that I had a BMW Z4 3.0SE.
I'm used to fairly expensive cars to run since the BMW achieved around 29-30mpg, while the Audi is around the 25-28mpg mark.
Both are quality cars so again, I'm used to expensive parts and services that cost more than your average Focus or Astra.
My Audi runs 19inch wheels and tyres, Z4 was 18inch so tyre purchases I can deal with.
I typically do around 6000miles per year and also run a motorbike so the Cayman while being my daily driver, will do a lower than average mileage while I own it.
If I was to buy something like an early 3.4s (with cheaper tax) or a slightly newer 2.7 would the running costs be much more?
Is the difference in running a Cayman from the two cars above really that big? Is it such a big step that it should put me off?
Many thanks for the tips and advice.
Edited by darich on Monday 15th October 15:50
Thanks
There are definitely no other issues.
I ran an insurance quote through a comparison website and it returned £284 (£500 xs) with numerous quotes under £350.
My brother in law is a mechanic so non service work eh brakes, clutch etc I'd get done at good prices.
I have a clean licence, just turned 40 and it's a genuine question.
I really have no idea how much a car like that would cost to run but on the face of it, it looks affordable to me.
Ideally, I'm looking for a few owners to say what their car costs and it goes without saying, I'd be looking for a good indie, rather than a main dealer.
thanks all!
There are definitely no other issues.
I ran an insurance quote through a comparison website and it returned £284 (£500 xs) with numerous quotes under £350.
My brother in law is a mechanic so non service work eh brakes, clutch etc I'd get done at good prices.
I have a clean licence, just turned 40 and it's a genuine question.
I really have no idea how much a car like that would cost to run but on the face of it, it looks affordable to me.
Ideally, I'm looking for a few owners to say what their car costs and it goes without saying, I'd be looking for a good indie, rather than a main dealer.
thanks all!
The only cost that could put the brakes on it would be related to an oil seal failure, or the bores scoring. Have you searched on here about those? The earlier 3.4 engines are, it seems, based on anecdotal evidence only, the most vulnerable. I've had two Gen 1 3.4 cars, and both have been fine that said.
I'm not sure if I'd go for the 3.4 although I'd prefer that larger engine.
The 2.7 would be cheaper in tax and I read a post elsewhere that said something along the lines of "80% of the performance with 20% of the cost"
I appreciate that it's not quite 20% but it would indicate the smaller engine is cheaper.
It might be sensible to decide to get the 2.7 and see how I feel with the costs....then if I feel it's worth changing, I could upgrade after a year or so.
The 2.7 would be cheaper in tax and I read a post elsewhere that said something along the lines of "80% of the performance with 20% of the cost"
I appreciate that it's not quite 20% but it would indicate the smaller engine is cheaper.
It might be sensible to decide to get the 2.7 and see how I feel with the costs....then if I feel it's worth changing, I could upgrade after a year or so.
darich said:
I'm not sure if I'd go for the 3.4 although I'd prefer that larger engine.
The 2.7 would be cheaper in tax and I read a post elsewhere that said something along the lines of "80% of the performance with 20% of the cost"
I appreciate that it's not quite 20% but it would indicate the smaller engine is cheaper.
It might be sensible to decide to get the 2.7 and see how I feel with the costs....then if I feel it's worth changing, I could upgrade after a year or so.
Maybe go for a drive in both back to back. See which you prefer, the power delivery is quite different.The 2.7 would be cheaper in tax and I read a post elsewhere that said something along the lines of "80% of the performance with 20% of the cost"
I appreciate that it's not quite 20% but it would indicate the smaller engine is cheaper.
It might be sensible to decide to get the 2.7 and see how I feel with the costs....then if I feel it's worth changing, I could upgrade after a year or so.
Hmmm - you'd take a hit in depreciation doing that. Fine if you can afford it, but I'd make my mind up now and then buy the right car. For me it was 3.4 all the way - the car could take substantially more power too. Though the 2.7 is beautifully balanced, I think you'll want the extra power to exploit it. Each to their own though of course.
You'll be fine. I loved my Cayman - cost nothing to run other than service and consumables.
My 3 year running report here:
http://motorcloud.net/category/cayman-diaries/
My 3 year running report here:
http://motorcloud.net/category/cayman-diaries/
darich said:
I'm not sure if I'd go for the 3.4 although I'd prefer that larger engine.
The 2.7 would be cheaper in tax and I read a post elsewhere that said something along the lines of "80% of the performance with 20% of the cost"
I appreciate that it's not quite 20% but it would indicate the smaller engine is cheaper.
It might be sensible to decide to get the 2.7 and see how I feel with the costs....then if I feel it's worth changing, I could upgrade after a year or so.
I have to agree with the comment made earlier in the thread, the 2.7 engine does seem to be more reliable and Hartech say they've not had to rebuild one yet!The 2.7 would be cheaper in tax and I read a post elsewhere that said something along the lines of "80% of the performance with 20% of the cost"
I appreciate that it's not quite 20% but it would indicate the smaller engine is cheaper.
It might be sensible to decide to get the 2.7 and see how I feel with the costs....then if I feel it's worth changing, I could upgrade after a year or so.
I have a 2007 2.7 insurance is £1000 a year fully comp but I've have a claim (on my last car)and an SP30 that bangs it up even though I'm 39.
Running costs are okay, I use an indy for minor services (£230-ish) and an OPC for majors (last one was £600 including poly V belt)
I've had a clutch and flywheel at £1546 (genuine porsche parts) and a complete front suspension and brake replacement at £1833 all done at nearly 60,000 miles.
I've hed the car very nearly two years and it's never missed a beat, it's a daily driver and gets DRIVEN but not tracked, ownership has been epic!!
Do your due dilligence, service history, HPI etc and, if you've got the money, get a PPI done, money seldom wasted in my opinion.
I kept a z4 3.0 for 7 years before the cayman S (1 yr+) - had a minor service on the Cayman S and have to say it wasn't that much more to be honest (and this was serviced by Reading OPC)
for me, tyres and insurance cost about the same, road tax was higher at 440 but that's about it.
mileage wise, both around 6k pa
which one do i prefer? cayman S no doubt... everytime i get in the car, it feels like a new experience..
for me, tyres and insurance cost about the same, road tax was higher at 440 but that's about it.
mileage wise, both around 6k pa
which one do i prefer? cayman S no doubt... everytime i get in the car, it feels like a new experience..
My golf has cost me more in 6 months than my Cayman did in over a year.
2.7 Caymans are on 2 year service interval(no idea about 3.4). My Golf is on a one year interval.
Tyres for the 18 inch wheels can be around 180-250 per corner depending on quality.
Early cars fall in the lower tax bracket.
Brake discs are considerably more expensive for the 3.4 car vs the 2.7, I was able to replace both front discs and pads for 130GBP all-in on a 2.7, cheapest I could find for a 3.4 was almost triple that.
Engine access isn't particularly great, so some jobs that require good access to the engine may cost considerably more in labour costs. Mine never had anything that needed doing so I cannot elaborate.
As others have said 3.4s seem to be more prone to bore scoring and such issues, based mostly on what people like hartech, who repair engines have said.
Comparing to my 991 I would say the Cayman is perfectly judged for road use, feels much nimbler and more compact. If you intend to track a lot the 2.7 engine cannot hope to trouble the chassis so it can be a tad boring out on track if you like wrestling a car around.
2.7 Caymans are on 2 year service interval(no idea about 3.4). My Golf is on a one year interval.
Tyres for the 18 inch wheels can be around 180-250 per corner depending on quality.
Early cars fall in the lower tax bracket.
Brake discs are considerably more expensive for the 3.4 car vs the 2.7, I was able to replace both front discs and pads for 130GBP all-in on a 2.7, cheapest I could find for a 3.4 was almost triple that.
Engine access isn't particularly great, so some jobs that require good access to the engine may cost considerably more in labour costs. Mine never had anything that needed doing so I cannot elaborate.
As others have said 3.4s seem to be more prone to bore scoring and such issues, based mostly on what people like hartech, who repair engines have said.
Comparing to my 991 I would say the Cayman is perfectly judged for road use, feels much nimbler and more compact. If you intend to track a lot the 2.7 engine cannot hope to trouble the chassis so it can be a tad boring out on track if you like wrestling a car around.
Actus
you're right about depreciation....it's a hidden cost that I hadn't really thought too much about.
The petrolhead in me says get the 3.4......but I'm also thinking the 2.7 would be fine given it has a similar power to my remapped Audi but weighs 200kg less.
I guess I'll see what's on the market when the time comes for me to change.
I was also wondering, how good is the Cayman in snow? Not that I get tons of it here in Central Scotland, but I'm very used to the quattro dealing with just about anything the weather than throw at it.
The Cayman is mid engine with rear wheel drive so while it'll be well balanced for driving, am I right in saying it means slightly less weight over the driving wheels and therefore reduced traction?
If it's really bad I can share with my girlfriend - we both work in the same place so it's no problem!
you're right about depreciation....it's a hidden cost that I hadn't really thought too much about.
The petrolhead in me says get the 3.4......but I'm also thinking the 2.7 would be fine given it has a similar power to my remapped Audi but weighs 200kg less.
I guess I'll see what's on the market when the time comes for me to change.
I was also wondering, how good is the Cayman in snow? Not that I get tons of it here in Central Scotland, but I'm very used to the quattro dealing with just about anything the weather than throw at it.
The Cayman is mid engine with rear wheel drive so while it'll be well balanced for driving, am I right in saying it means slightly less weight over the driving wheels and therefore reduced traction?
If it's really bad I can share with my girlfriend - we both work in the same place so it's no problem!
darich said:
Actus
you're right about depreciation....it's a hidden cost that I hadn't really thought too much about.
The petrolhead in me says get the 3.4......but I'm also thinking the 2.7 would be fine given it has a similar power to my remapped Audi but weighs 200kg less.
I guess I'll see what's on the market when the time comes for me to change.
I was also wondering, how good is the Cayman in snow? Not that I get tons of it here in Central Scotland, but I'm very used to the quattro dealing with just about anything the weather than throw at it.
The Cayman is mid engine with rear wheel drive so while it'll be well balanced for driving, am I right in saying it means slightly less weight over the driving wheels and therefore reduced traction?
If it's really bad I can share with my girlfriend - we both work in the same place so it's no problem!
The Cayman is terrible in the snow, trust me really bad!you're right about depreciation....it's a hidden cost that I hadn't really thought too much about.
The petrolhead in me says get the 3.4......but I'm also thinking the 2.7 would be fine given it has a similar power to my remapped Audi but weighs 200kg less.
I guess I'll see what's on the market when the time comes for me to change.
I was also wondering, how good is the Cayman in snow? Not that I get tons of it here in Central Scotland, but I'm very used to the quattro dealing with just about anything the weather than throw at it.
The Cayman is mid engine with rear wheel drive so while it'll be well balanced for driving, am I right in saying it means slightly less weight over the driving wheels and therefore reduced traction?
If it's really bad I can share with my girlfriend - we both work in the same place so it's no problem!
My dad had one and thats the reason he sold it and bought a C4S, as he was stuck in his house for 2 weeks.
Spare set of rims and winter tyres and you'll be fine - though granted it's no Quattro.
Also, re: power compared to a remapped VAG engine, it'll be delivered a lot differently - a good Porsche n/a engine will seem very peaky after a VAG Turbo lump. But a whole lot more exciting when it's 'on it'.
But get the 3.4.
Also, re: power compared to a remapped VAG engine, it'll be delivered a lot differently - a good Porsche n/a engine will seem very peaky after a VAG Turbo lump. But a whole lot more exciting when it's 'on it'.
But get the 3.4.
When I was looking for one test drove a 2.9 base Cayman which was brilliant...great handling ride etc basically everything you could hope for...I bought a 3.4 S as it had to be better...and it is.
My advice would be if you want the base car then great but don't drive an S after you bought it.
My advice would be if you want the base car then great but don't drive an S after you bought it.
The Cayman, and I used to have one, was awful in the snow. But that's little to do with the car. Any other rwd car, particularly with large tyres, is awful in snow.
However, if you fit winter tyres, then it will be fine. If I had a Cayman and lived in central Scotland, I'd run winter tyres.
The tyres are the only thing touching the road so little is down to the car when it comes to going and stopping on snow and ice. It's all about the tyres. The number of driven wheels does help somewhat with going (traction) but not as much as fitting winter tyres. Best of all is awd AND winter tyres. I used to run winter tyres on my awd Audi S4 and now run them on my Discovery 4.
But to your original question, it's a great car and yes, you can afford it. Go for it!
However, if you fit winter tyres, then it will be fine. If I had a Cayman and lived in central Scotland, I'd run winter tyres.
The tyres are the only thing touching the road so little is down to the car when it comes to going and stopping on snow and ice. It's all about the tyres. The number of driven wheels does help somewhat with going (traction) but not as much as fitting winter tyres. Best of all is awd AND winter tyres. I used to run winter tyres on my awd Audi S4 and now run them on my Discovery 4.
But to your original question, it's a great car and yes, you can afford it. Go for it!
Edited by SunDiver on Monday 15th October 19:18
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