986 and 987 question

[mikesp]

Hi

Probably silly newbie question. Having read the forums it seems that the 2.7 987.1 engine in the Boxster and Cayman is likely to be the most reliable one to have. Most dealers seem to advertise whether the car they are selling is a 986 or 987 engine. Yet cars seem to be the same model year. Being a suspicious person I wonder how many are using the 987 as a selling point when they may be 986. Is it easy to spot the difference? When did it change from 986 to 987? Is the 986 really less reliable?

TIA

[snotrag]

986:



First Generation Boxster, 1996/7ish on.

987:


Second gen Boxster, first gen Cayman. 2004 on.


Each shares the front two thirds of the car with its equivalent 911. Each available in an original and a '.2' face-lift version.

[Heaveho]

They aren't describing the cars as having a 986 or 987 engine, that's the model identification. The 986 is the earlier model, the changeover point was 54 plate, with the replacement being designated as the 987. As you say, the 2.7 seems generally to be regarded as the one to give you the least grief.

[mikesp]

Heaveho said:

They aren't describing the cars as having a 986 or 987 engine, that's the model identification. The 986 is the earlier model, the changeover point was 54 plate, with the replacement being designated as the 987. As you say, the 2.7 seems generally to be regarded as the one to give you the least grief.

so is there a difference in the engines that would make one more reliable than the other with the 2.7 engine. Just checking to see whether the extra cost of the later car would be worthwhile. It does seem that with each revision the problem areas (IMS etc) are addressed to some extent

[Pope]

http://www.hartech.org/free-porsche-buyers-guide

[ooid]

mikesp said:

so is there a difference in the engines that would make one more reliable than the other with the 2.7 engine. Just checking to see whether the extra cost of the later car would be worthwhile. It does seem that with each revision the problem areas (IMS etc) are addressed to some extent

There are obviously some minor upgrades and differences between engines, but none of them makes them more solid or reliable (I think). I have owned early 986 2.7, it needed an engine rebuild on 65k. (No IMS or any other bla-blas..). In my opinion, any modern Porsche (incl. cayenne) produced between 2000-2008 are not the best engineered cars out there, so expect to pay some big bills if you are not handy with the tools and etc...

With some decent research, you could buy a very well-looked after Porsche and have big fun from this era but issues will always be there.