High miles on Cayman 2.7?
Discussion
Forgive me asking a vague question, but ....
... I'm going to have to find a replacement for my 944 in the next couple of years as I live in Central London and Sadiq Khan plans to tax me £12.50p every time I drive it. There's a thread about it here for anyone who hasn't yet been disgusted by it. I'm contemplating a 2.7 987 Cayman as a replacement.
The snag is that my mode of running cars is to find one I really like and run it for a very long distance and a very long time. I'd had the 944 for nearly 15 years and it's about to tick onto 210,000 miles. I have no concerns about doing another 210,000 miles in it as it is an old bit of German metal and will cope with high mileages without concern, provided it is well looked after (which it is).
So let's wind the clock forward a few years and I have a 987 2.7 Cayman. How do these cars cope with big mileages? I have done the reading about intermix, bore score and bearing failure and I should be as safe as I can be with the 2.7 engine but there is more to the car than the engine. Am I bonkers in hoping for 200,000 miles from this car and engine or is it likely that it will get me there without significant grief. (I fully appreciate that 'significant grief' is a vague term but I don't know how to quantify it better).
In a nutshell, I guess the question is how well do 2.7 Caymans cope with big mileages if well looked after? All wisdom welcomed - thanks!
... I'm going to have to find a replacement for my 944 in the next couple of years as I live in Central London and Sadiq Khan plans to tax me £12.50p every time I drive it. There's a thread about it here for anyone who hasn't yet been disgusted by it. I'm contemplating a 2.7 987 Cayman as a replacement.
The snag is that my mode of running cars is to find one I really like and run it for a very long distance and a very long time. I'd had the 944 for nearly 15 years and it's about to tick onto 210,000 miles. I have no concerns about doing another 210,000 miles in it as it is an old bit of German metal and will cope with high mileages without concern, provided it is well looked after (which it is).
So let's wind the clock forward a few years and I have a 987 2.7 Cayman. How do these cars cope with big mileages? I have done the reading about intermix, bore score and bearing failure and I should be as safe as I can be with the 2.7 engine but there is more to the car than the engine. Am I bonkers in hoping for 200,000 miles from this car and engine or is it likely that it will get me there without significant grief. (I fully appreciate that 'significant grief' is a vague term but I don't know how to quantify it better).
In a nutshell, I guess the question is how well do 2.7 Caymans cope with big mileages if well looked after? All wisdom welcomed - thanks!
Afternoon!
I think you've answered your own question, really. Any car can do big miles if well looked after and Porsches are certainly no exception, it's just being mindful of the mantra - 'Mileage goes out, bills come in'
But they're not all going to be daft-expensive bills because maintaining a modern Porsche isn't the wallet-frightening experience that some might have you believe. There are plenty of 987 / 997 variants out there well into six-figure mileages, but an advantage of a 'Base' Cayman is that you'd lack the complexities (and associated cost of) of systems such as PASM, so come suspension refresh time for example, the cost should be significantly lower than a PASM-equipped car.
The main thing really is driving style. If you're driving the doors off it all the time, then get used to regular bills, but if it's an occasional driver there should be no reason to think it'd serve you well for years.
I think you've answered your own question, really. Any car can do big miles if well looked after and Porsches are certainly no exception, it's just being mindful of the mantra - 'Mileage goes out, bills come in'
But they're not all going to be daft-expensive bills because maintaining a modern Porsche isn't the wallet-frightening experience that some might have you believe. There are plenty of 987 / 997 variants out there well into six-figure mileages, but an advantage of a 'Base' Cayman is that you'd lack the complexities (and associated cost of) of systems such as PASM, so come suspension refresh time for example, the cost should be significantly lower than a PASM-equipped car.
The main thing really is driving style. If you're driving the doors off it all the time, then get used to regular bills, but if it's an occasional driver there should be no reason to think it'd serve you well for years.
2Btoo said:
STiG911, thanks, that's helpful. Do you have any links to owners with high-mileage 987's?
Good point about the base models being easier to maintain. I'm not sure I'd get on with PASM so this sounds like another reason to avoid it on a potential purchase.
Here you go: http://www.planet-9.com/987-cayman-and-boxster-cha...Good point about the base models being easier to maintain. I'm not sure I'd get on with PASM so this sounds like another reason to avoid it on a potential purchase.
Hi, I have had a 08 cayman in with 165,000 miles,running great until timing chain issue, put the exhaust cam timing out which bent all 6 valves on one side, i also see a gen 2 with 126,000 miles, which up to date is still on original clutch, and going strong.
I have an 03 996 on ramp with 186,000 miles.
Chris
I have an 03 996 on ramp with 186,000 miles.
Chris
cd1957 said:
Hi, I have had a 08 cayman in with 165,000 miles,running great until timing chain issue, put the exhaust cam timing out which bent all 6 valves on one side, i also see a gen 2 with 126,000 miles, which up to date is still on original clutch, and going strong.
I have an 03 996 on ramp with 186,000 miles.
Chris
Awesome numbers on the Cayman. That’s some driving! I have an 03 996 on ramp with 186,000 miles.
Chris
Helpful comments all, thanks. Good real life examples there Chris - what happened with the timing chain on the Cayman? Was it meant to have been changed but wasn't, or did something let go unexpectedly?
cmoose, what do you think starts to look dicey on the 2.7 after 150,000 miles? Bores start going oval? Big/little ends wearing out? Crank bearings getting large? Or just that all the peripherals give up (alternator, PAS pump, A/C etc)?
Thanks for your input.
cmoose, what do you think starts to look dicey on the 2.7 after 150,000 miles? Bores start going oval? Big/little ends wearing out? Crank bearings getting large? Or just that all the peripherals give up (alternator, PAS pump, A/C etc)?
Thanks for your input.
Fantastically helpful answer from both - thanks very much. Without wanting to try and predict the future too much I suspect that any Cayman I buy I will keep for at least 10 years, so at 10,000 miles a year I need to buy something with less than 50,000 miles on it. Which is a helpful way of thinking about it.
(£66/exhaust valve? And there will be two per cylinder, so £400 per bank just for valves. Ouch!)
Thanks again for your help. If anyone happens to come across a decent 2.7 Cayman that fits this description then drop me a line ....
(£66/exhaust valve? And there will be two per cylinder, so £400 per bank just for valves. Ouch!)
Thanks again for your help. If anyone happens to come across a decent 2.7 Cayman that fits this description then drop me a line ....
Mines on 107k and going strong, bought last Nov at 96k. Used daily so will do 15k pa. I plan on running up to at least 150k before retiring it.
I got the 2.7 to limit engine issues and the big bills. Paid £10.8k and have spent £2k sorting.
I love the car, it's got a great engine, you can really wind it up without doing 120mph!
I got the 2.7 to limit engine issues and the big bills. Paid £10.8k and have spent £2k sorting.
I love the car, it's got a great engine, you can really wind it up without doing 120mph!
I must admit I love the 2.7. Such a sweet little motor. Hats off to you guys for running them so reguarly. I am quite envious.
Regarding the valves. Seems you can pick up all kinds of them for around the £20 mark on Design911. So looking at a third of the cost of Porsche prices there. If ever rebuilding an engine though I'd always try and go for a set from the likes of Supertech.
Regarding the valves. Seems you can pick up all kinds of them for around the £20 mark on Design911. So looking at a third of the cost of Porsche prices there. If ever rebuilding an engine though I'd always try and go for a set from the likes of Supertech.
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