987 Cayman - Tell me to man up or get out ....
Discussion
Guys,
I'm looking for a 987 Cayman. I've read the entire internet and it seems that the 2.7 is the one to go for and cmoose on here says that those without the full leather interiors feel like Korean shopping cars so I can't contemplate one with plastic on the dashboard and door cards. I really really don't want a black car with a black interior and I'm going to own it for a long while so want a decent one. Manual, natch. Money is available for the right car and I've been looking at the classifieds since before Christmas until my eyes have gone funny.
Few cars fit my description but this one does;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Porsche-Cayman-2-7-57-2...
It's about an hour from home, ticks all the boxes, I've called the seller and he sounds pretty genuine and I've booked to go and have a squiz. But .... I'm having cold feet. What about? Well, about the fact that the 2.7 does occasionally bore score (although Barry from Hartech says they are pretty bombproof), about the fact that it has PASM so the replacement shock absorbers that it will need within 5 minutes of me buying it will cost a fortune, it's on the original clutch which will need to be replaced about 10 minutes after those shock absorbers, the seller tells me that there is no record of the radiators or air-con wotsits having been changed so those are at the end of their lives too, it's suspiciously cheap and the seller has admitted he's struggling to sell it and so I could be buying a moneypit.
What should I do? My questions are whether anyone has a really good Buyers Guide which I could print out (PCGB has one but it's not very specific and talks generally about the models on offer. The Pistonheads one isn't much better). I am practical and want to know what knackered air-con wotsits look like, how to spot a rusty radiator (yes, I look at it - simples! But where should I be looking?), how to tell a clutch that is at the end of it's life and - all importantly - how to spot bore score.
How does the PASM system cope with high mileages? Normal shock absorbers rarely last 100,000 miles - do the PASM ones last longer? Will these be knackered? What goes wrong with them? New ones are fearsomely expensive.
My options are to go and have a look at this one or to pull the plug and find one with fewer miles OR to find the extra cash and find a 2.9 Gen2 model, which are meant to be more reliable. If I am going to pull the plug on this one then I want to do so as soon as possible in order to avoid messing the seller around as he sounds like a decent guy.
Should I get a Pre-Purchase Inspection done on it? If so then where? It would need to be local to Horsham. Can anyone recommend somewhere to take it? I am practical (I've maintained my old 944 for the last 15 years) but don't know much about the Cayman model.
What would you do? All suggestions welcome!
Thanks in advance.
I'm looking for a 987 Cayman. I've read the entire internet and it seems that the 2.7 is the one to go for and cmoose on here says that those without the full leather interiors feel like Korean shopping cars so I can't contemplate one with plastic on the dashboard and door cards. I really really don't want a black car with a black interior and I'm going to own it for a long while so want a decent one. Manual, natch. Money is available for the right car and I've been looking at the classifieds since before Christmas until my eyes have gone funny.
Few cars fit my description but this one does;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Porsche-Cayman-2-7-57-2...
It's about an hour from home, ticks all the boxes, I've called the seller and he sounds pretty genuine and I've booked to go and have a squiz. But .... I'm having cold feet. What about? Well, about the fact that the 2.7 does occasionally bore score (although Barry from Hartech says they are pretty bombproof), about the fact that it has PASM so the replacement shock absorbers that it will need within 5 minutes of me buying it will cost a fortune, it's on the original clutch which will need to be replaced about 10 minutes after those shock absorbers, the seller tells me that there is no record of the radiators or air-con wotsits having been changed so those are at the end of their lives too, it's suspiciously cheap and the seller has admitted he's struggling to sell it and so I could be buying a moneypit.
What should I do? My questions are whether anyone has a really good Buyers Guide which I could print out (PCGB has one but it's not very specific and talks generally about the models on offer. The Pistonheads one isn't much better). I am practical and want to know what knackered air-con wotsits look like, how to spot a rusty radiator (yes, I look at it - simples! But where should I be looking?), how to tell a clutch that is at the end of it's life and - all importantly - how to spot bore score.
How does the PASM system cope with high mileages? Normal shock absorbers rarely last 100,000 miles - do the PASM ones last longer? Will these be knackered? What goes wrong with them? New ones are fearsomely expensive.
My options are to go and have a look at this one or to pull the plug and find one with fewer miles OR to find the extra cash and find a 2.9 Gen2 model, which are meant to be more reliable. If I am going to pull the plug on this one then I want to do so as soon as possible in order to avoid messing the seller around as he sounds like a decent guy.
Should I get a Pre-Purchase Inspection done on it? If so then where? It would need to be local to Horsham. Can anyone recommend somewhere to take it? I am practical (I've maintained my old 944 for the last 15 years) but don't know much about the Cayman model.
What would you do? All suggestions welcome!
Thanks in advance.
Get a good pre-purchase check, then get it bought!
Bore score on the 2.7 is so rare you really shouldn't worry about it. It has the larger IMS bearing so that's not going to worry you too much either.
At that mileage, I'd be surprised if the suspension hasn't already been refreshed to some extent anyway - even non-PASM cars will have had various bits (coffin arms, drop links etc) replaced by this age / mileage.
I'm running a 987S, slightly older that this one and without PASM. I typically budget £1500 / year for running costs on light use and keeping the car in good shape. That Cayman has had recent disks / pads plus coil packs, so those will be good for a while - I'd check the history to see which brand was used though especially with the disks - ideally you're looking for Brembo parts.
My plan would be:
- pre-purchase inspection to identify any major issues and items that need replacement soon.
- assuming no horrors in the inspection, **buy it**
- plan a 'major' service to fix items mentioned in the PP inspection. This is what I did with mine - shipped it off to Revolution Porsche for IMS upgrade, engine mounts, AOS, clutch replacement, new disks & pads plus a 'major' service with new coil packs. Also negotiated the price down based on these requirements.
I'm now planning a 'front end' rebuild for mine to include new rads, air con rads coolant pipes etc. This is preventative as there are no problems at present, but I'll get all these items replaced before they fail and cause a bigger problem. If you plan proper preventative maintenance then these are great cars to run and shouldn't let you down.
Bore score on the 2.7 is so rare you really shouldn't worry about it. It has the larger IMS bearing so that's not going to worry you too much either.
At that mileage, I'd be surprised if the suspension hasn't already been refreshed to some extent anyway - even non-PASM cars will have had various bits (coffin arms, drop links etc) replaced by this age / mileage.
I'm running a 987S, slightly older that this one and without PASM. I typically budget £1500 / year for running costs on light use and keeping the car in good shape. That Cayman has had recent disks / pads plus coil packs, so those will be good for a while - I'd check the history to see which brand was used though especially with the disks - ideally you're looking for Brembo parts.
My plan would be:
- pre-purchase inspection to identify any major issues and items that need replacement soon.
- assuming no horrors in the inspection, **buy it**
- plan a 'major' service to fix items mentioned in the PP inspection. This is what I did with mine - shipped it off to Revolution Porsche for IMS upgrade, engine mounts, AOS, clutch replacement, new disks & pads plus a 'major' service with new coil packs. Also negotiated the price down based on these requirements.
I'm now planning a 'front end' rebuild for mine to include new rads, air con rads coolant pipes etc. This is preventative as there are no problems at present, but I'll get all these items replaced before they fail and cause a bigger problem. If you plan proper preventative maintenance then these are great cars to run and shouldn't let you down.
David,
Thanks. Sanity. I need it.
The current owner has had it around 2 years and it's had quite a lot of owners (5+). He doesn't think there has been any work done on the suspension nor does he think that the radiators at the front have been changed either. My thoughts mirror yours though; they are unlikely to have lasted this long without being changed so there may well be work done at some time in the past.
PPI is an idea. Can anyone recommend somewhere near to Horsham who would do such a thing? I would rather pay a knowledgeable mechanic who knows Caymans well to spend an hour looking over the car with me and give an honest assessment than to pay a lot for a million-point check which will tell me that there are some chips on the windscreen and a big report which I will never read in full. Parr are the local Porsche specialists but they fall very much in the latter camp and the thick end of £280 is a bit steep.
Thanks again for your help.
Thanks. Sanity. I need it.
The current owner has had it around 2 years and it's had quite a lot of owners (5+). He doesn't think there has been any work done on the suspension nor does he think that the radiators at the front have been changed either. My thoughts mirror yours though; they are unlikely to have lasted this long without being changed so there may well be work done at some time in the past.
PPI is an idea. Can anyone recommend somewhere near to Horsham who would do such a thing? I would rather pay a knowledgeable mechanic who knows Caymans well to spend an hour looking over the car with me and give an honest assessment than to pay a lot for a million-point check which will tell me that there are some chips on the windscreen and a big report which I will never read in full. Parr are the local Porsche specialists but they fall very much in the latter camp and the thick end of £280 is a bit steep.
Thanks again for your help.
You're not the only sceptic out there by any stretch, and I'm at the outer end of the scale when it comes to being paranoid, but I'd have said that the research you've done would have brought me to exactly the same conclusions as you if I'd wanted a Cayman. I went the Boxster route, and settled on the compromise of a 987.1 3.2 for relative reliability and hopefully straightforward resale when the time comes. So far, so good, 3 years in with this one, 77k miles and nothing to report.
I wouldn't have touched a Cayman S, don't like what I read about the 3.4, it would have been a 2.7 for me every time. Buy the best you can find, you'll learn to relax after a while.
I wouldn't have touched a Cayman S, don't like what I read about the 3.4, it would have been a 2.7 for me every time. Buy the best you can find, you'll learn to relax after a while.
Andy,
Thanks. I think the Bore Score was bothering me more this morning. I've now switched to worrying about the PASM shock absorbers. Great to be me, huh?
I think the problem is that I know my current car (944) inside out and there is little that I have not done on it myself. A Cayman is a much newer, much more complex proposition and I simply don't know what I am looking at. And I HATE uncertainty.
'Learn to relax after a while'. That's helpful, thanks. How long is 'a while'?
Oli.
Thanks. I think the Bore Score was bothering me more this morning. I've now switched to worrying about the PASM shock absorbers. Great to be me, huh?
I think the problem is that I know my current car (944) inside out and there is little that I have not done on it myself. A Cayman is a much newer, much more complex proposition and I simply don't know what I am looking at. And I HATE uncertainty.
'Learn to relax after a while'. That's helpful, thanks. How long is 'a while'?
Oli.
From my experience the Sports Chrono doesn't mean it will have the 6-speed gearbox. However I think it is vary rare option on this model.
I think for the price, you've found yourself a very good car and either "man up and take it or get out" I've had a brief look and cannot find anything similar for the money. £10k for £60k's worth of car, you cannot expect it to be perfect.
Any car purchase has its risks. My last purchase from factory, had the gear box fail after 3 months. So there really are no guarantees.
Personal note, really like the colour combo.
I think for the price, you've found yourself a very good car and either "man up and take it or get out" I've had a brief look and cannot find anything similar for the money. £10k for £60k's worth of car, you cannot expect it to be perfect.
Any car purchase has its risks. My last purchase from factory, had the gear box fail after 3 months. So there really are no guarantees.
Personal note, really like the colour combo.
Ha, i've had my eye on that too - he's just relisted it -£250 (but you probably already knew that). I think the combination of high miles / overly honest description (stone chips in glass etc) are maybe putting some people off (and red/grey is not everyones favourite combination, though I love it...).
But the one thing I have noticed, and wanted to impart, is *everything* seems to be sticking at the moment - 11 out of 12 cars on my eBay watch list have been re-listed (some more than once) - so I guess the market is slow.
Make sure you report back and tell us about it though! I'm sure you'll know if its good or not. I too have been focused on the 2.7 (for various reliability reasons) though not dead set yet on either a Cayman or Boxster 986/987 (or a 997 with a whole new list of 'foibles' to read up on!) - so would be keen on your feedback*
Happy hunting!
But the one thing I have noticed, and wanted to impart, is *everything* seems to be sticking at the moment - 11 out of 12 cars on my eBay watch list have been re-listed (some more than once) - so I guess the market is slow.
Make sure you report back and tell us about it though! I'm sure you'll know if its good or not. I too have been focused on the 2.7 (for various reliability reasons) though not dead set yet on either a Cayman or Boxster 986/987 (or a 997 with a whole new list of 'foibles' to read up on!) - so would be keen on your feedback*
Happy hunting!
- I have a small sea/different country issue that is making my search challenging/requiring serious commitment!
I have good experiences of Carrera Performance in Horsham and others recommend them too. I don't know of their specific Cayman experience as I've used them for 911 work including a PPI for one I sold (for the buyer). I would think they'd do a good job.
Buying a 10k cayman and having to embark on a load of stuff doesn't make sense, so you have to make sure of its condition. I ran a similar age and price boxster for a couple of years with no issues (apart from the hood breaking), but the shocks were knacked which ruined the driving experience. I decided in the end to sell and move on rather than embark on a suspension project.
FWIW, I have just had the PASM dampers on my 997 GT3 rebuilt by Bilstein and Centre Gravity did all the work - took the suspension apart, sent the shocks off, put it back together and set it up. All in cost was about £2k. I think (possibly wrongly) that CG do generate reasonably chunky bills. So you might pay a little less elsewhere.
HTH
Bert
Buying a 10k cayman and having to embark on a load of stuff doesn't make sense, so you have to make sure of its condition. I ran a similar age and price boxster for a couple of years with no issues (apart from the hood breaking), but the shocks were knacked which ruined the driving experience. I decided in the end to sell and move on rather than embark on a suspension project.
FWIW, I have just had the PASM dampers on my 997 GT3 rebuilt by Bilstein and Centre Gravity did all the work - took the suspension apart, sent the shocks off, put it back together and set it up. All in cost was about £2k. I think (possibly wrongly) that CG do generate reasonably chunky bills. So you might pay a little less elsewhere.
HTH
Bert
2Btoo said:
Andy,
Thanks. I think the Bore Score was bothering me more this morning. I've now switched to worrying about the PASM shock absorbers. Great to be me, huh?
I think the problem is that I know my current car (944) inside out and there is little that I have not done on it myself. A Cayman is a much newer, much more complex proposition and I simply don't know what I am looking at. And I HATE uncertainty.
'Learn to relax after a while'. That's helpful, thanks. How long is 'a while'?
Oli.
I'm a serial Jap car owner since the early 90s, my first foray into German stuff ended in disaster with a Corrado VR6 that proved itself to be the most unreliable car I hope I ever own. I was so shellshocked by the experience that it took me 14 years to get over the trauma and have another go, at which point I didn't do things by halves and bought an undamaged 2005 Boxster S to use and a damaged 2010 Gen 2 Boxster S to repair. Thanks. I think the Bore Score was bothering me more this morning. I've now switched to worrying about the PASM shock absorbers. Great to be me, huh?
I think the problem is that I know my current car (944) inside out and there is little that I have not done on it myself. A Cayman is a much newer, much more complex proposition and I simply don't know what I am looking at. And I HATE uncertainty.
'Learn to relax after a while'. That's helpful, thanks. How long is 'a while'?
Oli.
My best mate bought the the Gen 2 after it was repaired, still has it 3 years later and loves it. I didn't really like the 2005 car and sold it pretty quickly to help fund a house purchase, but I bought another one 6 months later, and I've come right round to it. I've still got a 2003 Evo and a 1988 Mk1 MR2, and if something had to go it would be the Porsche, but that's just my preference for Jap stuff ultimately. It took me a while to relax into Porsche ownership, more a case of just getting sick of worrying about it and getting into the habit of driving the thing as much and as hard as possible, which is what they seem to thrive on. It hasn't cost me anything more than servicing and tyres in the time I've had it, admittedly only done about 6k miles in it though.
I'd have said a 2.7 Cayman is about as least worrisome as they come in that generation of Boxsters and Caymans. Don't even need to worry about the roof on that!
If your just looking to scratch the Porsche itch go for a gen1 2.7 buying wisely should let you have some fun and get a good proportion of your outlay back, or if its a long term keeper you have in mind find a gen2 2.9 or 3.4 S either of them won't disappoint as they are both superb driving cars but the power of the 3.4 is worth the extra cost.
Oh and I wouldn't get hung up on having full leather the standard dash is perfectly fine, Bose is crap as is the sat-nav as long as it has three pedals and a flat six engine your good to go, wheel size is Marmite I love the look of 19's on mine and it seems to ride just fine.
You have done the right thing doing your homework first...good luck and don't forget to post pictures we will want to see your car.
Oh and I wouldn't get hung up on having full leather the standard dash is perfectly fine, Bose is crap as is the sat-nav as long as it has three pedals and a flat six engine your good to go, wheel size is Marmite I love the look of 19's on mine and it seems to ride just fine.
You have done the right thing doing your homework first...good luck and don't forget to post pictures we will want to see your car.
Guys,
Thanks for the replies. The colour combo is why I am looking at this car but I am very aware that it is also one of the reasons why it has not sold. As J44esd said, Caymans seem to be selling very slowly and it's been said elsewhere that those with coloured interiors are the slowest sellers of the lot. I know my tastes are abnormal but that which I like will make it hard for me to sell on in future, so I am approaching with care.
Stockman, thanks for the comments about the Sports Chrono. I think it has the 5-speed box. The 6-speed would put it up a tax group and that would put me off buying it.
BertBert, thanks for the Carrera Performance recommendation. It seems that they have a good rep on here and I've booked it in there for a PPI on Thursday morning.
Heavho - thanks. A dud VR6 Corrado shows that there are even bad examples of great cars!
Klippie, you've raised the age old 2.7 vs 2.9 argument you bad lad! I'm buying a car to keep long-term if at all possible. However I have always been more into handling and delicacy of drive rather than straight forward performance and the 2.7 is meant to be a lovely engine so it'll do to start with ...
Thanks again for your help.
Thanks for the replies. The colour combo is why I am looking at this car but I am very aware that it is also one of the reasons why it has not sold. As J44esd said, Caymans seem to be selling very slowly and it's been said elsewhere that those with coloured interiors are the slowest sellers of the lot. I know my tastes are abnormal but that which I like will make it hard for me to sell on in future, so I am approaching with care.
Stockman, thanks for the comments about the Sports Chrono. I think it has the 5-speed box. The 6-speed would put it up a tax group and that would put me off buying it.
BertBert, thanks for the Carrera Performance recommendation. It seems that they have a good rep on here and I've booked it in there for a PPI on Thursday morning.
Heavho - thanks. A dud VR6 Corrado shows that there are even bad examples of great cars!
Klippie, you've raised the age old 2.7 vs 2.9 argument you bad lad! I'm buying a car to keep long-term if at all possible. However I have always been more into handling and delicacy of drive rather than straight forward performance and the 2.7 is meant to be a lovely engine so it'll do to start with ...
Thanks again for your help.
cmoose,
Thanks. A set of 17's will be on the shopping list for the future. Hopefully I'll be able to change from the things that are on there at the moment (19's?) and even make a little money on the deal.
The 2.7 should be similar performance to my S2 which is more than fast enough for me at the moment. Chasing power is a never-ending game which gets expensive very quickly and I'm lucky enough that I still have my licence with the current car so more performance would not help. (If it would work as an only car then my dream would probably be a small-engined Caterham, but a wife and certain other practical requirements means that this isn't really an option.)
Thanks. A set of 17's will be on the shopping list for the future. Hopefully I'll be able to change from the things that are on there at the moment (19's?) and even make a little money on the deal.
The 2.7 should be similar performance to my S2 which is more than fast enough for me at the moment. Chasing power is a never-ending game which gets expensive very quickly and I'm lucky enough that I still have my licence with the current car so more performance would not help. (If it would work as an only car then my dream would probably be a small-engined Caterham, but a wife and certain other practical requirements means that this isn't really an option.)
We sold two 987S Gen 1 Caymans last year that had been in the family for several years, one with 78K and the other with 97K. At this age and mileage, the suspension will be pretty saggy and rattly if it hasn't already been sorted. The recent MOT history on the car you're looking at shows an advisory on play in a steering joint. You could probably patch it up but if it was me, with a view to hanging on to the car for a while, I'd consider a full suspension overhaul. I'm not sure the PASM dampers on this model (unlike the GT3) are rebuildable. My 78K car had PASM and I recall pricing up a set of dampers at around £1300 a couple of years before I sold it. I did replace front springs, top mounts and bearings and coffin arms but held off on the dampers and other components at around 65K as I was contemplating selling it.
I changed the clutch and flywheel at 58K on that car due to a problem with the release bearing but the actual clutch plate had plenty of wear left. My son's car had a clutch failure around 95K (original clutch, cracked pressure plate) but although the pedal was heavy, again the friction plate had plenty of wear left.
Like clunky tired suspension, a heavy clutch does detract from the driving pleasure. Having said that, even though my Son's car had never had any suspension replacement work, it was a joy to drive (apart from the occasional clunk!), due to the alignment settings. These cars really benefit from a good alignment, even more so if you max out the front negative camber. Conversely, the handling can be spoiled if the alignment is a little out.
I replaced the metal coolant pipes on my car but my son's were original but clearly on the way out. So as has been said, they should be on the to-do list.
If the aircon condensors haven't been replaced, I'd be amazed if the aircon still works (unless it has recently been topped up, in which case, don't expect it to last). I changed condensors in both cars but coolant rads were still ok when the cars were sold. My regular maintenance routine included bumper removal to allow the condensors and rads to be separated to clean out the crud that gets trapped between the two, which probably extends their life.
Discs and pads are consumables but pretty cheap. I've used Pagid discs and Pagid or Textar pads on a number of our Boxsters and Caymans without any problems (but road use only).
Both our cars had TPMS and the sensors have a 6-7 year life and are not cheap but that was a rare option on the 987.
I previously owned a number of 944s and 968s and if you are comfortable DIY'ing those, you shouldn't have a problem. All of the above was DIY on my part (plus more I've not mentioned). My only advice is to get a Durametric diagnostic cable. Not cheap but they are easy to sell if you move on, and apart from the factory PIWIS testers, are I believe the only aftermarket tester that can read all the modules in the car, not just the OBD2 compliant ones.
My final advice is, don't rule out the 3.4S. Yes, they do bore score but I personally am convinced that if you buy a good one, you can keep it that way by good maintenance, a careful warm up routine and never ever labouring the motor at low RPM.
Good luck, the 987 Gen 1 is a great car. I just wish I could get to love my 981S like I did my 987!
I changed the clutch and flywheel at 58K on that car due to a problem with the release bearing but the actual clutch plate had plenty of wear left. My son's car had a clutch failure around 95K (original clutch, cracked pressure plate) but although the pedal was heavy, again the friction plate had plenty of wear left.
Like clunky tired suspension, a heavy clutch does detract from the driving pleasure. Having said that, even though my Son's car had never had any suspension replacement work, it was a joy to drive (apart from the occasional clunk!), due to the alignment settings. These cars really benefit from a good alignment, even more so if you max out the front negative camber. Conversely, the handling can be spoiled if the alignment is a little out.
I replaced the metal coolant pipes on my car but my son's were original but clearly on the way out. So as has been said, they should be on the to-do list.
If the aircon condensors haven't been replaced, I'd be amazed if the aircon still works (unless it has recently been topped up, in which case, don't expect it to last). I changed condensors in both cars but coolant rads were still ok when the cars were sold. My regular maintenance routine included bumper removal to allow the condensors and rads to be separated to clean out the crud that gets trapped between the two, which probably extends their life.
Discs and pads are consumables but pretty cheap. I've used Pagid discs and Pagid or Textar pads on a number of our Boxsters and Caymans without any problems (but road use only).
Both our cars had TPMS and the sensors have a 6-7 year life and are not cheap but that was a rare option on the 987.
I previously owned a number of 944s and 968s and if you are comfortable DIY'ing those, you shouldn't have a problem. All of the above was DIY on my part (plus more I've not mentioned). My only advice is to get a Durametric diagnostic cable. Not cheap but they are easy to sell if you move on, and apart from the factory PIWIS testers, are I believe the only aftermarket tester that can read all the modules in the car, not just the OBD2 compliant ones.
My final advice is, don't rule out the 3.4S. Yes, they do bore score but I personally am convinced that if you buy a good one, you can keep it that way by good maintenance, a careful warm up routine and never ever labouring the motor at low RPM.
Good luck, the 987 Gen 1 is a great car. I just wish I could get to love my 981S like I did my 987!
If you would be doing your garden, and asking the question; Stone patio or wooden deck? Many experts would recommend you to save money and do a Stone patio. (Wooden deck is cheap, but would need loads of maintenance, ages badly and you do not want rats or spiders living underneath!)
When it comes to porsche of this era, I think the usual recommendation just save money and buy gen2 (boxster or 911).
The last time I've checked, there were fairly good used gen2 2.9 boxsters were around 13-16k. I would aim for those, rather than spending 10k on any gen1. They are both brilliant cars, its just I would hate to own another m96/m97 engine, wondering what and when things might go wrong again!
When it comes to porsche of this era, I think the usual recommendation just save money and buy gen2 (boxster or 911).
The last time I've checked, there were fairly good used gen2 2.9 boxsters were around 13-16k. I would aim for those, rather than spending 10k on any gen1. They are both brilliant cars, its just I would hate to own another m96/m97 engine, wondering what and when things might go wrong again!
ooid said:
If you would be doing your garden, and asking the question; Stone patio or wooden deck? Many experts would recommend you to save money and do a Stone patio. (Wooden deck is cheap, but would need loads of maintenance, ages badly and you do not want rats or spiders living underneath!)
When it comes to porsche of this era, I think the usual recommendation just save money and buy gen2 (boxster or 911).
The last time I've checked, there were fairly good used gen2 2.9 boxsters were around 13-16k. I would aim for those, rather than spending 10k on any gen1. They are both brilliant cars, its just I would hate to own another m96/m97 engine, wondering what and when things might go wrong again!
Yes, absolutely. However a 2.9 (i.e. Gen2) would cost £16k and more. That's another 60% on the price of this one. I don't know for sure but I'd wager that £6k would buy me a clutch and flywheel, suspension rebuild and put a big dent in the cost of a full engine rebuild from Hartech. Yes a 2.9 would be more reliable but it too would need the clutch, suspension and other bits doing when anno domini has taken it's hit. Finding that extra £6k would be quite possible but I'm not sure I want to spend that much on a car just now. When it comes to porsche of this era, I think the usual recommendation just save money and buy gen2 (boxster or 911).
The last time I've checked, there were fairly good used gen2 2.9 boxsters were around 13-16k. I would aim for those, rather than spending 10k on any gen1. They are both brilliant cars, its just I would hate to own another m96/m97 engine, wondering what and when things might go wrong again!
(Famous last words these. I'm keeping my fingers WELL AND TRULY crossed.
)jamesx19 said:
Addspeed in Horsham are good, experienced in Porsche and reasonably priced. I found Parr's to be condescendingly short on information to concerned buyer questions and quite happy charging double the amount Addspeed wanted for a PPI. Just my experience. Good luck with your search OP.
Thanks, that's helpful. The last service on the car was done by Addspeed, and if they are good then hopefully they will have picked up anything serious wrong with it. 2Btoo said:
Guys,
cmoose on here says that those without the full leather interiors feel like Korean shopping cars so I can't contemplate one with plastic on the dashboard and door cards.
Plenty prefer the leather interior but the plastic dash is absolutely fine and some prefer it. To rule out a good car as it doesn't have cow on the dash would be rather foolish IMHO. If you have ever actually driven any Korean shopping cars you will immediately recognise that the Porsche plastic dash is somewhat of a different proposition. cmoose on here says that those without the full leather interiors feel like Korean shopping cars so I can't contemplate one with plastic on the dashboard and door cards.
PaulD86 said:
Plenty prefer the leather interior but the plastic dash is absolutely fine and some prefer it. To rule out a good car as it doesn't have cow on the dash would be rather foolish IMHO. If you have ever actually driven any Korean shopping cars you will immediately recognise that the Porsche plastic dash is somewhat of a different proposition.
Oh stop it! The aim of this thread was to talk me into going to see this car, not to talk me out of it. All those nice gentlemen above have just about succeeded in that aim, and then you come along and say this .... 
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