Cayman curious

Author
Discussion

duncancallum

Original Poster:

858 posts

186 months

Monday 18th November
quotequote all
Very tempted. I would like a 3.4, as id probably kick myself if i didnt go big...

I am a touch nervous about bore scoring issues. Am i right in saying the gen2 has a different block coating and isnt as troublesome?

Basic wish list is 3.4 manual and bose stereo. Anything i should look at and be aware of?

I get usual bits and generic checks, but anything else thats worth a punt?


If its a gen 1 with good bores, by now has the risk passed? Or do i just go gen2

Cheers!

DarkVeil

155 posts

25 months

Monday 18th November
quotequote all
A gen 1 with a rebuilt engine might be the best option, I don't think the gen 1 Cayman S is worth the risk otherwise.

Gen 2 is unfortunately quite rare with a manual, since it was the debut of the PDK and the gen 2 is already quite a rare car to begin with due to the financial crisis at the time it was released.

Billy_Whizzzz

2,145 posts

151 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
Gen 2 entirely different engine altogether

Belle427

9,782 posts

241 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
Gen 2 all day long unless you can find a Gen 1 with full rebuild as suggested but these are few and far between.
Ive not driven either but i wouldnt overlook the 2.9 if the right car comes along as the difference in real world performance is quite small.

Hol

8,756 posts

208 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
I’d go Gen2 CS personally and wait for a good manual to come along.


Get a good one now as the prices will start going up before long and you might be tempted to keep it as a non depreciating asset.

CanAm

10,112 posts

280 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
Belle427 said:
Gen 2 all day long unless you can find a Gen 1 with full rebuild as suggested but these are few and far between.
Ive not driven either but i wouldnt overlook the 2.9 if the right car comes along as the difference in real world performance is quite small.
I have a 2.9 and have not been disappointed by the performance. I also had a Caterham "Superlight deluxe" for many years, which on paper was ½ sec quicker 0-60, (ie about the same as the 3.4) but in the real world there's nothing in it.
Don't rule out a 2.9.

f6box

93 posts

5 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
Hol said:
I’d go Gen2 CS personally and wait for a good manual to come along.


Get a good one now as the prices will start going up before long and you might be tempted to keep it as a non depreciating asset.
Pretty fanciful. Gen 2 prices are falling right now. Don't see them leaping up any time soon.

Here's a manual from a specialist dealer for £15k. OK, it's high miles, but even at this mileage, would have been a fair bit more even 12 months ago.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411116...

Don't think the styling is widely liked, which is what I think will hold bsck values in the medium to long term.


duncancallum

Original Poster:

858 posts

186 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
Thanks all..

I mean if a gen 1 is say 6k under a gen 2... whats the cost of a clutch/rebuild...

As i supose thats the other way of looking at it.

Hants PHer

6,041 posts

119 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
I've given some thought to a manual 987.2 Cayman S. They're typically priced around £20,000 and there aren't many around. A newer, lower mileage 981 S will usually be £30,000 ish so the earlier car looks like a good purchase perhaps.

However, these cars are now often 15 years old, and there's some expensive potential bills lurking. Coolant hoses and crossover pipes are a "when not if" item that costs £1,000 plus to have fixed. Suspension components may be rather tired by now, brake pipes are likely to have corroded and the car may well need new discs and pads too. Then there's the gear linkage cables, leaking condensers and corroded exhaust fittings.

The trick is finding one whose owner(s) have kept on top of those things. If they haven't - and regular servicing may not have addressed them - one might be looking at a bill of £000's to get sorted. That would be at a specialist; if you can DIY it'd cost much less, to be fair.

CanAm

10,112 posts

280 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
CanAm said:
f6box said:
Pretty fanciful. Gen 2 prices are falling right now. Don't see them leaping up any time soon.

Here's a manual from a specialist dealer for £15k. OK, it's high miles, but even at this mileage, would have been a fair bit more even 12 months ago.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411116...

Don't think the styling is widely liked, which is what I think will hold bsck values in the medium to long term.
yikes Wash your mouth out with soap and water!
(though I must admit that I prefer the subtle shanges to the tailgate area in the 981)

DarkVeil

155 posts

25 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
f6box said:
Hol said:
I’d go Gen2 CS personally and wait for a good manual to come along.


Get a good one now as the prices will start going up before long and you might be tempted to keep it as a non depreciating asset.
Pretty fanciful. Gen 2 prices are falling right now. Don't see them leaping up any time soon.

Here's a manual from a specialist dealer for £15k. OK, it's high miles, but even at this mileage, would have been a fair bit more even 12 months ago.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411116...

Don't think the styling is widely liked, which is what I think will hold bsck values in the medium to long term.
It's also one of the most basic specced Cayman S that I've seen. No leather interior, no satnav, no pasm, no sport mode, just sports seats.

duncancallum

Original Poster:

858 posts

186 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
I can DIY, ive a big garage and I am considering a ramp.

I also have a good local guy for stuff i cant be arsed to do.


Part of me says I am being daft. But thats getting drowned out by just buy one and stop being a worrier!

Belle427

9,782 posts

241 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
Have a look at this guys journey with a Gen 1.
https://youtu.be/iVHJAKQzHjw?si=1giMIJhgMNgYHfSj

I'd agree about finding a car that at least has had some of the work done makes a lot of sense and less of a headache for you.

SmokeyB

11 posts

45 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
My 3.4 987.1 has 105k on it and (probably) no bore scoring. A bit of white smoke on startup but no ticking and the AOS has been changed by me.
I do struggle to get it to pass emissions tests every MOT though and it does like to drink oil so the engine is showing signs of wear.

Hartech rebuild cost (with them taking the engine out of the car for you) is north of £10k so I'd struggle to justify the cost as the car isn't worth more than that.

Having said that, she's absolutely beautiful from almost any angle, sounds glorious and gives a better mpg than my 2022 Evoque.
I treat the car as a bit of a project, so if/when things go wrong I will have a go at fixing it myself - not sure about doing an engine rebuild but so far I've not needed to think about that.

SV_WDC

817 posts

97 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
I agree, don't rule out the gen 2, 2.9 engine. You'll be doing the speed limit in second gear anyway so something to consider.

Gen 1 CS yes bore scores, the 2.7 less of an issue for this but worth checking the service history & potentially some sort of PDI if buying privately.

If you search 'Porsche Cayman buyers guide,' then both Pistonheads & PCGB have detailed articles on what to look for, as well as informing you on replacement costs.

DarkVeil

155 posts

25 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
duncancallum said:
Thanks all..

I mean if a gen 1 is say 6k under a gen 2... whats the cost of a clutch/rebuild...

As i supose thats the other way of looking at it.
A clutch replacement is about £1000+vat at a Porsche specialist. From what I've heard an engine rebuild due to bore score is above £10,000

paulguitar

26,866 posts

121 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
Billy_Whizzzz said:
Gen 2 entirely different engine altogether
It's an entirely different engine.



Hol

8,756 posts

208 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
f6box said:
Hol said:
I’d go Gen2 CS personally and wait for a good manual to come along.


Get a good one now as the prices will start going up before long and you might be tempted to keep it as a non depreciating asset.
Pretty fanciful. Gen 2 prices are falling right now. Don't see them leaping up any time soon.

Here's a manual from a specialist dealer for £15k. OK, it's high miles, but even at this mileage, would have been a fair bit more even 12 months ago.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411116...

Don't think the styling is widely liked, which is what I think will hold bsck values in the medium to long term.
Not really. It’s happened for a lot of sports cars after reaching 15 years of age.




LennyM1984

777 posts

76 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
duncancallum said:
I can DIY, ive a big garage and I am considering a ramp = just buy one and stop being a worrier!
I've corrected that for you!

I've had a few different Porsches for a while now and if you can do the work yourself, they really aren't expensive to own. The parts themselves are not unduly expensive and there is a decent amount of aftermarket support these days

Discs and pads all round can be done for less than £250, suspension arms are typically ~£100 each, coolant pipes aren't too expensive (can't remember how much I paid for mine but it certainly wasn't crazy and it wasn't a particularly difficult job)... etc etc.

Get one with a decent engine (personally I would avoid a Gen1 3.4 but it depends on your attitude to risk) and you will be fine. My current Cayman has now done 116k and probably 40+ track days in my ownership... it has never let me down.

Monkeylegend

27,232 posts

239 months

Tuesday 19th November
quotequote all
paulguitar said:
Billy_Whizzzz said:
Gen 2 entirely different engine altogether
It's an entirely different engine.
1....2.....3

smile