Potential Cayman purchase, some advice appreciated

[Gio G]

Hi all,

Just after some advice please from those who know their Cayman's, it has been a while since I bought my last Porsche.

Pending final negotiations, I am looking to get a Cayman 2.7 from an OPC.

It is a black, 2007 model, with 31k miles. Extras are:
black alcantara seats
Sport package, which I believe includes PASM. Is PASM a worthwhile extra?
18” Cayman S wheels, which I understand rides better than the bigger wheels?
Leather sport 3 spoke steering wheel
Rear parking sensors.

Full Porsche history and I am told the car has had 4 new tyres as well new disks and pads front and rear. Has had the last major service in 22/4/11 @ 25k miles, therefore when would the next service be due? Would it be April 2013?

On the face of it, it looks pretty good, I am yet to see and test drive the car, which will try to do at the weekend.

Anything obvious I should check with the OPC before I dive in and sign on the dotted line?

Thanks G

[Trev450]

Yes 2 year service interval so April 2013. Some owners however, myself included, go for an annual oil and filter change.

[Durzel]

Never heard of alcantara seats on the Cayman, thought they were leather as standard and even on the P03 option bucket seats.

"Sport package" can mean anything so you'd best qualify it. It could mean the Sport Mode retrofit option that is available, or Sports Chrono. It is unlikely to mean PASM which is a seperate option.

18" will ride softer than 19".

[Gio G]

Durzel said:

Never heard of alcantara seats on the Cayman, thought they were leather as standard and even on the P03 option bucket seats.

"Sport package" can mean anything so you'd best qualify it. It could mean the Sport Mode retrofit option that is available, or Sports Chrono. It is unlikely to mean PASM which is a seperate option.

18" will ride softer than 19".

Hi,

I think it is black leather and alcantara. The OPC is telling me the "Sports Package" includes:

6 speed gearbox
Sports duel tail pipes
Colour coded grills
PASM
18” Cayman S wheels
Coloured Wheel centers
Leather sport 3 spoke steering wheel

Does this sound right?

[shoestring7]

Gio G said:

Durzel said:

Never heard of alcantara seats on the Cayman, thought they were leather as standard and even on the P03 option bucket seats.

"Sport package" can mean anything so you'd best qualify it. It could mean the Sport Mode retrofit option that is available, or Sports Chrono. It is unlikely to mean PASM which is a seperate option.

18" will ride softer than 19".

Hi,

I think it is black leather and alcantara. The OPC is telling me the "Sports Package" includes:

6 speed gearbox
Sports duel tail pipes
Colour coded grills
PASM
18” Cayman S wheels
Coloured Wheel centers
Leather sport 3 spoke steering wheel

Does this sound right?

They are correct, the 'Sport Package' was an officially listed option that packaged the 6 speed 'box with PASM. Both are very worthwhile extras and with the 18" wheels make for a very usable package on UK roads - even the harder 'Sport' PASM setting is ok on decent tarmac. Watch out for the VED though, the 6 speed 'box might take it into the >225 gm/km band. The pipes, and steering wheel etc. are options.

The alcantara seats were standard Cayman items. IMO they are infinitely preferable to leather (facings only on the 'S'), they are warm in winter, cool in summer and grippy all year round. The opposite of leather then - which doesn't even look and smell nice nowadays. Sadly, the bolsters are hard wearing artificial leather......

While plenty will tell you that the 2.7 is slow, they are wrong. Its plenty for UK roads, and very usable. The 2.7 is a little sweeter, uses a little less fuel, is less likely to have structural engine issues, and 3rd gear runs from 30mph to 105mph.

I had a 2.7 with a very similar spec. It was a brilliant car, much sweeter steering and handling than the 911s.

SS7

[Gio G]

shoestring7 said:

They are correct, the 'Sport Package' was an officially listed option that packaged the 6 speed 'box with PASM. Both are very worthwhile extras and with the 18" wheels make for a very usable package on UK roads - even the harder 'Sport' PASM setting is ok on decent tarmac. Watch out for the VED though, the 6 speed 'box might take it into the >225 gm/km band. The pipes, and steering wheel etc. are options.

The alcantara seats were standard Cayman items. IMO they are infinitely preferable to leather (facings only on the 'S'), they are warm in winter, cool in summer and grippy all year round. The opposite of leather then - which doesn't even look and smell nice nowadays. Sadly, the bolsters are hard wearing artificial leather......

While plenty will tell you that the 2.7 is slow, they are wrong. Its plenty for UK roads, and very usable. The 2.7 is a little sweeter, uses a little less fuel, is less likely to have structural engine issues, and 3rd gear runs from 30mph to 105mph.

I had a 2.7 with a very similar spec. It was a brilliant car, much sweeter steering and handling than the 911s.

SS7

Thanks SS7. Do you think spec is lacking anything? Or sometimes less spec is the better for simplicity?

[hus882]

Gio G said:

Hi all,

Just after some advice please from those who know their Cayman's, it has been a while since I bought my last Porsche.

Pending final negotiations, I am looking to get a Cayman 2.7 from an OPC.

It is a black, 2007 model, with 31k miles. Extras are:
black alcantara seats
Sport package, which I believe includes PASM. Is PASM a worthwhile extra?
18” Cayman S wheels, which I understand rides better than the bigger wheels?
Leather sport 3 spoke steering wheel
Rear parking sensors.

Full Porsche history and I am told the car has had 4 new tyres as well new disks and pads front and rear. Has had the last major service in 22/4/11 @ 25k miles, therefore when would the next service be due? Would it be April 2013?

On the face of it, it looks pretty good, I am yet to see and test drive the car, which will try to do at the weekend.

Anything obvious I should check with the OPC before I dive in and sign on the dotted line?

Thanks G

Based on the contents of the sports pack it seems a good spec to me. The 18's will definitely help soften the ride but as you have PASM it should be even better. As pointed out by another poster check the Tax band as when I was looking at the differences between a Gen 1 & 2 this was quite marked, but I was looking for an S model. A Gen 1 S was in £400+ price band iirc, not sure if that would apply to the non s variant?

Also, maybe an idea to do a little research about any engine issues - these were more predominant in the Gen 1 cars, apparently this was alleviated in the Gen 2 DFI engine.

Good luck

[Actus Reus]

Looks a very nice spec to me - all the essentials. Sports pipes are not the same as PSE though are they? That'd be a nice thing to have - otherwise, great sounding spec and a lovely car. I have an S with quite a few of those toys on too (PASM is very worth having I reckon).

[Gio G]

Many thanks all for the feedback, really appreciate it. Just need to get the deal right...

[Actus Reus]

Good luck, out of interest, which OPC are you using? Hatfield are OK for sales, but I'd now only recommend Cambridge of the local ones, especially for service.

[BubblesNW]

I prefer Bournmouth to Nottingham.

[Actus Reus]

Just found the car too - looks nice. Does occur to me, looking at it, that it lacks PCM and Bose - not a problem in a weekend toy I don't think, but try and use it when negotiating, as when you come to trade it, they'll do the same thing to you!

[esuuv]

I have a virtually identical car, mines an 08 - have had it almost a year and done 10k in it - its brilliant.

The sports pack is the 6 speed box and PASM, the only problem with it is is that the 6 speed puts it in bank k tax - 450 ish instead of 270 for the 5 speed.

Mine has 19's and even on very perfect roads its too firm with the PASM switched to sport especially if you have a passenger.

[Gio G]

Actus Reus said:

Good luck, out of interest, which OPC are you using? Hatfield are OK for sales, but I'd now only recommend Cambridge of the local ones, especially for service.

The car is at Nottingham...

[Gio G]

Actus Reus said:

Just found the car too - looks nice. Does occur to me, looking at it, that it lacks PCM and Bose - not a problem in a weekend toy I don't think, but try and use it when negotiating, as when you come to trade it, they'll do the same thing to you!

Yes, noticed that, however wife will use it for work during the week, 30 minute commute, I will drive at the weekends...She does not have any of these extras in her current, so won't miss it..

[Gio G]

esuuv said:

I have a virtually identical car, mines an 08 - have had it almost a year and done 10k in it - its brilliant.

The sports pack is the 6 speed box and PASM, the only problem with it is is that the 6 speed puts it in bank k tax - 450 ish instead of 270 for the 5 speed.

Mine has 19's and even on very perfect roads its too firm with the PASM switched to sport especially if you have a passenger.

Hmm - I thought it was £270 a year.. Just been told by insurance I will need tracker. I hope it has one fitted....

[Actus Reus]

Try a different insurer would be my advice. Directline insisted that for me on my Boxster and I got one fitted and that MIGHT have caused warranty issues as wasn't Porsche VTS (yours doesn't list the VTS, so probably isn't fitted). esure, for example, don't want a tracker on my Cayman S.

[SonnyM]

Gio G said:

Actus Reus said:

Just found the car too - looks nice. Does occur to me, looking at it, that it lacks PCM and Bose - not a problem in a weekend toy I don't think, but try and use it when negotiating, as when you come to trade it, they'll do the same thing to you!

Yes, noticed that, however wife will use it for work during the week, 30 minute commute, I will drive at the weekends...She does not have any of these extras in her current, so won't miss it..

She wouldn't want use them either as they are both rubbish - ripped mine out completely!

[Trev450]

Actus Reus said:

Try a different insurer would be my advice. Directline insisted that for me on my Boxster and I got one fitted and that MIGHT have caused warranty issues as wasn't Porsche VTS (yours doesn't list the VTS, so probably isn't fitted). esure, for example, don't want a tracker on my Cayman S.

Good advice. My insurer also wanted a tracker fitted prior to purchasing my
Cayman S but quickly withdrew the requirement when I informed them that I'd had other comparable quotes that didn't require one.

[Gio G]

Trev450 said:

Good advice. My insurer also wanted a tracker fitted prior to purchasing my
Cayman S but quickly withdrew the requirement when I informed them that I'd had other comparable quotes that didn't require one.

Yes, that is good advice..