First foray into Porka life - 987 Cayman S
Discussion
Good morning all,
Been a long time lurker, infrequent contributor, but with some time on our hands at home - it seemed a fitting opportunity to document the story of my first plunge into Porsche ownership - grab a cuppa! With our little 92' Mk2 Golf GTI off to stay tucked away at my Mum's abode in February, I fancied something that was fun to drive, could live outside without me going into meltdown every time it rains, exotic-ish, and I could work upon. Then, a chance encounter on faceache marketmisery revealed the car below. The advert was a gem, 'Porsche Cayman' was the title, the description - '2006 Porsche' and one, yes one, out of frame side-shot of the car. The advert was adorned with the asking price of £10k and following a quick message and phone call, the seller revealed he had no service history for the Cayman. Excellent. Common sense at this point intervenes and you step away. OR, you could do the 165 mile round trip to see it.
A cold, wet and very February evening permitted for a glance at her and to meet the gentleman selling. A look around revealed some ok-ish bodywork, worn tyres and minor mechanical negatives (such as the common sloppy gear lever play). On the test drive he revealed he had never checked the oil during his time of ownership and simply bought it as he always wanted one, but with 7 children, it was a little impractical and hasn't been used in a while. Upon parking her up, there was a slightly elevated sound from the lifters - which as most no can be either fine for a long long time, or require further investigation and likely replacement of the failing bank. Oh joy...
Much to the surprise of my other half, I walked away. However on the drive home, it bugged me that the noise from what I assumed was the lifters was so minor and intermittent, that maybe - just maybe - it was worth a punt? I had previously been in discussion with Marque21 in Bridport (who I cannot recommend enough!) about a Cayman, so a quick message to Tim there and a few videos of her idling reviewed revealed that if he was willing to come down a little on price, it might be worth a go. Cash is king, and shamefully I went in low with an offer to the seller. Fast forward to 6am the following morning and we're driving home in the little Cayman having agreed on £7850...
The drive home was lovely, I've previously owned some fast toys, but the mechanical torque, pull and sound of the motor is addictive. The handling was ok-ish, which is a little worrying as these are renowned for being pretty planted. 13 psi in the front n/s tyre wasn't helping, but also, the play in the front suspension multiplied the issue. Still, I was optimistic and fancied thegamble challenge of resurrecting the mini 911.
Pics!! Here she is after a little scrub up for some more in-depth investigation.
So, the initial list - new tyres all round, suspension refresh, gear lever play addressed, oils and filters changed, alignment, general inspection and health check sought. Now, this is where things suddenly became a bit rosier too. Upon cleaning her, I came across a large wallet of receipts, revealing that she had been previously well cared for. Secondly, having spoken to my good friend Rich (a photographer), he revealed that not only did he have one and could impart some wisdom, but also that he works for Porsche! Something I had previously completely overlooked. Being the hero that he is, he arranged for a service book and sent it round to all the service centres that had taken care of her! Service history restored, stamped and verified.
It is worth noting that although I'm confident with tools, I have never taken on major work before, so a lot of the below have been 'first times' for me, go easy PH.
So, first up - a detail. Yep, make it look shiny first before anything of mechanical importance. I jest, my friend Max has just started up a detailing venture and as such he was itching to have a crack at the somewhat deflated and marred paintwork.
During:
Some afters:
Now, excitement had the better of me and after enjoying a few too many Belgian beers, I'd procured a stainless TopGear cat back exhaust (local firm), eibach springs and Design911 spacers. Max and I had the day set aside after the detail to fit the exhaust, which was ideal, as precisely 3 hours in and having sheered off only one bolt - I decided that it was best someone else took on this horrible challenge. She was promptly driven to Vas Works near myself and left in their capable hands to fit the springs and exhaust. 3 Days later and she was back!
Certainly was sitting a lot prettier in the arches, was making the right noises, and whilst there Gary had replaced the de-laminated handbrake shoes and seized cables, meaning it wasn't going to roll off the driveway.
I then fitted the spacers (some subtle 10mm for anyone wondering), replaced the airfilter for a K&N performance item and de-snorkled her. My private plate had arrived and was duly adhered to the nose. Time for an early morning blat to the wonderful Haynes Breakfast meet.
The drive home through the rolling hills of Dorset was probably one of my favourite jaunts ever. So what next? Well, I replaced the oil for some Millers nanotech and a suitable K&N oil filter, cleared out the radiator intakes from the years of debris, and booked her in for a map (there was a horrible flat spot since the Cat delete of the exhaust).
Whilst at the garage, I noticed a small oil leak under the rear - had I neglected to tighten the filter housing sufficiently? The drain bolt? Nope, it was the fabled timing chain drain bolt seal failure:-
A quote of £200 to replace the gaskets, sealing washer etc revealed that maybe some DIY was needed. However, requiring to lock the timing in place, let alone the cramped working space, had me nervous. Joyous resolve though when a bit of digging revealed that if you are VERY careful, you can crack off the bolt, rotate the washer and hope she seats. Bingo, it worked! Oil leak, be gone. I treated the old girl at the same time to a homebodged made GT3 style front rubberised splitter.
Suspension time! I still hadn't sorted the worn ball joint, and new with the new tyres going on, it would quickly kill them, let alone make it impossible to align properly. As such, and with social distancing now being announced, I set aside a few evenings to refresh the whole front end. Coffin arms, drop links, leading arms, outer track rod ends, top mounts all replaced with new:-
Before clean:
Quick spruce up:
Underway:
The main offender:
Stupidly, I neglected to take ANY pics of the finished item (either side), but I have to say - having no where to go, and some time in the evenings, made for a very enjoyable experience doing the work. Next up, sorting the pesky issue of the scoops at the front inhaling anything they can and throwing it at the radiators. Front end off, bumper laid down and some rapid prototyping with cardboard resulted in these handy little scoop liners:-
Off:
Not tooooo bad:
Cleaned up:
Guards made and mounted:
Ok, we're front-end fresh, time to sort that pesky sloppy gear lever. The gearbox is sweet, but the play in the gear lever has always bugged me. As such, a cheap option is to fit a short-shift kit, which I did over the course of one afternoon. For those that have done this, you'll know the fun - basically 1 hour of spannering and 3 hours of trim and interior removal
. Anyways, I'm very impressed with the results and the play is minimal now.
Time for some brake action! In preparation for the year 2021, I'm hoping to get some track action in, and some research revealed that replacing the brake fluid for some Motul rbf600 provides some fast road / track braking performance certainty. As such, behold:
The old (on the right) wasn't too bad to be fair, but still, a nice process none the less:
And that brings her up to present day. Last night I took delivery of the refurbished wheels, adorned with new rears (fronts had previously been done) and took the opportunity to fit some KI Studios headlight surrounds and then decided to tint (rude boi innit) the foglights at the front.
Face without the stickers:
Headlights with expensive stickers:
Wheels before:
And finally, wheels back on:
Even the other half approved (she's not showing it here, but she's impressed I'm sure)
And that's how she is for the moment. I appreciate that she may not be to everyone's taste, but budget wise, I've just squeaked over £10.5k all in, which I think is not bad going for this little money pit. She was due to go to Marque21 for a full health check, hopefully after things start to return to normal she'll be back there. For the moment though she's having a safe, spirited drive here an there for some essential journeys. Thanks for the read and you stayclassy safe all.
Been a long time lurker, infrequent contributor, but with some time on our hands at home - it seemed a fitting opportunity to document the story of my first plunge into Porsche ownership - grab a cuppa! With our little 92' Mk2 Golf GTI off to stay tucked away at my Mum's abode in February, I fancied something that was fun to drive, could live outside without me going into meltdown every time it rains, exotic-ish, and I could work upon. Then, a chance encounter on faceache marketmisery revealed the car below. The advert was a gem, 'Porsche Cayman' was the title, the description - '2006 Porsche' and one, yes one, out of frame side-shot of the car. The advert was adorned with the asking price of £10k and following a quick message and phone call, the seller revealed he had no service history for the Cayman. Excellent. Common sense at this point intervenes and you step away. OR, you could do the 165 mile round trip to see it.
A cold, wet and very February evening permitted for a glance at her and to meet the gentleman selling. A look around revealed some ok-ish bodywork, worn tyres and minor mechanical negatives (such as the common sloppy gear lever play). On the test drive he revealed he had never checked the oil during his time of ownership and simply bought it as he always wanted one, but with 7 children, it was a little impractical and hasn't been used in a while. Upon parking her up, there was a slightly elevated sound from the lifters - which as most no can be either fine for a long long time, or require further investigation and likely replacement of the failing bank. Oh joy...
Much to the surprise of my other half, I walked away. However on the drive home, it bugged me that the noise from what I assumed was the lifters was so minor and intermittent, that maybe - just maybe - it was worth a punt? I had previously been in discussion with Marque21 in Bridport (who I cannot recommend enough!) about a Cayman, so a quick message to Tim there and a few videos of her idling reviewed revealed that if he was willing to come down a little on price, it might be worth a go. Cash is king, and shamefully I went in low with an offer to the seller. Fast forward to 6am the following morning and we're driving home in the little Cayman having agreed on £7850...
The drive home was lovely, I've previously owned some fast toys, but the mechanical torque, pull and sound of the motor is addictive. The handling was ok-ish, which is a little worrying as these are renowned for being pretty planted. 13 psi in the front n/s tyre wasn't helping, but also, the play in the front suspension multiplied the issue. Still, I was optimistic and fancied the
Pics!! Here she is after a little scrub up for some more in-depth investigation.
So, the initial list - new tyres all round, suspension refresh, gear lever play addressed, oils and filters changed, alignment, general inspection and health check sought. Now, this is where things suddenly became a bit rosier too. Upon cleaning her, I came across a large wallet of receipts, revealing that she had been previously well cared for. Secondly, having spoken to my good friend Rich (a photographer), he revealed that not only did he have one and could impart some wisdom, but also that he works for Porsche! Something I had previously completely overlooked. Being the hero that he is, he arranged for a service book and sent it round to all the service centres that had taken care of her! Service history restored, stamped and verified.
It is worth noting that although I'm confident with tools, I have never taken on major work before, so a lot of the below have been 'first times' for me, go easy PH.
So, first up - a detail. Yep, make it look shiny first before anything of mechanical importance. I jest, my friend Max has just started up a detailing venture and as such he was itching to have a crack at the somewhat deflated and marred paintwork.
During:
Some afters:
Now, excitement had the better of me and after enjoying a few too many Belgian beers, I'd procured a stainless TopGear cat back exhaust (local firm), eibach springs and Design911 spacers. Max and I had the day set aside after the detail to fit the exhaust, which was ideal, as precisely 3 hours in and having sheered off only one bolt - I decided that it was best someone else took on this horrible challenge. She was promptly driven to Vas Works near myself and left in their capable hands to fit the springs and exhaust. 3 Days later and she was back!
Certainly was sitting a lot prettier in the arches, was making the right noises, and whilst there Gary had replaced the de-laminated handbrake shoes and seized cables, meaning it wasn't going to roll off the driveway.
I then fitted the spacers (some subtle 10mm for anyone wondering), replaced the airfilter for a K&N performance item and de-snorkled her. My private plate had arrived and was duly adhered to the nose. Time for an early morning blat to the wonderful Haynes Breakfast meet.
The drive home through the rolling hills of Dorset was probably one of my favourite jaunts ever. So what next? Well, I replaced the oil for some Millers nanotech and a suitable K&N oil filter, cleared out the radiator intakes from the years of debris, and booked her in for a map (there was a horrible flat spot since the Cat delete of the exhaust).
Whilst at the garage, I noticed a small oil leak under the rear - had I neglected to tighten the filter housing sufficiently? The drain bolt? Nope, it was the fabled timing chain drain bolt seal failure:-
A quote of £200 to replace the gaskets, sealing washer etc revealed that maybe some DIY was needed. However, requiring to lock the timing in place, let alone the cramped working space, had me nervous. Joyous resolve though when a bit of digging revealed that if you are VERY careful, you can crack off the bolt, rotate the washer and hope she seats. Bingo, it worked! Oil leak, be gone. I treated the old girl at the same time to a home
Suspension time! I still hadn't sorted the worn ball joint, and new with the new tyres going on, it would quickly kill them, let alone make it impossible to align properly. As such, and with social distancing now being announced, I set aside a few evenings to refresh the whole front end. Coffin arms, drop links, leading arms, outer track rod ends, top mounts all replaced with new:-
Before clean:
Quick spruce up:
Underway:
The main offender:
Stupidly, I neglected to take ANY pics of the finished item (either side), but I have to say - having no where to go, and some time in the evenings, made for a very enjoyable experience doing the work. Next up, sorting the pesky issue of the scoops at the front inhaling anything they can and throwing it at the radiators. Front end off, bumper laid down and some rapid prototyping with cardboard resulted in these handy little scoop liners:-
Off:
Not tooooo bad:
Cleaned up:
Guards made and mounted:
Ok, we're front-end fresh, time to sort that pesky sloppy gear lever. The gearbox is sweet, but the play in the gear lever has always bugged me. As such, a cheap option is to fit a short-shift kit, which I did over the course of one afternoon. For those that have done this, you'll know the fun - basically 1 hour of spannering and 3 hours of trim and interior removal
. Anyways, I'm very impressed with the results and the play is minimal now.Time for some brake action! In preparation for the year 2021, I'm hoping to get some track action in, and some research revealed that replacing the brake fluid for some Motul rbf600 provides some fast road / track braking performance certainty. As such, behold:
The old (on the right) wasn't too bad to be fair, but still, a nice process none the less:
And that brings her up to present day. Last night I took delivery of the refurbished wheels, adorned with new rears (fronts had previously been done) and took the opportunity to fit some KI Studios headlight surrounds and then decided to tint (rude boi innit) the foglights at the front.
Face without the stickers:
Headlights with expensive stickers:
Wheels before:
And finally, wheels back on:
Even the other half approved (she's not showing it here, but she's impressed I'm sure)
And that's how she is for the moment. I appreciate that she may not be to everyone's taste, but budget wise, I've just squeaked over £10.5k all in, which I think is not bad going for this little money pit. She was due to go to Marque21 for a full health check, hopefully after things start to return to normal she'll be back there. For the moment though she's having a safe, spirited drive here an there for some essential journeys. Thanks for the read and you stay
brightmotiv said:
What do you estimate the value of the car is now?
Thank you for the compliments! I'd say she's easily worth £10,650 now, meaning a massive £150 profit.Generally though, not a clue. I bought with the intention to use, then move on in summer / autumn, but with the market being the way it is for the foreseeable, and my new found love for her, I think I'll keep.
deeb0 said:
What did you make the air con guards out of?
I had some old plastic guarding material from a previous composite car build. If you eBay 'plastic race mesh' or the likes it would likely throw up many results.It's easy to cut, mould and is sturdy enough for such a job. I have read a lot of people use guttering gauze, as it's flexible and cheap, but wanted something a little more OEM.
addz86 said:
I keep looking at these then scaring myself reading about bore score that would effectively write a car off now the values have bottomed out, are they really that bad?
It's a worry, for sure, and sadly there is absolutely no guarantee at all as to when, how, why it may occur. Not even 'if'. But my take on it is that they are at such a price point now that it you can live with the 'risk' that it might happen... Why not enjoy it.For me, if I were to buy again, I'd simply get a newer 981 shape Cayman. For the time being though, I'm just going to enjoy the experience it makes any drive into.
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