Porsche Cayman S (987): Spotted

An original Cayman with the affordability of a gen one but the reliability of the gen two? It does exist!

How many column inches have been dedicated to the perils of used Porsche Cayman ownership? A fair few we'd wager, given its inarguable status as a fabulous sports car has to be considered against some well known mechanical issues.

While their prevalence may have been exaggerated, only a fool would consider an original Porsche Cayman without some awareness of the bore scoring, Intermediary Shaft (IMS) and Rear Main Seal (RMS) woes. They're fairly well known now, though there's more detail in the PH Buying Guide if you've been blissfully ignorant of them. Undetected they can be catastrophic, although if they never emerge, you're left with a great Porsche...

However, we tend to play it safe rather than sorry on PH (Shed is a different matter), and would therefore like to present this 987 Cayman S. Looks like every other early Cayman, doesn't it? Bar the silver additions, yes. But underneath it's rather different.

Having succumbed to bore scoring problems in 2015, this Cayman had its engine rebuilt using parts from a facelifted - and less troublesome - generation two car. Look at all those receipts! Not only has the owner resisted putting loads of miles on their refreshed and (hopefully) resilient engine - there are just 79,000 miles recorded - they are also willing to share more info about the rebuild to put your mind at ease.

With an engine that eliminates the known problems, you as the new owner will be left to enjoy what's so good about this era of Cayman: lovely Porsche hydraulic steering, that sweet mid-engined balance, a great manual gearbox and, best of all, the value for money. A different attribute, yes, but just as likely to make you smile...

Cheap Caymans have been around for a good while, though it's very rare to find ones like this with the security of a rebuilt and updated engine. Yet as one of the oldest it's still for sale at just £14,000, which makes it comfortably one of the cheapest available. And how low can they realistically go? More than that, this Cayman is eligible for cheaper tax, because it's on a 55-plate. If you want a revised Cayman S with the tougher engine, you're looking at £23,000.

Need further convincing? It has one or two choice upgrades as well, including a naughtier exhaust, some suede retrimming work, plus both steering wheel and short shift from a 911 GT3. Lovely.

So there's a heck of a lot going for this little Porsche, with the hefty investment of its current owner standing to significantly benefit the next one. Because, let's be honest, what could be better than your own 21st century Porsche for less than £15k? Some rivals are certainly cheaper now, with lower mileage examples of the 350Z and TT S available for similar money, but neither appeals in this situation quite like the Porsche. It was the class of the field when new and, with that substantial engine work done, this Cayman looks like the used sports car of choice, too.

SPECIFICATION - PORSCHE CAYMAN S

Engine: 3,386cc, flat-six
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 299@6,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 251@4,400-6,000rpm
MPG: 26.6
CO2: 254g/km
First registered: 2006
Recorded mileage: 79,000
Price new: £43,930
Yours for: £14,000