Hunting for my first Porsche: A Cayman 987.2

[Matt_Chaps]

Hi guys,

 

Good to be here! I’m not yet a Cayman owner but if the car gods look favourably on me I hope to find a tasty 987.2 in the next few months. I say months because I’ve noticed the market is very slim, though I’d love to find the one ASAP. Getting itchy feet! I’m opening this post up to ask some advice anyway, and also in case anyone sees anything half decent worth flagging - would be much appreciated! Here goes:

 

Know condition is top over spec and colour but anyone got an opinion on extras that you’d consider a must have? Ie sports seats, PASM, rear wiper?! I would love to find a base cayman with the optional sports exhaust but know this is near impossible... the S is probably just outside my price range too else I’d be looking fit that.

 

Secondly, what do you guys think is or will happen to the market in 21/22? Petrolhead friends of mine think the cars have done most of their depreciation so are a fairly safe bet, give or take a touch. 
 

Lastly, PDK vs. Manual....would love to hear both sides of the story. Which do you prefer?! 
 

Thanks all,

Matt

[Julian987]

This is the car for you

 

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11583373

 

Though Gen 1 wise this is stunning too....

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393267838319

 

....but that first link is the best spec Gen 2 I have seen in over a year. It has the full leather dash option and door trims which is very rare for Gen 2's and really lifts the cabin to feel premium. A well regarded reputable dealer too. 

 

Market is through the roof 

https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/used-car-prices-have-experienced-the-single-biggest-months-price-rise-in-more-than-a-decade/221998

 

PDK or Manual, no right or wrong answer, depends how much engagement you want, which a manual obviously gives more of -vs- the auto convenience of PDK and nano seconds quicker gear changes. 

 

All hinges on your budget...which is?

 

 

 

[Aaron]

Manual is more engaging?  Maybe if you're a racing driver...  I've never agreed with the idea that changing grear is what provides the majority of driving engagement.  Let me explain:

 

I much prefer PDK as I can concentrate 100% on my steering and throttle inputs, car position, and feedback from the wheel.  Not trying to heel and toe like I'm tap dancing every corner - plus left foot braking is just superior in every way.  PDK is simply a fantastic box as far as autos/semi-autos go.  If you ever drive in rush hour traffic, you'll also be eternally grateful for PDK.  It's about what suits your needs, but it was the clear choice for me.

 

Your budget will be a big driver for what you can get into.  The 987.2 has a higher buy in cost but is significantly cheaper to own and maintain overall.  In sheer maintenance cost, I've spent less than £3k in the 4.5 years I've owned the car; this is strictly servicing and repairs where necessary but I have by no means ever cut corners.

 

If you can get a 987.2 S (even with high miles), you will not be disappointed.

[Andyoz]

You don't have to be a racing driver to find manual more engaging. I personally find the flat 6 engine to be one of the best engines to rev match and heel/toe. They rev up nicely and give great noise/feedback on where you are in the rev range. 

 

Fully understand about driving in city traffic though where PDK is a plus.  987 clutches are relatively heavy and luckily I don't live in a densely populated area.

 

I'm sticking to manual while I have the choice as with EV's coming fast that'll be taken away from us.

Edited May 1, 2021 by Andyoz

[Matt_Chaps]

10 hours ago, Julian987 said:

This is the car for you

 

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11583373

 

Though Gen 1 wise this is stunning too....

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393267838319

 

All hinges on your budget...which is?

 

 

7 hours ago, Aaron said:

I much prefer PDK as I can concentrate 100% on my steering and throttle inputs, car position, and feedback from the wheel.  Not trying to heel and toe like I'm tap dancing every corner - plus left foot braking is just superior in every way.  PDK is simply a fantastic box as far as autos/semi-autos go.  If you ever drive in rush hour traffic, you'll also be eternally grateful for PDK. 

 

47 minutes ago, Andyoz said:

I'm sticking to manual while I have the choice as with EV's coming fast that'll be taken away from us 

 

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

 

My budget is £17-22k at the moment, though I’d happily throw in a low offer for a £23/24k car with a dealership too, on the basis that used prices will burst and drop eventually in the UK this year. Think I read the market would fall by up to 10% in the second half. I would wait, I just don’t want to miss the summer! 
 

That green gen 1 on eBay is gorgeous Julian987, taken me by surprise! But going for gen 2 for more reliable maintenance and the better interior. 
 

Aaron you make a good point about city driving (based in London) and I love paddle shifting on a twisty road - but do also love the involvement of a manual and aiming for smooth shifts. This is the dilemma. I think I’m siding with manual for now but if a better spec’d PDK came up for the same price I’d be having a really serious think on it. EVs in the future is a great flag Andyoz! 
 

Finding garages are reluctant to let me test drive at the moment. Anyone else do this or did you buy out right, no test drive? 
 

Matt

[Andyoz]

Note that a gen 1 auto is alot different to a gen 2 PDK

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393267838319

 

I'd also be wary of generalised  price fall predictions as they will depend on the make/ model. I suspect lots of newish stuff could be in for a drop. Gen 2 manuals aren't plentiful cars and supply/demand kicks in. Lots of people have done well out of Covid financially and want to park money in a fun car instead of cash.

 

Your budget should get a nice gen 2S. They're generally solid cars and I find the best buys are first advertised on the popular Porsche Facebook pages as it's very quick to post. Porsche For Sale UK, etc.

 

Some dealer mark ups ATM are a bit crazy. Low stuck level so I assume they are chasing margins on lower volumes.  Buy private with a solid PPI

Edited May 1, 2021 by Andyoz

[Blissya]

Seems like a good spec https://www.mortimersprestige.co.uk/used-porsche/billingshurst-west-sussex-porsche-cayman-29-manual-huge-spec/

[Julian987]

14 hours ago, Aaron said:

Manual is more engaging?  Maybe if you're a racing driver...  I've never agreed with the idea that changing grear is what provides the majority of driving engagement.  Let me explain:

 

I much prefer PDK as I can concentrate 100% on my steering and throttle inputs, car position, and feedback from the wheel.  Not trying to heel and toe like I'm tap dancing every corner - plus left foot braking is just superior in every way.  PDK is simply a fantastic box as far as autos/semi-autos go.  If you ever drive in rush hour traffic, you'll also be eternally grateful for PDK.  It's about what suits your needs, but it was the clear choice for me.

 

Fair enough. I would hazard a guess if there was a poll on the question, manual would be 90%+ but! each to their own of course. If pdK does it for you, that is the main thing. 

 

[Julian987]

21 minutes ago, Blissya said:

Seems like a good spec https://www.mortimersprestige.co.uk/used-porsche/billingshurst-west-sussex-porsche-cayman-29-manual-huge-spec/

 

it either just hasn't found its rightful owner or something is wrong with it as that car has been for sale now for well over a year, close to 18months. 

[Julian987]

7 hours ago, Matt_Chaps said:

 

 

 

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

 

My budget is £17-22k at the moment, though I’d happily throw in a low offer for a £23/24k car with a dealership too, on the basis that used prices will burst and drop eventually in the UK this year. Think I read the market would fall by up to 10% in the second half. I would wait, I just don’t want to miss the summer! 
 

That green gen 1 on eBay is gorgeous Julian987, taken me by surprise! But going for gen 2 for more reliable maintenance and the better interior. 
 

Aaron you make a good point about city driving (based in London) and I love paddle shifting on a twisty road - but do also love the involvement of a manual and aiming for smooth shifts. This is the dilemma. I think I’m siding with manual for now but if a better spec’d PDK came up for the same price I’d be having a really serious think on it. EVs in the future is a great flag Andyoz! 
 

Finding garages are reluctant to let me test drive at the moment. Anyone else do this or did you buy out right, no test drive? 
 

Matt

 

Try them on this at 24K

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11583373

You will struggle to find a better spec than that.

 

 

 

 

 

[Blissya]

1 hour ago, Julian987 said:

 

it either just hasn't found its rightful owner or something is wrong with it as that car has been for sale now for well over a year, close to 18months. 

Really? It certainly wasn’t listed with them in feb when I bought mine

[Julian987]

37 minutes ago, Blissya said:

Really? It certainly wasn’t listed with them in feb when I bought mine

 

yep definitely that car has been for sale for close to 18 months

[Matt_Chaps]

12 minutes ago, Julian987 said:

 

yep definitely that car has been for sale for close to 18 months

 

Thanks Julian and Blissya...actually went to go and pay this one a visit this afternoon! It had been sold. The garage only bought it on Weds and they sold it inside three days. The guy was saying 987.2s are going fast at the moment and that it's a seller's market...I don't want to wait until prices calm down but maybe I should?!

[Windymiller]

If you go PDK, be sure to get the flappy paddles on the sports design steering wheel, not the ‘PlayStation’ buttons on the standard wheel. 
 

It will make a world of difference to the tactility of the driving experience. 
 

I prefer manual (for now) in my 987.2 S, but having driven the 982 2.5 GTS with PDK at the PEC track I can completely see the appeal. 
 

if I’m ever in the fortunate financial position to buy brand new I think I’d spec PDK (but if I was that lucky I’d hopefully also be in a position to be able to keep my manual 987 too 😉👍🏻). 

[Windymiller]

As for other spec items, really depends how you think you’ll use the car. 
 

so IMO:

 

PSE - a must, or budget for a Carnewal upgrade 😉

 

sports design seats - don’t bother, too narrow round the shoulders and I find the standard sports seats super comfortable long distance driving (though crap on track).  

 

leather dash, door cards etc - really lifts the cabin, gives it a premium ‘modern classic’ feel. 
 

PASM - good ‘compromise’ if you think you’ll ever track it. But the standard passive suspension is very good on the road (just avoid potholes etc). 
 

sports design wheel - a <£200 option when new, now £1300 from an OPC - but totally changes the (literal) feel of the car in your hands. 
 

pcm 3.0 with nav - totally outta date tech. Buy a decent mount, use your phone. Or totally replace head unit. 
 

bose. Overrated, too bassy. Sound system plus perfectly good enough. And if you have PSE / Carnewal who cares what the stereo sounds like -

you’ll never be listening to it anyway 😉

 

19” wheels. Look ace. Fine on motorways and smooth roads and tracks. A little harsh on crappy A/B roads. But I wouldn’t change mine for smaller. 

 

centre armrest console body coloured. Quite rare (standard in R), but totally changes the cabin vibe. You can get them painted for ~£150-300 (they take quite some prep to remove the rubbery feel coating). 
 

headlamps. Total garbage, almost dangerous at night. Try to find one with whatever the factory upgrade option was (PDLS?). Or buy some aftermarket LED bulbs £20-£100 depending on brand and quality. 
 

At this age now for 987.2 you’d want a car that’s had the front coolant crossover pipes & hoses changed ~£600 job at a good Indy. And maybe, depending on mileage (eg >50k miles) possibly a clutch (but of course this totally depends on how the car has been drive and whether town / Motorway miles etc). 
 

check front fog lights for internal corrosion. £230 each to replace. 
 

If you can get under it then: check front and rear ARBs for excessive corrosion. Check drop links and track control arms for play / deformation in bushes. None of these parts are overly expensive to buy (quality after market brands are lemforder, Meyle, TRW), but the work to replace can be lengthy if they’re rusted in situ. 
 

Check steering rack for leaks (shine a torch in through drivers side front wheel spokes) - you can see the end of the rack with several hydraulic pipes going to it. 
 

check receipts for spark plugs done at least no more than 6 years ago (should be done every 4), if left too long they can corrode in situ. 
 

check for water/coolant leaks about mid point under car - indicator of water pump seal going. 
 

check exhaust clamps for corrosion. 
 

Pads ‘typically’ last (front) 20-30k, (rear )30-40k, discs should last x2 sets of pads each. Again depending on driving style, so check receipts for when last done. Again here, you can do them yourself really easily if you have some decent tools, space and time for ~£600 all round for top quality parts (sebro, pagid, brembo, textar) from ECP or CP4L if you catch their online sales. 
 

 

I’ll finish this all off by saying - the 987 is an absolute peach of a car. I absolutely adore mine even more after 4 years of ownership than the day I bought her, and treat her to more TLC than my wife gets 🤫🤭

 

But my god does she reward me well for doing so (the car, not Mrs ‘Miller’) 😉🤪

 

Good luck searching, take your time, the right one will come along eventually. 👍🏻
 

 

[Blissya]

Probably partly due to the time of year & restrictions lifting, expect prices might fall back a bit over winter but if you find one you like just do it. A garage in Coventry recently sold a gen 2 that they’d sold about 18 months earlier. The old ad could still be found on google for carandclassic, the advertised price was only £500 lower with another 12k miles done, so prices seem fairly stable

[Julian987]

1 hour ago, Matt_Chaps said:

 

Thanks Julian and Blissya...actually went to go and pay this one a visit this afternoon! It had been sold. The garage only bought it on Weds and they sold it inside three days. The guy was saying 987.2s are going fast at the moment and that it's a seller's market...I don't want to wait until prices calm down but maybe I should?!

 

Maybe it is a resale as that was definitely with them last year. anyhow, I tell ya, you really should go see the one at Paragon.

Prices wont calm down

 

 

[Blissya]

Ashgoods also seem to get some but they sell quickly too

 

all this cayman talk, think I’ll pop for a drive!

Edited May 1, 2021 by Blissya

[Julian987]

You seem very non-committal to the one at Paragon. I sense no mojo for it. 
Ticks many of the items listed in WindyMillers post above. 
 

May I ask why, just to help know what you like and don’t like as I look daily and can keep an eye out for you.

 

 

[Matt_Chaps]

1 minute ago, Julian987 said:

You seem very non-committal to the one at Paragon. I sense no mojo for it. 
Ticks many of the items listed in WindyMillers post above. 
 

May I ask why, just to help know what you like and don’t like as I look daily and can keep an eye out for you.

 

 

 

Not non-committal – actually just messaged them to see if they'd be open to £24k! Have checked it out and it does have a great spec and looks a beaut. Although I hate the silver grills but nothing that can't be changed, right.

 

If they're open on Monday I'll pop over to them to see it. In terms of what I'm after, I think it's definitely a 987.2 manual, and open to a PDK S if I can afford it. Ideally, I'd find one with SE and sports seats and I think the point on extended leather is really valuable. Would really appreciate that thanks Julian, I also look daily at the mo too but likely missing the best places to look!