Looking to buy first Porsche 987.1 or 987.2 or S

[futureechos]

Hi All.  I joined this forum to get some advice from owners who have been here and done it already.

 

Looking for Gen1 or 2 987, (or S).   

What would you do if you were me?

 

It seems the options for me are:

 

1) ~£15K Gen1 70K-90K miles

2) ~£21K Gen2 60K-80K miles

 

I'm torn between them, do risk older and save £5K?

I will be doing a full PPI before buying. Planning to only by from Trade, as this is a lot of money for me to make a mistake.

 

Things I'm looking for when going to buy.

• FSH, MOT History, next service and impending costs.

 

Spec: Honestly not too fussy, tiptronic, PDK or manual all fine. There is an element of I just want one..

 

Not a deal breaker but any of these would be nice:   

• Heated seats
• Climate control
• SatNav
• Like the Meteor Grey, black, blue, red. No neon coloured wraps..  I'm too old to pull that off.

 

 

What would you do if you were me?

 

Why?

 

What else should I be looking for on a test drive specific to the 987's?

 

 

Really appreciate any pointers.

 

 

 

[Andy]

I would say the first thing you need to be doing is getting out there and test some, having a feel for them and see what you think of the various gear boxes... some don't like the Tiptronic, others can live with it. PDK is probably a good middle point between the two. 

 

There is also things like the different types of seats and suspension etc... driving a few will likely answer most of your questions. 

[andygo]

I'd definatley be looking at a 987.2, an S if you can stretch to it. The later generation doesn't have nay of the inherent and potentially expensive booby traps that may -or may not- occur.

 

Apart from the engine, the 987.1 and 2 are pretty much the same. I'd go for the PDK box - it's a 7 speeder.

[futureechos]

Thanks AndyGo -  I hear lots of tales of issues 987.1 - also lots of high mileage well loved ones that are bomb proof, which is what makes it so hard.

 

I understand the Gen2 had a lot of redesign work  which makes it more reliable, (dreaded IMS/bore scoring), but hoping to mitigate those with a PPI to some degree.

 

Is that sensible - or you'd still go Gen2 all the way?

[Aaron]

TCO for a 987.2 is lower.  If you plan on keeping the car for a few years, the 987.2 is a no-brainer.

 

Be patient, get the right car, and just be mindful that it's a seller's market at the moment.

[futureechos]

Hi Andy - ref seats and Suspension.

 

Seats - I'm a chunky 17.5st so presume wrap around sport seats are not the way to go?

 

Suspension:

I had an Alfa 159 - loved it, Mrs hated the hard ride..   As she is going to hate this car too, I'm beyond caring what she thinks as this car is just for me. , so I don't wan't a stripped out race experience, will be doing some long runs in so a bit of comfort would be nice.

 

I'm not planning on tracking the car, so PASM may not be needed - but what are your thoughts?

[futureechos]

Hi Aaron,

 

TCO is lower for a Gen2  - that's v good to know. thx.

 

Patience..  I'll try.

 

Had a look at a Gen1 at a local dealer last week mostly because it was 4 miles away..

It only had part FSH up to 2018 -  but they were 'not doing test drives' for their customers.  I was a bit surprised.. I think they didn't like the look of me....  (Perhaps fair)...  but not going to do £17K without driving the b'stard first..  

 

Is it just me - do I need to wear a suit to a test drive... these days.

 

 

[futureechos]

1 hour ago, andygo said:

I'd definatley be looking at a 987.2, an S if you can stretch to it. The later generation doesn't have nay of the inherent and potentially expensive booby traps that may -or may not- occur.

 

Apart from the engine, the 987.1 and 2 are pretty much the same. I'd go for the PDK box - it's a 7 speeder.

 

Also - why the S - is it just power that makes it worth the extra?

[wtaite01]

15 minutes ago, futureechos said:

 

Also - why the S - is it just power that makes it worth the extra?

 

In a gen 2 car, the only necessary difference in the S is the extra power and very slightly more weight from the bigger engine (plus a few other very small differences which aren't really worth mentioning). What the base does allow you to do though is to run the skinnier 17 inch wheels if you wish (18s and up only on the S) which can actually give quite a slightly different driving experience (less grip, more agile). So depending on your preferences there can be some positives to the base over the S as well as the downside of having less power, if indeed that is a downside for you! 

[wtaite01]

As others have said too:

 

1. Try to drive a few to get an idea of what a good one is like and what spec might be important to you. 

 

2. Buy on condition and maintenance history. High milers can be far better than low mile garage queens! A PPI should be able to advise you on what's been done previously and what might need replacing soon

[futureechos]

40 minutes ago, wtaite01 said:

As others have said too:

 

1. Try to drive a few to get an idea of what a good one is like and what spec might be important to you. 

 

2. Buy on condition and maintenance history. High milers can be far better than low mile garage queens! A PPI should be able to advise you on what's been done previously and what might need replacing soon

 

Thanks v much.. I'm guessing this 7K miles 2007 example would best be avoided then?

 

Can't be good for it sitting still for over a decade IMHO..

 

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107054649953?price-to=25000&maximum-mileage=80000&make=PORSCHE&model=CAYMAN&exclude-writeoff-categories=on&include-delivery-option=on&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=mileage&seller-type=trade&year-from=1900&radius=1500&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&postcode=da74tu&ulez-compliant=on&page=1

 

 

 

 

[andygo]

My 987.1 boxster accrued almost exactly 100k miles. It was drinking oil at the rate of nearly 1l per 1,000 miles. I had Autofarm A very well respected Indie) check for borescore with a very clean bill of health. Everything else seemed quiet in the engine dept but I feel the bores had ovalised and therefore used a bit of oil. It was never going to improve, so best to avoid that sort of situation really by getting a 987.2.

 

If you think 1 litre of oil isn't that bad, try pouring a litre of oil on your kitchen floor and see how big a puddle it makes!

 

Not sure if I would want to run 17" wheels on a boxster, the extra grip on, say, 19' wheels is nice to have. I suppose 17's would be better in the snow though....

 

As far as ride quality is concerned, get some decent Michelins PS4's fitted and the ride is better than fine - my wife loves it and prefers it to our old Golf 7.5 R which she thinks is a leanmobile by comparison!

 

Re the 2007 car above, I paid £25k for my one owner, 2010, 20,000 mile 987.2 3.4 S.

Edited July 19, 2021 by andygo

[John Cary]

I own a 987.1 S with 75,000 miles. I would agree to try and stay away from lower mileage garage queens because if you do go with a .1 the problem with the IMS bearing (rare problem on the .1s, but still a problem nonetheless) is that it doesn't get enough oil and combusts, hence why something sitting in a garage for long periods of time is actually riskier than something that is driven more often. Surprisingly (not), Porsches love to be driven. They respond better and better when they are driven, and not just granny-driven, driven hard. That doesn't mean abuse but it does mean stretching its legs quite often like a thoroughbred horse. So keep that in mind when looking for a car. As for power, I've not driven a base Cayman, but if you are a speed/horsepower nut then yes I would recommend an S. There are times where I wish I had more power if that tells you a little bit about it (it has about 270 HP to the wheels in stock form). Really the power range is only up at 5500-7000 RPM and the power curve is not as linear as you would expect so the base Cayman is probably only worse. Like I said, it depends on if that power is important to you, but if it is, you'll have to work much harder to access it.

[wtaite01]

54 minutes ago, futureechos said:

 

Thanks v much.. I'm guessing this 7K miles 2007 example would best be avoided then?

 

Can't be good for it sitting still for over a decade IMHO..

 

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107054649953?price-to=25000&maximum-mileage=80000&make=PORSCHE&model=CAYMAN&exclude-writeoff-categories=on&include-delivery-option=on&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=mileage&seller-type=trade&year-from=1900&radius=1500&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&postcode=da74tu&ulez-compliant=on&page=1

 

 

 

 

I think I would give that one a miss, personally, unless you were also intending on not driving it.

 

One thing I would say is that the 987.1 base cayman (2.7) seems to be better on the reliability front than the 3.4. IMS is close to a non issue for 2006 onward cars, but the 3.4 does seem to be prone to bore score, less so on the 2.7.

 

As you can see, opinions on S vs base, wheels, gearboxes, and just about anything else varies a lot, even within the enthusiast community. For this reason, it is useful if you know what you want from the car. Are you looking for speed in a straight line, or is feel, feedback and responsiveness under braking and cornering more important to you? Do you have any plans to take it on track? How important is reliability to you? Will it be a weekend car, or will it be used daily in traffic? How important are the external looks and internal luxury to you?

 

Any and all of the positions above are perfectly valid, and a cayman should be able to cater to all of them to some extent, but certain specs and models will suit some aims better than others.

The other thing to say is that you may not know the answers to some or all of the above yet, and that's also fine. For example, when I got mine I didn't really have any ambitions to track the car but I found myself constantly straining at the leash on the road (I have a 2.9l 987.2 base). I did my first track day in June and have immediately signed up for 2 more, such was the joy of being able to fully extend the car's capabilities without having to worry so much about endangering others, myself, or my license.

 

Take your time if you can, but I appreciate that this is hard

Edited July 19, 2021 by wtaite01

[futureechos]

21 minutes ago, wtaite01 said:

I think I would give that one a miss, personally, unless you were also intending on not driving it.

 

One thing I would say is that the 987.1 base cayman (2.7) seems to be better on the reliability front than the 3.4. IMS is close to a non issue for 2006 onward cars, but the 3.4 does seem to be prone to bore score, less so on the 2.7.

 

As you can see, opinions on S vs base, wheels, gearboxes, and just about anything else varies a lot, even within the enthusiast community. For this reason, it is useful if you know what you want from the car. Are you looking for speed in a straight line, or is feel, feedback and responsiveness under braking and cornering more important to you? Do you have any plans to take it on track? How important is reliability to you? Will it be a weekend car, or will it be used daily in traffic? How important are the external looks and internal luxury to you?

 

Any and all of the positions above are perfectly valid, and a cayman should be able to cater to all of them to some extent, but certain specs and models will suit some aims better than others.

The other thing to say is that you may not know the answers to some or all of the above yet, and that's also fine. For example, when I got mine I didn't really have any ambitions to track the car but I found myself constantly straining at the leash on the road (I have a 2.9l 987.2 base). I did my first track day in June and have immediately signed up for 2 more, such was the joy of being able to fully extend the car's capabilities without having to worry so much about endangering others, myself, or my license.

 

Take your time if you can, but I appreciate that this is hard

Great questions..

 

I want one because:

-Its stunning looks

- I want to own a mid engined sports car to formally engage the mid life crisis.

-There aren’t many around, i like something that is not everywhere you look

- I want a  car that is a bit interesting, and makes me smile every time I even think about driving it.

 

My son just bought a 350Z and it is a peach and he does not stop

smiling, and I want to feel that again.

 

I like a bit of speed, but I also know I’m not the best driver in the world. A couple of goes at Bedford auto drone has confirmed - but I loved it.

 

This is more for making me feel great.

 

Reliability important.

driving experience important

looks important

luxury feel would be nice

Not planning on tracking this

Weekend car but if I ever change jobs I can see me using daily.

oddly the hifi will need to be good, but  that can be secondary to everything else.. like engine noise.

 

[wtaite01]

20 minutes ago, futureechos said:

Great questions..

 

I want one because:

-Its stunning looks

- I want to own a mid engined sports car to formally engage the mid life crisis.

-There aren’t many around, i like something that is not everywhere you look

- I want a  car that is a bit interesting, and makes me smile every time I even think about driving it.

 

My son just bought a 350Z and it is a peach and he does not stop

smiling, and I want to feel that again.

 

I like a bit of speed, but I also know I’m not the best driver in the world. A couple of goes at Bedford auto drone has confirmed - but I loved it.

 

This is more for making me feel great.

 

Reliability important.

driving experience important

looks important

luxury feel would be nice

Not planning on tracking this

Weekend car but if I ever change jobs I can see me using daily.

oddly the hifi will need to be good, but  that can be secondary to everything else.. like engine noise.

 

All good reasons for wanting a Cayman 

Based on the above I would recommend 987.2 (base or S), probably with a PDK. I would also consider a 981 though, again, base or S, with a PDK.

As ever, these things come down to budget. On average you will pay more for a similarly specced and miled S to a base, and more again for a 981, but all models here overlap to some extent on pricing (yes, even 987.2 base to 981 base!). As I said before, I would generally see higher miles as an opportunity to bring more options into your budget rather than something to be concerned about, and a good PPI will be able to help you out here. I appreciate that the thought of buying privately can be unsettling, more hassle, and can make things trickier on the financing front, but a good PPI can really help out here too and let you save money vs dealer. Similarly, I personally wouldn't bother with a PPI on a car from an old and reputable Porsche specialist (Paragon and the like), but not all specialists are the same so be careful here.

 

I wouldn't recommend the 17 inch wheels for you, I will vouch for their subtle dynamic advantages until the cows come home, but I will concede that the looks aren't for everyone!

 

Just quickly on the hifi - I have 'sound package plus' on my 987.2 (the 'middle' of three options) and find it to be perfectly fine, that is to say: nothing special. I know the Bose is not considered to be much better either though I haven't heard it. I suspect (though also can't confirm) that you would need to step up to the optional Burmester system in a 981 for a really good hifi experience in a cayman of this era.

 

I am but one voice on here though, there will likely be different opinions!

Happy searching.

 

 

[Julian987]

oddly the hifi will need to be good

 

Depends on what you think 'good' sonically is. My R doesn't have Bose, but considering I came from a Mustang Fastback where I couldn't hear myself think let alone music, and then a 944Turbo which sounded like a distant owl, then the non-Bose sounds epic. 

 

I will be doing a full PPI before buying. Planning to only by from Trade, as this is a lot of money for me to make a mistake.

 

you can still arrange a full PPI with a private sale. I wouldn't rule out private if the right car came up, just because it might not come with a 3rd party warranty, of which most Indie dealers put an RAC warranty on it, which is some peace of mind but probably challenged and worthless on anything substantial - no experience but thats my hunch.

 

tiptronic, PDK or manual all fine

 

yet you go on to reply 

driving experience important

Not planning on tracking this

Weekend car

 

which leads me to say -  I really think, as others have said, you should go try some and see what sticks as need states for you....because as it stands, and no offence, your requirements read a bit confused  - we are all here to help one another but yep I reckon go try a few....if only for ....

 

luxury feel would be nice

 

which means you'd probably like/want the Extended Leather (dash and doors with stitching)...yet that comes at a cost and is rarer to find and only you can decide if that extra cost and potential longer wait time is worth it. 

 

what is your budget then, max of £21k? 

 

A year ago that would have been enough, yet I feel you now need around 23-25.

 

 I want to own a mid engined sports car to formally engage the mid life crisis.

 

a mid life crisis sports car has to be red right? 😀 ...this for size

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107195190757?

 

considering the Gt3 upgrades to it, and how exceptional the condition is, 'this is the Cayman for you' (said in a Jedi mindgames way)

 

Best regards

Julian

 

 

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by Julian987

[wtaite01]

12 minutes ago, Julian987 said:

oddly the hifi will need to be good

 

Depends on what you think 'good' sonically is. My R doesn't have Bose, but considering I came from a Mustang Fastback where I couldn't hear myself think let alone music, and then a 944Turbo which sounded like a distant owl, then the non-Bose sounds epic. 

 

I will be doing a full PPI before buying. Planning to only by from Trade, as this is a lot of money for me to make a mistake.

 

you can still arrange a full PPI with a private sale. I wouldn't rule out private if the right car came up, just because it might not come with a 3rd party warranty, of which most Indie dealers put an RAC warranty on it, which is some peace of mind but probably challenged and worthless on anything substantial - no experience but thats my hunch.

 

tiptronic, PDK or manual all fine

 

yet you go on to reply 

driving experience important

Not planning on tracking this

Weekend car

 

which leads me to say -  I really think, as others have said, you should go try some and see what sticks as need states for you....because as it stands, and no offence, your requirements read a bit confused  - we are all here to help one another but yep I reckon go try a few....if only for ....

 

luxury feel would be nice

 

which means you'd probably like/want the Extended Leather (dash and doors with stitching)...yet that comes at a cost and is rarer to find and only you can decide if that extra cost and potential longer wait time is worth it. 

 

what is your budget then, max of £21k? 

 

A year ago that would have been enough, yet I feel you now need around 23-25.

 

 I want to own a mid engined sports car to formally engage the mid life crisis.

 

a mid life crisis sports car has to be red right? 😀 ...this for size

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107195190757?

 

Best regards

Julian

 

 

 

Saw that one too and thought it was corker 😉

[Julian987]

10 minutes ago, wtaite01 said:

Saw that one too and thought it was corker 😉

 

sensational isn't it. 

[futureechos]

47 minutes ago, Julian987 said:

oddly the hifi will need to be good

 

Depends on what you think 'good' sonically is. My R doesn't have Bose, but considering I came from a Mustang Fastback where I couldn't hear myself think let alone music, and then a 944Turbo which sounded like a distant owl, then the non-Bose sounds epic. 

 

I will be doing a full PPI before buying. Planning to only by from Trade, as this is a lot of money for me to make a mistake.

 

you can still arrange a full PPI with a private sale. I wouldn't rule out private if the right car came up, just because it might not come with a 3rd party warranty, of which most Indie dealers put an RAC warranty on it, which is some peace of mind but probably challenged and worthless on anything substantial - no experience but thats my hunch.

 

tiptronic, PDK or manual all fine

 

yet you go on to reply 

driving experience important

Not planning on tracking this

Weekend car

 

which leads me to say -  I really think, as others have said, you should go try some and see what sticks as need states for you....because as it stands, and no offence, your requirements read a bit confused  - we are all here to help one another but yep I reckon go try a few....if only for ....

 

luxury feel would be nice

 

which means you'd probably like/want the Extended Leather (dash and doors with stitching)...yet that comes at a cost and is rarer to find and only you can decide if that extra cost and potential longer wait time is worth it. 

 

what is your budget then, max of £21k? 

 

A year ago that would have been enough, yet I feel you now need around 23-25.

 

 I want to own a mid engined sports car to formally engage the mid life crisis.

 

a mid life crisis sports car has to be red right? 😀 ...this for size

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107195190757?

 

considering the Gt3 upgrades to it, and how exceptional the condition is, 'this is the Cayman for you' (said in a Jedi mindgames way)

 

Best regards

Julian

 

 

 

You got me. I’m in love with that car. That is an amazing example. 
 

From the AD sounds like the dealers know their way around a Porsche, are they well known in this community?