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What to look when buying a 987 Cayman


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Hey,

 

New to the brand and I'm looking to buy a Cayman. From what I've gathered so far, the gen 2 - 987.2, is the better option (do correct me if I'm wrong). Wonder if you guys can give me some pointers on what to look for when buying one of those, apart from the obvious things like gaps and etc? Are there years or certain configurations I should avoid? Currently I'm checking out a 2.9 2010 manual. I just want the most reliable version, regardless of how fast or how loaded with options it is. 

 

Thank you in advance. 

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53 minutes ago, StreetBl8s said:

Hey,

 

New to the brand and I'm looking to buy a Cayman. From what I've gathered so far, the gen 2 - 987.2, is the better option (do correct me if I'm wrong). Wonder if you guys can give me some pointers on what to look for when buying one of those, apart from the obvious things like gaps and etc? Are there years or certain configurations I should avoid? Currently I'm checking out a 2.9 2010 manual. I just want the most reliable version, regardless of how fast or how loaded with options it is. 

 

Thank you in advance. 


Hi,

 

I think don’t expect perfection but of course a well maintained and loved Porsche will last for a very long while.

 

Know the usual failure points, coolant pipes, gear linkage, etc, insist on full service history and consider a PPI from an independent source.

 

look for lots of smoke on cold start, expect some components to need replacing (suspension) and test at least 2 examples.

budget for £1-2K a year on keep it in top condition or less to keep things ticking over.


My 2011 987.2 I’ve loved and keep in top condition and even if it cost me a fortune going forward it is the most special car I’ve owned and I love every minute I drive it.

 

good hunting.

 

Mark

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Go for a 987.2 if your budget allows... they are less prone to bore score (the 2.9 litre is the most reliable imo)

Steer clear of the 987.1 (unless it's already had a closed deck rebuild!)

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Thank you so much for the replys. The car I'm looking atm has 108000 kms at the moment. Is that high mileage for a well maintained Porsche. Meaning for example are there any know issues on some odometer milestones even if it's well maintained? For example the car I drive right now is super well maintained by me but at 300k I need to swap the chain. Sorry for the dumb questions. Just want to be well informed when I go for it. 

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108,000 Km is approx 67,000 miles which is nothing, mine is 70,000 miles and runs fantastically.

 

(my son has a Nissan 350Z with 130,000 miles and it’s still good. A well loved high miler isn’t a problem IMHO.)

 

but do your research and sound out the seller as much as the car, get a PPI for a few hundred quid if in doubt.

 

I have the 2.9 and I’m entirely happy with the performance, no doubt the 3.4 is a bit more fun but the 2.9 is also amazing.


The servicing I get done at an independent and the big service 12 year/100K miles was £1K

 

Get good tyres like Michelin PS4’s (for example). 
 

don’t settle for the first car you see, and work out which options are important, e.g. BOSE or Sport Chrono etc, and don’t compromise on the essentials.

 

 

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Thank for the info

9 hours ago, futureechos said:

108,000 Km is approx 67,000 miles which is nothing, mine is 70,000 miles and runs fantastically.

 

(my son has a Nissan 350Z with 130,000 miles and it’s still good. A well loved high miler isn’t a problem IMHO.)

 

but do your research and sound out the seller as much as the car, get a PPI for a few hundred quid if in doubt.

 

I have the 2.9 and I’m entirely happy with the performance, no doubt the 3.4 is a bit more fun but the 2.9 is also amazing.


The servicing I get done at an independent and the big service 12 year/100K miles was £1K

 

Get good tyres like Michelin PS4’s (for example). 
 

don’t settle for the first car you see, and work out which options are important, e.g. BOSE or Sport Chrono etc, and don’t compromise on the essentials

Thank you for the info. I was just reading that the gearbox cables on the manual are a weakspot. Has anybody had to change theirs and if so what is the best course of action. I read that people are swapping them for Numeric cables, which I assume is like an aftermarket cables that eliminate the defect in the original ones. 

Edited by StreetBl8s
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Make sure you do a V Check on it, i recently nearly got burnt on a swap deal, chatting with the owner a fair bit and felt comfortable with it but decided to do the check the day before changing and it flagged up as a previous write off.

Anyway the Gen 2 would be the most sensible to avoid engine issues really, what im finding when i look though is very few have actually had any meaningful work carried out on them such as the coolant pipes etc, which is something to bear in mind.

Not a deal breaker but you have to go in with your eyes wide open and understand what you could be in store for down the line.

Most owners of these cars will run them on a shoestring due to the costs involved in the maintenance needed as they get older, they also seem to know when to get rid too maybe after things are flagged on servicing.

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1 hour ago, StreetBl8s said:

Thank for the info

Thank you for the info. I was just reading that the gearbox cables on the manual are a weakspot. Has anybody had to change theirs and if so what is the best course of action. I read that people are swapping them for Numeric cables, which I assume is like an aftermarket cables that eliminate the defect in the original ones. 

Mine are still fine at 70K miles, had them checked last year. 
 

If you can do bits yourself maintenance isn’t too expensive- oil change etc anyone can do, spark plugs mean wheels and heat shields

out..  expect some rusty bolts, especially for exhaust work.

 

But engines I have found to be very solid.

 

Clear leaves out of air intakes at the front to avoid rusty cooling rads at the front or fit grills to prevent crud getting stuck in the space in front of the rads.

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Just to throw the 987.1 2.7 also into the mix.  The 2.9 is a great option however if the budget is tight, the 2.7 is often cheaper to buy, and doesn't suffer from the infamous bore score that other M97 engine variants can.  Only 5 gears and not a great deal of power if you want to track,  but perfect for fast b roads, and what I think is classic old school Porsche looks.   Cheaper tax and I've got 40mpg on a motorway run.  I've had mine 6 years now, its on 90K and the only significant-ish issue I've had is a failed fuel pump.   Other than that, just consumables, and its not missed a beat.  I struggle to think of something else that I would change it for, in terms of bang for buck.

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