Looking for some advice on a potential purchase - Page 2 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

Hi, I’ve been reading these forums for years but I’m finally grown up enough to buy my first Porsche so thought I’d actually post for some help. Looking for a cayman s, 981 preferably. Manual. Approved used preferred. I keep looking at this but it’s been advertised for a while. Is there anything glaringly obvious wrong with this deal do we think? Low miles, good spec in my budget… https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107285... Not many manual cars around for sale unfortunately 😕 Thanks in advance

As a longish owner of used Porsche all I would say is ONLY BUY from an OPC or, as I have done many times, a well known indie, eg 911 Virgin, Paragon, RPM Technik, JZM etc. They do proper provenance /servicing checks and stand by their cars in the event of a problem. These cars imo are too complicated and expensive to risk buying from any old dealer that happens to come across a used Porsche they can stick up on the web. There’s a number of off insurance back street repair crashed cars out there, do you really wanna risk it ?

“Extremely low” mileage but not stated. Previously exported, so not verifiable, presumably without full OPC history. “Very rare” manual transmission. Wide boy language throughout the ad. Do you feel lucky? Or are you perhaps connected with the seller?

mikef said: “Extremely low” mileage but not stated. Previously exported, so not verifiable, presumably without full OPC history. “Very rare” manual transmission. Wide boy language throughout the ad. Do you feel lucky? Or are you perhaps connected with the seller? Definitely don’t feel lucky! And in no way connected to any seller. Yes you are right now you mention it, does sound a bit wide boy…it does state the mileage and shows the odometer in the pics but didn’t see it has been exported? A case of too good to be true then. Oh well keep looking

GRJon said: Hi, I keep looking at this but it’s been advertised for a while. Is there anything glaringly obvious wrong with this deal do we think? https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107285... You answered your own question. If it was that much of an 'investors dream', 'unique' and 'not one to be missed' then I think it would have been snapped up by now - don't you? ... certainly not still hanging around since July 28th of last year. Avoid at all costs.

Ah, I missed the reported milage. Exported is under the Basic History Check. Sorry for the custard check, we get a fair number of new posters linking to adverts…

https://www.carbuyingadvisor.co.uk/car-dealer-revi...

ninepoint2 said: https://www.carbuyingadvisor.co.uk/car-dealer-revi... Haha yeah, move along nothing to see here! I’ll keep an eye on OPC’s I think, thanks for the warnings etc. I’m not in a mega hurry, been waiting a long time to be in this position so not worth rushing into it. Plus I have the Yaris to tide me over 😁

mikef said: Ah, I missed the reported milage. Exported is under the Basic History Check. Sorry for the custard check, we get a fair number of new posters linking to adverts… That’s ok, I suppose I knew the answers but wanted it to be different. If that car was at an OPC I’d be there like a shot but it would be gone as quick I’d imagine

GRJon said: Oh well keep looking Find your nearest indie - everyone on here can tell you who they are if you state your town location - pop in and see them, have a conversation, get to know them, tell them what you’re looking for and go from there. It’ll cost you a bit more than the cheapest out there, but you should get a great car to intro you to Porsche ownership.

SpyderMatt said: Find your nearest indie - everyone on here can tell you who they are if you state your town location - pop in and see them, have a conversation, get to know them, tell them what you’re looking for and go from there. It’ll cost you a bit more than the cheapest out there, but you should get a great car to intro you to Porsche ownership. Thanks, that’s a good idea. I’m based near Cheltenham, is there anywhere of note around here?

I hadn’t realised that manual transmission is so rare on later models. The short shift on a 987 is truly a thing of joy

GRJon said: Thanks, that’s a good idea. I’m based near Cheltenham, is there anywhere of note around here? Cameron Porsche have a good reputation. They are just off the A46 a few minutes south of M4 J18. I have a PDK 981S and wish it was a manual but they are very rare. Have you considered a 987 Cayman R? There are probably as many if not more manual Rs on sale on average and if its driver engagement you're looking for, it beats the 981 in my view.

GRJon said: Thanks, that’s a good idea. I’m based near Cheltenham, is there anywhere of note around here? These folk are well reputed in your area https://www.cameronsportscars.com/stocklist/

Yes thanks, they have a carmine one that is interesting. I think the beige would be ok if it wasn’t for the steering wheel! Maybe get that re trimmed…..

Hi I may have a unicorn spec Manual 981 S with PCCB, PTV and Bucket for sale. Well known to my local OPC and has FPSH and still has warranty - Oct 2023 iirc. The car is immaculate with PSE, SC, SD steering wheel, PDLS, 20inch classic carrara alloys, immaculate racing yellow colour. 25.5k miles. 63 plate. I have an incoming GT4 this week so please msg me if interested

GRJon said: Hi, I’ve been reading these forums for years but I’m finally grown up enough to buy my first Porsche so thought I’d actually post for some help. Looking for a cayman s, 981 preferably. Manual. Approved used preferred. I keep looking at this but it’s been advertised for a while. Is there anything glaringly obvious wrong with this deal do we think? Low miles, good spec in my budget… https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107285... Not many manual cars around for sale unfortunately ?? Thanks in advance CMSPorsche in Shropshire. Porsche Indie that has been trading since 1998. Great reviews. No affiliation to myself.

No idea if this is the case here but apparently some cars get exported (sometimes to Ireland) then reimported and lose an insurance marker.......

Paul_D said: Hi I may have a unicorn spec Manual 981 S with PCCB, PTV and Bucket for sale. Well known to my local OPC and has FPSH and still has warranty - Oct 2023 iirc. The car is immaculate with PSE, SC, SD steering wheel, PDLS, 20inch classic carrara alloys, immaculate racing yellow colour. 25.5k miles. 63 plate. I have an incoming GT4 this week so please msg me if interested Sounds amazing! I’m looking to part finance the car so need a trade sale really. Thanks though.

There’s a nice Silver GTS at RSJ, not manual but great spec otherwise…

If you are looking for an S, I'd recommend getting one with Sports Chrono Plus, Porsche Active Suspension, Dynamic gearbox mounts and the sports seats rathe than the standard versions.Consider the PDK box. Heated seats and noisy exhaust a bonus. Mine doesn't have sports exhaust, but having had two previous examples with the exhaust, I don't consider it a big loss. Doesn't make the car any faster and winds people up as you overtake them whilst bursting their eardrums/waking them up. Good luck!

I’m waiting on a delayed payment I have earmarked for a new toy, so have also been watching the 981 and 718 manuals, to see what isn’t moving. That’s car is quite strong money, considering. Edited by Hol on Friday 29th April 07:52

Also, don't be put off if the front bumper looks to have been resprayed, many have due to how easy it is to collect stone chips on the front end. It does not necessarily mean the car has been in an accident. Mine has at least 10 visible ones and will get resprayed before selling, this is where the odd colours could be a problem due to colour matching.

GRJon said: Hi, I’ve been reading these forums for years but I’m finally grown up enough to buy my first Porsche so thought I’d actually post for some help. Looking for a cayman s, 981 preferably. Manual. Approved used preferred. I keep looking at this but it’s been advertised for a while. Is there anything glaringly obvious wrong with this deal do we think? Low miles, good spec in my budget… https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107285... Not many manual cars around for sale unfortunately ?? Thanks in advance Why a manual? Have you driven the PDK? For 99% of drivers the PDK is more suitable than a manual, ignore those who believe they are the 1%, for 99% of the time. I would go test drive both before making a decision that will be with you until you sell the car. Look for the core features you use every time you get into the car eg preferred transmission type, seats, entertainment/sat-nav system, electric mirrors, then the 'toys' that look good on paper but rarely get used eg sports Chrono, 12-way electric seats (set once & not used again), sport/sport+. Don't let the 2nd group dictate the car you go for, unless you're 19 leaving it in Sport + gets wearing after a while. I am a first time Porsche owner and bought mine (2014 Cayman S) 3 1/2 years ago from an independent dealer, HPI checked and warranty. The previous owner had traded it in for a McLaren, something Porsche dealers don't sell, so assuming anything outside the OPC network is crap is non-sense. In that time only one thing has gone wrong and that was down to a now recalled suspension part, I am having to go to the Small Claims Court to get reimbursement for the damage resulting from the failed Porsche part as Porsche customer service is atrocious. Ensure it is serviced to spec and everything should be good. A good independent garage will have no problem servicing and maintaining the car, they are well-engineered and according to the mechanic who services mine 'easier than many budget cars to work on'. Parts cost can be prohibitive, but you are joining an expensive club and prices are kept artificially high deliberately, but many are available due to the Cayman sharing many parts with the 911. A reason the one in the link might not have sold is it's yellow! White, black, silver, graphite grey are the ones to go for, all the other colours are fine if you were leasing and handing it back but for resale value they take a hit. On mileage, far too many owners don't use their car so as to avoid increasing the mileage for when they come to sell. Do you want to use it or look at it? I've put 16,500 miles on in my ownership, there are examples on Autotrader with fewer than that from new. It's a 3.4ltr engine, not a 1ltr Aygo. A decent article on why a PDK is so good. https://www.total911.com/seven-reasons-pdk-is-bett... Edited by SpartaThisIs on Thursday 5th May 11:10

SpartaThisIs said: Also, don't be put off if the front bumper looks to have been resprayed, many have due to how easy it is to collect stone chips on the front end. It does not necessarily mean the car has been in an accident. Mine has at least 10 visible ones and will get resprayed before selling, this is where the odd colours could be a problem due to colour matching. Absolutely. I’m on my fifth Porsche now and they’ve all had a front end respray at some point. Most dealers have a relationship with a nearby body shop and will spruce up cars before selling. It costs them peanuts. I occasionally get a panel resprayed if it has a small rock chip.