Cayman 987 prices… where are they headed? - Page 3 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

Hi all, looking to purchase a 987 (ideally Gen2 2.9 or the right gen1 2.7) in the next couple of months. I’ve done my homework, and some, so feel as prepared as I can be. Question I have is around the market pricing for Caymans and availability. Within my budget and engine/model requirements there’s currently only a couple of cars across the country… is this (like convertible) due to the time of year and do you typically see more cars in April/May? Likewise, do prices follow suit and go up much or are the Caymans not so effected by the seasonal swings? Of course with the ongoing car market pricing, no one can predict but just want to understand from Historic Porsche prices and learn from more experienced owners & buyers. Finally - anywhere (beyond the obvious) I should be keeping an eye out for a good car? I’ve got my eyes on the Cayman OC forum but it’s very slow moving, likewise with the Porsche GB club classifieds - anywhere I’m missing? Based in Essex so any well regarded local dealers I could get in touch with? Thanks!

Niall0tdi said: Hi all, looking to purchase a 987 (ideally Gen2 2.9 or the right gen1 2.7) in the next couple of months. I’ve done my homework, and some, so feel as prepared as I can be. Question I have is around the market pricing for Caymans and availability. Within my budget and engine/model requirements there’s currently only a couple of cars across the country… is this (like convertible) due to the time of year and do you typically see more cars in April/May? Likewise, do prices follow suit and go up much or are the Caymans not so effected by the seasonal swings? Of course with the ongoing car market pricing, no one can predict but just want to understand from Historic Porsche prices and learn from more experienced owners & buyers. Finally - anywhere (beyond the obvious) I should be keeping an eye out for a good car? I’ve got my eyes on the Cayman OC forum but it’s very slow moving, likewise with the Porsche GB club classifieds - anywhere I’m missing? Based in Essex so any well regarded local dealers I could get in touch with? Thanks! About 5 years ago, base 2.7's were getting close to £5K...admittedly the ropey ones.... the average was around £8-10K. Now you'd need £15-£20K. So call it doubled in 5 years. I can't see them returning back. As the Cayman R keeps going up (a few recently at £50K sold), it lifts up the rest of the range. There will come a point where they'll max out but I feel there is some way to go for the prices. As to where to look, beyond AT and PH, then Cayman OC is a good place. Have you checked WindyMillers out ... https://www.caymanoc.com/forums/topic/2673-windymi... ...super cherished and well maintained, fantastic spec. Selling it in May, which is only 2.5 months away. I'd hold out for that though you don't detail your spec preference. Also, and what I did, try the classifieds and dealers in Jersey and Guernsey from time to time. Without being stereotypical but they ain't short of a bob or two over there, and the best spec Porsches are usually over there...Jersey owners seem to go all out spec wise. I would also do a frequent Google Image searches for Cayman's and filter by date added as to other ways to find sales that aren't listed on AT or PH yet still come up in general search. Also in AT, where it says filter by model variant, and this only applies in the AT iPhone app, is select 'Unlisted' - this will display Porsche listings where the owner has listed/posted it up wrong. That was the case with my R, it only appeared in results if one selected Unlisted plus Jersey. This gives you an advantage on a pool of Porsches that many people don't know are there. So a few tips there, hope that helps! In fact over on OC, start a thread as we look out for others and will post up recommendations based on more spec info....or add to this thread.. https://www.caymanoc.com/forums/topic/2636-looking... Best regards and good luck Julian

julian987R said: About 5 years ago, base 2.7's were getting close to £5K...admittedly the ropey ones.... the average was around £8-10K. Now you'd need £15-£20K. So call it doubled in 5 years. I can't see them returning back. As the Cayman R keeps going up (a few recently at £50K sold), it lifts up the rest of the range. Mostly incorrect. 2.7s never got that cheap. "Average" pricing of a 2.7 never dipped below about £12k and only a small minority were advertised below £10k. They were not remotely "getting close to £5k". They have gone up a bit since, along with much of the market. The R is exceptional at the moment in that it's one of the few Porsches that hasn't seen a fairly big jump in values. It's been fairly flat with only a small increase. Flatter than any other Cayman, I would say. Non-R Gen 2 Caymans, both 2.9 and 3.4, have gone up far more in percentage terms, probably in outright terms, too. A really good dealer 3.4 has gone from about £22-24k to £30-32k, in terms of advertised prices. Even a few 2.9s over £30k, which is a big jump of getting on for 50 percent. If Rs had gone up an equivalent amount, they'd be £60k-plus. But they actually haven't moved much, which is odd, but there you go. Not everything has gone mad. As for where the market is heading in general, rather than typical seasonal trends, nobody knows, ignore anyone who pretends to know the future. Regarding seasonal stuff, the winter is a bit slower and more cars will be available in spring. Prices are typically a bit firmer but beyond that, who knows. That said, it's hard to see a really dramatic change between now and spring. Most cars are on PH and AT. You can try Facebook market and relevant Facebook groups, the odd car pops up on there before it gets advertised on the usual suspects. You might even find something on eBay that isn't listed elsewhere. Good luck.

julian987R said: About 5 years ago, base 2.7's were getting close to £5K...admittedly the ropey ones.... the average was around £8-10K. Now you'd need £15-£20K. So call it doubled in 5 years. I can't see them returning back. As the Cayman R keeps going up (a few recently at £50K sold), it lifts up the rest of the range. A base 987 (even a ropey one) has never been 5k or even anywhere near that. They bottomed out a few years ago at around 10k for a high mileage non-Cat car. These days the same car is around 11.5-14k. A gen1 S is marginally more but the price difference is not as large as one may expect. The rise in prices has happened since Covid and may or may not be permanent. I don't think it's old fashioned price appreciation as was seen on the air cooled cars. Edited by LennyM1984 on Tuesday 11th January 20:30

From keeping an eye on the market and being an owner of a 987 Cayman I'd say prices have gone up for the 987.2 3.4 S by approx. 10%, possibly 15% at the upper level in the last 3 years. I would imagine 2.9 would be similar but haven't watched these so closely. The 2.9 price rise will be constrained by the bottom of the 3.4 price point (why would you pay more for the smaller engine car), with the 3.4S in turn being constrained by the R and likely also 997.2 prices. The 987.1 2.7 is at the bottom of the pile (although still excellent) and so constrained by all other models. There are not a great amount of 987.2's around, they are a known entity in being a very good sports car with a good balance between old school and modern, without many reliability problems, so my prediction is that prices will remain firm and may possibly continue to creep upwards, although tempered by my point above about the price point vs the rest of the Porsche range from the same era. Whatever happens, I would think it very unlikely that prices of 987.2 would mean losing your shirt on one so if you're after one, buy it and enjoy!

LennyM1984 said: A base 987 (even a ropey one) has never been 5k or even anywhere near that. They bottomed out a few years ago at around 10k for a high mileage non-Cat car. Edited by LennyM1984 on Tuesday 11th January 20:30 Believe me, they were. Lowest I saw was a fair few at £6K, which lead me at the time to predict they'd. go as low as £5K. This I swear by.

F6C said: Mostly incorrect. 2.7s never got that cheap. "Average" pricing of a 2.7 never dipped below about £12k and only a small minority were advertised below £10k. They were not remotely "getting close to £5k". They have gone up a bit since, along with much of the market. Wrong wrong wrong and wrong. I was following the prices 5 years ago religiously.

Oh god….he’s off again

Niall0tdi said: Hi all, looking to purchase a 987 (ideally Gen2 2.9 or the right gen1 2.7) in the next couple of months. I’ve done my homework, and some, so feel as prepared as I can be. Question I have is around the market pricing for Caymans and availability. Within my budget and engine/model requirements there’s currently only a couple of cars across the country… is this (like convertible) due to the time of year and do you typically see more cars in April/May? Likewise, do prices follow suit and go up much or are the Caymans not so effected by the seasonal swings? Of course with the ongoing car market pricing, no one can predict but just want to understand from Historic Porsche prices and learn from more experienced owners & buyers. Finally - anywhere (beyond the obvious) I should be keeping an eye out for a good car? I’ve got my eyes on the Cayman OC forum but it’s very slow moving, likewise with the Porsche GB club classifieds - anywhere I’m missing? Based in Essex so any well regarded local dealers I could get in touch with? Thanks! My first new Porsche was a 2.9, loved every minute of it. Very usable car, you can really drive the socks off it on the road.

Niall0tdi said: Hi all, looking to purchase a 987 (ideally Gen2 2.9 or the right gen1 2.7) in the next couple of months. I’ve done my homework, and some, so feel as prepared as I can be. Question I have is around the market pricing for Caymans and availability. Within my budget and engine/model requirements there’s currently only a couple of cars across the country… is this (like convertible) due to the time of year and do you typically see more cars in April/May? Likewise, do prices follow suit and go up much or are the Caymans not so effected by the seasonal swings? Of course with the ongoing car market pricing, no one can predict but just want to understand from Historic Porsche prices and learn from more experienced owners & buyers. Finally - anywhere (beyond the obvious) I should be keeping an eye out for a good car? I’ve got my eyes on the Cayman OC forum but it’s very slow moving, likewise with the Porsche GB club classifieds - anywhere I’m missing? Based in Essex so any well regarded local dealers I could get in touch with? Thanks! My first new Porsche was a 2.9, loved every minute of it. Very usable car, you can really drive the socks off it on the road.

julian987R said: LennyM1984 said: A base 987 (even a ropey one) has never been 5k or even anywhere near that. They bottomed out a few years ago at around 10k for a high mileage non-Cat car. Edited by LennyM1984 on Tuesday 11th January 20:30 Believe me, they were. Lowest I saw was a fair few at £6K, which lead me at the time to predict they'd. go as low as £5K. This I swear by. I was in the market for a ropey dog a few months into the covid pandemic, prices on everything had plummeted at that point, demand had dropped, people thought they would lose their jobs and crucially, no shortages of supply for new cars. Price wise, they'd be 1 or 2 starting with a 6, a handful more with a price starting with a 7. Needed to be around 8-9k to have a reasonable choice. I'm talking 987 Boxsters prices here, the Cayman seems to be about 1-2k more like for like. 5k Caymans were never a thing. I don't really think 987.1's have moved that much in value through covid. They've firmed up a bit but it only seems like a couple of grand at the most which isn't worth talking about in Porsche world, you could easily drop 2k in maintenance if you picked up the wrong example (needing coolant pipes or suspension re-fresh, etc). I don't think that's a bad thing, lot of the current car market is built on sand. My mate bought a brand new Polo GTI in lockdown, 18k, sold it back to a dealer after 18 months for 19.5k, it's madness.

To all those who seem to be jumping on the £5K comment. I said close to that mark for ropey ones but the average was circa £8K-£10K which is the sums you are saying were common. Exactly. That’s what I said. What’s with all the heat? Now we can go back and forth on this forever, he says, I says. I saw Caymans around the £6K mark as I mentioned above. You didn’t. Oh well. They existed. Few and far between but they existed. You missed them. oh well. Edited by julian987R on Tuesday 11th January 22:35

I want what ever you’re on The price rises aren’t due to the R pulling them up, it’s the lack of new cars pulling everything up, same as every other make. When supply finally returns to normal prices will drop again. Essentially you have to decide if you are willing to pay the inflated prices, but if you want a car now, then you have no choice.

supersport said: I want what ever you’re on The price rises aren’t due to the R pulling them up, it’s the lack of new cars pulling everything up, same as every other make. When supply finally returns to normal prices will drop again. Essentially you have to decide if you are willing to pay the inflated prices, but if you want a car now, then you have no choice.

julian987R said: Wrong wrong wrong and wrong. I was following the prices 5 years ago religiously. You're making things up. It's a mystery why you bother. Or you're just clueless, it's hard to say which.

julian987R said: To all those who seem to be jumping on the £5K comment. I said close to that mark for ropey ones but the average was circa £8K-£10K which is the sums you are saying were common. Exactly. That’s what I said. What’s with all the heat? 987.1 2.7 Caymans were never 'average £8-10k', that is completely false. If you said that about 987.1 2.7 Boxsters, you'd be nearer the truth, they did get to something like that level. Caymans did not, no matter how often you repeat it.

supersport said: I want what ever you’re on The price rises aren’t due to the R pulling them up, it’s the lack of new cars pulling everything up, same as every other make. When supply finally returns to normal prices will drop again. Essentially you have to decide if you are willing to pay the inflated prices, but if you want a car now, then you have no choice. R pulling other models up is total gibberish. The R, for whatever reason, has performed the worst of late. It hasn't moved much, but other gen 2 models have seen quite a jump. Here's a gen 2 2.9 Cayman for £33k: https://www.mortimersprestige.co.uk/used-cars/1357... Over priced, to be sure, but probably £8-10k more than it would have been 18 months ago and proportionally that's a very large increase. I agree it's a temporary blip. The only possible catch is that inflation generally is pretty bad. So, while values may dip in real terms, the price in £'s may not drop much if at all. In real terms all our savings are taking a hammering.

And to think I bought and sold a 987.2 CS with 52k miles for £18.5k less that 2 years ago. I can't say as I liked the car much and it needed a clutch and flywheel, but I'd have made a packet had I not got itchy feet for an Elise 111R. I couldn't shift it at £21k and gradually came down in price to get it gone before the lotus arrived. I picked up a lovely Aqua Blue gen 2 Boxster S in November in pretty high spec for less than £20k. I consider that a bit of a bargain despite having bought one 5 years ago for £17.5k. I remember 3.2 early 987.1 Boxsters hitting approx £7-8k for heavily worn ones, but I never saw any form of Cayman near £5k unless it needed a new engine! Happy to be proven wrong if someone wants to waste a few hours on the wayback machine website.

just an observation don't wish to talk up or down prices as not to bothered. From what I see in the market prices have softened for 987 models especially the Gen1s High priced 987s have been for sale for months when you start checking on a regular basis Good cars with a good history reasonably priced sell simple. Anyone selling at this time of year and current climate needs to be flexible on prices if looking to move it on only cars going up or staying level is high end stuff. Only my opinion and what I have seen in the current market. Old saying goes a cars only worth what someone's willing to pay for it

The whole car market is bonkers, not sure there's a specific Cayman trend.

Jan is traditionally one of the weaker months for prices and is usually an ideal buying opportunity. Not seeing much evidence of that at present, sure prices have eased from September highs, but are still much higher than usual. Question is, will we see further rises as we approach the usually buoyant spring market. Given little has changed with regard to supply and semiconductor issues are expected to continue through into the later part of the year, further rises may not be completely out of the question. Interest rate rises and inflation may have other ideas however. With 'Omni' turning out to be mild and huge amounts of government spending sloshing around over the last two years I remain fairly bullish. Fundamentals compared to '08/'09 are very different. Gloomsters remain wedded to a crash, but they've been saying that about the housing market for years. Stock up on ICE while you can... Edited by Lexington59 on Wednesday 12th January 12:08

Lexington59 said: Gloomsters remain wedded to a crash, but they've been saying that about the housing market for years. Stock up on ICE while you can... Sort of agree. I don't think there'll be a crash but prices across many parts of the market will soften. Especially the nearly-new mainstream car market. On a concurrent thread in the Land Rover forum, some posters are contemplating ordering an additional Defender from their main dealer in order to sell it on at a £12k profit to WBAC. Perhaps that little window of opportunity will last for a few months more, but the Laws of Supply and Demand will kick in very quickly. Who the heck is going to buy a Defender at a £12-15k premium when they can get a brand-spanker from a dealer with only normal waiting times!

Brilliant, thanks all and appreciate the feedback. I was definitely asking more about prices specifically in relation to Caymans and seasonal trends - I understand that the car market as a whole is a totally different ball game at the moment. Simply trying to work out if they shift like convertibles (more stock + every ups prices) when the sun comes out or not. My next question is - and excuse the nativity here - how do you *actually* go about taking test drives? I know people will say “try lots of cars… get a feel for what’s good and what’s not…” but in reality, am I going to come across as a time waster if I start doing that now whilst not being in a position to buy for another few months? I’m keen to get underway with what I see as phase 2 of my research - going and seeing cars in the flesh - but don’t want to annoy people or not show the right level of commitment to get into a car and out for a drive to feel for myself… am I overthinking this?

Niall0tdi said: My next question is - and excuse the nativity here - how do you *actually* go about taking test drives? I know people will say “try lots of cars… get a feel for what’s good and what’s not…” but in reality, am I going to come across as a time waster if I start doing that now whilst not being in a position to buy for another few months? I’m keen to get underway with what I see as phase 2 of my research - going and seeing cars in the flesh - but don’t want to annoy people or not show the right level of commitment to get into a car and out for a drive to feel for myself… am I overthinking this? That's what Indie dealers are for...

tracydeedance said: just an observation don't wish to talk up or down prices as not to bothered. From what I see in the market prices have softened for 987 models especially the Gen1s High priced 987s have been for sale for months when you start checking on a regular basis Good cars with a good history reasonably priced sell simple. Anyone selling at this time of year and current climate needs to be flexible on prices if looking to move it on only cars going up or staying level is high end stuff. Only my opinion and what I have seen in the current market. Old saying goes a cars only worth what someone's willing to pay for it I have a friend looking for a gen 1S and also noticed actual sale prices have fallen back a bit (i.e. looking at how fast cars actually sell on the various Facebook forums and not some dealers silly prices)....£15k buys alot of 987.1S and they are still a relative bargain in all the Porsche madness IMO. The price spread is a mess with ones listed at near £20k (or over) that have been on sale for ages (obviously hoping for a buyer in last years frenzy that doesn't know the difference between gen 1 and 2). https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109177... Edited by Andyoz on Wednesday 12th January 15:49

Niall0tdi said: Brilliant, thanks all and appreciate the feedback. I was definitely asking more about prices specifically in relation to Caymans and seasonal trends - I understand that the car market as a whole is a totally different ball game at the moment. Simply trying to work out if they shift like convertibles (more stock + every ups prices) when the sun comes out or not. My next question is - and excuse the nativity here - how do you *actually* go about taking test drives? I know people will say “try lots of cars… get a feel for what’s good and what’s not…” but in reality, am I going to come across as a time waster if I start doing that now whilst not being in a position to buy for another few months? I’m keen to get underway with what I see as phase 2 of my research - going and seeing cars in the flesh - but don’t want to annoy people or not show the right level of commitment to get into a car and out for a drive to feel for myself… am I overthinking this? As mentioned, contact Windymiller over on the OC forum, as the timings for when you are ready to by and for when he is selling line up perfectly. Did you review his car that is coming up for sale?

julian987R said: As mentioned, contact Windymiller over on the OC forum, as the timings for when you are ready to by and for when he is selling line up perfectly. Did you review his car that is coming up for sale? Read the original post again. Niall0tdi said: Hi all, looking to purchase a 987 (ideally Gen2 2.9 or the right gen1 2.7) in the next couple of months. He's not looking for a Gen 2 3.4.

F6C said: julian987R said: As mentioned, contact Windymiller over on the OC forum, as the timings for when you are ready to by and for when he is selling line up perfectly. Did you review his car that is coming up for sale? Read the original post again. Niall0tdi said: Hi all, looking to purchase a 987 (ideally Gen2 2.9 or the right gen1 2.7) in the next couple of months. He's not looking for a Gen 2 3.4. Considering the OP has yet to try any then they should keep their options open. No harm in exploring all avenues at this stage.

julian987R said: Considering the OP has yet to try any then they should keep their options open. No harm in exploring all avenues at this stage. If the 3.4 is out of price range, then it's irrelevant. And there is a significant price delta over a 2.9 and even more so over a 2.7. Most people considering 987s will be budget constrained. That's just the reality of it.

Niall0tdi said: Hi all, looking to purchase a 987 (ideally Gen2 2.9 or the right gen1 2.7) in the next couple of months. I’ve done my homework, and some, so feel as prepared as I can be. Question I have is around the market pricing for Caymans and availability. Within my budget and engine/model requirements there’s currently only a couple of cars across the country… is this (like convertible) due to the time of year and do you typically see more cars in April/May? Likewise, do prices follow suit and go up much or are the Caymans not so effected by the seasonal swings? Of course with the ongoing car market pricing, no one can predict but just want to understand from Historic Porsche prices and learn from more experienced owners & buyers. Finally - anywhere (beyond the obvious) I should be keeping an eye out for a good car? I’ve got my eyes on the Cayman OC forum but it’s very slow moving, likewise with the Porsche GB club classifieds - anywhere I’m missing? Based in Essex so any well regarded local dealers I could get in touch with? Thanks! Mine will be up for sale slightly sooner than that, end of February time, 2009 2.9, ~35k miles. I’ve been keeping track of the values monthly since I bought it, and I reckon I can get basically what I paid for it, which was £23k. I don’t see the values going down.

Niall-- based on your budget and preferences, pick three (3) cars. Each of the three should be such that you'd basically be happy to buy it unless the test drive or chat with the owner/dealer reveals an unexpected problem. Then go there, drive, and commit or walk. IIRC you didn't mention your budget, so I will pull one low and one highish option from the current PH list. 1) cheapo option https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12540951 Some will whine about the cabin. Ignore. Switch out / refresh driver seat as needed. Observe that cabin color isn't black but ocean blue, which makes for a handsome combo with the white body color. Note single owner. 2) upscale option https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12752447 I don't want PDK, but even I will consider this 3.4 (why settle for 2.9?). It's got some mods, but these seem sensible or anyway intriguing. The owner sounds like he mostly knows what he's doing. Not sure if I'd want two different sets of Michelins front and rear. I'd also want the factory PASM back, ditto (for resale purposes) the Sport Chrono clock. Even so, I would check this car out.

F6C said: julian987R said: Considering the OP has yet to try any then they should keep their options open. No harm in exploring all avenues at this stage. If the 3.4 is out of price range, then it's irrelevant. And there is a significant price delta over a 2.9 and even more so over a 2.7. Most people considering 987s will be budget constrained. That's just the reality of it.[/quo Yes I agree anyone looking for a 987 will have a top budget we all have our limits financially or what we are willing to pay obviously Gen1 will be the least expensive some might shy away from it regards a few engine failures . But plenty of people have had no issues I say find the best one you can find at a budget your comfortable paying. Good luck.

julian987R said: As the Cayman R keeps going up (a few recently at £50K sold), it lifts up the rest of the range. You can get change out of 30k for one... https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112100...

Escy said: julian987R said: As the Cayman R keeps going up (a few recently at £50K sold), it lifts up the rest of the range. You can get change out of 30k for one... https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112100... Crikey. I wonder whether that needs a bit of a refresh at those miles.

Escy said: You can get change out of 30k for one... https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112100... Pretty much the worst spec'd R I've ever seen....and a but rough too according to some that have seen it up close. But with the recent S price increases maybe it makes sense if you want a PDK.

£43k with 39k miles £47k with 30k miles £39k with 37k miles £42k with 47k miles (911 Virgin) £28k with 99k miles £47k with 19k miles That's all the 987Rs for sale on PH right now. Many aren't great spec, but some are manual with buckets. They really have not gone up during the pandemic, unlike other 987s. Hard to say why. Pricing on them has been fairly flat for ages. Certainly those prices above are not substantially different to pre-pandemic. Put 911 Virgin in brackets as they absolutely know the market and the car will very likely be a nice one, albeit the spec on the car isn't great. But it wouldn't be over £50k even at 911V if it did have buckets. Meanwhile, you did not see 987.2 S priced like this pre pandemic: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12605084 £31.5k 30k miles or this: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12559942 £29k 64k miles I think they're both over priced, but they are not actually unusual at the moment. There have been lots of £30k-plus priced S in the last four to six months. Many have sold, though not clear how much for.

F6C said: £43k with 39k miles £47k with 30k miles £39k with 37k miles £42k with 47k miles (911 Virgin) £28k with 99k miles £47k with 19k miles That's all the 987Rs for sale on PH right now. Many aren't great spec, but some are manual with buckets. They really have not gone up during the pandemic, unlike other 987s. Hard to say why. Pricing on them has been fairly flat for ages. Certainly those prices above are not substantially different to pre-pandemic. Put 911 Virgin in brackets as they absolutely know the market and the car will very likely be a nice one, albeit the spec on the car isn't great. But it wouldn't be over £50k even at 911V if it did have buckets. Meanwhile, you did not see 987.2 S priced like this pre pandemic: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12605084 £31.5k 30k miles or this: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12559942 £29k 64k miles I think they're both over priced, but they are not actually unusual at the moment. There have been lots of £30k-plus priced S in the last four to six months. Many have sold, though not clear how much for. At the height of the mania the better R's were selling for £50k but I think they have dropped back a bit like other stuff. But yes the core 987.2 prices have increased and seem to be holding a bit. The mad stuff we saw last year was never going to 'stick'...Market Melt Up.

Escy said: julian987R said: As the Cayman R keeps going up (a few recently at £50K sold), it lifts up the rest of the range. You can get change out of 30k for one... https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112100... its a rust bucket underneath apparently

Back to the OP, I was in your shoes about a year ago. I'm guessing from narrowing it down to those two models a) you don't want to spend more than £15-20k but might stretch a couple more for a nice 2.9. b) you want to avoid the 3.4 Gen 1 due to bore score risk. When I first started following the Cayman market pre-Covid you could pick up a nice 2.9 for around £16-17k, certainly privately, but since then they have climbed significantly as everyone has already said. And the 3.4 Gen 2 even more so, to the point I bet there are a few people who would be tempted by a 997 instead. Mind you, they've gone up at least as much also. I can't see prices moving much unless the whole Porsche market drops, e.g. 981s come down enough to make 987.2s look too much, and so on. Anyway, as the 2.9 climbed in price I settled for a 2008 2.7 last spring. The 2.7 had climbed maybe £2000-2500 from pre covid like for like condition/miles, maybe a little more for very low mileage cars. e.g. they typically went from around £12k-13k to £14-16k for a tidy condition car with FSH and sensible miles. One other notable change was the market became much more trade sales and a lot less private sales, although I did end up buying mine privately. One more thing, I would have upped my budget for a Hartech-rebuilt 3.4 Gen 1 but didn't see any when I was searching. I should imagine they would be priced in the high teens in the present market. As for non-rebuilt cars, the 3.4 Gen 1s in general seem to be priced barely more than 2.7s, in fact in some cases they are less. I am sure the whole bore score thing is a factor here, and maybe the tax to a lesser extent. Edited by WayOutWest on Thursday 13th January 13:05

WayOutWest said: Back to the OP, I was in your shoes about a year ago. I'm guessing from narrowing it down to those two models a) you don't want to spend more than £15-20k but might stretch a couple more for a nice 2.9. b) you want to avoid the 3.4 Gen 1 due to bore score risk. When I first started following the Cayman market pre-Covid you could pick up a nice 2.9 for around £16-17k, certainly privately, but since then they have climbed significantly as everyone has already said. And the 3.4 Gen 2 even more so, to the point I bet there are a few people who would be tempted by a 997 instead. Mind you, they've gone up at least as much also. I can't see prices moving much unless the whole Porsche market drops, e.g. 981s come down enough to make 987.2s look too much, and so on. Anyway, as the 2.9 climbed in price I settled for a 2008 2.7 last spring. The 2.7 had climbed maybe £2000-2500 from pre covid like for like condition/miles, maybe a little more for very low mileage cars. e.g. they typically went from around £12k-13k to £14-16k for a tidy condition car with FSH and sensible miles. One other notable change was the market became much more trade sales and a lot less private sales, although I did end up buying mine privately. One more thing, I would have upped my budget for a Hartech-rebuilt 3.4 Gen 1 but didn't see any when I was searching. I should imagine they would be priced in the high teens in the present market. As for non-rebuilt cars, the 3.4 Gen 1s in general seem to be priced barely more than 2.7s, in fact in some cases they are less. I am sure the whole bore score thing is a factor here, and maybe the tax to a lesser extent. Edited by WayOutWest on Thursday 13th January 13:05 Nailed it! Yes, exactly as you say - ruling out the gen 1 S as I just don’t want the risk… could probably deal with it in my own head but it’s the “you bought a fancy Porsche and it’s broken?!” from the ‘non-car people’ in my life that would be biggest weight on my mind. Thanks for your points, they’re all very interesting and sound about right from what I’ve seen too. Nice to have it backed up! So yes, £15-£20k ideally and something that’s been shown a bit of love in its lifetime. I don’t really want a fixer upper but am of course prepared to maintain the car properly. WayOutWest, do let me know if you fancy selling, won’t you? 😉

Why not consider a Gen1 3.4 but get it bore scoped before purchasing? I spotted this one on my internet travels. I don't look at that end of the market but the mileage seems low for the money. It's a jen11 2.9 with 56k on it. The caliper colour and aftermarket spoiler are red flags but they can be sorted out. The advert is piss poor but I often bought gems from terrible adverts. https://www.gumtree.com/p/porsche/2009-09-porsche-...

Niall0tdi said: Nailed it! Yes, exactly as you say - ruling out the gen 1 S as I just don’t want the risk… could probably deal with it in my own head but it’s the “you bought a fancy Porsche and it’s broken?!” from the ‘non-car people’ in my life that would be biggest weight on my mind. Thanks for your points, they’re all very interesting and sound about right from what I’ve seen too. Nice to have it backed up! So yes, £15-£20k ideally and something that’s been shown a bit of love in its lifetime. I don’t really want a fixer upper but am of course prepared to maintain the car properly. WayOutWest, do let me know if you fancy selling, won’t you? ?? Hate to say it, perhaps stating the obvious but you need circa £25K to work with for a gen. 2. £15K-£20K will buy you a money pit. That leaves you in the Gen 1 2.7 for which £20K will get you a bag of spanners, so you'll need a min of £25K regardless.

What's your definition of a bag of spanners?

Escy said: What's your definition of a bag of spanners? The one you linked to!

While I cannot agree that you need over £20k for a good 2.7, I do agree that 2.9 just above has to be one of the worst adverts I have seen for a Cayman. It is almost worth staging an intervention and buying it just to save it from more harm. The contrary view is could it be a bargain that just needs the calipers repainting, wheel refurb, rid of the rear spoiler and a good detail? Maybe still no - as no mention of service history or number of owners - but a trader might do that to flip it since the mileage is pretty low, then some nice new pictures in front of the local stately home/national trust property on a gravel drive and Bobs yer uncle. Who on earth uses Gumtree to buy or sell Porsches anyway? Edited by WayOutWest on Friday 14th January 11:31

I'll chip in to this as the OP's position was the same as mine 2 years ago. Budget was max £15k. Was nervous about bore score on the Gen1 S and a few people who had actually driven both the 2.7 and the 3.4 said that once you got used to the torque not being there the 2.7 was a fun drive at sensible speeds and made a great noise. I picked up a well optioned 2.7 6 speed in August 2020 for £14k that, on the face of it was a good car. Many people would have been more than happy driving it as is for a few years, so you can get into a nice and reliable car for sub £15k which I think is still true today. However, if you fall down the hole of making it 'Mint' you need to keep a close eye on the spending (I didn't) or you could end up spending the equivalent of just buying a better car. I.E. a Gen 2 S. I've spent over £7k on mine since purchase and have done most on the mechanical works myself. In that time there has only been one big bill outside of service for a failed steering rack. Replaced the front arms as the bushings were a bit tired. New top mounts and bump stops on the dampers. Anti-roll bar bushes and inner and outer control arms/track rod ends/tie rods. Replaced some missing undertrays from scrap car parts. Replaced the bulbs for something you can actually see with That I would say would be bare minimum spend for any car in that price bracket. Mine had already had new clutch, coolant pipes and brakes. Wheel re-furb etc. On top of that I've had the basic non painted callipers done in gloss black. New Tires. A bluetooth adaptor for the CD. A £ 3k front and sides respray as I found out once I had it that it had had a cheap 'tart up for sale' blow over that started to flake off. And am about to start on the interior. Making it a bit less of a black hole. Centre console has been painted body colour. Ive spent in total including servicing, about £25k which I wouldn't see back if I sold it now looking at prices so my guide would be sub £15k and its goin to be a bit ropey. £15-£20k and you will get a 'good' car that will need a small amout of spend (you may get lucky). £20-£22k for a mint Gen 1 and 'good' Gen 2 2.9.

WayOutWest said: While I cannot agree that you need over £20k for a good 2.7, I do agree that 2.9 just above has to be one of the worst adverts I have seen for a Cayman. It is almost worth staging an intervention and buying it just to save it from more harm. The contrary view is could it be a bargain that just needs the calipers repainting, wheel refurb, rid of the rear spoiler and a good detail? Maybe still no - as no mention of service history or number of owners - but a trader might do that to flip it since the mileage is pretty low, then some nice new pictures in front of the local stately home/national trust property on a gravel drive and Bobs yer uncle. Who on earth uses Gumtree to buy or sell Porsches anyway? Edited by WayOutWest on Friday 14th January 11:31 I'm often looking for cheap cars and tend to be drawn towards the poor adverts with bad photos. It's often the case a seller is simply clueless about how to sell a car but the car is good when you are in front of it. I've bought cars that are advertised with no mention of any service history, you get there and it's got a huge wallet of receipts and fully stamped up service history, etc. Someone spent £1000 on tyres a month ago but didn't mention it on the advert, stuff like that. It's being sold in an odd place, the person who listed it is a women and they've written jen11 rather than gen2 which strikes me as someone that's been told over the phone what to write. You don't know what the situation is, could be someone selling it on behalf of a deceased partner, just wants it gone. Remember the reg, I bet it ends up with a trader, put back to standard and with 5k+ on the price.

53x11 said: Mine had already had new clutch, coolant pipes and brakes. Wheel re-furb etc Yeah, mine had already had that lot plus air con rads done in the last couple of years, which had cost the previous owner a few thousand. Very common stuff to need doing on this age of car, so factor it in.

I was also in the OP's position about 2 years ago and wanted a manual 2.9 Gen 2 car. It suited my budget and the fact it was going to be a daily driver meant it didn't need to be a 3.4S. It took me 4 months to find the right car and even then there were only a handful available. The pictures in the ad weren't great and being a private sale and 2 hours drive away, I didn't expect much. However, it turned out to be perfect - 45k miles, just 2 fastidious owners, superb condition (including underneath) and with a perfect history folder of every old MOT, every OPC service invoice etc. I didn't quite catch it at the bottom of the depreciation curve but I wasn't far off. OP, the 2.9 is a great car and worth holding out for. I find it quick enough 99% of the time and don't really feel short changed. It makes a great noise and can be driven reasonably hard on the public road with out going silly. I'd definitely recommend a set of Zunsport Grills to help protect the air con rads from stones and leaves too. Gratuitous piccy with it's summer wheels on: As it stands today with it's winter wheels on:

WayOutWest said: Who on earth uses Gumtree to buy or sell Porsches anyway? Edited by WayOutWest on Friday 14th January 11:31 ...errrrrr, all Porsche pre-approved dealers do. For example... https://www.gumtree.com/p/porsche/2021-porsche-911... it adds to search optimisation and reach.

Wow, I stand corrected. Hi Listers Group, whats yor best price m8?

53x11 said: I'll chip in to this as the OP's position was the same as mine 2 years ago. Budget was max £15k. Was nervous about bore score on the Gen1 S and a few people who had actually driven both the 2.7 and the 3.4 said that once you got used to the torque not being there the 2.7 was a fun drive at sensible speeds and made a great noise. I picked up a well optioned 2.7 6 speed in August 2020 for £14k that, on the face of it was a good car. Many people would have been more than happy driving it as is for a few years, so you can get into a nice and reliable car for sub £15k which I think is still true today. However, if you fall down the hole of making it 'Mint' you need to keep a close eye on the spending (I didn't) or you could end up spending the equivalent of just buying a better car. I.E. a Gen 2 S. I've spent over £7k on mine since purchase and have done most on the mechanical works myself. In that time there has only been one big bill outside of service for a failed steering rack. Replaced the front arms as the bushings were a bit tired. New top mounts and bump stops on the dampers. Anti-roll bar bushes and inner and outer control arms/track rod ends/tie rods. Replaced some missing undertrays from scrap car parts. Replaced the bulbs for something you can actually see with That I would say would be bare minimum spend for any car in that price bracket. Mine had already had new clutch, coolant pipes and brakes. Wheel re-furb etc. On top of that I've had the basic non painted callipers done in gloss black. New Tires. A bluetooth adaptor for the CD. A £ 3k front and sides respray as I found out once I had it that it had had a cheap 'tart up for sale' blow over that started to flake off. And am about to start on the interior. Making it a bit less of a black hole. Centre console has been painted body colour. Ive spent in total including servicing, about £25k which I wouldn't see back if I sold it now looking at prices so my guide would be sub £15k and its goin to be a bit ropey. £15-£20k and you will get a 'good' car that will need a small amout of spend (you may get lucky). £20-£22k for a mint Gen 1 and 'good' Gen 2 2.9. Thanks for this bit of experience 53x11 (a cyclist, I take it?) - this is all really helpful. I’ve spent a good while reading through your thread on your purchase and ‘refurb’ experience of your own car… hugely impressive what you’ve been able to do yourself and must be very satisfying to know for sure that these jobs have been dealt with. This really helps me justify my feelings that the £15-20k mark for a nice 2.7 Gen1 looks about right. I’m not even close to being as mechanically minded (nor competent) so beyond doing discs and pads I wouldn’t be able to bring a car up to the condition you have without some serious labour investment. Should you ever be tempted to sell, do remember me!

AndrewGP said: I was also in the OP's position about 2 years ago and wanted a manual 2.9 Gen 2 car. It suited my budget and the fact it was going to be a daily driver meant it didn't need to be a 3.4S. It took me 4 months to find the right car and even then there were only a handful available. The pictures in the ad weren't great and being a private sale and 2 hours drive away, I didn't expect much. However, it turned out to be perfect - 45k miles, just 2 fastidious owners, superb condition (including underneath) and with a perfect history folder of every old MOT, every OPC service invoice etc. I didn't quite catch it at the bottom of the depreciation curve but I wasn't far off. OP, the 2.9 is a great car and worth holding out for. I find it quick enough 99% of the time and don't really feel short changed. It makes a great noise and can be driven reasonably hard on the public road with out going silly. I'd definitely recommend a set of Zunsport Grills to help protect the air con rads from stones and leaves too. Gratuitous piccy with it's summer wheels on: As it stands today with it's winter wheels on: Thanks for this - your car looks great… especially those wheels! Lovely. I think the 2.9 may be a bit of a stretch now having read some of these responses and looked at what’s available. A good, well-loved and cared for 2.7 is where I’m focussing.

Niall0tdi said: AndrewGP said: I was also in the OP's position about 2 years ago and wanted a manual 2.9 Gen 2 car. It suited my budget and the fact it was going to be a daily driver meant it didn't need to be a 3.4S. It took me 4 months to find the right car and even then there were only a handful available. The pictures in the ad weren't great and being a private sale and 2 hours drive away, I didn't expect much. However, it turned out to be perfect - 45k miles, just 2 fastidious owners, superb condition (including underneath) and with a perfect history folder of every old MOT, every OPC service invoice etc. I didn't quite catch it at the bottom of the depreciation curve but I wasn't far off. OP, the 2.9 is a great car and worth holding out for. I find it quick enough 99% of the time and don't really feel short changed. It makes a great noise and can be driven reasonably hard on the public road with out going silly. I'd definitely recommend a set of Zunsport Grills to help protect the air con rads from stones and leaves too. Gratuitous piccy with it's summer wheels on: As it stands today with it's winter wheels on: Thanks for this - your car looks great… especially those wheels! Lovely. I think the 2.9 may be a bit of a stretch now having read some of these responses and looked at what’s available. A good, well-loved and cared for 2.7 is where I’m focussing. I think a 2.7 is a good entry point into Porsche ownership. It's still a flat 6 and will be much more fun than any 4 pot you're likely to get for similar money. Who knows, in a few years you might fancy a change and move up the food chain. Just be careful and research as some 2.7 models are high road tax.

Another thing I'd suggest if you've the cash ready to go Put wanted posts in a couple of relevant Facebook pages like "Porsche Owners UK" and "Porsche 987 Owner Club". Be specific with what you want even down to color. I've a mate looking for Hartech engine rebuilt 997.1 spec and he did a Wanted post a few days ago and already has a few solid leads on cars that haven't been advertised yet. He's got first dibs. That's the second mate that's had success that way. Alot of sellers dread the whole private selling circus, dealing with time wasters. Especially this time of year when keeping a car clean is a total pain. Dealer part-ex offers are in the toilet. You might be surprised what cars are sitting the sidelines and people see a wanted post and it triggers them.

Niall0tdi said: Nailed it! Yes, exactly as you say - ruling out the gen 1 S as I just don’t want the risk… could probably deal with it in my own head but it’s the “you bought a fancy Porsche and it’s broken?!” from the ‘non-car people’ in my life that would be biggest weight on my mind. Thanks for your points, they’re all very interesting and sound about right from what I’ve seen too. Nice to have it backed up! So yes, £15-£20k ideally and something that’s been shown a bit of love in its lifetime. I don’t really want a fixer upper but am of course prepared to maintain the car properly. WayOutWest, do let me know if you fancy selling, won’t you? ?? Aware you are ruling out Gen 1 S's but do consider this ... https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12798866 bar the Gen 1 Sport edition ( https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12800008 ) , the Design Edition is probably second best of the Gen 1 range. A lot of car for the money if you can get it for a few £K less as it needs a good detail. Edited by julian987R on Sunday 16th January 01:28

julian987R said: Hate to say it, perhaps stating the obvious but you need circa £25K to work with for a gen. 2. £15K-£20K will buy you a money pit. That leaves you in the Gen 1 2.7 for which £20K will get you a bag of spanners, so you'll need a min of £25K regardless. 20k for a 2.7 that is a bag of spanners? Really?

Niall0tdi said: Thanks for this bit of experience 53x11 (a cyclist, I take it?) - this is all really helpful. I’ve spent a good while reading through your thread on your purchase and ‘refurb’ experience of your own car… hugely impressive what you’ve been able to do yourself and must be very satisfying to know for sure that these jobs have been dealt with. This really helps me justify my feelings that the £15-20k mark for a nice 2.7 Gen1 looks about right. I’m not even close to being as mechanically minded (nor competent) so beyond doing discs and pads I wouldn’t be able to bring a car up to the condition you have without some serious labour investment. Should you ever be tempted to sell, do remember me! Morning. Yep, keen cyclist here and that was the reason I went for the Cayman over a cheaper Boxter as the bike can go in the back stripped down a bit for trips abroad (if they ever happen again). I work at a PC all day so am no where near being a mechanic but these cars are well engineered for maintenance. You can see the cost saving in some areas (cruddy mild steel bolts) but keep on top of the maintenance as they 'should' be trouble free. They also like to be driven. Managed to get over to Stuttgart in the summer and 1000 miles of VPower through the engine at motorway speed and it has never run better Good point on the road tax. Mine has the "Sport Pack" which is Sports Chrono, PASM and the 6 speed box. That puts it 1g into the £560 tax bracket!! That caught me out when taxing it the first time. I had no idea. There looks like a few cars worth looking at in the classifieds at the moment too P.S. I'd budget for new coil packs as well. They transformed the somewhat lumpy running and where pretty shot when I removed them.