981 S...what to look out for? - Page 3 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

My next car search has almost come full circle back to a boxster. With a budget of 30k ish i can get a 981 s with pretty low miles and decent spec. Is there anything i need to be aware of? I seem to recall wire mesh/or something similar being needed for the front vent holes to prevent radiators being punctured by stones. Are the roof mechanisms reliable? Do the roofs have and weak spots where they leak?, Cheers Stu.

There’s loads of stuff on here about 981 buying, they’re pretty robust things. For 30k from what I can see, that’ll just about getting you into high-milers with a lesser spec - but I wouldn’t let that put you off.

Cheers, ill have more of a look at threads on this page. Any recommended forums for buying private? I tend to prefer to buy of enthusiasts than of autotrader etc as we look after cars better!

I've owned a 987.2 Boxster and a 981 Cayman GTS so hopefully I can provide a little info. You don't have to fit grilles over the rads, yes you will get stones, leaves even cigarette butts in there from my experience but they never caused any issues, just ensure everything is clear that's all I did. 981's suffer from the heating/air con fan sticking which has been covered here previously, only seems to happen in winter when you need it the most, it's a 5-10 min job to remove the covers and spin the fan which will buy you another 12 months before it will need doing again. Tyres crab terribly when cold and at full lock. On my boxster (albeit a 987) the drain holes were blocked, this caused water ingress into the cab which killed the ECU under the passenger seat, the roof had to come off, seats out, carpet out to dry out and replace the ECU, luckily all covered under warranty and the drain holes should have been cleared when serviced, that would have been a bill into the thousands. So I would imagine similar drain holes will exist on the 981 and will require clearing/checking. When the roof was refitted it didn't open/close correctly, it was at an angle, there are velcro straps which can be adjusted to straighten this, again this may or may not be the same on the 981, but I never had any leaks regardless. If you are planning on getting a Porsche warranty you will need it inspecting by Porsche, be mindful that you will need N rated tyres, given the age of the 981 it may have had a battery replacement, it will need to be a Porsche battery also.

The steering rack on my 14 plate car failed out of warranty at 13k miles. £3k fix. The horn wasn’t working, again common issue on early 981 and 991. I’m unimpressed by claims of Porsche engineering quality. They knew the engines fitted to Boxster and 911 weren’t fit for purpose for years before revising them to fix issues. £30k doesn’t buy you much of a 981 currently either. Nice cars, quick enough and the more options you have the nicer the experience. But they are a bit blunt as an engaging sports car. An Elise is more fun though not nice to daily. Having had all generations of Boxster bar 718 when new or close to new, I wouldn’t have another.

Freakuk said: I've owned a 987.2 Boxster and a 981 Cayman GTS so hopefully I can provide a little info. You don't have to fit grilles over the rads, yes you will get stones, leaves even cigarette butts in there from my experience but they never caused any issues, just ensure everything is clear that's all I did. 981's suffer from the heating/air con fan sticking which has been covered here previously, only seems to happen in winter when you need it the most, it's a 5-10 min job to remove the covers and spin the fan which will buy you another 12 months before it will need doing again. Tyres crab terribly when cold and at full lock. On my boxster (albeit a 987) the drain holes were blocked, this caused water ingress into the cab which killed the ECU under the passenger seat, the roof had to come off, seats out, carpet out to dry out and replace the ECU, luckily all covered under warranty and the drain holes should have been cleared when serviced, that would have been a bill into the thousands. So I would imagine similar drain holes will exist on the 981 and will require clearing/checking. When the roof was refitted it didn't open/close correctly, it was at an angle, there are velcro straps which can be adjusted to straighten this, again this may or may not be the same on the 981, but I never had any leaks regardless. If you are planning on getting a Porsche warranty you will need it inspecting by Porsche, be mindful that you will need N rated tyres, given the age of the 981 it may have had a battery replacement, it will need to be a Porsche battery also. Thank you. Very useful, especially around the grills for the cooling ducts. I had heard about draining holes being blocked. Definitely something to check each time the car is cleaned. How long can a Porsche warranty be had for in terms of age of the car?

Royal Jelly said: There’s loads of stuff on here about 981 buying, they’re pretty robust things. For 30k from what I can see, that’ll just about getting you into high-milers with a lesser spec - but I wouldn’t let that put you off. Annoyingly like all sports cars these seem to have gone up by 5k ish over the past year. I am in no rush so am waiting to see what happens to the market as new car production ramps up again next year as more micro chips slowly become available etc etc.

stuno1 said: Freakuk said: I've owned a 987.2 Boxster and a 981 Cayman GTS so hopefully I can provide a little info. You don't have to fit grilles over the rads, yes you will get stones, leaves even cigarette butts in there from my experience but they never caused any issues, just ensure everything is clear that's all I did. 981's suffer from the heating/air con fan sticking which has been covered here previously, only seems to happen in winter when you need it the most, it's a 5-10 min job to remove the covers and spin the fan which will buy you another 12 months before it will need doing again. Tyres crab terribly when cold and at full lock. On my boxster (albeit a 987) the drain holes were blocked, this caused water ingress into the cab which killed the ECU under the passenger seat, the roof had to come off, seats out, carpet out to dry out and replace the ECU, luckily all covered under warranty and the drain holes should have been cleared when serviced, that would have been a bill into the thousands. So I would imagine similar drain holes will exist on the 981 and will require clearing/checking. When the roof was refitted it didn't open/close correctly, it was at an angle, there are velcro straps which can be adjusted to straighten this, again this may or may not be the same on the 981, but I never had any leaks regardless. If you are planning on getting a Porsche warranty you will need it inspecting by Porsche, be mindful that you will need N rated tyres, given the age of the 981 it may have had a battery replacement, it will need to be a Porsche battery also. Thank you. Very useful, especially around the grills for the cooling ducts. I had heard about draining holes being blocked. Definitely something to check each time the car is cleaned. How long can a Porsche warranty be had for in terms of age of the car? I'm not sure on the warranty, probably all listed on the Porsche site, my Boxster was a year old when I bought it from an OPC so had warranty and I subsequently extended luckily. My Cayman was new so had warranty but I didn't extend. Going back to the grilles, I believe on some models that rads can rot if the debris isn't cleared, as mentioned I cleared mine at every wash so nothing really built up, I'm sure some Porsche dealers weren't happy when grilles were fitted also, I'm not too sure on that TBH... but if you intend to extend warranty and fancy fitting the grilles I'd check with the dealer first, just to be sure.

stuno1 said: Thank you. Very useful, especially around the grills for the cooling ducts. I had heard about draining holes being blocked. Definitely something to check each time the car is cleaned. How long can a Porsche warranty be had for in terms of age of the car? I believe up to 10yr old ,but before you do add warranty from any other source other than an OPC you will have to wait 90days before you can apply then you have to pay for a 111 point check.I Have had 6 Boxster currently have a 987 manual Spyder and a 981 2.7 PDK ,great cars very versatile 2 boots ,not had any issues bar the usual discs/ pads replacement had top mounts in a 986 .Porsche are not bullet proof just another prestige volume car maker .If it where me get a local indy to look over any potential car would not consider warranty with the the possible age you are looking at will be at least 8yr old car .Enjoy the search part of the fun ,most price wise are on the up but turning into winter soft top cars can be cheaper .

highway said: The steering rack on my 14 plate car failed out of warranty at 13k miles. £3k fix. The horn wasn’t working, again common issue on early 981 and 991. I’m unimpressed by claims of Porsche engineering quality. They knew the engines fitted to Boxster and 911 weren’t fit for purpose for years before revising them to fix issues. £30k doesn’t buy you much of a 981 currently either. Nice cars, quick enough and the more options you have the nicer the experience. But they are a bit blunt as an engaging sports car. An Elise is more fun though not nice to daily. Having had all generations of Boxster bar 718 when new or close to new, I wouldn’t have another. Thanks for the reply. I imagine if you have had every model you are a bit done! Prices are stilly at the moment and that’s the case across the market, I am in no rush to buy so will be watching the market to see what happens.

Re the (Zunsport) grilles, I had them on a 981 CGTS but noticed they pushed up the oil temp. I was happier when they were taken off and I wouldn't recommend them. Just make sure the radiators are clear of crap. There is a stone-damage risk but I prefer to run that than have higher oil temps. And bit and pieces still go through the small holes in the grilles, accumulating in front of the radiators.

Maxym said: Re the (Zunsport) grilles, I had them on a 981 CGTS but noticed they pushed up the oil temp. I was happier when they were taken off and I wouldn't recommend them. Just make sure the radiators are clear of crap. There is a stone-damage risk but I prefer to run that than have higher oil temps. And bit and pieces still go through the small holes in the grilles, accumulating in front of the radiators. Sound advice. Ta.

When these were in their low £20k price category they were a bargain for what you get. I accept prices have risen across all secondhand cars but I still think they are good value if you want the practicality of being able to use it all year round everyday. I think Porsche warranty extends to 15yrs old (?) and it is half the price of 911 costs. That said servicing isn't cheap and given the age of the cars now I'd be looking at a good Indy to service it for a third of OPC costs but which will rule out the warranty option. Build quality to me looks top notch (I might be biased as a GT4 owner) and whilst there can be issues like with any car they are (so far) not catastophic failures. I wouldn't pay a premium for Nav as it was outdated when first introduced unless you hack it for Car Play.

Re: Grilles. This is what one of my rads looked like after 15k miles... I'd only gone to Zunsport for a pair of rear grilles to hide the exhaust boxes but Peter the MD asked if I'd like any others. On the lift to trial fit the fronts I saw the stone damage above and immediately said I'd have them, and the side intake grilles (already had a leaf stuck in there making the fan noisy). Soon after fitting one of the front rads had a "vampire stake" sticking in it when I arrived home one day. The grille was undamaged but had it not been there... I've had no oil temp issues. Porsche GB will NOT allow an extended warranty on a car will these fitted (or any other aftermarket mods). I have this in writing after OPC Leicester "mistakenly" put such a warranty on the car. I got my money back two years later when they wouldn't repeat this on the same car, no changes. I prefer no warranty and to service outside of OPC network to the risk of a holed rad. Other items to check: See other thread on 981 recall for rear axle mounts. Pirelli N0 tyres are crap. Mine were faulty (cracked). My Goodyears were good but faulty too (splits). Go Michelin PS4S. Battery died after 6yrs. New Porsche one expensive - go Bosch if out of warranty. Check wheels closely for hundreds of micro stone chips, especially larger diameter wheels.

Armitage.Shanks said: When these were in their low £20k price category they were a bargain for what you get. I accept prices have risen across all secondhand cars but I still think they are good value if you want the practicality of being able to use it all year round everyday. I think Porsche warranty extends to 15yrs old (?) and it is half the price of 911 costs. That said servicing isn't cheap and given the age of the cars now I'd be looking at a good Indy to service it for a third of OPC costs but which will rule out the warranty option. Build quality to me looks top notch (I might be biased as a GT4 owner) and whilst there can be issues like with any car they are (so far) not catastophic failures. I wouldn't pay a premium for Nav as it was outdated when first introduced unless you hack it for Car Play. Great reply and thank you. I am happy to use specialists if there are any local to me and will be looking soon.

Porsche paranoia is not as bad on a 981, as say a 911 997 (trust me I have been there with both!). PDK’s can fail and are an expensive fix, but it is rare, but not impossible. If you have PASM the dynamic engine mounts are also prone to failure and are about £1k to fix (you do both). The engines are pretty robust, with bore scoring a lot less relevant than say a 997 engine. Blocked drainage holes aren’t uncommon, and not as easy to clear as earlier Boxsters either. Have a look on Boxa.net where you will find lots of interesting threads. Good luck!

Topbalcblue said: Porsche paranoia is not as bad on a 981, as say a 911 997 (trust me I have been there with both!). PDK’s can fail and are an expensive fix, but it is rare, but not impossible. If you have PASM the dynamic engine mounts are also prone to failure and are about £1k to fix (you do both). The engines are pretty robust, with bore scoring a lot less relevant than say a 997 engine. Blocked drainage holes aren’t uncommon, and not as easy to clear as earlier Boxsters either. Have a look on Boxa.net where you will find lots of interesting threads. Good luck! Cheers, I’ll certainly look at the site.

FYI the aforementioned dynamic engine mounts (strictly speaking, they’re transmit mounts on the Boxster) are a feature of Sport Chrono equipped cars, not PASM. I’d definitely want both SC and PASM options, FWIW..

stuno1 said: Annoyingly like all sports cars these seem to have gone up by 5k ish over the past year. I am in no rush so am waiting to see what happens to the market as new car production ramps up again next year as more micro chips slowly become available etc etc. It seems like everything has taken a fair jump over the last year, jury’s out on whether the market plateaus or collapses. However, life is short, so… You replied to me about where to look privately; sorry, I’m rubbish at quoting, but the usual suspects apply. AT, PH, owners club sites in FB and so on. As usual with a private sale, it’s about your comfort level with the seller. Some you can tell are enthusiasts, and petrol heads. I would suggest a pre-purchase inspection at a local specialist. I had a couple done in my search for a 981 Cayman. They were both about 180 all-in and shed light on a few things in each instance, with videos and explanations. In my cases, neither highlighted anything massive, but potential future spend… Any remaining extended warranty is obviously a big benefit for your comfort. Then it becomes up to you if you want to renew it. I personally won’t with mine. I have grilles over my radiators and I wouldn’t be without them. They’ve caught all manner of grot and debris, while being the first line of defence for a bigger object. No issues with oil temp, I’d not heard of any cases of it before this thread. They aren’t nearly dense enough to affect airflow beyond the capabilities of the thermostat. Most specialist indies will sell and install them, which tells you everything you need to know. Honestly, because they’re generally very robust, I’d be more inclined to start a discussion about what options would be most suitable for you! Condensers, dynamic transmission mounts seem the most common failure points, along with the heater fan sticking. All are easy to spot. The rest is usual wear & tear. The mounts are entirely random. Loads of far more knowledgable folks on here than me, so ask away.. there’s a PCGB (Porsche club) article about 981s so worth looking for that. Also, in my search, I spoke with a couple of indies who were very helpful with my amateurish questions.

Thank you for all the replies. I think I need to find a recommended local Indy for servicing etc. I will also be getting the intake covers. It makes sense to me! I would definitely take the advise of a PPI before buying privately. Options wise I need to do more research as I know Porsche have many! I’d be after an s plus the following; - Sports chrono - PASM - PDK - Sports exhaust/pse - Extended leather - BOSE - Memory and heated seats - PCM - Climate control - Auto wipers and mirrors - Rear parking sensors There may have to be sacrifices. We shall see. Time is on my side. No rush at all. Stu

Speaking of options, here’s what I wrote on a thread last year about options. I started the thread asking a few questions, then posted this after I purchased (Manual 981 Cayman S). I’m fortunate that it had more or less every box ticked bar ceramic brakes, so I’ve basically discussed my view of them. I’ve got a few thousand miles - mostly countryside blasting - under my belt, and still agree with my initial findings.. Feel free to PM me if you wish.. Hello again, all. By way of an update, I thought I’d share my opinion of various options in my so far limited experience. I have purchased a beautiful low miles, manual Carmine red S off a thoroughly nice gentlemen who reached out to me following this thread. Delighted is an understatement, and it’s interesting to contrast what is important to some vs others when it comes to options. As the person who originally specced the car appeared to have had some form of seizure and struck a line in highlighter down the ‘yes’ column of the options list, I’ve found myself slightly surprised by what I’ve come to find important/enjoyable. Sport Chrono: I knew little about this going into the process, as others have mentioned that it’s little more than a gimmick and a snazzy clock. I couldn’t disagree more - the car truly comes alive in S+ mode. The throttle response is far sharper and the taughtness of the transmission mounts coupled with PASM are significant in sharpening everything up. Also, the PSE with S+ mode massively increases the overrun pops and bangs. PASM; on 20’ wheels, it’s very compliant. It’s notably firmer and flatter when cornering in sport chassis mode. It’s more than enough for my needs (spirited N. Yorkshire road driving), perhaps X73 may suit tracked cars, but as I’m undoubtedly nowhere close to competent enough to exploit chassis with PASM to its full, I’m more than happy with the handling & ride provided by PASM. Visually, the 10mm drop does increase kerb appeal. I’m sure that’s why many folks got it. PSE: well you’re interested in that kind of thing or not! I love it, it adds to the occasion and in S+ it makes you chuckle. PTV: little experience thus far of what it can do for me, clearly aimed at track work. Manual VS PDK: let’s not go there! The manual gearbox is just beautiful, however. Extended leather: does upgrade the ambience in the cabin. Without it, the interior plastics are a little ‘euro box’ so it’s a nice touch, but not something I really benefit from as a driver. Wife gives it two thumbs up though, so let’s not underrate the importance of that. Burmester stereo: it is excellent, as you’d expect for the price, but that’s not a particularly important feature to me. Again, my wife? Loves it. PCM/NAVI: It’s fairly Heath Robinson in today’s world. I’m glad it’s there for phone calls, but your phone will obviously do navigation much better. Dual climate: my wife and I are clearly different species so it is nice to have, it works well but I’m sure you’d be happy without. 18 way seats: magnificent. Having an optimum driving position is great, but on longer runs it is very nice to make some small adjustments to ease pressure here and there. The 14-ways have all of the important movements, too. Brilliant things. Sport design wheel: a far nicer thing to behold. Does it change your Driving experience? Probably not. Looks fantastic though. The one aftermarket cabin mod by the previous owner is the addition of the shorter GT4 shifter. It’s a great shout. The gear knob is just where it ought to be. So, in short - which ones would I prioritise, knowing what I do now, if I were searching again? The buttons. SC, PASM and PSE. To me, they shape what the driving experience is about. I personally wouldn’t buy a 981 without them now, which has surprised me somewhat. The cabin options are pure bonus. The seats are my favourite cabin option, brilliant, but they’re not essential. Standard seats are great by just about any measure. Extended leather and Burmester stereo get the thumbs up from the passenger seat. For me, nice to have. Edited by Royal Jelly on Tuesday 26th October 10:06

Thank you both. Royal jelly - Graat summary of the options. I had forgotten PASM lowers the car. I can see I will probably have to wait until mid next year to get a car with my spec and price I want to pay. It all depends on what happens with new car production.

anonymous said: [redacted] Condition is key. Mileage often correlates but not always. I was lucky to buy a mint condition one with only 13k on it, plus all the options (and GTS tail lights, Fabspeed tips and GT4 shifter & rad grilles). They are out there, but as always, time is your friend if you can wait. Can’t think of much else I want to do to it pertaining to options. For performance I will be fitting the X73 rear sway bar in and perhaps a full Fabspeed 200 cell header and BMC air filters. I’ve seen low mileage dogs and high milers beautifully maintained.. Condition is key. PASM on 981s is very well regarded. It’s an excellent active setup, particularly on 20’ wheels. I would definitely recommend it. Or X73. Edited by Royal Jelly on Tuesday 26th October 12:26

It’s warrantied until next summer, so they’ll have to wait. I won’t be back in the U.K. until then so no biggie. I haven’t priced them yet, but hearing 3k fitted being banded about. It’ll need a tune on top, too. All completely unnecessary, but also utterly essential

anonymous said: [redacted] I’m not sure it needs a remap, I’ve heard conflicting opinions. Probably won’t do any harm to have a tweak by a reputable tuner though.. I like your new brake setup. Has it improved them, or just aesthetic? They look great; I do think the normal S disks get lost behind 20’ wheels

stuno1 said: Thank you for all the replies. I think I need to find a recommended local Indy for servicing etc. I will also be getting the intake covers. It makes sense to me! I would definitely take the advise of a PPI before buying privately. Options wise I need to do more research as I know Porsche have many! I’d be after an s plus the following; - Sports chrono - PASM - PDK - Sports exhaust/pse - Extended leather - BOSE - Memory and heated seats - PCM - Climate control - Auto wipers and mirrors - Rear parking sensors There may have to be sacrifices. We shall see. Time is on my side. No rush at all. Stu The dynamic engine mounts (which do fail) come with sports chrono not PASM, so personally I would avoid - or at least not actively seek. BOSE is crap (but I'm told the basic systems is even worse - but that is hard to believe.) - so I wouldn't be upset the car doesn't have it. PASM is a must for me - it transforms the low speed ride, which, with 18 or 19" wheels is better than the much praised Alpine A110.

Bose is much better than the sound pack. Which provides dreadful audio in a premium priced car. My 981S had PCCB which provide epic stopping power and leave no brake dust. Nice option if someone else paid for it. Cruise is another curious omission from standard spec and very useful on motorways. 24 way seats are nice as well.

When i was looking for mine the only must have options were chrono, pasm and pse. The car i ended up holding out for had all these and many many more but i would certainly advise anyone to hold out for what they actually want. I waited 9 months and due to the recent increase paid 10k more than planned but i did get exactly what i wanted.

I always saw the grail spec as being Buckets (very rare) Burmester (very rare) and big brakes (PCCB) the standard discs also rust regularly and are expensive to change. Unless to are tracking I think PCCB are great. Very under rated.

highway said: I always saw the grail spec as being Buckets (very rare) Burmester (very rare) and big brakes (PCCB) the standard discs also rust regularly and are expensive to change. Unless to are tracking I think PCCB are great. Very under rated. You'll look a while (perhaps forever) for a spec like that - and I'd bet if you found it the colour wouldn't suit! I haven't heard Burmester myself but a friend who had it said it was good - but perhaps not as mind blowing as you might hope at the price. In any case there is so much road noise on many motorways (when you'd most likely want some music as company) that it's a bit wasted.

I have no interest in doing track days and more interested in weekends away/eurohoons in mine so probably different preferences to some buyers. Must haves for me: Boxster S 2014 on PDK Sports Exhaust Extended Leather PCM Parking sensors F&R Cruise Leather SportDesign steeering wheel Bose GT Silver/Agate or Blue Deal breakers: Chrono pack Alcantara/Buckets Red roof/interior I found a car that had everything other than cruise and a SportDesign steering wheel, both of which were retro fitted. So I ended up with exactly what I wanted and I am delighted with it. As for whether they are worth the money they are selling for, that is down to whoever is paying for it to decide but for me there is nothing else I would rather have for that sort of money.

My pal had the identical car. But with nicer alloys. The buckets look great but don’t have a backrest that tilts. I’d suffer them as they look so good. GT silver the best exterior hue- cocoa the same for interiors. Pals car has the TV as well. Super rare.

My fav options (981 cayman GTS) - - 18 way seats... magnificent both on track and road + gets you memory function (my wife drives it too) - x73 suspension: 1cm lower than PASM gives the car even more purposeful stance, and they are very well judged for either our bumby b-roads or smooth a roads/track - dual climate, so don't have to fiddle with it - paddles - sports chrono, for sport plus auto mode (but only if you intend to track, otherwise prob not worth it)

The cars were all £5k less 1 year ago and I understand all the reasons why they are the price they are now. I will be waiting to see what prices do over the next 6 months.

^^^^^ wise move although i think the correction may take a little longer than that. The talk in automotive manufacturing, well honda/nissan/vag is new car delays will likely get worse in 2022.

neil jdmr said: ^^^^^ wise move although i think the correction may take a little longer than that. The talk in automotive manufacturing, well honda/nissan/vag is new car delays will likely get worse in 2022. I hope not!!!

Another point of view... I have a 981S and over the years have driven many demos/loaners with different specs... - favourite option is full leather interior - the cabin is beautiful with this (I have Agate), and the leather quality is higher, even on standard colours IIRC - agate/pebble interior is utterly stunning, although maybe not practical if you wear jeans a lot - the beige interior with beige on the top of the dash can affect visibility a lot with reflection - adaptive headlights are great - I live out in the sticks though - auto wipers are good as I'm just used to them from elsewhere - folding mirrors not worthwhile and the puddle lights don't really work as the mirrors are folded - I wouldn't have one without climate - I wouldn't have a Box without heated seats - I didn't have cruise... this would be useful as there are so many more average cameras on sections of roads now - Power Steering Plus is awful but I think this can be coded off the car by the dealer - Bose is no better than Sound Package Plus to my ears - they sound 'different', but one isn't clearly better than the other. I heard the Burmester in a stationary car and yes it was good, but... Perhaps the best option is 20" rims though so you can fit PS4S. I previously had 19s and I got a set of 20s just to change to PS4S. Having had PZ N0, replaced by Pirelli for N1 for free, which were then replaced again by Pirelli for free, these are superb. IME any PZ over two years old or so could be quite compromised. It was a switch that's way beyond the contribution of other chassis options like PASM, Chrono/mounts, etc. The PA4 tyres are also superb in the winter. Sorry not intended to turn this into a tyre thing, but used cars will vary so much here, and it's easily fixed/improved. S

Nice reply thank you. Lots of people saying the same thing which is confirming my initial thoughts. It still amazes me base cars don’t come with basics like climate and auto wipers. Regarding tyres I have used conti contact sports and love those so if I get 19’s I’ll wrap them in those. Is there anywhere I can find the base spec of ‘s’ models for the 981? Stu

20”s look good, easy to clean. Tyres are expensive though. I don’t understand why people rate dual zone climate. All cars seem to have it. The cabin is so small that it doesn’t make a difference. Bose is possessed of the ability to convey some bass. If you only listen to podcasts or talk radio then you may not hear the difference. There’s a marked difference listening to music. I always missed cruise on motorways- as said above. The most basic of cars comes with that standard now.

It's not not for the 'dual' bit, it's for the 'auto'

stuno1 said: Nice reply thank you. Lots of people saying the same thing which is confirming my initial thoughts. It still amazes me base cars don’t come with basics like climate and auto wipers. Regarding tyres I have used conti contact sports and love those so if I get 19’s I’ll wrap them in those. The Goodyear F1s are also 981-specific and well-regarded. stuno1 said: Is there anywhere I can find the base spec of ‘s’ models for the 981? Stu From memory, over the base model: - engine obvs - larger brakes with red callipers - 19" rims - rev counter in silver - xenon headlights (but not adaptive / no washers) - leather seats (IIRC the base was part-leather as standard) - twin exhaust pipes S

highway said: 20”s look good, easy to clean. Tyres are expensive though. I don’t understand why people rate dual zone climate. All cars seem to have it. The cabin is so small that it doesn’t make a difference. Bose is possessed of the ability to convey some bass. If you only listen to podcasts or talk radio then you may not hear the difference. There’s a marked difference listening to music. I always missed cruise on motorways- as said above. The most basic of cars comes with that standard now. Bose produces extremely woolly bass, and I'd much prefer less bass but clean. That isn't the systems only failing, the treble is harsh and middle makes voices sound unnatural. Others have modified the subwoofer or replaced the tweeters. I would strongly suggest before getting hooked on requiring Bose you take some music you know , play it on a Bose equipped car, and form your own view - I'm not judging by hifi standards.

stevod said: I didn't have cruise... this would be useful as there are so many more average cameras on sections of roads now Cruise can be retro fitted (as I did) and you would never know it wasn't factory fitted.

A point which must be mentioned - Bluetooth phone connectivity was NOT standard (I kid you not!) As I recall you needed an upgrade to (at least) Sound Package Plus and tick the phone connectivity option. I doubt many cars come without but unless you have SPP/Bose/Burmester it's NOT retrofittable (someone correct me if I'm wrong). And has anyone mentioned satnav? - again not standard. Edited by bcr5784 on Saturday 30th October 15:37

bcr5784 said: A point which must be mentioned - Bluetooth phone connectivity was NOT standard (I kid you not!) As I recall you needed an upgrade to (at least) Sound Package Plus and tick the phone connectivity option. I doubt many cars come without but unless you have SPP/Bose/Burmester it's NOT retrofittable (someone correct me if I'm wrong). And has anyone mentioned satnav? - again not standard. Edited by bcr5784 on Saturday 30th October 15:37 Madness really! That’s such a nice feature to have.

I'm off to view my first 981 this afternoon. I have been watching the market since March and elevated prices have settled out now, but the choice is more limited it seems, (probably due to the time of year). It had been odd all summer as the market was very compressed with a lot of crossover between the base, S and GTS models. I think the 981 market is unique and you can't apply the same logic as to whats happening to the rest of the 'white goods' aspect of the industry. I find the vast variation between specs on a 981 ends up making a prospective buyer picky and willingly to push their budget to get the right car, but more importantly its successor really has mixed appeal, something you don't really see elsewhere or have to contend with. Edited by Volare on Monday 1st November 10:18

Volare said: ..................but more importantly its successor really has mixed appeal, something you don't really see elsewhere or have to contend with Spot on and that is what is keeping the prices where they are. I think it was the same when the 996 replaced the 993.

Volare said: I'm off to view my first 981 this afternoon. I have been watching the market since March and elevated prices have settled out now, but the choice is more limited it seems, (probably due to the time of year). It had been odd all summer as the market was very compressed with a lot of crossover between the base, S and GTS models. I think the 981 market is unique and you can't apply the same logic as to whats happening to the rest of the 'white goods' aspect of the industry. I find the vast variation between specs on a 981 ends up making a prospective buyer picky and willingly to push their budget to get the right car, but more importantly its successor really has mixed appeal, something you don't really see elsewhere or have to contend with. Edited by Volare on Monday 1st November 10:18 Cheers, what have you seen prices do? I was I initially looking at m2/comp and jag f type v8. Both are currently 5k more than prior to the pandemic but stopped rising a couple of months ago. Now actually coming down slightly.

Joy NOT to have auto wipers. So used to having them previously but great to be in control with variable intermittent settings on the stalk rather than the car deciding, usually wrongly (in BMW, Merc, Audi).

stuno1 said: Cheers, what have you seen prices do? I was I initially looking at m2/comp and jag f type v8. Both are currently 5k more than prior to the pandemic but stopped rising a couple of months ago. Now actually coming down slightly. I also looked at both these options but also the new supra. My personal feelings were, M2- to similar to our family daily 3 series, didn't feel like a sports car Jag - amazing i test drove the v8 but couldn't get over the weight. Supra - far more powerful than the quoted 335bhp but just too much again like the daily inside. Shame as i liked the looks. The weight was the winning ticket with the cayman for me.

stuno1 said: Cheers, what have you seen prices do? I was I initially looking at m2/comp and jag f type v8. Both are currently 5k more than prior to the pandemic but stopped rising a couple of months ago. Now actually coming down slightly. I was in very similar position, although I was more interested in the V6 Jag and OG M2. I can't explain why I was drawn to the Cayman over the 2 cars but it just has more appeal to me. The market is the same, gone up about 5k to what they were in March and now have stagnated, then again its November so I wouldn't necessarily says it a market shift. I was at Cridfords yesterday and discussing the whole situation with the general manager, demand throughout the pandemic was very strong, people still had the money to buy a Porsche and now had even more time to spend searching/dwelling on it, demand is still unseasonably strong apparently. I ended up buying the car I saw yesterday there was absolutely no movement on the price. I think those who believe prices are going to drop next year are being optimistic, if you find a car that is 90% to the spec you like, I would go for it.

Volare said: I was in very similar position, although I was more interested in the V6 Jag and OG M2. I can't explain why I was drawn to the Cayman over the 2 cars but it just has more appeal to me. The market is the same, gone up about 5k to what they were in March and now have stagnated, then again its November so I wouldn't necessarily says it a market shift. I was at Cridfords yesterday and discussing the whole situation with the general manager, demand throughout the pandemic was very strong, people still had the money to buy a Porsche and now had even more time to spend searching/dwelling on it, demand is still unseasonably strong apparently. I ended up buying the car I saw yesterday there was absolutely no movement on the price. I think those who believe prices are going to drop next year are being optimistic, if you find a car that is 90% to the spec you like, I would go for it. Cheers for the reply. The prices will only drop inline with new car production increasing. I’ll keep looking and see what pops up.

Seems to be the first signs of prices softening for some of the more regular cars on the car salesman thread. https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... May take a while to hit Porsche though. I think Q2/Q3 are currently being suggested for a return to normality, at the earliest.

Schmed said: Seems to be the first signs of prices softening for some of the more regular cars on the car salesman thread. https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... May take a while to hit Porsche though. I think Q2/Q3 are currently being suggested for a return to normality, at the earliest. Good thread! I’ll keep an eye on that one.