What to check in a PPI on a very low mileage car (MY2006 - 7.500 miles)

Hi guys, In my search for my new Cayman S I have just found a 2006 Cayman S with just 7.500 miles. I have contacted the local Porsche Center and they have confirmed that this is the real mileage of the car (they have the history of the mileage of all maintenance/services of this Cayman). So, what would I need to check in the PPI for a car like this? What specific issues I may find in a Cayman with such low mileage? Regards

Has the oil been changed? Supposed to be every 10K miles or yearly. Spark plugs need to be changed every 4 years to prevent the threads of the plug from galling the heads. Rubber suspension bushings are probably rotted. V6

Tires would be timed out unless owner replaced then with tread life left. Also, make sure the battery is tested. Brake fluid should also have been changed 6 times (every two years by the book). As Voyager says, rubber items that aren't used don't age well...i'd check everything for rot, especially if the car was sitting in hot or humid conditions. Personally, I'd be very leery of a 12-year old car with that few miles.

If it has has annual service and been in a climate controlled garage it might not be a bad car.

Yes...those are big "ifs" though.

According to Porsche service center the owner have changed the oil according to the Porsche recommendation. Since the car has a low mileage, I think that following the Porsche maintenance plan is good enough. I’ll try to take the cost of Spark plug and suspension bushings replacement from the final price of the car. Thanks

Thanks. I’ll definitely check these items. According to the owner, the tires have been replaced last year because of age. The new set isn’t high quality (Achilles), but at least is brand new. I can use it with no worries until I decide to get a new Yokohama set. The car has been used, very few times each month. Since last July the car has run only 150 miles. Maybe 4 or 5 shot runs. It was kept in a underground garage. The Porsche service center confirmed that the mileage is verified (or at least coherent with the past services they have done to this car in the last years).

That is cool you found a car with that few miles. I recently got an 07 with 34k on it. The only issues were the tires had a date code of 2011 but I knew that. Believe it or not the other rubber parts are fine, even the belt and engine hoses look like it just rolled off the assembly line no cracks. Just check all that stuff take it for a ride. I don't think low mileage is as bad as people make it out to be, I'll take all the low mileage cars I can get.

Sounds like a great car, but.......

Here are some pictures:

Absolutely agree with this. I know many people, including Porsche, say very few miles are bad, but this certainly diverges from what I've experienced over 50 years of car buying/selling/maintaining. Yes, if the miles were put on by driving the car one mile every day that would be bad, but there are also MANY bad things people can do with higher mileage cars. I know there are smart people commenting, but in particular I can't imagine how a car just sitting there is somehow stressing the rubber bushings more than if it is driven. Yeah, tires are definitely something of concern - flat-spotting if sitting in one position for long periods of time, but not a big deal to replace and can be taken into account on the offer. And the battery life may not be optimal, but pretty cheap to replace. The concern would be what hidden "damage" may be present due to low mileages, and I'm not coming up with anything (assuming clean PPI). I'd have absolutely no hesitancy buying the car if the price were right.

Looks like it has some good options besides nice wheels (NAV, PASM , Sport Chrono , BOSE ), but can't tell if it has sport seats. The unique "risk" with 1st gen CS with very low miles is the IMS . Although it's a maybe 1% issue with normal miles and spirited driving, I've seen and heard of several low mileage 1st gen CS (<10,000 miles) having IMS issues. Besides the PPI, pay for a new oil change, get the filter checked for any metal flakes and maybe also send a sample to Blackstone Labs . I'm guessing the car is worth $30-33k with 7,500 miles.

Check the build date - Early 06 had the original style IMS bearing . Later dates have the updated design. Still and IMS bearing , so it's going to be part of the can of worms discussions. With so few miles on it - I'd dig deeper for critter nesting. Air filter, cabin air filter, pull back any carpet you can. Get the battery date code and load tested. Has the brake fluid been changed - low miles can both help and hurt it...

That is a very nice equipped car, if is feel right I would buy it, as far as tires go see how they feel to you,if you do replace I think the best tires out there are the Michelin OEM Tires , they used to be the super sport now called the P4, I would not worry about IMS unless you plan on tracking or driving above 6000 rpm's or more.

Very nice. PPI- have the shop tech carefully check each bore for scoring. I would be surprised if your tech actually finds any issues outside of the motor. Thats one area where even careful maintance can not predict, but the bores are critical for your motor long term health. After that its about any leakage from the water pump, rear main seal, or IMS , either one you cannot see directly, only the results in a oil drip, so ask to verify that its clean in that part of your motor. If you can be able to view your car when its on the rack, its even better as the tech can point out any issues directly to you. Or better yet, tell you what a great find you discovered. I would ease into pushing the throttle down hard for at least 500 miles or so, sort of let the car get used to your driving style. Then let it rip. Enjoy your ride.

I have a 2008 S Chrono Package done 13000km service records for every year since new,comes with 2.5 yr transferable warranty to approved new owner,car is as new Cheers Homer.