Looking to buy a Cayman - Page 2 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

Hi, After visiting my local Porsche garage with a friend who owns a 997 C4S, I've decided I want a Cayman ! Currently driving a FN2 Civic Type R, and will probably keep this for a few years until it's paid for, but really would like a proper "drivers car" I would be looking at a used Cayman, as I cannot afford one new. So my initial Q's are... 1) Do I look for a Cayman, or a Cayman S ?.....I am a keen driver and feel I can use most of my Civic's 198bhp 2) Has anyone driven the manual and PDK back-to-back ? The salesman said PDK every time, especially for resale value....but I've never had an automatic car or thought about buying one. 3) I would use the car as a daily driver, is this realistic without spending £'s on petrol ??? My Civic averages 29-30mpg on daily commuting etc. Low 20's if I'm in a childish mood ! 4) I've seen a few cars around £28-30k with 30k-40k miles on them, assuming it kept the car for 3yrs would it just require routine servicing or are they fragile ? Thanks Stuart

Buying guide: http://juansolo.demon.co.uk/motas/porker13.html PDK vs manual / 2.7 vs S (it's 981, but it applies): http://juansolo.demon.co.uk/motas/porker12.html

Stuart0688 said: Hi, After visiting my local Porsche garage with a friend who owns a 997 C4S, I've decided I want a Cayman ! Currently driving a FN2 Civic Type R, and will probably keep this for a few years until it's paid for, but really would like a proper "drivers car" I would be looking at a used Cayman, as I cannot afford one new. So my initial Q's are... 1) Do I look for a Cayman, or a Cayman S ?.....I am a keen driver and feel I can use most of my Civic's 198bhp 2) Has anyone driven the manual and PDK back-to-back ? The salesman said PDK every time, especially for resale value....but I've never had an automatic car or thought about buying one. 3) I would use the car as a daily driver, is this realistic without spending £'s on petrol ??? My Civic averages 29-30mpg on daily commuting etc. Low 20's if I'm in a childish mood ! 4) I've seen a few cars around £28-30k with 30k-40k miles on them, assuming it kept the car for 3yrs would it just require routine servicing or are they fragile ? Thanks Stuart I'd do this: Test drive a Cayman manual and a Cayman PDK back to back. Decide whether you prefer manual or PDK. Then drive the Cayman S variety of the manual or PDK and see if you need/want the extra perfomance over the drop in MPG. Then you may want to try a PASM car over a normal one. Resale value wise you want as many toys as possible, but personally I'd go for the car that I wanted to drive, rather than get one I didn't want as much just to keep the resale value up, especially as you're planning on keeping it for three years. Remember if you're buying second hand, then a car with PDK will cost more in the first place, so it's a bit swings and roundabouts. The PDK may be easier to sell on, but may not make sense financially. Fuel wise, I think they're pretty good, so depending on the sort of mileage you're doing, I wouldn't be too worried about it. Considering the amount of money you're going to spend on buying the car, the increase in fuel cost wouldn't be an issue for me. As for servicing, they have long service intervals, but obviously parts will be expensive. They have a reputation for engine problems (easily found in any buyers guide), but how often they actually occur is frequently debated and never agreed on, so don't expect to find a definitive answer. I'd recommend getting a warranty to be on the safe side. Other than that though, you have Porsche build quality, so it should be pretty good reliability wise. Coming from FWD to mid-engined RWD will be a bit of a change, so make sure you learn to drive it. I find my Boxster surprisingly easy to drive given previous experiences in mid-engined cars, so I think you'd have to be doing something quite silly to have an off, but it will be a change to what you're used to. They are lovely cars though. I almost didn't buy mine because I've always been a bit anti-Porsche, but couldn't find any other car that met the criteria. I'm glad I did now as it's a great thing to drive. Let us know how you get on. Edited by VladD on Tuesday 18th February 10:23

I agree with Vlad. The fuel consumption is not really that bad - my 2010 Cayman S tends to get around 20mpg in London driving and about 32-34mpg on A roads and motorways. I prefer the Cayman S by some margin (because I dont like always having to rev high to get power). I would get the manual having driven a PDK for 6 months or so. It is brilliant but I miss the clutch and the satisfaction of a smooth change down from 4th into 2nd on a tight corner, for example.

I think the advice to drive both engine variants is spot on. Only you can really decide if a Cayman or Cayman S is best for you. The same applies to the PDK vs Manual issue. I've recently taken delivery of a 2010 Cayman and find it plenty quick enough. I didn't drive a Cayman S, purely because I felt the move from a Diesel BMW to a mid-engined Porsche of any sort was more than enough of a step-up. Tax, fuel, insurance will also obviously be cheaper on the Cayman. I did, however, drive a PDK first, followed by a manual. My own view is that the automatic is a fantastic piece of engineering, but it left me (personally) feeling underwhelmed. So much so that the Cayman dropped below the GT86 in the car I would most likely buy. Driving a manual changed all this though, as I found it much more involving, and just more fun. I'm not criticising the PDK at all and I’m sure it would have grown on me. I don't regret going for the manual at all though. Fuel wise, mine is currently doing mid-20s from a mix of driving. On a motorway run it's possible to get over 30. They're not exactly economical, but they're not ruinous either. Same with the tax and tyres - yes, they will cost more than other cars, but if you go into ownership having done your research then there should be no massive shocks. When I was in the market I spent plenty of time looking at OPC cars as well as those from the well-established independents. My own view is that the OPC premium is worth paying due to the security the two year warranty brings. I also think the OPC prices are not that far away from the decent indies and when you factor in that nobody pays the sticker price, plus warranty, plus level of preparation, I actually think the OPC prices are perfectly reasonable. Servicing can sound expensive but it's only every two years. A four year old car that's just had its major service will in theory only cost you two services in the next six years if you then sold it on. You also need to factor in extending the Porsche warranty - let's call it £2k for two years. As far as residuals go then it's going to lose money. All cars do, but Porsches tend to be better than most. £28k to £30k opens up plenty of options from within the OPC network. I think it's worth watching the prices for a couple of weeks though to get a feel as to what you should be paying. What I found was that older cars tend to stick around for quite a while, as do red cars (which are surprisingly rare). Black or white cars seemed to sell pretty quickly. PDK commands a premium which you probably would get back come resale time. Heated seats were annoyingly rare when I was searching - especially as they were about the only 'must-have' for me. Mine runs on 18" wheels and the ride is firm but acceptable. I do tend to try and avoid potholes though - I'm not sure I could take 19s without PASM. If you could, and you like red, then there's a great looking, high-spec Cayman S for sale at Porsche Newcastle. Price has already dropped by about £3k in the past couple of months. As the end of the month approaches I have no doubt there would be more room for manoeuvre. Hope the above helps and good luck with the search.

With your budget you should consider the limited edition S Sport which has loads of drivers extras as standard including PASM, PSE, sports chrono and the exceptional short shift gearbox, far and away the best manual gearbox I've had the experience of using (even better than the great manual on the Honda S2000 I used to own)

OP - When I was in a position to buy a Cayman, I tried to buy the newest car with the best spec for my money. I did not test drive an S, as I knew I would want one, which would mean a much older car. The base 2.9 is plenty for the back roads and has everything I need. I suspect doing a back to back test will make you select an S. On the PDK side, that really is a personal thing. Mine is a manual and like being involved in the gear changes, however have equally been impressed on how the PDK goes about it's business.. Thanks G

Some Very expert advice and opinions from long time owners.I am a 2.7 Newbie of 6 months.Had a 2.7 Carrera in 1974, which didn't impress after CSL.s.A lifetime of Alpinas, and later Z3 MCoupe,s filled the Garage.Still have an MC and Alpina, but has now been joined by a 5 "Speed Yellow", 07 17K mile Cayman,I owner 15K. My BIG worry was the very Poor reports of the Legendary Porsche quality, that somehow gets forgotten when all the bad Engine stories appear, on the 3.4 models and the 9-s.Mine came with a 2 Year comprehensive Warranty,from my indy who sells many Porsche cars. If you can get THIS type of dealer Insurance-Great--if not-Walk--Great performance means very little if you have to worry, what goes wrong next?

I test drove a base Cayman when I went looking for one and it was great...but if you buy one don't test drive an S it's so much better, the extra torque and power is very noticeable. If your budget is the 30k mark you'll pick up a very nice Gen 2 car for that. PDK or manual...it's an on going debate on here, that's down to you whether you want to fully drive the car or flick a paddle. It won't matter which version you buy or it's spec they are all fantastic cars to drive and own...enjoy.

The Cayman is a more involving drive as you have to spank it to make it go. The S is torquier and will pretty much go in any gear. I prefer the Cayman, many like having the extra poke. Put it this way, I've driven my brother's Spyder a few times now and I've never wanted to go out and buy one afterwards, even though I consider it to be one of the very best cars Porsche have ever made. Mainly because it's too quick to be usable on the road. As soon as you stick your foot down you're north of the speed limit and having to reign it in. I don't really see the point in that. It's also got a s t load more grip than my standard car on skinny tyres so you have to be really going to get it moving around. But it depends on what you want. I find myself getting more enjoyment these days out of cars that ask more of me as a driver rather than being particularly fast.

Well thanks guys for all your replies, it's certainly given me food for thought. I did notice one of the replies mentioned driving the standard Cayman required much more effort compared to the S, but I am used to revving the s**t out of my Type R so would I maybe still enjoy the standard Cayman ?? I guess I'm still looking to wait 2yrs before buying one.......so maybe a bit rude to ask for a test drive right now ??? Will definately be going to a OPC, as that 2yr warranty and pre-delivery standards are a no-brainer IMO. PS I think I read the difference in driving style in a magazine review, cannot find that comment amongst this thread Edited by Stuart0688 on Wednesday 19th February 19:34

Even the Cayman S needs revs - it will accelerate from low revs but not well and it doesn't like it (if you some mechanical sympathy and can hear the engine taking the load). The main difference is that the S has pretty impressive acceleration from about 4000rpm, whereas the Cayman needs to be up around 5000 for the same feel. But neither is a diesel or turbo with lots of torque from 2000rpm! If you are used to spanking the engine, the normal Caymsn should suit you just fine.

So has anyone bought a car from a OPC and managed to negotiate a better price ? I get the impression that these cars sell themselves, so the garage won't drop prices without serious reason. Can't wait to test drive some cars

The used car market is competitive, and everybody shops online, so cars are 'priced to sell' so there's not usually that much to be had off - though it's always worth a punt, but get in quick, as the market tends to firm up as spring appears.

Well I sent a few emails to a guy at the OPC, just enquiring asking for more info......and no reply :-/ Have I screwed this up by saying I'm not buying immediately ?

Stuart0688 said: Well I sent a few emails to a guy at the OPC, just enquiring asking for more info......and no reply :-/ Have I screwed this up by saying I'm not buying immediately ? No, you probably just have unreasonably high expectations of an OPC

i bought a pdk demonstrator the dealer had put a high spec on the car sport plus etc just a few thousand on the clock but i saved bundles on the new price plus the extras i would have paid for.

Hehe typical as soon as I posted here, the OPC replied

What’s the consensus regarding gen 2 cars and warranties?

All these questions and you are thinking of buying in 2 years time? That's some forward planning! Just think of what can change in 2 years! Anyway, good luck with your quest.

miroku said: All these questions and you are thinking of buying in 2 years time? That's some forward planning! Just think of what can change in 2 years! Anyway, good luck with your quest. Not really, just decided I would like a 981 Cayman. Cannot afford one new so just going to wait a few years for pre-owned cars to start appearing :-)

If you're already thinking of changing the civic I assume you're disappointed with it. Why not sell it now for a Cayman? Life's short and if you buy the right car you'll probably lose less in depreciation in two years. The time after that when you keep the Cayman you'll be even better off! Some dealers will px down - although you'll inevitably be better off selling privately.

Not much to add to the comments already, but here's a few thoughts: - I've owned my 2008 2.7 since new, and I've put 60k on it in that time. It thrives on being used, and it's done some pretty serious road trips, including Philadelphia to Los Angeles and London to Sofia - I get 22mpg in town, and 30+ on a cruise

Stuart0688 said: Not really, just decided I would like a 981 Cayman. Cannot afford one new so just going to wait a few years for pre-owned cars to start appearing :-) It may have been worth mentioning it was a 981 you were considering at the start of the thread (apologies if I've missed it). Most of the info provided seems to relate to 987s. Some will be relevant. Some won't. It will be interesting though to see how much 981s are down to in two years time. £28-30k? I'm not convinced OPC prices will be down to this level. Good luck with the search though and nothing wrong with a bit of research well in advance. I tend to do the same but have found in the past that if I spend too long thinking about, researching, and planning a purchase, that when the time to buy finally arrives I'm actually a bit sick of the whole thing! That's probably just me though...

griffter said: If you're already thinking of changing the civic I assume you're disappointed with it. Why not sell it now for a Cayman? Life's short and if you buy the right car you'll probably lose less in depreciation in two years. The time after that when you keep the Cayman you'll be even better off! Some dealers will px down - although you'll inevitably be better off selling privately. Wouldn't say I'm disappointed with the Civic, not at all. I just did not realise how much I liked/wanted something like the Cayman until I started reading into it in more detail. I have financial commitments just now that would mean buying a new car is just not possible. The Civic is a laugh, but really not refined and quite irritating if your not in the mood...harsh ride, noisy on motorway etc. My brother has expressed interest in my type R, once his insurance premiums become sensible ! So this would mean I start with no Px at OPC.

Dolf Stoppard said: Stuart0688 said: Not really, just decided I would like a 981 Cayman. Cannot afford one new so just going to wait a few years for pre-owned cars to start appearing :-) It may have been worth mentioning it was a 981 you were considering at the start of the thread (apologies if I've missed it). Most of the info provided seems to relate to 987s. Some will be relevant. Some won't. It will be interesting though to see how much 981s are down to in two years time. £28-30k? I'm not convinced OPC prices will be down to this level. Good luck with the search though and nothing wrong with a bit of research well in advance. I tend to do the same but have found in the past that if I spend too long thinking about, researching, and planning a purchase, that when the time to buy finally arrives I'm actually a bit sick of the whole thing! That's probably just me though... Sorry I was vague on this. I soon realised that a used 987 car would have high mileage if I was buying in a few years time, and there may be 981's starting to appear. I guess you are right about £30k budget, but if I have no other financial commitments then upping my budget is likely possible. All good info on this thread, it's helpful guys