981 S, 2014. What would you call high mileage? - Page 3 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

Decided I want a 981 for my next car (probably a Cayman). There are a few on autotrader that have 70k+ on them, from around 2013-2014. These cars are listed as having 30- or 40 thousand miles above average, but this is obviously above the average of the other cars on sale . Should I be looking for something lower? How's the long term reliability of these?

Lots will have been daily drivers, so around 10k miles a year is average. Average Porsche sports car (second/third car) mileage in general is 4-5k miles. That will be the difference you're seeing. 981s are a great car, and they seem to be very reliable. You don't hear of any major scare stories.

This will be my daily driver, and I do probably 7k a year, so I've been looking to see how many they've done per year on average. I presume, from what I'm hearing, that a fully maintained and serviced vehicle is the priority, vs absolute mileage.

sxmwht said: This will be my daily driver, and I do probably 7k a year, so I've been looking to see how many they've done per year on average. I presume, from what I'm hearing, that a fully maintained and serviced vehicle is the priority, vs absolute mileage. I think the rule generally with Porsche is service history and condition are much more important than high miles. If anything I'd be steering clear of very low mileage ones in particular. Porsche need using/driving regularly (incl winter), not storing away in a garage for weeks on end.

Ezra said: I think the rule generally with Porsche is service history and condition are much more important than high miles. If anything I'd be steering clear of very low mileage ones in particular. Porsche need using/driving regularly (incl winter), not storing away in a garage for weeks on end. I think I've decided that I'm going to aim for a GTS (will require a bit of saving and man maths). I'm looking at 2014-2015 cars with 35-40k on them. I assume that's enough?

Twinfan said: Lots will have been daily drivers, so around 10k miles a year is average. Average Porsche sports car (second/third car) mileage in general is 4-5k miles. That will be the difference you're seeing. 981s are a great car, and they seem to be very reliable. You don't hear of any major scare stories. Hardly any have done 10k a year. Early 981s are 10 years old, hardly any with 100k miles. Just check the classifieds. In market terms I'd say anything over 5k a year is high-ish. But it's less about yearly mileage than total mileage at this point given the age of 981s. There's no hard cut off, but anything over 70k miles is viewed as pretty high. OP putting on 7k a year would net a pretty significant hit re residuals in a few years starting at 70k. Once you are up at 90k / 100k, the market really punishes you. None of this is to comment on how well the cars take the miles. But there's a market reality that can't be denied re residuals. I'd say about 40k is a good mileage to buy on. You could add 15k without totally knobbling the value.

sxmwht said: I think I've decided that I'm going to aim for a GTS (will require a bit of saving and man maths). I'm looking at 2014-2015 cars with 35-40k on them. I assume that's enough? As has been noted above, they seem to be pretty hardy cars and there doesn't appear to be many big gotchas to look out for. Anything with FSH should be viable. I'd also agree with esotericar's comments regarding mileage; they are a little sensitive beyond a certain point and lots of people have seemingly used them sparingly, so I would have half an eye on this depending on how much you plan on driving it. Warranty is a bonus, but from what I can gather the only big ticket item you'd expect to use it on is a failure of the dynamic engine mounts, which can go and will cost ~£1.5k per corner to fix. However, I'm not sure how prevalent this failure is. On a car of this age, corrosion on the underside can be a problem, so an inspection might be worthwhile too. I bought one last year on 17k miles and it's already up to 25k, so it is perhaps finding life a little less sedate under my ownership

sxmwht said: Ezra said: I think the rule generally with Porsche is service history and condition are much more important than high miles. If anything I'd be steering clear of very low mileage ones in particular. Porsche need using/driving regularly (incl winter), not storing away in a garage for weeks on end. I think I've decided that I'm going to aim for a GTS (will require a bit of saving and man maths). I'm looking at 2014-2015 cars with 35-40k on them. I assume that's enough? You might find a 2.0 for slightly cheaper, as well as being much newer and quicker. The 981 GTS is a little overrated and that 3.4 will drink if you're planning 7k miles + per year. https://fastestlaps.com/comparisons/zcrs16e2ojlt

rawenghey said: sxmwht said: I think I've decided that I'm going to aim for a GTS (will require a bit of saving and man maths). I'm looking at 2014-2015 cars with 35-40k on them. I assume that's enough? As has been noted above, they seem to be pretty hardy cars and there doesn't appear to be many big gotchas to look out for. Anything with FSH should be viable. I'd also agree with esotericar's comments regarding mileage; they are a little sensitive beyond a certain point and lots of people have seemingly used them sparingly, so I would have half an eye on this depending on how much you plan on driving it. Warranty is a bonus, but from what I can gather the only big ticket item you'd expect to use it on is a failure of the dynamic engine mounts, which can go and will cost ~£1.5k per corner to fix. However, I'm not sure how prevalent this failure is. On a car of this age, corrosion on the underside can be a problem, so an inspection might be worthwhile too. I bought one last year on 17k miles and it's already up to 25k, so it is perhaps finding life a little less sedate under my ownership I had a 2013 981 CS… bought 2016, sold March this year with 82k miles. In those 6yrs 2 engine mounts, a coil pack, and exhaust actuator and the left bank exhaust (stuck) valve all replaced under warranty. The extended warranty is a wonderful thing. My main concern was an issue with the PDK but it never missed a beat. Nothing serious enough to stop me driving the car in that time. I drove it a lot more than originally intended, it was a great car. The GT4 is having a much more sedate life though.

anonymous said: [redacted] Amen. Not a chance I'm shelling out for a Porsche and getting a 2L

I guess the question now is: is it worth going for a GTS when there are some very well-optioned S-es on the market for significantly less? I'm not overly concerned about the GTS power bump, but I am a fan of the more aggressive front bumper and the alcantara interior. If I found an S with PASM, PSE and sport+... isn't that most of what a GTS offers?

sxmwht said: Amen. Not a chance I'm shelling out for a Porsche and getting a 2L But surely as you fart along in the daggy, laggy four pot, the abstract knowledge that somebody else has lapped it faster around a track you've never driven is what matters? Forget the growling then howling soundtrack, the precise response, the thrilling power crescendo at the top of the rev range. The driving experience is all about somebody else's laptime!

sxmwht said: If I found an S with PASM, PSE and sport+... isn't that most of what a GTS offers? It's subjective. Personally, I'd go with a well-optioned S. But it's worth remembering that total cost of ownership may not be better on the S. GTS holds its value so well, by the time you've bought, driven and sold the thing, it's hardly obvious that the S will be cheaper. Though it will tie up less capital. If you like yellow, this looks well specced and good value versus a GTS: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210060... Possibly a bit pricey for a private sale. Think Ashgood sold that car earlier this year, was advertised for £36k IIRC.

sxmwht said: anonymous said: [redacted] Amen. Not a chance I'm shelling out for a Porsche and getting a 2L I wouldn't believe the usual internet myths perpetually spread on here, the 2L is actually a great unit and very effective.

esotericar said: But surely as you fart along in the daggy, laggy four pot, Absolute twaddle.

sxmwht said: anonymous said: [redacted] Amen. Not a chance I'm shelling out for a Porsche and getting a 2L I drove both and they were both excellent, but the GTS got under my skin, hence it was the one that got bought. The 2.0 does appear marginally quicker around a track (0.4s over a 70 second lap), which one would expect, but the GTS has a higher top speed and is quicker 100kph to 200kph. Anyway, none of that really matters, as the differences are tiny and these cars are emotional purchases. Try everything you can at your budget. The one that's right for you will become apparent. It won't need justification.

HighwayStar said: I had a 2013 981 CS… bought 2016, sold March this year with 82k miles. In those 6yrs 2 engine mounts, a coil pack, and exhaust actuator and the left bank exhaust (stuck) valve all replaced under warranty. The extended warranty is a wonderful thing. My main concern was an issue with the PDK but it never missed a beat. Nothing serious enough to stop me driving the car in that time. I drove it a lot more than originally intended, it was a great car. The GT4 is having a much more sedate life though. Ah I see. Do you know if that's common on the 981 in terms of expected faults/maintenance? My warranty is up next year and I'm going through the predictable shall I shan't I conundrum. Do you recall how much all that cost? The 1 year warranty is £690 I believe.

thompson9745 said: Absolute twaddle. What, worse than quoting lap times? Incidentally, it does have lag as a matter of objective fact. To my ear it also goes dag-dag!

thompson9745 said: I wouldn't believe the usual internet myths perpetually spread on here, the 2L is actually a great unit and very effective. It sounds like dog s t though, to my ears. I heard one not long ago pulling off a driveway and away, and honestly, I thought it had broken. I thought that the internet talk was probably overplayed but I did not like it at all.

A question for all you knowledgable people... When I'm reading the specs of the adverts, I'm also checking the buttons on the centre console. I've seen a few cars that are listed as having PASM but they don't have the suspension button. Likewise, I thought maybe the sports chrono option added the sport+ button and removed the PASM button, but then I see some cars with both. Are the advert listings just wrong? Can a car have PASM without having the button for it?

Sport+ button means it has Sport Chrono Suspension button means it has PASM Exhaust button means it has PSE If the buttons aren’t there, it doesn’t have it. No interior indication of PTV (mechanically locking LSD with rear differential braking). These are the key options on a 981 S that a GTS comes with as standard.

Royal Jelly said: Sport+ button means it has Sport Chrono Suspension button means it has PASM Exhaust button means it has PSE If the buttons aren’t there, it doesn’t have it. No interior indication of PTV (mechanically locking LSD with rear differential braking). These are the key options on a 981 S that a GTS comes with as standard. Sorry, does the GTS come with PTV as standard or not?

thompson9745 said: Absolute twaddle. Who in there right mind would want a 4 pot Porsche, you might as well have a Audi TT

gordon1955 said: thompson9745 said: Absolute twaddle. Who in there right mind would want a 4 pot Porsche, you might as well have a Audi TT Audi TT yeah right “a golf in a dress” as it’s such a similar car, the engine is in exactly the same place and the chassis is legendary…

sxmwht said: Sorry, does the GTS come with PTV as standard or not? Yes, I believe so. GTS on a 981 was basically an option pack on the S, with the addition of 15bhp and interior alcantara as an option, if that’s your thing.

rawenghey said: HighwayStar said: I had a 2013 981 CS… bought 2016, sold March this year with 82k miles. In those 6yrs 2 engine mounts, a coil pack, and exhaust actuator and the left bank exhaust (stuck) valve all replaced under warranty. The extended warranty is a wonderful thing. My main concern was an issue with the PDK but it never missed a beat. Nothing serious enough to stop me driving the car in that time. I drove it a lot more than originally intended, it was a great car. The GT4 is having a much more sedate life though. Ah I see. Do you know if that's common on the 981 in terms of expected faults/maintenance? My warranty is up next year and I'm going through the predictable shall I shan't I conundrum. Do you recall how much all that cost? The 1 year warranty is £690 I believe. Depends what you have. A 981 S with Sport Chrono brings dynamic engine mounts. It’s not uncommon for them to fail. Not a plague of failures but it does come up on here from time to time. Replacement is around £1500. 2 years warranty is £1250. Failed actuators and jammed exhaust valves, I had one of each in 6yrs. Replacing the left bank exhaust would’ve £3k without the warranty. For me, with the warranty, even with tyres and servicing, for what it is, the running costs are relatively for what the 981 gives you.

anonymous said: [redacted] C’mon the flat 6 v F4T has been done to death on here. Enjoy what you have/prefer and be content. I have a TTS and a 981 GT4, make of that what you will

anonymous said: [redacted] Cossers clearly still feeling inferior…

Nor sure why folk are paying £1500, fitted, for a failed PASM. Porsche Leeds sell them for under £1k and less than 2 hrs to fit, my local mechanic took 1 1/2 hrs following the instructions (including torque settings) I gave to him. I bought a pair of used, 5k miles, from the US delivered & customs paid for £525. Left and right are the same part, so I now have a spare in case one goes. I'd make sure that all recalls have been carried out, especially the rear side axle carrier that is potentially fatal if it fails, yes mine did. I was intending to sell mine until it had a bit of an accident recently. Waiting for the insurance to see if they will repair the minor but expensivedamage.

They handle miles just fine - I have a 2017 718 and it's done just over 50k - it's great - few bits sorted under warranty but apart from that all good, more than fast enough for UK road. Buy one - drive it every day - what on earth is the point otherwise? Also mine is the 2.0 and it sounds good - it's actually got louder the more miles it's done.

Royal Jelly said: sxmwht said: Sorry, does the GTS come with PTV as standard or not? Yes, I believe so. GTS on a 981 was basically an option pack on the S, with the addition of 15bhp and interior alcantara as an option, if that’s your thing. Sorry pedantic correction on this, gts did not specify PTV as standard. It wasn’t one of the bundled options, but is lovely!

I'd call this high mileage. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209260... Prob worth less than £20k now.

sxmwht said: Sorry, does the GTS come with PTV as standard or not? PTV was still optional on the GTS Page 23 https://www.auto-brochures.com/makes/Porsche/Cayma...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210251... This one has come up. Higher mileage and bodywork scrapes (great photos... not!) but a decent spec and price

sxmwht said: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210251... This one has come up. Higher mileage and bodywork scrapes (great photos... not!) but a decent spec and price That has: A. Definitely been for sale forever and simply relisted B. Possibly was listed cheaper before, can't quite remember In market terms, it's a s t load of miles and demonstrates how hard it is to shift one once it's perceived to be leggy. Not saying this is fair and the cars can't take the miles. But they are very hard to shift at anything other than uber low prices once they're up near or god forbid above 100k. This car is a case in point. Even with a Porsche warranty, nobody wants. For my money, would have to be sub £20k to make it interesting. Personally also wouldn't be showing off about it being a former press car. That just guarantees it had the living s t kicked out of it early doors.

AmoCS said: I'd call this high mileage. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209260... Prob worth less than £20k now. If it was less than £20k I'd be all over it like a tramp on a chip

I bought my 981S in April 2014, 18 months old and with 9,000 miles on it. It's now done 76,000, the heater fan stuck a couple of times, but turning it off and on again sorted it. Plus a new front suspension arm a couple of years ago, is all the problems I've had. And the more miles I drive the more economical it becomes; so there's even a bonus on buying a high mileage car. For example, on a recent drive to Sweden it averaged 46mpg on the speed restricted roads of the Netherlands, and overall, even including cruising at 100, and a few blats over 150 in Germany, it average 41mpg for the whole journey. As others have said, it's the care that's been taken of it, not the mileage that counts.

Loved my 981 S It had a long list of options ticked including the GTS bodykit, I ran it with race headers and Stage 2 tune.

OldChap said: For example, on a recent drive to Sweden it averaged 46mpg on the speed restricted roads of the Netherlands, and overall, even including cruising at 100, and a few blats over 150 in . I smell bulls t…

Maybe this is Km ...

thompson9745 said: I smell bulls t… Take it to 75/80 mph and 40mpg no problem, best I've had is 45mpg Leeds to Hull, 66mph I can get 38mpg all day long.

Mine has almost done 100k, but it would feel wrong to call it high mileage. It's in too good a condition, with no rattles or squeaks, and is absent of shiny leather. It also rides and handles like new (although I have replaced almost every suspension component, but that was pre-emptive maintenance/upgrades). I may consider selling when the mileage gets to 125k, as I won't be covered by the Porsche extended warranty, or I may not. Edited by SkinnyPete on Saturday 3rd December 21:07

SpartaThisIs said: thompson9745 said: I smell bulls t… Take it to 75/80 mph and 40mpg no problem, best I've had is 45mpg Leeds to Hull, 66mph I can get 38mpg all day long. Is the 981 S engine more econimic than the 987.2 S? I'm pretty familiar with the economy in my 987.2 S and it's nothing like 45mpg, regardless of the run it's on. Cheers, Dunc.

dunc_sx said: Is the 981 S engine more econimic than the 987.2 S? I'm pretty familiar with the economy in my 987.2 S and it's nothing like 45mpg, regardless of the run it's on. Cheers, Dunc. Yes, slightly (I have owned both). My 981 will touch 45mpg on a steady run, like this: Or if you go a bit faster it'll drop. The 2.0 718's I have had often do 3-4mpg more in the same circumstances.

That's a remarkable difference, I get 27mpg average in mine. Ouch. Dunc.

I’ll see if I can dig out what my 987 did. I was always happy with the fuel consumption. My 981 will drink the fuel if you let PDK act like a yo-yo, where as my manual 987 you could be far more accurate with the gears when anticipating traffic.

Yeah they're not too bad on fuel these things. My 981 GTS never gets less than 35mpg on the motorway even at pretty brisk speeds. On more sedate runs averaging say 60-70mph, I've had 40-41mpg. SkinnyPete putting up some insane numbers! Presumably you're all using V-power or some other brand of 99 octane? Edited by rawenghey on Thursday 8th December 17:51

rawenghey said: Yeah they're not too bad on fuel these things. My 981 GTS never gets less than 35mpg on the motorway even at pretty brisk speeds. On more sedate runs averaging say 60-70mph, I've had 40-41mpg. SkinnyPete putting up some insane numbers! Presumably you're all using V-power or some other brand of 99 octane? Edited by rawenghey on Thursday 8th December 17:51 I agree my 981 S was very good on fuel for motorway runs, trip to Italy via Germany etc. I ran mine on 99ron all the time.

I’ve had a 981S manual, 981 GTS PDK and now have a 987R PDK. Found the GTS to be the best on fuel. Regularly saw over 40mpg on motorway runs. Recent 1500 mile euro trip in the R and was in the low 30’s. Only basing this on the trip computer, which in the 987 I question if it’s that accurate.

I’ve never beaten 42 in my 981, and that’s being stuck in 50mph average speed camera zones for ages. For a run, normally talking around 34 for me.

2013 Boxster 3.4 on 206k miles J111JUF for sale at £13790 near Liverpool Looks tidy in the photos ...

dunc_sx said: Is the 981 S engine more econimic than the 987.2 S? Yes, at motorway cruising speed it has a 'coast mode' which decouples the transmission from the engine when you come off the accelerator (you know it's doing it as the revs drop to idle speed). Note, this is only in the PDK

SV_WDC said: Yes, at motorway cruising speed it has a 'coast mode' which decouples the transmission from the engine when you come off the accelerator (you know it's doing it as the revs drop to idle speed). Note, this is only in the PDK Are you sure? ( Asking as I've not noticed it in my current PDK 981BS), Though my old 781 PDK 718 BS had it when in normal mode.(Sports mode overrode it) 12yrs old & 45k miles Edited by elan362 on Tuesday 1st July 13:24

elan362 said: SV_WDC said: Yes, at motorway cruising speed it has a 'coast mode' which decouples the transmission from the engine when you come off the accelerator (you know it's doing it as the revs drop to idle speed). Note, this is only in the PDK Are you sure? ( Asking as I've not noticed it in my current PDK 981BS), Though my old 781 PDK 718 BS had it when in normal mode.(Sports mode overrode it) 12yrs old & 45k miles Edited by elan362 on Tuesday 1st July 13:24 My old PDK Cayman S with Sport Crono definitely had ‘coast mode’. Worked as described for your 718 BS, worked in normal mode, overriden in Sport Mode, also in manual mode iirc.

Ha! I never knew that (FWIW, i hated it in my 718) it is apparently disabled if ASS is turned off - I have coded my 981 to remember ASS position and i have ASS set to default off - so that is why i never notice it

fstorm said: 2013 Boxster 3.4 on 206k miles J111JUF for sale at £13790 near Liverpool Looks tidy in the photos ... Just taken a look at this, don't think I've seen a 981/991 with that high a mileage.