Gen 2 Cayman Questions & Options - Page 5 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

I’m in the market for a gen 2 Cayman 2.9 but I just want to make sure I’ve got everything covered. 1. Between the two models are the only differences the engine, the wheels, the tailpipe and the rear discs which are 4mm thicker on the 3.4? 2. I’ve yet to see a car advertised with an LSD, nevertheless is there a way to tell if the car has one fitted? Besides doing a donut in that is…Also do these cars even need an LSD? Normally I wouldn’t have a RWD car without one but 265bhp and 265 wide rear tyres…it must have so much mechanical traction out of the box. 3. What's the standard sound system like? I am fussy when it comes to audio…how does it compare with BMW’s Logitech 7? 4. If a Cayman 2.9 has circular tail pipes does this mean it has PSE? 5. Do 4/5 year old examples need a Porsche warranty? From what I read the gen 2s seem to be pretty darn reliable! 6. Should there be any smoke on startup from cold or warm, and do these cars typically consume oil? 7. Do these cars respond well to remapping? They must do if Porsche see fit to make the Sport Chrono package? 8. Can the sports steering wheel be retrofitted? 9. Is servicing always every 20k miles / 2 years? 10. Can anyone identify the wheels in this picture, and will Porsche charge me a fortune for a new set? Lastly does anyone have a price list with all the options? It would be nice to know how much they cost.. If anyone is tempted to part with their Xenon equipped 2.9 Cayman for less than £25k please get in touch (currently none on autotrader!). Thanks

I had a gen 2 Cayman from new back in 2009. Lovely car. I will answer the questions I know! 1. The front spoiler lip is unpainted black on the non S. I had mine colour coded from new as I think it looks strange without! 3. You'll need the sound package option....I wouldn't worry about Bose as the cabin is boomy enough without the extra bass. 4. Think if you opted for stainless steel pipes these were twin circular but not always PSE (defo not the case on 981 as I opted for them on mine without PSE) 5. 2.9 is most reliable engine in all the Caymans, but I'd still have a warranty for peace of mind. 6. Yes. They smoke on start up a lot! Mine drunk loads in the first 10K of ownership to then not drink hardly any right up to when I sold it 3 years and 80K miles later. 8. Yes 9. Yes 10. Look like Turbo 2 wheels that have been refinished completely painted. They originally came with a diamond cut face and graphite grey paint inside. Hope this helps, mate! Edited by FrankCayman on Wednesday 7th May 20:16

FrankCayman said: I had a gen 2 Cayman from new back in 2009. Lovely car. 5. 2.9 is most reliable engine in all the Caymans, but I'd still have a warranty for peace of mind. where do you get that info and why would it be more reliable than a 3.4dfi, as I have not heard any issues with the 3.4 dfi unit. 10. Look like Turbo 2 wheels that have been refinished completely painted. They originally came with a diamond cut face and graphite grey paint inside. look more like fake £500 turbo 2's to me

1. Between the two models are the only differences the engine, the wheels, the tailpipe and the rear discs which are 4mm thicker on the 3.4? No there are a number of other differences too like unpainted external trim and the callipers are black not red etc 2. I’ve yet to see a car advertised with an LSD, nevertheless is there a way to tell if the car has one fitted? Besides doing a donut in that is…Also do these cars even need an LSD? Normally I wouldn’t have a RWD car without one but 265bhp and 265 wide rear tyres…it must have so much mechanical traction out of the box. I have one on mine. They are quite mild 3. What's the standard sound system like? I am fussy when it comes to audio…how does it compare with BMW’s Logitech 7? Rubbish. Even the top Bose system is pretty poor. 4. If a Cayman 2.9 has circular tail pipes does this mean it has PSE? No, PSE will give you a button on the dash to turn on or off 5. Do 4/5 year old examples need a Porsche warranty? From what I read the gen 2s seem to be pretty darn reliable! I personally would always keep the warranty going 6. Should there be any smoke on startup from cold or warm, and do these cars typically consume oil? My S does smoke occasionally but it doesn't really use any oil now although it did in the first 10k 7. Do these cars respond well to remapping? They must do if Porsche see fit to make the Sport Chrono package? Not really because they are not turbo. The chrono maps just give you different levels of aggressiveness not more power 8. Can the sports steering wheel be retrofitted? Yes 9. Is servicing always every 20k miles / 2 years? Yes 10. Can anyone identify the wheels in this picture, and will Porsche charge me a fortune for a new set? They are Boxster S wheels and yes Edited by craigjm on Wednesday 7th May 20:38

Thanks for all of the replies, I really do appreciate it. Good shout regarding the front lip spoiler, I had not noticed! Unfortunately that’ll now annoy me… Disappointing to hear the sound system isn’t great as I quite like busting my tunes, maybe there’s a good aftermarket option. So is it just a hint of blue smoke on start up? I guess this is from the oil seeping into the cylinders? My understanding is the warranty is £900 a year and requires an inspection check before commencing (which is almost £200 iirc), I assume you need a full Porsche service history to qualify? Thanks once again, now if only someone will decide to sell their Xenon and heated seat equipped Cayman I may actually get to own one. They are the only two options that I'm really fussed on, the rest I can live without.

mrdemon said: FrankCayman said: I had a gen 2 Cayman from new back in 2009. Lovely car. 5. 2.9 is most reliable engine in all the Caymans, but I'd still have a warranty for peace of mind. where do you get that info and why would it be more reliable than a 3.4dfi, as I have not heard any issues with the 3.4 dfi unit. Its not unknown for DFI engines to have problems with sludging; the 2.9 is the new 9A1 engine but isn't DFI. SS7

craigjm said: 10. Can anyone identify the wheels in this picture, and will Porsche charge me a fortune for a new set? They are Boxster S wheels and yes Edited by craigjm on Wednesday 7th May 20:38 They are Turbo 2 wheels...real or fake. Boxster S wheels are 18". If the ones pictured are 18", they are defo fake, as turbo 2's are 19" Edited by FrankCayman on Wednesday 7th May 21:46

Not seen that effect in Porsche sports cars, Audi had issues and they just ran the oil a bit hotter to cure the issue. Show me a Cayman dfi engine with gunk issues ..... Edited by mrdemon on Wednesday 7th May 21:55

SkinnyP said: Thanks for all of the replies, I really do appreciate it. Good shout regarding the front lip spoiler, I had not noticed! Unfortunately that’ll now annoy me… Disappointing to hear the sound system isn’t great as I quite like busting my tunes, maybe there’s a good aftermarket option. So is it just a hint of blue smoke on start up? I guess this is from the oil seeping into the cylinders? My understanding is the warranty is £900 a year and requires an inspection check before commencing (which is almost £200 iirc), I assume you need a full Porsche service history to qualify? Thanks once again, now if only someone will decide to sell their Xenon and heated seat equipped Cayman I may actually get to own one. They are the only two options that I'm really fussed on, the rest I can live without. My 987 gen 2 was guards red...the black lip spoiler looked terrible! Had colour coded before I picked it up! Re the smoke, sometimes a rather large puff of white smoke. Could be quite embarrassing...but nothing to worry about..my 987 2.7 gen 1 boxster would do the same. No probs with my current 981 Cayman though. Mate, I love my music and found the upgraded stereo fine. Caymans have quite a lot of road noise anyway....oh, and if you add anything non Porsche to the car, you can kiss goodbye to a Porsche warranty. Got to be OEM stuff only. If those wheels are fake, they'll need changing before Porsche will cover it.

FrankCayman said: They are Turbo 2 wheels...real or fake. Boxster S wheels are 18". If the ones pictured are 18", they are defo fake, as turbo 2's are 19" Edited by FrankCayman on Wednesday 7th May 21:46 You're right I've had another look and they are Turbo 2 wheels

craigjm said: You're right I've had another look and they are Turbo 2 wheels Cheers mate. Defo been refinished...or as Mr Demon said...could be fake.

shoestring7 said: Its not unknown for DFI engines to have problems with sludging; the 2.9 is the new 9A1 engine but isn't DFI. SS7 That's what I've read too. End of the day, my recommendation for the 2.9 is based on my own experience of covering 80K + worth of faultless miles.

Big puff of white smoke on startup sometimes, but clears after about 5-10 seconds. Standard sound system is terrible. Mine had twin tailpipes but no PSE, you have to check for the button on the dash like someone mentioned.

I priced up the Sport Design wheel (non PDK) for my Cayman S...an eye watering £2000. Is there any particular reason your after a 2.9 rather than the 3.4

Real (or not refurbed) Turbo 2's on my old 987. Albeit not a great photo for showing the shine of the Diamond cut. My personal thought is those are probably aftermarket. And yes, Porsche will charge you a fortune to supply a new set direct. Edited by wellzee on Thursday 8th May 11:54

Might be selling my 2012 aqua blue pdk 9000mile mint cayman in a couple of months but you wont get it for 25,000

Thanks for the further feedback. I'm settled on the 2.9 because I prefer a car with equipment to an 3.4 without. Plus 265bhp will be enough 9 times out of 10. Do we know why these engines emit white smoke on startup? I've still yet to read anything that justifies the need for the warranty though, on a gen 1 yes but not a gen 2. Interesting to read else where that dealers can retrofit cruise control, can anything else be retrofitted?

SkinnyP said: Thanks for the further feedback. I'm settled on the 2.9 because I prefer a car with equipment to an 3.4 without. Plus 265bhp will be enough 9 times out of 10. Do we know why these engines emit white smoke on startup? I've still yet to read anything that justifies the need for the warranty though, on a gen 1 yes but not a gen 2. Interesting to read else where that dealers can retrofit cruise control, can anything else be retrofitted? The white smoke comes from oil laying in the engine due to the flat configuration as far as I know. Warranty fixes I have had on my gen 2 - Air con failure Power steering pump failure PASM failure Drivers side window failure leading to window lowering and car filling with water so they repaired all the trim Xenon headlight failure Warranty is a gamble at the end of the day. I've extended mine after every service automatically and just count it as part of the running costs

Just for reference my Boxster has 380bhp and no LSD. Parr wanted to fit one when the previous owner had the turbo conversion done, but he insisted that his driving style didn't warrant one. I hate to admit it, but I don't think mine does either (I'm getting old now). Mine's a daily commuter though, so maybe as a weekend/track car I may think differently.

SkinnyP said: Interesting to read else where that dealers can retrofit cruise control, can anything else be retrofitted? Sport Chrono, PSE, parking sensors, as well as the more obvious items such as seats, steering wheel, etc.

SkinnyP said: I’m in the market for a gen 2 Cayman 2.9 but I just want to make sure I’ve got everything covered. 1. Between the two models are the only differences the engine, the wheels, the tailpipe and the rear discs which are 4mm thicker on the 3.4? 2.9 has smaller, narrower, lighter wheels as standard. Front disks are smaller diameter (and much cheaper), rears are the same IIRC. Single tailpipe (it's just the end bit and it's interchangeable). A few cosmetic bits and bobs. SkinnyP said: 2. I’ve yet to see a car advertised with an LSD, nevertheless is there a way to tell if the car has one fitted? Besides doing a donut in that is…Also do these cars even need an LSD? Normally I wouldn’t have a RWD car without one but 265bhp and 265 wide rear tyres…it must have so much mechanical traction out of the box. Unless you get a Cayman R or Spyder I'd steer clear of the LSD option. They didn't fettle the suspension set up on the gen2 cars to take account of it on the others and all they do is understeer. The 2.9 doesn't need it anyhow, it has loads of rear end traction. Indeed if you're putting the wider tyres on, there's an excess of rear end grip that will cause more understeer on their own, the LSD will exaggerate that. Have a look at the vid of Tiff driving around Anglesey in an LSD equipped genII vs an Evora for an example of what it does to them. SkinnyP said: 3. What's the standard sound system like? I am fussy when it comes to audio…how does it compare with BMW’s Logitech 7? Adequate. That's about as much as you can say for it. The engine thankfully sounds nice enough that it's a bit irrelevant. SkinnyP said: 4. If a Cayman 2.9 has circular tail pipes does this mean it has PSE? Nope, you can spec the tailpipes without PSE. They just came with PSE as standard also. If it's got PSE it'll have a button on the centre console that opens the valves. If it hasn't got PSE, get a Carnewal GT exhaust modification instead. SkinnyP said: 5. Do 4/5 year old examples need a Porsche warranty? From what I read the gen 2s seem to be pretty darn reliable! Unless you buy it from an OPC, you're only going to get what warranty whichever dealer gives it with. Personally I've don't have one and mine's 7 years old. SkinnyP said: 6. Should there be any smoke on startup from cold or warm, and do these cars typically consume oil? You get a bit of smoke on start up with most of the flat 6s. It should clear pretty quick though. Mine doesn't use any oil. Using oil, particularly a noticeable amount could point to the RMS leaking (check for dripping/puddles) or bore scoring (excessive smoke). If it's using it, it's going somewhere... SkinnyP said: 7. Do these cars respond well to remapping? They must do if Porsche see fit to make the Sport Chrono package? Sports Chrono doesn't re-map the car. It changes the map of the drive by wire throttle. IE you don't have to press it as far to get the same effect... You still only go from 0 to 100% throttle, it just happens sooner and makes the car feel more urgent. You can get the same effect by pressing the throttle further/faster/harder. It's a marketing gimmick and a particularly ugly clock along with it. If you want a faster car, buy the S rather than pissing money away on remapping. SkinnyP said: 8. Can the sports steering wheel be retrofitted? Don't see why not. SkinnyP said: 9. Is servicing always every 20k miles / 2 years? Yes. SkinnyP said: 10. Can anyone identify the wheels in this picture, and will Porsche charge me a fortune for a new set? Turbo II alloys and yes, if you buy them from Porsche they'll bend you over big style for them. There's a buyers guide on my site if you're interested. http://juansolo.demon.co.uk/motas/porker13.html Edited by juansolo on Thursday 8th May 16:36

I was told by Reading OPC that rear parking sensors could not be retrofitted as the necessary part of the loom would have been missing during the build. Hence it would be viable financially. I ended up with a 3rd party solution.

craigjm said: The white smoke comes from oil laying in the engine due to the flat configuration as far as I know. Warranty fixes I have had on my gen 2 - Air con failure Power steering pump failure PASM failure Drivers side window failure leading to window lowering and car filling with water so they repaired all the trim Xenon headlight failure Warranty is a gamble at the end of the day. I've extended mine after every service automatically and just count it as part of the running costs Hmm that is quite a list, I’ll reconsider! Is the only requirement for the Porsche warranty a vehicle check and FPSH? Juansolo thanks the information and the link. Has there been any testing between what size wheel offers the best performance? It’s nice to hear the dealers are capable of retrofitting items but I know they’ll be extortionate. I’ll stick to finding a clean car with Xenons and heated seats!

I wouldn't assume that anything electronic can be retrofitted and if it could it might be very stiff for the reason stated above about the wiring looms.

SkinnyP said: craigjm said: The white smoke comes from oil laying in the engine due to the flat configuration as far as I know. Warranty fixes I have had on my gen 2 - Air con failure Power steering pump failure PASM failure Drivers side window failure leading to window lowering and car filling with water so they repaired all the trim Xenon headlight failure Warranty is a gamble at the end of the day. I've extended mine after every service automatically and just count it as part of the running costs Hmm that is quite a list, I’ll reconsider! Is the only requirement for the Porsche warranty a vehicle check and FPSH? Juansolo thanks the information and the link. Has there been any testing between what size wheel offers the best performance? It’s nice to hear the dealers are capable of retrofitting items but I know they’ll be extortionate. I’ll stick to finding a clean car with Xenons and heated seats! Conversely I've had my car 4+ years now and haven't had a single bit of warranty worthy work required. The things that'll need doing on mine eventually are the steering track rod ends, which is a known weak point of the genI cars. Uprated on genII and that's what you put on your genI when they get enough play in them to warrant it. Needless to say, the money I've saved not having the car serviced at an OPC and on warranty will cover that quite easily. Wheels I can only comment on by experience as my car came with the 18's (235/265) and I swapped it on to genII 17's (205/235). The two things you gain with the bigger wheels are cosmetics and grip. Yep, they're prettier. The extra grip comes from them being wider and therefore have a bigger contract patch. In the 2.7 (as mine is) this means getting any meaningful movement out of the car takes more effort/speed. However the amount of rear end grip pushes the front on more and you'll get more understeer. The smaller wheels are a dynamic improvement. They're much lighter, which is less rotational mass. Which means less gyroscopic forces acting on your suspension/steering (Get a powerball, wind it up and try and move it around... ). Ride is better, noticeably if you have standard suspension. Steering and turn in is better, making the overall balance of the car much nicer. Finally it lowers the grip limits a bit so you can actually feel the car move around a bit. If you're a hooligan, power oversteer is now on tap out of roundabouts with the 2.7. Edited by juansolo on Friday 9th May 08:51

SkinnyP said: Is the only requirement for the Porsche warranty a vehicle check and FPSH? That and any non Porsche items fitted being replaced with oe. You can also get a Porsche warranty on a car without FPSH, but in addition to the check they will also require a full service to be undertaken.

SkinnyP said: Hmm that is quite a list, I’ll reconsider! Is the only requirement for the Porsche warranty a vehicle check and FPSH? Juansolo thanks the information and the link. Has there been any testing between what size wheel offers the best performance? It’s nice to hear the dealers are capable of retrofitting items but I know they’ll be extortionate. I’ll stick to finding a clean car with Xenons and heated seats! Currently looking at the GTS, therefore mine might be available soon, however no Xenons or heated seats, but a very clean Gen II with FSH and warranty.

Well no luck yet, most examples don't have xenons and I'm growing impatient. I could buy a non xenon equipped car but I'll probably end up selling it when the nights start to draw in. Anyway can someone tell me what the standard in car entertainment is like? If I've understood correctly it's a single CD player with no USB slot?

SkinnyP said: Well no luck yet, most examples don't have xenons and I'm growing impatient. I could buy a non xenon equipped car but I'll probably end up selling it when the nights start to draw in. Anyway can someone tell me what the standard in car entertainment is like? If I've understood correctly it's a single CD player with no USB slot? Its average at best and as you describe. I have the Sound System Plus and although not great, it is an improvement over basic. Still no usb port though.

Agree that the basic sound system is, well, basic at best. Sound comes out of it is about as far as I'd go. As far as xenons are concerned I do think the standard lights are pretty good. Is it worth trying a car to see what you think?

Afaik to get the usb you need to have the music interface fitted. I have the bose in my car with it fitted and even that system isn't great.

I have the music interface with USB fitted in mine. Which plays through the iPhone no problem. however you really do not buy these cars for their great sound systems. That is what the engine is for... Edited by Gio G on Monday 26th May 14:25

Thanks for all of the responses. I've actually expanded my search to include Boxsters but the only ones with Xenons are overpriced or have a blue interior, yuck! I may try a car without Xenons but if it annoys me come winter I'll pack up shop and put it down to experience. Agreed, the sound system is not make or break on this type of car but it would be nice to blast the tunes from time to time. All being well I intend to look and buy one next weekend, so what should I expect? I read another thread describing the cluthes as heavy.

If you want to see the xenon's in action I posted a video here - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... - for me it's a must have option.

Nice of you to share that so thank you however it's just made me slightly depressed. I've found a nice clean example with some nice toys for 20k but no Xenons, the next car along with Xenons is 24k but has less spec and more miles....on paper it's not worth it but I know the halogens will annoy me. It's been almost 2 years since I've had a nice car (been saving to buy with cash), I can't be arsed waiting any longer especially with this nice weather...

SkinnyP said: Thanks for all of the responses. I've actually expanded my search to include Boxsters but the only ones with Xenons are overpriced or have a blue interior, yuck! Have you looked at one with the ocean blue leather? My white CS has it and to be honest it's not very blue at all it's more like a bluey grey. Personally I really like it but then I would Say that I specced it new.

craigjm said: Have you looked at one with the ocean blue leather? My white CS has it and to be honest it's not very blue at all it's more like a bluey grey. Personally I really like it but then I would Say that I specced it new. Yes but I'm not keen to be honest, iirc that example has the regular steering wheel too (not really a deal breaker but when combined with the colour it is).

The sports chrono is a nice thing to have but I believe you can get retrofitted and just turned on all the time? You don't need to silly stopwatch. I have mine on all the time just for the ability to drive it properly and match down shifts doesn't really work without it.

Yes I intend to enquire getting sport chrono retro fitted if it doesn't have it already, porsche will probably charge an arm and a leg though...

jcarruthers said: The sports chrono is a nice thing to have but I believe you can get retrofitted and just turned on all the time? You don't need to silly stopwatch. I have mine on all the time just for the ability to drive it properly and match down shifts doesn't really work without it. The 'Sport Chrono' button also changes the PASM setting and the Tiptronic map (if you have them). It sets a hard rev limiter as well as the throttle map. Its quite possible to rev match without it - one consistency about the new Porsches is the way the pedals are set to make h&t a cinch. And I liked the stop-watch although could see the dangers of using it on a road trip. >SS7

You can heel-toe without it but it doesn't feel all that nice a quick dab is a lot easier than the lunge needed without it. Good point with the PASM etc forgot about that. Haven't worked out what use the stopwatch is yet.

Had a quick glance through classifieds, appears to be very little private sale Gen II (2.9) cars at the moment. No wonder OP is not having much luck. Very few for sale in trade also, especially the spec you are requiring. I think a private buy where you have warranty in place would be the most economical way to go. I am not expert, but suspect dealers are charging a slight premium due to lack of stock. Good luck G

Glad it's not just me! I really didn't think I was pushing the boat out by asking for xenons and heated seats. I have no interest in Bluetooth or pasm etc, the wait continues.,,

The number of S cars sold vs non S must be quite significant though. I see many more standard Boxsters than I do Caymans

SkinnyP said: Glad it's not just me! I really didn't think I was pushing the boat out by asking for xenons and heated seats. I have no interest in Bluetooth or pasm etc, the wait continues.,, A few years ago there was a vote on Planet9 forum concerning Cayman options: What owners felt was essential. Some said 19inch wheels, other 18's, PASM or not PASM, sat nav, no sat nav. The ONLY thing everyone could agree on, was that it had to have Xenons.

I might be selling my gen 2 cayman s if interested. Black with black interior 42k FPSH Warranty with warranty wise until March 15 Xenons 19" alloys Sports exhaust Short shifter Sound package Carbon fibre bucket seats Multi function steering wheel Cruise control iPod connection Sat Nav Rear wiper MOT / Tax end sept Let me know

kev1387 said: I might be selling my gen 2 cayman s if interested. Black with black interior 42k FPSH Warranty with warranty wise until March 15 Xenons 19" alloys Sports exhaust Short shifter Sound package Carbon fibre bucket seats Multi function steering wheel Cruise control iPod connection Sat Nav Rear wiper MOT / Tax end sept Let me know That's a great spec

ilduce said: A few years ago there was a vote on Planet9 forum concerning Cayman options: What owners felt was essential. Some said 19inch wheels, other 18's, PASM or not PASM, sat nav, no sat nav. The ONLY thing everyone could agree on, was that it had to have Xenons. Really? I couldn't give a crap. I can see where I am going. Job done.

ORD said: ilduce said: A few years ago there was a vote on Planet9 forum concerning Cayman options: What owners felt was essential. Some said 19inch wheels, other 18's, PASM or not PASM, sat nav, no sat nav. The ONLY thing everyone could agree on, was that it had to have Xenons. Really? I couldn't give a crap. I can see where I am going. Job done. I never had any issues with either of my 987's or my current 981 not having Xenons either. Each to their own, I guess!

SkinnyP said: Yes I intend to enquire getting sport chrono retro fitted if it doesn't have it already, porsche will probably charge an arm and a leg though... Retrofitting the Sport button is about £500. It's worth it IMHO, especially if you want to track your car as it lightens the PSM interaction but allows it to stay on in the background, just in case...

ORD said: ilduce said: A few years ago there was a vote on Planet9 forum concerning Cayman options: What owners felt was essential. Some said 19inch wheels, other 18's, PASM or not PASM, sat nav, no sat nav. The ONLY thing everyone could agree on, was that it had to have Xenons. Really? I couldn't give a crap. I can see where I am going. Job done. Yes, like those spectacles you can buy in petrol stations or ones you get from an optician I suppose.

ilduce said: ORD said: ilduce said: A few years ago there was a vote on Planet9 forum concerning Cayman options: What owners felt was essential. Some said 19inch wheels, other 18's, PASM or not PASM, sat nav, no sat nav. The ONLY thing everyone could agree on, was that it had to have Xenons. Really? I couldn't give a crap. I can see where I am going. Job done. Yes, like those spectacles you can buy in petrol stations or ones you get from an optician I suppose. Given some of these comments, anyone would think that the standard headlights are rubbish. I find mine perfectly adequate and being only a couple of years off pensionable age and having worn spectacles for the last ten years, my eyesight is hardly 20/20. Furthermore, I tend to do some of my more spirited driving in the dark.

Trev450 said: ilduce said: ORD said: ilduce said: A few years ago there was a vote on Planet9 forum concerning Cayman options: What owners felt was essential. Some said 19inch wheels, other 18's, PASM or not PASM, sat nav, no sat nav. The ONLY thing everyone could agree on, was that it had to have Xenons. Really? I couldn't give a crap. I can see where I am going. Job done. Yes, like those spectacles you can buy in petrol stations or ones you get from an optician I suppose. Given some of these comments, anyone would think that the standard headlights are rubbish. I find mine perfectly adequate and being only a couple of years off pensionable age and having worn spectacles for the last ten years, my eyesight is hardly 20/20. Furthermore, I tend to do some of my more spirited driving in the dark. You're right. I only added them as an option so that people would know I had £705 more than you to spend.

ilduce said: Trev450 said: ilduce said: ORD said: ilduce said: A few years ago there was a vote on Planet9 forum concerning Cayman options: What owners felt was essential. Some said 19inch wheels, other 18's, PASM or not PASM, sat nav, no sat nav. The ONLY thing everyone could agree on, was that it had to have Xenons. Really? I couldn't give a crap. I can see where I am going. Job done. Yes, like those spectacles you can buy in petrol stations or ones you get from an optician I suppose. Given some of these comments, anyone would think that the standard headlights are rubbish. I find mine perfectly adequate and being only a couple of years off pensionable age and having worn spectacles for the last ten years, my eyesight is hardly 20/20. Furthermore, I tend to do some of my more spirited driving in the dark. You're right. I only added them as an option so that people would know I had £705 more than you to spend. You're assuming that everyone is as anal as you and would actually be able to tell the difference on appearance alone.

I had xenons on my 987 but not on my 981. The difference was obviously noticeable and if you can afford them then why not but the standard headlights on the 981 were perfectly acceptable.

wellzee said: I had xenons on my 987 but not on my 981. The difference was obviously noticeable and if you can afford them then why not but the standard headlights on the 981 were perfectly acceptable. The point is not whether or not they are worth the money (which is arguable either way) but whether or not a potential buyer should walk away from an otherwise good car in a market with a fairly limited supply of good cars. I think it is a bit silly to see it as a deal breaker.

wellzee said: I had xenons on my 987 but not on my 981. The difference was obviously noticeable and if you can afford them then why not but the standard headlights on the 981 were perfectly acceptable. I thought the basic lights on the 981 were Xenons anyway and the upgrade was PDLS but maybe thats only the S

Trev450 said: ilduce said: Trev450 said: ilduce said: ORD said: ilduce said: A few years ago there was a vote on Planet9 forum concerning Cayman options: What owners felt was essential. Some said 19inch wheels, other 18's, PASM or not PASM, sat nav, no sat nav. The ONLY thing everyone could agree on, was that it had to have Xenons. Really? I couldn't give a crap. I can see where I am going. Job done. Yes, like those spectacles you can buy in petrol stations or ones you get from an optician I suppose. Given some of these comments, anyone would think that the standard headlights are rubbish. I find mine perfectly adequate and being only a couple of years off pensionable age and having worn spectacles for the last ten years, my eyesight is hardly 20/20. Furthermore, I tend to do some of my more spirited driving in the dark. You're right. I only added them as an option so that people would know I had £705 more than you to spend. You're assuming that everyone is as anal as you and would actually be able to tell the difference on appearance alone. I've never seen how scruffy you are so I couldn't comment.

OP- why not have my Gen 1 3.4S that has blown up already? It's cheaper and has a new Porsche fitted engine and a Porsche extendible warranty in case it blows up again. AND most importantly... it has Xenons, and is an S, so people won't think you are poor.

ilduce said: Trev450 said: ilduce said: Trev450 said: ilduce said: ORD said: ilduce said: A few years ago there was a vote on Planet9 forum concerning Cayman options: What owners felt was essential. Some said 19inch wheels, other 18's, PASM or not PASM, sat nav, no sat nav. The ONLY thing everyone could agree on, was that it had to have Xenons. Really? I couldn't give a crap. I can see where I am going. Job done. Yes, like those spectacles you can buy in petrol stations or ones you get from an optician I suppose. Given some of these comments, anyone would think that the standard headlights are rubbish. I find mine perfectly adequate and being only a couple of years off pensionable age and having worn spectacles for the last ten years, my eyesight is hardly 20/20. Furthermore, I tend to do some of my more spirited driving in the dark. You're right. I only added them as an option so that people would know I had £705 more than you to spend. You're assuming that everyone is as anal as you and would actually be able to tell the difference on appearance alone. I've never seen how scruffy you are so I couldn't comment. Oh very scruffy. But since you appear to be blinded by the brilliance of your Xenons, you probably wouldn't notice.

How odd. People who should use smilies and "sir" are usually not old enough to drive.

craigjm said: I thought the basic lights on the 981 were Xenons anyway and the upgrade was PDLS but maybe thats only the S Yep just the S, no Xenons as standard on the 2.7 981

ilduce said: AND most importantly... it has Xenons, and is an S, so people won't think you are poor. Seriously?

Gio G said: ilduce said: AND most importantly... it has Xenons, and is an S, so people won't think you are poor. Seriously? Of course! Haven't you wondered why you get tramps offering you their loose change? Mystery solved!

Slippydiff said: Not half as odd as you being phased by someone being pleasant to you on an internet forum ..... I'm relatively new to the internet and I'm a bit wary of strangers. I thought you were trying to groom me, especially with your forum name. Edited by ilduce on Thursday 29th May 09:16

ilduce said: Of course! Haven't you wondered why you get tramps offering you their loose change? Mystery solved! Yes, find that terribly annoying, must upgrade to an S with Xenon's asap!

craigjm said: I thought the basic lights on the 981 were Xenons anyway and the upgrade was PDLS but maybe thats only the S No Xenons on my 981

ilduce said: Slippydiff said: Not half as odd as you being phased by someone being pleasant to you on an internet forum ..... I'm relatively new to the internet and I'm a bit wary of strangers. I thought you were trying to groom me, especially with your forum name. Edited by ilduce on Thursday 29th May 09:16 He groomed with me with some chat about a 964. He'd be on trial with pretty much every aged celebrity if I had been 20 years younger at the time.

ORD said: ilduce said: Slippydiff said: Not half as odd as you being phased by someone being pleasant to you on an internet forum ..... I'm relatively new to the internet and I'm a bit wary of strangers. I thought you were trying to groom me, especially with your forum name. Edited by ilduce on Thursday 29th May 09:16 He groomed with me with some chat about a 964. He'd be on trial with pretty much every aged celebrity if I had been 20 years younger at the time. I'm sorry, I can't talk to you either. You have the gearbox of cripples, women and pensioners.

ilduce said: ORD said: ilduce said: Slippydiff said: Not half as odd as you being phased by someone being pleasant to you on an internet forum ..... I'm relatively new to the internet and I'm a bit wary of strangers. I thought you were trying to groom me, especially with your forum name. Edited by ilduce on Thursday 29th May 09:16 He groomed with me with some chat about a 964. He'd be on trial with pretty much every aged celebrity if I had been 20 years younger at the time. I'm sorry, I can't talk to you either. You have the gearbox of cripples, women and pensioners. Fair cop. I would not go for PDK given my time again, though. I can fix my problem. You're a comma-splicer, by contrast, and that is almost always an affliction for life. Not to worry - other illiterates will take you seriously.

ORD said: ilduce said: ORD said: ilduce said: Slippydiff said: Not half as odd as you being phased by someone being pleasant to you on an internet forum ..... I'm relatively new to the internet and I'm a bit wary of strangers. I thought you were trying to groom me, especially with your forum name. Edited by ilduce on Thursday 29th May 09:16 He groomed with me with some chat about a 964. He'd be on trial with pretty much every aged celebrity if I had been 20 years younger at the time. I'm sorry, I can't talk to you either. You have the gearbox of cripples, women and pensioners. Fair cop. I would not go for PDK given my time again, though. I can fix my problem. You're a comma-splicer, by contrast, and that is almost always an affliction for life. Not to worry - other illiterates will take you seriously. It's, not, my, mother, tongue, so, I, have, an, excuse. Anyway, it's, preferable, to, being, a, grammar, nazi.

Well I almost bought a tidy non Xenon equipped Boxster but silver is just too dull for a sports car, so add not silver to the list of requirements! The wait continues

SkinnyP said: Well I almost bought a tidy non Xenon equipped Boxster but silver is just too dull for a sports car, so add not silver to the list of requirements! The wait continues I think I agree on that, especially with the Boxster. Dark blue looks great.

Are sports seats worth having? I'm considering a car with regular comfort seats in full leather, they look nice enough but sports look even better. Also how can I tell/confirm if a car has surround sound plus?

SkinnyP said: Are sports seats worth having? I'm considering a car with regular comfort seats in full leather, they look nice enough but sports look even better. Also how can I tell/confirm if a car has surround sound plus? The sports seats are shaped differently around the shoulders so basically give you a bit more support at that level. The regular seats are fine. I would go for a full leather car with regular seats over a sports seats car without full leather no contest.

Ok I went to see a Boxster and a Cayman at the same dealer, the Boxster was very nice however I really gelled with the Cayman. I think it's a much more complete package, it looks better and it's a bit more focused. So it's back to plan A, it has to be a Cayman. This one in particular had the sound package, it's good enough for my ears although nothing to boast about. Also I thought the only difference between sport and comfort seats were aesthetics, after a second of sitting in the comforts I had forgotten all about them. No smoke on start up, but are these engines suppose to sound a bit funny at idle / low rpm? You know the way BMW V10 sounds a bit clattery at idle? Sounded good when revved though but definitely needs an aftermarket sports exhaust!

what do you mean a bit funny? For the exhaust look here http://www.carnewal.com/index.php

Hmm no, it didn't sound quite like that. I put it down to variable valve timing.

Have you still not bought a car yet...right stop pissing about and go and buy this - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014... - its even got the bigger engine in it... Just noticed its not a Gen2...still a nice low mileage car though, here's a thought get the owner to put it through a 111 point check if it fails walk away or he fixes it, if it passes then brilliant get an OPC warranty on it in case it goes pop. Edited by Klippie on Sunday 1st June 17:10 Edited by Klippie on Sunday 1st June 17:15

The gen 1 does nothing for me sorry but thanks anyway! I have been to see this example, it was utterly immaculate but I think its £2k overpriced given it's only got 3 optional extras! If were to come down to £23k I would buy it. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014... I intend to see this one at the weekend, but I'm concerned the steering wheel and drivers seat look a bit worn for a mere 25,000 miles... http://www.drivewisecontracts.co.uk/listings/show....

SkinnyP said: The gen 1 does nothing for me sorry but thanks anyway! I have been to see this example, it was utterly immaculate but I think its £2k overpriced given it's only got 3 optional extras! If were to come down to £23k I would buy it. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014... My memory is a bit hazy, but I seem to recall that car being at Oakmere when I was looking for a 2.9 earlier this year. I also thought it a touch expensive on the mileage/price ratio so didn't bother going to see it. But if it is the same car, they've had it in for at least a couple of months so you might well be able to do a deal on it ? If it's not sold in that time, it's overpriced. Brian

Not unusual for a tappety sound on these cars to be noticeable on these cars, particularly with window down/roof down. The engine config and position puts one cylinder head closer to your ears than in most cars and less muffled by the gubbins sitting atop of a regular engine set up. Goes away a bit (but not completely) as the engine warms. There again, may be what you are hearing is not normal. You may prefer to get it inspected. Your call.

Still searching, but I've increased my budget to £27k now which has opened up a few options. There is a VERY well specced Cayman S with LSD, PASM, sport chrono at Porsche for £27k but it's done over 60k miles and I dont like the paint or wheels. Someone is going to snap that up and have a great car no doubt though. I'm still searching for a low mile example clean 2.9 with a few toys, I'm going to see two this week (both private). Funny I've not even sat in one moving never mind driven one! When I eventually buy one I hope I don't decide I don't like it on the first journey home... Oh, and I'm still scared about stories of smoke billowing from the exhaust on startup and smoking out the whole car park

Hi SkinnyP, wondered if you might be interested in my Cayman S I'm putting up for sale next week once I get back from holiday. It's a 2010 60 Reg Generation 2 S, so it's got the DFI engine in it that's more reliable. The spec is as follows - 42800 miles with full Porsche service history. Last serviced at 40k Oct 2013 Warranty till March 2015 with warranty wise Taxed till end of Sept 2014 MOT Oct 2014 New front disks & pads just fitted 19" alloys PSE sports exhuast Bi-xenons lights Carbon Fibre Bucket Seats with full leather Multi function steering wheel Cruise control Rear wash wiper iPod connection Tracker Sound Package Plus Sat Nav Absolutely mint, no scratches or dings, hand washed every week using high end detailing products. No marks or scruffs on alloys I'm looking for £28750 slightly above your budget i know but just thought you might be interested.

Hi Kev, where abouts are you and do you have any photos? I could possible stretch to £28k but it would have to be the right car. If you decide to PM me do let me know on here as I dont often check my emails. Failing that my decision is down to a low mileage 2011 car with a few toys or a fully specced brute of a Cayman S with over 60k on the clock. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014... I'm a bit scared of the mileage, but I reckon it'll be a f king awesome hoon.

Opc quoted almost £1000 to retrofit cruise control and sports chrono on a car they are selling and thats with discount, ouch.

Hi SkinnyP few photos of car, just like to add that car has short shifter gearbox and that the private plate will be coming off. I'm based in North Leicestershire. I've sent you an email. Cheers Kev