Porsche Cayman

[bigpond]

I had a boxster until I moved to Boston and sold because I couldn't park it. When I moved too Nebraska I picked up a 987 with about 9,000 miles for 21k. I had zero issues with it outside of regular maintenance (which is about double to triple the price for a japanse car ime). The 987 was great for windy roads in third gear. We moved back east and I traded the 987 for a Cayenne for my wife. Two weeks in to our first winter here she traded it in for an outback.
The 981 is definitely an upgrade to the 987 and both are dead cheap on the used market.

 

[plugugly]

I got a 350Z. I sold that 350Z. I had an uninterrupted BLAST every day in between. Buy it.

You only live once. And if you are ever in a place in life to own a dog, or a stick shift two seater -

Do IT!
Plugugly

 

[tinsel]

Nate, many will tell you that German autos are expensive to maintain. Yes IF repairs are done by the dealer, they cost through the roof. I own ( my summer car ) a 2001 Mercedes SLK320. Dealer wants over $200.00 just to hook it to a computer, before any other possible work gets done. I found a local shop that specializes in German and British autos. They inspect / look / examine for free. Give an estimate, then you decide what to do. Their shop rates are far less than a dealer. However ... you do need to make sure their mechanics are qualified to work on your make.

I have been in the auto repair business my whole life.
It's not just that people "will tell you" that German cars are expensive to maintain ... THEY ARE.
Yes, it can be done for cheaper than the dealer ... for sure. We are an independent shop not affiliated with any dealer and we can easily kill them on their prices.
However, to PROPERLY maintain and repair a German car, especially a sports car, it costs several times what an American or Japanese car costs if you are repairing it and maintaining it CORRECTLY.
High quality parts for these cars are very expensive. Yeah, you can buy cheap parts online that "work", but the performance of those parts is simply not the same.
Access to computer tooling and software to work on the computer controlled systems of the cars (just about everything on cars today is computer controlled) costs a lot of money for the shop, and they have to charge accordingly to use it.
Also, while a 2001 SLK320 is a truly great car, please remember that it is 15 years old. The aftermarket catches up eventually, meaning more people are able to afford the tools and information systems to work on the cars as they get older. Training for that cars systems gets cheaper and more widespread. More aftermarket companies produce replacement parts and that in turn drives prices down. In other words, the cost to maintain and repair your 15 year old benz is not directly comparable to the price of maintenance and repair on a car that is only a couple years old.
Also, in the 15 years since that car was built, cars have gotten infinitely more complicated. Automotive technology grows exponentially, meaning faster and faster every year. There is more difference between a 2010 and 2015 model than there was between a 2000 and 2005 model, and so on. What this means is more training, more tools, more software, more cost for the shop that does the work, and in the end more cost burden on the cars owner.

 

[shutterbugg]

Porsche's original intent with the Cayman was as an entry-level model to 1) lure people who want a new 911 but can't afford one, and 2)lure people who want a 911 but can't afford a new one and are afraid or unwilling to buy secondhand.
As it turned out, they made the Cayman handle a little too well, and people started opting for it not just because they can't afford a 911. When Porsche saw it was cannibalizing 911 sales, they turned the 911 into a bigger, more luxurious GT with a stratospheric price tag, and at the same time raised the price of the Cayman to about where a base 2WD Carrera was a few years earlier.
I prefer the last-generation 911 over the new one, or a Cayman, so that's what I drive and am biased toward. I also find the back seat imperative at times, so a true 2-seater doesn't fit my bill unfortunately.
If you go for a secondhand Cayman, make sure you get one with the 9A1 engine (from '09 or '10 IIRC, the 911's began it in '09), not the earlier M96/M97. The earlier engines have a horrible record for catastrophic failures on two counts. Google "Porsche Intermediate Shaft (or IMS) failure" and "Porsche Bore Scoring". The 9A1 engines do not have an IMS, and the cylinder sleeves and cooling jackets have been redesigned/improved.
Also a personal bias, I do not care for the PDK transmission. Yes they are quicker to shift either automatically or with the paddles than most anyone can do with a clutch and gearstick. But unless you are running it competitively on a track, or frequently in traffic jams, the old-school 3-pedal manual is a helluva lot more fun. These cars are cramped, noisy and rough-riding. If you want the comfort of an automatic, get a Lexus or Mercedes or Cadillac.
And whatever you do, my advice is to get a comprehensive "bumper to bumper" extended warranty. There's a lot of bloviating on the 'net about how those policies don't pay off and are designed to make money for the company, yada yada yada. I paid over 4 grand for a warranty on mine, and so far it's paid me more than double that back in covered repairs. And it's not that the car has been any more unreliable than average. It's that every little seemingly innocuous repair costs a staggering amount.

 

[ssjones]

R&T or C&D just recently wrapped up a long term test on a Cayman. Theirs (2016?) had oil use issues. It was curious that owners cannot check or change the oil. The oil level relies on a sensor, which was erratic on their model (they added oil, when none was really needed and the dealer said it was overfilled). While that put me out a little, I suspect most modern high performance cars have similar foibles.

 

[tinsel]

R&T or C&D just recently wrapped up a long term test on a Cayman. Theirs (2016?) had oil use issues. It was curious that owners cannot check or change the oil. The oil level relies on a sensor, which was erratic on their model (they added oil, when none was really needed and the dealer said it was overfilled). While that put me out a little, I suspect most modern high performance cars have similar foibles.

It's not just high performance cars. Most newer cars are having oil consumption issues. Pushing the envelope of performance and efficiency in modern engines has led engineers to make some choices about materials and designs that have caused this problem. Low-tension rings used on pistons is the #1 culprit, by far, where oil consumption is concerned.
Most manufacturers have issued Technical Bulletins stating that warranty work is not to be performed for oil consumption problems unless the oil consumption exceeds 1 quart per 800 or 900 miles. This seems like an outrageous amount of oil usage, but that's the mark most manufacturers are setting. Of course, most owners never check their oil (and in the case of some cars, aren't able to because there's no dipstick), so engine damage from oil starvation is becoming a regular occurrence these days.

 

[huntertrw]

Cayman shmayman. If you want a Porsche, then there is only one model to consider:

 

[ssjones]

Flat sixes? Boring. Here's a 911 with LS1 power.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/classic-cars/news/a29495/porsche-911-ls1-swap/

 

[johnbarleycorn]

Well thanks a lot guys. Now you have me wanting a Porsche!!!

 

[bigpond]

I got a 350Z. I sold that 350Z.

Truth be told, I had a 1971 Datsun Z that was waaaayyyyyy classier than any of the porsche's we've had. British racing green, wooden steering wheel, leather every where...oh, and a 350 chevy engine added after the original blew. I don't really care about bars any more but I'd take a 240 over a new porsche any day.

 

[ssjones]

My buddy just picked up a 240Z with an LT1 in it, I helped him sort the motor. It's a hoot!

 

[bigpond]

Wow! That's great. It was such a fun car and believe it or not, there was one semester in college that I lived out of the back. The seats are so laid back you can sleep in them easily.

 

[huntertrw]

"Flat sixes? Boring."
The 356A Type Two boring? Heavens no! Sexy in the extreme? Definitively YES!

 

[shutterbugg]

Sure there are lots of other options besides a Porsche, new and old. Some are faster, lots are cheaper to buy and maintain. A consideration has to be the intended use too. For a weekend toy, an older car can be ok. For a daily driver, you might want something more modern than a 40 yr old vehicle, with modern conveniences like Bluetooth/iPod integration/NAV (although there are add-on units to add those to older radios, or replace the head units), and safety features like ABS brakes, traction control and airbags (those are difficult or impossible to add). Old cars, even when fully restored, are often prone to breaking down inconveniently, and parts are not always easy to find quickly.

 

[ssjones]

There may be a few of these that Princes from Dubai haven't bought.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/news/a25828/flat-sex-porsche-911-reimagined-by-singer/

 

[iamn8]

Well, I am now officially shopping for the right Cayman. Seeking a fairly low mileage car with exterior in either Red, Black, Or White with tan interior. There aren't a lot on the market so it'll take a bit of time to find the right Cayman at the right price. I'm seriously stoked about entering the Porsche chapter of my life

 

[shutterbugg]

Word of caution about the tan (Sand Beige it's called) interior prior to the latest generation (Panamera/991-style interior). Porsche used a "soft-touch" paint on the plastic bits including the console. Especially with some age on it, it's extremely prone to scratching and peeling. I've got Sand Beige in mine, I got a little jar of paint made up at a home-improvement store (brought the ashtray in and they scanned it) and am constantly doing touchups. The color is perfect, but peels and deep scratches are hard to fill so they don't show.
Same is true for the leather. The steering wheel, shifter and e-brake get filthy from normal hand oil and require constant cleaning. They also used very cheap leather finish, so it wears a lot. The driver's side seat bolster too. I've dyed (well, it's actually flexible leather paint) it several times. The seat is hard to do because they don't make a paint to match the patina.
If I had it to do over, I would get black interior. MUCH easier to touch up.

 

[gtrhtr]

Nate, I would certainly recommend a test drive in a Macan. I picked ours up at the factory and it is better than I'd ever imagined and has a huge amount of horsepower. The seats are awesome and I haven't had any issues with my back even on long trips. I usually have to stop every 3 hours to walk around, etc. We've now had it for a little over a year and it remains the best thing I've ever bought. You can find a used one now and can save a lot over what I paid. At least go drive one!

 

[iamn8]

Damn Sutterbug, you really know how to rain on a guys parade seriously though, I appreciate the first hand knowledge. I'll certainly take that into account and go in knowing about this. It's a shame because that color makes for a seriously beautiful look, very posh. I've had a black/grey interiors in pretty much every car I've ever owned and was hoping for a change....
The Macan is an SUV correct? As a single guy, an SUV isn't in my wheelhouse. I currently drive a Volvo C30 and even that space is wasted on me. It's time for me to drive a sports cpe. I'm at that age where it's now or never. It might be a childish childhood dream, but damnit, child Nate deserves a fulfilled dream I am GLAD to hear you've had a positive Porsche experience. From my research, most every driver who's bought a Cayman has loved it. On the subject of "happy with purchase" the Cayman is one of the most highly rated of all cars.

 

[foggymountain]

Very helpful comments. I promised to give my wife the car next year so I am sorting through information about a new car. I had never considered the Cayman, but it actually is a good possibility. What I want is a small 2 seater V6 or V8. I want 4 wheel drive and a good ground clearance which the Porsche lacks. But if the engine is close to the rear wheels handling in the snow should be ok. Does anyone have experience with this? Otherwise it seems perfect. Small (I am more used to motorcycles) fast, and fun. A BMW 340i 4wd was the front runner, but I really do not want a sedan and prefer a 2 seater. I have also considered the Jaguar SUV, but hesitate because of their poor reputation for reliability, and the car is too big. And a Dodge Charger is a possibility but I really do not want a big American sedan. The price, for a good V8 is tempting though. Any remarks welcome.