Porsche Cayman S for reasonable money? Yes, please.

"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
11/16/2016 at 15:34 • Filed to: None

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

While I am thoroughly enjoying daily driving the C4, I am always thinking about where I will go next for an interesting way to drive to work. The obvious answer is to go to a C5, or maybe even an early C6. A viper (in Demuro spec) is what I my inner ten year old would really like to own next. However, a mid to late 90's GTS is more than I would like to spend, and a variety of things like tire cost and availability leave me inclined to think that viper is probably not really a viable choice for a 15-20k a year daily driver.

My realistic plan is to pick up a nice 996 in a year or two. My primary interest in a 996 is that they are probably the best bang for the buck, daily driveable big boy sports car out there right now. My inner 10 year old would also approve. The engine is in the wrong place, but part of me thinks that just might be fun for awhile. If early Caymans are starting to become reasonable, I may have to broaden my Stuttgart car search when the time comes. A Cayman, with the engine in the place God intended, would be so much better. I hadn’t really been seriously considering them, in part because I haven’t seen many out here getting into my ideal, sub 25k price range. I know that Boxsters are in my price range, but I’m not sure I’m interested in owning another convertible as a highway commuting car. I’m also not sure I would want to own another convertible in Southern NM anyway. It is pretty darn hot for a lot of the year down here.

DISCUSSION (8)

Grab Paddle > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
11/16/2016 at 15:52

This one looks moderately abused.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
11/16/2016 at 15:55

Definitely agree, this is a great choice. After the regular Cayman I rented off Turo about a month ago I definitely want one in the future. It had the same snappy response as my Miata but was just so much more refined in every way. The S model just has to be that much better. I wonder how these are with DIY maintenance though?

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
11/16/2016 at 16:06

The maintenance part doesn’t bother me on a Cayman or a 996, and I kind of equate the occasional IMS bearing replacement to being like a timing belt. It is just one of those things that you have to cough up the money and replace every so often, and after you’ve bought the special tool to do the first IMS job, subsequent ones are cheaper. I used to turn wrenches for a living, which means I actually don’t mind doing it on my own cars. That said, these are probably not a novice DIY machine. If I go the Porsche route, I would fully expect to invest the $500-$700 for a data port interface and software that will allow me to interact with the DME as an upfront cost to play.

E92M3 > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
11/16/2016 at 16:14

They ARE getting affordable now. Doing maintenance (like changing the oil) is more cumbersome compared to most cars. Access to a lift would help.

Saracen > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
11/16/2016 at 16:27

I’m going with a 997 when VW buys back my GSW. I have a beater truck now, so I don’t need another practical vehicle. So I decided it’s finally porsche time. I haven’t decided between 997.1 or 997.2 yet though...depends on what’s out there when I’m ready to buy, I know all the pluses and minuses of each.

I’m handy with a wrench, so I intend to do all the routine maintenance. All the routine stuff looks pretty easy, except for spark plugs which will be a bit of a pain.

IMS is only an issue for some cars, and I’m really not too worried about it. 05.5 models it’s $2000 one-time preventative fix, ‘06-’08 models you would need to disassemble the engine to do it but they have super low failure rates, and 997.2's do away with it completely.

The biggest maintenance cost will be rear tires. I expect to have to buy a new pair once a year.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Grab Paddle
11/16/2016 at 16:40

Eh, I’m inclined to say that this one looks like it has been daily/ near daily driven, which I generally consider to be a very good thing in a car like this. I would much rather buy a car that is not perfect, but is in very regular use, than to buy something that has spent most of it’s life being rubbed with a cloth diaper and only being driven on Saturday afternoons when the weather is nice. Cars treated that way tend to look perfect, but they tend experience far more issues as a result of less than regular use. Putting one of those cars back into daily use tends to be a fast and expensive way to bring out those issues.

While I keep my daily driver significantly cleaner than this, many folks do not. So long as the service records and actual mechanical condition are up to snuff, I’m fine with minor cosmetic flaws like rock chips and an unfortunate meeting with a parking block. Being ready for a brake job and a fresh set of tires would be fantastic negotiating points on a car like this. I’m not planning on buying anything for another year or two anyway, but this is the kind of car I would be looking for. If I bought a truly perfect old porsche/viper/C6/whatever, I would never be able to walk away from it in a parking lot without spending all day worrying about something happening to it.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Saracen
11/16/2016 at 16:45

I too have a truck, so my daily driver doesn’t have to be practical. I can also take my time on larger maintenance projects and wait for the UPS guy to bring me well priced parts. I would love a 997, but that is more money than I would like to spend. A 996, or an early Cayman S, in the 15-20k price range with 60-90k on the odometer is what I’ll be looking for.

Saracen > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
11/16/2016 at 16:58

I’m too tall for any year Cayman unfortunately. 996's are just too ugly for me. I can afford 997's, and I think they have bottomed out in value as new 911's are crazy expensive and feel less analog.