Dschwynn

Found a 2008 Base Cayman. 98k on miles. Anything i need to ask or look closely for this year/model?

dennisafrompa

It had 88k on it. It is a one owner car with a complete service history. I've added 14k to it with zero issues. I did change all fluids and serpentine belt when I got it. It still has original water pump and clutch. There was no record of any major repairs and this was confirmed by Car Fax.

Paid 19K but it has many stone chips and small scratches. It was a daily driver for the first owner and is for me too.

I don't know if this is typical but I'm happy.

PS. I've owned a 356, and a 914. I've also owned 3 Boxsters, a '99 that i wrecked at a DE, an '02 that required and engine change at 6k miles die to an IMS failure. A dealer wrecked that car during a service "test drive". The last Boxster was an '04 Anniversary Edition that had an IMS failure at 62K. Porsche did supply a new motor for that car out of warranty. I also researched and discovered that the engines in the 550 SEs were the most prone to IMS failures.

After all this I still eventually came back to the mark because I missed that Porsche driving feel. I also read that even though this year still had an IMS, failures, if they occurred must have been in minimal numbers as I have not heard of any with late M97 motors.

Jack-Porsche

I think the same goes for most any preowned Porsche....get a complete service history on the car. If you don't have record of it, assume it hasn't been done.
Keep in mind service intervals apply to mileage as well as age. Pay the couple hundred for the PPI at a trusted dealer or mechanic and enjoy

Porsch2018

I fully agree with Jack-Porsche. I was looking for a used 981 Porsche Cayman and found one at a Mercedes-Benz dealership. It was a 2014 with 48 thousand miles on it and they were asking $47K. The first owner put 1350 miles in one year, the second owner put 39K miles in 13 months and the third owner put remaining miles in 9 months. When I looked at the service record the only oil/oil filter change that I could find on CarFax was with the first owner. So I spoke to the sales person and I stated that's a problem, and I inquired why they would take a trade like this without a good service record. The sales person then went and got the sales manager and he tried to convince me that the oil changes were probably done by the second owner. Watch the word "probably"....my exact words to him was.......if it isn't documented I assume it hasn't been done....he then gave me that condescending look like you must be an idiot.....I walked out.
I decided to go ahead and get a new 2018/718 Cayman S....placed the order on Tuesday....now the wait begins.

Jack-Porsche

^^cool...looking forward to pics

Porsch2018

Sure will....Miami Blue with leather/sport text seats....leather is chalk and the seat centers and the dash board is graphite blue....
June build date projected hope to see it by mid July to early August.

Jack-Porsche

Miami Blue...one of my favorites. Sounds great

rusnak

With all due respect, I would probably look at someone who "assumed" that simple oil changes have not been done in the same way as the sales guy. And I almost never agree with sales guys.

Get the car checked out by an independent service tech, pay for said evaluation, and weigh that advice against your opinion of the car. If you really are fussy, then get a Durametric pro, query the computer for over-revs, overheating, and the like. If the car has been well taken care of, then it will be obvious when you start to look at brakes, filters, fluids, tires, shifter, etc etc. Never assume something and then storm off in a huff, or you may not get a follow up call if a better car shows up.

Porsch2018

Dschwynn...if you cannot find documentation walk away. This is a big purchase and asking for documentation is the bare minimum. Let those imprudent among us go on hunches, gut feeling, intuition and the flip of a coin but the legal caveat is buyer beware. Wait for a vehicle that has both documented service and gets a favorable PPI but, be aware, there are some Porsche dealerships that won't do PPI's because of the liability....oops we missed that, SORRY

Jack-Porsche

Really? That's surprising...I have purchased many many used cars, and unless the service history is known, I always err on the side of "it hasn't been done" and get it done.
then I have a baseline to start from.
At over $200 at a dealership for an oil change, I think it is safe to assume they weren't all done on time considering there were no records with the car.
My experience has taught me that most who are diligent in their maintenance, also keep records of the maintenance.
To each their own though....

Porsch2018

Here is a copy of my 2011 Honda Maintenance......note on my 1998 Honda Accord I got 357K and sold it for around $3000 to buy the 2011 Honda Accord

rusnak

So they re-set the service reminder and did not change the oil?

Dschwynn

Thank you for all the feedback, much appreciated and a PPI will be in order for sure!

Macster

The Cayman is just a used car so give it a thorough used car check out.

If you can get your hands on the check list the techs use to CPO a used car that's a good start. (You can get your hands on the list just google "Porsche CPO checklist".)

My advice is to start with a road test of the car. Visit the car cold. Be sure the CEL and all the other warning lights come on when you turn on the key and go off at engine start. Turn off the A/C. You check this later. If it is on the radiator fans run all the time and the engine runs cooler. You want the engine to get as hot as it can get during this road test.

After engine start let the engine idle while you walk around the car checking body panel fit and finish and gap and such. Check the brakes. A 1mm lip on the rotor's outside is a sign the rotor is worn too thin. Check the tires for wear and age.

But keep an ear tuned to the engine. You want to make sure the engine is free of troubling noises from cold start all the way to hot.

Have the seller take you on a test ride. 15 miles is about right. The route chosen should give the driver a chance to demo the car as you intend to use it.

Back at the starting point you switch seats and drive the car over the same route and drive the car the same way.

You must experience the car on the road.

After your test ride/drive then give the car a used car check out. Assume nothing works until you confirm it does work.

After all of the above if you still like the car and believe you can buy it for a reasonable sum of money arrange for a PPI. Among other things this gets the car in the air and allows for a thorough check under the car for any leak sign -- or any sign of any trouble. Every gasket, seal, o-ring, hose fitting, hydraulic line connection, CV boot gets checked for leak. The biggies? Water pump. RMS. FMS. Radiators. Coolant hoses. Camshaft covers. CV boots. The transmission and diff seals. Some panels may need to be removed to view all the transmission seals.

For service history it is nice if you can get it but unless you are buying from the original owner probably you won't get it. With a CarFax report you can possibly learn where the car spent its time and then you can call dealers in the area and see if there is any record of the car being serviced there. Avoid asking for previous owner details. You probably won't get hard copy mailed to you and I wouldn't bother asking. (Contains previous owner info and that's a no no to share.) But be ready to jot down date, miles and what was done.

If the car passes a road test and checks you can do from the list and a PPI chances are the car was serviced properly. A car doesn't get to 98K miles and remain in good shape by being poorly serviced.

williamr91

Macster nailed it on the head. Esp his last statement, if the car is at 98k and no record of oil change since years before and a lot of miles since, it has been changed. No way it hasn't without exploding or having major issues...which can be heard. Check the oil, does it look new(ish) smell fine, normal color, etc. Many sellers who trade in a car do not bring service records, that is more for private sellers and I am guessing high end cars (ie. CGT's, Ferrari's, etc if it wasn't serviced by a dealer)...maybe

Kind of mixed Porsche2018 with the OP sorry for the confusion...yeah 48k miles without record is a bit more of an issues, but still if everything checks out it's probably ok, no need to storm off unless there is something very obvious. Again this is an expensive sports car, but a guy going to buy a new MB, probably serviced the car he is trading in...yes this is a big assumption so verifying info and checking it out is imperative.