EarlQHan

Hi all,

I've been lurking and searching but there are a few questions I have about purchasing a 987.1 S. I currently don't own a car, I have a company car, so the Cayman would be a pleasure-only vehicle. Before I sold my daily driver, I drove my personal car about 7000 miles a year. I have a track car, but may want to track the Cayman once or twice a year.

How bad are the IMS and oiling issues, really? It seems more like hearsay from 987.1 owners than it being a real issue. Are there any other items that may potentially cause catastrophic failures that I should worry about? Are there aftermarket parts available on the market now to fix these problems?

I can do maintenance myself and can even design and fabricate my own parts if needed, but how difficult is it to do maintenance on the car (what requires the engine to be dropped)? How often have there been unexpected failures even when doing regular maintenance? Are there specialty tools required? If so, which maintenance items require them?

Are there common issues that are annoying but not catastrophic?

Most 987.1's I see are going between 25-35K, depending on year and mileage, and I don't know how much more the 987.1 will depreciate so I figure I could purchase one and sell it in a few years without taking too much of a hit, especially since I won't be putting on too many miles. Any 987.1 to 981 owners think the 987.1 is a good interim car and it is worthwhile to purchase or should I just hold out until the 981 S leases end and just buy that outright when it falls into in my price range?

Thanks for your help, it is appreciated.

Dino944

If you were going to buy a 987.1 I'd opt for a later model year like 2007 or 2008. They had a revised IMS bearing design and they have a bit more power. Supposedly, some of the late 2006 987.1s had the revised bearing, but I'd go with an 07 or 08 to be on the safe side. This doesn't guarantee you won't have an IMS issue, but it makes sense to me to go with the cars that definitely had the improvement along with some more power.

Flat 6 Innovations has some aftermarket IMS retrofit that is supposed to avoid IMS failure. However, its my understanding that it is more complicated and costly to do it on a 987 than on the prior 986 cars.

We had a 987.1 (it was an RS60) and was a wonderful car. Still, to be honest I wanted to be out of it before it went off warranty, because in the back of my mind the IMS issues made me nervous. I've actually met a few people with cars that suffered IMS failures. Its not a myth...it happens. Whether you will be lucky and never experiences it...who can say. If your budget has some flexibility, consider getting a 987.2 and there is no IMS issue to worry about.

Beyond that, as nice as the 987s were, the 981S is IMHO a better driving experience, and is a tremendous improvement over the 987s (even many of the options such as PASM and PDK that were available in the 987s have been improved significantly in the latest generation). So, it may be worth it for you to be patient and see if you can find a 981S that will eventually be in your budget.

A test drive is probably the best idea so that you will be able to experience the various differences between the cars, and decide which is right for you.

HoBoJoe

Why is your end goal a 981? Do you prefer that car more, have you driven both? I had a Boxster 981S loaner when car was at the dealer, it was more comfortable, a bit more refined, and was a nice cruiser. I was almost sold on a 981 until I hopped back into my 987.2 and realized how much more sporty it felt.

If you buy a well maintained 987.1 with reasonable miles and do not plan on tracking the car, I wouldn't worry about the IMS/oiling issues. I also don't see them dropping much further in value in the next few years, they've taken their major depreciation hit already.

BoostPower

The IMS failure do happen, but mostly on 986 Boxsters. Some Cayman do suffer the problem, but rarely. If you were to get a 987.1 Cayman, save some cash up for future repair. If cash flow allows, definitely go with 987.2 09+ ones. I also drove several of dealer's Boxster and Boxster S, I agree that the car is much more defined in regards to almost everything, but somehow both my brother and I agreed that the our 09 Cayman S is much more fun.

EarlQHan

I want the 981 for the reasons mentioned, plus, it looks better than the 987.1 in my opinion. A 987.2 is out of my current price range because I am trying to save as much for retirement as possible. 981 is currently out of my price range because I am still paying off student loans.

I have driven a 987 and really liked it, but I have not driven a 981. I would likely get a 987 in manual but a 981 in PDK, which I hear was much improved over the 987.2. Although the 987 may be a better driver's car and feel more connected, as I stated, I have a track car so those wouldn't matter as much to me. It'd just be something to drive for the enjoyment of driving.

Dr.Bill

If you want a 981, I'd wait until you can write a check for one - then buy it. Personally, I'd wait until student loans are paid before buying a toy.

EarlQHan

While that is great financial advice, I'll be close to 40 before that's possible. And that's assuming I still live the meager lifestyle I do and I don't have children by then. I don't think I have the diligence to hold out that long. But that is part of the reason I am thinking about holding out for the 981 and financing that in a few years when (hopefully) I'll have more income and have paid down the majority of my loans.

ClassJ

Go for a 987.2 with a CPO or a 981.

To me there were enough changes in 2009 to warrant going for the newer car.

Porsche's have a great way of costing huge $$ when they break for the smallest things. Even when you are doing the work yourself.

Spokayman

All Cayman 987s from the very beginning (in the US) had the revised IMSB and have proven to be very reliable and trouble free in that regard. Where the confusion comes is that some early Boxster 987s did not have the newer IMSB.
I am not saying that the IMSB can't or won't fail in a 987.1 Cayman, but that the incidence rate is a small fraction of the rate for earlier Boxsters and Carreras.
I think the reasons for choosing between a 987.1 Cayman or a 987.2 Cayman would come down to price, or perhaps improved oiling (in the 987.2) if you wanted to track the car.
A decision between 987 Cayman vs 981 Cayman might be more along the lines of what others have suggested which is a more raw experience and sexier curves with the older model. I really like my 987.1 Cayman and I have no desire to trade up to a newer 987.2 or a 981.

First Timer

Yep. that's the way it works. Got my 981s at 42. paid cash. not that you came to this forum for financial advice but, seriously, pay off your student loans before you worry about getting a Porsche.

GTgears

I don't see a decision to make. Sounds like circumstances have made it. Buythe 987.1 today and sell it in 2-3 years when you can afford the 981. Yes, you will lose some money on the 987.1 but I consider that a joy tax. Driving the car for 3 years while saving towards the payment on the 981 is better in my mind than getting the 981 in 2 years and not having any Cayman to drive in between.

And I speak this from my reality. I sold my BRZ last summer to buy a house. I am still a year from being able to afford a Cayman. Having my sportiest car right now be a '67 912 is killing me.

Gator_86_951

Funny, I am kicking around the same thoughts in my head and I also have another track car that I am finishing. I honestly have no idea what my student loan balance is at the moment, but the APR is very low. You could also look into SOFI, which I understand offers some nice low APR re-fi options.

I am considering buying a 987.2 by privately selling my 08 speed3 that I own outright and then adding whatever needed in cash to make up the difference. If you can wait another year, I will bet the release of the new GTS will see a bunch of crocS cars traded in that you could nab for a good price.

Test drove a 987.1 S earlier this afternoon for the first time. Car seems like a real hoot, and I can see being able to toss it around like a rag doll pretty quickly at a track day since it seemed so balanced. I was a little surprised by how small it was inside though.

HoBoJoe

I'm only 5'10" and I feel cramped in the 987, but the driving experience makes up for it.

jivemutha

Newbie here . . . which years distinguish 987.1 from 987.2? Also, what do the letters "IMS" stand for? I thought the big problem in the early models was the balance shaft, but it's hard to convert "balance shaft" into "IMS" (though I suppose I can understand why you might not want to abbreviate it "BS").

As for advice, take it from an old man. If you don't have the cash to get the car, don't buy it. Ain't nuthin' wrong with a several-year-old Miata till the dollars are saved. If you spend it now you may never get to retire. I drove Carollas at your age and saved. As a result, I just put in an order for a 981 2015 Cayman S for cash. That's what happens when you save first. This is for your own good, kid!

Dino944

The 987.1 was produced from 2005 through 2008. 2009 marks the 987.2 cars with DFI engines and no IMS. IMS is Intermediate Shaft