When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I've been researching and test driving (a few) 997 coupes over the last several months. The Rennlist community has been tremendously informative, entertaining, and at times, uh... 'spirited.'
There's a lot I could write about my love of driving and how it started with a 1993 E36 5-speed and how this story provides the context for why I am slowly going insane driving only my Tesla S60D and Ford F-150, etc... but that's boring to the forum. Suffice to say: I have thought a lot about what I want from my next car, how much I want to spend, and as I've gone through this process over the last 2-3 months my ideas have evolved.
My attention has increasingly turned away from the 911 (but by the heavens, I *will* custom build my dream Targa one day) and toward the Cayman, and so I've tried to read as much as I can about the various generations on these forums, the Cayman Register and elsewhere (MotorTrend loves these cars). I've also really enjoyed reading the perspectives here, especially with respect to the "981S v 718" debate. I am decidedly in the NA camp, and so I present for your consideration the below 2014 981.
My questions for the forum have mostly to do with what to look for specifically in a low-miles 981 Cayman that's out of warranty and not CPO. Is 5k miles on a 4.5 year old car a red flag? I have been doing thorough self-inspections of the other cars I've seen and even had a PPI done on an older 911; I've also read Macster's very informative post on how to assess a used Cayman.
Another question would be: in your opinion, would it be more "worth it" to get a higher mileage Cayman S? Part of the reason I am aiming at the base Caymans is that 1) I can get a gently used car for less money, 2) the smaller NA engines across models and generations seem in the aggregate to have fewer major problems, and 3) I enjoy curvy roads and getting the tach in the middle- to high-end of the meter, so I'm not convinced that I need a lot more power than the 275 bhp of the base 2.7. I know it may sound like I've answered my own question, but I'm genuinely curious to hear whether the experienced drivers here think there is a very large difference in performance and overall fun in the S versus the base model.
I'm going to see the car later this week:
2014 Cayman base; 6k miles. One owner, clean CARFAX, clean VINSmart. Non-Porsche dealer is asking $43k.
VINSmart seemed to be off on the NADA valuation (citing retail as 36,200), whereas when I entered the make, model, year and options on the NADA website I got a "retail" number closer to the dealer's asking price.
Options include PTV, PASM, power sport seats, premium package, infotainment/Bose.
It would be nice to know if there were a few oil changes done along the way. Otherwise it’s an essentially new car at a large discount. No warranty though so it’s always a good idea to get a PPI from an independent shop. Especially with all the flooded cars currently on the market.
I have a base Cayman that I love for exactly the reasons you mention. There is certainly nothing wrong with having the additional power of an S, but for street driving, the base is quite enjoyable. I also use mine on the track (a lot) and the car is durable and capable.
I would drive a 981 base and an S before making any decision. I would also recommend test driving a 718 base (unless it is just out of your budget). When I started looking at purchasing a Cayman a year ago a Porsche delaer near me had a base 98I with only 700 miles on it for sale. It was the owners demo car. During my test drive I was shocked, and completely turned off by the lack of low end torque of the car. Just to be clear, I wasn't looking for a ton of low end torque but more than the 981 base model provided. That being said, you might be fine with it, as many other people are, which is why I highly recommend you drive at least the base and S 981, and preferably the base 781 as well. Once you do that you'll know which one best fits your driving style.
5K miles in 4.5 years definitely raises a red flag to me. One of the reasons could be that it has been a dedicated track/autocross car that was put back to the stock form prior to sale. I would definitely get a DME report to see if there has been any over revs. If you can be assured that the car has not been extensively tracked/autocrossed and it has a satisfactory service record, you might have found yourself a gem. $43K for a 2014 base is not a bargain, though. Good luck!
Not really a red flag to me. Even track use puts more than 1k miles/year (or at least mine does). A single DE weekend is easily a few hundred miles not counting driving there and back. The guy just didn't drive it much at all, which happens. You should drive a S to see for yourself how much difference there is to you, though. Valuation on that car is very hard because of the crazy low miles.
To me, if you like the way the car drives, it's a great deal. The CARFAX shows consistent mileage and service records over the 3 years of ownership. He did not have it serviced at a Porsche dealer, he took it to:
Garry's Service Center
Concord, NH
603-224-9541
That shop has great reviews. I would call them and get there take on the car, but you may have found a gem. I hope it works out for you!
I wouldn't worry about the miles either. Someone bought it on a whim, in CT it's only used during warmer months and so uncomfortable that they drove it less than expected.
As for the S/base question, I really wanted to like the base car, and I do, but the extra torque that you get with the S made it a moot point for me. You should drive both. Once I drove the S, the base was no longer a consideration.
BUT: I'm a long-time V8 guy, so I'm all about the torque.
As for the price, no, it's no bargain, but they're not going to sell it before May, so you should be able to negotiate the price down some, I would hope.
Appreciate all of these thoughtful replies. The only dealer who has both an S and a base Cayman in manual is over an hour away from me, and with the snow coming tomorrow (and the fact that I have, y'know, a full time job) I think I'll have to wait a few days or more before I can go down there to do a head to head comparison.
Here's a separate but related question: let's say i really like the above base Cayman -- would you select a Porsche dealership to do a really solid PPI (and not try to deal for the car behind my backside)? I don't think there are any reputable indy Porsche shops near Nashua, NH
I don't pretend to have any reason not to trust a Porsche dealership (my aim is not to impugn the dignity of Porsche dealers!), but from what I've read on the forums it seems that their techs are, in the aggregate, less knowledgeable than those at dedicated Porsche shops.
I will agree with the other in the S vs base- A drive in both will answer your question very quickly. I had originally planned to buy a base new but found a very lightly used S for a similar price. Big difference in performance/feel to me, so it was worth it to buy used.
Also the low miles are not a concern for me either, assuming the service was done on schedule.
Here's a separate but related question: let's say i really like the above base Cayman -- would you select a Porsche dealership to do a really solid PPI (and not try to deal for the car behind my backside)? I don't think there are any reputable indy Porsche shops near Nashua, NH
I don't pretend to have any reason not to trust a Porsche dealership (my aim is not to impugn the dignity of Porsche dealers!), but from what I've read on the forums it seems that their techs are, in the aggregate, less knowledgeable than those at dedicated Porsche shops.
If you do get a PPI at the dealer, don't be shy about asking for the shop foreman to do it. When I flew up to Seattle for my M5, I specifically requested that ahead of time with the service manager and it wasn't an issue. The foreman had extensive knowledge on E39s as opposed to some of the younger techs not being familiar with them. The same could be possible at the Porsche dealer, and while the Cayman you're looking at is by no means old, I'm sure most techs are more familiar with Cayennes/Macans than Caymans. Good luck!
I hope they pulled that Cayman inside today or it will be covered with 2 feet of snow by tonight. lol.
Got to love this New England weather.
Yeah :/ sitting at work and hoping I can still find my truck when I leave this afternoon. The accumulation is not so bad (yet), but the wind and ice are going to cause problems. Anything more than a few inches is treated like an emergency in CT. In Chicago we just called this "winter." Oh well
This does lead perfectly to another opinion question I wanted to pose to the forum: the above car has the rear windshield wiper. I've seen varying opinions on this -- I don't particularly care for the way it looks but I'm wondering if any of you out there have it and love it? Probably not a deal breaker for me.
01-02-2018, 11:42 PM
Looking at this 981C
). A single DE weekend is easily a few hundred miles not counting driving there and back. The guy just didn't drive it much at all, which happens. You should drive a S to see for yourself how much difference there is to you, though. Valuation on that car is very hard because of the crazy low miles.
