cgleockler

So I'm thinking about trading in my saturn sky for a porsche! I prefer the look of the cayman but I'm in the market for a 10 yo vehicle and the prices are crazy... there are 4 or 5 perfectly good boxsters around 2008 I can get for 12k (under budget), but I can't find a single cayman for 20k or less in my area (my max budget). It's my understanding that the cayman offers little the boxster doesn't except the top... am I wasting my money paying 20k for a 10 yo cayman when I could get the boxster for half? Are caymans a rarer car than the boxters? Would they hold value better? Any suggestions/advice

champignon

Most convertibles depreciate way faster than most coupes, especially when comparing vehicles that are very similar and available in both body styles. Time is unkind to fabric and especially to fabric when used to top a vehicle. There is also a mechanism that supports and moves the top. So, having a convertible top means that the car has more that can go wrong with it and that will likely need expensive repairs.

Older Boxsters depreciate faster than just about any car I can think of.

Caymans were not exposed to the worst of the IMS problems since they were not made with the most fragile single and double row IMS bearings, rather with the larger and beefier one put into the M97 engine. Boxsters dating from the late 1990s through 2005 are exposed to these problems in spaids, and also will generally not be worth repairing if there is an engine failure. On the other hand, the risk of an IMS related engine implosion is probably on the order of 10%, and many of these cars will already have amassed enough mileage where it is unlikely the Boxster will suffer this fate.

Basically, you pays yer money and you takes yer chances . . . . . . If you can afford to spend in the low teens or even less for a Boxster, and if the sudden loss of that Boxster and what you paid for it represents a survivable loss for you, than I would say, go for it!

Pep!RRRR

If you can swing it, I would look for 2009 or later model year cars that all use the very robust 9A1 engine. Also, whenever you buy a used Porsche you should get a pre purchase inspection (PPI) by a Porsche shop that has no relationship with the seller. This may cost you $2-3 hundred bucks but will be money well spent.

Dave in Chicago

Good thoughts above. The mid-engine drivability of these cars is just off the charts. Soooo nice.

Much comes down to whether you are lusting for open-air or closed-roof motoring. Both are great street cars, even year 'round here in the Midwest. You can guess which side of that equation I landed on ;-)

Decisions, decisions... right?

Dave

'05 987S
'92 968 SP3
'88 944 NA (gone but not forgotten)