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So my wife and I decided our recently purchased Mustang GT was too nice to risk at track days. As a result we decided to purchase a dedicated track car. Having recently dived head first into a Youtube Copart binge I decided for whatever reason that it would be a good idea to purchase a Cayman off of Copart that looked like it had some cosmetic damage. We settled on this car:
While it does say Run and Drive it also explicitly states this does not mean that this car will "Run and Drive", it just means it could be put in gear, and moved forward under its own power at the time it was put into the Copart lot. I paid for an inspection and while the car appeared much dirtier than its Copart images it basically looked like the same car with fairly minimal damage to the front quarter panels, bumper and hood. Worryingly the car would not turn over (likely due to a dead battery, hopefully), and while it would turn over when jump started would not start (likely due to the spark plug wires being removed, that's them in the frunk). We decided to move forward with bidding on it, and happened to get the car for well under half the estimated retail value, whatever that means.
The car will get shipped out by next weekend, and I thought it would be fun to document the likely many mistakes and issues that will inevitably surface when the car arrives. If all goes well, I'll be the proud owner of a scratched up but mechanically working 987 for about 40% less than the cheapest equivalent I could find on Craigslist. First up is to read up on that spark plug wire installation. Wish me luck!
That's a big chance to take, but the payoff will be great if it works out well! I will be following with interest and seeing your approach in getting it prepped for the track. Good luck!
Well, hopefully the front trunk tub is square. Costly if not.
Just be aware that 125K miles is a lot and someone has likely looked into the cylinders for scratches and damage and not put the coil packs back in for a reason.
Was it an outright sale or an on-approval sale?
I won a 14 Boxster in Dec 2017 (Houston hurricane flood car). I was asked (by Copart) for more money to make the seller happy as it was an on-approval sale, and paid lots of fees and taxes. Fortunately the engine and PDK were fine. but it still cost me $12K to get it working and pass inspection and get licensed. It is now my daily driver and my Cayman is now my dedicated track car.
Copart wants to be paid ASAP and you only have a few days to get it off the lot or they start charging storage fees. Hopefully you have transportation. I used U-ship for a vendor who claimed to not be a broker. But they were. As the deadline for storage fees approached, I got call saying that they couldn't pick it up in time. They wanted to hire someone else who promised to pick it up on time, but they wanted $125 more. I had to pay it as the original shipper already had been paid. Fortunately the car arrived on time and the driver met me at a local shopping center and all went well.
Yes I was able to verify that the front trunk tub is not damaged at all, same is true of the front metal bumper rail. Looks to be mostly cosmetic based on the inspection that I paid for.
On-approval, sold for under the reserve but the seller went forward anyway without asking for any more money luckily (well, we'll see).
I've already paid through the broker, and the pick up is arranged for Tuesday to avoid any storage fees. Even so the fees through Copart do seem excessive, hopefully some more competitors enter that market. Hopefully my shipper doesn't bail as yours did.
Glad it worked out for you! Hopefully I'll be able to tell a similar story when all is said and done.
That car is spec'ed almost identical to my 07 Cayman I bought years ago.. Cobalt Blue with stone grey interior. Loved that car, wish I still had it. Cobalt blue is one of my fav colors.
Good luck with your project... I may tackle a project like this one day..
Feel free to reach out if you need help.I'm live in the area. I have a dedicated 14 981s that has been heavily modded. I've paid my dues in mistakes but finally ended up with what I think is an exceptional car.
Originally Posted by Tom R.
Join PCA. A lot of Denver guys have dedicated track cars, and parts you may need.
Yes I was able to verify that the front trunk tub is not damaged at all, same is true of the front metal bumper rail. Looks to be mostly cosmetic based on the inspection that I paid for.
On-approval, sold for under the reserve but the seller went forward anyway without asking for any more money luckily (well, we'll see).
I've already paid through the broker, and the pick up is arranged for Tuesday to avoid any storage fees. Even so the fees through Copart do seem excessive, hopefully some more competitors enter that market. Hopefully my shipper doesn't bail as yours did.
Glad it worked out for you! Hopefully I'll be able to tell a similar story when all is said and done.
Even though I didn't save money, the knowledge that I gained diagnosing problems and coming up with solutions was invaluable.
Before: Car before auction
Now: Car Now. Note 'S' brake upgrade with GT3 MC, GT4 side scoops, and spyder-style ducktail (Not visible).
That looks badass! Yeah I usually use these things as learning opportunities as well. I work as an engineer in my day job and having practical hands on experience is pretty valuable.
06-15-2019, 11:22 PM
Copart Cayman S - DANGER ZONE
