Targaone1

considering a 1999 or 2000 porsche 996 manual base.. or a cayman 987 base manual car. 60 k to 80 k miles seem like a good place.. what are the advantages of the S model in either car.. manual trans , no winter use , leather interior , no accidents.. other than that I am open to colors etc.. thanks

shus2006croc

I.d for the 987 CS 06-09 for that mileage you are in the 15k to 20k for the S. 987 S would only be 06 and 07 and 08 for the base model. I.d say for the 2.7 around the same range or just a tad less. Some folks say the 2.7 is more reliable. I went for the S as I love the low end grunnt and the joy as it comes past 3.5k rpm.s like great sex.

In my not so humble opinion.

Targaone1

Was looking for a cheaper air cooled 911 for many years, then prices doubled. So the 996 seemed very inexpensive, then those went up at least 50 percent in the last 3 years.

So maybe a 99 911 / 996 would work. Then the excellence magazine buyer guide said to avoid 1999. So the cayman seems logical.. again the early year 1996 was advised stay away .. now i am researching best year and engine... and the cylinder scoring stuff scares me. I read several things that the 2009 and newer has a much better IMS , but harder to service... and may do better with cold starts and fuel injector issues that contribute to potential cylinder scoring.

I live in wisconsin and will drive a porsche 2 or 3 thousand miles per year. I am almost 60 and will likely keep the car a long time. So getting a good one even if i spend a bit more is a good bet.

Nothing really my price range on rennlist or the new excellence for sale list. On BAT i see cars, but dont want a sump off inspection and quick bore scope on cylinder 5 and 6 and paint thickness look over and over rev report on a car i may not win the bid for.

Dont know if owners would allow the sump off inspection and bore scope.. and i am guessing that costs 400 to 500 dollars. At least the 987.1 cars would get a new rear main seal and IMS and clutch and dual mass flywheel and water pump in my budget.

So i know many of you are tired of doom watchers.. but i am not wealthy, so a destroyed engine would take out my ability to recover and have a P car.

History.. i have owned a 944 for 15 years , 280 z , lancia scorpion , audi 80 , and a lot of other sporty cars. I love mid engine. I am a huge midwest guy , so a miata would be No , a Z3 No. I dont really want a boxster due to the top and not stiff car chassis. I may occasionally want a track day to learn how to drive my car better.

What say you ?? A 25 k budget is tops. I could do 30 with a gulp only on a well sorted car. 5 grand in repairs and tires brakes and maintainance goes fast.

shus2006croc

For 30k you can get a 981 Cayman or a 987.2.

09 Caymans don.t have an IMS.

Targaone1

Thats kind of where i was going.. the 09 engine design had a better design.. i thought the bearing went inside.. but maybe they removed it.

I really want 25 k as my limit... including licensed, and PPI . and any maint done that it needs.. brakes , clutch , tires if needed. And i want the flat 6 cyl.

RWPinNC

I may be found guilt of "famous last words", but I bought a first year (2006) Cayman S two years ago. Paid about $30k for a 42K mile, near perfect example with service records and 40k service, new brakes, etc.. The IMS issue with the 987 is a bit different from the 986 Boxster motor. If you believe the "consensus" early cars (2001-2005) with the "small" bearing experienced somewhere around 10% failures. Good news is that the bearing is replaceable without engine disassembly. For the 2006+ Boxsters and Caymans, the 997 motor has a larger bearing that has reportedly experienced less than 1% failures. The bad news is that the bearing is replaceable only by engine disassembly. Cars that have frequent oil changes don't seem to have the issue. I made a choice to buy a nice, documented car that was spec'd the way I wanted. With 48k on the car now, the car would be about a $25k car with no needs. So...they are out there.

Good hunting!

colnago1331

Back in May I paid $28,000 for a 2011 base Cayman, manual, with 57,XXX on the odometer. Original MSRP was $63,000, and it had an extensive dealer service history with just one owner.

midnightdecker

I just bought a 2011 base Cayman with 26.3k miles on the clock for $27,000. I'm in CA, but found it out of state in Texas. I have to admit I was a little reckless in my purchase because I did not have a thorough PPI performed before buying site unseen. I did however do a religious amount of homework based on the vehicle's history. I called each mechanic shop where the vehicle had been serviced, and asked if they had noted any major issues with the vehicle during any service appointments. Everything came up clean, and there was only 2 previous owners.

What's more, is the dealer I purchased it from included a "Forever Warranty" which includes coverage on any major issues with the car. I just have to have the vehicle maintained at ASE certified shops which I intend to do ( I will likely just go to the "stealership").

I combed the internet (Craigslist, CarGurus, AutoTrader, etc, etc) for at least 5-6 months before I found what I was looking for. My intention was to find a low miles 987.2 base that I will use as a weekend car to take trips with my wife. So far, I am incredibly happy with the vehicle. It is performing well, and no real surprises. Smog mechanic said it looked like there may have been some rodent activity in the engine compartment.. which tells me the car must have been parked for quite a long time. I've got the car garaged now, and I have never had any sign of rodents in my garage... so we'll see!

Anyway, good luck on your search!

Targaone1

the last 2 deals would both be fine for me. I killed my ad in the pca club because my funds took a 15 k hit in the current stock market, but i assume that will not be a permanent problem.

austin tx

Congrats on your purchase...
Was that $27K out-the-door? Or did you have to pay taxes when you got it back to CA? I am looking for 2009 or later model myself.
I curious as to how out-of-state taxes and paper work is handled.

Rgarcia

Hey, I have a cayman for sale,
Wi location ,base, 5speed, yellow, 100k, records/paper work.
Great price 16k

777AIA

I'd check out past prices on BaT (BringaTrailer.com) for ranges. I bought a well set up '07 987 a while back on BaT, and have had no real issues. Needed a fan and a good tune-up, and set of tires. Some damn holes in front bumper from CA tags, and that was about the end of it... running great and enjoying it. I have no IMS issues, and don't plan to. (Not as bad an issue as the early Boxster, frankly).