rk15000

My 2.9L is getting ready to tick over 90K miles - very impressed with the quality and reliability of the engine. Doesn't even burn a drop of oil...

PhillyNate

Mine either. Not one damn drop.

deilenberger

Ditto. Amazing.

9872SpeedYellowCS

I have a 987.2 S but I honestly think the Base 2.9L is the way to go and would go that direction now if I didnt have my current 987.2

CrisTSC

I bought my 2009 base Cayman a few months ago with 60k miles. I now have just under 65k and it is a dream. I have full service history, including receipts and apart from oil and filters (which until me have been done every 15k/2 years), only once the battery was replaced. Sparkplugs were done once at 30k and apart from that, nothing else. No coil plugs, no water pump, no thermostat, no AOS, no shifter cables.
I am planning on replacing the coil plugs and sparkplugs, but only as preventive maintenance, as the car feels perfect. I will also do oil changes at 7k/1 year just because I believe it is better to do so.

The engine burns no oil whatsoever and feels very healthy. I am very happy with it and the car as a whole.

deilenberger

I have basically the same car.. I'm doing a 60k service on it now. One thing called for if you have PDK is to change the clutch fluid. Worth having a place with a PIWIS do it since it's needed for part of the fill sequence.

What else am I doing?

Plugs and coils will get looked at around 80k miles. If they were changed at the 40k service they should be just fine.
Oil and filter
All the air filters (cabin, engine)
Waterpump, thermostat, idler pully and tensioner for the serpentine belt. - They're all fine - but it's getting close to where I would be paying attention to them so I'm just doing it now - because.
Serpentine belt - aftermarket - Continental
AOS - also working fine - but... - Porsche
Coolant since the system will be open anyway - Zerex G40
Brake fluid flush (Pensotin DOT4)

PhillyNate

@deilenberger I will let some other folks more knowledgeable than myself chime in but I would be changing the plugs out at 80k miles as prescribed to lessen the likelihood of them seizing in the block. It’s cheap insurance particularly since Porsche doesn’t endorse using anti-seize.

Marine Blue

I would agree on the plugs as noted above. Since you’re going to be removing them anyway that’s the majority of the cost. Cheap insurance to prevent damage to the block.

deilenberger

Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear. Looking at them refers to the coils - the plugs are being replaced at 80k. Coils - a maybe. The ones on my Cayenne lasted 100k miles before requiring replacements (despite every one of them having a crack in the shaft - none of them were producing recordable misfires. - But they got replaced anyway.)

Interesting stuff today - the factory water pump had a bit of a click to the bearing if I tried wiggling it sideways. No noise when spun, but a click so the bearing was a bit worn. Unlike stories I've heard here and elsewhere on the web, the 2009 pump has an aluminum pulley and aluminum impeller. There was no plastic to be found. Both aluminum bits were black anodized which might cause confusion. The GEBE I replaced it with has a steel pulley and some sort of metal impeller (steel or stainless). Wonder if the increase in rotating weight will slow me down any?

The belt that FCP sent me was too short. Needed the next larger size - luckily a local NAPA dealer had it. According to my mechanic, this isn't uncommon, for some reason aftermarket suppliers often supply the wrong belt. He suggested I return to the local friendly grossly incompetent Porsche parts department where I would learn another lesson in controlling my temper. I declined and suggested World-Pac/NAPA. So far the last 3 times I've attempted to obtain parts from my local Porsche dealer they've given me the wrong parts. This time they managed to get one right - because I handed the guy the old part and said - one of these (the reservoir cap). I tried the same with a coolant hose O ring and a crush washer for the engine coolant drain plug. They had neither. The chap kept going in the back, spent 20 minutes and then would come out with printouts of the parts program and ask me if the part was the right one. This happened about 4 times - and they were never the right part. The O ring and crush washer were reused. Both looked good enough (plus a smear of RTV on the O-ring about guarantees it will never leak..)

Tomorrow the OAS, flush the brakes, change the oil/filter and it's done. I get to help, which is OK.

Oh - if you want to clean the inside of the rear window - put the top in service position - it ends up right in your face almost.

Marine Blue

Looks like you’re getting all the problems areas addressed, that will keep her reliable for another 50k miles.

I personally can’t see any reason to change the coils unless you see any cracking. While they do eventually need replacing it doesn’t appear that it’s mileage or time driven. It’s likely more to do with road condition and how hard you drive it. I imagine mine will need to be replaced sooner than later since I do push it in the canyons but at nearly 10 years and 18k miles I’m not having any issues.

9872SpeedYellowCS

I swapped coils when I did plugs earlier this year. I didn't have any problems with them but thought it was time for a refresh. Will probably not touch them again for another 10 years.

deilenberger

This morning we finished up - flushed the brakes. My iCarScan tool can activate the ABS/PSM modulator - which is a nice thing. Activated it each time a wheel was being flushed. My job was sitting in the car up on the lift activating the ABS, while my mechanic did the actual bleed. Used a pressure bleeder and Pensotin DOT4 fluid. My mechanic was surprised on one wheel when he found air coming out... The brakes never really felt spongy, but perhaps a bit softer than one might expect. After the bleed - they feel VERY nice. A good firm feel with very progressive braking. Easy to drag a tiny bit of brake going into a corner to settle the chassis.. it was a real improvement. The engine sounds quieter and smoother than before. I expected that sort of with a new serpentine belt and tensioner pully, plus the Pensotin 5W-40 has a very nice "new oil" feel in any engine I've tried it in. The coolant level seems good.

I got it home and washed it - getting all the little greasy fingerprints off it. Total of the work - parts was about $600. Labor was $1,250. Total $1,850.

A quote from Porsche was a bit over $3,200. Quote from a good private PIWIS equipped independent race shop was ~$2,750. Both Porsche and the independent shop charge based on "book hours" (unless a job goes over book hours - then that's added in..) Thing about doing it that way, rather than simply paying my mechanic his hourly rate is - you get double charged for many things. Almost every procedure price under book hours EACH includes putting the top into service position and removal of the carpeting and interior access panels - when in reality - this is only done once. Both of these quotes included a separate charge for replacement of the serpentine belt, despite already paying for a water pump, thermostat, and idler change - each of which requires R&R of the serpentine belt. To me, that's just packing the bill. They also won't let me help out, and since I like to see what the real condition of things is - that bugs me if I can't.

My mechanic did compliment the car - saying he rarely saw a Porsche that was that clean and uncorroded in the engine/trans/suspension/underneath. Aside from some light dust in the engine compartment - there was no mess to clean up anywhere. It's rare that he likes most cars (his own cars is a Honda Fit - he said "I don't get paid to fix my own car.") He has some rather rare collectibles - he likes those, and he said he might think of getting a Boxster - it appeals to him.

Good day - job done. Back aches... but that's OK.

steved0x

My clutch switch is going out in my 2009 2.9 Cayman, have the new switch but haven't gotten under there yet :,-) Other than that, has been trouble free the few years, 15,000 miles, and around 25 track days that I have had it. I love it :-) Props to the thread starter Nate for encouraging me over my long search, it took awhile to find, at least for the 2.9 Caymans, it seems like they hardly made any :-)

Libast

2.9 PDK here.

Just passed 100k miles on it. Of course, Cyl #5 has an intermittent failing coilpack. Doesnt burn oil, doesnt leak oil, it just drives.

I replaced the elastic band in the top, and had to rewire the left tail light plug (prev owner had spliced into it with the aftermarket back up sensors, and the plastic did not care for that much)

PhillyNate

Steve, the credit is not mine. You know your Porsche’s and yours was just the right one to buy. Obviously so judging by the feedback in this thread. I’m inspired by your driving and track vids to not “baby” my car but drive it as intended. It has not disappointed and I doubt it will. A car hardly ANYBODY bought (or respects) seems to be inadvertently one of Porsche’s finest hours. Go figure..