TKOGTO

As you can see from the tread count, I am new to the forum and Porsche in general. Before I buy, I would like to get a sense for what are the "things you should know" about the car, ownership, highs, lows, etc.

I plan to have it as my daily driver and take it to the track 1 or 2x a year. I have a dedicated track car so will to keep the Cayman S stock.

TIA

Jack-Porsche

Hey, sorry no responses....just seeng this. Your questions are rather general in nature, so I don't have a lot for you. I will say that from the little I have learned, maintenance intervals are important with any Porsche. You should go in expecting that normal maintenance is going to cost more than most everyday cars, depending what you are used to. With that said, driving a Porsche is incredibly rewarding and enjoyable.
Not sure what age or model you are looking for, but I recommend your first should be a manual transmission car.
My car has a manual transmission, analog gauges, and very few options. Everyone is different, but this is exactly what I searched for. The opportunity to buy a 3 pedal Porsche seems to be fading, and there will be plenty of time to get a PDK and digital displays, etc.
Enjoy your search.

mcomet

What he said. I've had my 2014 981CS since Oct 2013. I can't really think of anything you "should watch out for" beyond normal car buying stuff. So far these cars haven't had any real issues that go across the model or brand that I know of. Mine has certainly been pretty bullet proof.

Things to check would be usual wear and tear. Make sure no repaint/respray or damage. Might be worth making sure the seat belts retract on their own properly. My driver side is starting to get slow ... I had that with my old Porsche too. Depending on mileage expect some dings on the windshield I swear Porsche glass and paint is the softest substance they can use. To that end would be good finding a car with clear bra or protection on it.

Common areas for dings, damage etc would be under front bumper, side intake, and scuffs on interior door sills. You may have to accept some of that depending on year / mileage / price etc... but really so far these cars are solid.

Also expect the clutch to be fairly heavy if you are not used to a Porsche. Porsche clutches are historically a little more "push needed" compared to most cars. If you are getting PDK that won't matter. Despite what people say PDK is really a good system. Probably the best out there. I still went 6MT since it wasn't my DD. But if I was DD or wanting fast numbers at a track PDK would make sense.

Of course check regular wear items too.. how much brake pad/rotor left. How much tire tread. When was last service.

comet

BobKid

Our '14 CS is my wife's DD and gets tracked 6-7 times per year since it was new. So far it's had over 50K miles with no issues.


Just know that if you track it, have them max out the front camber first. Even then you might see issues with chunking of the outer tread blocks. Easily fixed with GT3 control arms, but that has a cost.

Bizzaam

I'm still looking too. One of the things I found out is that my local dealership can outright buy a Porsche from other dealerships in order to bring it in under CPO. Not sure if this is all dealers or just mine. I've been searching on cars.com and have found some nice cars. Hope that helps.

igorxxx

I have a 2014 Cayman S just been serviced 20K mi. White Tan interior. Let me know if you are interested. In North Carolina.

aryork

I think you will want sport chrono, especially if you track it. If you go with a manual, it has rev matching (throttle blipping) which is totally cool. The '14 also has a "hold" feature if you have a manual. If you are on a hill and you press the clutch and brake the car automatically holds the brakes on until you give it gas. In my 2014 CS there was a "hold" light on the dash and if I did not notice it was on, I would often stall the engine, but it has a auto re-crank feature which is also cool. I have a '16 GT4 and the hold software is better and there is no light indicator on the dash. I was pissed they didn't have the light until I figured out they optimized how it works and I have never stalled it. There is also no auto-crank on the GT4.

rusnak

I have no idea about 2014. It seems these cars evolve pretty aggressively.

I have a '11 with Limited Slip rear diff, sport chrono, PASM, and then it says standard equipment would be PSM, ABD, and ASR. I have no idea what those are. I also have a manual, but no nothing of rev matching. I do like the fact that the throttle is already set for heel and toe, and I can blip the throttle to rev match myself. The shifter could use a bit of work IMO. It's a bit balky, and there is zero torque juft off idle as you are feeling for the clutch disc to start to bite.

Bradym6

I'd be interested in learning more - I'm in the market. You can PM me. Thanks

Mark Bryant

So things I wished I knew about before I got my Cayman S 2014
- Find out when the sale purchase was, some 2014 are listed as 2013s so warranty could be different
- Find out which model infotaiment system you have CDR31 vs PCM
- get the backup sensor or camera, it cost almost 1800-2300 to add a camera on the existing system through an installer or dealer
- the sports exhaust is awesome and should look for that
- PSAM is a nice to have not a need to have to a daily driver
- Get a CPO car
- PDK is way more fun than a manual (humble opinion)
- Get the S if you can find a decently priced one
- You should not pay more than 52K for a decently equipped Cayman S
- Brake jobs through dealer is 1200 or so for just the fronts
- The 20' rims are a little rougher of a ride, but looks nicer