Macca

I really like your orange Dave.

Birch Green (Lichengrun 253) is almost identical to Charteruse Green in many lights.

The photo below taken today of the car after a back road foray is exactly how it looks in the flesh in non direct light. Th issue in direct light is the colour reflects the shy, which washes out the cameras sensors. It does look more yellow in bright direct sunlight...

Maxem

Buggers, last time I looked they were 39995. Still, 86k for a new Cayman is Golf R money in NZ.

Macca

Yeah. You fellas need to remember since Nov 2016 when you looked at it FX gone from 0.5860 to 0.5584. You have almost 6% there then increased NZ inbound fees and UK registration etc. that's where the 8k difference has effectively gone. If the pound strengthens another 10% this year it wont be worth lot if traders bringing in new examples...

John McM

That's an expensive Golf.

996tnz

And I'm still liking my car better all the time!

Maxem

Yes it is, but you can pay that and more. My lowly GTi was $72k new with big spec. (I didn't buy it new).

kiwi 911

It's not an air cooled 911 and the herd mentality wants this.........

P.s. on the subject of 964's, if I get another PM from someone wanting an inside scoop on a MT car - I will scream..........

These cars are sooooo en-vogue at the moment in NZ, I think a MT no stories car is now north of $100K all day long and you would have several people chewing their arm off to own it.

kiwi 911

JMc - you are a tortured soul my friend, you owned an awesome near new Cayman R, an amazing driving experience, and it didn't last 6 months coz you couldn't tinker with it?

Cayman R's are great cars, no question, so what has changed your mind this time to re-visit this road??

kiwi 911

Thanks Pel, that is the plan - looking forward to stepping up to racing and really keen on doing the TACCOC and Arrows races. I will doing a big call out for these events to assemble above said crew and you in the SC.

John McM

I've been taking calls as well, although having to keep quiet while the last two private sales of NZ new cars went through probably blew my credibility. What I think these buyers are losing sight of is that a car which sold for $50k two years ago is likely in similar condition now it's being sold for $80k. A faint heart never bedded a fair maiden rings true with 964s at the moment as well. You need to find an acceptable compromise and just go for it.

John McM

I am a tortured soul right now. I was a pig in muck with the Project car and now I've put that to the side while I'm elbow deep in Herman's engine sorting out a problem where the root cause Is best left for a non public conversation. With that in mind a new Porsche where the factory wears the risk of dealer f-ups appeals.

Truth be known nothing has changed. Having had the R I know a newer car will never totally float my boat. However, I am intrigued by the thought of relatively cheap ownership through buying well and flipping it before depreciation kills me.

nzskater

A new Cayman is the fair maiden - the 964's are an eccentric older women with expensive taste, who responds well to a seasoned driver but will quickly kick you to the curb if you don't treat her right.

John McM

Advertised for NZD 86,450 in the U.K. So you could say NZ prices are approaching what is being asked overseas

John McM

A good analogy which could be expanded on in all kinds of ways that would get me into trouble if google searched, but I'll live on the wild side for a few words.

The Cayman is your 20-something private school educated woman that has a toned body and is maintenance free, because she hasn't been driven much but have no doubt that the expensive habits are there, it's just that her parents are funding them right now (dealer warranty). In a few years they will be your cost.

Underneath it all, she has a shoe (tyre) fetish, prefers French champagne (Mobil 1) to Lindauer, doesn't really want to shop in Zara (Repco) for long and won't be happy living in the wrong street/suburb (ungaraged).

However, eventually the body will start to get a few curves (dents and scratches) and she may be unlucky enough to be partnered long term with a cheapskate. He will be trying to keep up appearances without spending any money and when she's looking a bit tired (no Pilates classes or Spa treatments) he will put her back on the market.

If she's really unlucky her future is with a series of players (TM flippers) or cheapskates met at middle-aged meat markets. As soon as she's comfortably ensconced in a new home (garage) all of the deferred spending will come out of the woodwork e.g. wardrobe and jewellery refresh. She'll still enjoy a good drive on weekends but will need a spa treatment before hand and a shopping trip afterwards. She's morphed from a new Cayman to what the average 964 is out there now. She has class but you're not going to get a cheap or daily drive.

That said, sometimes you find the unicorn. She's been well cared for all her life, has no major issues, but annoyingly knows her own worth. You're going to get your wallet out big time upfront and keep it out for life, but it's worth it. That's the car that doesn't get put on TM when owners change.

The right partner will see her for what she is, snap her up and not be fussy about the odd fluid leakage, body damage, tired paint etc because underlying class doesn't fade. Unicorns are rare, very rare so the majority of drivers will need to make compromises. The good news is that you can rejeuvenate a tired classy woman if you spend enough. However you can't inject class into a woman if she never had it in the first place. BTW new headlights don't look right on an old girl. Bravo for classy old girls and cars.

John McM

BTW: I have only been to one local meat market (Moretons) in the last 14 years, and that was a family event with lots of octogenarians. No leopard print clothing was present.