2008 cayman S vs 2016 Cayman Black Edition.

[Reg]

I’m considering a Guards Red ‘08 Cayman S, 30k miles and a ‘16 Cayman Black limited edition with 10k miles. The 08 is about 1/2 the money of the 16.

I’d appreciate the feedback from the knowledge base here. Please help!

[recycled sixtie]

The Boxster base I had was a 2001 and was aware of the IMS bearing issue. A 2008 Cayman I believe still has an IMS bearing but would be overall more reliable in that area but less easily replaced.

An interesting choice with either one you choose but a good ppi should be done likely with leakdown tests. With no warranty left on either car means be cautious. My 2001 suffered a CEL in the end that concluded that engine work was needed. I sold it as is but miss it. I bought a Miata subsequent to that as I wanted reliability but still miss the Boxster.

Cheers, Guy

[Reg]

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

The Boxster base I had was a 2001 and was aware of the IMS bearing issue. A 2008 Cayman I believe still has an IMS bearing but would be overall more reliable in that area but less easily replaced.

An interesting choice with either one you choose but a good ppi should be done likely with leakdown tests. With no warranty left on either car means be cautious. My 2001 suffered a CEL in the end that concluded that engine work was needed. I sold it as is but miss it. I bought a Miata subsequent to that as I wanted reliability but still miss the Boxster.

Cheers, Guy

Thanks guy. The Miata 2019 and up (with increased power) is on my shortlist too.

[recycled sixtie]

I had a Miata NC for four years after the Boxster. While I was in the showroom contemplating the NC I saw the 2016 ND. I sat in it and it seemed too small hence I got the NC. I sold the NC after four years of a totally reliable vehicle.

I understand your pursuing a Porsche. If you have the extra money for maintenance go for it. If you have the mentality like I did "what is going to break next" then it is not worth the stress. Having said that there is no substitute for a Porsche. I am glad I went the Boxster route for four years. If I bought another one but without a warranty my wife would kill me!

If you get the cheaper of the two Porsches then you have the extra money to fix it. Comparing Porsche to Miata is like comparing apples to oranges. If I had the money I would have both.

[husker boxster]

What maintenance histories are available? Oil change history is important. You want intervals of 5-8K mi under normal conditions but both are so low mi that you'll want to look for annual changes. Hopefully the '16 isn't still on its original oil. What are the dates on the tires? Histories are important when choosing a used Porsche.

Do they have the options you desire? The Black Edition should have plenty of options. Don't compromise on the 'must have' options. If you're enamored with both of these b/c of the low mi but they don't have the options you desire, keep looking. Buying an ultra low mi car shouldn't be a curse to drive b/c you'll be adding mi. I bought my '08 Cayman S Sport when it was 3 yrs old and only had 7400 mi - it was the guy's garage queen. She's got 68K on the clock now. Drive them, don't save them for the next owner.

'08 was the last yr for IMS, but the Gen III bearing in the '08 only had a 1% chance of failure. There are many theories why IMSs fail but the one that seems to corollate the best is keeping clean oil in the engine (see point 1). The hot new failure item that applies to both engines is Bore Scoring. If either engine makes a clacking sound and the seller says it's probably a stuck tappet, leave immediately as it's prob bore scoring.

Do you fit in the '08? When the 981 was introduced in 2013 (2014 for the Cayman), Porsche added several inches to the seating position to accommodate the lack of seating room in the 987. I think most ppl < 6'3" will fit in a 987.

Digital vs analog. The 981 has a more digital feel and the 987 more analog. The 981 has a more digital feel because of things like electric power steering. The 997 / 987 were the last of the "driver's" cars. You'll still get a thrill driving a 981, it's just a bit different.

Depreciation. The '08 S will still drop some in value, but it's almost at the bottom of the curve. The 987 line is highly appreciated in the driver community and it won't be long for that to be reflected in prices. You're not going to get rich by buying one now, but it appears it will be valued in the near future. The 981 has quite a ways to go with depreciation. Porsches tend to take major price drops every 4 yrs, so you've missed the 1st major drop. Also, S models hold their value better than base cars. The '16 will depreciate faster than a '16 S would. The Black Edition adds value as it bundles a bunch of popular options into the pkg. A '16 may also hold it's value better than other 981s since it was the last yr for the 6 cyl (other than high priced special edition 718s).

Good luck with your decision.

[princetonprep17]

I'm in a similar boat as you, but am comparing an 08 Cayman S to a 15 Cayman S. I can confirm what husker said about the size issue - I'm 6'5" and although I love the more analog feel of the 987s, I just don't fit very well in them.

Are you big into tech and want the latest and greatest with nav, bluetooth, etc? If so, the 981s blow the 987s out of the water. Not to say that you can't swap out head units on the 987, but it likely won't be as seamlessly integrated as the 981 would otherwise be.

You also didn't mention whether each car is auto/manual/PDK? The 987 cars with tiptronic aren't going to keep their value very well as enthusiasts all want the manual cars. I've drive a tiptronic 987 and I honestly wasn't that impressed. The salesman I was working with even said they have a more difficult time selling the tiptronic 987s, so if you're concerned at all about retail, I'd definitely make sure you're getting a manual (unless you need or want a tip, in which case ignore me completely because it's your car and what you want!).

With PDK, I've read that there's not much in the way of things they can repair on the trans if something goes wrong - it's an all or nothing replacement type of situation. I'm sure the aftermarket will catch up at some point, but consider the full PDK replacement cost if you're looking at 981 with PDK. Otherwise it may be worthwhile to get an extended warranty that covers items like that if you're concerned about it.

Good luck!

[racer]

3.4L Cayman S (320+hp) or 2.7 Boxster (265hp)?

Just go drive them. Personally, I think I'd prefer the newer 981 to the 987.1S. There is a reason one is 1/2 the money of the other.

[Reg]

Thanks for the replies. Lots of good opinion and informative points to consider. I’m 6’ tall so I think I can fit in either car.

I’ve had two Miata’s and a MR2 as well as a 911 and minis (original minis) among some others over the years. I like cars , not just one type or make but many that have designs that set them apart.

The 911 did sort of make me worried about breaking down on long runs although it never did. Good wrench is basically an hour away with Porsche where Mazda or Toyota dealer or Indy wrench for typical is 10 min away or less. The IMS is worrisome. I’m not much of a wrench - limit to oil changes and minor maintenance only.

I’d like to drive both cars to compare myself but it’s February and I’m Ontario. Not too keen on driving a potential car on crummy salty roads right now. This is why your input helps - Thanks.

Was also looking at a boxster s 550 anniversary edition cream puff but I missed it. It’s crazy times here now. You have to act fast or it’s gone. Cars not a crazy as real estate but still pretty hot.

[-Levi-]

I’ve come across so many 06-08 cayman s cars with blown motors.
The later engines are way better

[Reg]

....or have the new cars not aged enuff to rear their shortcomings?

I liked the 16 because it was a flat 6 , not a four. 😁