Cayman Selection
 

What is the sweet spot for buying a Cayman? Max budget is 30Kish

cash!

Not sure of a sweet spot, but find the best kept/documented example you can afford. An S over base.

sounds like the newer the better. I wonder how the 4 banger turbos will be in terms of longevity.

For 30, you most likely looking at a base 987.1, maybe base 987.2 or a high mileage 987.1 S. COVID pricing has bumped Cayman prices up substantially. 987.2 S prices are approaching $40K.

An 84K mi 09 CS sold yesterday on BAT for $32.5K. That was an absolute steal and the new owner better be careful they're not charged with GTA.

Good point on the "COVID pricing" it probably pays to wait it out.

It could be a yr before the bubble bursts. It sounds like it could be 8 mo before the computer shortage with new cars is resolved. Lack of new cars has pushed everyone into the used mkt, jacking up prices. If you're not in a hurry, waiting a yr would be the best plan.

Those stimulus checks are getting spent. Dealer lots are only partially filled. Desirable cars have dealer add-ons and market-adjustment pricing meaning over MSRP. So the next 3-4 months, used cars will be expensive. If you can, wait till winter when there is less demand even for solid-tops.

Having done a lot of research in the fall before buying my 987.2S, here are my $0.42:

First off: what is your main driving going to be? Street driving? Autocross? HPDE? Full on club racing? That makes a huge difference in determining what your sweet spot is.

- 987.1 and 987.1 S models: if possible, stay away, unless you have documentation that the IMS issue has been remediated, or has sufficient documentation that the car has been well taken care of. I'm not trying to poo-poo this series of cars, but that is the reality of them. Porsche did improve the motor over the 986 / 996 motors, but they didn't get it completely right at in the 987.1's.

- 987.2 and 987.2 S models: IMHO, these cars are the current sweet spot for the Cayman series, especially if you plan on tracking your car. First off, the direct injection motors, these cars have more "oomph" compared to the 987.1 series cars. They are the same motors that are in the 981 series cars. Solid car, IMS issues have been resolved with this motor and newer ones. If you are going to track your Cayman, keep in mind that this is the last of the steel bodied Caymans: the 981 and 718 cars have aluminum bodies, IIRC. Unbending aluminum is very, VERY pricey, compared to steel. If your car will see any time on the track, this can be significant, especially if you play at tracks where there this little room between asphalt and armco. (Ex: Watkins Glen & Lime Rock)

- 981 series cars: A little bigger, a little better in terms of creature comfort. If you are looking for a weekend fun car, or even a daily driver, this is a great car to have. Motors are the same as the 987.2, but slightly massaged for more power. Significant mount of cabin tech improvements over the 987's. However, if you find a 981 in the 30's, be very weary -- those cars may have been driven hard and put away wet, and may be hiding some issues. 981's that were driven hard have seen issues with the suspension points twisting / cracking, due to the aluminum body. But if you aren't going to track your car, IMHO, the 981 and 981.S is a perfect choice.

- 718 series cars: 4CYL turbos are unproven at this point. Aesthetically, they sound more like a WRX than a Porsche. Still, very solid cars. I haven't heard of any issues yet. But it is going to be very difficult to find one in your price range. The GTS and GT4 cars are simply amazing, but you will not find one in your budget.

Just purchased a 2010 base Cayman, one owner, 52k miles in almost showroom condition for $27k. They’re out there, just takes time and patience. It has PDK, speed yellow. Some folks don’t like that color or the PDK. It had everything I wanted, and the original owner had meticulously maintained it. This my fourth Porsche and in all likelihood my last one as I turn 75 in August. Still healthy enough to enjoy it, and do the normal maintenance such as oil change, brakes, easy not back breaking or too expensive. Feels like I hit the lottery!

I drove the base 2020... the 4 banger was meh... I think you gotta go for the 6 cyl.

+1 on the 987.2 series.

They look good, are nearly bulletproof, and drive great. Mine currently has 65k miles and 80ish track days. Runs like new. $30k for a base is still possible in some markets but they are beginning to appreciate. Not many were made as 2009-2012 was the depth of the great recession.

Most of what you said is correct, but this is mostly not. There have been a "handfull" of IMS Bearing failures in this series of motor. That said, they do have other issues, most notable bore scoring.

Your advice to look for a 987.2 is spot on.

Cheerrs

I recently purchased a 2009 Cayman S 6 speed for under $30K from Carvana of all places. They obviously don't know the market well but they're out there if you're patient.

987.2, but 30k is iffy in this market. I'm sure you can find one, but it wont be as easy as it should. I've heard rumblings that 2022 the market will come back down to earth, who knows how true that is