Spoilt for choice : Cayman shopping

spyderman · Jul 20, 2009

IMHO full leather makes a big difference and is worth having. 19" wheels give a fine ride with the Michelin tyres - you don't need PASM. I personally like the built-in sat nav of PCM, but it costs a fortune and still isn't as good as some Navman and Garmin system you can get from Amazon for a couple of hundred quid. The Cayman actually looks pretty good in Guards Red - suits it more than the Boxster, I think. I borrowed an Atlas Grey one and that colour goes well with it too.

cleverjet · Jul 20, 2009

Dear PCGB,

I turn to you guys for some sound advice.

At last my object of desire is close.

Budget £30K Cayman or Cayman S - dont mind (should I ?)
Colour Guards Red or Artic Silver (dont mind) (Colbalt Blue had a outside chance).

My question is what are good options to look for (PASM, PCM) (and what are worthless).
What is a Sports Chrono Package Plus

Any help appreciated. many thanks Cleverjet

telford_mike · Jul 21, 2009

First, decide on a few basics - exterior colour etc. Then try to get the newest car with the lowest mileage you can find. If it comes with an OPC warranty so much the better. Don't be dazzled by all those options. If a car has sat-nav, PASM, phone, Bose, TV, Xenons, Climate, turbo wheels etc etc it will have cost the original purchaser many 000's extra. At the end of the day it's still a fine car without all this stuff (and remember all those gadgets can go wrong!). For your budget I'd want the partial leather (almost all have it) and probably 18" or 19" wheels. Everything else is 'nice to have' but not essential - you're paying for buttons to press while you're waiting at the traffic lights. Any exterior bling (exhausts, colour coding splitters etc) can be added later if you want. Sports Chrono provides a revised throttle map (no more power, you just don't have to press the accelerator quite as hard) and a daft stopwatch on the top of the dash for timing your laps. If you have PCM and electric seats I believe you also get individual memory settings (but you'll be struggling to get all this for your Â£30k if you want a newish car with low miles). To repeat - get the nicest, newest, lowest mileage car you can find, and (almost) ignore the options. I actually ended up ordering a new one (with the few options that I really wanted) as I was so fed-up seeing overpriced used cars with ridiculously high specs for sale. It's a small sports car, not a limo. Warning: other opinions may differ!

JendaV · Jul 21, 2009

Do not forget to check xenon lights and seats heating. Few seats are full electrically including lumbar support (very good for long trips), most have electric backrest only. Remember you will sell your car sometime, so lower price, all documents, usual colors (black, silver, white), young age and low miles are better. You can get more info at Porsche web configurator and at the biggest used cars web in Germany - www.mobile.de.

Mark_Bennett · Jul 21, 2009

If you are planning to drive "out of town" at night, I'd look for Xenons....

James_G · Jul 21, 2009

ORIGINAL: Mark Bennett If you are planning to drive "out of town" at night, I'd look for Xenons....

Definitely agree with this. I would happily trade crested head rests and other non functional nonsense (IMHO) for greater illumination at night. Alas it's doesn't seem to be specced that often.

Alan_Armstrong · Jul 22, 2009

As an owner who did spec zenons and have had them for the last 3 years, I was not impressed, and wouldnt spec them again on another new Cayman. When driving along and have been able to compare mine to say a Merc or Bmw, their spread of light is far more evident than mine. Apart from also benefiting from headlamp wash...which i dont know if it has ever been deployed, around Â£700 option wasted . On the Gen 2 cars, the cost has risen considerably, with the new "steer" versions.

Alan_Armstrong · Jul 22, 2009

There are the obvious differences between the basic car and the S model 2.7 verses 3.4 litres, 5 speed box (standard) verses 6 speed on the S, 17" wheels as standard 18" on the S. One main other difference is the brakes, the larger brakes on the S are far more efficient than on the standard model, also I believe the S comes with partial leather as standard, whereby the basic model is anthracite?...but some prefer this anyway. As others have said, options arent whats going to change your enjoyment of the car but would suggest if you have any choices over various cars, then one with park assist would sway me...(you cannot see the rear of the car when reversing the sensors pick up almost everything, without this, have a little scrape and you are looking at around Â£1000 to remove repair and replace!) One last minor thing, wouldnt worry about a rear wiper...spoils the look and water runs away OK.

spyderman · Jul 22, 2009

ORIGINAL: Alan Armstrong I believe the S comes with partial leather as standard, whereby the basic model is anthracite?...

Crikey, that's going to be a hard ride! Alcantra, perhaps?

One last minor thing, wouldnt worry about a rear wiper...spoils the look and water runs away OK.

Especially with a good treatment of Rain-X.

John H · Jul 22, 2009

For my money, the Cayman works best as a simple, light, low spec sports car. As such it reminds me of how Porsches used to be, not smothered in complicated stuff like a Mercedes. I ordered my 2.7 in Guards Red with ony 3 options ... heated seats (my wife likes them), cruise control (as a licence protection aid) and badge delete (it's free!). If I was buying another one I'd do almost exactly the same again, adding only the auto climate control, as the manual air con is too fiddly. Frankly I'd delete the radio too if it was an option, cos it's dire and I never use it. Keep it simple I say! [

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Black80XSA · Jul 22, 2009

Don't confuse the ride characteristsics of gen 1 and gen 2 cars - the latest cars use different tyres and revised suspension settings. 19s on a gen1 car can be considered very sporty without PASM, and OK with PASM. General consencus is for normal road driving and a half decent ride then 18s without PASM or 19s with PASM. Part leather is std on S and the cabin plastics are pretty good, no real need for full leather - find a car with full leather spec'd for the same money but don't pay more for it. Seats - sports seats i would always spec, but some people find they don;t fit in them well - i have the same problem with the adaptive seats, and i don't liek the lack of shoulder support on the normal seats. PCM - debatable, a Â£200 Tomtom will run rings around it, PCM updates are Â£300+ a pop from Porsche every 2-3 years too. Xenons ? - i'm more than happy with the xenon kit i fitted to my normal headlights, perhaps not quite as good as the Porsche offering but i don';t have to put up with washer fluid spraying all over the front of the car. Sports chrono - the wart/clock ont he dashboard is a waste of time, the only benefit is the sharper throttle response once the system is activated. Your budget would get you a 06 plate S with a few nice extras in an independent dealer, or a later 2.7. A lot depends on your driving style - if you are happy with more of a cruising style then the long legged 5 speed box and the lower power of the 2.7 are fine.

chrisH · Jul 22, 2009

ORIGINAL: Black80XSA Don't confuse the ride characteristsics of gen 1 and gen 2 cars - the latest cars use different tyres and revised suspension settings. 19s on a gen1 car can be considered very sporty without PASM, and OK with PASM. General consencus is for normal road driving and a half decent ride then 18s without PASM or 19s with PASM. If its of interest on the Gen2's I have found the ride of 19ins with P Zeros (without PASM) on the Cayman to be far more comfortable and quieter than 18ins with Michelins on Boxster. Also Mrs says the Boxster made her feel sick whereas Cayman not.

Spoonie · Jul 22, 2009

I just had the Sytner group buyer come to my house and buy my Cayman S, he informed me that prices were in free fall, this was after we'd agreed a price two days ago, dealer where not buy stock as of midnight yesterday, and said dealer will be reducing used prices by the morning, just though you might want to keep a close eye on the next couple of days.

Dylan1 · Jul 22, 2009

agree with alanon wipers being unecessary but coulnt disagreee more with the xenons-i think they are brill and would never order a porsche without.19 "with michelin sports are excellent and very sporty.heated seats well worth it.good luck.also agree with atlad grey looking great[

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Mark_Bennett · Jul 22, 2009

ORIGINAL: Alan Armstrong ...Apart from also benefiting from headlamp wash...which i dont know if it has ever been deployed...

You'd know if it had! I guess you've never pushed forwards on the windscreen wiper stalk with the lights on? (Assuming it's the same as the 986 [

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John H · Jul 22, 2009

ORIGINAL: Spoonie I just had the Sytner group buyer come to my house and buy my Cayman S, he informed me that prices were in free fall, this was after we'd agreed a price two days ago, dealer where not buy stock as of midnight yesterday, and said dealer will be reducing used prices by the morning, just though you might want to keep a close eye on the next couple of days.

That sounds like eyewash to me. The trade generally cannot get decent stock right now and trade buyers are outbidding each other for the right cars. A mate of mine recently traded his 997, and got substantially MORE for it than he was offered 6 months previously. Caveat emptor (as always [&:])

Alex Postan · Jul 23, 2009

ORIGINAL: Alan Armstrong One last minor thing, wouldnt worry about a rear wiper...spoils the look and water runs away OK.

I like my wiper - and if I was to order another new car, I would include it in the specification together with the park assist.

Alan_Armstrong · Jul 23, 2009

Pervert[

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cleverjet · Jul 23, 2009

Dear All, [8D][

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] many many thanks for so many replies and advice being a gadgets man I will have to try hard to resist. I like my creature comforts. I am also finding it a hard choice as a. there is always something you want thats missing (park assist seems to be a must) b. there is typically somethings in there you don't want. (I would rather have PASM than SATNAV) I just had a Synter salesman on the phone who I have been talking with for a while. Coming up soon at near Â£32K Cayman S 03/2006 23K miles, 2 owners. Supplied originally by this dealer Arctic Silver with Black Interior Leather Sport Seats Rear park assistance Rear Window Wiper 19â€ Carrera S Wheels Coloured Wheel Centres Automatic Air Conditioning Cruise Control Porsche Crests On Headrests Porsche Sound Package PCM Navigation System PCM Telephone Module Manual Gearbox Smooth Leather 3 Spoke Multi Function Steering Wheel He called this morning following an email alert and the car isnt even at the dealer yet and he was pushing for a deposit to reserve it. Bit pushy I thought but I love the spec. Been watching used market especially OPC stock for weeks it seems to be moving and independents say that new is not selling as existing owners are holding on. I haven't seen any price tumble yet and doubt I will. HELP @$%*Â£$% I really want one of these. Thanks again to everyone.

telford_mike · Jul 23, 2009

As you like the car and the spec, why not offer him 27 or 28k and see what happens. Personally I wouldn't want to pay over Â£30k for a 3 and a half year old Cayman, regardless of the spec. It's a buyers market whatever the salespeople may say. As an example, I saw a nice Cayman that I really fancied at an OPC about a month ago. The price on the screen was Â£42,999. It was a 2009 registered car, but the 2008 model year. I offered Â£35,000 Salesman (after much debate with his boss) came back with Â£38,000. I walked away. Make a really low offer.