Porsche Cayman S 987.1: Why The Car You've Been Told to Avoid is Actually The Best of Them All

I have a 2008 3.4S.

Had it scoped pre purchase and it was fine.

I then twin turbo'd it and it now has 477bhp and 525lbs torque. 😊

I annually get a Millers Oils analysis and at 90k miles now there still no sign of scoring.

So i have a GT3 beating power to weight ratio car for under 30k. 😈

What's not to like?

This is a car for life for me, i adore the thing.

Very good video; but still I'd never own a Porsche. I just don't like them. Probably quite irrational I know, but there it is

I have a 2009 as my wall paper one day i will buy ut

Must be nice to have already had a series of interesting cars by the age of 21. I'll be 30 this summer and I've barely had one interesting car so far in my life. I hate being poor. 🥴✌️

Hey James, it's Porsche, not Porsch.....)), well, ok, great video, and yes, the Cayman Porsche is just a super-car.

No one mentions the £700 road tax. The 2.7 litre manual is under £400.

Uk car reviewers: its time to stop listing climate control as a features. Otherwise fantastic review :) thanks for the great content.

IF you can get around the paranoia problem...."WILL I get a BAD one?" An MX5 you can simply find a good used motor and slap it in for a couple grand...a cayman? A motor is the pretty much paying for the car again....for a USED one and right back to paranoia

I always have to remember to basiclly IGNORE british MPG quoting as I have to remind myself that a BRITISH Gallon is SIGNIFICANTLY more gasoline than a US gallon.....so when he is saying this model is getting 30mpg? THAT is BRITISH MPG and NOT US....about TWENTY PERCENT different! I suppose making a British 30mpg translate to only 24 mpg US? is that right?

WHy?. is.he.talking.like.a....robot?!

Here in Italy a 987.1 with the 2.7 liter starts at 25k...

Slippery goal post syndrome 🤣🤣🤣

Contrary to this video, In Canada people are afraid of Porsches with rebuilt engines, because they assume the car must have been abused to require the rebuild. Those ones are actually bargain priced.

PORSCHE BORE SCORING -- obviously check car doesn't have it ------ //// easy to prevent once you know what to do -------

Once you know you don’t have scoring, here are the best steps you can take to minimize the risk of having bore scoring:

Only use Top Tier premium fuels

Use a fuel additive containing polyetheramine (PEA) such as Driven Injector Defender regularly

Shorten oil change intervals to 6 months or 5,000 miles (shorter for cars driven short distances or in cold climates)

Avoid excessive idling, especially to warm up the engine or vehicle

Avoid high loads or engine speed until the engine is fully warmed up

Use an engine oil with increased levels of anti-wear and friction modifier additives such as Driven DT40 in place of A40 oils and DI40 in place of C40 oils (Driven also has equivalents for C20 and C30 oils available)

Have your mechanic check the DME fuel trim values to make sure they are correct

Use oil analysis at every oil change to monitor engine health

Having clean fuel injectors is critical to protecting your engine. Dirty injectors cannot properly atomize the fuel and can wash the cylinder bores down of critical oil film, leading to increased wear. Leaky injectors also can directly contribute to scoring like with the injectors removed from an engine with bore scoring:

taken from advice internet ---------- lot of info easy to check ------------

I chose to buy a third generation SLK 350 AMG, great spec and low mileage with full dealer service history. I love the fact that it is both a boxter and a Caymen , and it is less to buy than the older models from Porsche. It has 306 bhp, injection and great paddle shift that is quick enough in all legal circumstances. I guess people think it is not quite dynamic enough for their egos, I love it😊

I just bought mine May 1st for my 34th bday I love it

Brilliant!

I’m really pumped to own a cayman/caymanS. I’m going to go and test drive one this weekend in this exact spec and I couldn’t be more excited.

Would you buy a 2007 cayman s with 100k miles on it for $20k? It has sports package.

Amazing car for the money. Aged so well.

I've had two boxters and a Cayman a Macan S and the latest 911 992 S. I would never go back to the cayman its interior and controls are super dated.

This car is a hidden gym. Little do people know that Porsche restricted these cars to not surpass the 911. With a little bit of tuning and switching of restrictive parts. This car really wakes up and I have beat some big-time cars on the street. And if I take them in the curves and corners, it’s over for them…

Unfortunately, they are 20k+ € in Germany :(

I van testify... I have a 2007 987.1 Cayman S bought used from Brumos in 2010 with 42,000 miles on the clock. Arctic Silver with Terracotta leather and carbon fiber. Put a set of 19" turbo wheels on it after I did the Brumos Driver Ed course with Hurley Haywood... What a day. If I had better starts i would have beat a guy with a Gt3 in the track time competition. Alas lost by 2 seconds. Anyway, headers through stock exhaust, lightweight flywheel, flash the chip, gt3 intake manifold, Bilstein R9 shocks, machined aluminum short throw shifter... Now with 487,000+ on the clock... Thiis the best cat I've ever owned. Had new 1986 944, 1987 944 Turbo, 1989 944 Turbo S and 1993 968... All nice cars... This one wins it. I change oil and filter every 5-6 k miles. Change my own brakes... Just had to change out the starter st 487k. Steady dependable... The sound and feel os tremendous with analog steering. Heel toe down shifts very rewarding... You are at Sebring on the on ramps. 0-60mph is palpably atound 4 Sec. Typical merge on Interstate 75 at 90-100 as traffic runs at about 85mph. Very tight with the Bilstein shocks. Had cylinder s checked Vortex motor sports Tampa Fl. Just got new (used) headlights as plastic fades... No engine problems. Does not burn oil. NUTHIN but fun. Nice review. Thought uoud like long term driver review. John Russell Dade City Florida USA.😊

Driving my 2005BoxsterS is my therapy session.

As an ex Porsche Service Manager I can say that they are fantastic to drive, they did have interior quality issues BUT these made out of chocolate M96/M97 engines are a disgrace to the Porsche brand and supposed engineering excellence.

It is extremely difficult to be facing a wealthy customer who has looked after his car meticulously with 5000 mile oil changes, and then presenting him with a huge bill to rebuild the engine because some moron of an accountant wanted to build the engine to a cost…


Before someone chimes in that you need to budget in advance for huge repairs, here’s a reality check… people budget for servicing,tyres, suspension and maybe a slight cosmetic refurb. They do not budget for engine rebuilds that cost more than the price of the car . People expect reliability and sound engineering

love your show! thanks

What about the Boxster 987.1?

what more reliable? this or mercedes SLK55 AMG?

You're a 968 owner, how cool. I still want one. Bug eye😉

I just had a stupid idea. What about a 968 modified with a 718 engine and transmission. Like a Stinger old to new conversion... I'm dreaming

They are insane cars for the money I have a 987 and I love it! I have owned all sorts and this is one of the best cars I have owned! We have a 76 911 in the family also!

I would rather have the 987.1 and spend the money on a Hartek upgrade than buy a newer Cayman.

its Porsche with nice design, and affordable. have to follow the speed limit too :-)

I think I’ll buy a high mileage one. When the engine goes, in goes a LS.

Ahhhh Whittlebury to Buckingham. What a lovely road that is.

Good back road to Buckingham down there love hustling my 987.2 boxster S down there with the wind in my hair what's left of it lol 😂

If I every bump into you James down there you can have a go 😅 you can pick up 987.2 3.4 higher mileage boxsters for around 14k on auto trader as a all round package it's got to be probably the best value Porsche you can buy for what you get with the 3.4 dfi engine , especially compared to the other Porsches using basically the same engine....

987.2 spyder
981 S and gts
991
987.2 R
991 targa

Got one of these 2 years ago, what an amazing car, had a boxster 986, excellent, but wow

I've worked for Porsche in the late 1980's/early 90's and I've owned many different Porsche models. I bought my 2006 987.1 in 2020 and it's got over 130k Miles (over 200,000 Km) on the clock already - with the original IMS bearing and without any engine work done other than regular maintenance. A Porsche will never be cheap to maintain. But compared to other exotics that might provide a similar driving experience and fun, the 987 is a true bargain!

I agree, I have one, with a turbo in it...

Seems to balance out with the left hand road and right hand steering

Fantastic review!!! Top notch stuff.

Surely a 987.2 is better as it doesn’t suffer from IMS, RMS and bore scoring?

If they were the same price, and you only took enjoyment into account, what would you choose? a Cayman S or a Porsche 944 Turbo S? thanks!

It depends where you are, in Australia these are still very expensive even a 15 year old with 100k on the odometer are still more expensive than a new GR86/BRZ and they are not that faster the 2,7 Ltr size, not to say the cost of parts make them a bit of an anticlimax .. prefer the 911 as it makes a better value for the long run. Cheers from Oz🇦🇺

The reason you get the impression that Porsche drivers are miserable is in part do to "Porsche Taxes".... sucks

Nobody wants to work on your car do to liability reasons etc. I've been denied even simple oil changes at a local Valvaline spot, as they don't carry the required oil filter...

That's okay...Prefer Moble one anyway; all worth it in the end imo!

And I've had my six speed, 986 Boxster S through thick and thin, name it; transmission (with upgraded second gear lockout) replacement engine, multiple mods/upgrades etc. Luv it!

Nothing encapsulates the arrogance of England better than refusing to pronounce a foreign man's name correctly.

Cayman S 987.1 is actually what I plan to buy when I sell half my stocks... (can take a while to do and while that happens it slowly go up in value anyway... lol ). I want the hydraulic powers steering, not a fan of the new electric power steering and would prefer no powers steering at all.