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Two Beauties and the Beast (all Porsches)
This week: Red Ruby Cayman, Lapis Blue 996, and a "one-owner" Turbo
Did you see the news?
Porsche is now a pretend financial institution. Instead of sports cars, they sell credit cards. They cost 356 euros per year (hilarious). “‘Feel Porsche in every moment.’ With this motto, the new Porsche Card promises the Porsche spirit in credit card format.“
I read this and felt the grinch in me rising up.
I like Porsches simply because they are good cars. They represent good design and engineering values. And the best ones (peak Porsches if you ask me) are more affordable than ever.
Luckily I just had to go back to the used Porsche market to find this week's great picks. The grinch went back to his little corner.
Hopefully these picks will make you feel wholesome again:
A beautiful Red Ruby 987 Cayman
“An elderly gentleman’s” 996.2
A rare one-owner 996 Turbo
Onwards!
—RF
Generic listing, gorgeous car
PROS
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A gorgeous Ruby Red over tan interior Cayman.
The description is sparse (just "garage kept" and 69,000 miles) but that's a good enough start.
The pictures tell a better story: the car looks clean inside and out, with minimal visible wear. The optional wheels also elevate the look of the car.
Generic description sometimes hide good cars. Talk to the seller, get the details, and hopefully drive home in something special.
Market Report
The average base Cayman of this generation is a silver car with 100K+ miles, selling for $18K-24K.
With uncommon Ruby Red paint, manual transmission, and 69,000 miles that feel like low-mileage territory for these cars, $24K is excellent.
What You (and Your Mechanic) Should Know
2008 987.1 base Caymans use the robust 2.7L engine with the redesigned IMS bearing (sub-1% failure rate) and no bore scoring concerns.
The seller says the “car needs nothing at this time.“ A 60,000-mile service typically costs $1,000-$2,500 at independent shops, covering an oil change, brake fluid flush, filters, and inspections. Add spark plugs if needed, which would push costs higher. So find out if the car has had any recent maintenance, or add $3K to your post-purchase budget.
The seller said it better
PROS
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“Over $10k of maintenance in the past couple of years. Garaged and covered w/ trickle charger, recent oil change, never tracked. Tires changed less than 1,000 miles ago. Good paint, clear headlights, everything you could want. IMS upgraded.”
“Acquired 4 years ago from an elderly gentleman in Montecito. I now have two young children with no time to drive it.”
I’m not gonna rewrite something that the seller already did perfectly.
This 996.2 is a beauty in Lapis Blue, with GT3 rims and other tasteful OEM+ upgrades under the hood. It’s in great condition, a great spec, and fairly priced. “Make it yours and give her the life she deserves.” Again, the seller said it better.
Market Report
Highly stock and sorted 996s, in a non-silver color, often sell for $30K or more.
This .2, with $10,000 in maintenance, tasteful upgrades, uncommon color, and great overall condition, easily justifies its $31,000 price tag. Compare it with another “premium” .2 from a few issues back that sold for $36K.
What You (and Your Mechanic) Should Know
This 2002 Carrera has the larger 3.6L engine with VarioCam Plus, new Turbo-style headlights, glovebox, and smaller improvements introduced for the .2 revision. The IMS bearing has already been upgraded to a permanent solution, so you may as well forget it was ever a thing.
One-owner Turbo since mile 1,000
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“I purchased it with just 1,000 miles on the odometer, so I’ve essentially been its only owner.“
Another seller dropping the mic.
Here you have essentially a one-owner manual Turbo that has been garage-kept, meticulously maintained, and comes with complete service records.
It has some performance upgrades (check if they are to your liking) and I would revert the wheels to the stock design, but if you dream of a 996 Turbo, this is an excellent candidate.
Market Report
996 Turbo coupes average $55-60K for clean manual examples with higher mileage. The manual transmission is genuinely uncommon, as most Turbos came with Tiptronic.
Prices climb rapidly if the car has 60K miles or less. But at $50K, this car is a great opportunity to own a one-owner beast that will outlast all of us.
What You (and Your Mechanic) Should Know
996 Turbos are the more robust siblings in the 996 family. They use the Mezger engine (shared with GT3/GT2 models), which means no IMS bearing concerns and no reputation for bore scoring issues. Main maintenance focus at 104K miles: check for coolant pipe leaks, ensure the AWD system transfers power properly, and inspect suspension bushings for wear.
Adopted Puppies
To no one's surprise, all cars (except for the Instagram darling wannabe) from last issue sold in under a week. I was really fired up about those cars, and I still am, as they represented so many different paths into Porsche ownership. Saved the ads here for reference. |  |
Porsche Problems
See you next week with more affordable picks!
Take care,
—RF