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- Your next Porsche: $11K starter to $33K stunner
Your next Porsche: $11K starter to $33K stunner
This week: Luxury 981, perfect-timing 986, Guards Red escape
Great notes!
I'll keep this intro short since the issue is packed with goodness.
Just a quick thank you for your replies to the previous issue. Your feedback is so important. I also realized that I wasn't getting notified for your answers to the 2-min survey until someone brought it up, and I saw I had a pile of answers waiting for me!
I was reading the tea leaves, but now I've got a ton of feedback to digest. Great stuff.
Anyway, this week:
A 981 Cayman that's priced like a 987
A 986 Boxster with perfect maintenance timing
A 987.1 Cayman when silver fatigue justifies the splurge
Onwards!
—RF
The ultimate luxury Pepita [30K-35K range]
2014 981 Cayman | PDK | Fayetteville, NC
PROS
| CONS
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One owner 981, clean title, fully loaded, and that Dark Blue Metallic with Luxor Beige interior. The best part? Its price.
You're getting a mint, top-spec 981 for what dealers charge for tired 987.2s. Some even ask this much for 987.1s when they're feeling bold.
Think what it would cost to spec a new Cayman with these options in 2025. For 1/3 that price, you get a Porsche that turns heads and is bulletproof reliable. If high-end feel is what you're after and you can stretch the budget, don't hesitate.
Market Report
Compare this to the similar 2015 white Cayman asking $34,750 in St. Petersburg. Similar mileage and options, but manual transmission commands a $1K-1.5K premium. The Premium package 981 with manual from a previous issue sold for $38,000, showing this PDK example offers solid value for the spec.
What You (and Your Mechanic) Should Know
981s are bulletproof with no IMS or bore scoring issues. Water pump is the main known weak point, but this seller already replaced it. PDK transmissions are also reliable. At 70K miles with proper maintenance, this car has plenty of life left.
The perfect maintenance timing [10K-15K range]
2002 986 Boxster | 5-speed manual | Alamo, CA
PROS
| CONS
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This car is hitting the maintenance sweet spot perfectly. At 84K miles, you're looking at clutch replacement soon, so handle the IMS bearing while you're in there. The seller's Google Drive folder shows they care about this car finding the right home.
Budget for clutch plus IMS retrofit sooner rather than later, then drive worry-free for the next decade. No more IMS anxiety, fresh clutch, and you know exactly what’s under the hood.
Three owners in 23 years signals to me careful ownership, especially with one keeper holding it for 22 years in Sacramento.
Market Report
Clean-looking manual 986s typically ask $13K-15K. This one sits at the lower end of the range, but even factoring in upcoming maintenance, you're getting solid value for a well-documented car with good ownership history.
What You (and Your Mechanic) Should Know
2002 models have the problematic single-row IMS bearing with 8-10% failure rates. At this mileage, plan for clutch and IMS work together—around $3.5K-5K total. Once done, you won't have major engine worries for years.
Also expect convertible top service and cooling system refresh.
When silver fatigue justifies the splurge [25K-30K range]
2007 987.1 Cayman | 5-speed manual | Carrollton, TX
PROS
| CONS
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Some days you need to escape the endless parade of silver Caymans with black interiors. This Guards Red with Sand Beige leather delivers exactly that relief.
Some trim and buttons show wear, and the ad description is typical dealer copypasta, but the Sport Chrono package adds appeal and makes this car worth inquiring about.
At 61K miles with a clean history, you'll pay extra to avoid another boring color combo. Not the most sensible pick, but sometimes we need to add a bit of spice to our life.
Market Report
Good manual 987.1 base Caymans typically trade in the low-to-mid twenties (although you need to snatch those cars fast). Guards Red adds appeal without being truly rare, and dealer listings usually carry a $3K-5K premium over private sales, explaining the higher asking price.
What You (and Your Mechanic) Should Know
This 987.1 uses the M97 engine with the robust IMS bearing design introduced in 2006. 2007 models have failure rates under 1%. Personally, I wouldn't lose any sleep over this.
No bore scoring concerns with this 2.7L engine.
Manual clutches typically need replacement around 60-80K miles, and this one may still be the original one. Factor this into your post-purchase budget.
Missed Connections
This Lapis Blue 986 Boxster was marked pending in less than a week (Imgur backup). I kept going back to the listing because everything I said about the grey 2002 Boxster above applied here, but with half the miles and that gorgeous blue color for only $1,000 more.
One of those painful “should've called when I first saw it instead of bookmarking it” moments.
Adopted Puppies
The Dallas 996 from last week found a home already. I felt that it was a solid pick to begin with, so this confirms it! (You also agreed in your replies to that issue.) The Premium package 981 from a few weeks ago also sold. It looks like the buyer negotiated the seller down from the original asking price of $40,999. Reply to this email if you were the one who snagged either of these! |  (tap on image for Imgur backups) |
Porsche Problems (aka meme of the week)
See you next week with more affordable picks!
Take care,
—RF