Drove a Porsche Cayman...

I drove a Porsche Cayman yesterday, not an "S", just a base car.

My local Porsche dealer (well, actually, the fourth closest dealer) had a car that came off a three year lease with 12k miles on it. I had been wanting to check one out for a while. There was another one that I had been really interested in, but it sold before I got to it.

I was really impressed with the car. It felt much lighter than I expected. It's pretty tight inside, but very comfortable. It felt really sanitized compared to the older Porsches that I've driven; not without soul by any stretch, just very modern. The seats, controls and steering were all fantastic. I know that more horsepower and bigger brakes are always nice, but I'd have a hard time spending the extra cash to upgrade to an "S". Performance of the base car was more than adequate.

I'm not buying it, of course, but for future reference, I know that I'd be perfectly happy with a regular Cayman someday.

Just thought I'd share that.

Well when you are ready, I'll be glad to take the 911 off your hands!

I had the same thoughts as the OP a few years ago when I drove a Boxter, except that I felt it did need more power.

bravenrace wrote: Well when you are ready, I'll be glad to take the 911 off your hands!

I'll keep that in mind, but the previous owner has contacted me more than once indicating that he'd really like to buy the car back. That just reaffirms the notion that I bought a very good car.

I'm not sure if I'm ready to make the jump from a classic 911 to a Cayman just yet, though. As a car guy, I know that I'm not supposed to think this way, but the 911 is financially stable at this point. The Cayman would be a depreciating entity.

Any car I touch becomes a depreciating entity!

The cars I get hold of are pre depreciated.

GregW wrote: The cars I get hold of are pre depreciated.

This I am pretty sure I could make the value of my Spitfire go down unless I really really tried.

Drove an S once - was amazed at how nice everything was. I want one.

Asked the dealer to see the engine, he said "no". "Wha?" "I have to get my master mechanic to come remove the engine coverS and it's a hour or so to get everything back together..

WOW!

tuna55 wrote: Asked the dealer to see the engine, he said "no". "Wha?" "I have to get my master mechanic to come remove the engine coverS and it's a hour or so to get everything back together.. WOW!

In reality why is this an issue? What do you need to see or reach the engine for 99.99% of the time. Most of what you need is accesible from the underneath.

But the times you do need to see the engine it's important.

How can you even inspect belts?

carguy123 wrote: But the times you do need to see the engine it's important. How can you even inspect belts?

Per the service intervals, just change when needed from below. Really, I think the desperate need to 'see' the engine is overrated. I wont be surprised when someone makes a regular front engined econo box with a non opening hood. Just a small access panel at the base of the screen for checking oil, coolant, washer fluid and brake/clutch fluid. Save on the cost of hinges and hood release. It would have to be removable for major service, but I see no need for 99% of the people in the world to see under the hood of their cars ever.

So nothing ever breaks between service intervals and service intervals aren't just set up to make the shop money? Many things last much longer than the rated service interval.

Yes things break, so what? If it goes into the shop they spend 5 mins removing the 'hood'. I would have no problem with lack of access if I owned a Boxster/Cayman. This forum caters to the 0.01%, actualy make that the 0.0001% of the world that actualy konws, let alone cares what's under the hood. Within the first 5 years of ownership, what % of people/cars actualy need to open the hood other than coolant, washer fluid, oil changes and brake/clutch fluid. All that could be done without a regular full size hood.

It would be an issue for me. I want to be able to know what's going on under there with relative ease for various reasons. Many people prefer the "weld the hood closed" Accord (like the commercial) but not this guy.

I have had a Boxster for years and the only time I have had to look at the engine was to clean the K&N air filter. Changing the plugs and clutch all took place from under the car.

I pull dipsticks, check fluid levels, inspect belts, etc. Says alot about maintenance, especially one "detailed" by the dealer to sell.

12k miles in three years? That's one hell of an expensive rental.

JeffHarbert wrote: 12k miles in three years? That's one hell of an expensive rental.

I saw another 2008 that had 8500 miles on it. It's not hard to find someone else to take the biggest part of the depreciation hit for you.

I just had a friend take his Range Rover to the dealer for a change of spark plugs because it had some sort of cover over the engine. It cost....................wait for it.......................$900.00. Here's the funny part. He bought the plugs somewhere else in an attempt to save money so it was all labor cost. Maybe this way it ensures that people will do less maintenance themselves so the dealer will get more. The same vehicle has no oil pan drain plug and has to have the oil sucked up from the top.

I am only passing along what he told me and I have no first hand knowledge of Range Rovers.

wwwwwwwwwwwhat.

The dealer threw out a number, either $240 or $270, for annual maintenance on the Cayman. That didn't sound unreasonable.

Woody wrote: The dealer threw out a number, either $240 or $270, for annual maintenance on the Cayman. That didn't sound unreasonable.

That is REALLY low. I guess it depends on your mileage accrual.

That sounds like a BS number to me.

I didn't even ask, he volunteered it.

damn.. was playing with Porsche's "build your own Porsche" without all the doodads.. I built a $91,000 cayman S