Video: The dealer wanted $15K to fix this Porsche Cayman. Can we do it for less?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/fi62527j19U

We bought a 981 Porsche Cayman for $15,000. What’s the catch? Its six-speed transmission has only four working gears.

[$15,000 Porsche: Are we stupid, or the smartest bargain hunters you know?]

The dealer quoted to replace the transmission for $15,000 as it’s not a serviceable part. Can we fix it for less? Let’s find out.

Recent videos
EricM
EricM SuperDork
3/30/24 12:59 p.m.

you never showed us driving the car in 5th and 6th, I am sitting here with blue balls now :-(

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard Publisher
3/30/24 1:33 p.m.

In reply to EricM :

We're headed to the track in the next video. Watching me drive a stock Cayman in a straight line at 70 mph isn't exactly the most exciting footage. 

DavyZ
DavyZ New Reader
3/30/24 4:39 p.m.

Please fulfill my fantasy and tell me you paid $5000 for the Cayman with a 'bad' transmission and then you fixed it for $50.  It's the stuff dreams are made of yes

johndej
johndej UltraDork
3/30/24 6:06 p.m.
crankwalk (Forum Supporter)
crankwalk (Forum Supporter) UltraDork
3/31/24 1:11 p.m.

Nice work! Modern dealers not willing to tear down a transmission to even see what the issue is unless you buy a whole new transmission is scary. As long as you were paying them I can't see why they would object to that.

kb58
kb58 UltraDork
3/31/24 1:41 p.m.

The answer to whether fixing a car yourself at $0/hr labor, versus a dealership's $$$/hr, doesn't require reading further. A more genuine and helpful title might have been, "Road trip in our broken Porsche we bought sight-unseen!" At least that requires reading.

Click-bait "question" articles has sadly become epidemic.

Marjorie Suddard
Marjorie Suddard General Manager
3/31/24 1:48 p.m.

In reply to kb58 :

Actually, there was no option for a dealership fix of the transmission, just replacement, and the accepted wisdom was that it was non serviceable for a reason. Hence the question of whether we could fix it ourselves.
 

Calling any article that asks a question click bait has sadly become epidemic.

Margie

IKR
IKR New Reader
3/31/24 5:41 p.m.

My guess, and hope for the project, is that as long as you can remove and replace the transmission on your own, you can get this done for way way less than the quoted price. No dealer is willing to mess around inside a transmission but, provided the major internals are available a specialty shop for the win. The only thing I'm clueless on is the availability of the internal parts. Curious to know the answer and how this project moves forward.

DeadSkunk  (Warren)
DeadSkunk (Warren) MegaDork
3/31/24 6:32 p.m.

In reply to IKR :

Watch the videos. Tom already fixed it.

IKR
IKR New Reader
3/31/24 6:35 p.m.

In reply to DeadSkunk (Warren) :

Nice, thanks!

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