[MSGGrunt]

My Porsche buying experience took a few twists and turns but, ultimately I ended up with a nice 2007 Cayman S but, back to that in a bit.

I originally started looking at 996 911's as they were the only Porsche, or so I thought, that was within my budget. Along the way I learned about IMS and RMS. Learned about AOS and composite water pump impellers. My search was done locally and on the web. I drove several cars and knew some things I had to have... coupe, manual and I wanted a cool (red, white, blue, even speed yellow maybe) color. All was going well until work took me from Massachusetts to Monterey, CA and on the one down day I had I discovered that the local San Francisco PCCA chapter was having an Event at Laguna Seca. I thought to myself, what better way to see a bunch of Porsches...

This is where my quest gets sidetracked... I saw a guards red with tan leather interior Cayman S.

I do more research... I can get a newer model year Cayman within my budget than a 996, the mid-engine gets rave reviews, less RMS/IMS issues and the true 2-seater isn't an issue for me.

I knew I wanted the S variant for, well no logical reason I guess. I knew it had to be manual and with relatively low miles. I could say I wanted more power, better brakes, etc but, I won't be tracking the car and would probably never drive to the limits of the standard Cayman.

After many days of searching I narrowed the field down to two cars.

Car #1
06 Cayman S
Silver with black interior
36,700 miles
1 owner
Being sold by original selling dealership
Always dealer maintained
$27,900

Car#2
07 Cayman S
Midnight Blue with tan interior
36,000 miles
4 owners
Good maintenance history but, not as good as car #1
$27,700
No issues on PPI other than like new tires have a production date in 2012 and plugs, water pump, serpentine belt were recommended. No sigs of RMS/IMS oil leaks.

I drove 5 hours from MA to NJ to look at car #1. It drove tight but was boring, if that can be said about any Porsche. It didn't have a single option... No sport chrono, no sport package, no upgraded sound system, standard 18" wheels, nothing. Well, it did have Makkassar wood trim on the dash but, that was it. The car was nice but, it didn't evoke anything in me and the dealer would only drop the price to $27,000 with all fees, not state taxes, included. It had worn climate control switched, a quarter size dent on the rear "hip", and an issue with the coating peeling off the center console. I thought this was overpriced for a no options 06 even with low miles and good service.

Another 1.5 hour drive south to PA where I met the owner of the 07. The car drove as nice as the 06 but was a more nicely optioned car. The midnight blue looked amazing in the sun. The color really did surprise me. I thought it was going to be much darker and that I would like it less but, boy was I wrong. The tan leather interior was spotless. No wear on the driver's seat bolster, no scuffs on the sill plates, no wear on any of the control switches, had very clean original floor matts, Sport Chrono package, Sport package, upgraded 19" wheels, etc... Heck, I couldn't even find any mentionable stone chips on the front of the car. The maintenance history on this car isn't as solid as the 06 but, the owner, self admittedly, is only a driver and has a mechanic look after the car when it is time for maintenance. It has had regular oil changes, brake pads, new tires etc and he provided receipts. For peace of mind I will plan on things like new spark plugs, water pump, low temp thermostat, serpentine belt, brake fluid flush, clean out the radiators, etc... All the things I normally do when I buy a new used car and the things a Cayman will need.

4 previous owners initially was off putting but, of the 4, #1 and #2 were the same individual. #1 was on a corporate lease and #2 was the owner of the corp. after coming off lease. #3 was a car enthusiast friend of the seller and #4 the seller. The seller has a variety of tastes in cars and he told me that he was only selling the Cayman because he had just purchased a limited edition Bullet Mustang off the #3 owner/friend.

We negotiated a price of $26,000. This may be on the higher end for an 07 but, I liked it over the 06. I like that it has only 36,000ish miles, loved the Midnight blue over tan leather, and I like how the car was optioned.

Paperwork was done and I will be flying down next week to pick up the car and drive it back the MA.


QUESTIONS:

1. At right around 36,000 miles should I be considering replacing the water pump? When I asked this question about the 06 at the dealership their service guy said they don't change water pumps as preventive maintenance and that the coolant doesn't get changed until 100,000 miles. I won't see 100,000 for a number of years given that it will only be driven in the summer and stored the other 5 or 6 months.

2. I have also read that the plugs should be changed at 60,000 miles or 4/5 years regardless of miles because of potential issues with them seizing in the heads. True or not?

3. What is the service interval for replacing the AO separator/s?

I will enjoy the remaining weeks of relative nice weather here in New England before the car is put away for the winter.

 

[Croc'ed]

Welcome to Cayman ownership; you just bought one beautiful car! Search and you'll find many opinions, but at 10 years old and regardless of mileage I'd change the water pump and thermostat, plugs and coils, serpentine belt, and any other consumables and fluids that haven't been replaced recently. The AOS is not a preventative maintenance item, but it's not very expensive nor difficult to replace if you're inclined to do so.
If for no other reason, this will give your car a baseline going forward. If you're a handy DIY type, this can all be done on ramps in a day or two over the course of a weekend, and the $ you'll save on labor is worth the cost of a weekend getaway.

Then get out there, and enjoy the drive! Best wishes for miles of smiles owning your "new" car.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[bucknutt76]

Nice car. I'm pretty sure I was looking at this one too online. Glad someone got it that will appreciate if.

 

[schell]

Really nice , I love the Dark Blue.

 

[MSGGrunt]

I was originally thinking that the dark blue, from everything I read, was going to be too dark and closer to black than blue but, the blue really comes out in the sun.

Other than the mechanical things like water pump, serpentine belt, plugs, fluids, etc I have been thinking about a few modifications to personalize the car, to include:

- Satin black powdercoated rims with colored Porsche center caps.
- Tint the rear taillights and maybe the front.
- And a subtle rocker panel decal in black to match the black rims. Either "Porsche" or Cayman S" not sure yet.
- Clear side markers.

 

[Jerry V]

Beautiful car!

Enjoy your new ride.

My Porsche buying experience took a few twists and turns but, ultimately I ended up with a nice 2007 Cayman S but, back to that in a bit.

I originally started looking at 996 911's as they were the only Porsche, or so I thought, that was within my budget. Along the way I learned about IMS and RMS. Learned about AOS and composite water pump impellers. My search was done locally and on the web. I drove several cars and knew some things I had to have... coupe, manual and I wanted a cool (red, white, blue, even speed yellow maybe) color. All was going well until work took me from Massachusetts to Monterey, CA and on the one down day I had I discovered that the local San Francisco PCCA chapter was having an Event at Laguna Seca. I thought to myself, what better way to see a bunch of Porsches...

This is where my quest gets sidetracked... I saw a guards red with tan leather interior Cayman S.

I do more research... I can get a newer model year Cayman within my budget than a 996, the mid-engine gets rave reviews, less RMS/IMS issues and the true 2-seater isn't an issue for me.

I knew I wanted the S variant for, well no logical reason I guess. I knew it had to be manual and with relatively low miles. I could say I wanted more power, better brakes, etc but, I won't be tracking the car and would probably never drive to the limits of the standard Cayman.

After many days of searching I narrowed the field down to two cars.

Car #1
06 Cayman S
Silver with black interior
36,700 miles
1 owner
Being sold by original selling dealership
Always dealer maintained
$27,900

Car#2
07 Cayman S
Midnight Blue with tan interior
36,000 miles
4 owners
Good maintenance history but, not as good as car #1
$27,700
No issues on PPI other than like new tires have a production date in 2012 and plugs, water pump, serpentine belt were recommended. No sigs of RMS/IMS oil leaks.

I drove 5 hours from MA to NJ to look at car #1. It drove tight but was boring, if that can be said about any Porsche. It didn't have a single option... No sport chrono, no sport package, no upgraded sound system, standard 18" wheels, nothing. Well, it did have Makkassar wood trim on the dash but, that was it. The car was nice but, it didn't evoke anything in me and the dealer would only drop the price to $27,000 with all fees, not state taxes, included. It had worn climate control switched, a quarter size dent on the rear "hip", and an issue with the coating peeling off the center console. I thought this was overpriced for a no options 06 even with low miles and good service.

Another 1.5 hour drive south to PA where I met the owner of the 07. The car drove as nice as the 06 but was a more nicely optioned car. The midnight blue looked amazing in the sun. The color really did surprise me. I thought it was going to be much darker and that I would like it less but, boy was I wrong. The tan leather interior was spotless. No wear on the driver's seat bolster, no scuffs on the sill plates, no wear on any of the control switches, had very clean original floor matts, Sport Chrono package, Sport package, upgraded 19" wheels, etc... Heck, I couldn't even find any mentionable stone chips on the front of the car. The maintenance history on this car isn't as solid as the 06 but, the owner, self admittedly, is only a driver and has a mechanic look after the car when it is time for maintenance. It has had regular oil changes, brake pads, new tires etc and he provided receipts. For peace of mind I will plan on things like new spark plugs, water pump, low temp thermostat, serpentine belt, brake fluid flush, clean out the radiators, etc... All the things I normally do when I buy a new used car and the things a Cayman will need.

4 previous owners initially was off putting but, of the 4, #1 and #2 were the same individual. #1 was on a corporate lease and #2 was the owner of the corp. after coming off lease. #3 was a car enthusiast friend of the seller and #4 the seller. The seller has a variety of tastes in cars and he told me that he was only selling the Cayman because he had just purchased a limited edition Bullet Mustang off the #3 owner/friend.

We negotiated a price of $26,000. This may be on the higher end for an 07 but, I liked it over the 06. I like that it has only 36,000ish miles, loved the Midnight blue over tan leather, and I like how the car was optioned.

Paperwork was done and I will be flying down next week to pick up the car and drive it back the MA.


QUESTIONS:

1. At right around 36,000 miles should I be considering replacing the water pump? When I asked this question about the 06 at the dealership their service guy said they don't change water pumps as preventive maintenance and that the coolant doesn't get changed until 100,000 miles. I won't see 100,000 for a number of years given that it will only be driven in the summer and stored the other 5 or 6 months.

2. I have also read that the plugs should be changed at 60,000 miles or 4/5 years regardless of miles because of potential issues with them seizing in the heads. True or not?

3. What is the service interval for replacing the AO separator/s?

I will enjoy the remaining weeks of relative nice weather here in New England before the car is put away for the winter.

 

[misspandme]

Beautiful car!

Enjoy your new ride.

Beat of luck with your new car . It looks awesome !

 

[danschy]

....
QUESTIONS:
1. At right around 36,000 miles should I be considering replacing the water pump? When I asked this question about the 06 at the dealership their service guy said they don't change water pumps as preventive maintenance and that the coolant doesn't get changed until 100,000 miles. I won't see 100,000 for a number of years given that it will only be driven in the summer and stored the other 5 or 6 months.
2. I have also read that the plugs should be changed at 60,000 miles or 4/5 years regardless of miles because of potential issues with them seizing in the heads. True or not?
3. What is the service interval for replacing the AO separator/s?

I strongly recommend just following the Porsche maintenance guide for your car. Porsche also has recommendations in the manual on how to store your car; follow them.

 

[MSGGrunt]

You know there is a problem, depending on who's view you listen to, when I am sitting on an Amtrak heading to pick up the Cayman and I just ordered:

- Oil filter
- Air filter
- Cabin filter
- Serpentine belt
- 6 plugs

Not knowing when these were done I will at least start with my own base-lining of the car. Water pump probably will be done while I am doing the belt. I thought I read where the idler pulley bearings could be sourced at a local Napa vs replacing the entire idler and at a reduced cost? Is this the case? Anyone have part numbers? Or do I just go in with the bearing and they measure it and match against a catalog/computer?

 

[danschy]

Y.... Water pump probably will be done while I am doing the belt. I thought I read where the idler pulley bearings could be sourced at a local Napa vs replacing the entire idler and at a reduced cost? Is this the case? Anyone have part numbers? Or do I just go in with the bearing and they measure it and match against a catalog/computer?

Many people advocate preemptively replacing the water pump at 40k miles. I do not plan to replace mine until it starts leaking or making noise. If you read through all the forum water pump postings over the years, you will find some that have failed in less than 10k miles - others lasting well past 100k. I believe there was a bad batch in cars built in 06-07, and Consumer Reports repair data somewhat confirms this, although on a very small sample size. I believe if you use a Porsche pump you want one with suffix 05, which is better than 04, or so I remember. All the above is anecdotal and unscientific.
No info on replacing tensioner with anything other than the correct Porsche part.

 

[MSGGrunt]

The water pump will be replaced I just need to order one. I do know that I am of the belief that the composite impeller is better than the steel or bronze versions. I would rather have impeller pieces in my coolant than a block torn up by a failed pump with a steel or bronze impeller.

I read that the bearings can be pressed out of the tensioner/pulley/guide roller and replaced at a fraction of the cost. As long as high quality bearing can be sourced.

Tangent... Speaking of bearings, I was stationed in Schweinfurt Germany in the mid to late 80's and can still remember bomb craters on the Land Navigation course from where we bombed the crap out of the ball bearing factory there during WWII. I believe it was the SKF factory, or at least that's what I remembered it being when I was there.

This was also when my love for German cars began. I owned a BMW 520i as well as a less than pristine, though running, 1972 Porsche Targa. Wish I had that Targa now.

 

[danschy]

...I read that the bearings can be pressed out of the tensioner/pulley/guide roller and replaced at a fraction of the cost. As long as high quality bearing can be sourced....

Perhpas. You can get a MUBEA replacement for about $70, or Porsche replacement for around $120, so not a huge cost.

 

[billmarr]

I emailed to try and go see your new car in Fleetwood, PA! Was told I was too late.

On the flip side I just agreed on a purchase of an 07 Cayman S, midnight blue with tan interior in Connecticut. As long as the PPI goes well Monday, I'll be picking mine up Tuesday!

 

[MSGGrunt]

The car is now in my possession and back in MA.

- Train from Springfield, MA to Penn Station New York City left at 0600
- Penn Station to Lancaster, PA arrived at 11:15.- Finalized all the paperwork and got on the road.
- Just under 400 miles, several stops and finally pulled in my garage at around 11:00 PM.

My Random observations of the car in no particular order:

- I love when you start the car you hear the motor BEHIND you.
- The motor sure has it's own distinct sound.
- I love when you look out the front windshield and in the driver's side mirror you see the "bulges" of the front and rear fenders.
- I wish the backlighting of the radio and climate controls was just a little brighter.
- I was surprised that the Sport Chrono timer on the dash wasn't back lit when the headlights were turned on.
- The seats are the perfect width for me other than my wallet pinching my ***. Lol.
- I like that my car has the manual seats.
- Glad there is no sunroof.
- The base sound system sounds good to my ears but, I am no audiophile.

 

[MSGGrunt]

I have had a chance to get to know the car and am even more pleased with it. Everything about it is super clean. The tools have never been out of their case, the slime is still in it's original plastic bag, though probably not good for anything but a shelf ornament, the front trunk has seen a very easy life, no pitting on the headlights and the interior is super clean.

 

[MSGGrunt]

A couple more pictures

 

[eric1234]

Wait 'till you drive at night and see how great those dynamic zenon headlights are!!

 

[billmarr]

That's great that you had such a clean PPI. Fingers crossed that mine goes as well tomorrow!

 

[racergreg]

A couple more pictures

The interior looks great, and you have the sport steering wheel, which is much better than the standard. Congrats!

You will probably find, as I did, that the sand beige floor mats are impossible to keep clean. You can replace them with black ones and they visually fit in just fine.

 

[MSGGrunt]

What makes the sport steering wheel different and better?

Yes, the floor matts look like they will be fun trying to keep clean. I just figure some carpet cleaner and a good scrubbing will be needed periodically.

And lastly, what was Porsche thinking with the horn tone? It's almost to the point of being embarrassing.