Gen 2 Cayman Questions & Options

[SkinnyP]

I’m in the market for a gen 2 Cayman 2.9 but I just want to make sure I’ve got everything covered.

1. Between the two models are the only differences the engine, the wheels, the tailpipe and the rear discs which are 4mm thicker on the 3.4?

2. I’ve yet to see a car advertised with an LSD, nevertheless is there a way to tell if the car has one fitted? Besides doing a donut in that is…Also do these cars even need an LSD? Normally I wouldn’t have a RWD car without one but 265bhp and 265 wide rear tyres…it must have so much mechanical traction out of the box.

3. What's the standard sound system like? I am fussy when it comes to audio…how does it compare with BMW’s Logitech 7?

4. If a Cayman 2.9 has circular tail pipes does this mean it has PSE?

5. Do 4/5 year old examples need a Porsche warranty? From what I read the gen 2s seem to be pretty darn reliable!

6. Should there be any smoke on startup from cold or warm, and do these cars typically consume oil?

7. Do these cars respond well to remapping? They must do if Porsche see fit to make the Sport Chrono package?

8. Can the sports steering wheel be retrofitted?

9. Is servicing always every 20k miles / 2 years?

10. Can anyone identify the wheels in this picture, and will Porsche charge me a fortune for a new set?



Lastly does anyone have a price list with all the options? It would be nice to know how much they cost..

If anyone is tempted to part with their Xenon equipped 2.9 Cayman for less than £25k please get in touch (currently none on autotrader!).

Thanks

[FrankCayman]

I had a gen 2 Cayman from new back in 2009. Lovely car.

I will answer the questions I know!

1. The front spoiler lip is unpainted black on the non S. I had mine colour coded from new as I think it looks strange without!

3. You'll need the sound package option....I wouldn't worry about Bose as the cabin is boomy enough without the extra bass.

4. Think if you opted for stainless steel pipes these were twin circular but not always PSE (defo not the case on 981 as I opted for them on mine without PSE)

5. 2.9 is most reliable engine in all the Caymans, but I'd still have a warranty for peace of mind.

6. Yes. They smoke on start up a lot! Mine drunk loads in the first 10K of ownership to then not drink hardly any right up to when I sold it 3 years and 80K miles later.

8. Yes

9. Yes

10. Look like Turbo 2 wheels that have been refinished completely painted. They originally came with a diamond cut face and graphite grey paint inside.

Hope this helps, mate!

Edited by FrankCayman on Wednesday 7th May 20:16

[craigjm]

1. Between the two models are the only differences the engine, the wheels, the tailpipe and the rear discs which are 4mm thicker on the 3.4?

No there are a number of other differences too like unpainted external trim and the callipers are black not red etc

2. I’ve yet to see a car advertised with an LSD, nevertheless is there a way to tell if the car has one fitted? Besides doing a donut in that is…Also do these cars even need an LSD? Normally I wouldn’t have a RWD car without one but 265bhp and 265 wide rear tyres…it must have so much mechanical traction out of the box.

I have one on mine. They are quite mild

3. What's the standard sound system like? I am fussy when it comes to audio…how does it compare with BMW’s Logitech 7?

Rubbish. Even the top Bose system is pretty poor.

4. If a Cayman 2.9 has circular tail pipes does this mean it has PSE?

No, PSE will give you a button on the dash to turn on or off

5. Do 4/5 year old examples need a Porsche warranty? From what I read the gen 2s seem to be pretty darn reliable!

I personally would always keep the warranty going

6. Should there be any smoke on startup from cold or warm, and do these cars typically consume oil?

My S does smoke occasionally but it doesn't really use any oil now although it did in the first 10k

7. Do these cars respond well to remapping? They must do if Porsche see fit to make the Sport Chrono package?

Not really because they are not turbo. The chrono maps just give you different levels of aggressiveness not more power

8. Can the sports steering wheel be retrofitted?

Yes

9. Is servicing always every 20k miles / 2 years?

Yes

10. Can anyone identify the wheels in this picture, and will Porsche charge me a fortune for a new set?

They are Boxster S wheels and yes

Edited by craigjm on Wednesday 7th May 20:38

[mrdemon]

FrankCayman said:

I had a gen 2 Cayman from new back in 2009. Lovely car.


5. 2.9 is most reliable engine in all the Caymans, but I'd still have a warranty for peace of mind.

where do you get that info and why would it be more reliable than a 3.4dfi, as I have not heard any issues with the 3.4 dfi unit.


10. Look like Turbo 2 wheels that have been refinished completely painted. They originally came with a diamond cut face and graphite grey paint inside.

look more like fake £500 turbo 2's to me

[SkinnyP]

Thanks for all of the replies, I really do appreciate it.

Good shout regarding the front lip spoiler, I had not noticed! Unfortunately that’ll now annoy me…

Disappointing to hear the sound system isn’t great as I quite like busting my tunes, maybe there’s a good aftermarket option.

So is it just a hint of blue smoke on start up? I guess this is from the oil seeping into the cylinders?

My understanding is the warranty is £900 a year and requires an inspection check before commencing (which is almost £200 iirc), I assume you need a full Porsche service history to qualify?

Thanks once again, now if only someone will decide to sell their Xenon and heated seat equipped Cayman I may actually get to own one. They are the only two options that I'm really fussed on, the rest I can live without.

[FrankCayman]

craigjm said:

10. Can anyone identify the wheels in this picture, and will Porsche charge me a fortune for a new set?

They are Boxster S wheels and yes

Edited by craigjm on Wednesday 7th May 20:38

They are Turbo 2 wheels...real or fake. Boxster S wheels are 18". If the ones pictured are 18", they are defo fake, as turbo 2's are 19"

Edited by FrankCayman on Wednesday 7th May 21:46

[shoestring7]

mrdemon said:

FrankCayman said:

I had a gen 2 Cayman from new back in 2009. Lovely car.


5. 2.9 is most reliable engine in all the Caymans, but I'd still have a warranty for peace of mind.

where do you get that info and why would it be more reliable than a 3.4dfi, as I have not heard any issues with the 3.4 dfi unit.

Its not unknown for DFI engines to have problems with sludging; the 2.9 is the new 9A1 engine but isn't DFI.

SS7

[mrdemon]

Not seen that effect in Porsche sports cars, Audi had issues and they just ran the oil a bit hotter to cure the issue.

Show me a Cayman dfi engine with gunk issues .....

Edited by mrdemon on Wednesday 7th May 21:55

[FrankCayman]

SkinnyP said:

Thanks for all of the replies, I really do appreciate it.

Good shout regarding the front lip spoiler, I had not noticed! Unfortunately that’ll now annoy me…

Disappointing to hear the sound system isn’t great as I quite like busting my tunes, maybe there’s a good aftermarket option.

So is it just a hint of blue smoke on start up? I guess this is from the oil seeping into the cylinders?

My understanding is the warranty is £900 a year and requires an inspection check before commencing (which is almost £200 iirc), I assume you need a full Porsche service history to qualify?

Thanks once again, now if only someone will decide to sell their Xenon and heated seat equipped Cayman I may actually get to own one. They are the only two options that I'm really fussed on, the rest I can live without.

My 987 gen 2 was guards red...the black lip spoiler looked terrible! Had colour coded before I picked it up!

Re the smoke, sometimes a rather large puff of white smoke. Could be quite embarrassing...but nothing to worry about..my 987 2.7 gen 1 boxster would do the same. No probs with my current 981 Cayman though.

Mate, I love my music and found the upgraded stereo fine. Caymans have quite a lot of road noise anyway....oh, and if you add anything non Porsche to the car, you can kiss goodbye to a Porsche warranty. Got to be OEM stuff only. If those wheels are fake, they'll need changing before Porsche will cover it.

[craigjm]

FrankCayman said:

They are Turbo 2 wheels...real or fake. Boxster S wheels are 18". If the ones pictured are 18", they are defo fake, as turbo 2's are 19"

Edited by FrankCayman on Wednesday 7th May 21:46

You're right I've had another look and they are Turbo 2 wheels

[FrankCayman]

craigjm said:

You're right I've had another look and they are Turbo 2 wheels

Cheers mate. Defo been refinished...or as Mr Demon said...could be fake.

[FrankCayman]

shoestring7 said:

Its not unknown for DFI engines to have problems with sludging; the 2.9 is the new 9A1 engine but isn't DFI.

SS7

That's what I've read too.

End of the day, my recommendation for the 2.9 is based on my own experience of covering 80K + worth of faultless miles.

[FisiP1]

Big puff of white smoke on startup sometimes, but clears after about 5-10 seconds.

Standard sound system is terrible.

Mine had twin tailpipes but no PSE, you have to check for the button on the dash like someone mentioned.

[Klippie]

I priced up the Sport Design wheel (non PDK) for my Cayman S...an eye watering £2000.

Is there any particular reason your after a 2.9 rather than the 3.4

[wellzee]

Real (or not refurbed) Turbo 2's on my old 987. Albeit not a great photo for showing the shine of the Diamond cut. My personal thought is those are probably aftermarket. And yes, Porsche will charge you a fortune to supply a new set direct.

Edited by wellzee on Thursday 8th May 11:54

[freddy the frog]

Might be selling my 2012 aqua blue pdk 9000mile mint cayman in a couple of months but you wont get it for 25,000

[SkinnyP]

Thanks for the further feedback.

I'm settled on the 2.9 because I prefer a car with equipment to an 3.4 without. Plus 265bhp will be enough 9 times out of 10.

Do we know why these engines emit white smoke on startup?

I've still yet to read anything that justifies the need for the warranty though, on a gen 1 yes but not a gen 2.

Interesting to read else where that dealers can retrofit cruise control, can anything else be retrofitted?

[craigjm]

SkinnyP said:

Thanks for the further feedback.

I'm settled on the 2.9 because I prefer a car with equipment to an 3.4 without. Plus 265bhp will be enough 9 times out of 10.

Do we know why these engines emit white smoke on startup?

I've still yet to read anything that justifies the need for the warranty though, on a gen 1 yes but not a gen 2.

Interesting to read else where that dealers can retrofit cruise control, can anything else be retrofitted?

The white smoke comes from oil laying in the engine due to the flat configuration as far as I know.

Warranty fixes I have had on my gen 2 -

Air con failure
Power steering pump failure
PASM failure
Drivers side window failure leading to window lowering and car filling with water so they repaired all the trim
Xenon headlight failure

Warranty is a gamble at the end of the day. I've extended mine after every service automatically and just count it as part of the running costs

[VladD]

Just for reference my Boxster has 380bhp and no LSD. Parr wanted to fit one when the previous owner had the turbo conversion done, but he insisted that his driving style didn't warrant one. I hate to admit it, but I don't think mine does either (I'm getting old now). Mine's a daily commuter though, so maybe as a weekend/track car I may think differently.

[juansolo]

SkinnyP said:

I’m in the market for a gen 2 Cayman 2.9 but I just want to make sure I’ve got everything covered.

1. Between the two models are the only differences the engine, the wheels, the tailpipe and the rear discs which are 4mm thicker on the 3.4?

2.9 has smaller, narrower, lighter wheels as standard. Front disks are smaller diameter (and much cheaper), rears are the same IIRC. Single tailpipe (it's just the end bit and it's interchangeable). A few cosmetic bits and bobs.

SkinnyP said:

2. I’ve yet to see a car advertised with an LSD, nevertheless is there a way to tell if the car has one fitted? Besides doing a donut in that is…Also do these cars even need an LSD? Normally I wouldn’t have a RWD car without one but 265bhp and 265 wide rear tyres…it must have so much mechanical traction out of the box.

Unless you get a Cayman R or Spyder I'd steer clear of the LSD option. They didn't fettle the suspension set up on the gen2 cars to take account of it on the others and all they do is understeer.

The 2.9 doesn't need it anyhow, it has loads of rear end traction. Indeed if you're putting the wider tyres on, there's an excess of rear end grip that will cause more understeer on their own, the LSD will exaggerate that. Have a look at the vid of Tiff driving around Anglesey in an LSD equipped genII vs an Evora for an example of what it does to them.

SkinnyP said:

3. What's the standard sound system like? I am fussy when it comes to audio…how does it compare with BMW’s Logitech 7?

Adequate. That's about as much as you can say for it. The engine thankfully sounds nice enough that it's a bit irrelevant.

SkinnyP said:

4. If a Cayman 2.9 has circular tail pipes does this mean it has PSE?

Nope, you can spec the tailpipes without PSE. They just came with PSE as standard also. If it's got PSE it'll have a button on the centre console that opens the valves. If it hasn't got PSE, get a Carnewal GT exhaust modification instead.

SkinnyP said:

5. Do 4/5 year old examples need a Porsche warranty? From what I read the gen 2s seem to be pretty darn reliable!

Unless you buy it from an OPC, you're only going to get what warranty whichever dealer gives it with. Personally I've don't have one and mine's 7 years old.

SkinnyP said:

6. Should there be any smoke on startup from cold or warm, and do these cars typically consume oil?

You get a bit of smoke on start up with most of the flat 6s. It should clear pretty quick though.

Mine doesn't use any oil. Using oil, particularly a noticeable amount could point to the RMS leaking (check for dripping/puddles) or bore scoring (excessive smoke). If it's using it, it's going somewhere...

SkinnyP said:

7. Do these cars respond well to remapping? They must do if Porsche see fit to make the Sport Chrono package?

Sports Chrono doesn't re-map the car. It changes the map of the drive by wire throttle. IE you don't have to press it as far to get the same effect... You still only go from 0 to 100% throttle, it just happens sooner and makes the car feel more urgent. You can get the same effect by pressing the throttle further/faster/harder. It's a marketing gimmick and a particularly ugly clock along with it.

If you want a faster car, buy the S rather than pissing money away on remapping.

SkinnyP said:

8. Can the sports steering wheel be retrofitted?

Don't see why not.

SkinnyP said:

9. Is servicing always every 20k miles / 2 years?

Yes.

SkinnyP said:

10. Can anyone identify the wheels in this picture, and will Porsche charge me a fortune for a new set?

Turbo II alloys and yes, if you buy them from Porsche they'll bend you over big style for them.


There's a buyers guide on my site if you're interested.

http://juansolo.demon.co.uk/motas/porker13.html

Edited by juansolo on Thursday 8th May 16:36