Cayman 987 / VX220 / Mini R50

[Shedding]

After years of reading about other people’s cars, I thought I would start my own thread. I run a variety of older cars including a Mini R50, a VX220 and a Cayman 987 so there’s usually something needing attention.

I bought the Cayman in March. It’s a 2007 model with the base 2.7 engine. This means it has the stronger IMS bearing and little concern about bore-score (unlike the 3.4S which I specifically avoided). It’s a manual and scrapes into the lower road tax bracket. I spent 6 months watching for this exact specification and then it popped up for sale on Gumtree just a few miles from me. The seller seemed a nice guy and told me that the coolant pipes have been recently changed along with the air-oil separator, a short shifter and new leather gear knob.

I’ve driven it as my daily since and so far it seems good. Of course there are a few niggles which I’ll sort over the coming months. The inner door seals have failed so the door trim gets wet, the washer fluid leaks away behind the nearside front wheel and I need to install mesh at the front to protect the radiators. Clearly I need to give it a wash. Actually the body is remarkably clean and scratch / ding / rust free.

[IroningMan]

Nice.

On my Boxster the screen wash leak was down to the pump body being split - it’s all pretty straightforward once you get the arch liner out.

[2pad]

Very nice mate. I have a 2.7 manual Cayman of the same vintage. Meteor grey and few options. Best car I've owned in 20+ years of car ownership. Shame I have sell her v soon hope she goes to a good home.

[deebs]

Looks good, point of order though, all the 987 Caymans have the later bigger IMS bearing

[Shedding]

deebs said:

Looks good, point of order though, all the 987 Caymans have the later bigger IMS bearing

Ah, good to know. There's a lot of reading on IMS, bore score and oil leaks when trying to choose what to buy.

[deebs]

Shedding said:

deebs said:

Looks good, point of order though, all the 987 Caymans have the later bigger IMS bearing

Ah, good to know. There's a lot of reading on IMS, bore score and oil leaks when trying to choose what to buy.

The 2.7s a good bet as there's not much of a risk of bore scoring, all the Caymans got the later bearing reducing IMS risks so you're left with the other common but less fatal issues. RMS which most just leave weeping until new clutch, coolant crossover pipes which require the front axle out to change, gear linkages. Sounds like the xover pipes have been done on yours. Brake pipe can be a bit of a expense.

Take it somewhere that know the cars every other year and change the oil/filter every 10k/12 months in between and fingers crossed it'll stay reliable, mine has been.

[Kingdom35]

2pad said:

Very nice mate. I have a 2.7 manual Cayman of the same vintage. Meteor grey and few options. Best car I've owned in 20+ years of car ownership. Shame I have sell her v soon hope she goes to a good home.

Possibly in the market for a Cayman soon.
Commute down to 10 mile each way. Always fancied one especially the grey colour.
Keep me informed when you’re selling. Send me the spec if you.

Sorry non intentional thread hijack

Interested in your thoughts OP on how it’s been as a daily

[Mj2k]

Zunsport grilles is what you need - Porsche owners club has a discount code from memory

[Shedding]

Thanks for all the helpful hints and tips. The pump seems to be the common culprit for the washer fluid leak and I've read it's a generic part used on lots of cars so that should be easy enough. I'll keep this thread updated for anyone who's interested.

As a daily, its nice and compact for the B roads I mostly drive. The flat six sounds good and I seem to be averaging out at 26mpg. It's very balanced around the corners and the manual box is sweet. 240bhp doesn't feel lacking to me but I'm more for the corners and gear changes than flat out acceleration.

Edited to add, the week I bought it, there was still significant snow. It wasn't as bad as I thought it might be but it wasn't great. I won't be running it in the winter grime anyway, that's what my Mini is for.

Edited by Shedding on Friday 2nd June 21:46

[rossmc88]

I bought a black 2.7 for the same reasons as you - doesn’t suffer from the major problems of the bigger engines. The 2.7 gets slagged for being under powered but it’s superb to rev and get the most out of it. It’s a proper drivers car and more about the handing and balance. Can’t believe they are so cheap and more people aren’t into them. It’s a great kept secret while everyone else spends a fortune on 911s

[Kingdom35]

That’s good information to know.
Has anyone had theirs remapped at all? Or is it best to keep them original? (Noted the possible/perception “under powered”)

26mpg isn’t too bad for such a car I’m only getting 33-35mpg from my Proceed GT at present anyway and now a shorter commute.

How regular are service intervals? Usual cost?

I’ve heard they’re quite cheap to run/maintain.

Looking at around the 12-13k mark and so a 2006/2007

[Shedding]

Time for an update.

I used the Cayman through the summer as my daily (well, hybrid working) driver. I was also lucky enough to pick up genuine Porsche roof bars so I can carry my bike too – brilliant, I can enjoy the drive and the cycle.



Meantime, I sorted out my Mini. It’s a 2002 R50 with 155K miles on the clock so this probably wasn’t worth the effort. I like the car though.

I replaced the rear brake discs and pads and a rear hub and then moved onto the rust. First off, the nasty looking rear subframe. Then I cut some rust away and needle-gunned the entire rear section which revealed a few more holes. I then welded, painted on 2 pack epoxy (an old tin so was a bit lumpy) and then used a compressor to spray Dinitrol onto everything and into all cavities. A replacement rear subframe, new brake hoses all round and new front callipers finished it off. It passed the MOT with a much-reduced list of advisories and then shortly after the alternator failed so I replaced that, with a new belt too. It’s running great now and I used it all winter while the Porsche hibernated.

[DanG355]

The Mini may not be valuable, but well worth doing the work if it's useful to you and you like the car. I think they're great little cars, especially as a second car you can use to nip to the shops in and park anywhere. No worries about the odd car park ding or scratch either. Also great fun to throw down a country lane.

The 2.7 Cayman is an underrated car. You did well to avoid a car in the higher tax bracket as it would grate to now pay £700 a year! They are no supercar but you can hold the accelerator fully down and enjoy the revs through the gears and the handling balance is brilliant. If anything they handle too well and can feel a little too planted if you want to feel it move around underneath you. But I guess that's where the VX220 comes in...

[Om]

Nice. I too am a 2.7 Cayman owner - we got it about the same time as you. After a few fairly minor jobs it is running great and I am becoming more relaxed that it is less likely to throw up any huge bills.

For me the power/torque of the 2.7 is just perfect for the roads here. Plenty of go, but at least you can use the revs/gears for a sufficient length of time to enjoy that falt-six.

Next job will be new tyres all round in the next couple of months, then that should be the major expenditure out of the way!

[Shedding]

Om said:

Nice. I too am a 2.7 Cayman owner - we got it about the same time as you. After a few fairly minor jobs it is running great and I am becoming more relaxed that it is less likely to throw up any huge bills.

I empathise with that for sure. My Check Engine Light came on with misfires last week and I was relieved to solve it yesterday without too much pain - update to follow.

[gofasterrosssco]

Cool. I'm also a VX220 owner (with bolt on hair dryer) and looking at an early Cayman too. I guess they are somewhat the same but also very different!. I'm hoping a Cayman gives the usability as my old MR2s.

Also Aberdeenshire for me.

[Shedding]

gofasterrosssco said:

Cool. I'm also a VX220 owner (with bolt on hair dryer) and looking at an early Cayman too. I guess they are somewhat the same but also very different!. I'm hoping a Cayman gives the usability as my old MR2s.

Also Aberdeenshire for me.

I loved my old MR2 Mk1. Yes, the Cayman is as usable as the MR2, unlike the VX220, you don't have to crawl out of it and it's tall enough that other drivers actually see you. My VX220 is the 2.2 NA, not a tubby.

Did you get Aberdeenshire from the hill in the background?

[gofasterrosssco]

Shedding said:

gofasterrosssco said:

Cool. I'm also a VX220 owner (with bolt on hair dryer) and looking at an early Cayman too. I guess they are somewhat the same but also very different!. I'm hoping a Cayman gives the usability as my old MR2s.

Also Aberdeenshire for me.

I loved my old MR2 Mk1. Yes, the Cayman is as usable as the MR2, unlike the VX220, you don't have to crawl out of it and it's tall enough that other drivers actually see you. My VX220 is the 2.2 NA, not a tubby.

Did you get Aberdeenshire from the hill in the background?

Yeah had a few Mk1's (had a few of them all tbh!). Cool. I miss a frunk. Worth it for that alone ha!.

Yeah mine was an NA, but now a 2.0 Saab Supercharged.

Nah, it said it on your profile!

[Shedding]

DanG355 said:

The Mini may not be valuable, but well worth doing the work if it's useful to you and you like the car. I think they're great little cars, especially as a second car you can use to nip to the shops in and park anywhere. No worries about the odd car park ding or scratch either. Also great fun to throw down a country lane.

Exactly. I bought it in 2016 for £1,400 as a stop gap but loved it straight away. Cheap to insure for learners too.

[Shedding]

gofasterrosssco said:

Yeah had a few Mk1's (had a few of them all tbh!). Cool. I miss a frunk. Worth it for that alone ha!.

Yeah mine was an NA, but now a 2.0 Saab Supercharged.

Nah, it said it on your profile!

Haha, the frunk is big actually, good enough for a supermarket shop. Still miss pop up headlamps though.