Buying my first Porsche
Discussion
I've been in the market for a new car for the past 3 months or so. I drive a 340i 2017 F31 as my daily driver which I love and will keep that as my main car for the foreseeable.
Initially I wanted a fun, cheap manual to use on weekends and looked at some older Type R, S2000s and Miatas. Budget initially was £5k, but that slowly went up to £10k and now I'm looking at no higher than £15-20k.
So welcome 981 and 987 into my daily autotrader search.
I know it's been done so much but mainly looking for people who've lived with both. The cars gonna be sharing daily duties with my F31 so will be covering 10-12k miles a year + the yearly trip to Europe.
I'm looking at the 2.7 base models. I know the 981 would be easier to live with as a second daily car but some of the 987s are going for £10ish (with >100k miles) but they are really getting on now and obviously wear and tear is going to be an issue.
Any pistonheads keen to give me any guidance? I want manual but just keen to hear some thoughts from people who've driven or owned either. Insurance for me works out cheaper than my F31 even with more mileage which is wild but it is what it is lol.
Initially I wanted a fun, cheap manual to use on weekends and looked at some older Type R, S2000s and Miatas. Budget initially was £5k, but that slowly went up to £10k and now I'm looking at no higher than £15-20k.
So welcome 981 and 987 into my daily autotrader search.
I know it's been done so much but mainly looking for people who've lived with both. The cars gonna be sharing daily duties with my F31 so will be covering 10-12k miles a year + the yearly trip to Europe.
I'm looking at the 2.7 base models. I know the 981 would be easier to live with as a second daily car but some of the 987s are going for £10ish (with >100k miles) but they are really getting on now and obviously wear and tear is going to be an issue.
Any pistonheads keen to give me any guidance? I want manual but just keen to hear some thoughts from people who've driven or owned either. Insurance for me works out cheaper than my F31 even with more mileage which is wild but it is what it is lol.
As someone who has never owned a Porsche, whenever I watch a YouTube video of someone buying a "bargain" Porsche, they always seem to discover it has bore score a few weeks into ownership.
I am sure the previous owner didn't know, honest guv, but the rebuild cost is the same or more than the cost of the car.
I am sure the previous owner didn't know, honest guv, but the rebuild cost is the same or more than the cost of the car.
Have lived with various Boxster 987 (2005 2.7, 2005 3.2, 2009 "Gen 2" 3.4) but mostly when they were much newer (2012-2015) and now run a 981 S as a 3rd car. You want to avoid the 987.1 3.2 and 3.4 engines but others are much better.
981 is generally a more robust car (lots of little reasons) and looks more modern - quite a big jump inside in particular. The big thing that makes the car more dailyable is the better PDK gearbox in the 981, if looking at manual there is not as much in it. Gen 1 987 needs some kind of adapter to connect your phone for music, but PCCM+ is an option for these. You can add carplay to a 981. If storing outside, make sure you keep those drainholes clear and check under the passenger carpet for damp (I had issues in 2 of my 987s). They have loads of boot space so plenty dailyable from that perspective.
A base 987 will have been a £10k car for the last 10 years and won't have neccessarily been looked after, whereas a decent 981 hasn't really dropped much below £20k and typically have been looked after much better. The 981 interior seems a lot less susceptible to wear, my 55k 2012 is immaculate.
They are all very options sensitive and even a 981 doesn't have climate control, parking sensors or folding mirrors as standard so just need to get very good at what to look for.
Both are proper sports cars and drive like that...
Some random thoughts but hope that helps
981 is generally a more robust car (lots of little reasons) and looks more modern - quite a big jump inside in particular. The big thing that makes the car more dailyable is the better PDK gearbox in the 981, if looking at manual there is not as much in it. Gen 1 987 needs some kind of adapter to connect your phone for music, but PCCM+ is an option for these. You can add carplay to a 981. If storing outside, make sure you keep those drainholes clear and check under the passenger carpet for damp (I had issues in 2 of my 987s). They have loads of boot space so plenty dailyable from that perspective.
A base 987 will have been a £10k car for the last 10 years and won't have neccessarily been looked after, whereas a decent 981 hasn't really dropped much below £20k and typically have been looked after much better. The 981 interior seems a lot less susceptible to wear, my 55k 2012 is immaculate.
They are all very options sensitive and even a 981 doesn't have climate control, parking sensors or folding mirrors as standard so just need to get very good at what to look for.
Both are proper sports cars and drive like that...
Some random thoughts but hope that helps
I wouldn't wholesale rule out an early 987 because they can be fantastic cars and the good ones will last for years yet. Yes bore scoring on the 987/Cayman and any P-car using that same model engine was/is susceptible and it is not known what the numbers affected are. This is a good read for pointers and also check out their YouTube videos - very comprehensive and informative content.
The other is the IMS bearing but that was resolved from MY06 cars. RMS is the last of the three biggies but that is almost unheard of beyond Gen1 987 cars.
Cheap motoring for what is a cracking car.
The other is the IMS bearing but that was resolved from MY06 cars. RMS is the last of the three biggies but that is almost unheard of beyond Gen1 987 cars.
Cheap motoring for what is a cracking car.
shadowedition said:
To be honest that's why I'm not looking at the S or 3.4s. Just keen on one of the later 2.9 engines to keep as my second daily.
I bought a 987.2 Cayman 2.9 18 months ago for the same reason. It was a private sale with a documented history with all invoices etc from Day 1.Touch wood, it's given me no problems so far (apart from two blistered Goodyear tyres) and servicing is very reasonable at a local Indy
I’ve had both a manual 987.2 with the 2.9 and a PDK 981 with the 2.7.
Both great cars, but in your case I’d be leaning towards a manual 987.2. Fabulous car, fun to drive, reliable and engaging but equally at home on a longer run. I didn’t find the 2.9 underpowered and it’s a wonderful engine. Paired with a Carnewal exhaust it sounded amazing too,
The PDK box is also amazing and I loved my 981 but they’re different cars to a 987.2.
Both great cars, but in your case I’d be leaning towards a manual 987.2. Fabulous car, fun to drive, reliable and engaging but equally at home on a longer run. I didn’t find the 2.9 underpowered and it’s a wonderful engine. Paired with a Carnewal exhaust it sounded amazing too,
The PDK box is also amazing and I loved my 981 but they’re different cars to a 987.2.
I had a 987.1 Cayman S which I had maintained by a local specialist and wanted for nothing, yet a dash warning light was a near-daily occurrence. 4 of the most stressful years of my life, which ended with bore score. Probably a Friday afternoon car on reflection.
That said, I'm still tempted to return to poor man's pork, albeit into a 987.2 2.9, which is plenty quick enough for the road.
That said, I'm still tempted to return to poor man's pork, albeit into a 987.2 2.9, which is plenty quick enough for the road.
I think for my needs a 987.2 2.9 is becoming more and more appealing. Not too concerned about the added HP but i want manual. 981s are a stretch outside my budget but could imagine they'd be even better as a daily.
Good to read that people are saying they're liveable/reliable as dailys as the car will need to do a job alongside my wagon. Seen some good low-ish mileage ones on Mortimers website. There's a stunning 986 2.7 manual for <£10k that's tempting..
Good to read that people are saying they're liveable/reliable as dailys as the car will need to do a job alongside my wagon. Seen some good low-ish mileage ones on Mortimers website. There's a stunning 986 2.7 manual for <£10k that's tempting..
VeeReihenmotor6 said:
Aim for 987.2 or 981. The bore score and various issues were resolved by that point. A 3.4S 987.2 would be a very nice thing to own and imo the sweet spot at the c20k mark vs other porsche's from a reliabiltiy and mega bills pov.
I concur.2009 987.2 S PDK, bought two years ago, put 10k trouble-free miles on it since then, including two trips to the Pyrenees: fabulous drive.
If you can squeeze a little more out of the budget you might be able to scrape into a cheap 2.0T. Massively better and more up to date than the “last F6” marketing bulls
t that surrounds ancient knackered 981 examples.
2.0T definitely the sweet spot despite what the usual bullst merchants on here will perpetually spew.
t that surrounds ancient knackered 981 examples.2.0T definitely the sweet spot despite what the usual bulls
t merchants on here will perpetually spew.Johnson897210 said:
If you can squeeze a little more out of the budget you might be able to scrape into a cheap 2.0T. Massively better and more up to date than the “last F6” marketing bullst that surrounds ancient knackered 981 examples.
2.0T definitely the sweet spot despite what the usual bullst merchants on here will perpetually spew.
You sound a bit preemptively triggered. t that surrounds ancient knackered 981 examples.2.0T definitely the sweet spot despite what the usual bulls
t merchants on here will perpetually spew.
paulguitar said:
Johnson897210 said:
If you can squeeze a little more out of the budget you might be able to scrape into a cheap 2.0T. Massively better and more up to date than the “last F6” marketing bullst that surrounds ancient knackered 981 examples.
2.0T definitely the sweet spot despite what the usual bullst merchants on here will perpetually spew.
You sound a bit preemptively triggered. t that surrounds ancient knackered 981 examples.2.0T definitely the sweet spot despite what the usual bulls
t merchants on here will perpetually spew.
paulguitar said:
Need to wait another 5 to 10 years before the Porsche nerds start to really appreciate theseI owned a 2.7 987 (coincidentally bought from Mortimers) - absolutely loved it. It was a daily although didn't do super high miles, did leave me on the side of the motorway once on what turned out to be cracked coil packs which I hear is a common issue and fixed it myself on the driveway. Did the NC500 in it later that year and it was faultless and utterly spellbinding.
I had it for a little over a year and spent something like £4k on it, and the next owner was a friend who had similar, and basically nothing serious went wrong - just usual stuff you'd expect from a car of that age. Most people on here seem to estimate around £1-2k a year on average for these cars.
If you're OK with that, highly recommend it. The 2.7 could have done with slightly more low-end grunt but unlike the F82 M4 I had afterwards it meant I could have fun almost anywhere. The M4 was objectively a 'better' car - newer, faster, more comfortable/practical etc - which is what swayed me to buy it after a weekend test, but looking back my little 2.7 litre Cayman was really special whereas the Beemer I rarely look back on.
I had it for a little over a year and spent something like £4k on it, and the next owner was a friend who had similar, and basically nothing serious went wrong - just usual stuff you'd expect from a car of that age. Most people on here seem to estimate around £1-2k a year on average for these cars.
If you're OK with that, highly recommend it. The 2.7 could have done with slightly more low-end grunt but unlike the F82 M4 I had afterwards it meant I could have fun almost anywhere. The M4 was objectively a 'better' car - newer, faster, more comfortable/practical etc - which is what swayed me to buy it after a weekend test, but looking back my little 2.7 litre Cayman was really special whereas the Beemer I rarely look back on.
Coming from someone that's owned both:
- 981 much prefer the interior, particuarly the centre console, and the way it 'hems' you in like a race car
- 987.2 better steering. Read some things about this before I switched & honestly thought it would be a little thing I wouldn't notice but tbh I do everytime I'm driving (although at 'making progress' speeds its less noticeable)
- 981 better cabin noise from PSE & better exterior noise too
- 987 you can now get the Porsche CarPlay add-in which isnt available in the 981 unless you go aftermarket
Edited by SV_WDC on Wednesday 26th February 18:42
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