Nice to see you back in a 987. Couple of common mods to recommend: * If on factory shifter cables, upgrade to Numeric cables as it's very common for the factory ones to fail with little warning. If sticking with factory cables, be familiar with how you can put it into gear at the gearbox in an emergency. * 997 or Numeric short shifter if desired. * 997 GT3 brake master cylinder. * Upgraded oil pan baffle and/or deep sump if you're going to be pushing the limits of the RT660 on a regular basis. * Spin-on oil filter adapter. * Replace AOS as a maintenance item, as you know. * Modernize the radio with Porsche PCCM Plus, or the Ali Express Android unit discussed on Planet-9. * Whenever changing the oil, pop off the serpentine belt and check the water pump pulley for any noticeable play.
@@ay735 I've only got the factory shifter so couldn't really say but there are lots of videos out there if you just search "numeric 987". I think the result will be the opposite to "buttery" though. Even with just the cables the shifting is much more mechanical feeling.
Great to see you back in a 987! When your were looking for something a few months ago, I wanted to suggest a 987, but knew you already had one (and figured “been there, done that”). Yet, here you are - back in a mid-engine, manual, normally-aspirated, hydraulic steering, Porsche! I got my Cayman R before prices went crazy, have added a few mods for track days and autox, and have put almost 50K miles on it myself. Such an amazing car all the way around - Congratulations!
Nice deal! As the owner of a 987 Boxster Spyder Homage, I fully approve of this purchase. I've driven many sports cars and some supercars and the 987 is really the sweet spot. It's old enough to have lost of mechanical texture, but doesn't feel "classic". It's quick enough but not too fast, it's just so usable on the road. Highly recommend a valved exhaust and and suspension (Cayman R suspension bolts right up).
Congratulations on your co-purchase. I remember you didn't really gel with your previous Cayman so I have been surprised when in many subsequent Cayman reviews you praised them quite highly and even more surprised when you bought another. I hope this time round it will be a much better experience because, as you pointed out, they really are excellent drivers' cars.
Right on, great to see the 987 getting some luv. I bought an 07 base model 5spd standard, about 2 and a half years ago, . No mods just pure stock. Love it, driven all year , daily driver. great handling, styling , enough performance for me, practical enough, love the howling flat 6 sound,, and exhaust note. Is it the fastest thing on 4 wheels ? Nope do i care, nope, , It,s just the pure driving enjoyment , and not overdone with all the tech stuff.
Unpopular opinion but I prefer the 981 Cayman S over this gen. I know the hydraulic steering is better in this vs the 981 but for some reason I just love the 981. Any Cayman is great though and congratulations on your new to you 987.1
These are surprisingly expensive in the US. $25k is £20k in the UK and that's very big money for a low-spec .1 private sale here. Even the most expensive UK dealers wouldn't be asking £20k for a car of this spec and mileage. In $ terms, this would be comfortably sun $20k in the UK. Most things are cheaper in the US, but it seems not 987.1 Caymans!
Horses for courses, but if you want a great handling 987 for backroads, those tyres are way too big and sticky. These cars have so much more feel and are so much more fun on small wheels for road driving, as opposed to track. A downgrade to the 17s from the base model really wakes the 987 chassis up. The on-centre feel is so, so much more alive with the 17s, too.
True. Low grip tires on 17's is definitely the way to go for driving pleasure. But there's also something satisfying experiencing this platform with a ton of grip.
@@Zygrene Yeah. There is no one setup that gives you everything. But I think if it's not a car for track, small wheels give so many benefits. That said I would recommend upping the standard 17-inch fronts fro 205 to 225s. 987s are pretty understeery with the 205s and the braking performance is pretty scary. 225 front and then the standard 235 rear 17-inch rear is a really nice almost-square setup with plenty of front end bite, but lots more feel than bigger wheels and tyres. That setup gives you a lot of the positivity and bite of the bigger wheels but with the added feel of the 17s. Also, I absolutely swear these cars feel quicker on the 17s. Whenever I chuck the 18s or 19s back on briefly (I have about four sets), it feels like I've lost 30-40hp. Not sure it really is quick (well it will be a tiny bit at least because the smaller lighter wheels have less rotational inertia), but the sense is of more lively performance, along with all the added feel. I had a 987.1 S, now have a 987.2 S and the 320hp motor with the tiny 17s makes for a pretty lively and engaging car.
987.1 and BRZ both have serious engine issues when tracked. For street/canyons, it's a hard choice. 987 is more raw and better balanced, but BRZ is more lively and arguably more fun.
@@Zygrenereally curious to see your opinion of that car. S54 in a lower, shorter, and lighter chassis that is 2X more ridgid than an E46. They are around the same price as the 987 but extremely rare by comparison.
@@Zygrene Another vote for the E46 M3 comparo! Key would be to use one that's well maintained and close to stock. If I lived on the west coast, I'd let you borrow mine
Nice car. Especially at that price. 987.1 is better than. 2. Better steering feel, More analog feel and better sounding engine. .2 has a softer suspension and DI engine which sounds like an industrial appliance.
I've owned both. 987.1 has marginally better steering feel, not much in it. But I'm guessing you have 18s or 19s on your 987.1, in which case you've got fairly dramatically compromised feel versus 17s. Put it this way, a .2 on 17s has far better feel than a .1 on 18s or 19s. IMO, neither engine sounds great, not sure which noise I prefer, but the .2 engine at least revs out better than the .1 3.4, which is very flat at the top of the rev range. Overall, I'd say in factory spec to drive there's not much in it. Overall, I'd take the .2 for the extra top end fizz, but the driving experience is very close between the two, which is hardly surprising. The real reason to take the .2 is because the MA1 engine is so much more robust than the M97.
@lairdinho l had a .2 for a short time. I've driven a few .1s, and they did feel more raw. I'm not sure what the tires were on either on them. It's possible that bigger tires compromised the steering feel. Port injection engines typically sound better than direct injection engines. I've had my share of 911s and witnessed it in person. IMO, nothing sounds like a Mezger engine, regardless of type of aspiration.
Would be interested in seeing your opinion on a C5 Z06, I'm a JDM guy who loves his AW11 but I couldn't pass up a 75k mile Z06 for $20k usd lol. Def needs interior driver mods like better seats and a smaller wheel but I would be curious on your take about the suspension/brakes and overall dynamics as they are a lot of car for a very low price point with relatively cheap maint as well (and a terrible interior!).
If this is a 2006, this might be a dealer “launch spec”. Mine was this exact same build The other launch spec build was a silver with pasm and sport Chrono
Interesting. Yes this is a 2006. Kinda glad this one doesn't have PASM or Sport Chrono as I'd rather go with coilovers, and I was never a fan of the throttle sensitivity in Sport mode.
@@Zygrene if you pull up the VIN decoder, it’s option code “762” PAG Code - Launch Code. It’s just a launch model that each dealership was given. All the same specs. Nothing special other than a fun fact about your car potentially. But I agree, easier to swap to coilovers and the simple interior space with the sport seats was ideal
I have the same car, just 987.2. I'm thinking about getting coilovers, particularly the Bilstein B16 PSS9's b/c i do track it sometimes. I don't want to give up too much street comfort though. Open to suggestions.
IMS is not a worry on any 987.1 Cayman. They all have the final big bearing which hardly ever fails. Repeat, the IMS bearing in the 987.1 Cayman is very, very reliable. Also, note that does not apply to all 987.1 Boxsters, some of those have the earlier less reliable small bearing. Also, you do need to worry about bore scoring on the 987.1 3.4 Cayman. That is a much larger risk than IMS ever has been on any modern water cooled Porsche engine.
It really depends what you like. ND is much more playful and light on its feet. S2K has that rev monster engine. The quality feel of the Cayman's powertrain is on another level, meanwhile. Personally, I'd take the Cayman because you can do quite a bit to make the chassis more engaging, but good luck making the ND or S2K's engine sound as good or feel as rewarding as the flat six.
@@mittortz thx! Makes sense and everyone is different, but I counter with long gears, high cost of maintenance, no open top driving experience, since it's for canyon driving and California weather.
@@retrograde11 nothin' wrong with a miata, but for me personally, it's 6 cylinders or bust (I have an E46 M3). The sound is just too essential to the experience
Nice to see you back in a 987. Couple of common mods to recommend:
* If on factory shifter cables, upgrade to Numeric cables as it's very common for the factory ones to fail with little warning. If sticking with factory cables, be familiar with how you can put it into gear at the gearbox in an emergency.
* 997 or Numeric short shifter if desired.
* 997 GT3 brake master cylinder.
* Upgraded oil pan baffle and/or deep sump if you're going to be pushing the limits of the RT660 on a regular basis.
* Spin-on oil filter adapter.
* Replace AOS as a maintenance item, as you know.
* Modernize the radio with Porsche PCCM Plus, or the Ali Express Android unit discussed on Planet-9.
* Whenever changing the oil, pop off the serpentine belt and check the water pump pulley for any noticeable play.
Great suggestions!
@@Zygrene Numeric short shifter + heavy weights in the stock knob brings it very close to s2000 shifter.
How would you rate Numeric shifter w/ Numeric cables, if the goal is for a more direct slop-free and buttery shift?
@@ay735 I've only got the factory shifter so couldn't really say but there are lots of videos out there if you just search "numeric 987". I think the result will be the opposite to "buttery" though. Even with just the cables the shifting is much more mechanical feeling.
I had the CAE shifter in mine. Sublime.
Great to see you back in a 987! When your were looking for something a few months ago, I wanted to suggest a 987, but knew you already had one (and figured “been there, done that”). Yet, here you are - back in a mid-engine, manual, normally-aspirated, hydraulic steering, Porsche! I got my Cayman R before prices went crazy, have added a few mods for track days and autox, and have put almost 50K miles on it myself. Such an amazing car all the way around - Congratulations!
Zygrene try not to buy another Porsche Cayman: Challenge Level Impossible
Looks like he didn’t learn his lesson the first time.
Nice deal! As the owner of a 987 Boxster Spyder Homage, I fully approve of this purchase. I've driven many sports cars and some supercars and the 987 is really the sweet spot. It's old enough to have lost of mechanical texture, but doesn't feel "classic". It's quick enough but not too fast, it's just so usable on the road. Highly recommend a valved exhaust and and suspension (Cayman R suspension bolts right up).
how does co-ownership work? do you split the purchase and operating costs? what about gas and milage? what about insurance? so many questions
Would love to see a comparison between your 987.1 Cayman S and a manual 718 GTS 4.0. Especially since you spoke so highly about the 4.0. Great video!
Congratulations on your co-purchase. I remember you didn't really gel with your previous Cayman so I have been surprised when in many subsequent Cayman reviews you praised them quite highly and even more surprised when you bought another. I hope this time round it will be a much better experience because, as you pointed out, they really are excellent drivers' cars.
My favorite Cayman. And one of my favorite cars, period.
Right on, great to see the 987 getting some luv. I bought an 07 base model 5spd standard, about 2 and a half years ago, . No mods just pure stock. Love it, driven all year , daily driver. great handling, styling , enough performance for me, practical enough, love the howling flat 6 sound,, and exhaust note. Is it the fastest thing on 4 wheels ? Nope do i care, nope, , It,s just the pure driving enjoyment , and not overdone with all the tech stuff.
Unpopular opinion but I prefer the 981 Cayman S over this gen. I know the hydraulic steering is better in this vs the 981 but for some reason I just love the 981. Any Cayman is great though and congratulations on your new to you 987.1
i bought a 981 two years ago. i like the proportions on the 981 better than the 987.2 when i was shopping around for one.
I prefer how the 981 looks but the lack of steering feel is really disappointing. And prices are still a bit high IMO
These are surprisingly expensive in the US. $25k is £20k in the UK and that's very big money for a low-spec .1 private sale here. Even the most expensive UK dealers wouldn't be asking £20k for a car of this spec and mileage. In $ terms, this would be comfortably sun $20k in the UK. Most things are cheaper in the US, but it seems not 987.1 Caymans!
Horses for courses, but if you want a great handling 987 for backroads, those tyres are way too big and sticky. These cars have so much more feel and are so much more fun on small wheels for road driving, as opposed to track. A downgrade to the 17s from the base model really wakes the 987 chassis up. The on-centre feel is so, so much more alive with the 17s, too.
True. Low grip tires on 17's is definitely the way to go for driving pleasure. But there's also something satisfying experiencing this platform with a ton of grip.
@@Zygrene Yeah. There is no one setup that gives you everything. But I think if it's not a car for track, small wheels give so many benefits. That said I would recommend upping the standard 17-inch fronts fro 205 to 225s. 987s are pretty understeery with the 205s and the braking performance is pretty scary. 225 front and then the standard 235 rear 17-inch rear is a really nice almost-square setup with plenty of front end bite, but lots more feel than bigger wheels and tyres. That setup gives you a lot of the positivity and bite of the bigger wheels but with the added feel of the 17s. Also, I absolutely swear these cars feel quicker on the 17s. Whenever I chuck the 18s or 19s back on briefly (I have about four sets), it feels like I've lost 30-40hp. Not sure it really is quick (well it will be a tiny bit at least because the smaller lighter wheels have less rotational inertia), but the sense is of more lively performance, along with all the added feel. I had a 987.1 S, now have a 987.2 S and the 320hp motor with the tiny 17s makes for a pretty lively and engaging car.
I have a 2.7 base 987 with the 18 inch wheels. Have been thinking about getting a set of 17s for back road driving as well.
Would you recommend a 987 Cayman over a new BRZ?
987.1 and BRZ both have serious engine issues when tracked. For street/canyons, it's a hard choice. 987 is more raw and better balanced, but BRZ is more lively and arguably more fun.
At least there is some peace of mind with the BRZ's warranty@@Zygrene
I have been considering this gen of Cayman/Boxster, and the 2006-2007 BMW Z4M as well. If possible I would love to see a comparison
That'd be a great one. Anyone have a Z4 M?
@@Zygrenereally curious to see your opinion of that car. S54 in a lower, shorter, and lighter chassis that is 2X more ridgid than an E46. They are around the same price as the 987 but extremely rare by comparison.
LSD and regear.
Your comment translates to “LSD and government” lmfao
e46 M3 would be a great comparison??
This one's on my list!
@@Zygrene Another vote for the E46 M3 comparo! Key would be to use one that's well maintained and close to stock. If I lived on the west coast, I'd let you borrow mine
Nice car. Especially at that price.
987.1 is better than. 2.
Better steering feel, More analog feel and better sounding engine.
.2 has a softer suspension and DI engine which sounds like an industrial appliance.
I've owned both. 987.1 has marginally better steering feel, not much in it. But I'm guessing you have 18s or 19s on your 987.1, in which case you've got fairly dramatically compromised feel versus 17s. Put it this way, a .2 on 17s has far better feel than a .1 on 18s or 19s. IMO, neither engine sounds great, not sure which noise I prefer, but the .2 engine at least revs out better than the .1 3.4, which is very flat at the top of the rev range. Overall, I'd say in factory spec to drive there's not much in it. Overall, I'd take the .2 for the extra top end fizz, but the driving experience is very close between the two, which is hardly surprising. The real reason to take the .2 is because the MA1 engine is so much more robust than the M97.
@lairdinho l had a .2 for a short time. I've driven a few .1s, and they did feel more raw. I'm not sure what the tires were on either on them. It's possible that bigger tires compromised the steering feel. Port injection engines typically sound better than direct injection engines. I've had my share of 911s and witnessed it in person. IMO, nothing sounds like a Mezger engine, regardless of type of aspiration.
Co-own? Bro can't afford a $25k car. 🤣
Gotta get you some Ohlins R/T ;)
That would be a solid upgrade
@@Zygrene I have them on mine with sways, endlinks and top mounts.. Definitely worth
Would be interested in seeing your opinion on a C5 Z06, I'm a JDM guy who loves his AW11 but I couldn't pass up a 75k mile Z06 for $20k usd lol.
Def needs interior driver mods like better seats and a smaller wheel but I would be curious on your take about the suspension/brakes and overall dynamics as they are a lot of car for a very low price point with relatively cheap maint as well (and a terrible interior!).
I've wanted to review a C5Z for a long time. Anyone got one in the bay area?
I would be interested in a video on car co-ownership.
Please compare with 987.1 base Cayman.
im really thinking about buying one again haha i miss it a lot.
If this is a 2006, this might be a dealer “launch spec”. Mine was this exact same build
The other launch spec build was a silver with pasm and sport Chrono
Interesting. Yes this is a 2006. Kinda glad this one doesn't have PASM or Sport Chrono as I'd rather go with coilovers, and I was never a fan of the throttle sensitivity in Sport mode.
@@Zygrene if you pull up the VIN decoder, it’s option code “762” PAG Code - Launch Code. It’s just a launch model that each dealership was given. All the same specs. Nothing special other than a fun fact about your car potentially. But I agree, easier to swap to coilovers and the simple interior space with the sport seats was ideal
I have the same car, just 987.2. I'm thinking about getting coilovers, particularly the Bilstein B16 PSS9's b/c i do track it sometimes. I don't want to give up too much street comfort though. Open to suggestions.
I've had bad experiences with Bilstein PSS9 on my old S2K and 997.1 C2. No compliance while still feeling too soft for track.
Found a few great deal on 987.1 S, kinda scared for the ims tho
IMS is not a worry on any 987.1 Cayman. They all have the final big bearing which hardly ever fails. Repeat, the IMS bearing in the 987.1 Cayman is very, very reliable. Also, note that does not apply to all 987.1 Boxsters, some of those have the earlier less reliable small bearing. Also, you do need to worry about bore scoring on the 987.1 3.4 Cayman. That is a much larger risk than IMS ever has been on any modern water cooled Porsche engine.
Coming from S2k’s, E46, BRZ, Sti. The Elantra N has a special place in my heart that checks every box.
Arent you guys selling it on fbm rn???????????????? Swear i saw it on facebook earlier today
Not ours!
How do you enjoy this car vs your old brz?
ruclips.net/video/FCy_tD8n-HI/видео.htmlsi=ypUmI8fI9yP9gnif
For 25-30k this, S2K, or modded ND Miata?
It really depends what you like. ND is much more playful and light on its feet. S2K has that rev monster engine. The quality feel of the Cayman's powertrain is on another level, meanwhile. Personally, I'd take the Cayman because you can do quite a bit to make the chassis more engaging, but good luck making the ND or S2K's engine sound as good or feel as rewarding as the flat six.
Up to personal preference. For a street car I'd take the Cayman. S2K for track. ND2 is a great car but doesn't speak to me the way the others do.
Why not miata nd for same money?
flat-6, mid-engine, coupe?
@@mittortz thx! Makes sense and everyone is different, but I counter with long gears, high cost of maintenance, no open top driving experience, since it's for canyon driving and California weather.
@@retrograde11 nothin' wrong with a miata, but for me personally, it's 6 cylinders or bust (I have an E46 M3). The sound is just too essential to the experience
I would get the pdk since I can’t heel/toe
987.1 didn't come with PDK. Only the lackluster 5 speed Tiptronic
@@Zygrene 🤔 then I will either have to learn or get the 987.2 this is important news thank you.
good stuff
Is GR86 as fun as this Cayman perhaps more so?
Yes and no, I think is the answer. It really depends on your preferences. Each car does some things better and worse.
I did this comparo on my channel. 987.2 Cayman vs GR86
Why did you go with 18” wheels vs 19”? Think you said stock was 19”?
I think 19" is too big for the 987 chassis. 18" gives better compliance and cheaper tires. And less unsprung mass.
@@Zygrene Thanks, I traded my 987.1 Boxster for a 991.2 cab and really miss it! I’d like to get a 987.1 Cayman to complement the 911.
Plan Z!
might as well get a Miata if you can't track a Porsche...