996 or Cayman? Help with my first Porsche purchase...

[porschefan777]

Hi - (this is my first post go easy on me!)

After years of drooling and daydreaming - I have a budget of £18k-£20k to spend on a Porsche.

I was planning on getting a good order 996 but have seen several decent looking caymans for the same price level.

As a first time porsche buyer - what would you advise me to get from a day to day use? I do 10K a year mostly me in the car on my own, moderate amount of motorway driving

Any ideas on how much less the depreciation on older 996 would be than the younger Cayman?

Would using a independent servicer on a younger cayman affect depreciation?

Thanks in advance for your advice!!

 

[wilpert]

Hello Porschefan,

You are going to get lots of biased answers here.

I'm thinking mine is perhaps not quite as biased as some but you decide:

I have just had a 996 for 3 years and covered over 50k - very mixed driving. It looks very nice and has been a really good everyday driver.
I decided, that as the mileage was creeping up to 100k that Id change to something newer. So I looked at all sorts and I've ended up with a Cayman S generation 1. The 996 is now for sale (going pretty cheap tbh but this isn't a cheap shot at a free plug).
To be honest, it feels much better to drive and (I think) looks pretty good too. One downside is the missing rear seats but if that's not an issue for you then I'd go for a low mileage Cayman over the 996.

I wouldn't worry too much about resale values as I feel that there are a lot of 996's about and not so many decent Caymans.

Havent had a service done yet but most buyers seem to respect independent services as much as main dealer imho.

Good luck with your searching :thumbs:

 

[ScoobyDoo555]

Welcome

Firstly, I'd go and drive them. Look at the c2, c4, tip, manual (996)
Get a feel for what you like. The 996/911 is different to a Cayman.

Then start asking questions

There's a whole argument that if you want a 911, only the 996/7 will scratch that itch.
Just be mindful of the issues : read read read read and read some more. Lots of homework required IMHO.

Good luck

Dan

 

[Volley]

I also considered the Cayman S for a while before finally buying a 911.
I even drove a couple, they handle like a dream and are very easy to drive.

They are by no means a poor mans Porsche, its just that they are not a 911

 

[BillTheButcher]

My first Porsche was a 996 Carrera 2, then I had a 996 Turbo.

Now I have a 987 Cayman S.

I'm glad I tried the 996s but for now the Cayman S is better-suited to my driving style and the kind of journeys that I do.

You can feel the shared DNA but the Cayman is much more agile and obviously handles quite differently to the 911 because of where the engine is.

The 987 interior is a much nicer place to be; it makes the 996 interior feel very old and outdated.

I never used the rear seats in either of my 996s so for me the extra boot space in the Cayman is more useful.

Neither is "better". It depends what you want from the car and which one you prefer. Try both.

 

[996driver]

I bought a 996 2 months ago, so far so good and a great car for driving everyday if needed. Yes the interior can look a bit dated but the drive makes up for it.

I've not driven a Cayman so can't comment on that but for me with 2 kids the 996 is very practical - not in the same way as a big estate but we can all get in for a journey.

Not sure about the Cayman but the 996 is now covered by OPC Fixed Price servicing so main dealer service costs are fairly manageable.

 

[BillTheButcher]

I wouldn't take my Porsche to a main dealer even if it was still in warranty.

I've bought and sold (and will probably continue to buy and sell) performance cars through forums and/or respected independent garages so manufacturer service history doesn't mean as much to me as it does to some people.

I'd much rather see evidence that it's been looked after by a decent indie than an OPC.

 

[Bubbles]

Given your budget I would seriously consider a 2.9 Boxster for peace of mind. Much newer and nicer inside than the 996, reliable and might even still be covered by the OPC warranty. A Cayman 2.9 is around £25k so out of scope unless you stretch a little. The engine is a cracker and tax / Insurance will be slightly cheaper too.

 

[T8]

I've not driven an older Cayman but have driven both the new 2.9 and 3.4 and I'd definitely have a 996 ahead of the 2.9 - especially for motorway cruising - even though the Cayman would be a lot newer.

The only answer for you is to drive some examples of each to see what suits you best - again especially for motorway cruising.

The Cayman is undoubtedly an excellent introduction to the Porsche brand but, as has often been said, it's not a 911.

If you've always wanted 'a Porsche' it will fit the bill perfectly. If you've always wanted a 911 it won't.

To get a 'good order 996' I wouldn't spend my whole budget on the car purchase (and you shouldn't need to anyway), I'd keep back some dosh to get it properly sorted on a gradual basis.

Happy Hunting. :thumb:

 

[porschefan777]

thanks - i'm looking forward to getting out there and driving some. :lol:



May be (another) dumb question but is it better to go to a specialist trade seller like a 911 virgin or portiacraft and pay more for the car or go to a non porsche specialist and get it checked before you buy?

Cheers

 

[Winny911]

Don't forget you depreciation the 996 is rock bottom at the moment

 

[BillTheButcher]

May be (another) dumb question but is it better to go to a specialist trade seller like a 911 virgin or portiacraft and pay more for the car or go to a non porsche specialist and get it checked before you buy?

Cheers

I'd always buy from a specialist with a good reputation rather than just having to rely on a PPI. You pay more doing it this way though.

 

[saddlepunk]

i have had my 3.4 996 for 10 months and covered 25,000 miles in that time. It has been in the porsche cardiff three times in those 10 months - major service plus a few bits and pieces, squeeky front suspension, minor service and clutch. On each occasion they have given me a brand new, boxster, cayman and boxster respectively. So i have had roughly 10 days and 1,000 miles in new boxsters and a cayman.

Each time I was seriously underwhelmed by the new cars - particularly the cayman. I opened the door on the cayman one morning and a load of water poored in from the roof! It is always a huge thrill to get in my cheap old 996 and drive home from cardiff after a few days of boxster/cayman loan.

I spent a year building up to buying my 996 and at one point decided that the cayman was what I really wanted. I have to agree with all the posts on here in answer to your query. It's all about trying them for yourself and discovering what you feel about them. I'd have a boxster before a cayman, but in my humble opinion nothing beats the thrill of having a 911 - and i mean exactly that: i get a thrill from 911 ownership. I had a three day old beautiful blue boxster last week while Porsche Cardiff had my 996 and had more thumbs up and 'like your car mate' from all and sundry than I ever have in 10 months in my boring silver 996, but i couldn't care less. the boxster didn't do it for me, and my 996 does.

one final thought - nothing on the planet is better value for money and bang for your buck than a 996 at the moment.

good luck, and enjoy the decision making process.

 

[SausageCreature]

I've had a 987 and a 997 and looked at a lot of 996.

I think the 911 interior is superior over the 987s many of which have some kind of plastic seats/dash that looks like leather. Whereas the 911s everything is leather. With the right colour combination I think the 996 interior looks great, and to me seems more hard wearing than the 987 and 997, but that is just an opinion.

The 987s do handle amazingly, but I like the more refined 911 interior and the space of it.

If the itch is for a 911, if that is what Porsche means to you, then don't get a Cayman or a Boxster, only a 911 scratches that itch.