2008 Porsche Cayman S

21 Bids
9:31 PM, 15 Jul 2020Vehicle sold
Sold for

£14,250

Background

First launched in 1996, the Porsche Boxster redefined what was possible – and even desirable – in your bargain basement sportscar. And, while the Boxster languished a little as a result of its undeserved reputation as a bit of a hairdressers’ car - a moniker it shared with the Mazda MX-5, another sportscar that placed the emphasis more on handling than outright performance – the Cayman is up there as one of the best, if not the best, handling cars of all time.

Mid-engined and sporting only two seats, the Cayman and Boxster shared their underpinnings; a 2.5-litre, normally aspirated flat-six engine powered the first Boxster (model number 986) and the engine size and power output slowly rose over the years with the base model gaining a 2.7-litre, and the sportier ‘S’ a 3.2-litre, in 2000.

The first-generation cars lasted until 2005, making way for the second generation 987’s more powerful engines that were slotted into cars whose styling had been heavily influenced by the Porsche Carrera GT.

The Cayman arrived in the same year and was manufactured in Finland until 2012 after which time production switched to Germany. The entry level Cayman had a 2.7-litre engine and a five-speed gearbox, while the ‘S’ had a 3.4-litre engine and a six-speed manual; the five-speed Tiptronic gearbox was available for both models.

Facelifted in 2009, the third generation 981 arrived in 2012. Stiffer, wider and only a little heavier, the 987 handled even better than the earlier cars yet seemed to lose a little of their terrier-like character.

The range died in 2016, replaced by the turbocharged four-cylinder 718 that almost no-one liked.


  • WP0ZZZ9898Z8U771032
  • 70,100
  • 3387
  • Manual
  • Meteor Grey
  • Black Leather

Background

First launched in 1996, the Porsche Boxster redefined what was possible – and even desirable – in your bargain basement sportscar. And, while the Boxster languished a little as a result of its undeserved reputation as a bit of a hairdressers’ car - a moniker it shared with the Mazda MX-5, another sportscar that placed the emphasis more on handling than outright performance – the Cayman is up there as one of the best, if not the best, handling cars of all time.

Mid-engined and sporting only two seats, the Cayman and Boxster shared their underpinnings; a 2.5-litre, normally aspirated flat-six engine powered the first Boxster (model number 986) and the engine size and power output slowly rose over the years with the base model gaining a 2.7-litre, and the sportier ‘S’ a 3.2-litre, in 2000.

The first-generation cars lasted until 2005, making way for the second generation 987’s more powerful engines that were slotted into cars whose styling had been heavily influenced by the Porsche Carrera GT.

The Cayman arrived in the same year and was manufactured in Finland until 2012 after which time production switched to Germany. The entry level Cayman had a 2.7-litre engine and a five-speed gearbox, while the ‘S’ had a 3.4-litre engine and a six-speed manual; the five-speed Tiptronic gearbox was available for both models.

Facelifted in 2009, the third generation 981 arrived in 2012. Stiffer, wider and only a little heavier, the 987 handled even better than the earlier cars yet seemed to lose a little of their terrier-like character.

The range died in 2016, replaced by the turbocharged four-cylinder 718 that almost no-one liked.


Video

Overview

First registered on the 11th of April 2008, this stunning Porsche Cayman is still showing only 70,000 miles on the clock after having only covered around 8,000 miles in the last five years. With a comprehensive service history, it is running well, looking great and in need of nothing other than an appreciative owner and a tank of high-octane fuel.

It’s a well-specified example too, and the much sought-after ‘S’ model with the manual gearbox. With 290bhp on tap the Cayman S can top 170mph and hit 60mph in around five seconds; while it might be famed more for its handling than its performance, there’s no escaping the fact is that it is still a very fast car indeed. This car is fitted a number of choice optional extras including the desirable Porsche Sports Exhaust (PSE) which teh owner reports is working well.

Bought on a bit of a whim the vendor is only selling because the world has changed, which means you might be able to pick up a well-fettled Cayman for not a lot of money…

Exterior

Meteor Grey is a fabulous colour and one that shows off the Cayman’s discreetly seductive lines off to perfection. With very straight body panels and tight and consistent shutlines, this example gives off nothing but good vibes.

Vibes that are further reinforced by the light lenses, which are bright and clear, and the rear spoiler, which deploys as it should. Plus the OE ten-spoke, 19-inch light alloy wheels, which are in great shape and show off the cross-drilled brake discs and red brake calipers off to perfection. They are shod with matching Bridgestone Potenza tyres, too.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

There is a very light smattering of stone chips but nothing more serious, which means that the work to do is minimal. The new owner might like to consider getting the alloy wheels refurbished when they fit new tyres - the ones that are fitted are legal but will need changing sooner rather than later - as some of the lacquer is bubbling and peeling in a few small areas.

Other than that, all we’d do is treat it to a new set of number plates. None of these issues detracts from the Cayman’s overall presentation and both could easily be left as they are until time and money allows.

That’s not a bad ‘to do’ list for a 12-year-old sportscar, is it?

Interior

The black leather seats (983) aren’t only in fine fettle but they’re heated (342) and electrically adjustable (375). Displaying only light creasing on the driver’s side and almost none of the passenger’s, they’re free of rips, tears and other damage.

The door cards are very good too, as are the carpets, dashboard and headlining; if we told you this is a five-year-old car with 20,000 miles on the clock we think you’d believe us – the joys of modern classics.

The top-tinted windscreen (507) has a built-in antenna (440) and there’s a CD compartment (424) for the Bose Surround Sound System (686) too. There is also a telephone module (666) and a navigation system (672) for the PCM2 (605).

Other interior options are a 12V socket in the passenger’s footwell (621). Park Assist (635) and automatic air-conditioning (573). Needless to say, this is a very well specified Cayman indeed.

Other indications of a series of careful owners includes the rear luggage net on the parcel shelf, which is still taut and undamaged. The presence of the rear fabric load-space cover gives us a warm and fuzzy feeling too, as does the cupholder, which still functions as it should and hasn’t been broken off by a ham-fisted and unsympathetic owner.

Problems? Well, someone has stuck an aftermarket mobile phone holder on the dashboard but other than that it all seems fine to us.

Mechanical

The Cayman’s servicing history is as follows:

28.01.2010 and 9,760 miles – minor maintenance service, a change of brake fluid and a condition report by The Porsche Centre, Bristol

27.05.2011 and 29,640 miles – major maintenance service by The Porsche Centre, Leicester

05.11.2012 and 46,656 miles - minor maintenance service and new spark plugs by The Porsche Centre, Leeds

28.10.2014 and 57,953 miles – major maintenance service and a brake fluid change by Revolution Porsche Specialists

28.10.2015 and 62,461 miles – minor maintenance service and new spark plugs by Revolution Porsche Specialists

12.11.2018 and 67,935 miles – major maintenance service, new spark plus, and a brake fluid change by Sports and Classic Porsche Specialists

Both the Cayman and Boxster were prone to engine failure, but almost all of the affected cars would have shown problems by now and no such issues are recorded as having surfaced here.

Further reassurance comes via the underside, both of which are clean and don’t raise any red flags for us at all.

It drives well too, starting promptly and driving as a good Cayman should. The Cayman and Boxster really are joyous things along a sinuous road and if you’ve never experienced one, this would be a good – and cost-effective – place to start.

History

The Cayman’s MOT certificate expires in November 2020 and it was gained without drawing a single adverse comment from the tester. In fact, we scoured the online MOT history and can’t see a single thing that would worry us, which is quite the record.

It also comes with a number of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years plus its original owner’s handbook, book pack and wallet plus two keys.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

And please be reassured, we’ve undertaken a full COVID-assessment and put into place strict control measure to enable us to safely facilitate a no-contact, socially distanced viewing that includes disinfection of the vehicle before and after your viewing.

However, if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

Summary

With a guide price of somewhere between £10,500 and £14,000, this is a very cost-effective way of getting your hands on one of the most desirable cars Porsche has ever made.

Hyperbole? Not a bit of it; few cars at any price point handle as well as a Cayman, and the 290bhp Cayman S is fast enough for anyone – and if you want to go even faster then the solution almost certainly lies with more driver training rather than more power.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

About this auction

Seller

Private: mickyb


Viewings Welcome

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and is strictly by appointment. To book one in the diary, please get in contact.

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