Buying Advice: Cayman S - 2019 Market

[J_Hale]

Hello All,

Going to apologise in advance for this as I'm going to get quite in depth but I will say first I will really appreciate if anyone responds to even 1/5th of the questions in this post!

Looking for a 981 Cayman S PDK. Perfect spec for me would be; GT Silver, 20" Carrera S wheels, PASM, Sports Exhaust, PCM with Satnav, Front/Rear parking sensors & >30K miles. Budget is 45K so I definitely think this is do-able!

From searching the forum for a lot of information I need some more specific help. This is to understand the current market for 981s and what to prioritise in my search. There are a few questions but I'd appreciate all of your expertise in answering them.

Market - How long were you all looking for your 981 Caymans, was it a long search or did you compromise some of the spec you wanted? How often do new 981's come on the market?

Retrofitting Missed Options - If I compromise my spec, I've had some quotes and done research on how I could get it to be perfect. These options I've got prices on are:

• 20" Carrera S Wheels - £5K (Forum find on one of your recommended all porsche wheels sites)
• Sports Exhaust - £2K (Forum find, a couple of posts but no confirmed OPC quote)
• PCM 3 with SatNav - £5K (OPC Quote)
• Front/Rear Sensors £1300 per bumper (OPC Quote)
• PASM - Don't even try.

Given these prices I'd have to find a car with PASM, PCM SatNav minimum & the wheels.


- Are all of the above reasonable prices or are there any specialist independents that would save quite a chunk and free up my spec search?

Paint Colour - Big one for me as I work in car design and the right colour sets off the highlights of the car.
Colour main two choices for me would be GT Silver then Sapphire Blue. GT Silver I have seen was a £3K option. I've also seen 2 cars in the market that are Rhodium Silver and Aqua Blue.
So, 1) How rare is a 981 Cayman S in GT Silver because of that option price? 2) Rhodium Silver and Aqua Blue... Would it hurt the resale to get one of these seemingly non standard colours?

Cruise Control - Can this be retrofitted and not affect warranty?
- I've seen posts that have said yes and that it has been done by an OPC. Alternatively to that I called my local OPC they said that it can't as to avoid voiding the warranty, electrical parts must have been an option on the model in the first place.

Cayman GTS - Considering my high required spec, am I better off looking for a Cayman GTS?
- From what I can see only the two interior options I'd really be looking out for would be PASM and SatNav and Sapphire Blue seems a common colour. I could stretch to the extra financials as the general consensus seems to be that although up to 10K more than an S they'll hold their value well.

Thanks for anyone that replies to this.

James

 

[keiththo]

Hi James

I was looking to buy a fairly new car with specific spec 4 yrs ago but found very few high spec cars available so ended up buying a new 981 in Saphire blue which was in stock. I liked GT silver which I thought was less than a £2k option but very few around.

Full leather interior was essential to me as was PCM with sat nav, DAB and phone module.

I wanted PSE but as it wasn’t fitted I paid £2200 for it to be fitted by my local OPC. They also offered to fit a sports steering wheel with paddles and cruise but I’d got to like my multi-function wheel so have kept it. Paddles would have cost around £1k and cruise much less. I’d previously been quoted about £5k to swop a basic radio to PCM with sat nav so I knew that if I was buying used upgrading wasn’t financially wise.

I’d previously had PASM on my Boxster which I don’t now have but would if I was speccing from new. I have 20’’ Classic wheels which look good but the ride is hard, 19’’ would be far better.

I think compromises are essential and presumably there are many owners like me who are loath to replace with a 718 which limits supply.

I love the car and am glad that I got most of the options I wanted. Good luck with the search.

Keith

 

[Dylan1]

There won’t be many gt silver that’s for sure

i would,and have ,gone for the best spec you can find- I’ve waited 6 months or more to find my best spec as it’s much better than trying to fit the extras later.

GTS probably better for you as it has more to start with but for a good one reckon on at least £55k

and not many people are coming out of them as they are last of N/A

good hunting

 

[J_Hale]

I wanted PSE but as it wasn’t fitted I paid £2200 for it to be fitted by my local OPC. They also offered to fit a sports steering wheel with paddles and cruise but I’d got to like my multi-function wheel so have kept it. Paddles would have cost around £1k and cruise much less.

I think compromises are essential and presumably there are many owners like me who are loath to replace with a 718 which limits supply.

Thanks Keith for the example, makes me feel a little easier about the search and I'm much the same with the 718, just can't get on with the sound! Interesting to hear that they offered you cruise. If you don't mind me asking, which dealer is your OPC? Once I've made my purchase I'd like to contact them specifically to ask regarding the cruise fitment.

 

[J_Hale]

There won’t be many gt silver that’s for sure

i would,and have ,gone for the best spec you can find- I’ve waited 6 months or more to find my best spec as it’s much better than trying to fit the extras later.

GTS probably better for you as it has more to start with but for a good one reckon on at least £55k

and not many people are coming out of them as they are last of N/A

good hunting

Strangely enough ones just come up on the market in Glasgow @£54K which has everything I need but in Rhodium silver. If I can get Chris at Excel to paint the wheels then it's perfect.

Only trouble for me now is that my current BMW is in the shop for the EGR Recall fiasco and they can't give me a time on when they get the part! Can't PX my old motor if I can't get it back! []

 

[Naefeart]

I didn't get too hung up on spec when I was looking recently. I was coming out of a 5l V8 Lexus ISF which had all the gadgets you could possibly get, so I knew a Cayman S was going to be fairly basic in comparison. I wanted a proper driver's car, so I was OK with it being light on options.

My main requirements were an OPC approved car with warranty, in great condition with reasonable miles and not in white. There were two cars local to me, a manual Guards Red and a PDK in Saphire Blue, both with around 20k miles. I drove both and opted for PDK as it suited my driving style. Upon reflection it was also the better specced (20" Turbo alloys, PCM, Nav, phone prep, heated seats, parking sensors etc.) The main things it doesn't have going by your list are PASM and PSE. Having tried both since I'm happy without either; I feel the ride is comfortable while communicative and the standard sports exhaust makes all the noise I want. Both very subjective items.

In the month I've had it, I've become accustomed to the electric folding mirrors, the parking sensors front and rear and my heated steering wheel. Do I 'need' any of these? No but they are nice to have I guess. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I would weigh up my 'must have' options against my 'nice to have' ones. Then try as many cars as you can before you find the sweetspot.

 

[GordonT]

Thanks Keith for the example, makes me feel a little easier about the search and I'm much the same with the 718, just can't get on with the sound! Interesting to hear that they offered you cruise. If you don't mind me asking, which dealer is your OPC? Once I've made my purchase I'd like to contact them specifically to ask regarding the cruise fitment.

[/quote] I think you’ll find that any OPC (and indies) will retro-fit cruise control at reasonable cost (£500 ish). Teesside did mine. It was the only thing I really missed on my basic spec’d 981

 

[J_Hale]

Well I have now found my car, Cayman GTS with a silly amount of options. Once I have picked it up ill post in the new members area the pics and spec Also I got them to add cruise, updated sat nav and paint the wheels my preferred colour as part of the list price. Still find strange the OPC in Bournemouth that I enquired on a car told me adding invalidated the warranty. Clearly from yours, as quite a few examples on the form and my new Cayman GTS, it's a simple thing to do and doesn't affect the warranty.

 

[Twinfan]

Good score on the GTS, that was a nicely specced one []

Have fun with it, they're fabulous cars and for me a real sweet spot in the Porsche range the likes of which we won't see again (if you want that fabulous burbling and crackling naturally aspirated flat six behind you)!

 

[Brian_Innes]

I echo Twinfan's comments. Of the mainstream 981 models the GTS is the one to go for.

Enjoy!

Brian

 

[J_Hale]

Cheers Guys! Been a relatively quick search but glad to have found a good one for my first Porsche. Due to other commitments I haven't been able to collect the GTS until this coming Saturday... Longest week of my life!

 

[GordonT]

So glad you got fixed up, James. Hope you enjoy the car. I have mixed feelings about picking up this thread though - I’ve finished up finding a beautiful GTS that I couldn’t resist!!

 

[J_Hale]

So glad you got fixed up, James. Hope you enjoy the car. I have mixed feelings about picking up this thread though - I’ve finished up finding a beautiful GTS that I couldn’t resist!!

Thanks Gordon. Hope you're enjoying your purchase as well. Have to admit I'm confused by your mixed feelings, was it based on the different kit retrofitting costs?

 

[GordonT]

No James, just that I was very happy with my Cayman and before reading the thread had no intention of changing it! The GTS was just too much to resist; really well spec'd … so my 'old' 981 is now listed for sale in the 'Car Sales' section of the PCGB website! Like you, I've probably got to wait a week to collect the new one.

 

[J_Hale]

No James, just that I was very happy with my Cayman and before reading the thread had no intention of changing it! The GTS was just too much to resist; really well spec'd … so my 'old' 981 is now listed for sale in the 'Car Sales' section of the PCGB website! Like you, I've probably got to wait a week to collect the new one.

Haha that's great news, I'm inspiring people already hopefully it wont drag on too long and be sure to show us all when you get it!