2006 Porsche 987.1 Cayman S vs 2010 Porsche 987.2 Cayman - Head to Head Review!

Which 987 Cayman should you spend your $30K on?
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[@timothylindsay3244]

I bought a 2010 987.2 base Boxster in 2013 with 27k miles. Added full SOUL exhaust, Softronics map, Numerics shifter w/cables, Spyder-type taillights and a few other bobbles. Now with 139k miles on the odometer and as expected routine maintenance over the years still loving this car. The mileage should convince you that I drive this car everyday (and have done two X-country runs, one from SOCAL to VA) plus I and save thousands $$$ on unnecessary mental health expenses. Now at age 70, I may just spend my final moments in this car (happily)! PS: Trust me the SOUL exhaust with comp headers and two way valve cutbacks makes a huge difference in mid power and torque plus the sound and attitude boost are incredible). Adding GT3 master brake cylinder and SS Goodridge brake lines soon.

[@bwdrives]

I bought a 987.2 S and probably wouldn’t consider a 987.1 The .2 has the performance and reliability of the 981 with the classic looks and incredible steering of the 987

[@davidmarsh1796]

Great video! I love my 09 987.2 Base, I took a slightly different approach when shopping for mine (I was afraid of the bore scoring on the 987.1 S and the 987.2S was out of my price range). I first drove a 987.1 base and thought "ok, this is fun but it would be spot on with another gear and a little more juice," once I drove a 987.2 it was a done deal. Another big difference on the 9A1 vs M97 is 8 main bearings vs. 7, it really is a tough little engine that loves to be driven hard.

[@danoconnell6941]

Nice review. I've test driven a 987.1 S Cayman and own a 987.2 Boxster and your review is spot on. I picked up my '11 987.2 two years ago with 22,000 miles, stock but spec'd with S wheels and exhaust tips - 6 speed manual. I'm now at 60,000 miles via daily driving and weekend playing. The car is great to drive and super solid, only issue so far being a snapped shifter cable. After losing my previous 986 Boxster base to IMS failure (with well known aftermarket "fix"), searched for a year to find a 987.2 local to me - not easy to find, especially with a manual - not getting bit again with IMS issue. I've test driven every era of Boxster/Cayman and to me, the 987.2 is the sweet spot. Still a bit analog, feels smaller, hydraulic steering, less electronics, great deal for money. I'm curious to try the FVD or Softronic tune which bumps it to 280 HP and more torque, with better throttle response. Also on my want list is the Carnewal exhaust mod and H&R sport springs, both keeping the low budget fun in mind. This link/story interesting, base 987.2 Boxster modified for track use. I've gawked at it many times: porscheforum.com.au/topic/16765-9872-boxster-track-build-the-little-29-that-could/

[@PeterSierraRacingSupply]

Nice choice on the Top Gear exhaust! Good comparison too. For anyone on a tight budget that wants to track one of these cars I always recommend the Base .2. For street/canyon use youre right no one should shy away from the .1, its such a great car for the money. 987.2 S is of course the ultimate choice if you can afford it, keep in mind the manual .2 S is s VERY hard car to find, production numbers were super low. I was lucky enough to get mine for under 30K a few years ago, and have since put over 20K miles on the clock (90K total), primarily hard track miles or too and from. It has been shockingly reliable and is extremely capable and fun on track with the right mods.

[@JJL206]

Why not compare a 987.1 2.7 to a 987.2 2.9…? The 2.7 doesn’t have the IMS issue or suffer from bore scoring, and it’s around $10K less. Much better value, and - IMHO - it looks better. Even the oil changes are cheaper.

[@DoWorkExotics]

Great video! I think these are SUCH a value. Cannot believe how affordable they are. I personally love the 987.2 updates and improvements. No IMS bearing worry/bore scoring. But there definitely is a value with the 987.1s. I agree with your advice, if you can do it, go 987.2 S. Fantastic car.

[@commantrosexetlos4700]

The later is a based model not s

[@DoWorkExotics]

@@commantrosexetlos4700 yes, rather have a 987.2 Base vs. a 987.1 S.

[@commantrosexetlos4700]

@@DoWorkExotics isnt tho slower? Facelift s with pdk isnt preferred?

[@svang1991]

I’ve been waiting for this comparison from someone like you!!!

[@flat6croc]

It's also worth noting that these cars benefit hugely from the extended leather option. Doesn't nothing for the driving dynamics, so that might seem a bit tangential. But it lifts the cabin substantially. Makes you feel like you're in a quality item rather than a cheap box. With the best will in the world, you're slotting in that perfect H&T downshift or chasing the limiter 100% of the time an d in terms of overall ownership satisfaction, it makes a bit difference. I wouldn't have a 987 without, it personally.

[@k0unitX]

Great video. A basic tune for the 987.2 base fixes all of the problems you mentioned (throttle response, mid range torque, peak bhp bump). I highly recommend your friend gets one as it completely transformed how my base 987.2 drove. I got the FVD one but Softronic is popular as well. I think the real diamond in the rough here is the 987.2 S, as it's so trivial to make 350bhp++ with that drivetrain. Great, great value there.

[@maximus9401]

By trivial, what do you mean? Just ecu tuning or hardware and bolt ons?

[@k0unitX]

@@maximus9401 ECU tune alone gets you to about 335. 350 with an exhaust, 365 with exhaust and plenum, and 380ish with exhaust, plenum, catless headers. Overall, for a naturally aspirated powertrain, it responds to mods fantastically.

[@DC5Brandon]

@@maximus9401 My 987.2 Cayman S is 365 HP to the crank with full bolt-ons and tune. The non-trivial part is the cost after paying the "Porsche Tax" for mods 😅

[@TheChannel1978]

@@DC5Brandon Do you mind listing some prices for some parts? I mean, I hope prices don't just 2x because the exhaust is for a Porsche or do they?? Nice user name by the way, good to see on this channel.

[@DC5Brandon]

@@TheChannel1978 Mind you, I installed quality parts, so maybe my cost was a few thousand more than average, but yes, expect to spend x1.5 to x2 the cost for a typical car like my RSX. $2500 for exhaust, $2000 for sport headers, $1000 for hard-to-source high flow cats for headers, $1000 for tuning device and tune, $1500 for plenum and GT3 throttle body and $600 for sport intake. Expensive, yes, but it's close to the HP of a 981 GT4 and has more torque for far less overall money.

[@roblyss]

EXCELLENT review. You hit on all the important comparison factors regarding torque, refinement, power levels, etc. Well done, and very helpful.

[@jimrobison374]

Great video. I have a 987.2 base, but I added the "sport" muffler from the S model. It has an on/off button, so I can keep peace with my neighbors around home, but open up and let it roar on back roads. And thanks for the tip about a cheap fix for my sagging headliner.

[@YarraMates]

Had to make this decision a few months ago, and ended up buying a 987.2 base. As a daily driver it's a sweet spot of power and reliability.

[@fbi-gi7mn]

what was the deciding factor that brought you to the .2?

[@frederickcook87]

.1 with coilovers, numeric shifter/cables and you’re good. You want to go next level get a Hartech engine rebuild 👌🏾😃👌🏾

[@jmmch3358]

987.2 '09-'12 Cayman S is a much better option.👍

[@RobSchlegel]

All the key points are at the very beginning of the video. The entire case for the .2 base over the .1 S is pretty much the improved engine design. Whether or not that’s worth the trade off in power is up to the individual.

[@svang1991]

Any 987.2 will also be significantly rarer than any 987.1. I’d choose rarity and reliability over 30hp. The horsepower gap can be bridged easily with an exhaust/header and an ecu tune. Getting the 987.1 to be as reliable as the 987.2 is cost- prohibitive.

[@Rafrob77]

How about the .2 S is that better then the .1 S I have a 2019 macan S and want to get a Cayman but I'm still debating what I'm getting

[@heelntoe3982]

​@Rafrob77 yes, .2 S is better than .1 S, but .2 S is more like $40k, give or take a few grand.

[@TheChannel1978]

@@Rafrob77 I think you know the answer. You are getting the .2 or a bag or potential problems. Or you are getting a blown .1 and looking for a project to swap a new built motor in.

[@mrmonday42]

Basically you're paying to not have to worry about issues like bore scoring. I don't know if I could keep a Porsche off the track so I would go 987.2 but the prices are often higher than 981.

[@TheChannel1978]

S2000 is still the better choice. I was on the fence about getting a 987.2 and it just wasn't worth it over an S2000. It's funny how Porsche gets away with putting shitty strut suspenion in a so called 'sports car' and then charge a premium for it. Porsche know how to make money, that's what it's about. I'm not saying they don't make great cars, it's just they make you pay 2x or 3x the price of buying other great cars.

[@masterzen_]

Except there now saying that Bore scoring is still an issue on the S 987.2, just not as high as previous faults in the .1's. Scares me out of getting an S :(

[@greyhound707]

I have a 987.2 Cayman S and after 60k+ miles I agree with the observations on the 987 platform. Some of the issues can be addressed fairy easily, but it will take a little money. Suspension - The stock struts are lacking sufficient rebound damping. A set of decent coil overs (Bilstein PSS9 or better) set to position 2 or 3 brings proper body control for the street without any harshness. Get a proper alignment. Find a good Porsche race shop and let them do their corner balance and alignment magic. I prefer 0 front toe, -0.7 front camber, +0.16 total rear toe, -1.5 rear camber. When lowering the car with coil overs, adjustable rear toe links and adjustable rear lower control arms will be needed. I got a used set of GT3 LCA and my race shop machined a small amount off the adjustment face of the control arm to achieve the slightly shorter length needed to get the correct camber. Without adjustable rear toe links and LCA you will have more rear toe and sig more rear negative camber than the numbers above. It will be ok, but not magic. Front suspension is fine as is. Stock front and rear sway bars are fine. Add a good set of tires (Michelin PS4S) and the suspension is done. It's balanced, controlled, agile, pretty near perfection for a street car. Shifter - Numeric Racing cables and shifter. This removes all rubber from the shifter to the transmission. There is zero shifter flex with this setup. This combination is absolutely bullet proof but does introduce a little noise into the cabin. It does give total piece of mind that there will never be a shifter failure. Brakes - Rather than take the inevitable compromise that always comes with using aftermarket pads on the street, I find a inexpensive compromise is to just keep very fresh stock brake parts and fluid in the car. The stock brake feel and performance is ok when all the pieces are new. Once the pads have worn past about 35% the pedal starts to feel unacceptably soft. Many people have gone down the path of a GT3 master cylinder, larger diameter rotors, aftermarket pads but that gets into significant money quickly. Motor - As others have mentioned a good tune makes a big difference on these motors. The 9A1 3.4 liter can approach 350hp just with a tune such as Softronic. With 350hp, a limited slip diff starts to come more to the forefront. A Wavetrack torque biasing diff is a fantastic addition which greatly improves the driving refinement as the PSM isn't braking the inside rear wheel at every 2nd gear corner exit. Road noise - yup, it's a loud car. No question. I haven't been willing to tear apart the interior to install dynomat. Nor do I want to accept the added weight. I just live with the noise. The Michelin PS4S is a pretty quiet summer tire.

[@flat6croc]

Only element I'd disagree on is the brakes on it being costly to sort the pedal feel. The large master cylinder from the 997 C4S / Turbo / GT3 is cheap to buy and fit and really helps with the brake pedal feel. Bang for buck, one of the very best mods for a 987 and I'd say a must-do.

[@greyhound707]

@@flat6croc Thanks for the feedback on doing just the master cylinder. I'll look into it.

[@flat6croc]

@@greyhound707 Good luck. I very much doubt you'll regret it. Significantly improves the pedal feel. Just take a little care with who you go to for fitting. System needs to be bled correctly. If the pedal doesn't feel significantly better with a clearly firmer end point, then they haven't done it right.

[@harryz388]

Great video. I went from a 987.1 base to a 987.2 base (both Boxsters), so I can’t speak to the power difference, but what you mentioned about sound and throttle response is spot-on. I’ve come to really miss all the extra noises the .1 made at low rpms.

[@nigelchung86]

Did the .1 gave you any issue? I am keen on 1

[@ChrisWalker-fq7kf]

Yes, they were great sounding engines. And you got a different sound at different parts of the rev range. I had a 987.1 S and later got a 997.2 base Carrera which also has a variant of the new 9A1. The new engines are bullet-proof and quieter because they simplified that complicated timing chain arrangement (including getting rid of the IMS). But that complexity is what gave the the engine its great character as well as being its Achilles heel.

[@michaelnguyen2975]

With that MacPherson strut you can fit two carryons in the frunk.

[@Zygrene]

True. Might be a worthy compromise for a daily driver.

[@cn0503]

Professional review as always. Where is the canyon road located?

[@RicBergstrom]

Sprint Booster will cure the lazy throttle on the 987.2 base. Makes it the way it should have been from the factory. Pull the baffle in the intake for a louder intake. Brakes are fine...push harder... I couldn't live with IMS and bore score and DFI so the 987.2.9 was the only choice. Never considered or drove an IMS car. Great reviews!!! I've done numeric cables, Ebay shifter, wood 917 style shift knob and the above recommendations. Looking at struts now.

[@marlonandrade8006]

To all the people saying nice things about this car... Could you please shut up so that we can keep the prices low 😊

[@AR-ld8qd]

Base cayman is still a cayman. Can’t go wrong either way. I love caymans, wish they had shorter gearing though.

[@svang1991]

I believe the Cayman base has slightly shorter 1st and 2nd gears. Probably less so for performance but to help compensate for lower torque/power in the 2.9L vs 3.4L.

[@taylorc2542]

Switch to 17'' wheels.

[@mokracing]

miss my 987.2 :( thanks for the awesome comparison!

[@tylerhaut7043]

thanks for posting. Would be interested in a 996 to 987.1 comparison if possible

[@Unicornpirate]

Where do you get your shirts from? Each video you have an awesome automotive shirt, long sleeve, or sweater on lol.

[@PorscheCaymanG]

A GT3 master cylinder can make a huge difference in brake pedal feel as well as reduce pedal travel before engagement. A relatively inexpensive upgrade if one gets the TRW version.

[@qikqbn77]

Was hoping to hear your thoughts on the "sport short throw shifter". I have that in my 987.1 Cayman S and I think it improves the shift feel quite a bit. Night and day actually. Both cars are amazing. I HIGHLY recommend sprint booster for your throttle mapping. Super easy install and gives your car 18 adjustments for throttle mapping. Night and day difference too for little money. I have said this before and I know it just seems like I am always defending the M97 engines. IMS issues are like 1% and bore scoring is very low too. What bothers me is that when comparing apples to apples, none of the 997.2 issues are given that same amount of scrutiny and there are many high dollar problems with high pressure fuel pump failures, high pressure fuel cylinder wash, dfi carbon buildup, and bore scoring as well. PDK issues being the biggest and most expensive. As much as a 997.1 rebuild. Truth is, I love Porsche and I am a long time owner, so It pains me to mention any of this and I hate pointing out flaws in any generation because I think it feeds the internet fear mongers. It's like staring at a nat/bug on a 1200 lbs thoroughbred race horse. Every generation offers a wonderful and unique driving experience. We have to remember that these cars are 15+ years old! If you are buying ANY brand car that is close to "classic" status, then let's be real and understand that some TLC will be needed on any car approaching 20 years old. I just hope most car enthusiasts can experience a wonderful car like the Cayman/Boxster/911 and really understand why there is no substitute. Thanks for the great review. keep the great content coming!

[@flat6croc]

987.1 3.4 is a fabulous car and it's correct that IMS is not a worry, they all have the final big bearing that hardly ever fails (much mess than 1%) but the bore scoring risk not low. The problem is pretty rampant. Also, getting the inlet cleaned on the DFI engine is not expensive and the cylinder wash thing is massively overstated. Very, very few 987.2 3.4 Caymans have suffered engine failures. The high pressure fuel pump is prone to failure and it's not cheap. But it's also nothing like as expensive as scoring in an M97 engine. The market often gets this stuff wrong, but for once the price premium on the 987.2 is justified regards engine reliability. The 9A1 isn't perfect. But it is DRAMATICALLY more reliable than the 3.4-3.8 M97, which are all acutely prone to bore scoring.

[@yamdory]

@@flat6croc como los 997.1, 996.1, 996.2 y no tanto como 996.1 y 996.2.

[@danparry834]

Good video, would you have an S2000 or a base cayman gen 2? I am thinking of selling my S for a base Cayman but I have my doubts!

[@salami99]

Hey Zygrene, I would love to have brought my 981 base cayman manual down their because it has the GT3 steering which gives weight feedback from the tires and handles completely different than the stock 981 steering. IMO, it is 80% as good hydraulic steering while being easier to daily drive then hydraulic steering from the 987. My car has no pasm, no sport chrono it's black with silver wheels as well. I saw the 987.1 for 25k, decent 987.2 bases for 37k, 981 bases for 45k back in August 2023

[@taylorc2542]

The peace of mind that comes with not worrying about bore scoring is worth the premium. Always stressing about proper start up, or guilt about short trips, would start to drive you crazy. Plus you get more HP.

[@johnmitchell2269]

Have you ever done a review on the 987 Cayman R?

[@edventures9884]

These caymans are growing on me. I used to like them a few years ago and lately got more into 911’s but man I kinda wanna go for a 987. Looking just on car gurus with a 200 mile radius there are a few 987.1’s for sale (around 15) and there’s only 1 987.2 for sale which is crazy

[@geldwertinvest1521]

Not to forget that the 987.1 S is comparably cheaper because the engine is known to have bore scoring. The 2.9 in the 987.2 on the other hand is among the most reliable engines Porsche has ever made

[@kenifchung]

How was the short shift kit on the .2, worth it?

[@gt3rs587]

Hi, great video. Can u do a comparuson video cayman vs brz/ gr86?

[@Zygrene]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHTckKd6bdNgfqs

[@romulus_]

the chief downside to the 987.2 is there's a lot less aftermarket support.

[@erikkulp8819]

Without the worries of engine issues with the 987 it would have been my first choice. The 987 engine is a little more raw stock than a base 987.2. With that said my base 987.2 has an FVD tune and FVD longtube catless equal length headers. It makes considerably more power everywhere in the powerband, sounds fantastic and provides the extra rawness I prefer. If at some point you decide to start tracking your base 987.2 you won't have the worries like you would with the 987. The motor in a 987.2 base can be found around 5k for a reasonably low mileage replacement if the worse was to happen.

[@NIAGTLH]

Love it here

[@frederickschulze8014]

And for a few grand more, you can add 987.2 S automatic to the conversation. Is it worth sacrificing the manual for more hp... 🤔

[@josephlim8941]

Saging head liners is a result of car sitting in the hot sun, not a good sign from an owners perspective. IMS is 3rd Gen, larger and irreplaceable. Deep sum only necessary if you track frequently. Again not good for owners perspective. Tracking requires more attention to oil starvation. Can monitor bore scoring by oil usage(excessive), knocking idle and increased while driving, excessive and uneven silt distribution between two crossover pipes (S), bank 2 cyl 5 and 6 passenger side.

[@anthonye1028]

How can someone make the suspension better in these cars?

[@meyersylvain8888]

The best is to take it with PDK and pcm. A phase 2 is faster than a 1.s with pdk

[@billdillon3886]

Check out PCA 's interviews with Jake Raby, the go to IMS bearing specialist. Cayman's have never had IMS issues.

[@mautsukuda]

Hey Fenton, I have been considering buying an S2000 and co-owning it with a friend to split the costs. How did you guys work out the insurance, registration, title, storage location, etc? Is everything pretty much set to one person's info and you just add the other person as an authorized driver? And know/trust the other person enough that you know they will pay their half of the costs?

[@Adrian-ni3pz]

Easy answer: don’t

[@drewmorg.]

Where did all these cars go off the marketplace? Jeez, they were a dime a dozen pre-covid. You could get yourself into a NICE 981.1 Cayman S for low 30's. Definitely into a PDK base model 981 for mid-high 20's. Now -- there are none to even look at. Crazy

[@taylorc2542]

There are only a half-dozen 2.9 liter manuals on sale in the entire country.

[@ryanm9546]

IMS is not an issue w/ these motors....

[@etilhcir4645]

I modded my 2.9l and its a manic , It will beat any S 987.1 . Tough talk but its true.

[@RichardGouda]

@etilhcir4645 With what was is it tuned?

[@etilhcir4645]

@@RichardGouda Soft tune ???? Its been a long time . But the cats inside the headers are a huge choke point. Lighter rims are a must

[@dude...are-you-sure]

this comparison would have been better if you had an S version for the 987.2. although these are technically the same car but the gen2 is really "new" even the S version of the 987.2 got more power than gen 1.

[@patrickbateman7122]

I'm thinking of getting GR86 but had GT86 and BRZ before so worried it will be like having same car again..I'm worried though in buying something like a 987 cayman with very high limits and doesn't move about like an 86 would be less exciting as a daily 🤔

[@aycz]

Get the GR.

[@patrickbateman7122]

@@aycz 🤣👍

[@flat6croc]

You can put the factory 17s with much narrower tyres on the 987, including on the 3.4. Problem solved.

[@s.a.i.v]

I remember playing need for speed and got aquired cayman early as the cayman is not that special of a car, but it is such a fast vehicle it carried me through the game. Like why would you need to buy a lambo.

[@jmmch3358]

Please compare the 987 Cayman S to a Porsche 944 Turbo or S2

[@RJ80246]

I owned an '89 944 S2 for a few years, now own a '10 Cayman base model. The S2 felt like a larger car, had slower steering and more body roll, dull exhaust note, but was quieter and more relaxed on the highway. It was a better grand touring car than a sports car, in my opinion. The 987.2 is all sports car. The flat-six exhaust note is more involving, but there is more road noise on the highway. It feels much sharper to drive than the S2 did and is a much more engaging car overall. The two smaller trunks are not quite as practical as the S2's fold-down rear seats and large rear hatch area. Hope this gives you an idea.

[@CiaoBoy44]

The major downside of the 987.2 Cayman S is its direct-injection fuel system with its carbon buildup, as well as more expensive high pressure fuel pump and fuel injectors. Better to stick with the port-injection 987.2 base Cayman.

[@BrianJohnson-kh7mg]

I've never heard of carbon build up being a major issue, def not anywhere in the league of IMS and bore score. But yeah, the HPFP is a couple grand to fix if needed. Mostly on the early 9A1 engines, early 2009. Porsche does have a recall for some.

[@williamrori1274]

But they don't blow up on track, so pick your poison lol

[@flat6croc]

Carbon build up is not a major problem. You just made that up.

[@DC5Brandon]

Carbon buildup is common with any direct injection engine over tens of thousands of miles of driving and eventually must be delt with, but its just a maintenance item. Is this a Down-side? I suppose, but any German car will have more expensive maintenance costs the more you drive it. The 987.1 will not be much cheaper than its counterpart.

[@Nosnorb06]

It is an issue, but the 9A1 DFI motors seem to be able to go 100K+ miles before needing walnut blasting. It's expensive on these cars as a lot needs to come out to access the intake ports. I feel bad for the 997.2 owners as the engine likely needs to be dropped in order to get the walnut blasting gear into the area.

[@brandonporambo]

Your videos helped remind me to reconsider a 987.1 cayman s a couple years ago when I had the chance to pick a particular one up that got away several years ago. I agree with you mostly about the 987.1, but the engine is totally not linear, maybe from 3k to 5k it is. However there is as much of a change at ~5k rpm in a 987.1s as the vtec changeover in my ap1 s2000. I call it german vtec as the m97 character really wakes up in that top 2000 rpm. The steering is great if a bit light and slower (the first ~45* of the variable rack) when your hustling the car through some great roads, but feels like a complete pushover when driving reasonably on normal roads. I guess that suits the car's character that its down to do anything, but I would like it to be better focused at providing fun, feel, and emotion on a decent backroad. Retired it from autocross, so now just a fun backroad toy. Really thinking about depowering the rack and having the internal valving welded so its a proper manual rack looking for good steering weight and even better feel.

[@Nosnorb06]

A few things missed by Zygrene regarding the 987.2 Base cars. On the 987.2, you can remove the intake snorkel cover (sits behind the driver's side intake grill) and the 9A1 motor will have a lot more induction noise. The 6MTs have slightly shorter gearing than the S models of the same year. The 9A1 in the Base uses port fuel injection so no concerns with intake valve buildup. The 9A1 is a robust motor with a fully closed block, forged rods/crank/pistons, dry sump oiling, and a very robust cooling systems. The 9A1 in the Base isn't susceptible to bore scoring like the DFI 9A1 motors (i.e. 987.2 Cayman and the 997.2 cars). YES, the 9A1 DFI motors are now having bore scoring issues unfortunately. It's not widespread, but beware. If your 9A1 bore scores, you're looking at a $20K+ rebuild. The 9A1 in the Base model absolutely needs to be revved as peak power is at 7200rpms vs the 6300rpm peak power for the M97 in the 987.1 Cayman S. You must keep the 9A1 Base revved above 4500rpms to make for meaningful acceleration, but chasing the redline is where it's at in a flat 6 Porsche. If you want sledge hammer torque, get a turbo 718. All in all, the 987.2 Base cars are probably some of the most reliable, easy to work, and connected experience Porsches in decades. It's also why they are highly desirable and pricey. As you can probably tell, I have a 987.2 Cayman Base. Looking back and knowing what I know now, I'd buy a 987.1 Cayman with a blown motor on the cheap and source a built 3.8 350hp+ and have one hell of a great Cayman for around $45K that could run with a 718 GTS 4.0.

[@TheChannel1978]

Kudos for a recommendation that is different to the car you own yourself. A lot of comments usually say 'buy the same as I' so your post was refreshing.

[@retrograde11]

Thanks, that's good info. Where would one be able to source the built engine from? Would you be doing the engine swap yourself or through a shop? Would the built engine be as reliable you think?

[@pervertt]

Would agree with just about everything you've said bar buying a 987.1 and substituting the blown engine. Too much work for me. I picked the 987.2 base a few years ago because I wanted to be able to sleep at night. Coming from a turbo car, I wondered where all the torque had disappeared to in the 2.9 litre engine. Then I realised the mistake I had made in the test drive - I had driven it like a turbo car, relying on mid-range torque. I should have adjusted my driving style and used higher revs to get the job done. Once I did this, I had no issues whatsoever with the car's performance. Life starts at 3000 rpm in the 987.2 base.

[@davidbronson9290]

​@pervertt Me too! My other car is a tuned 2016 M235 pushing around 380whp/400wtq. When I first got my Cayman, it felt broken when going full throttle at 3000rpms. I was so used to the low rpm torque and flexibility of my tuned N55. The M235 is much faster than my Cayman above 60mph but it doesn't hold a candle in anything else, performance wise.

[@pan4632]

surprising to hear that an LSD is a "rare option" on a 987.

[@brandonporambo]

Wasn't a possibility on a 987.1 as far as I know.

[@Nosnorb06]

LSDs in mid engine cars aren't overly necessarily as so much weight is already over the rear tires. I have an LSD in my 987.2 Cayman Base and it's overkill and sometimes can result in a bit too much oversteer. On the track and with the right tires, it would probably be great. On a street car? Not really necessary.

[@dougwtownley]

I drove both and bought the 987.2 base. BUT options matter. PDK with Sport Plus and PSE provide all the rawness and performance you thought was missing in the .2 base…

[@aycz]

Neither, save a bit more for 981 Cayman S! How do you co-own the car? Y’all bought it 50/50?

[@bhencho5256]

Shame the s got white dials

[@19lol19]

Rich guys in their porsche 😂