7 Things That Will Break Porsche 987 Cayman Boxster || WATCH THIS BEFORE BUYING

I will show you 7 things that are known to break in the Porsche 987 Boxster & Cayman buyers guide. If you are buying a Porsche 987 then I recommend you watch this video before buying so you know what to expect. I will cover known problems, faults, issues & can serve as a guide to watch before you buy. I will also share how much they will cost to fix, repair and things you can do to prevent the problem again.
Potential problems in the Cayman & Boxster 987 are IMS, Borescoring, AOS, O2 sensors, Gear linkage cables snapping, waterpump and low temp thermostat upgrade.
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[@paulhoang9820]

Great vid. I would also say coolant pipe corrosion, a lot of 987s are suffering from this due to age

[@alsatch_]

Paul Hoang thanks Paul. Appreciate the input and thanks for watching 👍👌

[@brandonbentley8532]

Coolant pipe corrosion? On a car that new? That is one of two things, electrolysis from an engine that is suffering from a bad ground(common on older cars) or the wrong coolent was used. I have a 99 986 boxster, rescently put in new water pump and thermostat...looked clean and perfect on the aluminum, no corrosion at all. Has only had porsche Coolant in the car from new.

[@johnconroy3078]

Yep, this highlighted itself dramatically within 3 miles of me picking up mine. To give CMS Porsche of Telford their due they took it right back in and replaced all the pipes corroded or not.

[@brandonbentley8532]

@@johnconroy3078 good thing it was all taken care of but could it be the wrong coolant?

[@freakerss]

987.2 owner (2009) my coolant pipe/hose cracked last year and leaked all over the place. Needed to be replaced from front to back. ~$1,500 @ the dealer.

[@ChefPelle]

Every time I start thinking about getting a 986/987 I watch a buyer's guide and immediately cool down. It's almost as if they were designed and built by Alfa Romeo. IMS, bore scoring, gearshift linkage, waterpumps, starter, exhaust etc.

[@arianetrek7049]

Interesting comment, have you checked *any* Alfa Roméo sport cars since 2010? Quadrifoglio Verde or TBI models? Because sporty Alfas have become as safe and reliable as Volvo since a decade now.

[@carlosalvarez4641]

Same for me, I must say. I wanted to have one 987 to enjoy it, but I am getting the feeling that if I get one, will be in a perennial paranoia every time I start up the engine.

[@Earlofdavetona]

That’s a blinkered comment about Alfa. I have a 987 and an Alfa and which do you believe is built better and far more reliable? I’ll give you a clue, it’s not the 987. Alfa have never had bore score issues, particularly on their boxer engines, they don’t have an IMS bearing, the cooling system doesn’t fuck up the air oil separator doesn’t let go, the air vents don’t fall apart, the gearbox doesn’t drop its syncros and when things do need changing due to wear and tear, you don’t need a mortgage to do it. All this Porsche shit you have to contend with is hidden in the press just like every other shit German car brand. BMW, Merc and VAG cars are all shit, some worse than you would be led to believe. I love my 987 but you cannot consider it reliable.

[@ChefPelle]

@@Earlofdavetona 🤣🤣🤣

[@wrongwaycorrigan2920]

That's pretty much normal stuff for a 15+ year old car. IMO, the IMS and bore scoring are overplayed. And a couple of oil samples will detect if there's bore scoring ... excess metals will show up in the samples. I've had zero problems with IMS or bore scoring.

[@ferryporsha7401]

Great video Satch, love what you do. However, as others have mentioned the following is worth adding: 1. The front coolant pipes corode which results in leaks from behind the front wheels because it eminates from the cross-over pipes. Unfortinately though, both cross-over pipes have to be replaced & in order or access them, the front subframe has to be dropped so it's expensive in labour. This is easy to check because where the coolant hoses connect to the cross-over pipes is right behind both wheels so you only have to put the full steering lock on each side to see if you've a leak! Frequently though, before it leaks you'll see red crusting around the hose pipe ends. While some people might say why is this happening on a Porsche, one has to remember that these cars are reaching 11 to 15 years now which is why the issue is appearing. Most other cars would've been sent to the scrap yard so it's incredible that after a decade, they're only devloping a handfull of issues. 2. The Borescore issue only affects the 3.4 litre engine because the 3.2 has thicker cylinder liners. Porsche in their infinte wisdon chose to put thinner liners on the 3.4. However, the issue only affects cylinder numbers 5 & 6 because these are the farthest away so take longer to heatup. The issue seems to be caused by owners who don't allow the engine to warm up properly before giving the car a good hammering. 3. The inner door membranes perish or rather the glue holding them does which means you get water entering the door which results in soaking wet lower door carpets below the armrest storage area. 4. The lower of the twin horns packs up which means only the higher tone sounds. This is accessed behind the front bumper. 5. Window regulators pack up; easy fix! I think that's it other than to say that if you join the Porsche Club GB, you'll get 10% off main dealer parts which is better than "a poke in the eye with a sharp stick"! :-)

[@jchoi0206]

W

[@designingcouture]

Great info! Thanks so much! I’m the original owner of my ‘07 S model, so I expect I will be facing many of these issues soon enough. However, no complaints, because in the nearly 14 years I’ve owned the car, it’s still in pristine condition and I’ve been very fortunate to have had only minor repairs.

[@rodneykent5383]

Love the video. I have owned my 987 Boxster S for 11 years and done 60,000 miles in the car. I bought the car from a Porsche main dealer with a 12m Porsche warranty. During the first year the heat exchangers and radiators behind the front bumper were found to be corroded and stone damaged (replaced under warranty), and during a trip to the Alps the engine started to misfire and went into limp home mode. All 6 coil packs were replaced at a Swiss Porsche Dealer(warranty paid again). On the Alps tour, I drove the car hard on the mountain passes, and took the engine up to 7000rpm in the numerous tunnels to hear the echo of the gorgeous flat six exhaust! On returning home I was driving along a dual carriageway, when the gear change cable broke. This rendered the car completely undrivable and it had to be recovered on a truck . Some two years later, the IMS bearing failed, completely destroying the engine. The Porsche main dealer quoted me £12,000 for a new engine(gulp). A local independent recommended a secondhand hand engine from an accident write off, which turned out be very good advice. A suitable engine was found on eBay. It had full Porsche service history and the later improved IMS bearing. This engine has been trouble free since it was installed. Recent failures have been broken coil springs (all four replaced), corroded coolant pipes, and exhaust silencer box rusted through(replaced with Miltek cat back stainless steel exhaust). I have also had issues with water collecting under the carpet due to a leaking soft top window seal. ( I would recommend a breathable car cover if the car is not garaged). Despite all the problems, the Boxster is still a fantastic drivers car and always puts a smile on my face when driven on a winding B road!

[@jivansinghtoor]

You just put me off one. Lol

[@gsk5161]

Damn, that too many issues to deal with.

[@SerCristonCole]

@@jivansinghtoor same

[@jivansinghtoor]

@@SerCristonCole Resorted to the R8 Instead

[@chuffedkiwi]

Thanks definately buying an mx5 after hearing that!!

[@lewp2970]

I was completely devastated as my 987 05 2.7 Boxster had IMS failure after I owned the car for 5 days!!! Full service history and 75000 on the clock. One day I hope to get one again! 🤞🏼

[@calleclear1875]

Lewthesoulman That...is my fear. After watching dozens of videos and test driving four Boxster’s, will be saving money for a year by the time I buy one. And this could happen. Would really wrecked my confidence in Porsche altogether. A Porsche dealership wants $500 for an inspection. Makes me think that would be well worth it.

[@micahgunnell]

I have a 2005 987 Boxster S...so far I’ve had the water pump go, bad seal on the coolant pipe assembly, replaced cracked ignition coils, replaced punctured coolant hose, failed convertible motor(not replaced yet), leaking front axle replaced, snapped the shifter cable in a very inconvenient place in the mountains and had to wait 4 hrs for a tow(replaced them with Numeric Cables which really improve shifter feel and are much thicker), and also replaced the AOS. Thanks for the great videos, I love watching them all!

[@Metro6am]

how much did all that set you back?

[@allancummings8023]

Wow, i have just bought a 987 boxster s and it needs new shocks. Sounds like you have had nothing but problems and it must of cost a fortune to fix. Fingers crossed i have a bit more luck.

[@micahgunnell]

Allan Cummings welllll...mine is now completely out of commission. I believe it is either a cracked cylinder wall or cracked block, both of which are extremely expensive to fix(I was told I’m better off buying a used engine). I’m now planning to keep it and eventually do a V8 swap as I believe it will be more reliable, less expensive to fix, and much more powerful. My daily is now a new STi, which so far has been great though not quite as engaging as the Boxster(when it worked).

[@allancummings8023]

@@micahgunnell gutted for you. I absolutely love my boxster with a passion but if it becomes a complete money pit she will have to go. Hopefully it never comes to this. Good luck with yours 👍

[@micahgunnell]

Allan Cummings Thanks man, I hope you have better luck than I did! I’m still not giving up on her though...I always wanted a v8, so maybe when that eventually happens it will all be worth it. I definitely loved that car when it was working! Such a blast on a canyon road!! I was enjoying it on one the last time I drove it and was having the time of my life...then I saw black smoke billowing out the back of it 😂 game over!

[@timhill6758]

As a prospective 987 Cayman S owner, this has helped me SO much, thank you! I wish more info videos were like this- clear, concise and honest, spot on

[@wasimakujee5627]

i bought my cayman s 2006 with a full hartech engine rebuild with all 6 done going to keep forever its an amazing timeless machine !!

[@MikeK-NIreland]

Spot on Satch I think you have covered all the main issues there. I have replaced the AOS on mine around 12k mile ago with mo problems so far. Only other issue and I see other subscribers have mentioned it is the coolant pipe corrosion. Keep up the good work. Mick. 👍🍻

[@ncfdelrio]

Very informative and delivered in a genuine sincere way..... makes it much more meaningful! Look forward to future clips 👍🏼

[@theawakenment1361]

Very informative video. Not many people are doing Cayman 987 S videos even though they are a very popular Porsche. Well done. Subscribed 👍🏼

[@alsatch_]

The Awakenment great to hear it thank you very much. I appreciate you watching and subscribing 👍👌

[@x1tekja]

Great information on this channel. I consider myself lucky not to have had any of these issues and I have 125k miles on my 987 but good information on potential points to address. Preventative maintenance is always cheaper than dealing with a blown motor while on a road trip

[@timjones4594]

My shifter cable snapped at 60,000km, replaced it, should be fine for another 10 years. I`ll keep an eye or ear open for these others, great video.

[@nick318is]

Great video. Had some of these on my past 987.1S: AOS (especially if you track it), Waterpump, what sounded like the startermotor (slow crank as well) but was solved by a new battery. The one I'd add is the interior door handle lever will break, so the window will have a mind of its own and the handle won't sit flat.

[@markduffy9475]

Well, I bought my 3.2 987 Boxster S seven years ago with 11k on the clock. It now has 39k on the clock and has never missed a beat. In that seven years it has never let me down and I've had no issues whatsoever. IMS was checked five years ago and has the latest one fitted, 3.2s don't bore score. The only things that have been done is it has been lowered on H&R springs, carnewal full GT exhaust and fast road geo set up by Centre of Gravity. The car is mint but it gets driven, just come back from a two thousand miles trip around France and it has never missed a beat. Apart from normal wear and tear stuff like tyres, brakes etc it's cost me nothing so far. A lot of issues can be down to lack of driving the car (things seize and dry up, they love to be driven), how the previous owner/owners have treat the car. Has it been garaged all its life etc.

[@alsatch_]

Mark Duffy great stuff Mark hope you enjoyed the trip. Yes a lot of problems can stem from previous owners not maintaining correctly and leaving the new owner to pick up the pieces. Get planning the next trip mate thanks for watching 👌👍

[@markduffy9475]

@@alsatch_ Cheers mate👍. Yip, great trip to France on some of the best roads in Europe. You should have been there, would have given you a month's worth of videos. We watched the Le Man's 24hr race from the Porsche Experience Centre. An unforgettable experience, it was Porsche heaven. I guess being in the Porsche Club has some benefits.😋

[@johngraydon506]

Mark Duffy i had the S a 2004 model with 6 k on it, never missed a beat in three years, found it so good it was a bit boring but more because of where I lived, having had a 944 turbo for 16 yeRs which ran perfectly, i was retiring and just though newer car but wish I still had the Turbo or an S2 ..got a golf perforamance GTI 7 fully loaded and does the job but drives over the road instead of in it like a porsche feels but otherwise its really great ! Looking now at another porsche as my final car ! At 71

[@6ary]

Wow you hit the mark on most of these issues, I've had my 2007 987 for 5 years now and had 4 out of the 7 issues. Also had to replace my horn during this time

[@maxirving3496]

Good Video. I have owned a 987 Gen 1 Cayman S for 10 years with 40000 miles. The faults I have had are as follows: Failed heat exchangers and coolant radiators behind the front bumper. To prevent this happening again I fitted discrete mesh that prevents stones and leaves getting into the vicinity. Done 8 years ago with no ill effects. Rear spring failure. Sitting in traffic, and a sudden large bang. Managed to get home. The last inch of the top of the spring failed. Replaced the 2 rears. Common fault apparently and can also happen on the front. Coolant leak due to corrosion on coolant pipe work. Required a big strip down. Only one that really concerns me as almost an inevitable is the gear linkage judging by what you say.

[@alsatch_]

max irving thanks Max appreciate your input and personal experience. Fingers crossed for more trouble free miles ahead. Thanks for watching👍👌

[@micahgunnell]

I highly recommend doing the shifter cables preemptively! I was doing some driving on my favorite deserted mountain road and was halfway through when mine snapped. Had to wait 4 hrs for a tow. It’s a huge upgrade to the Numeric Shifter cables as they are about twice as thick and also greatly improve the shifter feel(much more mechanical and make a subtle “clink” when shifting).

[@thenick113]

I Replaced the gear cable and it happened again!!! So I did it myself and it turned out the cam onto he gear box that the cable clips onto is aluminium and corrodes horrendously eventually snapping the cable, I dressed it all up, greased them and been perfect for 3 years, had a million other failures but that is my tuppensworth on that one, was worried it was the gearbox but was a simple fix, and expensive all in all, could have been avoided with a better component or 1p woth of grease!

[@frederikjacob1985]

Great info! I'm looking for a cayman 2.7 in the future. So this will come handy! Thx Satch!

[@alsatch_]

Frederik Jacob thanks Frederik you will absolutely love the Cayman 2.7 please let me know when you get the car. Thanks for watching appreciate it 👍👍

[@jjmarti5785]

Great video Al. you’ve pretty much caught in your 10min video what it’s taken me two years of ownership to discover! I’d also maybe include the coolant pipe issues and even possibly keeping an eye on potential brake pipe rusting (The under body covers hide these and they get missed on inspections).

[@alsatch_]

Martin Jobson thanks Martin. Appreciate your comment and input. I’ll most likely be making a part 2 with the other suggestions. Thanks for watching 👌👍

[@lukieduke11]

Hi, great vid from my experience i wouldn't recommend the Numeric Racing cables had them adjusted and readjusted 4 times they wouldn't allow full selection of all the gears grinding into 2nd and reverse after having enough i bought a replacement standard set and the specialist i used said they've had multiple 987's with the same issue using the numeric cables

[@RickinHKG]

Looking at a 2008 Boxster RS60 Spyder tomorrow. This has really helped. Thanks.

[@safesurfer1965]

Great Video! Breaking heads of roof poles is a frequent problem on the 987 Boxster - I had mine replaced two times in 12 years on my 2008 2,7 l Boxster. Also the switch for the front boot wears out very often after approximately 10 years. Fortunately I have seen none of the problems shown in the video so far.

[@benchambers2458]

Great video, covers all the major issues I've heard of, I think the coolant pipes are pretty much a definite based on age and mileage, and I've also had a fuel pump failure but don't think this is a common issue. Keep up the good work! 👍

[@alsatch_]

Ben Chambers hey Ben thanks for watching. Yes a couple of others have mentioned the coolant pipes aswell so seems to definitely be a common occurrence. Thanks for watching mate appreciate it 👍👌

[@porcheb100]

Excellent - You confirmed what my issue was - I have been trying to explain to others what the sound was when I started the car. Now I know exactly what it is.

[@johnT5]

My first Porsche was a base 2008 987 Cayman. I had it for two years and roughly 6K miles with not a single problem. Good video and very very good cars. (I've also had a 2002 986 Boxster S that had numerous minor electrical issues, 2014 981 base Cayman with MANY electrical issues, 2014 Boxster S with no issues, 981 GT4 with a stereo head unit that died and currently a 1984 911 Targa which I've had no issues with. So I've never seen the mechanical issues on any of my cars. Only electrical related.)

[@boostednorm]

I’ve owned my 2008 Cayman S for 2 years and it now has 95600 miles. Previous owner has the AOS fail and I had the thermostat fail and the shifter cables break. One other thing which I did not see mentioned in the comments was something that has recently happened to me probably due to repeated over 90 degrees Fahrenheit weather we had namely droopy headliner. To have Porsche fix it is outrageous so I’ll attempt it myself. Parts should only cost about $100. I found many links on how to so I’m hopeful.

[@jhelwig19781]

Great vid and very helpful!

[@lebojay]

According to Porsche expert Jake Raby, the most reliable sign of bore scoring is a ticking sound. It sounds like a bad lifter, only Jake says these cars don’t suffer lifter problems and that a typical ticking tappet sound indicates bore scoring. Only fix is an engine rebuild.

[@peterpanizza4320]

Hey Satch, great video I’ll check my Boxster S gen 2 for any of those problems mentioned. Early diagnosis and prevention has got to be better than an expensive surprise.

[@alsatch_]

Peter Panizza 100% correct. You shouldn’t have to worry about any IMS issues on your gen 2 car though as it will already have the better IMS bearing installed to the car. Thanks for watching Peter appreciate it 👌👍

[@jrh1901]

Great video as ever. I have a Gen 2 Boxster S PDK. Could be wrong but I thought Porsche did away with an IMS altogether on this new engine?

[@ferryporsha7401]

The Gen2 has an all-new DFI engine which no longer contains an IMS bearing as Porsche redesigned the engine so you can drive in peace. :-)

[@bhallerbach]

I had the shift cable break in my 2010 987.2 Boxster. I was able to drive it to the shop by engaging third gear directly on the shift linkage on the transmission body. Hope the new one lasts a while. Great video!

[@arricammarques1955]

Keep hoping, trust you have deep pockets.

[@PlatinumAlpaca]

Thanks for the video, just picked up two 987's in our family this month. A 2008 Boxster 2.7 and a 2006 Cayman S, beautiful cars, great to know what can go wrong and how to pick the items up before they become issues.

[@frostshock13]

Inner door handle retracting spring plastic, they eventually break leaving you with a floppy inner door handle, 35 usd and take the panel off it's pretty easy. Also, if anyone is new the tool he offer is pretty invaluable if you work on your car yourself for resetting many things. AoS failure , I had to go in and clean all the oil out my intake to get the smoking to stop after replacing it. Great video and touches on pretty much everything.

[@garrymartin3804]

Great vid satch owner probs iv had 987.1 06 steering rack , water pump at 69k & a rocker cover leak

[@jjsep60]

Just had to replace the part you mentioned due to a oil leak on my boxster 987.2. Thanks mate.

[@Neil2022]

Thanks for the info, will come in handy when I finally get round to owning a cayman

[@alsatch_]

The Ironman great stuff thanks for watching, there may be more common faults that I have not mentioned so keep an eye on the comments when you do come to buy. Thanks 👍👌

[@orangecayman520]

The Ironman you wont regret it 😁

[@jacksonwayss8567]

so i just recently bought a 2006 Cayman s with 130,000. The previous owner had never replaced the clutch or anything mentioned in the video but when taking it for the test drive it was very obvious that it needed a good amount of work. So far i have done basic maintenance to it along with the water pump, suspension components, and AOS. At almost 140,000 miles this car feels great and has been taking me over 100 miles a day for work without an issue.

[@alsatch_]

jackson wayss great stuff thanks for sharing. I need to also change the clutch on my 987. 126k on original clutch. Thanks for watching. 👌👍

[@renesanchez5333]

jackson wayss make some videos !

[@tony9189]

My 987.2 Base Cayman even replace new AOS sometimes still have smoke problem(chance about 3/10),great video!!!

[@tedjohnson64]

Very well-made video, really liked the pics of failed parts.

[@machp4625]

Great Video. I have a 987 cayman s and my passenger side window regulator is broken. I think this is also a common problem. I have already replaced the water pump. Keep the videos coming.

[@alsatch_]

Mac Hira thank you Mac ok thanks for sharing that. I’ll be making a part 2 with all of the other suggestions so will be sure to give you a mention. Thanks for watching and contributing 👍👌

[@TrickeyFitness]

Happened to me few years back. 😅

[@saileshlimbachia3826]

Great video - just bought a Cayman and some really helpful tips thank you

[@robertjones6649]

Excellent set of videos/tutorials - slightly worried about what I have gotten myself into, particulary with regards to bore scoring etc, but what the hell the driving experience is great. Having not been out in my 987 S (08) for over 2 months the dreaded 'check engine' light was on but was able to diagnose using the icarsoft POR 1.0 - Low charge on battery so trickle charger ordered!

[@grahamrobson9292]

Very good watchable review 👌

[@aaronplayer9947]

Love the videos mate looking into buying myself a 987 cayman s very soon ! And I am finding your videos very helpful 👍 keep up the good work looking forward to the next video

[@alsatch_]

Aaron Player great stuff Aaron - they are great little cars and I wouldn’t think twice about recommending one to anybody. Very please with my 987. Let me know when you get one thanks for watching 👍👍

[@TheStoicmasculine]

Did u buy one

[@ghostridertom]

Also hunting for 987.1 Cayman S so this is a crucial info. Thanks

[@jaketin666]

I am Planning to buy Cayman. Great information to check out before buying 👍

[@pabloalcantara9093]

Some good info here sir. AOS & shifter cables are big ones, aside from the IMS & borescoring. Thanks for sharing

[@alsatch_]

Pablo Alcantara thanks Pablo yeah the AOS is very common and as I say, I’m nearly into my 3rd 🤣

[@jamesmarshall3311]

IMS pretty much a non issue on Caymans. Possible 1% fail rate due to enlarged bearing.

[@alexandervanwyk7669]

I own a old '98 986 as a daily car. Just done 130k miles. No IMS issues! (Also none of my fellow 986 owners had). Original engine. Excellent engine, virtually no oil use. Redone starter motor, replaced springs and shocks, replaced all engine mounting rubbers, snake belts, pulleys, thermostat water pump. Right door opener cable snapped. Easy fix on all these issues due to excellent YT tutorials. Plastic window cracking in fold, requires replacement soon. Water bottle purchased but not yet replaced. Overall stunning car. Pure enjoyment for 8 years now. Enjoyed enough track days and skidpan sessions. Mine looks the best of all classic 986's. Immaculate in ice-white with 19" 275/30 turbo carrera mags rear (19"/235/35's in front, the absolute max size on these early 986es) I am so happy with mine that I do not want to upgrade to a 987. Use 50% top open, so did have the occasional windows stuck in down position but then easily sorted sequence out somehow by myself. No big deal. Verdict: Stunning stunning stunning. "Richness never came so cheap"

[@robweiss748]

Hi. OBD guy here. A P0421 is what’s called a system monitor and points to failure of the catalyst itself. The P013x series of faults point to an O2 sensor issue. A properly designed OBD system should diagnose the sensor first before using that sensor as an input to a system monitor. So if you only get the P0421 and nothing else the O2 sensors should not be your source. If they are, the P0421 and P013x faults were not properly designed and/or calibrated. If you replace the sensor and the P0421 returns, the issue is your catalyst brick. I had this exact issue occur on my old Mercury Mystique (US version of CDW162 Mondeo)

[@neilwatson6099]

Great Video --On a 987 can I suggest Rear Control Module water ingress & associated drain hole blockages!

[@Mullac23]

I just got a 07 S in black she is a beaut, wish i found you before i bought as i had to spend some money to get her right. But still was the best car for money!

[@JBrock-ii7fs]

A full 2 minutes of the video repeating that you are going to discuss 7 problems with the 987. That's almost 20% of the video...can't wait to watch the rest.

[@jonnyreverb]

Subscribed, Following. Thanks!

[@bdeheer]

Haven't seen this one in the comments yet: The front coilovers. At the top, under the rubber, mine had lost about 40% of their circumference. Quite scary. Before buying it I had it checked by a Porsche specialist and he checked it right away. So not uncommon. Mine had 140000km so about 90000 miles on it and was 11 years old. Used it to haggle the price down. They were the PASM dampers.

[@101TheKMan]

Power steering pump is another common failing point. Great video btw

[@brianmurphy2439]

Really helpful, thanks for taking the time to make video & share. One other thing to add is drainage. Had never given it a second thought till disaster struck. We've got an '08 Boxster from new. Never had issues. It's sat in the same driveway environment from date of purchase. Had the car serviced by Porsche and they cleared out the draining ports as part of the normal service process. Eight weeks later the car mysteriously flooded in our drive way and the car had a complete nervous breakdown, roof tried to open by itself, lights flashing, alarm sounding, spoiler deploying and clam shell trying to open on its own, then snapping .......and at this point theres no key in the ignition. Horrendous to witness. Couldn't open bonnet to cut power. The dramatic impact occurred because the brains of the car apparently sit in the passenger footwell so if water gets in it fries everything. Took two months & cost over £5,500 to fix everything (during covid). Turns out you can buy little "draining covers" for about £35 and they sit on top of the drainage area under rear hood thus at least reducing the chance of blockage. Few weeks later saw someone near by with a leaf blower and realised this guy was potentially the cause. With climate change theres more chance of occasional torrential downpours so worth checking as this issue totally ambushed us in a very painful way.

[@Sapientoni]

Failure of owner to check the oil level regularly should have been mentioned in the IMSB section. Many people think they've bought an expensive car and it checks the oil itself. Actually true in the 987 models but if the owner doesn't allow it during the first 5 seconds BEFORE turning the starter, it's a 30 minute wait! With 987.2 it's AFTER warm up and while idling takes 30 seconds. A good video for the casual owner with an interest in knowing at least a little about his pride and joy.

[@andrewthompsonuk1]

I think your 421 may clear after your AOS valve replacement. O2 sensors may be the issue but only replace them if they are provan bad.

[@EdMonet]

Intelligent, Informative, Precise.....

[@chriscarbine504]

Great information

[@kennygray1115]

Really good video with helpful tips and owners experience.. well done.. be good to have some estimates for labour included from specialists even an hourly rate and and estimated time for each job... good stuff though as I'm looking at a 2.7 2006 model at the moment plus a 2.0 718 cayman, trying to make my mind up what would be better overall value...

[@18T220]

4 of these happened to my 987, so great vid!

[@drpatricio27]

Would be cool to see one video like this with 991.1 and 991.2.

[@roderickmchardy3650]

excellent video

[@alanbstard4]

great video. Thanks

[@alsatch_]

Alan B'Stard M P thanks Alan I appreciate you watching and commenting 👌👍

[@classiconeoffs]

Great videos! Love what you are doing. I replaced seats in my 2006 Boxster S (I think someone used battery acid to clean the leather....I know...). The result is I now have an airbag light on which I fear will not go away when I clear it as the car has AWS under the passenger seat and it may need recalibrating. I don't have kids but would like the passenger airbag to work always. Is there a way around this? I see a lot of people changing seats so is there a way around this problem? Many thanks and keep those videos coming! We are grateful!

[@nickrichardson7451]

This is so useful, as I’m thinking of buying a Gen 1 Cayman. As I’m not familiar with the engines, it would be helpful to see where to look on an engine. I presume a pre-purchase specialist inspection is advisable too, although some potential failures just randomly occur so its pot-luck!

[@PaulMansfield]

I've been quoted up to about £200 for a thorough pre purchase inspection, not including bore scoping. I think if you're spending maybe 20,000 upwards, it's vital for peace of mind

[@mikeland812]

Thanks for the info 👍

[@alsatch_]

Michael Land no problem Michael, thanks to you for watching. 👍👌

[@antoniopetrelli820]

Nice video. I’d also add headliner replacement which seems to be a common issue. Mine seemed firm when I purchased used but failed 6 months later during some warm weather.

[@kenhamano2726]

Did DIY? What kind of glue?

[@antoniopetrelli820]

@@kenhamano2726 I had an independent car upholstery shop do it for $500.00 about 3 years ago.

[@jimknowles5483]

Thanks for posting costs in both pounds & dollars. 😊

[@joed.7468]

Great vid ty!

[@kenthill8489]

Very useful thanks

[@BGSGBF]

Thanks a lot, good sir. Much appreciated.

[@timothylindsay3244]

I am right now at 110000 replacing my third shift cable assembly on my 2010 Base Boxster. (Last time was at 60K miles). Have decided to replace with Numeric cables and while I am at it install their short shift box assembly. Hoping this will be good for another 200k miles or when I die...I am 67 so not kidding :). Great video. Water pump, thermostat, drive belt next, 120k. Have also installed Soul Performance exhaust system, Softronics ECU remap and Sachs Performance clutch and DFM. All great upgrades without effecting daily drivability.

[@DM43685]

Hello, great video, and I'm on the verge of buying my first GTS this year, and it will be my first Porsche, but not my first high performance car, (Scirocco R - 285 BHP) . Most of your tips, I always adhere too, washing etc. The warm up is new but understood, Fuel (Totally agree)....anything else I need to think about, I was told "Wrapping" is a good idea to protect against stone chips?

[@julianpenny4671]

Thanks Dude , very informative 😎🇳🇿

[@conor1423]

Great and informative video, im seriously considering getting a 987.2. Does anyone know if theres any performance advantage to the numeric cables or just increased reliability? Cheers

[@smarte.r.1450]

Hi. Thanks for the video. Some nice and useful Information there. Maybe consider adding if these are able to be done by a DIY competent person?

[@wrongwaycorrigan2920]

I've owned a 2007 Cayman S 6spd MT for more than 11 years with more than 135,000 miles on it. You've hit every part that's failed on my car, except I've never had the starter fail, nor the IMS, nor bore scoring. A couple that should be added are the engine mounts - they are a bad design and will fail; I recommend getting the Function First engine mount inserts to make sure the mounts don't deteriorate again (I went with the sport version). Also add engine pulleys to your list; I had a plastic one that was cracked and ready to fail when I had my water pump replaced. The water pump wasn't bad but since they were down there, it was a cheap addition to have it replaced rather than pay for labor more than once.

[@keithmatthews3821]

Great vid Satch. Love the Cayman in that particular blue - it's about the only thing that might tempt me out of my Boxster 3.2S I also had the charming experience of losing the gear linkage, thankfully not far from home. Managed to crawl underneath, select 2nd by pushing the selector and crawling home. Similar cable for a Pug 306 is £35.00 whereas for a 987 it's 10x the price 😂

[@juliangreen7993]

thats a pretty cool story honestly. I aspire to have a car story like that someday

[@grahamgraham4263]

Please could you clarify if you sourced and used Peugeot 306 cables instead and if yes, is there any issue fitting them?

[@davidtibbett3890]

Had water pump go.. Replaced both radiators for air con.. the motor that drives the electric roof. two new discs for the front on 987.06 thats done 46000miles but when it goes there's nothing like it x as you say in one of your videos it makes you feel alive

[@jonahua5603]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 great help matey

[@RickHolland1968]

Would be good to specify if the issues are specific to gen 1, gen 2, or both.

[@billybats1973]

Spot on, also if you drive a tip, the tiptronic switch will fail at some point

[@oceanaxim]

2006 Cayman S Tiptronic 77,000 miles Frequent Check Engine Light P0431 I'll be buying a diagnostic tool, I know the sensor parameter settings are simply set too low and make it a pain to reset, but some unscrupulous shops might tell you need a new catalytic converter making you pay a hefty repair job. Waterpump, Door Regulator.

[@strangequark1926]

My 3.4 Boxster S came from Aberdeen where winters are harsh and there is a lot of salt on the roads. The two front air conditioning radiators were rotted out and the air con pipes under the car had rotted where they turn through 90 degrees and go up the bulkhead to the compressor. If you drive your Porsche in winter then its worth using a jet washer to get all the salt off the radiators and the pipes around the rear bulkhead.

[@brandonbentley8532]

Shift cables can snap yes. My 986 hasn't but I did replace the shift linkages when I upgraded with a short shift kit. The cable attachments on the transmission can wear and even pop off too. It's not a terrible job to run new ones but it takes a good afternoon to do it. New replacement ones hadve better slicker cables...

[@Vanilla.coke1234]

Is the worry of the cables snapping for both manual and auto cars or is one worse than the other?

[@krisfoster1684]

Ike Hennessy It’s the manuals. The original cables flex in a bad way right near the transmission, prematurely wearing them out. Porsche released upgraded cables a few years or so ago.

[@DeBulltwo]

Hi, I like your video and owned a Boxster 986 before; I have an experience where I was unsure if it was the IMS failure or any other parts failure that caused the engine ceasing. It has no advanced warning or symptoms when it happened. The Garage took some time to complete overhauled the Engine but the car did not feel the same afterward.

[@mikewassel5683]

987.2 Cayman R (6MT) Owner- 14K mostly track miles. Good info for prospective buyers. Beyond what was mentioned in the video, I would add- for those considering the cayman as a track car: Oil pan upgrade for 987.1 cars, and 3rd Radiator upgrade for PDK cars. Also for tracked cars only- power steering pump weakness.

[@OMSecretAgent]

mike Wassel Mind to explain more on the 3rd Radiator upgrade for PDK car ?

[@mikewassel5683]

@@OMSecretAgent Pat, as I'm sure you're aware the transmission in the cayman sits between the exhaust runners, with very little cooling air flow. Oil cooling for the transmission is accomplished via Oil/Water heat exchanger. In hot climate environments, the factory does include the 3rd radiator. And for track work the additional Delta T, with the third radiator is helpful to keep oil temps in the trans from getting excessive. There are of course- other solutions as well; For my car (6MT) we run an independent oil circuit to the diff-side of the transaxle, in addition to the GT3 third radiator kit ( with top-side venting )

[@Aiken47]

No ims on G2 engines

[@theawakenment1361]

Window relays also frequently go on the 987 Cayman

[@platinumlee3993]

Had my ‘06 987.1 S blow its (first?) AOS in spectacular fashion at 66k mi. Noticed unsteady idle driving to visit parents, a short but heavy smoke plume as I was leaving. CEL lit up as lean idle. made it to my driveway before complete failure, and motor locked up. Thankfully my oil soaked spark plugs were old and then replaced. 72k mi now and no other collateral damage or problems since

[@stevecade857]

Great car with superb handling because the engine is just in front of the rear wheels and it has a low ride height. Real pita to work on though. You can't just lift the bonnet and throw some spanners at it. Great info. Love your own personal experience input.

[@alsatch_]

Steve Cade thanks for watching Steve. You’re spot on. Great great handling with the engine placement. Most of the consumables are accessible from under the car so always handy to have a set of ramps available (home use ramps) if working on your own car. Cheers 👍👌

[@SpeedFreak62]

I love watching your videos always good information but now that I hear these things about the Cayman, I hardly dare to buy a Cayman anymore.

[@mkc1rrc]

Have a 2007 Boxster (base) just turned 50k mi. Only real issues have been with the top - the elastic bands that allow the top to align into the drainage grooves are prone to fail, however, there are several DIY vids to repair. Had a plastic piece also fail that runs on a track to open and shut the rear deck lid. Again, many you tube vids and another DIY project. The other issue is with the door handle - known issue and some weird electrical irregularities that happen and then disappear when the car is off and then started again...typical German car stuff from my experience. Overall, very satisfied with my now 2+ years of ownership and would recommend the car to anyone looking for an incredible driving experience with exceptional value to boot.

[@anthonytan8751]

Great video! Just to check IMS replacement is around 1000 pound while rebuilding is 10k-12k pound?

[@chiehchan7607]

Hi there Thanks for posting this video, it has been really helpful - one question, You mentioned that I could go over 2000rpm once engine temp has been reached - what is it and how will I know if it’s been reached? Kind regards Chieh

[@braun987]

The one problem I had with my 2008 Cayman S that wasn’t mentioned in the video was an overheating steering system. It failed on me at an advanced car control clinic on the skid pad. Both pump and rack needed to be replaced.

[@alsatch_]

Chris Braun thanks for sharing Chris. I have actually not heard of this happening on the Caymans before. I will look into it thanks for watching 👌👍

[@csmarkham]

Not just heat. If your end seals on the rack leak (squealing sound, don’t see leaks as it leaks. In motion) you need a new rack, $$$, no rebuild kit ☹️. Refilling system completely & bleeding is critical.

[@BenRussell26]

brake pipes from the caliper to the flexi hose, these will rust over time, i have had to replace all 4 on mine, take the caliper off cut the pipe right at union and make a copy out of copper, very easy to bend and shape to the old one as a template also while you down there is easier to cut the hose at upgrade them to braided lines for £60, and change the caliper nipples to stainless steel, and better copper brake unions when making your new ones up thread pitch is m10 x 1mm plus use new flexi hose clips which are the same as mk4 and 3 golf so you can save abit of ££

[@Sank1982]

Great vid ( have you had the Carnewal headers fitted yet, very interested in what you think as I have the Carnewal exhaust and thinking of adding the headers ) also how do you find the throttle body upgrade? Is it worth it?

[@alsatch_]

Not yet, I just havent had the chance but I am dying to get them on to hear what they sound like. Ill definitely do a video when they are on :-) thanks for watching

[@norcal9874]

Hendrix! 🤘🏻🔥 Great vid! Love my numeric cables! My lifters on my 2007 Cayman S with 94k miles is ticking like a clock on cocaine. 🙄

[@alsatch_]

norcal987 heck yeah!!!! Good stuff fingers crossed for many more trouble free miles thanks for watching 👌👌

[@norcal9874]

Ya, man. Love your channel. Great videography and knowledge! My son and I do our best with our videos. I finally stepped it up and bought a 4K camera. Hopefully our vids will look as good as yours!

[@jerryrobertsguitars]

ticking could be bore scoring, borescope inspection of cylinder 6 is called for.

[@norcal9874]

Jerry Roberts oh yes! I will definitely be getting a bore scope done on all cylinders while it’s in the shop.

[@csmarkham]

Jerry Roberts-exactly my 997.1S w/M97 motor. 170k miles, though. But #6 was the worst of the scored bores. 987.1 S is fine at 80k.

[@mwong987]

Thanks. I recently purchased a grey 2005 Boxster S (987.1). When I was shopping around, I noticed some 987s where the door hinge was quite loose, and some with quite foggy headlights. Do you know if the manual transmissions on these cars (987.1 or 987.2) could potentially go wrong? I heard the transmissions on the 987.2s are very good.

[@bryanurban2488]

Yeppers, my starter has the same sound. I had no idea what that noise was!!!! I know now!!! Thanks. Will your recommendation for diagnostic meter reset the oil change warning?