Porsche CAYMAN 987 : 2 year REVIEW - a case for the base

After two years and 17k miles driving my Cayman, here's what I make of Porsche's runt of its hardtop range.
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Disclaimer;
Some footage in this video has been edited and/or sped up for cinematic effect.
Some footage was also filmed on private land.

[@Terminus1962]

You will have to spend three times as much to have a similar driving and ownership experience. Trust me when I say that the S models are really no better and you will only miss the extra 50 hp if you track it like Mark does. As a daily driver, I think a 2007-08 Porsche Cayman base is the best sports car ever made. I could care less if I have to replace the headliner or sort out a problem with the door handles/gas cap leash. What Mark is telling us is the exact truth about them and I can attest to that. I will own one again, and I'll never let it go.

[@natefoldan]

Amen.

[@MK-su6eg]

Perfect, I got a Boxster 2006 S, in 2019,love it, looking for a roofed Cayman, and now in no need of S model, 6 cylinders is fast enough, especially when there is not enough roads to keep up with the CAR!! Cruising around enjoying the views, especially the bikinis!! here in Hawaii! Aloha !! thanks , seeking Gecko Porsche. our cayman island lizard.

[@jonfrench7133]

This is universally true across the entire cayman and boxster range. Whichever car you drive you will feel justified in saying you don’t need more ££££ to extract more fun. Base to S, S to GTS and GTS to GT4. You can of course feel the difference, subtle increments but it’s not night and day

[@johnwilliams727]

I agree completely. The only thing it lacks is a special engine, something more high reving, but for the money their is no equal.

[@slickar2752]

It’s all fun and games until you get bore scoring. Then it’s a 4000 lb door stopper because the cost of engine repair, about $25k, is more than the car’s worth.

I have a 987.1 base m97.20 and I agree with everything you said. Can’t get over it. Amazing cars

[@justinmaccreery2490]

Getting a Boxster had been on my mind for a few years. But the market's been a little crazy, and a 2007 base model seems to average around 22 grand! With an M240i as my daily (335hp & 369 lb/ft), my thinking was that a 245hp sports car just wouldn't be exciting enough. But I was wrong. Recently got a 987.2 Boxster. It's not nearly as fast as my BMW, but it's more exciting to drive. Thanks to MarkCup for the video.

[@MarkCup70]

You're welcome, thanks for the feedback.

[@prof_tim]

I have one: can’t imagine what more I could ever want from a car. Makes me smile every time I take it out.

[@CapitulationTrader]

Solid video, thanks. Agreed. Owned 996 and 997 and currently drive 987.1 Boxster base. The only ‘loss’ of anything to its same era 911s is at high speeds and the edges of performance. For normal, legal daily driving, imo this is the best car ever created. Not euphemistically. Cheers

[@stephenwolstenholme4451]

Having owned my 987.2 s for 5 years l can honestly say l can't think of a better car for the money. Many road trips and adventures. it's a car l intend to keep as it totally gets under your skin. The thinking mans Porsche.

[@MarkCup70]

Thinking man's Porsche, as someone who over analyses everything I like that 😂

[@robertmassucci1]

right on. I've owned an e30 m3, audi s4, Alfa gtv, 5 sciroccos and a v70r volvo, the Cayman S is by far the best car of the bunch. I love underpowered German cars obviously.

[@ryanoneill2352]

Thanks 4 the video Mr Cup.

[@Adeyspec]

great review, definitely got me browsing them now

[@Tank1TC]

I have owned a 2007 2.7 L Cayman since new. The coupe is just a sweet looking car and the drive is a wonderful experience. Hydraulic steering beats the later drive by wire, and the normally aspirated flat six just speaks Porsche. Now Porsche is going with turbo fours the purist will look at this first generation Cayman as a car Porsche just got right. Buying one now should be looked at as an investment. I understand the 2.7 has less issue with the highly publicized scoring that has been noted on the S models. Did some research and it is fact that the 2.7 l does not have a scoring issue and is of no concern to owners of the Cayman base with the 2.7. More good news to add to the great car the base Cayman is. This little fact should go a long way way in allowing the value of your base Cayman to eclipse the Cayman S . 17 years of driving fun that has not diminished at all. Newer models have tempted me, but i have been able to resist, as this car is just such a sweet driver. The longer I have owned this car the more pleased I am with my purchase More for less is what you get in a 2.7 l Cayman. With the passage of time the base Cayman is proving to be a jewel of a car. One that I would suggest is going to be sought after.

[@2kviper877]

Nicely done! My 987.2 Cayman has been one of stand outs in my care. Love my base Cayman!

[@hgtabarth]

Great vid Mark!

[@garrymuir8209]

Glad you're back posting vids Mark, you've been quiet. Had my base Cayman for just over 4 months now and love driving it, always looking for an excuse to take it for a spin.

[@maximusadramadus1385]

Excellent video, gratitude.

[@MarkCup70]

You're very welcome 👍

[@keirreeves766]

My 2007 2.7 has a valved sports exhaust, sports filter, 82mm plenum with GT3 throttle body & ECU upgrade all done by Spyder Performance/Eporsch. It now puts out more than 290bhp all at a relatively modest cost of less than £2,500, worth every penny. I also have Eibach 30mm lower springs fitted which still give a compliment ride.

[@biggerbitcoin5126]

I have the 2.7 2005 boxster.....how does it sound compared to stock? Love the car...wouldn't mind a bit of extra grunt and 2500 is a bargain for an extra bit of brake

[@keirreeves766]

@@biggerbitcoin5126 Sounds awesome, great being valved too as you can cut out the drone on long journeys. The extra power comes in everywhere, more so at the top. The guys at Eporsch/Spyder Performance do a fantastic job.

[@biggerbitcoin5126]

@@keirreeves766 So you live near Cardiff by any chance? I would love to hear the valved sports exhaust....I might just do it if it sounds good

[@keirreeves766]

@@biggerbitcoin5126 Sorry, I live in Fairbourne in North Wales.

[@DTJ2024]

Great review 👌🏻

[@nickkinson4730]

totally Agree Mark, had a Cayman S Sport...Now I have a Boxster 2.7 Base...once you have had one of these cars it is very difficult to move on to another brand....the whole experience from the great and enthusiastic owners through to the Motorsport background of Porsche......at times these cars can be challenging......but stick with em..and they reward in bucket loads

[@AndiPannell]

Great video, really enjoyed it. I have a 981, (so realise this isn't quite the same as a 987 but), I tend to agree with this video. There is just something about driving a Porsche that can't be explained but has to be felt. Traded from a much quicker m2, but this feels like a real drivers car.

[@mattandallthings]

Love my 2008 base. After 3 years of ownership, I still smile everytime I drive it. The best bang for buck sports car available. Not really that cheap now either. In Australia, you'll pay $50k for a low to mid mile example.

[@hawaiirealmedia5610]

Nice review! Are those original seats with the blue sides?

[@chrisbaxter5041]

Thanks

[@parvinkukar1259]

I agree and I also feel it’s the best car I ever owned. Drove a brand new 911 and it did not feel I was driving one, the cayman 987 provided a closer feel as it is so nimble

[@thomashumber9762]

Yep modern cars...all are 'souless' more or less..... know what you mean. I have gome OLD ..i.e seeking out low miles cars from 1999 until 2008. no newer for me

[@garryhendy5588]

Really inspiring video . And I agree that it is fun to drive, oddly more so than the S. Because you can boot it without going silly speeds. You get to enjoy the gearbox to. I have an Audi R8 V8 now which is awesome, but... Almost to good on the road. It can go silly speeds everywhere, around every corner and totally planted. But it missed the excitement of the Cayman. Thinking of getting a 2.9 pdk (I need auto..) as my next car which says slot I think. Good luck in the sprints this year 🤞🍀

[@MarkCup70]

Thanks Garry! It's no Audi R8 but the BMW M140i that came before my Cayman taught me very clearly that speed isn't everything...and the Cayman just seems to have the perfect balance of usable pace and excitement.

[@usernamwdrama]

Firstly, thanks for a great little review, I knew nothing about these cars 40 hours ago, I'm now armed with enough knowledge to want to learn more. I now need to decide do I sell my GR Yaris ( it's a magic little car) and start looking for a Cayman, I believe it'd be a brilliant and engaging weekend fun car, oh, and I love Porsche in general.

[@_ArsNova]

987 base is worth it over the S because its engine can't get bore scoring alone. Only the Cayman S can the spray coating on the piston walls, that causes all the bore scoring among 987/997 gen.

[@LiamTapey]

Cracking video as always mark! However you said something that got me thinking… ‘it’s a proper Porsche’. Then started thinking if I owned a 911 then went to a cayman would it still feel like a proper Porsche. My honest thought is no. I think it would be better than your average base 911. Also I noticed in the clips of your slides that you’re holding the wheel to bring it back… next time experiment with once your in the slide let of the throttle and let go of the wheel at the same for a much smoother bring back from the slide and a lot less effort. Just be ready to catch it, may feel a little alien letting go of the wheel when in that position but it’s a lot smoother and easier once you do it

[@smiler921]

I bought a Gen 2 base, from same place as it happens. Two years and still love it, everything else that tempts me is at least twice the price, so reckon I might have it for a while yet

[@MarkCup70]

They're a good bunch at Mortimers. I have the same dilemma myself...there is NOTHING that could currently tempt me out of my car that wasn't another Cayman!

[@nathannicholson-ro7uz]

Half the price of a 718 yeah I'm getting one soon!

[@CraigStephenson]

I have had a 986S and 987 Boxsters, just bought a Cayman 2.7. The interior can be noisy and I keep trying to put the roof down, but it is a much stiffer car and all the better for it. I got the Cayman for a change of vehicle, not sure about it as the drama of putting the roof down is lacking although with the windows open it's nice and breezy. All I knew is I didn't want a 3.4 with bore scoring.

[@Numberone292]

Can you provide some details! For example how much does a break service cost? Oil change? Transmission oil change?

[@leslierobtduncan7823]

Thanks for this.....put on an aftermarket dual tip package and your ego is satisfied. I measure 987's against Honda S2000, now priced out of reach with similar HP etc. I am looking for trouble free enjoyment, maybe you've made the case to look into a base.

[@TooFlyNico]

Really looking into getting one myself! Debating between a first or second gen

[@ThatCaymanGuy]

I have a 2006 CS and i love it, its probably the best car I ever owned. Very reliable and i beat the snots out of it every weekend.

[@MarkCup70]

That's exactly how it should be. I've launched mine on Autosolos 120 times now and it still feels taut and solid.

[@niceMange]

Also as more research has been done on porsche engines of the past few decades this also might quite possibly be the best porsche to buy because of that 2.7 engine regardless of market price

[@bw2569]

I still have my 07' Base. I just can't let it go. There's something very, very special about it but I can't put my finger on it.

[@pqvid]

Thank you for the review! Can you get behind the wheel of a GR86? Would be really interested in your opinion, as you have built a very close relationship with this Cayman :)

[@hangpilot1200]

Everyday Driver has a great review of the 981 vs GR86. Worth a look.

[@pqvid]

@@hangpilot1200 Thank you, I’ve seen it and it’s really good! Still, there’s personal bias and other subjective things that are not easy to sort out for a reviewer. One example for the Everyday Driver: on their first review of the GR86 they said: „This is the electric steering how it should be done! It’s nearly perfect! After so many years of electric steering now we have an example that doesn’t lack anything compared to a hydraulic one“. And then a year later in their GR86/Cayman comparison they say „The hydraulic steering in the Cayman is soooo much better than the electric in GR86!“ - well, which one now? No blame on the guys, they are one of my preferred reviewers team! It’s just a tough job to differentiate between cars, and even tougher to describe it in words. And then still people will interpret your words differently as to what you have actually meant to say. That’s why I’m looking for more opinions, and Mark here tends to be quite analytical and in-depth, so his opinion could benefit many potential buyers :)

[@Zermatt1]

Hi Mark - are you / have you done a 2 year running costs analysis like the old days?

[@MarkCup70]

I did sneak the data in at the end of this video...there's the cost data table and chart which you can see if you pause at the appropriate point. If you've any specific questions, fire away 👍

[@An-wc5lx]

Human nature: 1. Buy what you can afford 2. Find as many ways as possible to convince yourself and others that is the most sensible choice

[@flat6croc]

Can't entirely agree about the controls. I've owned four 987s and from the factory, they all have mediocre shifts and soft brake pedals that don't really match the steering. You can firm up the brake pedal fairly well with the bigger bore brake MC from the 991 GT3 / Turbo / 4S and improve the shift with the factory short shift. iut's still not the greatest shift even then, but reasonable at that point. You can probably improve it further with metal bushes. Anyway, as standard, the controls are a bit patchy.

[@grande_007]

I always have the feeling when driving my 987S that it is a car I wear rather than drive. I’m fortunate to have driven some great marques but bang for buck and with the useable power rather than Top Trump stats, the Cayman wins.

[@MarkCup70]

It's like having the engine and gearbox in a backpack 😀

[@5Minuteman]

Is first gear always on driver's left side in a RHD?

[@HOG883R]

Yeap

[@robertmassucci1]

my S is beautiful it still serving me well and i am still being a good caretaker

[@Darkshadowminer8]

How much does the sport, 6 speed and suspension buttons, change the car? Am I going to be desiring them on a 5 speed? Also is there a milage limit I should look out for when buying one?

[@heybeerdan1820]

Every observation here is only exceeded by the "dot-2" 987.

[@MarkCup70]

Agreed, however, almost but not quite; weight... 😉

[@pintsizedpistons]

@@MarkCup70 Doesn't apply for your fatty 6 speed mate!

[@MarkCup70]

Nor my bulky rear wiper 😂

[@thomashumber9762]

Get a 2.7 and sleep at nights...as a 3.4 will do the bore scoring. And LESS IS MORE if you can REALLY drive a car! it is a test for you to wring every last bit out of a slower sports car

[@MarkCup70]

Nailed it. Driving a slow car fast is way more entertaining than driving a fast car slow!

[@monkeymagic4555]

Steering feels over rated a real driver is in tune with and feels the road with their ass have that gift and it over rides absolutely everything Fanny Baws.....

[@___Q-bot]

brighton?