Porsche Cayman Comparison | 987.1 vs 987.2

In this video we compare the external differences between a Porsche Cayman 987.1 Base against a Porsche Cayman 987.2 Sport.
During the making of this video a number of differences were noted, that I didn't know existed beforehand.
Enjoying Life & Cars To The MAX!!
#porsche #porschecayman

[@SuperPandalf]

Interesting and subtle differences I had never noticed before. But I was surprised that they didn't mention the obvious and very visible difference in the rear bumper, where a plastic vertical strut was added to the vents on either side of the exhaust. The 987.1 has no struts.

[@steffydog]

Maybe next time, park them a bit further apart? Hahah

[@bar1ton1]

I'd take the gen 1 exterior with gen 2 interior. Rounder lights the better

[@pacrat90]

Wow this is crazy! Never even noticed most of these. I must admit, I think the gen1 is the more cohesive design. The colour of the rear badge is silver on S models, and grey on base models hence why you have a silver one. White dials also 'exclusive' to the S but it was possible to spec.

[@MAXREVS]

Thanks for your feedback, especially the colour of the badge on the rear. This is the first base Cayman I had ever seen up close!

[@themoses9333]

Very detailed video, nice!

[@MAXREVS]

Thanks!

[@jptak1969]

Cool! I knew some of these. What I didn’t know was the headlight differences. That means different front fenders and bumper cover too.

[@kocachan2064]

And the engine. No IMS

[@scooter6958]

Hi good video mate I've a 2006 Cayman came with rear wiper an op extra I was told also fitted switchable sports exhaust with twin pipes I fitted the same front spars as the one you have featured as for that rear wiper I do like it comes in useful

[@suncheeyan]

Amazing! Thanks @Maxrevs for another wonderful video. Wow and I thought the changes were engine/transmission related but those subtle difference really stand out. Dials - the S have the white dials and the base are usually black but can be optioned to a colour of your choice I believe

[@MAXREVS]

Once you spot the differences you can never un-see them! Someone else here has mentioned the sport had the white dials, so thanks for confirming that. I really like white dials to be honest. I wonder if all sport models have that plastic piece where the door meets the body of the car in silver/white also?

[@s10lucky]

Interesting video Max. Brave in that weather😂. My 981 doesn’t have a wiper and I think if I had the choice I would spec one. They do clutter the look of the rear more but in this weather I can never see anything out of the rear window.

[@MAXREVS]

Thanks!! You should have seen the previous takes, it was madness and my fancy camera isn't even waterproof! The 987.1 owner was a brave individual... I was going to cancel the meeting due to adverse weather, but he simply replied... "it will be fun ;-)" On the way there I saw a car had spun 180 degrees on the M25, without hitting any other cars. There was torrential rain that morning. I kept thinking, no Cayman GT4 owner would brave this weather on semi-slick tyres!!

[@uweheinrich6784]

Love all your videos....

[@MAXREVS]

Too kind, as the comments suggest, I often get the car parking messed up ;-)

[@uweheinrich6784]

@@MAXREVS Don't sweat the small stuff....All Cayman owners owe you a big thank you, Max......

[@bharatpatel7682]

Thanks Max. I can actually say I knew about these differences. My Cayman Gen1 is in red with red centre console and red dials and black Cayman rear badge. No rear wiper which for me personally is no big deal. Another great video!

[@MAXREVS]

Wow!! Red centre console... I'd love to see that. Plus red dials?! Didn't know that was an option at the time. As for the wiper, I prefer the cleaner lines of no wiper. Thanks for taking the time to comment, if you ever want to feature your car... [e-mail] ;-)

[@bharatpatel7682]

@@MAXREVS Can send you photos if you like Max. Feel free to share your email or mobile at [e-mail]

[@creamdisco]

Great Video.

[@MAXREVS]

Thanks, only possible with great Cayman owners too!

[@vxnewton]

Thanks for sharing. Which video camera do you use for this video?

[@MAXREVS]

What a great question! I like my cameras as much as I like my cars. I've invested huge amounts of money into this channel as it's my passion. This video was shot on a Sony A7 MK3 with a Tamron 28-75mm lens.

[@theworldsyourlobster1583]

3.4 S have white dials 2.7 and 2.9 have black dials , the black edition 3.4 have black dials and so do the cayman R ... all exciting stuff :-)

[@MAXREVS]

Thanks for clarifying. I noticed white dials as an option on the 718 GT4 configurator, so figured this might have been an option on my 987.2. Now we know! What great knowledge we have here as a community ;-)

[@aneildavis]

Or yellow. My 2008 S has yellow dials.. Look great6

[@mikemartenson4357]

I thought you were going to stump me, but having both a .1 and .2 it did not. Still a great video, thanks for all your efforts putting it together, much appreciated! Also difference in rear lights, .1 are not LED whereas the .2 is.

[@deep6thisdeep6this92]

those aftermarket foglamp-to-LEDS (LED spars) enhances the look, IMO, of the gen1 to as good or better than the gen.2. the throttle booster and a numeric shifter fill out the aftermarket products that i highly recommend. overall the differences are slight, but with the LED spars the gen1 gets the nod for me.

[@task5147]

I didn't know the differences...that's why I'm here to watch the video 😉

[@MadelnMachines]

I never really noticed most of those differences - just the fog lights really. Does the same apply to the Boxster 987.1 / 987.2

[@tobiassavage6383]

How adults play spot the difference 😂. Nice cars...im looking for a cayman now

[@stephenfisher8636]

Skip the rear wiper. Water does not get on the rear window when driving. Save the weight and complexity and skip that. Personally, I like the differences you pointed out better on the gen 1 over the gen 2.

[@3pointplay1]

MAX REVS. do you think if i buy a gen2 front lip, wiill it fit on a gen1? love you videos by the way.

[@MAXREVS]

Hi there, sorry I don’t know the answer 100%. The fog light arrangements are slightly different between the G1 and G2, so I suspect you may have a few issues mounting a gen2 lip on a gen1. I promise to make more videos as soon as I can... trust me I can’t wait!

[@lonewolfsx29]

Cool video! I knew about a few of these too. I have a 2008 987.1 Cayman base as well & I have a friend with a 2007 base. His has the rear wiper, mine doesn't I wish mine did, living in Florida it rains a lot and sometimes I have to leave it outside, it'd just be nice to wipe off the rear once or twice before I get moving. On these cars once you get moving 45-50mph or so, there's no need for wipers at all. The rear window doesn't get any airflow so it stays dirty, and the front is slanted enough that the water just rolls off, so that's how I usually drive unless I'm at lower speeds and need the wipers on. I keep a few microfiber towels in my glovebox for stuff like bird poo and sometimes I do use one to wipe off the rear window if I was parked under a tree in the rain before I start driving it since the rain will get dirt back there and there's no other way to get it off except by hand. Also, just opinion here, but I prefer the 987.1's headlights and taillights. I don't particularly love the 981's headlight look and the 987.2 is headed towards that new shape. I also prefer the black gauges of the base models, of course I'd prefer the more powerful engine though. That said, I am still rocking the stock head unit, which I outfitted with a bluetooth receiver behind the dash, and I think the 987.2 is a lot prettier on the inside with the black center stack instead of the volcano grey of the .1's. Combine the slightly nicer interior with the larger brakes, 6-speed gearbox, better oil take-up and no IMS and I think the 2.9L 987.2 is the best bang for buck out there. I'd get one if I hadn't already spent so much time and sweat maintaining my .1 to perfection. The other plus of the 987.1 and 987.2 Base, they are not direct injected, unlike the 3.4L 987.2 and anything newer than that. Easier to keep running clean in the extreme marathon long run. That only mattered to me because I intend to keep the car in excess of 150k miles. You could still do it on a 987.2 S, but you'd have to do a valve cleaning at least once or twice before that point. Oh, and one last note. The door jamb thing - silver on your car and body colored on his - mine are also silver. I have noticed a few other things like that about mine.. which rolled off the line in November of 2008. My guess is some of the 2009 987.2 stuff trickled in and mine being one of the very last 987.1's got a few of those pieces. Porsche is definitely known for doing little incremental changes like that as they lead in to new models and such. I have seen 2007's with body colored door jambs. This is just pure speculation though, since my sample size is pretty small I don't know for sure. They are also really easy to swap out so I imagine some owners who prefer the body color look would just do that. Great video, enjoyed watching. Cheers

[@MAXREVS]

Super detailed comments, thanks for sharing👍🏼

[@garrymartin3804]

My gen 1 has rear wiper it's a must have option also I believe that the 2006 gen 1 came with a titanium painted lip on the front bumper

[@julian987r4]

Love the rear wiper. Even on 718 I’d spec a rear wiper. Way cooler with the wiper. This video makes me start to think that the 987 might actually be the best looking model, bit like the early 911’s before they have now got too fat

[@MAXREVS]

Knew you’d like my wiper comment😁

[@julian987r4]

MAX REVS Hi Max. Could you do a feature on the 987 Black Edition (only 500 produced), which was the model that first got me interested in the Cayman. I think it is a fantastic edition.

[@MAXREVS]

Julian Poole If anyone here sees this comment and has a Cayman Black 987, let us know please👍🏼

[@stijnvandamme76]

There is nothing more pointless then the wiper on a Porsche rear hatch window.. It's just dead weight

[@julian987r4]

@@stijnvandamme76 Uninitiated enthusiasts, unencumbered by intimate familiarity of Porsche tradition, have been known to moan and wail that the iconic rear wiper is stylistically unbecoming. On the contrary.... autouniversum.wordpress.com/2015/04/30/the-rear-wiper-a-vital-strand-of-porsche-dna/

[@geofo60]

That was interesting Max to see the subtle differences between the two cars side by side. With regard to the rear wiper, it’s something I don’t have on my 981 and to be honest I prefer the “look” . It can be a pain in heavy rain but for the average downpours Rain X works really well.

[@MAXREVS]

Thanks for the feedback. I prefer the lines of the car without the wiper, however each to their own👍🏼😃

[@Flies2FLL]

My '14 981CS has no rear wiper either, but with use of Rain-X this isn't a problem.

[@GBOAF216]

My gen 1 has the 'sport twin pipe' exhaust, in fact my car was spect right up by first owner to 'S' trim, even though it's a base 2.7. Even has the S on the back!! Also 6 speed box, and 19" alloys, along with the expensive Ruby Red metallic paint which is a rare colour apparently.

[@MAXREVS]

Wow!! Certainly sounds like you have an interesting car there! I didn't know you could get the sport twin pipe on the base model. Inside the 987.1, the exhaust actually sounded better than on my 987.2. I don't have a sports exhaust fitted, I believe on the Cayman 987.2 S the sports exhaust option came with the PSE button as it was valved. If you are in the UK and would like to feature your car, please reach out to me at [e-mail]

[@1530swimmer]

We need to see this beauty!

[@tomingrassiaimages8776]

like the lights on 1 better mine is a 2. rear light gen 2 better like brighter badging

[@kacperc71]

IMO gen 1 is better looking on every aspect (both interior and extreior). Gen 2 looks more dated, whitle Gen 1 is more... timeless?

[@3pointplay1]

Does anyone know if the gen2 front lip fit on gen1?

[@Roland_Rohrle]

Interesting... Thanks for posting this Max. At the moment I'm tossing up between a base 987.1 & 987.2. Might take a gamble on a 987.1S ...

[@MAXREVS]

If you can, hold on for my next video to publish. Could be 1-2 weeks. Charlie (the 987.1 owner), did extensive research on this prior to purchase. The 987.1 Base has a more solid and reliable engine than the 987.1 Sport. The sport launch first and had the "IMS bearing issues". Charlie knows more than me, but the 987.1 Base which came after the sport had an improved IMS design.

[@paulhoang9820]

I've got a 987.1S. From 2006, they had the revised Ims bearing so there shouldn't be any issues there. The 987.1S can potentially suffer from bore scoring, but only affects less than 5%. Get a PPI, look for a well maintained one, and keep up the maintenance. The 987.1 non-s doesn't suffer from bore scoring. Also the 987.2S had an improved engine so no bore scoring issues.

[@MAXREVS]

Thanks Paul👍🏼

[@MAXREVS]

Hi John. Can you please share how much the bore scope check cost and how long it took? Loving the mileage your engine has done👍🏼

[@MAXREVS]

Great to hear John. Some real facts from an owner. Not forum scaremongering👍🏼

[@MasterOfNone88]

Why not just park them closer to each other, side by side????

[@ianmitchell9102]

I wonder if these slightly different shaped lights are just to stop people swapping and updating the .1 themselves

[@MAXREVS]

Are you implying car manufacturers are devious and just want us to spend more money on parts?!

[@ianmitchell9102]

MAX REVS I know your half joking, but I actually believe that Porsche really do improve the car on the facelift cosmetically and performance wise, but they definitely don’t make it easy for DIY facelift modifications.

[@eneedsuthecollaborativepla341]

Just a little correction, the rear bumper can actually be swapped between both versions taken you also change the rear lights (I know because I did it)

[@1530swimmer]

Interesting, how can somebody see your car? Easy job?

[@eneedsuthecollaborativepla341]

Hi Yes rather easy job. Just a few screws for the bumber. The only effort will be to change the rear lights because it needs a new connector (very cheap) and also the point of attach for the lights are not all the same so it needs a little work to adpt them, but again very easy even for someone like me who’s not a mechanic I can’t upload pictures here but you can see the car on instagram oliver3577

[@1530swimmer]

@@eneedsuthecollaborativepla341 awesome - thank you!

[@1530swimmer]

Alternatively, you could of course feature your car on @Max Revs! :)

[@Flies2FLL]

Items such as name color and gauge color are Porsche options.

[@rowanlyle]

White dials is specific to S models

[@niallcassidy7212]

Brilliant video thanks so much mate. I have an entry level Cayman '07. Thinking about changing it on Monday for a 2014 Cayman. The main reason is my own costs €1,345 to tax in Ireland. An absolute discrace. The 141 costs €750.

[@MAXREVS]

WHAT?! Say that again?! That's the cost to tax these cars in Ireland???

[@niallcassidy7212]

@@MAXREVS. Honest. That's the truth. It's grossly unfair. They trying to get everyone into driving vacum cleaners/elecrtic cars.

[@MAXREVS]

@@niallcassidy7212 Don't get me started, it's too early on a Sunday for this. The movement to electric cars is a bit of a sham in my opinion, yes the environment is important, but they're going after the small fry. Look into the polluting aspects of aviation fuel, the shipping industry uses the lowest grade (most noxious) fuel out there. No country has sufficient power infrastructure to support each house drawing the power necessary to charge electric cars. Oh and by the way, where will the electricity come from? It's not all solar and wind, research how many countries are building new nuclear power stations. Then look into how much pollution they generate... and what we do with it all. Furthermore, every UK electric car sold so far, has not changed emissions in the UK since ever. Because everyone now buys SUVs which are 25% heavier, less fuel efficient, and pollute more than saloon cars. Why is the government not banning SUVs? Watch this video if you haven't before. The Royal Mail did a study into moving to electric vans, only to realise they would take out the local sub-station with their demands... kzbin.info/www/bejne/gaXcl32nh6t5jbM Ah man, you got me started ;-)

[@niallcassidy7212]

Quite simply the best ever documentary I've ever seen on vehicle electrification. It covered absolutely everything in great detail. I'll ask just one question. We all know that the lithium in electric car batteries comes from cobalt. Is it true that most of the world's cobalt is mined by slaves/children??

[@MAXREVS]

Niall Cassidy On the cobalt aspect... companies get around this by keeping a distance from the companies which do the actual mining. Bit like Apple getting Foxconn to make all the gear in China...

[@jtanabodee]

I like the design of the gen 1 more.

[@mczacify]

It's a shame that I can't use the 718 design tail light for the first gen

[@uweheinrich6784]

and you do not need the rear window wiper....even in England.....it looks better without...

[@N911GT2]

Fact. The 911 was the first car ever with a rear wiper! That being said I don’t have one on my 997.2 nor on my 987.2. To bad.

[@josephlim8941]

The centre stack PCM and Climate control is black in .2 and silver in .1

[@davidkasserra184]

Love these cars. What colour are they exactly?

[@MAXREVS]

Aqua blue. This video compares 987 to 981 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYqniZirqcp9f9k

[@davidkasserra184]

@@MAXREVS Thanks so much. Looking for a unique colour to buy. Just watching another video of yours about Charlie's car. Is it my understanding then that the Cayman 987.1 base is better than the S for IMS issues? Are both of your cars Aqua Blue? Sorry for all of the questions. Really enjoying the videos.

[@MAXREVS]

No worries, happy to help. Yes the 987.1 base engine is generally the more reliable one. However the unreliability of the 987.1 sport engine is largely overplayed. It doesn't affect that many cars. Watch the livestream with Arne where this is discussed in more detail (he owns a 987.1 sport). My colour is aqua blue, same for Charlie. This then became Sapphire Blue on the 981 generation. My car has a ceramic coating on the paint which subtly darkened the paint a touch. Happy hunting for your Cayman!

[@1530swimmer]

MAX REVS actually I think the 987.1 base is cobalt blue, slightly different than aqua blue.

[@MAXREVS]

Thanks, you would know the colour of your own car👍🏼That means the name of the similar blue has changed each time, 987.1 - 987.2 - 981

[@thatguy1119]

Color of the dials has to do with the version of the Cayman where on the S version the dials are white and on the 2.7 they are black.

[@MAXREVS]

Thanks, this has been pointed out to me many times since. The stupid thing is, I was told this when I bought my Cayman... it’s what happens when you don’t script and simply film off the cuff ;-)

[@davidlowe9041]

the rear lights on the .2 look like Caman eyes!!

[@markkuroda]

a gimbal or stabilizer might help you out a ton. so much wobble.

[@GEMfanatica]

Gen 1 looks better. More authentic and true to Porsche

[@NutriwellnessTraining]

L'"aspect esthétique est très subjectif....en revanche, au niveau motorisation et fiabilité moteur il n'y a rien à voir. La phase 2 est incontestablement un cran au-dessus > moteur à injection directe et gain de 25 cv sur la version sport. Le moteur est plein à chaque régime et d'une fiabilité au top, ce qui n'est pas la cas de la phase 1. Côté visuel, la phase 2 est pour moi une des plus aboutie de chez Porsche et c'est en plus le dernier modèle à direction hydraulique. Cette phase 2 S à 320 cv est le coupé par excellence... intemporel avec des performances sérieuses.

[@patrickw8302]

You drive that I’ll take no IMS shaft any day

[@Mircea-cq8tb]

Gen 1 looking better!

[@jhaskins58]

The rear wiper is terrible - this is not a VW Golf!! My 06 Cayman S does not have the rear wiper - thank goodness!! 👍

[@uweheinrich6784]

Max...the 987.2 is the better choice....I am glad you got this one.....

[@rehanbhatti8148]

*All S-versions of ANY Porsche vehicles come with white dials.*

[@SuperPandalf]

Not sure that is a standard feature. My Cayman R has black dials, which I assume were standard. As the Cayman R is inherently a tuned and modified S, I would assume most things that are standard on an S would carry over to the R.

[@SuperAllpacino]

No excuse for having bad sound record, if you believe you can make video and upload it to youtube. Get the cheap microphone with windshield otherwise your video with bad sound is just not acceptable. Thank you for sharing

[@eddiegray793]

987.2 PDK and no ims bearing

[@slowassmiata]

What about ims on a Manual?

[@eddiegray793]

@@slowassmiata 2009 engine update no ims bearing

[@JUNJUN-lw2vr]

987 1 is better

[@mykiman5955]

Sound quality is horrible

[@41tim]

Too noisy mate

[@jhaskins58]

I never noticed the headlight difference - the Gen 2 are really ugly compared to Gen 1!! Oh my goodness - Gen 2 is almost reminiscent of 996 headlights. Terrible. I am glad I have Gen 1 👍