The Sports Car Bargain Of The Century - 987 Cayman Base

I am unclear why nobody seems to be talking about the absolute best car you can buy for $20,000 - granted, there aren't many $20,000 examples out there, but it can be done. I am all into mine for $19,000 and it has some SERIOUS service done.

The 987 generation Cayman caught some flack as being "not a real Porsche" - but that is so far from the truth - coming from someone with a lot of wheel time in 911's - and having friends that have 911's. After driving the 987, they have changed their tune entirely.

Having owned both the 987 S (3.4 Liter) & now the 987 Base (2.7 Liter) I can say with confidence that the S isn't worth the extra money. This is largely due to the strong reliability failures of the 3.4 Liter, which is a shame. The car in functioning order is spectacular, but they do tend to break... Not the "IMS Bearing" that all of the forums make you believe, but the strong likelyhood of bore scoring causing detrimental damage to the engine that costs just as much as the entire car.

This leaves the bargain car, the base. 2.7 Liters of mid-mounted fury with a generous 7k+ redline, 245 horsepower through a 5 speed manual driving the rear axle. Notice I specifically mention the manual, if you are looking at tiptronic cars - just do not buy it. You will not experience the car in its full capability. Comparing to other sports cars in this segment, there are few that I would shop it against. You could go far newer & get an ND Miata, or an FRS/BRZ. But, that just doesn't provide the same fun as the Porsche. Granted, you don't have the annual cost that the Porsche would serve on a silver platter either.

Allbeit the Boxster deserves an honorable mention - the reason I chose the Cayman is due to the rigidity from the added fixed roof, and the ability to hit the track without a cage in the US. I adore the Boxster and feel that it is actually a BETTER bargain, pending on what you're using the car for!

The Cayman is in my opinion, the best sports car you can buy for the money. Is it the fastest in a straight line? No. Is it the most up to date on tech? No. Would I drive one in anger versus almost any other car sub $100,000? Yes. Until the GT4, in my opinion the 987 is the best P-car currently available in the sub $100,000 price point. In the sub 25k bracket, I think it is the best all around car you could buy if you like fun. The sharp handling, perfect balance, great gearing, and direct steering really make this car engaging when it needs to be. The beauty of it is, the car is very practical as well. I drive mine quite a lot, including taking the car shopping and using both its trunks for storage. It is comfortable on the highway, useable around town and overall just a great car in any use case.

I truly believe these cars will become future classics, especially in a decent spec with good miles. The body design is classically beautiful, the interior is ageless, and the car is spectacular. Don't wait, just get one, shut up, and DRIVE!