So I have two choices, two cars in similar price ranges. Actually exact same price. One is a 2005 997 with 44K miles, the other is a 2006 Cayman S with 27K miles. The 2005 is out of warranty. 2006 has remaining warranty for a 5-6 months. I would be looking at an extended warranty for either vehicle I purchase.

Both vehicles look to be in great condition with service records.

Basically I would be leaning more toward the 05 997 but I am not sure if it is as reliable as the 06 Cayman. More so with the RMS/IMS issues.

What are your thoughts on reliability and issues when comparing these two models. They are really close in years, is the Cayman going to have the same issues as the 997?

Also a small thing but the 997 has the stock sound system and the Cayman has the upgraded bose. How bad is the stock sound system? I honestly have never heard the stock system. The car isnt local so I cant try it out..

Thanks in advance..
-Damon

 

I like the 2005 997. At 44K miles, I would think that any issues would have surfaced and been resolved. Everyone notices the classic 991 style car!! Not so with the Cayman. I purchased an early 2005 997 with 45K miles and have been happy with it. I drive it about 5K miles a year so after a few years, the total mileage will average out to be Average / Yr. I plan on keeping this car for a long time so I am not too worried about mileage and resale value--something to consider.

 

The seller has had all service done on time, even the 40k. He said nothing has surfaced and he has had no problems. It will my daily driver( 10-12k yr) as I can't stand to leave it in garage.

I would prefer the 997 but not if the cayman is more reliable as dd.

 

I never had problems with my Cayman S, but if you prefer the 997 I would go for it. I don't think there are major differences in reliability.

 

If you will ever have need for the back seats of the 911 - for stuff or small kids , then 911 is a must, over all 911 has its own appeal. If buying for track and dont need the back seats, a cayman S is a good choice.

 

In the high mile lower price ranges my vote would go to a used Cayman s (preferrably CPO) . I understand that you may want the 911 but having the newer car, with lower miles, and warranty puts some cost effective planning into the purchase .

The Cayman s is a great car too . What most important is being able to enjoy the car and one can;t do that if he faces expensive repairs .

 

If you are going to purchase extended warranty with either car, then repair cost (RMS/IMS) would not be a deciding factor.

I went through the same 997 vs. Cayman S debate. For me, I was looking at similar model year cars with similar mileage. Cayman S would cost 10K less than similar conditioned 997. For now, I have decided to search 997 because I prefer the look and on-paper, better performance.

 

I have $41K to work with. What are my chances of finding an 06 997 for that? With CPO? I know the market isn't well, but I haven't had much luck so far...

 

This is high mileage but a very nicely optioned car IMO. I know nothing about it or the owner, just thought I'd share with you:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/ctd/1356629999.html

 

Ah man trust me, I have been looking all over Craigslist, Autotrader, Cars.com, and eBay.. Every day, 3-4 times a day..

I guess one of my biggest concerns is the long term value of the car. I loved the fact that my NSX retained so much value as it aged. I am concerned the Cayman wont do that. I have more confidence that the 997 would. Am I correct in this thinking? Opinions?

 

Your NSX was rare and that is why it kept value. You won't get that with either option you are considering though a 997 will hold slightly more value than a Cayman. But...if you get a cheap enough Cayman why worry about it's future value, just drive it and enjoy it.

 

I agree here, the low miles will make a lot of sense if you drive the car 15K miles a year. I imagine that more than a few buyers will be turned off by a 911 when you have 75K miles on it in 2 years!
I looked at consumer reports to check reliability and they are not much different.

 

Big difference in versatility of a 911 which is a 2+2 and a 2 seat Cayman. Weighed heavily for me, I have 2 kids. The 997 will retain better value I would think simply because it is more well known. Neither car is an NSX though.

 

But man the interior of the NSX depressed me, other than that I loved that car.....

 

The reason the NSX held its value is because it's gotten to the end of the depreciation curve (more than 10 yrs old). I bought a '91 NSX 66k mileage in 2005 for $28K and sold it 2 years later for $28K with 69k mileage. If you buy a 2005 NSX and sell it 2 years later, you will lose quite a bit of money.

If you wait for Cayman S to get to 10 years old and then buy it, I believe it will retain just as much of its value as the NSX. Realize that even the oldest Cayman is still a relatively new car (5 years old). There will always be depreciation cost when owning anything but much older cars with a following.