I thought two yrs ago the Lotus Exige was hands down the perfect car for me. Handling with reliable power and exotic looks etc until I went to sit in it Could never fit or get comfortable.

 

If you're still shopping around, let me know. I'm selling my '06 soon and it will be priced within your stated range. Only 24k miles at the moment, too.

 

As far as "feel", the 911 has plenty of that to offer- with the right aftermarket pieces, and especially w/the 2s. My guess is the 987 Spyder has some pieces of suspension underneath that are a bit different than the vanilla non-S 987.

All that said, if you want a 'vette, buy a 'vette. The Porsche thing is a whole 'nother bag. And it's a good one. Right now the mkt is flooded with used cars due to the economy. People are walking away from their cars and their homes. Unfortunately, you will find more Chargers, Mustangs, BMW's and other cars than you will used Crocs. In that, if people will not pay the stiff CPO prices for the used Caymans, it will force the prices on those downward.

However, unless we see a glut of used Crocs hitting the mkt en masse, I just don't see that happening and resulting in big price reductions. We'll see.

 

Come the New Year, things are going to take a turn for the worst. Prices for things will come down while prices for food and energy are going up. There will be another wave of crocs and 911's for the picking--if one has cash.

Porsche of North America does not honor their CPO warranty. There is no indicator PNA ever will. Values will be dropping for cars, however, parts may increase.

 

Care to elaborate on this?

 

Yes, when I bought my SUV sight unseen I was assured it was covered end-to-end and was regarded as a new car. Nonetheless, PNA has refused several submissions for coverage. Some lowly (rear seat back clips) which were poorly designed, however, that damage was (wrongly) blamed on me. Some not so minor (rear hatch struts).

Many items have been repaired but I am still sorting out the deficiencies that were there when I got her.

My current dealer says that everything would be covered if I bought a new Cayenne but I don't trust Porsche.

The dealer who sold me this car said everything would be covered, yet the dealer where I have moved to has told me many things are not covered. They always want me to sign granting them fees for diagnosising, THEN they submit the repair request to PNA. PNA has fixed the majority of the deficiencies but the remaining items add up and it bothers me.

Overall, I'm pleased with the car and this is a little out of my league. But I remain fearful of the costs of future ownership.

On the rear hatch strut, it was replaced last November. As soon as I hit cold weather, it failed. Then, it failed and the struts for the glass hatch failed in September.

Now, I am told that the first replacement was a courtesy because I had just got the car. AND had I been in two weeks earlier (from Nov 30!) they would have covered the part under the one year Porsche parts warranty. It failed late in September. I called and made an appointment at the end of October but had to wait for two weeks to get her in. I reqally could not wait so long to get my snow tires on. So, when I finally got it, it was too late.

However, PNA is covering a new drive shaft.

My fear is the coolant pipes and the damage it may cause when they go. I am considering replacing those at my own expense as a preventive measure.

To complete the story, PNA has approved most repairs and that saved me significantly. However, we are averaging $1,000 a month in repairs & maintenance--not gas, not plates, not insurance--just standard maintainance and repairs.

Larger items covered: Instrument cluster, radio computer, P Entry & Drive computer module for driver's seat, two horns, self dimming mirror, rear hatch strut (once), one ignition coil, water pump.

Items covered before I bought her: head light assembly, reprogram key; and perhaps a battery (not sure).

Smaller items denied: Seat back clips (new ones are much better design), rear cargo managment roof covers (cheaply made), cover to back seat power recepticles; rear hatch strut, rear hatch window struts, parking brake strut.

An interesting aspect is that the serpentine belt was not a part of regular maintainance per the manual but it was making noise and after four years in the desert and a run up the Alcan and 75,000 miles--you bet I replaced it.

So, I hear different stories from different folks and different dealers: Everything is covered as if a CPO'd vehicle is considered a new vehicle AND PNA does not covered everything under their CPO program.

Now, I hear there were miscommunications between Porsche dealerships and PNA CPO programs. Evidently, sales was told one thing (She's all covered and sell it so.) and service was told another (Not everything is covered. Submit it and we'll tell you. It may be programmed in their computer system.)

Moreover, I hear reports that Porsche has redone their CPO program so that now (since August 2010) everything is finally covered as it was promised when I bought mine in August 2009.

I hate the uncertainty and runaround.

Questions:

One thing that I wonder about are fuel filters. I've not replaced one that I know of and wonder what is required. [I know, read the manual.]

Another thing I am used to is completely flushing the transmission fluid and it appears impossible on these.

 

The understeer can be fixed with a $150 pair of camber arms. Even if you pull all the factory shims you won't get more than a degree of negative camber. Get it to -2.0 with some bigger front tires and the understeer goes away.

 

That's still good, now if the larger items isn't covered then I have an issue with it. The smaller items all seem like wear and tear items.

 

gr8ful - sorry you've had so many issues with the car overall, how many miles were on it when you got it? I'd feel a bit uneasy buying anything sight unseen, but I guess CPO is a safety blanket of sorts. Then again, just because something is CPO or warranties brand new, doesn't mean you aren't responsible for any items.

As Ynot said, it looks like they are taking care of a lot of items and you have smaller wear items that aren't being covered. Looks like your warranty has saved you a ton of money overall!

FWIW, I had a stutter and blinking CEL yesterday on the way to work. Porsche roadside flat bed towed me to the dealership, I got a free loaner, they said my coil had inexplicably died, they replaced it on the spot, ordered a new window seal to fix a rattle they noticed, and returned the car to me sparkly clean by the time I had finished from work. Happy camper here!

 

Drove an '07 Non-S yesterday @ Carmax. 28K miles, Blue/Grey, Bixenon, Heated seats, 18" wheels, No other options. Price fixed @ $32k + tax/title/license. OEM warranty till 04/2011

Seems overpriced to me, No service records, plus saleswoman was a real B****, full of attitude. According to her, they did a 125 point inspection so the car was 'perfect'..yeah right. Car kept on drifting to the right through the entire test drive, bad alignment or suspension damage, who knows. Not for me.

BTW, car seemed underpowered, had to rev it a lot to feel 'fast'. Sounded good though. Is the CS models that much faster than non-S models, especially Gen I cars??

Anyways..still on the hunt, probably will go for an S model with more options :goodlucktome:

 

Car Max has the worst preped cars I have ever seen. Non S remorse is quite common

 

This is a ridiculous thread. Just like the same one over on P-9.

Markets are never overpriced if products are selling - they are just what they are. Specific cars (or whatever) can be out of line with market of course, but the market is fine. BTW, good car (not great) can be had in the low 30's. I know of one 2006 S loaded with PCCB where the owner will take 30.

Just because the OP can not get the car he wants for cheap, does not mean squat. You pay or you wait. There are many cars I want (Cup Car for one) that I can not afford. Are they overpriced or am I just underfunded? Unfortunately it is the latter as plenty of other folks seem to be able to buy them.

Overpowered/underpowered - it meets your needs or is does not. The car is more than fast enough for the street. Turned mine into a race car because it was too fast to be enjoyed on the street. Do not give a rats *** about going in a straight line. 1:27 at WSIR a couple of weeks back - that was fun.

Just my opinion of course.

Cheers,

 

Merry Xmas Duane!

If you're looking to drag race the car, this car is not for you. If you go from light to light, get something else. I came from a relatively quick 996TT with upgraded turbos etc... and in the end, it just never did feel involved enough for my taste. I do enjoy high horse power vehicles, but this little "under powered" cayman is really fun to drive imo. Krok kicks GT3's and Turbo cars asses out at the track so "power" is really relative based on how you intend to use the car. Also, don't settle on a car, ever. You will always regret it. Cheers.

 

Thank you !! Finally some common sense is posted

If you have to haggle over 5 to 10 k when you are buying a Porsche then buy something else .This car is not about that at all !!
and its not about the 0 to 60 either .Krokodil has nailed it with his post and if you cannot relate then I hate to say but you are creating your own frustrations and unhappiness .

My wife and kids still wonder why I take 1 to 2 hour drives almost daily after 3 years now of owning a Cayman .They just dont get it ,can you understand ? there is NO price I can put on this happiness I feel on a daily basis .

My 2 cents .. buy a new one .Its well worth it in the long run .
these cars are meant to be kept for life and then handed down
trying to get a bargain ..you will get burnt and always be unhappy

 

First, I think it's good that prices and values are increasing on the Cayman, but it doesn't help me get into one. For a while there it seemed the Cayman just wasn't holding value well. Now, it seems the Cayman is coming more into its own. Excellence charts values on 2006 Cayman species to have increased between 2009 and 2010 by $2,500 to $3,000.

That's good for Cayman owners.

However, the Cayennes do not seem to be increasing or holding quite as well.

Regarding my repairs and CPO refusals, for the most part I can live with those items in their less than perfect state. When the rear hatch strut failed so soon after replacement (~10 months later) and the CPO denial came in, I was sorely dissappointed. Alas, this may be one of those quirks in this year: Rear hatch and rear window struts do not do well in our cold weather.

Overall, I really like the car. It feels good to drive everytime I get in it! And it's a joy to drive on our slick roads--very exciting winter driving. While I was overwhelmed by the Turbo's last winter, I am just starting to get the hang of them and liking it! Also, I am paying closer attention to my driving angles and all so as to avoid the PSM kicking in rudely.

However, as I see all that heat exhaust pouring off the back of my SUV (So much I can't see much behind me while accelerating) , I feel satisfied trying to heat this miserable -6F up!

We've an extremely cold winter in Alaska. All this Climate Change is HOGWASH!

As for negotiating price, I think that is as personal and individual as these cars are! Mine had 69,000 miles on it. My budget was for an S level Cayenne suitable for towing. What I got by making the highest offer I could manage was worth it.

The saleswoman said I was "too hard" on them. No buts, I am enjoying the car. I have put a lot into extra wheel sets and spare parts. I'm hoping to make this a half a million mile vehicle. I am approaching 87,000 miles and love the fact she's the king of the road in winter. No garage queen here.

The Cayenne is the Most Practical of Porsches. However, I would like a Cayman and wish Porsche would develop the Cayman line more & sooner.