Obviously with higher mileage there can be some problems.. Does anyone know how reliable the Cayman S is above 50k miles? Thanks guys.

 

No one can say. The engine could spill its guts out at 50,001 miles. However, given reasonable care, servicing, and a bit of luck the odds are it won't. Most won't in fact.

The odds are higher that little things will act up. This is not bad of course. I'd rather deal with a whole bunch of little things vs. buy a new engine.

What little things? Well, it varies, but a run down of what my 02 Boxster had go wrong over the years and miles might shed some light. I'll try to list the items in order and miles at when the things occurred but some of the littler things I can't be sure of the when and the miles.

Let's see... RMS (20K and covered by the new car warranty), AOS (80K), wheel bearing (<100K), two O2 sensors (<100K), water pump (175K), 2nd AOS (<200K), coolant tank (<200K), fuel pump (220K), VarioCam solenoid/actuator (<250K), CV boots (the bearings were ok, cleaned up and repacked) (<250K). Throw in 2 batteries, several window actuators, a door latch, a door lock, a rear window. Oh, a couple of sway bar links, more O2 sensors, a MAF, ignition switch (false alarm, it was the clutch interlock switch), 3 or 4 key modules, oil filler tube cap, coolant tank cap, radiator fan resistor, and that's about it.

Original engine. Original IMS and bearing, original clutch. All now at 268K miles.

Given my experience with my 02 I bought an 08 Cayman S. Lost it to an accident 4 weeks after buying it. Looked for another one but couldn't find one. Bought a low miles (10K) 03 Turbo instead. But I could have been just as happy -- maybe more so (given the miles I drive the cost to run the Turbo really, well, costs) -- with a Cayman S.

Oh, about luck. One can't ignore problems. The car the engine is trying to tell you something every day. Most days it is says "I'm ok." Sometimes though it says "I don't feel well." Those times it doesn't feel well you have to pay attention and act. Promptly.

Case in point: When the water pump showed signs of needing replacement. A bit of a rumble. New belt had developed a sharp edge. Water pump pulley had the tiniest play. Did I drive the car any? No. I called a flat bed tow truck and had the car hauled to a dealer about 25 miles away. Cost me oh, I don't remember now, but WAG'ing maybe $125, but the car came out of the shop (dealer service department) with a new water pump and t-stat, fresh coolant, and no issues.

Some owners would have ignored the noise and not bothered to investigate further. Some would have continued to drive the car. This raises the odds the water pump fails and takes out the engine. Or the engine over heats and this takes out the engine.

The other thing related to luck is accident avoidance. Doesn't take much damage for an insurance company to look at an older high mileage car and declare the car totaled, hand over a check for a few $K, then call it done. One can't replace what was up until the accident a fine car for what the insurance adjuster handed over. A perfectly fine car is lost to an accident.

 

Sold my '06 Cayman S at 81k miles with owning it for 2 years. Only issues I had were the typical PM or wear items. The only money I put into the car was oil change, brake fluid flush, spark plugs, cabin/intake air filters and clutch/flywheel. Bought the car from a dealer in Houston with no service history.
No unexpected repairs.....totally reliable IMO.

 

That is so great to hear. I just bought an 06 CS with only 23,000 miles, new water pump, good DME and PPI, but not much in the way of service history. It had 4000 miles on a Mobil 1 oil and filter change, but I dropped it to test and evaluate, and replaced with fresh.

Really hoping to take it to 100,000 before it craps out on me. I have had three 250K+ Volvos, and currently drive one at 138K and 15 years old.

 

that just turned 300,000 miles on his 2001 S. I believe he had an engine replacement fairly early on, so the mileage on the engine is at the higher end of 200K miles.

 

we had no major issues with our before selling at 60K miles. I would save and buying a lower mileage unit

 

Once in a while I post on Pedro's forum -- as user MarcW -- and I recently posted that my 2002 Boxster engine (2.7l) has just over 300K miles and my car has never had an engine replacement or any engine work other than the passenger side VarioCam solenoid/actuator replaced at approx. 250K miles.

I believe Pedro's Boxster -- an earlier MY with a 2.5l engine -- suffered a failed rod -- he tracks the car a lot -- at around 250K miles.

 

these engines seem alot better than the 70s 911 engine. i am at 82K mi with no problems.
the advice above of checking anything that seems amiss is spot on.

JB LG