Wanting to daily drive a Cayman, am I crazy?

[Blackjack200]

So I was just surfing around on cars.com yesterday and noticed that you can now get '06 Porsche Caymans with reasonable milage (~60k) for around $30,000.

I'm driving an '04 Saab 9-3 right now, and it's almost paid off. I figure I can get about $7k for it, I'm also participating in my company's stock option plan, so that should yield about $10k by the end of the year. Figure save another $2k between now and then, and by 2011 these cars should be down to about $28k.

So I could get one with a $9k or $10k bank note. I'll start with the Cons first

Cons

- It would be my daily driver, so I'd add lots of miles to it and expose it to potential dings, dents, fender benders, and all the idiots out there. It would be pretty inconvenient for getting grocieries and especially for playing ice hockey (ice hockey bags are pretty big)

- I don't have a garage or even a driveway, so it would be pretty exposed. I'm on a faily quiet street and my neighbor parked a 2009 Corvette there for a year without any problems, but it still makes me nervous.

- Repairs. I'm pretty sure I make enough to cover them, but I don't want it to be a regular, major expense. How reliable are these things? I'll also say that I'm pretty easy on cars. I've driven a '98 Jetta and now my '04 Saab for about 120,000 miles total and almost never have anything wear out besides tires and brakes. (Never had to replace a clutch universal joints, etc._

Pros

- It's a fricken Porsche Cayman. I think they are some of the most beautiful cars out there. I've dreamed of driving something like this my whole life.

- It wouldn't be that much of a financial stretch. By the time I'm ready to buy it, I won't have any debt besides my mortgage, which will be eating 1/3 of my monthly take-home pay (including taxes and insurance). In fact, I would probably try to have it paid off within a year.

What say you, ATG?

 

[RedRooster]

Besides the fact that I could never justify/afford buying one, higher mileage is the other thing that would scare me away from any exotic like a Porsche, Ferrari, Lambo, etc.
You gotta think the thing has been worked over pretty good for 60K, and is now coming up on major services. I just don't know how fun driving a miled out sports car would be, with things rattling and the fear of something major breaking all the time.
They aren't Hondas.

The do look nice though, would look pimping to outsiders looking in.

 

[MJinZ]

Besides the fact that I could never justify/afford buying one, higher mileage is the other thing that would scare me away from any exotic like a Porsche, Ferrari, Lambo, etc.
You gotta think the thing has been worked over pretty good for 60K, and is now coming up on major services. I just don't know how fun driving a miled out sports car would be, with things rattling and the fear of something major breaking all the time.
They aren't Hondas.

The do look nice though, would look pimping to outsiders looking in.

Porsche is exotic? What's next BMW?

Just get it, it's a car that's going to get driven into the ground like your Saab, it's an expense, but life has expenses.

 

[Blackjack200]

Besides the fact that I could never justify/afford buying one, higher mileage is the other thing that would scare me away from any exotic like a Porsche, Ferrari, Lambo, etc.
You gotta think the thing has been worked over pretty good for 60K, and is now coming up on major services. I just don't know how fun driving a miled out sports car would be, with things rattling and the fear of something major breaking all the time.
They aren't Hondas.

The do look nice though, would look pimping to outsiders looking in.

I doubt that it's been worked over, most people that I see driving Porsches are in their 40s or 50s and drive them like grandmothers. I'd be more concerned buying a used Civic SI or VW GTI or something. 60k doesn't seem like a lot to me, I put almost 25k per year on my cars. Heck, my Saab has about 115k miles on it and it's in great shape.

 

[StageLeft]

This will never happen for you. No point really in expounding.

 

[PricklyPete]

My colleague owns a 2008 Porsche Cayman S. The car is freak'n fantastic to drive...I won't deny that. That being said, I wouldn't even think about getting one as my daily driver...not one second. Here's the reason's:

1) It is tiny. We're both in the 6'4"-6'5" range and thin...and it looks comical with both of us in there...or so we've been told. Even when his petite wife drives it she looks huge in the thing. I couldn't imagine driving it for more than 100 miles and stay comfortable.

2) There is no space in there for luggage. You will not get your hockey bag in that thing. I play hockey as well and know the size of a typical hockey bag. You'd have to strap that shit on your hood.

3) The car is not a cruiser...at least the S is not. Sure on a smooth autobahn you're fine...but it seems more "animalistic" than my 2002 M3 and would get really old on long trips.

Of course if you're willing to put up with all of that...the car is FANTASTIC to drive. A hoot and a half. I'd recommend going with a S4 or a M3 if you like European cars...or late model Mustang or Camaro for a more balanced sports car/daily driver.

 

[RichieZ]

mileage is too high for that price, you can do better.

anyways whats the problem, i daily driver my boxster (08) and my coworker dailys his GT-R.

 

[Blackjack200]

2) There is no space in there for luggage. You will not get your hockey bag in that thing. I play hockey as well and know the size of a typical hockey bag. You'd have to strap that shit on your hood.

Is there a frunk? Maybe I would have to get a beater SUV as well to deal with snow days and when I wanted to move stuff around...

Anyway, my daily commute is only about 10 miles (15-20 min) and most of it is on a scenic road without many traffic lights. I think I would really enjoy commuting in the thing.

 

[CraigRT]

Good enough price... I myself don't really think the Cayman looks great.
Some of their cars do, but the Cayman seems sorta plain.

I'd be fairly certain too that the car would be reliable... Apparently Porsche's are reliable vehicles for the most part. It would probably be doable as a DD...

 

[StageLeft]

Is there a frunk? Maybe I would have to get a beater SUV as well to deal with snow days and when I wanted to move stuff around...

Anyway, my daily commute is only about 10 miles (15-20 min) and most of it is on a scenic road without many traffic lights. I think I would really enjoy commuting in the thing.

Of course, who wouldn't? I am going to just try and burst this before it gets too big. You currently drive an 04 Saabaru that is "almost paid off". Trust me this is not the kind of statement from somebody with the money to daily drive a 60k mile Porsche. How much money do you have if you need a new tranny? Do you think Stan's transmissions on highway 15 is going to pick one up from the junkyard next door and slip it in for $2k on a Friday? You can hardly buy new parts for this thing at Autozone. There is a reason why most people don't drive cars like this, they are expensive. How much are tires, brakes? Can you do your own work?

 

[PricklyPete]

Is there a frunk? Maybe I would have to get a beater SUV as well to deal with snow days and when I wanted to move stuff around...

Anyway, my daily commute is only about 10 miles (15-20 min) and most of it is on a scenic road without many traffic lights. I think I would really enjoy commuting in the thing.

There is a "frunk"...but it is not enough for a normal sized hockey bag...I'm pretty sure (not that I've taken his car to hockey practice...but I've stuck enough large things in small spaces to have an eyeball for this stuff).

You would definitely enjoy driving it...there is no doubt. I just think there are some cars that are better compromises that are nearly as fun to drive. If you're cool with the compromises you'll have to take...go for it...it is a superb car.

 

[PricklyPete]

Skoorb's frankness cracks me up. If you're going to buy a used car like this that will likely have some expensive repairs down the road...make sure you are comfortable enough where those expensive fixes are not going to "cramp your style". Having to take a second job delivering pizza's in order to afford a car repair is not worth it.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Make sure it has a complete service history and that you have a qualified Porsche mechanic go through it before you make an offer on it. If that checks out then I wouldn't hesitate to get one.

Then again, I love tiny no-frills sports cars.

 

[Blackjack200]

Of course, who wouldn't? I am going to just try and burst this before it gets too big. You currently drive an 04 Saabaru that is "almost paid off". Trust me this is not the kind of statement from somebody with the money to daily drive a 60k mile Porsche. How much money do you have if you need a new tranny? Do you think Stan's transmissions on highway 15 is going to pick one up from the junkyard next door and slip it in for $2k on a Friday? You can hardly buy new parts for this thing at Autozone. There is a reason why most people don't drive cars like this, they are expensive. How much are tires, brakes? Can you do your own work?

The '04s weren't Subarus, that might have been '02 or '03, but not '04. I checked.

It's "almost paid off" because I bought the thing a year and a half ago. I took out a 3 year loan and have been making double payments almost every month. Honestly, I could afford the payments on a $50,000 car loan, it would just be a dumb thing to do with my money.

Finding parts for a Saab is not easy either, and I would throw a shit fit if the Porsche needed a new transmission. I'm only looking at stick shifts, why in the world would the transmission go? I'm not going to be driving it like Michael Schummaker. Clutch? Fine, even though a clutch should last much longer than that. (I had 160,000 miles on the original clutch in my Jetta).

 

[JulesMaximus]

Of course, who wouldn't? I am going to just try and burst this before it gets too big. You currently drive an 04 Saabaru that is "almost paid off". Trust me this is not the kind of statement from somebody with the money to daily drive a 60k mile Porsche. How much money do you have if you need a new tranny? Do you think Stan's transmissions on highway 15 is going to pick one up from the junkyard next door and slip it in for $2k on a Friday? You can hardly buy new parts for this thing at Autozone. There is a reason why most people don't drive cars like this, they are expensive. How much are tires, brakes? Can you do your own work?

The 9-3 isn't the Saabaru:

The 92x is the Saabaru:

 

[compman25]

The 9-4 isn't the Saabaru:

The 92x is the Saabaru:

That's a 9-3 anyways, and not a Subaru either.

 

[JulesMaximus]

That's a 9-3 anyways, and not a Subaru either.

Typo. Fixed it.

 

[Vette73]

The 06 is not super unreliable but its also no Caddy/Lexus. That and parts are not as easy to come by and cost more to repair.
Also if you get a stick look up how much parts/labor cost. That and I am betting it ahs not had its 60k service done.

When my wife wanted a 2 door sports car Porsche was on the list. I made a list of pro/cons. When she saw how much the repairs cost, even with me doing the labor, she crossed it off.
In the end she wanted a Corvette. So several years ago we got a 01 Corvette, before the C6 was fully out. Had what she wanted and only repair I have done is the headlight relay needed to be replaced. Its at about 60k now. Had to for about 25k.

 

[StageLeft]

The '04s weren't Subarus, that might have been '02 or '03, but not '04. I checked.

It's "almost paid off" because I bought the thing a year and a half ago. I took out a 3 year loan and have been making double payments almost every month. Honestly, I could afford the payments on a $50,000 car loan, it would just be a dumb thing to do with my money.

Finding parts for a Saab is not easy either, and I would throw a shit fit if the Porsche needed a new transmission. I'm only looking at stick shifts, why in the world would the transmission go? I'm not going to be driving it like Michael Schummaker. Clutch? Fine, even though a clutch should last much longer than that. (I had 160,000 miles on the original clutch in my Jetta).

I'm sure you could make payments on a $50k car, most people could, but affording it is another matter. Who knows why the car needs a tranny. Maybe it doesn't, maybe it does, they can go, just as a clutch can. Clutches can last 200k or more, or they can be burned out by a newb in 30k, you have no way really of knowing.

I think a corvette would be a better daily driver because there are a ton more of them around, which means easier to find parts, easier to find a guy who knows how to pop the hood.

 

[PricklyPete]

I'll third the Corvette as a better daily driver for convenience, size, and maintenance. They put a smile on your face for different reasons though...so both worth a test drive.

 

[StageLeft]

Or get a Prius. Just sayin'!

 

[satyajitmenon]

I'll third the Corvette as a better daily driver for convenience, size, and maintenance. They put a smile on your face for different reasons though...so both worth a test drive.

This..

I was suprised at how comfortable the C6 was on a 1400 mile road trip. With the Magnetic Ride Control set on "comfort", it ate up interstate miles with ease.

 

[StageLeft]

BTW there is a guy locally with a late model vette who not only drives it in the Rochester winters but also has a tow hitch on it and I've seen him towing (albeit not a trailer). I am pretty sure I've never seen anybody tow anything with a Porsche (including Cayenne).

I am thinking a better "gotta have a porsche" idea is to have one as a second car so that you can tolerate it spending a lot of time on the jack stands if you have an issue, then you pay only parts and work on it yourself.

 

[JulesMaximus]

BTW there is a guy locally with a late model vette who not only drives it in the Rochester winters but also has a tow hitch on it and I've seen him towing (albeit not a trailer). I am pretty sure I've never seen anybody tow anything with a Porsche (including Cayenne).

I am thinking a better "gotta have a porsche" idea is to have one as a second car so that you can tolerate it spending a lot of time on the jack stands if you have an issue, then you pay only parts and work on it yourself.

Porsches are generally pretty good daily drivers. My Father-In-Law owned a 911 for about 6 years and drove it everyday in Los Angeles. Oil changes are expensive and it went through tires fairly quickly but otherwise he had only very minor problems with it. There are certain model years that had issues so I'd do my research on them prior to buying a used one...not sure about the Cayman but it is basically a hopped up Boxster coupe.

I probably wouldn't buy one as my only means of transportation if I lived in an area where it snows though.

 

[Blackjack200]

10 years ago a Corvette was my dream car, but somewhere along the way it just lost its appeal for me. Maybe I just see too many on the road.

In any case, now I'm leaning against the Cayman anyway: The Porsche site lists its MSRP as $51k, so I'd still be paying 60percent of the cost of a new one, only the car would be 5 years old. That just seems like a terrible deal. I thought that the Caymans were more expensive than the Boxsters, and I thought the Boxsters were $50k when they came out. I has just assumed that the Caymans were somewhere in the upper 60s.

Meh.