Jason986S Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 I viewed this very nice 2007 987.1 Cayman S 3.4 this afternoon. It’s in pretty good condition and has full service history and a very good spec (19” wheels, N-rated Pzero’s, lovely cocoa interior, extended leather, PASM, PCM with nav/phone, Sport Chrono, crested head rests etc). It has done very low miles in the last 2 years (2000 ish, and only 300 in the last year). It is currently on just over 75,000 miles. My concern is the ticking noise in the video clip below (that i filmed mid test drive once warm). The car also HEAVILY smoked on cold start for 30 seconds, and ever so slightly smoked when revved once warmed up. The owner has only had it 6 months and apparently hasn’t required any oil top ups since it was minor serviced by an OPC just after they bought it in september (who also MOT’d it). They’re selling as his wife finds it too fast/sporty so wont drive it (i asked her in person and she gave this same reason her husband told my via messages previously). My concern is, could this be dreaded bore score.... or maybe just needs a bloody good long drive (and maybe an AOS?) The car is well specced, well priced and in good physical/cosmetic condition. I may get it mechanically inspected (PPI & borescope) by a local indie if the seller agrees. Am i wasting my time with this one? opinions please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Mac Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 Hi @Jason986S can’t help on the noise - other than it sounds bad. Wasn’t there a similar noise that someone posted once / turned out to be a loose plug? I’d avoid that car. The front drivers side wing also looks a diffferent shade of silver to the door... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southy Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 @j0hn need some of your input Love it Jason, looks great, I do like the Mk1 Caymans - hopefully John can help I'm pretty sure he had a bore score cayman originally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason986S Posted January 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 7 minutes ago, Andy Mac said: Hi @Jason986S can’t help on the noise - other than it sounds bad. Wasn’t there a similar noise that someone posted once / turned out to be a loose plug? I’d avoid that car. The front drivers side wing also looks a diffferent shade of silver to the door... A friend of mine said the same thing about the wing paint. The front end has been resprayed at some point I believe, as there are no chips on the leading edge of the arches behind the front wheels either side, which is normally really rashed. My 986S made a ticking/clicking noise when the bottom end bearings failed. I prayed it was a loose plug, but I was not so lucky! Sounds quite different to this my 986 though (vid below). Cayman could have sticky hydraulic-lifters maybe? Cayman is running 3 month old OPC changed Mobil1 oil. Look forward to @j0hn‘s input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonewolfgjp Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 Hi Jase Sounds similar to my old 986 when it had been stood for a while. I had mine checked several times and was told it was the injection system ticking. I ran a bit of redex through it and used it a bit more and it improved. The smoke is probably the aos or again if it has been stood and only used on short journeys! If you’re seriously looking at it get it inspected 👍👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeG Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 I'm by no means a technical expert, but my previous Cayman did suffer from bore scoring (fixed under OPC warranty ). Not sure if those exhaust tips where clean when you set off, but when mine suffered from bore scoring one thing that stood out was the exhausts getting covered in soot very quickly, with the one on the left hand side blacking first. As suggested, get it inspected before you buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxstercol Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 Sooty exhaust pipes. Ticking. Smoking on start up & when warmed up. Owner getting shot of after only a few months of ownership. Run, run & run.... Or I guess you could have a borescope done which will give you the definitive answer... Personally, I don’t like the sound that engine is making. Agreed the smoking could be AOS, but there are other symptoms which point to something altogether different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Mac Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 9 minutes ago, Boxstercol said: Sooty exhaust pipes. Ticking. Smoking on start up & when warmed up. Owner getting shot of after only a few months of ownership. Run, run & run.... This 👆🏽Plus the paint shade being visibly different - plenty more fish in the sea@Jason986S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason986S Posted January 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 @Boxstercol putting it like that, makes me want to run away from tbe car! Wonder what an inspection and borescope costs, £200 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonewolfgjp Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 I would of thought £200 would cover it. But I personally wouldn’t buy any 3.4 Cayman without having it checked, beautiful cars but you are right in the danger zone as far as bore score goes! Im sure the problem isn’t as widespread as the internet says but after you’re previous issues it pays to be cautious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason986S Posted January 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 @Lonewolfgjp yeh, even the best example 3.4 probably should be scoped and inspected to dodge any potential bullets. I’ve messaged the husband (owner) who wasn’t at the viewing this afternoon (his wife basically gave me the keys and hovered around getting cold whilst I went around the car a dozen times). I’ve asked if he’s happy for me to take it to an Indie for a PPI at my expense. If not I will 100% walk away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toplad Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 That sounds like bore scoring to me. Bore scoring has harder less rapid tick/knocking sound like the vid More than just the injectors which produce a lighter faster sound. Some smoke on start is not uncommon on the flat 6 and is normal Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason986S Posted January 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 @toplad @Lonewolfgjp my 986 would give a hefty puff of smoke for about 2 seconds if I drove the car briefly, then started it again. Got used to it as a flat-6 quirk. The engine noise is a concern though. As it bring back nightmares of my previous engine failure. Although it’s a completely different sound. Owner is happy for me to have any inspection done. Has also said that it hasn’t been driven/started for 3 weeks so has been sitting around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j0hn Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 I'm no expert but all symptoms are exactly like I had, I'm not 100% sure about the noise though. Go to Cotswold Porsche, they asked £70 I think for a borescope inspection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason986S Posted January 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 5 minutes ago, j0hn said: I'm no expert but all symptoms are exactly like I had, I'm not 100% sure about the noise though. Go to Cotswold Porsche, they asked £70 I think for a borescope inspection. Thanks mate. Sounds possible then! An extended test drive from Yeovil to Cotswold Porsche wouldn’t be a bad shout to see how it behaves/drives, see if it quitens down or the smoking clears up. For £70 it’s well worth getting it done. I’ll be gutted if it is scored as I’ll be out of pocket. But it’ll be a couple of hundred quid and no Cayman gutted, not >£10k gutted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shead Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 Pity you didn’t get a video of it with the smoke. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul P Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 Don’t buy the reason for selling. Sounds like BS to me. Not many conversations go “let’s buy a sports car”,”let’s sell the sports car because it’s too fast”. There are 100s if others out there. If it’s doesnt feel good. It isn’t. Walk away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bally4563 Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 1 minute ago, Paul P said: Don’t buy the reason for selling. Sounds like BS to me. Not many conversations go “let’s buy a sports car”,”let’s sell the sports car because it’s too fast”. There are 100s if others out there. If it’s doesnt feel good. It isn’t. Walk away. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason986S Posted January 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 4 minutes ago, Paul P said: Don’t buy the reason for selling. Sounds like BS to me. Not many conversations go “let’s buy a sports car”,”let’s sell the sports car because it’s too fast”. There are 100s if others out there. If it’s doesnt feel good. It isn’t. Walk away. The husband bought it for the wife as a surprise. She thinks that he secretly wanted a Porsche so “bought her one” to justify it as he has a fancy Audi and Superbike already. I don’t think any conversation was had before he brought it home. Apparently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason986S Posted January 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 12 minutes ago, Mark Shead said: Pity you didn’t get a video of it with the smoke. Mark Yeh, I didn’t want to look weird filming it infront of the owner. It was enough smoke for the lady to walk away from the drivers side wafting her hand infront of her face (on cold start up) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul P Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 Just now, Jason986S said: The husband bought it for the wife as a surprise. She thinks that he secretly wanted a Porsche so “bought her one” to justify it as he has a fancy Audi and Superbike already. Ok. If you are comfortable with that explanation then cool. The other concerns on their own would be enough for me to choose to keep looking. Smoke at startup might be AOS. Smoking when revved, that’s more serious. In my opinion. It’s still a walk away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason986S Posted January 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 17 minutes ago, Paul P said: Ok. If you are comfortable with that explanation then cool. The other concerns on their own would be enough for me to choose to keep looking. Smoke at startup might be AOS. Smoking when revved, that’s more serious. In my opinion. It’s still a walk away. It could/should still be a walk away. As even without any smoking/ticking, i would still probably get a pre puchase inspection done to be safe/safer. It’s just typical. Well priced, local and well specced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul P Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 Hard call. You could always offer them a ridiculously low price and if they accept then they are looking to cut their losses. You can still walk even if they say yes. Good luck either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonewolfgjp Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 2 hours ago, toplad said: That sounds like bore scoring to me. Bore scoring has harder less rapid tick/knocking sound like the vid More than just the injectors which produce a lighter faster sound. Some smoke on start is not uncommon on the flat 6 and is normal Good luck Yours is 3.4 Boxster S? Couldnt you do a cold start sound clip of yours and then we could hear supposed to sound like? I had the 3.2 and mine could sound a bit ticky sometimes, saying that my 3.4 dfi can sound ticky sometimes 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dim33 Posted January 9, 2019 Report Share Posted January 9, 2019 I paid £147 for a bore scope inspection on my 3.4 Boxster S. Unfortunately I had the inspection done after I bought the car. One scored cylinder found. I had no ticking noise though, which apparently is a symptom of more advanced scoring. However ticking does not necessarily mean bore scoring. I did have some soot build up on the exhaust tips though and some oil consumption (approx 600ml in 1,300 miles). Since the engine rebuild I have no soot and no oil consumption (since it's been run in). I would never buy a 987.1 3.4 (Boxster or Cayman) again without getting it scoped. I don't wish to exaggerate the problem and believe I have been extremely unlucky. But given the grief involved in rebuilding the engine, I'd rather spend the £147. If it is clear it's the price of having peace of mind. If it's scored it's the small cost of avoiding a whole load of trouble (never mind expense). So in that sense since you like the car get it checked and scoped. This way you'll drastically reduce the odds of an unlucky buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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