jeffbrig

Wow, I just realized that Thanksgiving marked 3 years since I bought this car, so I thought it might be worth a long term update...

You might recall some members giving me flack when I originally posted about potentially buying this car. Seems about 2/3 suggested I run for the hills. Or at least only consider it only as a weekend toy.
https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/989...-with-a-turbo/

But you know me, I never listen...

A little refresher about the car. It's a 2006 Cayman S 6-speed, PASM, Sport chrono, etc. Along with some other goodies - with a TPC turbo kit (~460hp/400ft-lb), LSD, underdrive pulley, upgraded bushings, SS brake lines, etc. The car had 31k on it when I purchased it, and today it's about 53k. The only upgrade I threw at the car after buying it was changing the wheels (I much prefer the Sport Design wheels to the original Lobster Claw style). The only thing I'd like to do to it still is lower it about an inch.

In retrospect, I regret nothing about purchasing this car. I've used it as a daily driver, and it has been virtually flawless in that role. It looks great, rides great, handles great, the steering is impeccable, and it has just the right amount of refinement. I know there will be some on a Honda forum that are anti-German or anti-Porsche, but damn, these guys know how to make a great car. And with the turbo, it goes like a raped ape when you step on it. On the road, at the track, at the autoX, this car is FUN. I've had it up to 143mph, and it was still pulling like mad in 6th. I was amazed at how planted and composed the car feels even at crazy speeds.

The driving experience is a lot like the s2000, turned up to 12. But at the same time, it's a lot more refined. It's still small and agile, but the passenger compartment is much roomier. The dual trunks mean it can carry 2-3x what an s2000 can. It's a very comfortable car, yet one press of the PASM button firms up the suspension for serious driving. Together with the sport function, it's a little Jeckle and Hyde. Even after 3 years, I am still amazed at how quick this car car be. I probably have a "pinch me" moment every month or so. About the only thing I miss some days is not being able to drop the top. And then we just take the wife's car (yeah, the s2000 is her daily driver).

So, what issues have I had with it? Not much really... I cracked the turbo manifold at a track day - it let go at a weld line. I had to replace the halfshaft boots because they were drying out and cracking. Other than those issues (probably both heat/track related), it's been dead solid reliable. Yeah, it does have a tendency to eat tires - but it seems all my cars have that problem, lol... Maintenance really hasn't been too bad - I doubt it's cost me $1k more than the s2000 to maintain over the last three years. I have found the car easy to do basic maintenance on, really no worse than any other car I've had.

Tickets? Amazingly, I haven't even been pulled over since that one time the day I bought it (see above thread). Not for a lack of trying, either, but the Passport 9500 has definitely earned its keep.

I really think this one has ruined me for other cars. I have a sweet mid-engined 2-seater with a fantastic power-to-weight ratio. There aren't many cars out there that I would give this up for. And I can't afford most of them...

HwangTKD

Beautiful! Still a stunner after all these years. I regret selling mine. How do you pass emissions with the turbo?

rob-2

I totally get it. More power than your S2k, similar focused experience and also more comfortable.

I'd hold onto the car for a while.

mosesbotbol

Nice, good write up. What kind of turbo's does it have and at what psi? Any intercooler?

deepbluejh

Great to hear it's been a solid car for you. How does the car handle heat on the track? Any other issues with the turbo system besides the manifold?

WolfpackS2k

I hear that man. I'd love to lower mine 0.75-1". But I'm afraid of the additional scraping that will probably result.

I don't think Florida has annual emissions testing. But even if they do, outside of CA & NY emissions testing is pretty easy. As long as there's at least one catalytic converter in the exhaust system any engine functioning properly should pass.

jeffbrig

The car still has its cats, but there is no emissions testing in FL.

jeffbrig

TPC has always been very coy about where they source their turbo. Mine has been dyno'd at 5.5psi, and it does have the "Stage 2" air-to-water intercooler. It's a very clean install, as the heat exchanger up front is actually an OEM third radiator, which Porsche only installed in tiptronic models. Since the 6MT doesn't have that radiator, you simply grab the OEM part and mounting hardware, and plumb it back to the rear mounted intercooler.

FearlessFife

More pics please...

jeffbrig

It would seem that it handles heat pretty well. I'm admittedly a track novice, so I'm not pushing the car as hard as a more experience driver would. The last track event I did at Homestead was on a scorching hot July day. Several BMW drivers I talked to said their cars were going into limp mode 15 minutes into a session. Now this model Cayman does have a somewhat "overdamped" water temp gauge, but only in my last afternoon session did I see it even budge off the normal 175deg reading. Sadly, it does not have an oil temp gauge, part of Porsche's model tiering strategy, I'm afraid... I think they finally got over this with your car. If I was going hardcore on the track days, I'd be looking to add an oil cooler at least.

No issues with the turbo beyond the manifold failure. My Porsche mechanic felt like that was a design flaw in the kit, and it looked like it had been patched before by the prior owner. The wastegate was situated on a horizontal pipe stub about 8" from the manifold, and had no support bracket to help hold the weight. And heat and bouncing, and it failed. So, when they rebuilt the manifold, they added a support bracket so it wouldn't happen again. No issues since.



Just for grins, here's a pic from my first track day in the car. Note the "old" wheels...