Talk me out of a Porsche Cayman

[RJ]

Misc. Log Update

Got some time to putter around the garage. Car washed, clay bar’d and waxed. Used Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax, a Carnauba blend.



I noticed (gasp!) my front Crests weren’t aligned with the valve stems. A few seconds with a needle nose wrapped in cloth put that right. Phew! I would not want to be drummed out of the Corps.



Also got a chance to splint the antenna wire on my GDO to enhance dipole gain. Simple plastic straw and some tape.

[RJ]

If you have 90 minutes, are interested in an in-depth look at endurance racing, and like the sound of Porsche flat six engines this is for you:

https://youtu.be/Lvbkr-nXpjE

[RJ]

Continuing the detail process in hibernation. Did the exhaust tips.

Before, right side:



After, using Cleaner Wax, Mothers Clay Bar, Flitz, Back to Black on the polymer, left side:

[JM Campbell]

Continuing the detail process in hibernation. Did the exhaust tips.

Before, right side:



After, using Cleaner Wax, Mothers Clay Bar, Flitz, Back to Black on the polymer, left side:

Coulda made that easier.....get you some aftermarket exhaust and coat it. [emoji13]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ranger]

Aren't Porsche owners supposed to pay people to detail their cars?

[RJ]

I've been putting my charger (CTEK Multi US 3300) on and off past couple weeks to maintain the battery, as I've not had a chance to get the 911 on the road.

My process has been pretty consistent:

- Lower driver door window
- Insert 12V outlet adapter into 12V outlet at center of dash pedestal
- Note dim light on "power" LED on CTEK
- Lock car
- Plug CTEK in wall outlet
- Switch "mode" to "snowflake"
- Note CTEK shows "charging process" LED status lamp illuminated

I've done this perhaps daily, leaving the charger on in this way for up to 24 hours - but the CTEK never got to where the "charging complete" LED indicator illuminated. Which, I thought, for a '17, with it's original AGM battery (I assume), which prior to storage had been run virtually daily, seemed kind of odd.

As an experiment this morning, I grabbed the alligator clip attachment, and slipped off the 12V outlet attachment, putting the alligator clip in it's place on the 12V side of the CTEK.

I followed virtually the same process, but hooking the CTEK up direct:

- Open frunk and remove upper cover tray
- Attach positive and negative alligator clamps direct to battery
- Note dim light on "power" LED on CTEK
- Lock car (frunk light went out)
- Plug CTEK in wall outlet
- Switch "mode" to "snowflake"

This time, the CTEK showed "charging complete" like, immediately.

Woah.

So my conclusion is that all this time, at least for my CTEK model, and my car, plugging the CTEK into the cigarette lighter port was virtually pointless; or at least the car never reached the point where the CTEK could do it's job of maintaining the battery.

[RJ]

Aren't Porsche owners supposed to pay people to detail their cars?

Heh. Detailing myself is the only way I can afford the blasted thing.

[RJ]

12 Month Ownership Update – 911

Decided it was close enough to post an annual update, since I have had the car for approximately 12 months now. Still loving the car. It’s a lot of fun to drive.



Big expenses included:

$2,182 Tires and alignment (Dealer)
$ 764 Front Brake Parts (front pads, rotors, screws, caliper bolts, pad springs) (Suncoast/ Pelican)
$ 177 Windscreen crack repair (Safelite)
$ 92 Oil Change (DIY)

Using the same format as the Cayman:

2017 Porsche 911 Model 991 II : Annual Expense Summary

Current Mileage: 26,747 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 24.5 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 16.9 gal
Fuel Range: 414 miles
Service: $ 852 (oil change and brake parts)
Normal Wear: $2,182 (4xtires)
Damage/Repair: $177 (windscreen)
--------------------------------------------------
911 Annual Total: $3,211 / $268 per month
Mileage: 7,771 miles.

(Compare to the Cayman’s last annual report: Total: $4,055 / $338 per month (avg))


Notes and Remarks

Tires The new Michelin Pilot Sport 4S) working well, at 8.0mm all around. I set the pressures at 34F/38R. I am trying to dial out a bit of understeer buy getting more grip at the front. Seems to make the handling a little closer to neutral.


Fluids I’ve had to add 250 ml oil (to get to where I want the oil level bars) and 200 ml of distilled water (991s are prone to water pump issues, so it is an item I keep an eye on. It’s possible the water pump on mine (‘17) was replaced, but I don’t have the service records. For sure there’s no obvious leaks and I keep up with coolant level monitoring.)

I continue to use Costco premium fuel, with no issues. Their pumps flow well (good filters) and the station I go to is very busy (fresh gas.) Highest price at the pump over this period was $3.99, the lowest $1.79. Highest MPG was 31.9, lowest was 18.7.

I am driving in Sport mode all the time, for the enhanced response of the drive by wire throttle and engine mounts, as well as the automatic throttle blip on downshift (which, I have to admit, is really cool lol. With my small feet and lack of skill, I have a hard time with manual heel and toe.)


Battery Since the COVID crisis, I’ve had the car more or less sitting, since I’m no longer going in to work (in fact I resigned from work last week and am now permanently retired) so I have had the car on a battery conditioner to keep the battery charged.

The CTEK Multi US 3300 unit I bought failed on me (switch would not select AGM). After trying and failing to contact CTEK for a warranty return (no response, disappointing) I did an attempted repair (contact cleaner) by disassembling it and cleaning the “mode” micro switch with contact cleaner. No go.

I then bought another unit, a NOCO Genius 1, at $30, and it is working fine. I’m much happier with this one. It is smaller (1A), runs cooler, has built in pigtail lugs for a permanent connection with M6x1.00 nuts on the Porsche posts, and powers up in the last mode (AGM) unlike the CTEK which required a mode switch every time it turned on (useful if the car is on charge and power goes off/on, not infrequent here in FL.) No problems keeping my OEM Banner 80 Ah battery in good shape.




Brakes The brakes parts I bought are all OEM Porsche. Rotors are damn heavy. I bought these to have in stock for when I want to do the brakes. Rears are fine, no lip and plenty of pad left. Fronts have a lip of 1-2 mm and pads are (hard to estimate) maybe 4-5mm.




Cabin Noise I was on the forums and noticed a thread about the Porsche “symposer”. This turns out to be a 1” tube which runs from the intake to the passenger compartment, to pipe in a more “emotional” sound into the cabin. Kinda LOL if you ask me. I located it and unplugged it to take a look. Sure enough, my car has one:



I put it back. To be honest I like how the sound of the car is. The T motor turns pretty low at freeway speeds, and most of the noise is tire noise. Anyway, I left it all alone.


Future Budgetary Considerations

Well, the front brake job should be coming, soon, mileage depending. Same for the 30K service; this is an oil / filter change and spark plugs. I will likely do the oil change myself, and let the dealer do the plugs. I don’t have the physical ability to do the gymnastics needed for the plugs on this car.

[RJ]

We flew up to NYC to take look at this one-owner CPO ‘17 991.2 yesterday...

So somehow I missed the opportunity to post the actual 1 year anniversary, after buying the 911 early June last year. Since I've now retired retired, I don't get it out of the garage much; just out on dates and such like. And the occasional blast across the bay on Rt 60 to lunch in Clearwater.

Mechanically, still extremely happy with the car. No issues. I have the parts squirreled away for the upcoming brake job. The battery tender is doing it's thing. Here are a few numbers from my maintenance spreadsheet:

Year on Year, 2019 to 2020

Miles - 7,771
MPG - 24.6

Fuel Cost - $891.48
Service - $200.28*
Repairs - $2,323.29**

Total $/mile - $0.44

*Mainly $92 for the oil and filter change, DIY
**Including $2,100 for tires and alignment, local Porsche dealer

Emotionally, it still very much connects with my inner (and usually highly suppressed) irresponsible yute-self. There may or may not have been times when I briefly touched on RPM levels which would suggest an inappropriate rate of furlongs per fortnight. I sweartagod that flat 6 at full wail gets in your bones.

[RJ]

Gotta be the cheapest Porsche order I've ever had: $5 shipped from Pelican for a set of five (cause, you know) replacement silver valve stem caps. I think I may have lost one when the MP4S's were replaced, but more likely my error in the monthly air fill-up. Just $0.25 a piece at Pelican. At any rate, I was missing one, so why not just get a bunch and replace them all. For some reason I have an absolute hate for black valve stem caps, and these silver ones have the OEM look (and as far as I know, *are* OEM.)

https://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin...oupe%29%28m%29