Buying a new car doesn’t imply only the financial costs associated with the purchase. In fact, a new car means paying the insurance premiums, vehicle registration fee, sales tax, and gas. And there are also the maintenance costs, which can go through the roof if you don’t select the right vehicle. Accordingly, choosing the car that fits your long-term household budget is very important. In this context, European sports cars might not be the right move.

While European luxury automobiles are attention seekers that will instantly communicate success and status, high maintenance costs will probably burst your bubble when you realized how much of your paycheck goes into keeping these cars in excellent shape. Things can get even worse when something breaks down on your "status" car, and you need a part replaced.

For instance, Maserati GranTurismo and Maserati Ghibli are stunning vehicles, but these Italian stallions have various reliability issues. In 2019, Maserati occupied the last position in the “Reliability Index” rankings, while in 2021, Maserati GranTurismo was again voted the least reliable vehicle. This means that after spending a six-figure sum on these cars, you are left with covering expensive repairs. Conversely, Japanese and South Korean cars might not have the same “wow” factor, but they are reliable and affordable. Despite the grim picture painted here, there are several European vehicles that are reliable and don’t have high repair costs, so let’s see how the Porsche Cayman is performing.

Related: The Reason Why Every Gearhead Should Drive A Porsche 718 Cayman

Common Problems With Porsche Cayman Ownership: Engine Failures

Porsche 718 Cayman Flat Four
via Porsche

When you think of big and expensive car repairs, one of the worst case scenarios implies engine failure. Unfortunately, the earliest Cayman models had various engine problems, and the most common being oil starvation.

This issue was recorded mostly with the 3.4-liter models. But that is not all, What Car? highlights that several of the earlier models of Caymans also had issues with the intermediate shaft bearing (IMS). Luckily, in 2006 Porsche came out with an upgrade that protected the engine against similar issues.

Common Problems With Porsche Cayman Ownership: Oil Leaks

Oil-Leak
VIA: Wikimedia Commons

Degraded engine gaskets and oil leaks are common issues in older cars, but even used Cayman had similar problems. One of the most usual and alarming problems on the Cayman is that rear oil seals starts leaking oil.

“A leaking rear main seal appears through the bell housing joint between the center of the engine and transmission joint,” says Pcar Wise. “The leaking seal will quickly destroy a clutch in a manual car if not addressed promptly and can be a sign of other issues.” But the rear main seal isn’t the only one that can create hassles and oil leaks can appear even because of valve covers, spark plug seals and oil cooler seals.

The Porsche Cayman Rear Axle Carrier Side Could Fracture

2016 Porsche Cayman, Red
Via Mecum Auctions

This is a serious problem that could lead to accidents, so it is hardly surprising that in 2021, Porsche Cars North America had to recall several 2014 and 2015 model Cayman, Cayman S, and Cayman GTS vehicles.

In total, 4,934 cars were affected by the recall in the United States. Evidently, car recalls don’t come with associated financial costs and Porsche is replacing the rear-axle carrier side sections for free; however, they are stressful and time-wasting activities.

Common Problems With Porsche Cayman Ownership: CEL And Misfire At Higher RPM Only

2006 Porsche Cayman S 987 green sports car
Porsche

Another problem that was reported by users is that the engine has some issues when it runs above 4,000 rpm, causing a misfire on a cylinder. This forces the engine to quit the cylinder. According to Pcar Wise, this problem doesn’t occur below 3,000 rpm. It is worth noting that, the Porsche portal highlights that some experts will downplay this problem and insist that it’s not really an issue.

Related: Here's Why The Porsche 718 Deserves More Respect

Low Battery Power Was Another Common Problem With Porsche Cayman

High_Desnsity_Battery_Porsche
Via: newsroom.porsche.com

Too often, customers associate weak batteries and other battery management problems with the Porsche brand. In fact, 60 percent of all “delivered Taycan have battery issues that caused replacements, damages and fires” a whistleblower told Teslarati. As per the publication, Porsche refused the help of Tesla with battery management and insisted on solving the problem internally. In 2021, Porsche was forced to recall the Taycan because of power loss problems. Supposedly the situation was fixed, but Taycan is hardly the only Porsche with battery complications.

In the past, the Cayman had hitches with flat batteries and this has created additional headaches for the owners of this luxury vehicle. The costs of replacing a Porsche battery are not too high, but in this day and time, it’s better to save than splurge on repairs and maintenance costs. To be fair, the Cayman is an amazing vehicle, but Porsche still had to improve certain features and make sure the car responds to the company's internal standards and requirements.