In this episode of ElevenAfterNine, Derek sits down with Jeff Lehman, author of
\"A Porsche Enthusiast's Guide to the 987.1 2.7 Boxster and Cayman\" and the
guy people actually trust on first-generation base Boxsters and Caymans.
Jeff recently drove a 993, his own 987.1 Cayman, and a 997.1 back-to-back —
and his takeaway flips conventional wisdom on its head. We get into why the
base 2.7 motor is more fun than people give it credit for, why the IMS and
bore scoring panic on 2007-2008 cars is overblown, and why the .1 cars
might be the last honest value play left in the Porsche lineup.
If you've ever talked yourself out of a Boxster or Cayman because it wasn't
an S — this one's for you.
📖 Grab Jeff's book on Amazon (proceeds go to car-related charities):
A Porsche Enthusiast's Guide to the 987.1 2.7 Boxster and Cayman
GIVEAWAY: Drop a comment and STAR rating for the podcast and we'll pick one listener to receive
a signed copy of Jeff's book, courtesy of Jeff himself.
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⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 — Hook & Intro: Meet Jeff Lehman, the 987.1 savant
02:25 — Why focus on just one generation? The case for the 2.7
04:36 — Jeff's first Porsche: the 1976 912E
06:03 — Porsche history nugget: the original 356 was mid-engine
08:04 — Confessions of a reformed \"S\" guy
10:29 — Why base cars sound better (engine, induction, exhaust)
13:30 — IMS bearing & bore scoring on 2007-2008 cars: the real data
16:36 — The Blackstone Labs 3% figure & forum misinformation
18:36 — DIY-friendly? What you can (and shouldn't) tackle yourself
24:17 — Why these cars are still actually affordable
26:00 — 981 vs 987.1: hydraulic vs electric steering
28:30 — The big test: 993 vs 987.1 Cayman vs 997.1 back-to-back
32:06 — Power-to-weight: why the Cayman feels closer to the 993
35:00 — Do you really need more than 325hp?
39:50 — Why the .1 beats the .2: aesthetics, scarcity, and DFI concerns
43:01 — The perfect second Porsche
45:09 — Buying advice: spec, options, and the rear wiper
47:30 — PPI red flags and the importance of receipts
50:00 — Importing a Cayman from Canada (and the TPMS gotcha)
52:43 — Carrera GT design DNA in the 987.1 headlights
53:38 — Mods worth doing (and the Carniwal exhaust trick)
57:04 — Final verdict & the signed book giveaway
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🎙️ ABOUT ELEVENAFTERNINE
ElevenAfterNine is a Porsche podcast for people who actually drive their
cars.
Website: www.ElevenNine.com
YouTube: @ElevenAfterNine
Instagram: @TheElevenAfterNine
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere podcasts live.
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