Porsche Cayman Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Porsche Cayman fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 36,158 MOT tests across 18 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: luxury | Fuel: Petrol
93%
Porsche Cayman pass rate
92%
Porsche average
82%
All-model average
The Porsche Cayman has an average MOT pass rate of 93%, which is 1 point above the Porsche average and 11 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer Porsche Caymans pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 5 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Porsche Cayman Fails Its MOT On
Of the 1,583 MOT tests on the Porsche Cayman that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
32%Cars and vans the same age: 42% (the Cayman fails on this less often) · Typical repair £15-£200
Tyres
25%Cars and vans the same age: 21% · Typical repair £50-£300
Brakes
20%Cars and vans the same age: 24% · Typical repair £80-£450
Suspension
18%Cars and vans the same age: 35% (the Cayman fails on this less often) · Typical repair £150-£600
Exhaust, emissions and leaks
16%Cars and vans the same age: 13% · Typical repair £80-£800
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Position lamp: not working (12% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Tyre tread depth below the 1.6mm limit (11% of failed tests, tyres)
- Petrol engine emissions: lambda reading outside the limits (8.5% of failed tests, exhaust, emissions and leaks)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Porsche Cayman Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Cayman year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points less often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Porsche Cayman Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Petrol | 2.0L | 100% | 0% | - |
| 2021 | Petrol | 2.5L | 97% | 3% | 93% (+4) |
| 2020 | Petrol | 4.0L | 97% | 3% | 92% (+5) |
| 2019 | Petrol | 2.5L | 95% | 4% | 91% (+4) |
| 2018 | Petrol | 2.5L | 96% | 4% | 89% (+7) |
| 2017 | Petrol | 2.5L | 95% | 4% | 87% (+8) |
| 2016 | Petrol | 3.8L | 96% | 3% | 86% (+10) |
| 2015 | Petrol | 3.8L | 96% | 4% | 84% (+12) |
| 2014 | Petrol | 2.7L | 94% | 5% | 82% (+12) |
| 2013 | Petrol | 3.4L | 95% | 5% | 80% (+15) |
| 2012 | Petrol | 3.4L | 96% | 3% | - |
| 2011 | Petrol | 3.4L | 92% | 8% | 77% (+15) |
| 2010 | Petrol | 3.4L | 90% | 10% | 75% (+15) |
| 2009 | Petrol | 3.4L | 93% | 7% | 75% (+18) |
| 2008 | Petrol | 3.4L | 89% | 11% | 74% (+15) |
| 2007 | Petrol | 3.4L | 88% | 12% | 73% (+15) |
| 2006 | Petrol | 2.7L | 86% | 13% | 73% (+13) |
| 2005 | Petrol | 3.4L | 89% | 11% | - |
Porsche Cayman Running Costs
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Porsche Cayman FAQ
What are the most common Porsche Cayman problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Porsche Cayman that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (32% of the 1,583 failed tests), tyres (25%) and brakes (20%). The single most common fault was "Position lamp: not working" (12%). Across 36,158 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 93% ended in a pass.
Is the Porsche Cayman reliable?
The Porsche Cayman has an average MOT pass rate of 93%, from 36,158 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 11 points more often on average, a better than average result for its age.
Which Porsche Cayman years should I avoid?
No Porsche Cayman year with 1,000+ tests passed 3 or more points less often than all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). The years that passed most often for their age were the 2009 (93% of 1,466 tests passed, against 75% for all 2009 cars), the 2007 (88% of 3,100 tests passed, against 73% for all 2007 cars) and the 2008 (89% of 2,312 tests passed, against 74% for all 2008 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Porsche Cayman faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Porsche Cayman typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Porsche Models
Common problems pages for other Porsche models