Comparison · Reliability Ranked

Mazda RX-8 vs Porsche Cayman (987.2)

Side-by-side reliability, price, and known-issue comparison for used-car buyers. Composite scores come from TÜV (Germany), ADAC (pan-European), NHTSA (US-sold variants), and DVSA MOT (UK inspections).

M

Mazda RX-8

2009–2011
Reliability composite
81
/ 100
Good
MOT + NHTSA
Estimated used price
€5,100€7,300
Documented issues
1
Rotary apex seal wear + hot-start flooding€3,000
⭐ Better composite reliability
P

Porsche Cayman (987.2)

2011–2011
Reliability composite
100
/ 100
Excellent
NHTSA
Estimated used price
€7,000€7,000
Documented issues
2
RMS rear seal leak€800
IMS bearing failure€1,500

Bottom Line

The Porsche Cayman (987.2) wins on composite reliability across TÜV, ADAC, NHTSA, and DVSA MOT data — typically a sign of lower ownership risk and fewer recurring failure modes at age. The other car isn't necessarily wrong; check its issue list and price-to-condition ratio before deciding.

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Reliability data tells you which model is the safer bet. A VIN history report tells you what happened to the individual car — accident and write-off records, mileage rollback, outstanding finance and theft checks.

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