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Old 09-22-2012, 08:41 PM   #38 (permalink)
Shamu
A True Z Fanatic
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SurfDog View Post
I would not consider a Porsche for the same reasons I would not wear a Rolex. I hate paying a premium for name recognition, and 20k more is like twice the price of my Z

SEIKO 200m automatic dive watch $200
Rolex submariner $7000 bucks
Functionality. Nearly identical


Is porsche faster? not really

is porsche a better driving experience? Now that I have dynamat, I don't think so. (I drive my buddies cayman occasionally)

Is a porsche a status symbol? Yes. That is why I stay away

As for 8/10s driver. I disagree and so do most reviewers. The consensus among performance drivers is that a 370 is heavy on the controls but very predictable and controlled at the limits. The video reviewer seems to love the Porsche for "refinement".

I'm a simple man who likes simple things that work well. I don't want the illusion of performance (BRZ.) I want to fly around the track trying to keep my boundless power under control in a well balanced, inexpensive to own and repair, exiting car.

In short I think the reviewer would love a Miata too. Especially if he could find one with enough name recognition to cost 40k.
Think you may be fooling yourself about track performance between Cayman S and 370z. Cayman S is far better car dynamically than the 370z. However ultimate performance isn't everything. I'm a long time mid engine Porsche guy and while cayman S is far more competent car the driving experience isn't as fun as the Z. Z is car that will scare you occasionally while Cayman is utterly unflappable and to me boring.

Having torn both cayman/Boxster and 370z apart the Porsche is more than just status. There are real engineering differences with decades of race car engineering that make it into Cayman. I'm under no illusion that Z is anything close to Porsche in terms of engineering and over all capability. However Z is a bargin performer that can be tuned to perform similar to fast Porsches, but Z has some fatal flaws it can't overcome. Poor weight distribution and heft that is hard to overcome in a performance car.

Would have loved to put my car in this compare however. Suspect he would have walked away with completely differnt impression of the Z. And sound?

Hoopa hillclimb 2012 - 370z - YouTube
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Last edited by Shamu; 09-22-2012 at 08:47 PM.
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