Porsche Cayman vs Nissan Z

sucasa

In all seriousness, i have no issues examining both cars.. but you have to realize nissan 370z and porsche Cayman are going after different market segments with different expectations.

In my opinion, Nissan Z will and always appeal to drivers who want a fast affordable, reliable, and legendary car that comes with a established pedigree.

Porsche also have a great racing history but w/ their 911s. That model is night and day difference than the Cayman. The Cayman is Porsche's attempt to gain entry in lower price point, by leveraging their name, history, and prestige. Good for them, but it's no 911.

To some, Cayman will be a great choice, but like any German high end car, be prepared for much higher maintenance costs, and options as described earlier.

I haven't owned a Cayman, but my friend has a 911, and I owned a SL500 previously, so I do speak from experience. Yearly maintenance costs would be around $2000+. If you are willing to play, then, be prepared to pay.

Nissan has made significant advancements to their Z car, and each generation has gotten better. This is my first Z, and I am very pleased with it.

b1adesofcha0s

You made a lot of good points and I agree with you on all of them. IMO if you really want a Porsche over a Z, save some money and get a 911. What my cousin says now is if you're gonna get a Porsche get a 911 or don't get one at all.

mick

for the money, i think i would rather have one roadster, one 40th anniversary, and one nismo than just one 911

Lemers

What about a Carrera GT? I'd want that over the 911

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2010 Black Cherry Touring/Sport/Nav Now - 2012 Travese LTZ until I leave for Turkey

mick

do you know how much it cost to replace the clutch in a Carrera GT?
about the same price as a new camaro LS

b1adesofcha0s

I would rather have a Bugatti Veyron than a Carrera GT . I would rather get a GT-R than a 911.

mick

haha. i would rather have 2 million dollars in my bank account than a bugatti veyron

Lemers

Most people buying a bugatti veyron have more than $2 million at their disposal

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2010 Black Cherry Touring/Sport/Nav Now - 2012 Travese LTZ until I leave for Turkey

ImportConvert

I am probably as impartial as you will get between the two cars. I looked at the Cayman S. I looked at the 370Z.

The Cayman S came across as a rip-off (a nice one, though!) and the 370Z, a bargain.

The 370Z's interior felt and looked as good to me as the Cayman S's. It wasn't made of the same quality of material, no, but to me, plastic is plastic, etc. as long as it feels the same and holds up.

If money were no object, I would have bought the Cayman S, fully loaded. If money were an object, the 370Z. As it turns out, I bought neither, but the 370Z is far from out-matched in ANY aspect other than paint-quality and name-recognition, in my opinion having looked at both cars without any fan-boyism for either.

All that being said, I couldn't stomach paying $65K for a car that ran 13's and only had 2 seats. No matter who's name was on it or how well it handled.

b1adesofcha0s

I didn't say I wanted pay for it. If a car were to magically appear in my garage, I would rather it be a Bugatti Veyron than a Carrera GT. I would of course sell it immediately and keep the $2 million.

To get back on topic, drive both and see which you like better. Whichever one you think would give you the better overall experience (performance, looks, comfort, etc.) should be the one you get. Don't listen to what anyone else says. If you can afford to buy and maintain both then go with what feels better to you. I went through the same thing with my Z purchase recently. I was deciding between the 370Z and G37. Not a single one of my family or friends liked the 370Z over the G37. Cost was a factor to me, but after driving both I liked the 370Z better and bought it when I found a great deal. Now every single person who said I should have gotten the G37 has changed their mind and say that I made the right choice. It's your car, do what makes you happy, not what makes someone else happy.

Junior370z

If you like cruising around with gel in your hair wearing a suit then buy a porsche... If you want a fun car with cheaper mods then go with the 370z...

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ThoriumHotdog

In the $52-$88k range, you can buy a brand new Porsche Cayman. On the higher end of that range, you can also get a slightly used '10 Nissan GTR and in the midranges, you can get a slightly used Nissan GTR from years anywhere from '08 to '09. The Cayman has better prices, but the GTR is put in an entirely different class of motorsport when it comes to comparison.

Thus far, the Nissan GTR goes undefeated in all of its comparisons, not only to more affordable cars such as the Cayman, but also to cars in the price range of new Cayman R's (67's, 82's). I myself err toward the GTR and its refined passion for sportsmanship, on the basis of its perfect balance and twin turbo monster all wheel drive. As far as value, however, the guys at Porsche will charge you for almost everything. For example, if you want automatic climate control, that is an option. Xenon headlamps, that is an option. Things that are found for free on other cars are all options on the Cayman. So the conclusion I reach is that, as far as passion goes, the Cayman is just a riceburner compared to the undeniable king of the circuit, the GTR.

Thing is, the open highways are nothing like a circuit, and how often will that highest-corner-exit-speed-in-the-world come into play on the roads? At the same time, the interior of the GTR, even including less options, seems much more suited to crushing your enemies, seeing them driven before you, and to hearing the lamentation of their women, than the low quality, german, let's-hope-this-glue-doesn't-dissolve-before-the-end-of-the-warranty interior of the Cayman.

However, in value, getting a new car is in essence better than used if they are both the same price. So, assuming one has the option of a used GTR and a new Cayman who will be able to maintain the car no matter which it is, what is the better choice? I hope that, thus far, I have stirred some indignant rebuttals within any users of this forum, for the very reason I posted this biased thread on a 370z forum instead of an impartial forum is because I would like to see the opinions of those biased toward 370z.

Thank you for your input.

dirtrat

I think I'll stick to my brand new 370Z that has a 3 year warranty. BTW have fun paying for those repair bills on your used Porsche. Enjoy your new insurance rates also! It almost sounds like you are trying to convince everyone here that we all made a mistake in our purchase. What kind of a reaction did you think you would get posting this to a 370Z forum? I say you are a troll!

sonic370

I'd rather go with a new 370 than a used cayman if were talking value here.

and save the 2 grand a year in upkeep....

plus imho the 370 looks better...... i don't test my 0-60 times very often...
or for that matter the top end speed..........

but i do love the handling,styling and stares i receive daily.............

dal1307

HaHaHa What He Said!!!!

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2008 G37s 5AT, Stillen SC, Stillen CBE, Stillen tranny cooler, DBA 5000 front/4000 rear, Stillen sways, Tein SS-P coilovers, SPC front & rear control arms, Goodridge lines