'13 Z or '09-'10 Cayman (S)

Baer383

He said he was getting a 13 sport/touring not a Nismo.

__________________
2013 ZL1

754 rwhp 747 rwtq

JungleZ

I know i misread.. but still they increased the price for the 2013 models and i just don't think its worth it anymore.

Baer383

I own a 13 Nismo and if you know how to negotiate you will end up with a really nice car.
I had a 2010 sport/touring and now have the Nismo,the Nismo is allot better.

__________________
2013 ZL1

754 rwhp 747 rwtq

DLSTR

If you want to know about a Porsche, surf this board - http://rennlist.org/

axmea?

Buy the Cayman S. You can always sell it if you do not like it. A used Cayman is easier to unload than a used '13 Z.

__________________

bvl

Believe it or not there are a few decent ones. Like any make, there will be arrogant, uninformed pricks on all sites. Unfortunately this place has a high S/N from my experience the past 18 months as well.

OP: they are very different cars. I happen to be fortunate to own both. I won't give you the long story but I have posted a few times on it here. Currently the Cayman is the wifes daily during the nice weather, and mine during the old (Cayman + snow tires = Fun).

If you value feel, fun factor, and precision the Cayman is the better vehicle for that purpose. Its not night and day better, but it is, IMHO better. Weight, dynamics, low polar moment all combine into an amazing package. I won't discuss brand snobbery: if that is your thing its there. Its not my thing at all. I wish they were debadged: the beauty of the shape speaks for itself.

I happen to have a base engine Cayman. The S while nice isn't necessary to me. I like winding that flat 6 out to hear the mechanical symphony as much as I can, so a bit slower just extends this sensation.

The Z has its purpose as well though I happen to have the porkiest Z you can own (loaded ZR) and the weight difference is obviously there. The Z is no
slouch, and its package for me is that of upscale technology, torque torque torque, and a GT car feel.

Our cayman is stripped down a bit with only a few options. The 987.2 (09+) are lower in numbers but practically identical to the 987.1 in most parts. The major changes are the stereo is updated (PCM 3.0 vs 2.1) and the 09+ has a 2.9 non-DI engine as base with the first DI 3.4 with the S. Those are the biggest deltas.

If you can afford the 09+ I would go for it. There is no IMS bearing in that car though the updated design makes it so that the 987.1 rarely fails compared to 986 cars.

Maintenance is not bad actually. I spend 120-140 for 2x synthetic changes a year on the Z (I could spend over 200 on 4...if I was to use ester oil every 3K as S1 states, it would be 250/yr). The cayman gets 1 $200 OCI per year.

Other things are in 2/4/6y intervals unless you hit mileage first which is not typical with P cars. Buying CPO means that all maintenance must be *up to date* at the time of purchase, so be sure the dealer does the items per TIME. The sales dorks forget that sometimes.

I feel blessed at the opportunity to drive both cars. There are things I wish I could change about both of them: always will be. Seeking perfection is a fools quest. I just drive the machines and grin.

- b

Chteelers

I also looked at a boxter/cayman. What sold me on the Z was the propensity for boxster engines to blowup at 60k miles.

CDepp

I spent a good amount of time looking for my first true sports car. Dropping the import coupe and moving away from muscle, I was down to a Z4, Boxster or Cayman, or a Z34. We have 4 Porsche drivers here where I work. 3 Boxsters and 1 Cayman. All models from '07-'11. I constantly hear about MAF sensor problems, intermediate shaft issues, seal leakage, etc. Many of them use them as daily drivers and at least once every 2 months are driving a courtesy vehicle from the local Porsche dealership. Their stories are the reason I chose a base Z with sports pkg (paperwork still pending-buying; from a forum member).

/funny note: all 4 Porsches park next to each other; we call that the 'mid-life parking area'.

FuszNissan

I know we are all beating a dead horse here; but you do realize the cost of cars go up every model year right!?

__________________
Mods: Too Many to list!
LouFuszNissan
ZDAYZ 2012

2011 Nismo#91

This is why I got the Z, I had, like many others the same question. My brother's experiences with his Audi S4 sealed the deal, long and financially painful to repair.

So I got my overpriced NISMO

bvl

Stories being the key word. I almost spit my java when I read the previous comment about engines blowing up at 60K. Sheesh.

Lets do a search over here...CSC, Engine oil consumption, Nissan service horrible...list goes on. Spend a day here and why would anyone buy a used Z? That is how it could have been in 2011 when we were looking.

I'm a bit smarter then that, have been on the Net since its inception and understand how things work.

For those who actually care, there is a big difference between 986 cars and 987 (which the OP was discussing). Huge. So if you ever want to learn about it, remember to differentiate. That is where you will understand what cars do have real seal issues (on average more then usual) vs. those that are fine. Which engines are more at risk for IS bearing failure and which wants are not at risk. Yes, sub 20K boxsters are 986 cars and probably not looking at. Caymans are all 987 based.

I'm not pimping one car over another. As my first reply suggests I have love for both cars. I do really hate it when people don't have an ounce of clue about what they are saying.

- b

CDepp

Sure, if you look at a list on a forum of people who have issues, all cars would fit the category of 'being unreleiable'. Maybe 5% of Nissan owners have issues, maybe a little more. I'm talking about a 4 owners that I work with constantly having to take theirs back in for out of the norm services to a point the dealership gives them a courtesy car every few months that they drive for a few days. I haven't researched into the cars much because of the everyday discussions about their woes, and went into researching the Z. You seem a lot more knowledgeable about the Porsches than I and I trust your word, but their stories made the decision easy for me added into the varying years of cars and still having issues across the board. The choice from then came down to the Nissan or the BMW for me and the Z won based on personal taste.

I don't own a Z (yet), and have never owned a Porsche or a BMW. I do own a C300 Sport and a Civic but those are different creatures. My opinion is only conjecture based on anecdotes.

edub370

Other than ims bearings (for which their are factory wear sensor and magnetic drain plus to earn u of impending failure) those Porsche motors are fantastic. Will run forever if properly maintained. I had an 87 944S stock motor run for close to 200k. I would say reliability is ever bit as good a z car. Btw, the sound when u go wot on a cayman is soooo intoxicating. We aren't talking random exhaust racket, but tuned intake noises 2' from your ear

__________________

NYBladeZ

I would take the Z, my main reason would be that there are many 911's out there and the Cayman S will always be the low man on the ladder, that's what Porsche designed it to be. Putting that aside, if the car will be your daily driver get the Z, I would have a lot easier time sleeping putting a new Z through the daily driving rigors than a used Porsche. It wouldn't bother me as much to see a Z get the eventual wear and tear that a daily gets but it would bug the hell out of me on a Porsche.

The Porsche is the better quality car and the engine is in the middle making it the better handling car by far. Driving mid-engined, you realize quickly is the right move. The Z may have a bit more on the power side and the aftermarket is not as costly but if your decision is based purely on driving feel, Cayman S all day.

__________________
2009 Carbon Fiber/Red 370z aka Trish: Sports Package, Meisterschaft full catback, Fast Intentions Longtube Headers, Injen Long Tube Intakes, UpRev Tune: Sold
2008 Lotus Exige S Club Racer aka Bella, always leaves me smiling

bvl

I also recognize I am just another chuckle head on the net

If you look at my posting history I try to avoid sweeping generalizations with absolutely nothing to back it up. I am an engineer by trade: I deal with facts and data.

I believe you when you say you have folks that have issues a lot. It doesn't surprise me that much. People that buy porsches as garage queens tend to have more problems per capita. Maybe its a german thing...the engineers get upset when people don't use their machines.

The best preventative maintenance for IMS issues is to drive the cars. A lot. Imagine that

- b