'13 Z or '09-'10 Cayman (S)
 

So I recently had a 2013 370Z ordered with touring and sport package that should be delivered mid-February. Waiting around idly for it to arrive has caught my mind wandering. Recently I realized I can get an 09-10 Porsche Cayman, or 08 Cayman S with between 15-35K miles for the same price range. I've searched and seen that this topic has been debated in length, but all of those posts were from 2-3 years ago, so I assume much about the cars (Cayman specifically with it's 2nd generation debuting in 09) has changed.

What are you guys' thoughts on the matter? I never plan to visit a track, but do appreciate extra horsepower. Also, please don't recommend other vehicles :rolleyes:

My main concerns:

Porsche maintenance/upkeep
Effectiveness of remaining warranties
uncertainties that come with buying a used car
Is it that much better of a car? (not speaking numbers specifically, but the finish/finesse of it all)

Thanks for any insight!

I would rather get an m3, boss 302,cayman s,zo6 any day

The Nismo is overpriced plain and simple.

If you don't feel comfortable with the Porsche's cost of ownership, stick to the Z.

junglez -He never mentioned anything about a Nismo. And if you'd read he asked not to recommend other cars.

OP, I too was in your shoes not too long ago. I previously drove a Acura TSX as a daily and have an S2000 as an extra car. When I was looking I narrowed it down to a Z, because I always wanted one and a used Porsche Cayman as well. My third choice being a Subaru WRX STI. In the end, the Z gave me everything I wanted. Make you a "Pro & Con" list then drive each and see what you think. Only you will know exactly what you want.

The Porsche maintenance cost is what drove me away, plus I was always partial to Japanese vehicles.:tup:

Do you mind elaborating? I definitely would rather NOT pay a premium for continued ownership, but am still a little unclear on what exactly that extra cost of ownership is. Are we talking $2-3k a year for DDing or like $200 oil changes rather than $50..

Thanks for your help!

Do you recall what your Pro/Con list for the Z vs a Cayman looked like? It'd help with my laziness :tup: (I do understand parts of the list come down to subjectivity and personal pref, but I am sure any views you considered would be a great help)

It really did come down to cost of ownership, and personal preference. I come from a Japanese car background, Hondas mainly and didn't really know much about Porsche. Me being the type to do all my own maintenance, repairs and modifications I felt more comfortable with the Nissan. Another deciding factor was getting brand new car vs. a used one. I bought my S2000 used and hadn't had something new in quite a while.

Maybe you should be asking this question on a Porsche site?

When something on a Porsche goes wrong and is out of warrenty, it will cost a lot. However things hardly go wrong on Porsches. Both my parents owned Porsches and put over 150,000 miles on them without a single problem. It is general consensus that Porsches are made to last, where only consistent problem is oil consumption.
I would stay away from a first year run on any car though, and get an extended warrenty. Caymans are great cars IMO

But then again I'm a fan of buying cars new, trade in value on a 13' Z would be better than an 09 cayman, and you know the true history of your car.

Depends on what u want it for. Buuuutttt with that being said (puts on flame suit), i settled for the 370 after i couldn't find a cayman s i liked. I have driven both very aggressively and can say the cayman is soooo much better in the curves. Better than a 911 even. But the z will beat it in a straight line... I do love my z, but sometimes kick myself for not getting a cayman

Well, cost of ownership really depends largely on whether or not you are going to be doing work yourself or not.

Oil changes could cost you $200 or more at a dealership, but then again the oil change intervals on the Cayman are quite long.

Brakes... expensive at a dealership. Not that complicated if you do it yourself.

The real issue is going to be if you have something fail on you outside of warranty. Are you willing/able to foot the repair bill? Repair work on the Porsche will likely cost a good bit more than the Nissan.

Back in 2009 I ended up choosing the Z over the Cayman because I wasn't comfortable with paying a huge premium over the Z (for a new one) or spending the same on a used Cayman with no or little warranty remaining as I would on a used Z. Don't get me wrong, I felt like the Cayman was the better car in all aspects, but at the time it just wasn't worth it when I could get a similar experience for a lot less.

Not a good idea. :bowrofl:

Good place to research cost of ownership, though.

Thanks everyone, you all make very good points!

I did 2 solid months of research on the Z and was 98.5% positive a new one was the car for me (LED fanboi lol) and just recently started entertaining the possibility of a Porsche. Maybe it's bc all three cars I've bought were new, but I definitely put weight on knowing every mile that is put on a car.

I was looking into a 6mo old Audi before I bought my Golf R, but couldn't come to terms with paying $40k for a car with a one inch scuff down the center console, just didn't feel right to me.

While I'm sure the Porsche would offer much better quality and equal if not slightly better performance (If I went with an S), I think my perfectionist side wouldn't let me look past the usual bumps and bruises that come with buying a car someone else has gotten in and out of a thousand times.

I keep trying to second guess the Z, but no matter what I explore I just realize I'm even more impatient for her to arrive! :rolleyes:

Are you selling the Golf R? I hope you're not because I really like that car! I know what you mean about being fixated on the 'new or used' aspect of it.
My first car was a VERY used Mercedes S500 that my dad bought from a police auction at too good of a price. It was dropped and had 21" chrome wheels on it, and the tacky light colored wood trim on the inside (keep in mind I have always been a nerdy guy ever since high school, so this type of drug dealers car was very odd for me to say the least! Not saying that 21" chrome rims are for drug dealers, but trust me if you saw this car in its entirety). It was the only automatic car I've driven that actually stalled (on a regular basis).. Ever since then and after all those bad experiences with maintenance on the car, I have been buying nothing but new cars, and the peace of mind that you're talking about is very important.
So go with the Z!