I just did a quick comparison to my '13 Touring Sport Roadster on the Porsche site. I tried to be fair and add no more than I have in mine, which is pretty much maxed out. I am not sure it had the Nav package and I couldn't add XM. It came out at $25,000 more before dealer and bank details.

I don't care for the overall look. The nose is nice, the rear isn't. No sexy bulges. No hot chick curves.

Nope. Still a chick car. And way too expensive to boot.

Of course, I respect your choices for yourself. Just no way for me. I still find I would need to spend at least twice as much to get anything I'd even come close to liking better.

And the OP is talking used, which is definitely a chick car. Though again, respecting his own taste buds and all that.

In the end he needs to find something that makes him smile, not me, or us.

P Car....

I just got done driving my '14 Sport back to back with a '09 Cayman (not S), this weekend on Mulholland Drive.

The Cayman had about 55K miles on it, so it was well used. From an engine perspective, it had less low RPM power and really wanted to be revved. I was short shifting at 4K in my Z and keeping up pretty well coming out of the corners. The brakes on the Z provide much more better stopping power compared to the Porsche. These two points were confirmed by the Porsche driver who took my car out for a quick spin down the mountain. The steering rack on the Porsche had some play in it, so the Z definitely felt more direct, but gave up a very little bit of feel at the very limit, coming into the apex.

A used Cayman was on my short list of cars to buy, before picking the Z about 2 weeks ago. The thing that pushed me toward the Z was the potential IMS (Intermediate Shaft Seal) and RMS (Rear Main Seal) problems reported on various Porsche forums and the expense of changing out really expensive parts like the fuel pump, down the road. Engine Swap/Rebuild = $20K.

In the end, after trying the Cayman I am 100% positive I made the right decision by going with the Z.

P.S. - A well driven 370Z on a back road has nothing to fear from an average driver in a Porsche!

Huh. So because the car doesn't have an enormous *** and weigh 500 lbs more then it should its a chick car? That is some sound reasoning. :stirthepot:

The z is a great value but its not a p car in the feel department. Buying used helps with cayman and boxsters as they get hit hard initially then level out. Do I like Porsche parts costs? Of course not but the running costs are very similar in fact.

I like our z r for what it is but it's a piggy and it can not touch the steering feel of a mid engined masterpiece. The wife DDs a base 987.1 cayman and given the choice between keeping only one the Z goes. I drive it too :driving:

On public roads power comes second to control and the base 2.7 is plenty quick enough to ring out the flat 6 to exotic sounds without speeding too much. The z gets top down duties with a pedestrian 6 that is saved only by the good transmission. The engine lacks soul. I wish it has a strait 6 of old but they are a dying breed.

I am not at all unhappy with the z for what it is: I simply cannot blindly join a love fest for it when the other vehicle is better in the driving feel categories.

- b

Z 24/7 no way a old mans cayman gonna run on my Z! :tup:

Cayman S > 370z
370z > Cayman (non-S)

Not considering price. Just car to car.

As a tech who's worked at Nissan and now works at Porsche, I have to say they are COMPLETELY different cars.

Z is a front engine, tail happy vehicle while the Cayman is a mid-engine car that just seems to stick to the roads so well on every corner. Which scenario is more fun is all up to you.
The brakes on any Porsche are far better than the Z (even with the akebono).
Both cars have different yet distinct exhaust notes.
IMO the Z looks better than the Cayman; parts are FAR less cheaper for the Z.
Maintenance isn't too bad on the Porsche, especially if you're a DIY'er
And if you are a DIY'er, it is quite a bit more time consuming to work on the Cayman (vs the Z) as there are several covers/panels that you will need to take off to access the top portion of the engine and as well as having a lot less room to work with.
The Cayman S has a much better engine than the base Cayman so make sure you go with the S if you do get a Cayman.

Like most people said, the Porsche does seem to be much more comfortable as a daily driver while still being very aggressive when you want it to be.

If I had to choose, I'd pick the Z again since it's much cheaper to modify, looks better, and just seems less forgiving with vdc off; which makes it more fun in my opinion.

Although, one really cool thing about the Cayman that I could never get over was the fact that the engine is literally right behind you. You can take off the covers right behind the seats and look at that engine running right next to you. I just think that's so awesome.

My friend had an '09 Cayman S that I drove. It was nice but I would want to spend a week behind the wheel of one before I decide. Unfortunately, $350 oil changes are not in my budget even though the Cayman has a 10k oil change interval which is crazy imo

At the end of day just dont research too much about this and make it harder on yourself!!!!!! People gotta stop doing that, thats what makes decsions difficult, and then you have regrets and push your bad decsion on others. I say stop searching and following threads like this, just go test drive, be content, and live your life. My verdict LMFAO goodbye and take care. :hello:

porsche. all day every day

That's not actually what I said, but no matter. My reasoning has absolute validity for me. I don't mind if you don't agree. You have every right. On the other hand, I have every right to my opinion.

The Boxter is a chick car, as are the Audi TT, and the Chevrolet Camaro. Nothing to argue about, they just are.

The Cayman isn't even on my list of things to look at or care about, since it is a Boxter with a roof. No roofs, thanks.

If money isn't an issue, Cayman :)

When I look up "chick car" I get a few answers as to the definition:

1) Car purchased by more female than male buyers. (The Boxster, TT & Camaro aren't)
2) Concept originated by insecure male car owners.
3) Any convertible car.

So I guess your definition has to be #2 or #3? :)

cayman is a better balanced car thru the twisties. z allows more hooning

a dealership around here was offering a used Boxter, a red convertible for $26,000.it was nine years old and had less than 30,000 miles on it.. It was beautiful...definitely not a DD.. I cant imagine putting so few miles on a car..

That's odd. I look at those vehicles and see them as cars that should be driven by chicks. ;) In all honesty I picked up the concept from Two And A Half Men. I actually mean it as a joke, though I suppose a smiley or two might help make that point. Personally, I have no doubt a lot of perfectly manly guys even like Scions and Smarts and (new) Mini Coopers. All of which, well, you know...http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/.../whistling.gif

Either way, my taste buds are not your taste buds are not someone else's taste buds. Everything's cool for all of us. They make different cars for a reason. I don't mind if you don't want mine, and I hope you won't mind if I don't want yours. Everybody has to find a way to satisfy themselves. Um. Well, if you know what I mean.

Note that from the beginning I've said the OP should pick something that makes himself happy, not me, or you, or anyone else. That's really the whole point, isn't it?

I jumped into a 2014 Boxster 6 months ago from a 370Z w/ sprt package. I do miss the Z in many ways, but a Porsche is just something else. Although, I didn't get the S the base is pretty quick but you gotta get past 5k to feel the power. It took some getting used to, so I would recommend the S if you can afford it. Obviously, you're going to get biased opinions here so you should definitely do an extended test drive with both cars to feel it for yourself. Make sure to take them on some twisty roads. Both cars will be pretty reliable but if something should go wrong with the Cayman, it won't be cheap. But if you ask me, save a little more money and go with the 981. :tup:

In a world where hooning means understeer.

in a world where corner entry speed can be controlled...

z is probably one of the easiest cars to hang the tail out with in the world. don't try that in a p car :tiphat:

hummm.... i think we're onto something here.

It does power-on oversteer as well as many other rwd coupes, but not sure I'd go as far as claiming it's one of the easiest cars to do it with.

cause you crashed your Z? :icon17:

I crashed it into a ford dealer parking lot.

did you trade that in for a stang..?? :bowrofl::bowrofl:


Red_Zed: (crashed into the ford dealer) you guys do trade-in?? yes... I am in a hurry...



:bowrofl::bowrofl::bowrofl:

Only in states where the tax break makes it worth it.

You were racing in a parking lot??:tup::driving:

I'm currently in the same market, and have it down to the same two cars. What somebody said about the Z being 85-90% of the Cayman at 50% of the running cost is absolutely right. During my rational days, I am tempted calling up the Nissan dealer. During my other days....

There's just something about the balance (and the sound) of a mid-rear engine sports car. It was a driving experience that was so incredibly unique and rewarding. But finding one that isn't 7 years old and is in the same price range is tough, and I'd really prefer to go 2009+ with at least part of a CPO remaining.

I...don't even know how to respond to this one. The Cayman is, as stated by virtually anyone who has ever driven one, one of the best engineered sports cars readily available to the (relatively) common person. If that's the definition of a chicks car, okay. People need to stop living in the 'Porsche with panties' past. The Boxster (and thus Cayman) have improved leaps and bounds from the mid-90's, and if it weren't for Porsche's fear of cannibalizing the 911's sales, would be the best sports car in their lineup.

Keep in mind, IMS is no longer a concern on 2009+ models.

The previous timeline was, IIRC, 2 years / 20k miles, so 1 year / 10k miles is pretty conservative. It helps eat some of the oil change cost. What, IMO, is a bigger concern maintenance wise are the tires. But the biggest concern is, to find something in the same price range, the lack of warranty for something catastrophic. From most of the first-hand accounts I've read, Porsche seems to be fairly reliable, but no car is bullet proof, and those bullets cost a heck of a lot more to fix on a Porsche.

Just like everyone else who autocrosses:p

The comment about $350 oil changes on a Cayman are just silly. It's easier to change the oil on a Cayman than on a Z, in fact the Cayman is one of the easiest ones out there. It does take twice as much oil as the Z, which helps with the extended drain intervals, and of course twice as much synthetic oil isn't cheap, but anyone paying much labor to get a Cayman's oil changed isn't trying very hard.

My 993 on the other hand takes me about 2 hours to change the oil....with a lift. You just have to take so much of freakin car apart to do it. Now if someone says it costs $350 to change a 993's oil I would say that sounds about right.

FYI my daughter decided to teach her friend how to drive so they went to the local school parking lot... No cars around ..perfectly empty except for one pole,,.,and, of course, they hit it!

In all honesty chief, I'm not entirely sure why you brought a question like this to this forum. I'm hoping for fairness sake that you have also posted this question to a Porsche forum just to get the other side's take.

Because ultimately, it's going to be you who makes this decision. At this point I would say you've gotten just about every view point you can find on this side of the aisle. I say test drive both, do a little bit of research on things like potential recall / maintenance alerts or issues, make certain that your final choice is only amongst these 2 cars, and then choose the one you feel the most right in. In the end, regardless of the choice, I think you will be satisfied with your decision.

Good Luck!

IMS failuures
 

You need to purchase a Porsche 2009 and later.