Nissan 350z/ BMW Z4 3.0 si coupe to Cayman S?

[csmith319]

z4stu said:

Hi everyone,
My current car is a BMW Z4 3.0si coupe and before that I owned a Nissan 350z GT. I am currently looking to change into a Cayman S. Has any Cayman S owners ever owned a 350z or Z4 3.0si coupe before their Cayman S?
If so, what are their thoughts and comparisons?

Not exactly the same - had a 3.0Si roadster before getting a 997. However spent some decent time in a Cayman 2.7 in between. The Cayman is a much more polished car - the 2.7 needed more grunt (noticeably lacking but the 3.4 should sort that), it's also more special feeling.

Loved the Z4 though and still have a soft spot for them - but the Cayman is the better car. Handling and steering stand out as being in a different league.

[mrdemon]

the Cayman is night and day better in every single way.
the 350Z was a bit poor, the BMW though better than the 350z, still not a good all round than a Cayman, go for it

[Trev450]

I purchased a new 350Z with GT pack in 2006 and covered around 40k miles in it over 3 years. I have absolutely no regrets about buying the car and it did pretty much what I was expecting from it. Downsides were you could feel its weight when driving to enjoy, and it never really felt that quick.

I changed it for a 2 year old Cayman S in 2009 and still have it which must say a lot for the car. It is streets ahead of the Nissan in terms of quality and driving experience. It feels a good deal quicker, has a much better balance and sounds better too.

In summary - just do it you won't regret it.

[R26Andy]

I had a 3.0si Coupe, now own a 996 C4S. I absoloutley LOVED the Z4, it seemed to have the best of all worlds. I woudl definitely have one again if i wanted/needed to down size.

The C4S is in a different league (including running costs!) and I suspect the Cayman S will be as well.

[mrdemon]

M service is more than Porsche service by a long way. mpg is less in the Z4m and last car tax is more on the BMW, ie double !!

so have to disagree and think a Cayman is far cheaper to run.

[R26Andy]

The OP's a 3.0si, not an 3.2M.

[Klippie]

If you liked the Nissan and BMW then a Cayman S will blow your socks off...just go and get one it's only money you can't take it with you.

Oh and none of the other two have a Porsche badge on them.

[Shurv]

I went from a 3.0 Z4 roadster into a 996 C4S.Night and day between the two cars. The Z4 felt like a toy compared to the Porsche, in all areas. The Porsche is 5 times the car the BMW was, and I loved my Z4 and had it for 5 years. I had similar thoughts on what to replace the Z4 with and went round and round thinking about it,then I drove a Porsche.It blew me away how much better it was. Any downsides, yes, the running costs. The I've spent more in the 1st year with a Porsche than I did with 5 years of Z4 ownership, though some of that was getting it up to "just right" condition. A friend has just traded a 997 C2 for a Cayman S, and says it was the best move ever. Says it all. The Cayman S is a great sports car, the new Z4 is a cruiser, the 370Z a depreciating lump of unrefined metal.Happy shopping.

[cooldude00]

went from a 3.0 z4 roadster to the cayman s... kept the z4 for 7 yrs from almost new which is a lot longer than all of my other cars just to show how much i enjoyed it..

but the cayman s is in every way better than the z4... 3 yrs and counting so far...

[VladD]

In reviews that I've read the 370Z and Z4 never do particularly well, but the Cayman always shines. I was tempted by a Z4 over a Boxster, but the reviews put me off.

[MisterDJ]

I moved from a Z4 3.0si coupe to a boxster S 3.2 (987).

I am happy with the change. Ignoring the fact that one is a convertible and the other a coupe, these are some of the differences I found (which should apply to a z4 vs. cayman comparison):

- boxster (18' wheels) rides a lot better than the z4 (runflats and M-sport suspension) - B roads are a lot more enjoyable, as the car is not so unsettled

- steering - much better in the boxster. More consistent and with excellent feedback on the available grip levels.

- engine - despite being less powerful (265ps vs. 280), I actually preferred the bmw engine. Lighter flywheel, which meant that the throttle response was miles better than in the Porsche. The BMW also has a flatter torque curve (the boxster has a noticeable reduction in torque around 3000rpm), the engine does not have the tendency to self destruct (unlike the Porsche engine) and is more economical.

- gearbox (manual) - better to operate in the Boxster, but preferred the (shorter) ratios in the Z4

- handling - both cars handle well, but the boxster balance is that bit better.

- brakes - massive difference in favour of the Porsche. Less servo assistance, which might seem odd at the beginning, but the pedal feel, resistance to fade and braking force is far superior in the Porsche