Great shots with the Z and GTR there... two fantastic looking cars IMO. Lets face it, compared especially to other Japanese manufacturers, Nissan is at least giving us some sports cars. Look at Honda, Toyota and ill even throw Mazda in...

 

Over the weekend, I went on the Porsche website and "built" my own Cayman S, including standard leather, 19" wheels, HIDs, Bose stereo w/Nav - not every option by a long shot. I was just trying to APPROXIMATE the equipment on a fully loaded 370Z Touring with Sport and Premium packages.

Anyway, the Cayman S came in at $70,810, including transportation.

Admittedly, we don't yet have the pricing for the 370Z, but let's make the assumption that it will be around $38K. That's nearly a $33,000 difference.

In fairness, we need to compare apples to apples.

So, it's unfair to compare a 2 year old Cayman S price against a brand new Z price. What do 2 year old comparably equipped 350Zs go for? That's the price we should use when comparing used vehicles. In any event, the difference between a used Nissan and a used Porsche will probably widen, since the Porsche will usually tend to hold its value better than a Nissan. Not a comment on quality, reliability or lust factor. Just reality.

I'm a Porsche nut from way back. I love those cars. My wife drives a Cayenne S and it's a great car. I've been looking at a used Cayman S for some time now. It's also a great car.

However, the 370Z injects a new alternative at a much more affordable price. Nissan got my attention and, depending on the performance and price of the 370, I will give it serious consideration.

If I can get a fully loaded 370Z for around $38k that will be competitive with the Cayman S, Nissan may just make a conquest sale.

After all, let's not forget what this is really about; selling units. Japanese manufacturers don't drive the first rivet without a full business case study for a new model to determine what competitors, and trends are out there in the market. Nissan has obviously (and correctly, I would argue) deduced that there are more people willing to buy a $30K-$38K sports car versus a $60k-$75K sports car, given that the performance of both cars is comparable. Unlike Porsche, Nissan is a volume manufacturer, not a niche manufacturer. Although in recent years, with models the the Cayenne and the new Panorama filling previously ignored market segments, some would argue that Porsche has become a small scale volume builder, too. But really, Porsche has VW to fill their need for volume product.

The Z will be a winner with or without us. Nissan knows this. They would prefer to have all of us on board with the new 370, but they don't NEED us for the car to be successful. We'd all do well to remember that fact. And stop our ridiculous whining about headlights and weight and blah, blah, blah.

The Z is, and always has been, a superb value. Get those cars on the lot, Nissan, and let's get on with enjoying them.

Just my $.02.

zed-er

 

wow, you need to relax...haha

yes, it's just a black lense for cost cutting--the euro cars get the rear fog light and we do not, instead of reshaping the rear bumper to delete the rear fog, they just put a black cap over it for USDM models. Yes, this is true, learn to believe it.

No, that F1 Renault car is a brake light, not a fog light...I'm sure you could have figured out that yourself...

And again, NO it serves no purpose on the USDM 370Z.

 

F*** the cosmetic BS... Is that a diff cooler I spy under there?

 

Thanks for saving me the writting..I was also in the market for a possibly used caymen s & the lotus elise but I could not justify the price.

 

It's completely fair, because I say it is. I've got $45K set aside to drop on a sports car. I get to choose how to spend that cash to best serve MY needs and desires... from standpoints of performance, reliability, functionality, resale, even aesthetics.

I considered a 2 year old used Veyron. But it wasn't worth it to me. And the 10 year old Miata was less expensive, but it wasn't worth it to me, either.

It's called consumption, and consumers compare mainly based on price points, not on some etheral definition of "fair"... which only exists in fantasy land. There's no such thing as "fair" in the real world, and I can compare anything I want to... it's MY money. And I am comparing a CS and a 370Z, because those are the 2 primary vehicles competing for my dollars right now. A C6 Vette would be in 3rd, but a very distant 3rd. I'm just not a Vette guy, and even though the power is tempting, it lacks in other departments.

I understand what you are saying, but both the CS and 370Z are attainable at my budget, and many others looking for a sports car in the $40K range. So while it may not be a "fair" comparison in your eyes, it's a very "real" comparison.

 

depends what you want. you can even compare with a used aston martin vantage V8... why not?
price is for sure "the" main index, because I don't think you pay cars with peanuts. (unless you have a peanut butter company)

for sure, in "any year" car comparison.. the new car is going to be the worst in the price/what_you_get deal.
in the long run, it's a different ball game. depends what you want to do with the car.
for sure, maintanance is going to be more expensive on a porsche, mods either and so on...

 

^ werd

 

Not to mention Porsche has no "real" aftermarket performance parts program.

Maybe Nismo will come up with some nicer looking 19 X 9.5 and 19 X 11" (the max width Bridgestone tire recommends) wheels, sport suspension, light flywheel and a plate type LSD for the 370 Z...

 

not true... porsche, if you get a GT3 has all you need in house.
and even with a cayman several useful track parts can be swapped (suspension arms to adjust camber, euro bucket seats, some engine accessories track oriented).. the bad part is they are damn expensive.
and, added bonus, they have a good support for track junkies.

 

After seeing these new pics... I conclude that I don't like the lines in the rear.

 

I almost added that Porsche has a Motorsport division. They don't really like selling competition parts for street cars (they will do it if you know exactly what you want) and they won't sell engine parts at all- they wouldn't even sell me some GT3 rod bearings the other day even though they were normal dealer available.

It is true that many GT3 parts will bolt on the Cayman, particularly the front suspension and some brake stuff, but it is expensive and there is nothing for the rear suspension.

It is not as though Porsche has well thought out performance kits for the Cayman; as a matter of fact they want to keep the Cayman clearly slower than the 911.

I like Nissan's Nismo stuff for street mods because it fits and works without hassle, even if a little pricey.

 

The front of the 370Z looks like an angry anime monster.

I like.

>__< = 370Z

 

exactly, but if you know what you need.. and you have a pocket deep enough you'll be able to get it... here in the states or more easily in europe, where porsche supports "gentleman drivers" for general racing like endurance competitions and minor trophies.

and pretty much is what you need to transform the cayman S in a damn good track car... more front camber, (rear adjustability is enough usually) a quaife diff, 996 gt3 euro bucket seats and a minor brake upgrade... pss9 usually are enough as suspensions.
something that on a Z is around 5K and on a cayman S is just 10 (4K just for the seats)
I agree.. but as you say... fro the street nismo parts are good... for the track you should look for the "real" nismo stuff.. bot I don't know even where to start.
the good part is that being a cheaper car, tuning parts are cheaper...
and given 60 grand if you can afford a cayman S... you can get a 350z and put 25K in tuning and make donuts around a stock cayman S on any track.

 

we can hope! o and true dual exhaust?

 

Am I the only one shocked at how big the Z looks next to the GTR? GTR is a large car and the Z doesnt look much smaller from these angles. Its deffinately shorter but surprised at how wide the Z is.....I like..

 

There is the point I wanted to make!

 

The R35 is only 2" wider than the Z34. It's also 2" taller than the Z which further contributes to the Z's low, squat and aggressive stance.

 

Geez.

For the last time, I said a used Cayman S, so the pricing is about the same as a new 370Z.

The balance is that a 370Z will depreciate faster than a used CS... being a newer car. It would end up costing about the same to own the used CS for a couple of years as it would to own a new 370Z and take the depreciation hit.

 

The red light on the rear of Formula 1 cars is not a brake light -- it is turned on during bad weather (and I think I've see it on when they are driving in the pit lane as well). From regulation 103 (2006 rules):