It's Like a Poor Man's Cayman

by "Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
Published 04/26/2017 at 08:04

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Now of course it’s just a Nissan and it’s not midengined and it’s not even a boxer engine, but hear me out. The Nissan 370z (2015, manual) that I rented from Turo this past weekend really felt similar to the Porsche Cayman (2009, manual) that I rented last year.

I didn’t get to a race track in either car and really only drove one curvy road (Mulholland Highway) so I didn’t push the limits a whole lot on either. But both had crummy tires and I did do the same exact route so they are at least comparable. Was the Porsche better in almost every way? Yes. But the Nissan really invoked the same sort of fun and 2 seater sports car entertainment. Of course it is also a bunch cheaper!

Although this particular example had some questionable choices like mismatched tires, ricey wheels, and two tone paint job with a spray can. But the aftermarket shifter was pretty good and otherwise it was stock. So it was pretty fun and fast. Not nearly as precise as the Cayman but it had a similar feel and power level.

Overall, a great experience. Certainly different from my Miata which is nice. A couple times I was going about 85-90 without realizing it so I could see how people get into trouble with higher power cars. Anyways, this further cemented the idea that I want a Cayman some day. And that I could probably settle for a 370z if budget required me to.

Replies (7)

"Rico" (ricorich)
04/26/2017 at 08:12, STARS: 0

Yeah...maybe after a visit to a dispensary.

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
04/26/2017 at 08:52, STARS: 1

Well yeah it’s a bit of a stretch. Especially chassis/suspension. And they definitely do not compare in a track setting. But on the street for just some spirited driving and enjoying some cruising, they can be comparable. More particularly, power is comparable. While the 370 lacks some refinement and precision, it’s also a bit faster. But more importantly its the idea that a Nissan is less complicated and cheaper (both to buy and maintain). Either way, it’s still a stretch of course.

I still would rather have a Cayman (Cayman S particularly) but that’s because I want to track it and I can afford it.

"Arrivederci" (arrividerci)
04/26/2017 at 10:31, STARS: 0

Vehemently disagree, unless all you’re concerned with is power to weight. In that regard, they’re pretty close - Z may actually be even better, though it’s a bit of a fatty. Everything else - Cayman is leaps and bounds better overall:
- View out: Cayman wins handily - great view of the road in front of you over the low hood. Z has a crazy high cowl and high window sills, making it feel like you’re in a bathtub.
- Clutch and shifter: I’ve long felt the OE clutch in the Z is garbage and the Cayman is a joy with proper feel and smooth, short throws. The Z’s shifter isn’t bad, just a little notchy. I just can’t stand the clutch in those (driven at least three different cars), just absolutely no feel, like an arcade game.
- Fit/Finish/Quality: Neither are that great, but the Porsche feels a little more well-built to me. Z feels really dated inside, moreso than the Cayman, which is an even older platform, I think.
- Chassis: No real comparison, the Z isn’t bad here again, but it has migrated more towards being a muscle car than a proper sports car. The Cayman is lighter and mid-engined, resulting in significantly better balance.
- Engine: I’ve long said the VQ is a peach, but both the M97 and 9A1 are the tits. There’s little that sounds better than a flat six at full chat and winding either of those out is so much more rewarding than the VQ, which tends to get thrashy when you cane it. The VQ also doesn’t do much for me in the sound department (mooooo), but does make good power.
- Practicality: Shopping these two, hard to really care much, but the Cayman has two trunks :).

If what you want is a Cayman and you wind up with a Z, you’ll ultimately be really disappointed.

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
04/26/2017 at 11:10, STARS: 0

The wheels and red accents are almost as horrible as the haze from whatever crud is coating your lens.

"Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever" (superchan7)
04/26/2017 at 12:13, STARS: 1

The 370Z is sort of the good, powerful sports car that nobody remembers. Its styling got left behind somewhere around 2007, and Nissan isn’t really marketing it very strongly either.

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
04/26/2017 at 12:54, STARS: 0

Yes, terrible photos mostly due to the lighting. It was an overcast day and my phone is not great at that sort of lighting. I meant to take photos during the sunset cruise on the PCH the day before. Those would have looked great! But I felt like driving instead lol.

Anyways, yeah I was not a fan of the aesthetic choices and honestly it looks worse up close in person. Plus the aftermarket radio was a pain in the ass but I only cared about driving it.

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
04/26/2017 at 13:03, STARS: 0

Yeah I had never really heard much about it which was one of my main reasons for trying it out. Clutch, shifter, and steering were excellent so it met my requirements of fun 2 seater plus the bonus of power. Although that power was also apparent when I filled up the gas tank, $45 later. I kinda like the styling (when OEM, not this one particularly) but yeah it really has not changed at all, even when it started as a 350z in 2002. So 15 years without much change is kinda crazy!