Z4M vs Cayman vs Elise

Probably not going to satisfy you, but also consider the Solstice GXP coupe (which is really a targa). Good luck finding one though.

I'll take a 996 over any bmw in any situation any day of the week.

I've driven a 996 C4 on track and a 2.5l Boxster on road and autocross. Oh, and Elise and Z4M coupe and roadster on track.

I love the Boxster. It's in my top three track cars. Also has lots of luggage room and one of the most amazing exhaust sounds. Good steering, great brakes. Early clutch had poor take-up making starts a little random, even for good drivers. I'm not a fan of convertibles but the Boxster top seems pretty good. Boxster proves that mid-engined cars can be very predictable and not tail-happy.

The 996 has grown on me. With AWD they are very planted and put power down but have understeer at the apex. Good brakes, better clutch and transmission than the Boxster. Rear seats might be a plus. Depreciation has really brought down prices. 996 is very smooth, more like a GT car while the Boxster has more noise and more feedback. There may be some rear-weight bias in the 996 but it is not tail-happy. 300HP in the 996 motor feels nice and strong, and sounds good.

The Elise is an amazing track car. US-spec brake pedal is mushy and the shifter is floppy, and the seats don't breathe well. There is nothing else wrong with them on track, and those few things aren't major. But as a DD? I'm reasonably young and fit and normal-sized and entry-egress requires real effort. It just isn't a car I wan to hop in and out of, unless I'm headed on track. I still love them.

I like the Z4, and love the looks. Straight-6 engines are awesome. All the examples I've driven felt overweight and, frankly, underpowered and the tires went away and got greasy quickly. Each one I've driven had upgraded 19" wheels, though, and maybe the tire selection was poor [these were all brand new cars and I think the dealers were doing the upgrade, and maybe cheaping out on tires.] In any event, as much as I like the Z4 and want to love it, as a track car I think they are lacking. For a DD, I'd rock one in a heartbeat.

Finally, and I'm guessing, Elise and Z4 are in a more expensive league than the Boxster and 996. Value is important to me. All are good cars, though.

David

Good examples for all of these can be found around $25k. God, I've just about convinced myself to go out and buy a 996. Thanks a lot guys. lol

amg_rx7 wrote: I'll take a 996 over any bmw in any situation any day of the week.

Even Tuesday!?

Grrr....all of the good deals seem to be on cabrios.

What about a XKR?

I'm really wanting a manual transmission.

I played this game last Fall. I started looking at Carrera's and other air cooled versions of the 911 and realized none were going to be satisfactory for summer duty here in muggy East Tennessee. Working AC is a requirement. And mechanical reliability isnt much better than my last SC.
I then started looking at Boxster S, 996's, M coupes and Elise. M coupes lost out quickly as I wanted a sports car and those things arent. The 996's I drove all needed maintenance soon and most of that work seemed over my abilities and aptitude ie rear seals, clutches, etc. I found a great Boxster S(aero package) that could have been had for $18k or so but it had an air whistle around the windshield that would have had me eating a bullet on a long trip(wreck damage?) plus you had the same mechanical issues as 996's. I really didnt want to be on first name basis with the Porsche techs.
In the end, the Elise made more sense to me. It is mechanically reliable due to the Toyota roots; easy to work on as home based owner; and a crowd pleaser. Ingress/egress is not so bad(every race car I have owned required a certain technique to get into) The Elise just puts you on stage for every stop. I have considered removing the airbag steering wheel and going to a quik-disconnect to make the thigh clearance less of an issue. No, I didnt buy it to be a DD but I drove it to the office every day this week. It can be done, you may just have to carry the lawnmower gas can in the passenger front floor pan.

mtn wrote: Probably not going to satisfy you, but also consider the Solstice GXP coupe (which is really a targa). Good luck finding one though.

Second that. They handle very well in stock form, even better with a bit of modification, and can easily be tuned for more power than your other options, of which the Z4M would be my favourite. My Sol coupe is at 350 BHP and gets 28 US mpg when you keep it out of boost.

In reply to wspohn:

I love the looks of the Solstice coupe, but found the GXP to be slower and less fun to drive than my Miata. If you drive one and go drive the other cars he's considering, you'll know why it's not on the list.

nderwater wrote: In reply to wspohn: I love the looks of the Solstice coupe, but found the GXP to be slower and less fun to drive than my Miata. If you drive one and go drive the other cars he's considering, you'll know why it's not on the list.

What have you done to your Miata? Solstice GXP is considerably faster than a Miata, but the handling of the stock Miata is better IMHO than the stock Solstice.

I own a Cayman S, but I drove a bunch of base Caymans first. I could easily live with one of those. The Cayman is easy to use as a DD. Mine is not expensive to insure, but I have a bunch of other vehicles insured too, so that may skew things a bit.

I really like the Elise and considered one very seriously. In fact, I almost bought a new 2005. But to me, the Lotus seemed more like a toy. The Porsche is a car.

For me the elise is so much more special. I like a raw driving experience though.

Holy undead thread batman!

Wow, I just noticed that!