BRZ after Cayman S and M3... is it a downgrade? NOW WITH VIDEO!

[thill]

Originally Posted by saeyedoc

I'm now considering just buying my Cayman S when the lease is up next year. I can buy it with tax for about $45k, figure after 3 more years it will still be worth at least $25k. Figuring the BRZ would depreciate about 50% in 3 years, the Cayman should only cost about $5k more (+ maintenance) than the BRZ over that period.
So for $150-200/month more, I could drive a 3 yr old Cayman S vs a new BRZ.

That makes a lot of sense. I would do the same thing.

[autobrz]

...

[rapidcars]

Originally Posted by Jawnathin

Though, I do disagree that the car will depreciate by 50% in 3 years. Of course its still to be determined, but even my Mazdaspeed3 didn't depreciate that poorly when I had sold it at 5 years old and it suffers from all sorts of competition in the hot hatch/sport compact market... GTIs, Golf Rs, Focus STs, WRXs, Civic SIs. A clean 2008 (my year) can go for $15k~ when it was just 24k~ new.

Agreed, though even if that bumps it up to $200-250 more a month, the Cayman would still be worth it. Especially since he's the one that owned it and knows how it was treated.

[saeyedoc]

Tires are roughly double what they would be in the 86.
If I can get the dealer to do a pass through so I can get the CPO warranty (would cost about $2500 for two more years), the repair expenses would be minimized.

[Alfalasy]

This is one of the best reviews. Thanks

[Jaylyons1]

I sold my M3 when I bought my house and picked up the BRZ. Now that I have been promoted, I am strongly considering selling the BRZ and getting another M3.

[Suberman]

Originally Posted by Jaylyons1

I sold my M3 when I bought my house and picked up the BRZ. Now that I have been promoted, I am strongly considering selling the BRZ and getting another M3.

M3 is very overrated.

Keep the BRZ, it's more fun than a barrel of monkeys. For a sedan buy something practical. I bought a Jaguar XF 3.0 SC AWD. Use your imagination.

Keep the BRZ, nobody makes a car that is more fun to drive at the moment.

[Suberman]

Originally Posted by saeyedoc

I'm now considering just buying my Cayman S when the lease is up next year. I can buy it with tax for about $45k, figure after 3 more years it will still be worth at least $25k. Figuring the BRZ would depreciate about 50% in 3 years, the Cayman should only cost about $5k more (+ maintenance) than the BRZ over that period.
So for $150-200/month more, I could drive a 3 yr old Cayman S vs a new BRZ.

If you made the mistake of leasing a Cayman instead of a BRZ keep that Cayman.

I nearly bought one before the BRZ was announced.

Porsche Cayman is the BEST sportscar money can buy. I still prefer the BRZ but if I'd bought or leased a Cayman I'd keep it. Seriously, there is just no better sportscar available.

[Jaylyons1]

Originally Posted by Suberman

M3 is very overrated.

Keep the BRZ, it's more fun than a barrel of monkeys. For a sedan buy something practical. I bought a Jaguar XF 3.0 SC AWD. Use your imagination.

Keep the BRZ, nobody makes a car that is more fun to drive at the moment.

I've owned an M3 already and that's what makes me want to go back. The BRZ is fun to an extent but it doesn't put a smile on my face like that V8 did at 8000+ RPM.

I haven't made up my mind yet. I really wish I could get more power out of this car w/o going force induction. I just don't trust this block to hold up with the compression.

[fatoni]

Originally Posted by Suberman

M3 is very overrated.

Keep the BRZ, it's more fun than a barrel of monkeys. For a sedan buy something practical. I bought a Jaguar XF 3.0 SC AWD. Use your imagination.

Keep the BRZ, nobody makes a car that is more fun to drive at the moment.

you do realize thats not true right?

[cerealcable]

Fantastic review of the BRZ. Thanks for taking the time to put this together. While I haven't had the joy of driving the vehicles you've owned yet, I'm glad to hear how it stacks up!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Suberman]

Originally Posted by fatoni

you do realize thats not true right?

That's the beauty of opinions. They can't be true or false.

[wulfgang]

I've owned an M3, a few Cayman S's, and now a BRZ, and my opinion is also that the Cayman is still the best for me. However, I'm curious what I would think if I had owned the BRZ *first*. Would I think the Cayman was worth the upgrade? Not sure about that.

Anyway, I think that although it is nice to have the BRZ be quite a bit lighter than the Cayman (and it is definitely noticeable), the lighter weight is not an equivalent trade for what the Cayman gives back in quality, stiffness, and sights/sounds. The BRZ has a light weight advantage, but that's where it ends. Everything on the car is flexy and cheap feeling. I have never, ever had a car whose front fascia and headlights bounce around as much as in the BRZ. Likewise, the hood flexes like it's going to break off at any moment. Fortunately, the chassis still feels great. But the same lack of quality goes for the interior, which even on the Limited has a bunch of stupid-looking dials, buttons, and switches. Even the fob is the cheapest-looking fob of any car sold after say 2005. Porsche would never let something this cheap-feeling get out the door. Even my wifes $22k Mazda CX-5 beats the exterior, interior, and build quality of the twins. Hell, even Kias beat the hell out of the twins on build quality and feel of luxury. So my point is that we gave up a LOT of quality just so that we could drive a light weight RWD car.

I think there are a spectrum of sports car owners who range from driving enthusiast purists on one end to people who like luxury and/or a name brand at the other end. Most of us fit somewhere on this spectrum. Those of us who value pure fun probably love the twins more, while those of us who value pure luxury will prefer the BMW. The Cayman sits in between these two extremes (although it easily beats the M3 in the brand-cachet category), and I feel that it hits the sweet spot for me. It has nice build quality and a sweet mid-engined balance, but it is definitely more expensive than a BRZ and not really quite as luxurious or as solid as the M3.

You have to make your own decision about where you live on the spectrum and what will keep you happy. I personally thought I was a driving purist and that the BRZ would be perfect, but now I know better. I guess I do have a snob side that likes to be driving a Porsche. I also find that I value sights and sounds more than all-out performance, and while the BRZ looks fantastic from 10', it's soundtrack is like Justin Bieber while the Porsche puts out Beethoven's 9th.

[utekineir]

10 pages to compare a car with a msrp <half?

Isn't that like comparing a mid trim corolla to a well optioned 3 series?