Helo Driver

Fast1,

So after driving the Z06 (even though it was brief), what were your opinions when compared to the Cayman.

Shane

warpedrotor

Sure the chevy dealers are playing games but that doesn't make the porsche a better car - infact i have had a smile on my face for the last four weeks of Z06 ownership - also if you look at the build numbers there will be infact the same number of z06 as caymans built in a year

anyhow just my 2cents but no porsche i have owned even comes close to the howl and viseral feeling that the z06 delivers

I love porsche but I am not ashamed to admit that the chevy engineers put down their crack pipes long enough to get this car right.

Helo Driver

Warpedrotor,

You have a good point. Completely different cars though. I'm sure you'll agree. How does the handling compare? Overall quality? You spoke very highly of the Z06. Care to give some direct comparisons. I think it'll be interesting.

Thanks, Shane

perfectlap

my friend (has owned both Corvettes and P-Cars) had a great line:
"as a DRIVER, for the track the Z06 no question, but for the drive home? the CaymanS"

fast1

The C6 Z06 is the best car in the world IMO when you consider price and performance. This car has such unbelievable power that it's hard to believe that anyone, other than a professional race car driver could explore what it has to offer safely. When you couple the tremendous torque that the Z offers in a 3100 lb car, the acceleration has to be experienced to be believed. I drove the Z only briefly with the stability protection disengaged and got into trouble when I hit a corner a little too quickly. I soon learned that you have to show a lot of respect for this car's power, if you want to keep the car in one piece. I experienced no brake fade after repeated hard stops, and according to the window display I took a couple of corners at 1.15 G.

The Cayman is an entirely different kind of car. IMO it's more refined and its power is adequate although not in the same league with the Z. If I were into AutoX, I would go with the Cayman because its mid-engine design provides phenominal handling. To me the biggest advantage of the Cayman is that it's sold at Porsche Dealers. As I posted earlier the Chevy Dealers near me are a joke.

Despite its lack of power, I still prefer the Cayman over the Z, but if power and sheer acceleration is what you want, then the Z is the clear choice. I prefer the Cayman because it appears to have better build quality, the Porsche Dealership experience, and its overall refinement.

warpedrotor

all your points are valid - I just want to remind you that there are some great chevy dealers out their - i picked up my z06 at sticker because the dealership I dealt with refuses to bump up cars beyond the MSRP - as for reliability well that is yet to be seen for both cars - but a word or warning - porsches have had problems just like all other cars - remember the first boxsters and 996's had big engine problems - as for the interiors again think about the 996 - sure the cayman is better, or is it, again subjective -

i like my z06 - it rides great around town - if i let up on throttle a little it becomes less of a beast but the power is still there if I want it, I agree it does need respect because you can get into trouble fast.

in the looks department well - if you parked a z06 next to a cayman I would bet that the z06 would draw more looks - in pictures both cars look great - in person the cayman s looks good but the z06 well you all know what I think but after testing both I think porsche is going to need to step up its game and this is from a porsche lover

rant over

Helo Driver

I really don't think you can compare the two cars. They are two very different cars and the engineers/designers had two different goals in mind. Unfortunately, some of us (including myself) were forced to compare the vehicles because they are basically the same price walking out the door (w/options).

I chose the Porsche due to the fact that I feel that it is a better OVERALL car. It will give me the overall driving experience where I don't think the Z06 would have. I agree with FAST1 when he said that the car is ridiculously fast and he is suprised that someone can safley drive something that only professional race car drivers have been able to drive in the past. Both great cars. I wish I could have both.

I personally feel the Porsche Cayman S is better looking. Plus, Corvettes are everywhere. I think the Cayman will be more of a head turner though. How many people will truly know the difference between a C-6 and Z06 while driving down the road? All this doesn't matter too much to me though. I didn't buy the Porsche as a status symbol. I bought it for it's performance and quality. I read one review that said it is 75% pure sports car, 15% luxery, and 10% grand tourer. To me, that was exactly what I was looking for.

Shane

BiggerTwin

I got great service on my Corvette so good Chevy dealers can be found. My red C6 got plenty of attention but my yellow Cayman is getting more. While the cars occupied the same garage space at my house, they are very different and you have to decide what type of driving experience you want. If you chose wisely, I don't think you can go wrong with either car.

Alan

GT3BB

The fact that both cars are even being compared says a lot for both cars.

pstoppani

One can say the same about the Cayman vs. Carrera; how many people really know the difference. I've already had several people tell me what a nice Carrera I have

fast1

To the Z owners: if you read my post I did qualify my statement by stating "the Chevy Dealers near me". I'm sure that there are some outstanding Chevy Dealers out there, just as I'm sure that there are some bad Porsche Dealers.

500

For sure I would love to really try a Z06 and feel that crazy power. Without a doubt, it is an incredible car.

If I was buying though, I think I would choose the Cayman S. It just suits me better. As wimpy as it sounds, the Corvette's power would be just too much for me to enjoy regularly, whereas the Cayman S is the total package better suited to my personal tastes.

Either way, people are not making a mistake choosing any of these cars.

It is frustrating not being able to get a test drive in a car (especially seeing as you were a serious buyer and not a tire-kicker).

fast1

As wimpy as it sounds, the Corvette's power would be just too much for me to enjoy regularly, whereas the Cayman S is the total package better suited to my personal tastes.

You've captured my sentiments exactly. I would imagine that many spots car owners have an elevated view of their driving skills, and the C6 Z06 could be dangerous to their health. The Z is a fun car to push hard in a straight line, but unless you are careful you can get into trouble quickly in the corners. On the other hand if I had the opportunity of driving the Z hard at the track, I'm certain that I would become a lot more comfortable behind the wheel. Bottom line is that you have to applaud GM for delivering such world class performance for $70K.

BiggerTwin

I felt this way about my C6 and can't even imagine what the Z06 must feel like. Even in a straight line 400 hp is a lot to get to the ground in a front engine rear wheel drive car. While the Corvette felt more powerful than the Carrera S, the 911 felt more secure when applying the power.

Alan

Helo Driver

AMJ and Fast captured my thoughts exactly. Yeah, it is too bad that I couldn't get a test drive. I made it clear to them that the Z06 was my number one choice and that I had cash in the bank to put at least half down. Even though I never got to drive the Z06, I'm still glad I got the Cayman. If I would have driven the Z06 I'm sure that I would have been mesmorized by it's raw power. I don't think that pure power would have been exhilirating enough to make me buy the Z06 instead of the Cayman though. It all comes down to this: What is the buyer looking for?

I was looking for what the Cayman offers.

Shane