RX8 = Porsche Cayman @ 1/2 the Price
03-15-2010, 08:24 PM
#177
Registered
Test Drove Both
I was considering buying a 2006 Cayman S before I bought my 09 R3 at the beginning of the year. Here's what I thought about the two:
In the end it came down to money, the Cayman S was 33.9k while the RX-8 was 32.9k with a 5k rebate, you do the math. What really scared me away from the Porsche were the maintenance costs, easily 2x the costs for the RX-8 or more. I was given an estimate of 1800 for a full brake job on the Porsche, thats just scary.
I didn't feel as 'excited' when I test drove the Cayman S compared to when I test drove the RX-8. This might be more due to the test drive conditions though, the Cayman salesman was a tightwad and took me through a bunch of school zones and rush hour freeway traffic...talk about boring. Also it might just be me, but it felt like the Cayman S had a little more body roll and an overall softer suspension. I felt like I was more connected with the RX-8.
And the RX8 is WAY more practical. I wasn't really concerned with practicality when I made my final decision, but since then Ive become very appreciative of the RX-8's practicality after driving it for 3 months. Im using the back seats and trunk a lot more than I imagined I would.
Even so, there's a good chance that my next sports car will be a Cayman S, I still think its a great car and even better than my R3. The RX-8 just felt like a safer financial choice at this point in my like.
In the end it came down to money, the Cayman S was 33.9k while the RX-8 was 32.9k with a 5k rebate, you do the math. What really scared me away from the Porsche were the maintenance costs, easily 2x the costs for the RX-8 or more. I was given an estimate of 1800 for a full brake job on the Porsche, thats just scary.
I didn't feel as 'excited' when I test drove the Cayman S compared to when I test drove the RX-8. This might be more due to the test drive conditions though, the Cayman salesman was a tightwad and took me through a bunch of school zones and rush hour freeway traffic...talk about boring. Also it might just be me, but it felt like the Cayman S had a little more body roll and an overall softer suspension. I felt like I was more connected with the RX-8.
And the RX8 is WAY more practical. I wasn't really concerned with practicality when I made my final decision, but since then Ive become very appreciative of the RX-8's practicality after driving it for 3 months. Im using the back seats and trunk a lot more than I imagined I would.
Even so, there's a good chance that my next sports car will be a Cayman S, I still think its a great car and even better than my R3. The RX-8 just felt like a safer financial choice at this point in my like.
Last edited by Mr.ThunderMakeR; 03-15-2010 at 11:18 PM.
03-15-2010, 09:08 PM
#178
Intended acceleration
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You can't get a real Doppelganger, but you can get something that looks just like one.
This thread... is odd. No, the RX8 isn't as good as the Cayman. But at around half the price, it doesn't need to be. It just need to be broadly comparable, in order to thoroughly embarass the more expensive car.
This thread... is odd. No, the RX8 isn't as good as the Cayman. But at around half the price, it doesn't need to be. It just need to be broadly comparable, in order to thoroughly embarass the more expensive car.
03-16-2010, 09:07 AM
#179
Registered
The RX-8 felt more precise while the Boxster S had more guts. Both are enjoyable in different ways, but for my driving style, I choose the silky RX-8 over the burping Porsche.
03-16-2010, 09:10 AM
#180
Registered
Never had a Cayman, but my car before my RX8 was a Boxster, so FWIW,
Ground Rules:
I'm skipping the whole issue of convertible vs. coupe - to each his own.
I own an RX8 now. I owned a Boxster before that. A '97 Miata M before that. A Triumph before that. and so on.
Background:
Cost:
I bought a pristine 2001 Box in April 2005 for $28,500, with 13,300 miles. MSRP was $51K and some change. So I got a near new car for 55% of MSRP. Note 1: A number of Porsche people buy cars and don't drive them much. There are good, well maintained examples if you look hard. I looked for 9 months before finding the car I wanted. The car had about 6 months of factory warranty.
Bought my 2006 RX8 in Nov. 2006 for right at $25,000.
In a ballpark sense, the used Box and the new 8 were about the same.
Track Performance: I've driven both in DE multiple times.
Boxster: Fun to drive fast. Great brakes. The brakes on the Box have to be driven to be believed. But, there's some factory understeer to deal with.
RX8: To me, I love the lighter, balanced feel of the 8. Oddly, the Box felt heavier (on rails?) even though it's gross weight was slightly less than an RX8, I think. I prefer the feel of the 8. Great brakes. People diss the torque, but it's surprising how fast you can exit a corner, which combines handling and torque. Driven properly, the 8 is fast.
Any road driving: I'll take the 8. The engine noise of the Boxster is nice at the track esp. over 4000 rpm on varicam, but an all day road trip wears on you. The 8 is quiet, I can actually hear the stereo, my legs are comfortable (I'm tall), and my back feels fine after an 8 hour drive.
Money: The initial cost of the Porsche is not the end of the story. Take any normal maintenance or repair cost and x2. Unless you turn your own wrench. Parts = expensive. Por-sha dealers: not afraid to charge you, you're a Porsche owner, right? Love the 4/50 warranty on the RX8.
Brand loyalty: It's a good thing, but there's a lot of really cool cars out there. My GT6, when it was actually running, was a blast to drive - 2000 lbs. of pure classic fun.
Snobbism: I'm an engineer, I really don't care what other people think. I like sports cars for the way they drive, not for a badge. I bought the Boxster because I had read it drove beautifully, and it did. I found that Porsche owners fit in two groups - the enthusiasts and the badge folks. The enthusiasts, like any car nuts, are great people. The badge crowd - not so much.
Owning and driving the Boxster was fun. I think I bought wisely, enjoyed it a while, and got out before any serious expenses came up (beware the RMS). But I drive an RX8
. I plan to hang on to it for a while. I love the high revving rotary. I love the balance. I like being able to take comfortable weekend trips with my wife. Cars are personal choices, and we're all different. The RX8 is a truly remarkable blend of track and daily driveability that suits my pocketbook.
After the RX8? Who knows?
Drive safe. Have fun.
Ground Rules:
I'm skipping the whole issue of convertible vs. coupe - to each his own.
I own an RX8 now. I owned a Boxster before that. A '97 Miata M before that. A Triumph before that. and so on.
Background:
Cost:
I bought a pristine 2001 Box in April 2005 for $28,500, with 13,300 miles. MSRP was $51K and some change. So I got a near new car for 55% of MSRP. Note 1: A number of Porsche people buy cars and don't drive them much. There are good, well maintained examples if you look hard. I looked for 9 months before finding the car I wanted. The car had about 6 months of factory warranty.
Bought my 2006 RX8 in Nov. 2006 for right at $25,000.
In a ballpark sense, the used Box and the new 8 were about the same.
Track Performance: I've driven both in DE multiple times.
Boxster: Fun to drive fast. Great brakes. The brakes on the Box have to be driven to be believed. But, there's some factory understeer to deal with.
RX8: To me, I love the lighter, balanced feel of the 8. Oddly, the Box felt heavier (on rails?) even though it's gross weight was slightly less than an RX8, I think. I prefer the feel of the 8. Great brakes. People diss the torque, but it's surprising how fast you can exit a corner, which combines handling and torque. Driven properly, the 8 is fast.
Any road driving: I'll take the 8. The engine noise of the Boxster is nice at the track esp. over 4000 rpm on varicam, but an all day road trip wears on you. The 8 is quiet, I can actually hear the stereo, my legs are comfortable (I'm tall), and my back feels fine after an 8 hour drive.
Money: The initial cost of the Porsche is not the end of the story. Take any normal maintenance or repair cost and x2. Unless you turn your own wrench. Parts = expensive. Por-sha dealers: not afraid to charge you, you're a Porsche owner, right? Love the 4/50 warranty on the RX8.
Brand loyalty: It's a good thing, but there's a lot of really cool cars out there. My GT6, when it was actually running, was a blast to drive - 2000 lbs. of pure classic fun.
Snobbism: I'm an engineer, I really don't care what other people think. I like sports cars for the way they drive, not for a badge. I bought the Boxster because I had read it drove beautifully, and it did. I found that Porsche owners fit in two groups - the enthusiasts and the badge folks. The enthusiasts, like any car nuts, are great people. The badge crowd - not so much.
Owning and driving the Boxster was fun. I think I bought wisely, enjoyed it a while, and got out before any serious expenses came up (beware the RMS). But I drive an RX8
. I plan to hang on to it for a while. I love the high revving rotary. I love the balance. I like being able to take comfortable weekend trips with my wife. Cars are personal choices, and we're all different. The RX8 is a truly remarkable blend of track and daily driveability that suits my pocketbook.After the RX8? Who knows?
Drive safe. Have fun.
The brakes are really something on the Porsche, but I prefer the pedal feel of the RX-8.
Everything just felt harder (required more effort) on the Porsche.
03-16-2010, 09:42 AM
#181
So what we're all basically saying is that if we could justify the premium expense of purchase/maintenance we'd all have a Cayman S, but can't/won't so are very satisfied with our 8's. 
Mazda really does offer a lot of bang for the buck throughout its line.
I've done far more work on my '8 then I would feel comfortable doing on a Porsche (I know, it's just a car, but still...). I also know I'd be less inclined to drive it as many places as I do my '8. Heck, even Jay Leno said that about his Porsche vs. his Miata. ~"In the Porsche I leave home, go in a circle and come back home. In my Miata I'm comfortable stopping most anywhere."
Mazda really does offer a lot of bang for the buck throughout its line.I've done far more work on my '8 then I would feel comfortable doing on a Porsche (I know, it's just a car, but still...). I also know I'd be less inclined to drive it as many places as I do my '8. Heck, even Jay Leno said that about his Porsche vs. his Miata. ~"In the Porsche I leave home, go in a circle and come back home. In my Miata I'm comfortable stopping most anywhere."
03-16-2010, 01:32 PM
#182
The Michigan "WANKEL"
So what we're all basically saying is that if we could justify the premium expense of purchase/maintenance we'd all have a Cayman S, but can't/won't so are very satisfied with our 8's. Mazda really does offer a lot of bang for the buck throughout its line.
I've done far more work on my '8 then I would feel comfortable doing on a Porsche (I know, it's just a car, but still...). I also know I'd be less inclined to drive it as many places as I do my '8. Heck, even Jay Leno said that about his Porsche vs. his Miata. ~"In the Porsche I leave home, go in a circle and come back home. In my Miata I'm comfortable stopping most anywhere."
Mazda really does offer a lot of bang for the buck throughout its line.I've done far more work on my '8 then I would feel comfortable doing on a Porsche (I know, it's just a car, but still...). I also know I'd be less inclined to drive it as many places as I do my '8. Heck, even Jay Leno said that about his Porsche vs. his Miata. ~"In the Porsche I leave home, go in a circle and come back home. In my Miata I'm comfortable stopping most anywhere."
03-16-2010, 01:51 PM
#183
^ my cover blew off in the high winds we've had of late so I left it off as it'll be back on the road next week anyway. Glancing out at it last night it actually surprised me how good it looks (inner monologue - "wow that looks nice"). At 4 years of ownership it still never ceases to surprise me in both appearance and performance.
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