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I've been doing a lot more reading than posting these past few months, but I am really torn between these two cars (Cayman S & Infiniti G37S). Now I realize the big difference in base price (Cayman S = around $59K & Infiniti G37S = around $36K)... but how do these cars compare in terms of interior features, comfort, reliability, and overall daily-driveability?
To me it seems like if you want more of a "sports car" and want to take your car to the track more often, you would choose the Cayman S. Although if you are considering simply driving around town (with the occasional acceleration to overtake & get on the highway fast), you should choose the more "luxury car," the Infiniti G37S. Looks wise (overall appeal), I have to give it up to the Cayman S :drool:
I've only been in a Inifinit G37S, so I may be bias... but the interior seems quite amazing. It's just the small technology advancements that really did it for me: the entire steering column moves out of your way when you turn off the engine & are about to leave, the navigation system is superb, the connectivity of inputs into the decent Bose 6 speaker stereo is great, the leather seats are dam comfortable, etc. How does the Cayman S stack up to these fine details?
Lastly, I was just curious as to how the Cayman S is as a daily drive. What is the turning circle in ft (i.e. how well can it make a U-turn)? We have a 2000 Dodge Durango that we use to pull our boat and hual stuff, which has an amazingly tight turning circle at 38.4 ft (that's pretty good for a large V8 SUV). I've also hear that engine noise is a lot in the Cayman S.. which comes to no surprise being more of a sports car than a luxury car. Are there any major reliability concerns with the 2006+ Cayman S?
The reason I am comparing the Cayman S, and not the Cayman, is because it seems to offer more of what I want (performance wise). I'm looking to get of these cars in about a year or two, so I am just trying to do all my research right now.
Sorry for the long post! I hope you guys can provide me with some good feedback. Btw, no intended hate on either car.. they both seem excellent in their own ways.
~ Im2bz2p
Last edited by im2bz2p345; 05-10-2008 at 07:12 PM.
The infiniti as you said is not a sports car. It’s a touring coupe and is going to much more comfortable and will have a lot more interior technological enhancements. The stereo, navigation, all should be superior, keyless entry and all that “cool” stuff. If you love features like this with a quick car no comparison get the g37. Its an awesome car. The cayman is a true sports car. It will be less comfortable, louder, no cool gadgets but is going to be a hell of a lot more fun to drive. The cayman is very dependable but after reading your post its seems like the g37 would be a better car for you . A lot of people buy 911’s and caymans as a daily driver only to sell them 6 months later b/c they are not comfortable in them and didn’t realize what owning a true sports car would be like. Drive them both back to back to see but when you drive the cayman just leave the stereo and everything off as its just made to be driven. The steering, gearbox, all are amazing and the sound is much better then anything bose can produce. I just talked myself into going for a drive. Thanks!!
I'm fortunate enough to have both a 2007 Infiniti G35s (6-speed) and a 2008 Cayman S. The interior of the G35 sedan is identical to the 2008 coupe.
Lot's of neat electronics, BlueTooth, iPod, steering wheel controls, etc.
The day I took delivery of the Cayman, I had to do a car shuffle routine to get it in the driveway. After only 1 hour of driving in the Cayman from the dealer, I jumped in the G35 to move it and thought the car was broken. Steering was loose and numb, brakes were soft. No joke, for a second I was wondering who had messed with the car.
So after 7 months with the Cayman S, it's really apples and oranges with the way these two cars drive. The G35 is a nice, powerful long distance highway cruiser that can play on the track and AutoX. Yeah, I took it for 2 days to Watkins Glen, should've seen the looks I got, but it was no joke on the straights chasing down the smaller cars. The best bang for the buck out there right now IMHO.
The driving feel of the Cayman however, is on another level. Can't wait to see how it does on the track!
Gotta decide what's more important to you in a car.
Let me know if you have more specific questions on either car.
__________________
Pete
2008 Meteor Grey CS, PASM, Chrono, Sport Seats, Sport Shifter, Sport steering wheel, Xenon, Fire Extinguisher, Auto Climate and clear bra!
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Thanks for the responses Josh, Pete, Chris, and LA!
Unfortunately guys.. I'm looking for the ultimate combination in luxury vs performance. I thought that's part of what made a Porsche.. a Porsche! If I wanted a raw sports car without all the bells & whistles.. why not go for a used Z06 (the top of line V8, which is the only V8 I would even consider) or a used 911 Turbo? I'm looking for a daily drive, that can indeed be a sports car when necessary, yet still provide the comfort/luxury of a $50K+ car.
As stated earlier, I'm looking for something to buy in a year or two. My price range for a used model is going to be around $40-$45K. Also, I want to stick with a V6 for somewhat gas economy. The Cayman S seems to fit what I want.. as does the Infiniti G37S, Audi S5, BMW 335i, BMW Z4, BMW 135i, Mercedes SLK 350 Roadster, Lexus IS350, etc. Not really looking brands that don't embody luxury, but are a pure sports care/ricer car.. i.e. Suburu STi, Mitsubishi Evo VIII, etc. I feel overall handling & comfort will be my #1 priority though.
Josh.. so what you're basically saying is if you want luxury, go elsewhere?
Pete.. thanks for the detailed response.. as you own both, I'm sure I'll ask you some further questions.
Chris.. I will definitely drive both.. but since it's not until a year or two when I actually look to put down the cash for a used one.. it won't be anytime soon. I'm still trying to narrow as much as I can doing research, hearing opinions from owners, etc.
LA.. is that to discourage discussion? Hmmm.. I'm sure Porsche owners have compared their options just as I'm doing. Nobody just lays $50+K on a car (or any other asset for that matter) without thinking about what they want, what they will get in return, and their other options.
Thanks again guys. If anyone else would like to share their opinion(s), please chime in.
There have been people who bought Caymans thinking they were luxury cars, maybe coming from SLKs or other MBs or possibly other luxury cars. If your looking for luxury or that is what your used to, as others have said, look elsewhere. You'll be complaining about the "harsh" ride or the lack of electronic widgets.
I simply do not see how you can say the word G3? whatever and Cayman in the same sentence. Different kinds of vehicle for different purposes. Listen to what Pistol said about how coming out of the CS and then driving his G35 the difference in feel. The CS is no where near the fastest car nor will it ever be. It's the total package and I think that article in the truth about cars sums it up nicely as the ultimate driving machine. But if you want luxury or gee whiz electronics, you maybe sorely disappointed. You said overall comfort and handling are your priority. The problem with that statement is that is an oxymoron. To get handling, you sacrifice comfort. To get comfort, you sacrifice handling. A race car will have the best possible handling but miserable for the street. A luxo boat will feel like a luxo boat and I think that is what Pistol was trying to say. Ive driven in other cars, including other "sports cars" then got back in the CS and thought ... whoa, apples and oranges.
The CS is all about driving. All about listening to the flat 6 right behind your ear and the sweet sound of the exhaust. All about being consumed as you commune with the car. Its about being one with the car. Everything else is a distraction. Its all about driving.
I just can't see anybody cross shopping a coupe like a G35 and CS. Two entirely different vehicles, two entirely different target markets, two entirely different feels. If you've never driven a mid-engined, two seat car before and listen to that flat 6 behind your right ear, then going into a front engined car will be night and day.
Best of luck in your search. I'm not trying to discourage you but rather have some reality brought in. Go for a long test drive at a dealer. See how the car feels to you. Then compare it against whatever else. Then you decide what fits your needs. BTW, there is a poll around here somewhere and ~50% of people said their Caymans were DDs. The rest were either more into autox/tracking or weekend cars/garage queens. So obviously there are many DDs.
Both my G35 and Cayman S have 18" rims and both have the Bridgestone RE-050A summer tires (remember, I got the 6-speed G35 w/sport package). My Cayman has PASM while is supposed to make the normal ride a bit more compliant.
I'm not sure how the roads are where you live, but rough road and potholes have taken a toll on the front plastic air defector of my Cayman, and I'm real careful too! Score one for the G35 in ride comfort, I feel like I'm driving an SUV in that and rough roads are dealt with very well.
The clutch on the G35 is much more difficult to drive. There is a slave cylinder recall for 2007 model G35's and I've had that done. The problem was that the clutch had a veyr abrupt take up point, almost binary. Smooth shifts are almost impossible and stop and go traffic a nightmare. Edmunds.com had a long term test G35 and they hated the clutch until the recall was performed. It's a bit better, but the Cayman clutch is butter compared to it.
The G35 is much larger than the Cayman but more importantly, much heavier and you feel that on the road during quick maneuvers. That weight helps to soak up road imperfections however. The G37 is even heavier for whatever reason.
The quality of the interior materials is marginally better in the Cayman. I didn't get the the full leather interior in the Cayman. There are more hard/shiney plastic surfaces in the Infiniti, especally on the doors. After 10K miles on the Infiniti, the leather seats are starting to get that shiny slick look, and I've only used Lexol to condition the leather. At 3K, the Cayman leather seats still look new.
That's all for now. More later.
Side by side, the G35 is larger and taller by far.
PASM - Porsche Active Suspension Management
This active damping system offers continuous adjustment of individual damping forces based on current road conditions and driving style.
The driver can choose from two setup modes, ‘Normal’ and ‘Sport’, using a separate ‘damper’ button on the center console. ‘Normal’ mode is designed for general road driving and circuits with uneven tarmac. ‘Sport’ mode is intended for smoother track surfaces, where the harder settings help eliminate pitch and roll.
In either mode, PASM continuously evaluates the current conditions while automatically selecting the corresponding damper rates from the respective set of mapped values.
A range of sensors are used to monitor the movement of the body under acceleration, braking and cornering maneuvers, as well as on poor road surfaces. The PASM control unit then evaluates this data and modifies the damping force on each individual wheel in accordance with the selected mode. The result is a significant reduction in body movement as well as a better grip on the road.
For example: if ‘Sport’ mode is selected, the suspension is automatically set to a harder damper rating. If the quality of the track surface falls below a certain threshold, the system immediately changes to a softer rating within the ‘Sport’ setup range. When the quality of the tarmac improves once more, PASM automatically returns to the original, harder rating.
Need more information about PASM? Click this link: FAQ for PASM
__________________
Pete
2008 Meteor Grey CS, PASM, Chrono, Sport Seats, Sport Shifter, Sport steering wheel, Xenon, Fire Extinguisher, Auto Climate and clear bra!
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"I'm looking for the ultimate combination in luxury vs performance"
So how much do you weigh performance and how much luxury?
If you lean toward performance, then the 335i is the cream of the crop. Save yourself some money AND get a vacation out of it with Euro delivery.
If you lean toward luxury, then the G37S, IS350, Audi A5 etc...are going to come into the picture.
Notice nowhere did I say Cayman. A Cayman is a much harder-edged sports car. Doable as a daily driver, but then again some people ride motorcycles as their DD
I just noticed you said "in a year or two"...who knows what will be out by then! Personally, I'm waiting for a performance oriented plug-in hybrid..perhaps one of the rumored new offerings from Honda or Nissan.
__________________
'07 CS, '07 335i
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Yes I think if you want anything luxurious with the car you will be very dissapointed. If you dont mind a suggestion, I think with the new 135 or 335 (I prefer the 1 since it shaves 500 lbs and has the same engine) would be something you would love. It has a lot of speed, a great engine, fast at the track (again more so the new 1 series) and has all the comfort and luxury you could want. The steering is going to be much better then the infiniti (still cant compare to porsche) and is just an awesome overall car. The new 135 you can get in for around 40k optioned out and I think is the best compromise you could possibly ask for. Also it is a great car to learn on at the track.
Thank you ALL for the wonderful responses! chows and sdiver, I really loved your input. Pete & Josh.. thank you once again for you further comments on this thread and wonderful pictures
You know, seeing those pictures by Pete with side by side comparisons.. my eyes are just captured by the amazing beauty and fine details of the Cayman S! Especially from that top angle.. the Cayman's rear end (lack of a better term) makes me go bonkers!! By the way, I noticed you didn't have the rear window wiper option... how important is that to the Cayman S? i.e. Can you drive in heavy rain without impairing your rear vision?
I actually prefer the Infiniti G35S/G37S to the BMW 135i/335i. Not because of performance, because I know the 135i/335i will outshine the Infiniti, but because of: the exterior look, the interior, the price difference in purchasing a used car, and the lower cost of ownership.
I like more of the cockpit feel of the Infiniti more than the flat dash of the BMW.
I let me order my preferences in a car, so it will help narrow down what I am after:
1) A 1-2 year used car that sells for $40-$45K at most (with less than 60K miles & that is almost fully loaded). It has to be more of an upscale car.. so nothing ricer (Honda’s, Mitsubishi’s, Subaru’s, etc).
2) Exterior Look - the car has to make me drool every time I look at it!
3) Reliability/Cost of ownership - I should never be worried if the car will die on me! Also, like anyone else, I hate paying for super expensive repairs!
4) Performance - Not in the sense of 0-60, 1/4 mile, or track times (as that are very very occasional things for me).. but being able to handle the everyday road is of highest concern. Look at my original post where I inquired about "What is the turning circle in ft (i.e. how well can it make a U-turn)?" If anyone knows, please answer! Also, does it have that "kick" to accelerate on the fly (regardless of what speed you're at) to overtake someone on the highway or to accelerate to get on the highway? Just to reiterate, I'm not looking for anything above a 6 cylinder.
5) Comfort/Luxury features - The leather seats should be soft, sporty, and make you feel like you're relaxing on your lazy-boy at home! lol. Features wise, an excellent navigation is probably my #1 priority. IPOD/AUX input would be my #2 priority. Good set of speakers would be my #3 priority.
6) Resale value - It would be nice to recover some of that investment in the long term (I plan to keep whichever car I buy for at least 5+ years).
I'm willing to compensate on these points for other benefits, so this is just a very ROUGH guideline. What would you guys recommend?
~ Im2bz2p
P.S. - As I won't be buying a used car for another year or two.. I don't mind to keep my options open (as sdiver suggested).
Last edited by im2bz2p345; 05-11-2008 at 08:56 PM.
Features: Cayman S vs Infiniti G37S
If I wanted a raw sports car without all the bells & whistles.. why not go for a used Z06 (the top of line V8, which is the only V8 I would even consider) or a used 911 Turbo? I'm looking for a daily drive, that can indeed be a sports car when necessary, yet still provide the comfort/luxury of a $50K+ car.
By the way, I noticed you didn't have the rear window wiper option... how important is that to the Cayman S? i.e. Can you drive in heavy rain without impairing your rear vision?
