[23109VC]

having read though the latest car mags, I have to say I think the new Z looks pretty cool. I have test driven the older 350Z and I hated it. It was a total POS in my opinion. My main beefs were that it felt like a cheap car and wasn't all that fast. I've never been a fan of american cars - I don't like the Vettes - and the Z had that "american car" feel to me....

the new Z looks verynice in the pictures. maybe in person it drives lousy - but on paper it looks pretty cool.

C&D did a shootout and had it up against the RX8 R3, and some other cars. I've driven the RX8 and THAT is a fun car, albeit underpowered in that price segment.

If I ever sold my boxster to buy another sports car and did NOT buy another newer boxster, I'd consider the Cayman, and now that I've seen the reviews on the new Z, I wonder how people will consider it up against the likes of a car like a Cayman. I know that people buying a new Cayman are NOT going to be cross shopping a Nissan Z...totally different price point - BUT if you were shopping in the 35k price point - you could get into a used cayman or a new Z.... and they are in a similar class of cars in terms of specs....

i have to say - I would rather have a used cayman, even a base model than the new Z...but I haven't driveneitehr. maybe afte rdriving both i'd be sold on the nissan... it sure doe slook good on paper and in the photos.

any of you test drive one yet? there are a few cars out there that have suprised me in terms of whether I liked them AFTER a test drive. I test drove thelatest EVO X and completely HATED it. it did NOT impress me at all. the same day I test drove an RX8 and loved it. pure sports car - just not super fast. but the feel and handling was close to the boxster in terms of "fun" factor and balance.

the new Z might be a big hit and sell like nuts - or maybe it's just the same old lame Z with slightly nicer interiora nd a bit more power and deep down it's the sasme car. the mags are tyring to tout it as if it were a whole new car recreated.

i dolike how it evokes images of the original 240Z. you can clearly see the 240 in the lines of the new 370. more so than any other Z. at least to me.

I certainly woulnd't sell my boxster (i'd only get like 10k for my car) and then have to shell out 20-25k MORE to get the new Z.... but if I was dead set on a cayman (used) and had only 30-35k to spend - I might give a new Z a test drive. it would probably blow a base cayman off the road - and it sounds like it give shte Cayman S a run for it's money...although I wonder if when you drie it around, and toss it through turns, if the balance/midengined layout of the cayman (and our boxsters) would easily show itself and you would FEEL that the midengined Porsche is far superior in feel and "fun".