Are you gonna track the new ride? Can you still get that track-day insurance? I assume it didn't affect your regular insurance right?

1/9/2014 10:33:31 AM

Eventually

Yes

Correct

[Edited on January 9, 2014 at 10:47 AM. Reason : clarify]

1/9/2014 10:47:12 AM

Quote :

"Bid Live In 6d 12h 22m Wed, Feb 26, 8:00 AM CST"

2/19/2014 7:38:02 PM

Good to know. Wonder why it's taking them 3 months to put the car up for auction?

2/20/2014 8:33:39 AM

Primer how much do you expect that to go for ?

2/20/2014 9:05:09 AM

Pat is that yours?

2/20/2014 10:11:12 AM

Yes, it's mine.

2/20/2014 10:37:46 AM

Quote :

"Good to know. Wonder why it's taking them 3 months to put the car up for auction? "

Lots of reasons, companies like that are usually in no hurry to do paperwork on an asset that won't depreciate much more sitting in the auction yard. In this case, because it is such a new model, also they stand to possibly get more salvage bidders for it as more new BRZ units are sold. More cars sold means more demand for salvage parts, and being a new model it probably doesnt have much of anything that is backwards compatible to long running models already saturating the market (WRX/STI etc). Also, timing could play a factor, it isn't as dramatic as what happens in the towing industry but the winter weather brings a lot of wrecked cars to body shops, causing a trickle down effect on the salvage industry- demand goes up, supply down, you know the rest. Even on a fuxored car like this it could fetch more money.

And leaving a car with an aftermarket SC view able in the IAA search for three months wont hurt either- remember this is open to bidders worldwide not just in USA.

2/21/2014 3:08:03 PM

first crashed blown BRZ?????

2/21/2014 3:30:21 PM

I'm selling my 2006 Cayman S with 54K miles. Clean carfax. 6 speed manual. Listing at $27,500 but the TWW discount will get you $1,000 off the purchase price.

I love it but I travel waaay too much for work to be able to enjoy it.

2/21/2014 3:42:00 PM

Oh. Please list options...

2/22/2014 11:27:41 AM

and pictures or something...don't see it in CL

2/22/2014 12:22:31 PM

And the BRZ sells to bidder in Mooresboro NC for $10,750 plus fees.

2/26/2014 10:12:03 AM

Interesting, thanks for the info. I actually was contacted by someone (via ft86club.com) in Poland interested in the car. So yeah worldwide indeed!

2/27/2014 12:52:31 PM

I posted up a car comparison write up over at FT86club.com....figured I might as well share it here as well:

(WARNING: very long post [tl;dr go to bottom for pros/cons])

BRZ vs S2000 vs Cayman S

Both the S2000 and Cayman S have been compared ad nauseum to the Twins on this (and other) message forums. As I have now had experience owning all three I thought perhaps my views could help give others insight into future car purchases (or reinforce how they already feel about their current vehicle). First I will summarize each vehicle’s history with me before jumping into the pros/cons of each.

I purchased my bright red 2007 S2000 in, December of ’08, with only 4800 miles on the odometer. She was flawless, in almost brand new condition. Hell, I’m pretty sure the heat had never been used before I turned it on that very day. This was my first RWD car of any type, sports or otherwise. In true Honda fashion this car had rock solid reliability – only trouble spots were accelerated wear on the vinyl top (wore out twice before reaching 60,000 miles) and the CD player stopped working (odd given I hardly used it). The driving experience was fantastic. Very visceral and raw, with gokart like handling. The engine was a jewel – very smooth, and spun like a top up to its 8100 rpm fuel cut off. The engine sound was tame in my opinion, something I fixed with the installation of an Invidia exhaust. I loved the focused cockpit of the interior (definitely deserving of the cockpit label). Everything important was just a finger’s reach from the steering wheel, and there were no distractions. And let’s not forget about that glorious gear shifter – what a work of art, in appearance and function. It honestly baffles the mind that Honda’s gear shifters are superior to those in cars costing double, triple or even quadruple. Only issues I had with the interior were space related; I am 6’2” and could have greatly benefited from another 1-2 inches of leg room. This was my first sports car, but after 55,000 miles and 49 months I was looking to make a change in my life. I had yearned for more horsepower for a while, and a coupe. However due to a few changes in my personal life I thought it would be best to get something more practical, even if it meant less power.

Enter a Satin White Pearl BRZ Limited. From the start I knew this car’s powertrain would never impress me, but I was smitten with the handling and steering feel. And a tiny rear seat that folds into the trunk was a huge bonus. The car’s styling was fantastic, though to be fair I still felt the S2000 was a more attractive design. The brakes felt considerably stronger than the S2000s (hardware carried over from the WRX – finally some rear vented rotors). I don’t place much importance on creature comforts but the Bluetooth connectivity, heated seats, and keyless entry were very nice touches. I had always been perfectly fine with the S2000’s interior, but after being in a BRZ the S2000’s looked positively Spartan, and a bit cramped. The BRZ was a considerably quieter vehicle, and was much better for long trips. Some people have complained about the Twins transmission having short gearing but I thought it was just about perfect and prevented the necessity to constantly downshift at interstate speeds for passing maneuvers. The BRZ’s steering wheel is fantastic. Just the right diameter and thickness and while the power assist is unfortunately electric in natural I felt it offered better weight and feel than the S2000’s rack (itself also an EPS unit). The shifter itself isn’t as nice as the S2000’s, nor was its shifting action. However it is still far superior to most shifters one encounters in automobiles of sporting nature.

Unfortunately it only took a few months to realize the power level of the FA20 just wasn’t satisfactory for me. I loved the efficiency of the engine, as beating the EPA ratings proved easy to do. However, I was more than happy to trade some of that efficiency for additional power. Enter the addition of an Innovate Stage 1 supercharger (7 psi), unequal length RevWorks SS header, and Nameless over and front pipes. These modifications helped with the sound and power. Had that nice boxer burble and while the peak power gain wasn’t impressive from a numbers POV the additional power (and torque) under the curve made a bit difference. Power application wasn’t as smooth as OEM, but was still quite enjoyable (and with the windows up the supercharger whine was fun to listen to). Still, I felt like it should have felt faster…and boy did the gas mileage tank. 28-29 averages turned into 22-23 mpg, with highway mpg dropping from 34-36 to 29-30. Didn’t think the hit would be that big, but either way just a minor annoyance.

Unfortunately, as has been previously documented on this forum, I “totaled” the BRZ in November and the insurance company settled with me. At that point I considered a wide variety of cars (on paper, not in person) but not another BRZ or S2000. I still wanted a coupe, but eliminated the BRZ from the list because I knew I wouldn’t be happy with the power level – and I wasn’t going to modify one again, just didn’t seem like a good use of funds. Before buying my BRZ the year before I had seriously considered the Porsche Cayman S, and test drove a few. Even had one purchased out from under me. That being said, this time around I told myself to just get what you really want, the Cayman S.

Overall I prefer the 987.2 over the 987.1 but the ‘09+ models were out of my price range, so I settled on a nice 2006 Cayman S with 56k miles. A lot of non-Porsche owners love to harp about the engine “problems” of the 987.1 models but if any moderate research is done on the topic one will find it’s nothing to be seriously concerned with. Add to that the long term reliability questions of the newer direct injection engines (987.2) and it’s really a wash. Anyway, the CS…I love this car. I think it is absolutely gorgeous, with flowing curves all over the place. I think it does look slightly odd when you view it directly from the side, but any other angle and it’s just amazing. The interior isn’t as luxurious as one would hope for a car that originally cost $60k+ but it’s well built and no-nonsense, which is fine by me. The driving position is better than any other car I have owned, and plenty of adjustments can be made via the seat or steering wheel. Again, with my height another 1-2” of leg room would be preferable but even on long trips I’ve been comfortable enough. I’ve never owned a RWD car with hydraulic powered steering and…the steering of this car is just tops, so great. Likewise the engine is really something, more powerful than anything I have owned and it sounds fantastic when you’re really beating on it. Throttle response is pretty good, and even better if put into Sport mode. You don’t have to shift as much to accelerate quickly (6 gear at highway speeds is just fine for pulling away from annoying and/or slow drivers) but when one does shift I’ll admit the feel or action isn’t as good as the S2000 or BRZ. A kit could probably remedy this a bit. The last part of the equation, the brakes…well it’s a Porsche. Incredibly powerful and not much else needs to be said. All said and done I love this car and intend to keep her for a very long time.

3/19/2014 8:53:04 AM

The breakdown:

Running Cost:
1. BRZ – new car warranty, superb fuel efficiency, though depreciation will hit hard
2. S2000 – depreciating slowly, parts & labor reasonably priced
3. Cayman – depreciating slowly, parts & labor comparatively expensive

Reliability:
1. S2000 – it’s a Honda
2. Cayman – Porsches are well made, but when something does break/wear out it’s not cheap
3. BRZ - has well documented engine problems that Subaru seems to have no interest addressing

Interior comforts:
1. BRZ – not surprising since newest
2. Cayman – similar to S2000’s Spartan take, but better seats, more storage spots
3. S2000 – power windows and AC are comforts, right?

Interior layout:
1. S2000 – most driver focused
2. Cayman – best driving position & outward view
3. BRZ – tall dashboard, higher hood and thicker pillars than others

Interior room:
1. BRZ – plenty of leg room
2. Cayman – needs more leg room, but more seat & steering wheel adjustability than S2000
3. S2000 – needs more leg room

Stereo:
1. Cayman - 9 speakers, good bass (comparatively)
2. BRZ & S2000 tied – BRZ’s more powerful, but had pesky speaker vibrations. S2000’s not strong enough

Styling (of course this is subjective):
1. Cayman – curves curves curves, low hood thanks to MR configuration
2. S2000 – classic roadster look mixed with purposeful & taunt curves
3. BRZ - great modern design, but draconian pedestrian crash regs hurt front end styling

Exclusivity (not to be snobbish, but not everyone wants to see their car everywhere, a la Mustang):
1. Cayman (when referring to the 987 model itself – if for all Caymans past and present they will most likely be seen more often than the discontinued S2000)
2. S2000
3. BRZ

Engine:
1. Cayman – power, smoothness & exhaust note
2. S2000 - high rev nature and power
3. BRZ – yay fuel efficiency?

Transmission:
1. S2000 – really no explanation needed
2. BRZ
3. Cayman

Steering:
1. Cayman
2. BRZ - more feel & better weighting than S2000
3. S2000 – numb at times

Handling:
1. Cayman – very planted and communicable, highest limits (which yes, tires are a factor)
2. BRZ – overall benign and predictable (no jokes about me crashing it please)
3. S2000 – can be snappy at limit

Braking:
1. Cayman – no explanation needed
2. BRZ – beefy units given car’s adequate power levels
3. S2000 – less heat sink capacity than slower BRZ

Cargo Capacity:
1. BRZ – fold down seats seal the deal
2. Cayman - 2 trunks better than 1, dog can chill on engine hump if need be
3. S2000 - small trunk, no room for dog if carrying 2 people

Fuel efficiency:
1. BRZ – 2 liter engine, DI - 28/34 mpg in my hands
2. Cayman - gas mileage not as good as S2000, but good given performance – 21/25
3. S2000 - 22/27

Fun to drive:
1. Cayman - extra thrust makes all the difference
2. S2000 – gokart handling, screaming engine, drop top
3. BRZ - handling isn’t everything, needs more power

Best for long road trip:
1. BRZ – extra creature comforts and greatly superior highway gas mileage
2. Cayman – worst gas mileage but most planted car at speed, also best cruise control
3. S2000 – loudest, limited seat adjustability

Naturally this is all just mostly my opinion, and my views may be slightly biased (owned S2000 the longest, always lusted for Cayman S, purchased BRZ with a “compromised” mindset). However I hope my point of view will help others get an idea of the experience of owning each and what might be best for them if considering purchasing any (or switching from one to another). Again, all three cars are fantastic and even if I ranked one higher than another for better ____ it’s not to say that the loser was bad at _____, just not as good. All three are great sports cars that are fun to drive and put a smile on the driver’s face. If my commentary dragged on a bit too long I apologize but I wanted to include every point that I felt was necessary. Enjoy!

3/19/2014 8:53:25 AM

More like:

Quote :

"Exclusivity (not to be snobbish, but not everyone wants to see their car everywhere, a la Mustang): 1. Cayman (when referring to the 987 model itself – if for all Caymans past and present they will most likely be seen more often than the discontinued S2000) 2. BRZ 3. S2000"

[Edited on March 19, 2014 at 9:57 AM. Reason : nice write up tho!]

3/19/2014 9:51:30 AM

^Disagree. While I talk about the BRZ in my post, for all intents & purposes I'm talking about the FRS as well. Since they debuted over 30k (combined) have been sold in the US. Give it another year and you'll see even more of them. Meanwhile the S2000 has been out of production for 5 years now, and its best sales year was less than 15k, and was under 10k for most of it's life.

3/19/2014 9:56:42 AM

For me the BRZ/FRS looks wayyyy sexier than the S2000, and there are at least twice as many S2000s on the road currently. I'll concede the BRZ/FRS production numbers will surpass the S2000 at some point, but from my perspective, that doesn't mean the S2000 is more "exclusive."

[Edited on March 19, 2014 at 10:14 AM. Reason : Neither are really that "exclusive." i see both daily.]

3/19/2014 10:03:05 AM

I'm not sure why you're being so nit picky about this. It's all relative.

3/19/2014 10:49:01 AM

It's nothing to get upset about mane...just a difference of opinion.

3/19/2014 11:18:14 AM

In my opinion the BRZ/FRS look like female sports car (a la scion tc). A porsche speaks for itself.

3/19/2014 11:27:54 AM

I love everything about Cayman except styling. It is too feminine for me. Rear taillights look weird and from the side it just looks weird. Front is ok. ...but, im sure driving it makes up for it all.
enjoy man

3/19/2014 1:02:56 PM

Looks better than a boxster at least!

3/19/2014 1:06:29 PM

Quote :

"In my opinion the BRZ/FRS look like female sports car (a la scion tc). A porsche speaks for itself."

Except that the tC has obvious FWD proportions and the BRZ has a classic long hood RWD stance...

3/19/2014 3:36:43 PM

The BRZ is beautiful.

3/19/2014 3:48:23 PM

I'm surprised the Cayman Transmission was ranked 3rd... Care to share?

3/19/2014 7:18:53 PM

The throws are shorter and more accurate in the S2000 and BRZ. Better feeling and better made shifters too. Boggles the mind that while the S2000's shifter is composed of metal and leather, the BRZ's leather and thick plastic, that the Cayman's shifter is noticeably lighter and is almost entirely composed of cheap feeling plastic.

3/20/2014 8:19:45 AM

Less linkage

3/20/2014 9:09:55 AM

True that, transmission is further away.

3/20/2014 2:43:35 PM

I saw an elderly lady driving a newish corvette today... sure as shit, she was driving slower than a prius owner.

Anywho, I thought to myself, if I have the money to waste on a new Corvette, wouldn't I have the money to buy something much cooler?

Would I? Or are Corvettes (not classic ones) really that cool?

*when I say buy, I mean buy new

[Edited on March 20, 2014 at 3:04 PM. Reason : buy new; not newish; the one I saw was newish.]

3/20/2014 2:50:57 PM

Depends on the car, if I had 40k to spend on a car I'd get a C6-Z06 in a heartbeat. But if I had 100k the Zr1 would be at the bottom of a long list of cars. My next new to me car will be a C6-Z06, I personally love vettes

3/20/2014 2:59:50 PM

TKE, does your '06 cayman S have limited slip?

3/20/2014 3:35:34 PM

I would not drop 60k+ on a new vette. But I'm not 55 and suffering from low test.

What does a Cayman run in the 1/4? Also does it snap parts if you launch hard?

3/20/2014 3:39:01 PM

Quote :

"What does a Cayman run in the 1/4? Also does it snap parts if you launch hard?"

who cares what a cayman runs at the drag strip? (I would not even consider that metric for such a class of car)

3/20/2014 3:52:46 PM

1/4 mile is a good test of pure acceleration. I'm sure no one cares what GTR's, Carrera GT's, etc run either.

3/20/2014 3:56:40 PM

Pat, good choice. I have been shopping around for a used Cayman S as well. What a fun car to drive. It doesn't help that I am almost surrounded by them in the parking lot at work.

Jerks.

4/4/2014 10:47:10 AM

^^I see what you're getting at, but it's just not something I wonder about on those cars.

4/4/2014 10:49:17 AM

Quote :

"TKE, does your '06 cayman S have limited slip?"

Nope, it's open. With all the weight in the back though it's never an issue. Only exception I could think of is maybe a super tight AutoX turn.

Quote :

"What does a Cayman run in the 1/4? Also does it snap parts if you launch hard?"

according to R&T's road test in 2006:
0-60 in 4.8
0-100 in 11.7
1/4 mile in 13.3 @ 106.2 mph
top speed 171 mph
60-0 in 110 ft
80-0 in 190 ft
Lateral accel - 0.96g
700 ft slalom - 71.7 mph

Snap parts if launch hard? I honestly don't know. I think it would depend on the surface. However it's pretty easy to break traction in 1st gear when already going 20-25 mph and when I've done that there's been a bit of axle hop

By the by, a lot of people interested in Caymans try to talk themselves out of it by believing in the IMS failure hype. The M97.1 engine (06-08), while having an IMS, is a solid engine. Once you dig through all the internet hype one finds that there are only 1-3 legitimate confirmed and verified instances of IMS failure killing this engine.

4/4/2014 11:06:17 AM

Caymen probably wouldn't break anything on the hard launch without a clutch change and slicks or something. The transaxle is pretty beefy and the clutch isn't so much.

My .02 from when I was shopping boxsters for the wife before we got the jeep.

4/4/2014 11:30:51 AM

apparently I'm not the only one around here that went from a BRZ to a Cayman S...

3/17/2015 11:05:16 AM

While shopping for a cayman s I picked up a c6z51. Its not refined like a cayman or s2000, more of an american bulldog "brute force" kind of car. Comfortable, reliable, great GT car

3/17/2015 11:16:07 AM

It's a great sports car if you're on a track and driving the wheels off of it.

3/17/2015 8:17:28 PM

sup, Pat


So I sold my BRZ and just purchased a Cayman S last week. 06, Black, pretty much optioned out just like Pat's, but mine has 100k miles. Got the PPI and it was clear (no mods) and it had a verifiable maintenance history.

I love this car for reasons already mentioned, and I think TKE-Teg's comparison to the BRZ is pretty accurate. He is totally right on about the shifter. The throws are longer and just not as "positive" as with the BRZ.

Pics:
http://imgur.com/a/2CHXR

[Edited on March 18, 2015 at 2:55 PM. Reason : ]

3/18/2015 2:30:43 PM

Congrats! They are great cars, so much fun to drive. Yesterday at VIR I got to play around with a Cayman R, they’re so much faster on track than the #s would indicate. I recommend you take it to a track or an auto-x!

BTW, there was a BRZ owner there who seemed to be eyeing a Cayman S pretty closely lol

3/18/2015 3:05:19 PM

Would you rate a Cayman S above a C7? Guy at work traded a White on Black Z51 C7 for a Cayman S. I scratch my head daily looking at his car.

3/18/2015 7:29:17 PM

I chuckled earlier because you were asking about the quarter mile time of a Cayman and when somebody said it didn't matter you just couldn't swallow that...

I think the cayman is a GREAT car. It's a nice place to spend time, and it's a fantastic car to drive if you appreciate the things it offers. It's a capable, willing, well put together package. It is not for everyone... If you value quarter mile times above feel, it won't be the one for you.

I'm sure that sounds a bit conceited? I'd be happy to show you my GT3 and explain why/what I like about it. It's SO much slower than my previous 911 turbo, AND it's less practical, it's also a lot more expensive, yet I love it... Because to me, acceleration isn't the only metric

3/18/2015 10:27:20 PM

I have to agree. The Cayman S is one of the most refined cars I've ever been in. It's a scalpel in a drawer full of steak knives... It should be a benchmark for any sports car segment.

3/19/2015 12:03:52 AM

^^,^

Combining both those statements.

You wouldn't use a scalpel to carve a turkey, you wouldn't use a carving knife for open heart surgery.

3/19/2015 7:25:04 AM