rawr2is250

Cayman FTW!

jacksonlui

thanks to all those that have responded, even to the immature ones which had no value add.
it was a legitimate question. i know they are vastly different cars. i want the cayman for looks and fun and the lexus for comfort and space. can't really have both, the only way is to buy both.
I've owned a 325i, RX300, RX350, CT200H, GS35, etc.. None of these had everything I wanted. The 325i came close but the transmission cost me $5k to fix, I'll never buy a BMW again. Lexus is great but after about 10 yrs it doesn't feel new anymore and the leather smells cheap after a while. The BMW almost felt and smelled the same after 10 yrs. The GS35 was fun. CT200H feels cheap and sluggish to me, it's what I drive now. It feels more like a Toyota than a Lexus. Hence I'm looking ahead at different options. If you're looking for more of a classic comparison then it would be the GS350 vs. A6.
A6 looks like a winner but historically Audii's have had a spotty reliability record; I don't know if they've fixed that yet. I don't think anyone can come close to Lexus's reliability and comfort which is probably the most important in terms of practicality. In my book, I'd still put the Lexus ahead by a little although the A6 has me looking.

sick21

A6 3.0T with black optics pkg is what I seriously wanted. But the residuals were so low on the Audi that it was going to cost way more than my F Sport (leasing). Also the center stack of the A6 is kinda funky looking, the GS won me over with the giant infotainment screen and leather stitching EVERYWHERE!

NewSpace

You ought to have framed the thread a bit differently to reflect the fact that you were in the market for a new car and assessing the myriad options. That's much more fun than pitching it as a head to head of incomparable cars. Better results too. That said, have you test driven the GS a few times to get the feel?

bocahoo

I don't know how Audi does it. I cross shopped the A6 3.0T with the GS and it was a 50% per month premium. And that was after they tried to close the gap with the Lexus monthly payment. The sales guy kept trying to sell me on the fact that at lease end I would have a purchase price that more closely reflects the market value for the car. I explained to him that it does me no good since I plan to turn the car back in. Meanwhile I would have paid an extra ~$11K in lease payments over the 36 month term with the Audi.

I like the A6, but it's not even close to being considered at a 50% premium

sick21

Exactly why I don't drive an A6. I could not afford it. Leasing one is almost like just financing for 72mo which is pointless.

5thavenue

I wouldn't say random.

The Porsche Cayman base model and the Lexus GS350 Luxury were the only cars that I ever considered. I never looked at or considered an A6, CTS, 5 series, E-class, etc. Only the Cayman and the GS350. I definitely didn't compare the Cayman to the RC either because the RC looks cheap on the inside (same reason why I'd never consider an IS).

I'm married with 2 children but I don't NEED a 4 door car. My wife drives a minivan.
I simply wanted a luxury car with some performance to it and a decent amount of features.
I really liked the Cayman based on the look, sound, handling, exclusivity.
A base Cayman with everything I would get on it was an MSRP of ~$73,000 vs. ~$62,000 for the GS.
$11,000 is a pretty big difference but I was willing to spend it if I felt that it was worth it.

After test driving the Cayman I decided not to get it because there was a severe lag between the time I put my foot on the pedal to the time the car moved. This seems to be a large problem if you get the automatic with the base engine. I've seen videos of people who had the same experience that I had and the lag can almost last for a full second. Already the Cayman's 0-60 was only something like .1 seconds faster than the GS but after adding in the long delay it made it feel so much slower off of the line. I just couldn't see myself paying an extra 11k for a car that not only felt slower than the GS but also was dangerous because of the lag. If I got the S model then I could have avoided the lag but then the price was around $85,000, which was more than I wanted to pay. The base Cayman to me had the price of a sports car but didn't have the speed I expected. The handling was awesome though!

It's still hard for me to say which vehicle I would have chosen or liked better had the base Cayman not had the initial lag. I do love my GS though!

supraken

Drove the Cayman GTS on the track a couple of weekends ago. Best handling Porsche in their lineup with a proper MR layout unlike the 911's which obviously felt rear heavy.

Cayman GTS and the GS are completely different leagues in terms of performance. The GS is too heavy and does exhibit mild understeer at the limit, where as the Cayman feels balanced all the way through. The exhaust sound on the GTS is addictive, the GS is too quiet for my taste, although it does have a decent engine/intake note. Price-wise the GS is probably cheaper than a built-out base Cayman, and the GTS is just way over that range when you get one with some basic options.

If you can live with a 2 seater, go with the Cayman. The Macan Turbo as mentioned above is worth a look if you need the room and performance. It handles very well.

jacksonlui

it's pretty clear to me that if you can live with a 2 seater, a little less comfort/convenience, and trunk space go with a Cayman.

What about a S7 and GS comparison? Before guys go nuts and says different league and that the A6/S6 would be a better comparison let me say that the A6 is ugly imo and the GS is a much better value. However, the S7 is an awesome car with a much better engine. IF price was not an issue can the S7 match the GS in interior quality and comfort?
Most people say the GS is too numb but if the S7 was able to catch up in luxury and reliability, the S7 would win every time. Just want to hear people's thoughts on the two if price wasn't really a factor. Has anyone driven/own both late model cars who can chime in?

thanks
Jack

SW17LS

Who exactly says this?

ItzFilyO

It doesn't feel numb when I drive in Sport+ mode.

SW17LS

Previous GS models may have been considered "numb" but not the 4GS.

sick21

The GS doesn't compare to an S7. But might a little with an A7.

And sorry but the A6/S6 isn't ugly. You just have bad taste. All reviews state it's strikingly handsome, unlike the 5 series.

SW17LS

I don't see what could be considered ugly about an A6. You could make the argument that its plain or bland, but part of the possibility of it seeming bland also negates the possibility of it being ugly. I think the A6 is a very handsome car.

I could see why someone would call the GS ugly. I don't think its ugly, but it has a uniqueness and aggressiveness to it that invites that "love it or hate it" reaction. The A6 isn't that way.

natnut

Problem with the A6/A7 is that it is still at its core a FWD sedan. You can feel it in the steering and when it takes a corner.

The outright grip might be more than a GS but the GS just feels more lively and tossable than a Quattro equipped A6/A7.