What would you buy and why?

[Kor]

Just throwing this question out there. I'm really concerned about resale value as well, wondering what people think will depreciate the least in 3 years.

2006 BMW M-Coupe vs 2006 Porsche Cayman S

Porsche



Advantages:
- Great reviews!
- 90% of a 911 for 60% of the money
- Easy to drive
- Less depreciation (not sure)
- Fairly timeless Porsche styling

Disadvantages:
- Spartan interior!
- Expensive in class.
- Stigma of being a "lesser Porsche"
- Some say underpowered

BMW



Advantages:
- Better power to weight ratio
- Less expensive (about 1/6th less)

Disadvantages
- More depreciation? A la M3 (-33% in first year)
- Harder to drive!
- Less exclusive? (not sure)
- Styling may become dated

Keep second guessing and flip flopping thinking about these two cars.

Also have seen a lot of older folks in the M Coupe and don't really want to go with a car that has a geezer image Do they both?

A guy at work is convinced that the M Coupe is rarer in Canada and that the Cayman S will lose value if they upgrade it (rumored) and as the 997 becomes more common on the used market. I think that the M Coupe is more common and that it is likely to follow the M3 depreciation curve which is significant. The new M3 is so much more powerful too that I think it will help bury the M Coupe.

I really think I only plan on keeping the car for a few years and will only be driving it in summer and keeping the km's down (~5k/year).

I know either would be fun to drive, so its more about what will hold its value and stay good looking for a few years if kept in good shape.

[Russell]

Re: What would you buy and why?

I am a true Porsche lover

[RSS]

Re: What would you buy and why?

For some reason i hate the Cayman it just looks so ugly on the back end 944 mixed with a boxter is the only thing that comes to mind. Go M coupe so nice sat in the one at the car show very nice.

[Kor]

Re: What would you buy and why?

Bah your opinions are not helping my decision making process!

[R_Ethug]

Re: What would you buy and why?

porsche because its a porsche plus the reviews are good

[James]

Re: What would you buy and why?

Yeah thats a tough call...I've never driven an M coupe but i have driven an M sedan, and obviously have driven a cayman quite a bit.

As you mentioned, power to weight is better on the BMW but the mid engine in the porsche is gonna make it more manuaverable. Interior on the cayman IS pretty crap for a car worth that much, bmw has them beat hands down here.

as for the resale question...well typically people buying that type of car aren't too concerned with that but I would put my money on the porsche holding its value better. While BMW and Porsche are certianly in the same league with alot of their models, the porsche entry level pricing is so much higher that I feel regardless of model the vag will keep a high value (and lookin at used cayman pricing confirms this haha)

[Kor]

Re: What would you buy and why?

I was hoping for some more comments on how you guys think they will resell/depreciate and the general rarity in Canada.

Edit: Driving the M Coupe tonight :P Cayman in a couple days I hope.

[R_Ethug]

Re: What would you buy and why?

lol kris new job doing well for you !

[Kor]

Re: What would you buy and why?

Well I sold the Jetta and parts for quite a lot, and I own a house now so I can get home owner credit and go into debt The strong dollar also makes picking one of these up in the US very attractive right now.

The car I really want is an RS4, but pricing is too prohibitive.

I really like the Porsche and I think it will depreciate less, but I know in my gut that the performance and interior are both better on the M.

[Billip]

Re: What would you buy and why?

I can't really offer too much objective info, but I have a few subjective thoughts of my own. I think you need to worry less about resale value. I know, it's expensive, but in the end what are we talking about? A few thousand dollars after a few years? I can honestly say I didn't give a single thought to resale value when I bought my TT. Maybe I dumb for that, it's possible, but ignorance is bliss.

I see a lot of Porsche's around these days, and of course most of them are the Boxster or Cayman. It's kinda the Honda Civic of sports cars (of that price bracket). Sure it's good, but everybody has one. Now the M on the other hand is a car I really like. Cool styling, excellent performance, better interior than the Porsche... sounds good to me. I certainly see less of them than Porsche's.

I say stop thinking about depreciation so much and get the car you really want... the M coupe.

PS: I don't think a car that looks like the M coupe will ever have a "geezer" image. In one sense, the Cayman, M coupe and TT are all geezer cars... because for the most part, only geezers can afford them! When I was at Glenmore Audi a week ago there were 2 people in there that had just bought TT's. Both were definitely over 50. Is is surprising that there will be a higher percentage of older people driving expensive cars? Nah. So my advice is also don't care about which car is a geezer car. Just pick the one you like.

PPS: So far the poll results are indicative of my general feeling: Porsche is more popular. So get the M coupe.

[Kor]

Re: What would you buy and why?

I haven't really seen many Caymans around town, and the impression I also get from SCFC is that not that many have sold. Maybe you are downtown a lot and so see them more, but I don't think that it is really that common of a car yet? Is it? I have seen a few M's and a lot more M's than Caymans on deerfoot.

I do prefer the styling on the Cayman and I also think I would baby the car a little more if it was the Porsche, which might be a good thing. On the BMW I would get the "mod itch" a bit more and be tempted to do all kinds of terrible things. I'm not sure I want to open that can of worms, trying to find a car I will be happy with stock this time 'round. Otherwise I start dreaming about 500hp blown M3's or Stage III TT's and other stuff :(

Resale is really important to me, I might be fooling myself but to spend this much on a car I really need to treat it like an equity item rather than a loss. Especially since I do want an RS4 some day and see this car as a stepping stone and not a keeper.

Sigh.

Maybe I will know after a test drive. Calgary BMW is getting back to me a lot faster than SCFC too... maybe 'cause I went to SCFC with Bart, they got me on a blacklist now...

[liquid]

Re: What would you buy and why?

Ok so here's my take..... and granted I am somewhat biased. The M-coupe has been one of my favourite cars since it originally came out based on the Z3 platform. That car has always been considered a great "drivers car", and IMHO had a unique look that distinguished it from everything else on the road.

I would go for the M-Coupe for multiple reasons. I've looked at the pricing on the M-Coupe even for myself (hopefully sometime soon), and it's great bang for your buck. Plus it's also something you don't see very often. In my opinion, and maybe this is just my personality... I like something different.

The base price on the M-Coupe is not bad, at just a shade under 70k. Compare that to a Cayman at about 70k or a Cayman-S at 83K, and I think you're getting more for your money with the M-coupe; especially comparing engines.

If you go with the M-Coupe, don't be suprised if I decide to follow suit maybe next year

[Billip]

Re: What would you buy and why?

I have the impression that there are more Cayman's around, but maybe my mind lumps together Cayman's and Boxster's. I haven't really looked intently for them (like you do when you are purchasing one), so maybe I am wrong.

I wanted to stir up the pot with my post, and it seems it worked because you posted up more thoughts that you are having.

Please post up driving impressions you have when you test drive them.

[R_Ethug]

Re: What would you buy and why?

kris i'd say follow your heart to the rs4 lol but yea thats a spicy meatball to buy.. like bill said test both and go from there..

[Chris]

Re: What would you buy and why?

Why don't you just get an RS4 now?

You could pick one up in the US for $70K.