Z4M vs Cayman/Boxster and M2- ride quality and ownership

beanie

beanie

Active member
 Bournemouth/Turin
I've been eyeing up Caymans and Boxsters lately but was wondering how they ride compared to a Z4M. There are plenty of reviews to look at but seeing as a few here have some experience with them I was hoping for some real world opinions.

I also quite like the look of the M2 and despite it being a modern, turbocharged family car in drag :fuelfire: I wonder if it might be a great antidote to the raw and sometimes tiresome Z4M, so I'd also be interested in any feedback on those as well :)

The main reason for the wavering love of mine is that I'm tiring of the crashy suspension in the Z4 and instead of trying to solve it with the aftermarket, I thought I might be better off just jumping ship. Also, ive had my car five years now and whilst I'm not entirely convinced I want to change, I wouldn't mind trying something else before my girlfriend invests all of my car fund :D
 
Funnily enough, I was thinking it might be a good solution to use the roadster setup if it comes to doing a suspension refresh :o

Not sure how much difference it's likely to make though :?
 
From my limited experience of a Cayman S, I'd say the perfect compromise would me the Cayman chassis and the BMW S54 engine.

I found the ride, brakes & seats much better in the Cayman, and it felt more planted on bumpy sweepers than the Z4MC, but the power delivery felt a bit 'underwhelming'. I'm sure a later car or the GTS/GT4 would help there, but you're looking at a lot more money for those.

If I had the choice of identical spec Z4MC or a Cayman S for the same money, then I'd find it hard to choose.
 
beanie said:
Funnily enough, I was thinking it might be a good solution to use roadster setup if it comes to doing a suspension refresh :o

Not sure how much difference it's likely to make though :?
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It's not mostly down to just the suspension though - you'd have to remove half of the structural/torsional rigidity of the coupe to match that of the roadster.
 
As good as the S54 is, it's not without its worries/issues and that's also a part of my reasons for thinking of something else. Not that Porsches aren't without their share of problems, but I'd look to avoid the troublesome models and try to get in to a 981 S if I could.

A gts would be lovely but they're beyond me unfortunately :(
 
mmm-five said:
It's not mostly down to just the suspension though - you'd have to remove half of the structural/torsional rigidity of the coupe to match that of the roadster.
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I'm pretty nifty with a grinder and a holesaw, how hard can it be?!
 
mmm-five said:
beanie said:
Funnily enough, I was thinking it might be a good solution to use roadster setup if it comes to doing a suspension refresh :o

Not sure how much difference it's likely to make though :?
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It's not mostly down to just the suspension though - you'd have to remove half of the structural/torsional rigidity of the coupe to match that of the roadster.
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Even if you halved the torsional rigidity of the coupe you wouldn’t notice.
 
mmm-five said:
From my limited experience of a Cayman S, I'd say the perfect compromise would me the Cayman chassis and the BMW S54 engine.

I found the ride, brakes & seats much better in the Cayman, and it felt more planted on bumpy sweepers than the Z4MC, but the power delivery felt a bit 'underwhelming'. I'm sure a later car or the GTS/GT4 would help there, but you're looking at a lot more money for those.

If I had the choice of identical spec Z4MC or a Cayman S for the same money, then I'd find it hard to choose.
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I would agree with this. If they made a Cayman with a GT3 MK1 engine, that would be perfect. Or it would in a convertible form for me, one of the reasons I got bored with a 911.

Even the GT4 feels slower than it is, due to insanely long gearing and a ton of grip. The new 718S models finally have decent grunt, but sound awful. Damm quick though.

The Z4 roadsters (remember it was designed as a drop top), are extremely stiff ( nearly 3 x more ridged than a Z3, stiffer than an E46 Coupe..) and ride OK, provided the dampers are in good condition. Goodyear F1s also help the ride quite a bit, being a bit wider than the norm too. The ride is quite similar to a 991 or 981 / 718 on 20" wheels.
 
981 Cayman S is a wonderful car and corners like nothing I have ever been in. Great ride and although firm, it is quite forgiving. It is well insulated in the cabin from noise but you are aware of the exhaust noise. The Z4M is more fun and a lot more raw. Noise is everywhere from tyres, wind and more importantly the axe weilding maniac behind the bulk head.

Out of my two I have one that I love on the outside and one that makes grin when I am on the inside.

H.
 
Thanks for your input guys. I have in no way reached any kind of decision on this but it's good to get balanced opinions from those with experience. :)

I think the root of my 'problem' is that I've got an itch to change something (well, that and the appalling state of the Italian roads) Whether that's the components of the Z4 or the entire car I'm not sure, but it's annoying to have something so close to being brilliant but at the same time something that never fails to frustrate me in some way or another.

The 981 S appeals hugely at the moment as it seems to offer a blend of attributes that I 'think' will satisfy me more of the time than those of the M. Whether the trade off in excitement/fear is worth it I don't know, especially as my cars primary use is for fun. I'll have to try one at some point to get a better idea, though it may be some time before I can.

Coilovers are a subject where I remain unconvinced, all too often I've read of 'miracle' suspension that lowers, stiffens and yet somehow improves the ride. Most of the time it turns out to be rubbish and the truth only comes out much further down the line after the owners try something else or the buyer justification wears off. I'm not saying that's always the case, and I'd love to be wrong about it, but In my experience you don't often get to have your cake and eat it, especially with suspension. That said, I am tempted :lol:
 
beanie said:
Thanks for your input guys. I have in no way reached any kind of decision on this but it's good to get balanced opinions from those with experience. :)

I think the root of my 'problem' is that I've got an itch to change something (well, that and the appalling state of the Italian roads) Whether that's the components of the Z4 or the entire car I'm not sure, but it's annoying to have something so close to being brilliant but at the same time something that never fails to frustrate me in some way or another.

The 981 S appeals hugely at the moment as it seems to offer a blend of attributes that I 'think' will satisfy me more of the time than those of the M. Whether the trade off in excitement/fear is worth it I don't know, especially as my cars primary use is for fun. I'll have to try one at some point to get a better idea, though it may be some time before I can.

Coilovers are a subject where I remain unconvinced, all too often I've read of 'miracle' suspension that lowers, stiffens and yet somehow improves the ride. Most of the time it turns out to be rubbish and the truth only comes out much further down the line after the owners try something else or the buyer justification wears off. I'm not saying that's always the case, and I'd love to be wrong about it, but In my experience you don't often get to have your cake and eat it, especially with suspension. That said, I am tempted :lol:
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If you buy good quality coilovers it's entirely possible, OEM suspension is built to a budget. The z4m standard suspension is awful, a decent setup transforms the car.

No buyer justification here, sold my Cayman S to buy the z4m a few years back :thumbsup:
 
Franzino-thanks for that. I must have missed it first time around :thumbsup:

RedUn- Any regrets after the change?
 
No I don't regret it at all, as a second car the Cayman didn't feel special enough for me. It was a very very good car and technically brilliant but it was too refined, the gear ratios too long and the handling was quite plain...
 
I currently own a Z4 3.0i and two Z4M’s, and for the last year I’ve been daily driving a 987.2 Cayman S.

The Cayman does a better job coping with large bumps. You can do things in the Cayman you simply cannot do in the Z... primarily because it’s so predictable that you can place it EXACTLY where you want, to the millimeter. You will not beat the handling of a mid-engined Porsche with a flat engine, especially when comparing it to the Z4’s beefed up E46-based chassis. The Cayman does feel special, ironically even more so with PDK. It’s almost like a mini Ferrari, banging through the gears and wailing near redline. After purchasing it, I’ve found I like the design more than I expected. ALL CAYMAN OWNERS NEED TO DRIVE AROUND WITH THE ENGINE COVER OFF AT LEAST ONCE. The 9A1 engine is more reliable and lower maintenance than the S54. The suspension won’t wear out as quickly. Porsche brakes are better.

The Z4 was my first love, which hasn’t faded. The Z4M has better steering feel and an engine capable of making serious power (both my M’s are supercharged). There is more legroom in the Z4 than 987.2, but the 981 has about the same amount of legroom as the Z4. The Cayman feels like a more capable and better non-M Z4, while the Z4M feels like a beefed up Z4 where everything is heavy duty. The Z4 is easier to work on, although it’s not so much easier that it would affect my purchase desicision.

Stock for stock, I’d take the Cayman over a Z4M (but barely). Of my current cars, I’d take a supercharged Z4M first and the Cayman S second. A modded Z4M is immensely capable and even more fun than a modded Cayman. FWIW, my Cayman S PDK runs 12.5 in the 1/4 mile with mods, and my ESS Z4M ran an 11.7 before I added another 50 horsepower.

While the Cayman is the better handling car with a great wailing engine, it will never be a 550 hp 8k rpm monster.
 
pokeybritches said:
I currently own a Z4 3.0i and two Z4M’s, and for the last year I’ve been daily driving a 987.2 Cayman S.

The Cayman does a better job coping with large bumps. You can do things in the Cayman you simply cannot do in the Z... primarily because it’s so predictable that you can place it EXACTLY where you want, to the millimeter. You will not beat the handling of a mid-engined Porsche with a flat engine, especially when comparing it to the Z4’s beefed up E46-based chassis. The Cayman does feel special, ironically even more so with PDK. It’s almost like a mini Ferrari, banging through the gears and wailing near redline. After purchasing it, I’ve found I like the design more than I expected. ALL CAYMAN OWNERS NEED TO DRIVE AROUND WITH THE ENGINE COVER OFF AT LEAST ONCE. The 9A1 engine is more reliable and lower maintenance than the S54. The suspension won’t wear out as quickly. Porsche brakes are better.

The Z4 was my first love, which hasn’t faded. The Z4M has better steering feel and an engine capable of making serious power (both my M’s are supercharged). There is more legroom in the Z4 than 987.2, but the 981 has about the same amount of legroom as the Z4. The Cayman feels like a more capable and better non-M Z4, while the Z4M feels like a beefed up Z4 where everything is heavy duty. The Z4 is easier to work on, although it’s not so much easier that it would affect my purchase desicision.

Stock for stock, I’d take the Cayman over a Z4M (but barely). Of my current cars, I’d take a supercharged Z4M first and the Cayman S second. A modded Z4M is immensely capable and even more fun than a modded Cayman. FWIW, my Cayman S PDK runs 12.5 in the 1/4 mile with mods, and my ESS Z4M ran an 11.7 before I added another 50 horsepower.

While the Cayman is the better handling car with a great wailing engine, it will never be a 550 hp 8k rpm monster.
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Mega impressive drag time. possible to get into the high 10s with proper tyre setup and abit of practice???
 
I also now have an M2 and a Z4M Coupe (which will shortly be for sale).

Much as i like the Z4M it was starting to feel a bit too long in the tooth for me. I'd had it for 7 years and it was time for a change.

Speed wise, there is not a huge difference between the two. The main difference is that the M2 has a lot more torque lower down so you feel the shove in the back from any revs as opposed to the feeling of the power building and then peaking as the revs rise in the Z4M. From a handling perspective the M2 is a lot more stable on the road. The suspension is still firm and a bit bumpy, but it absorbs the undulations on the road rather than being thrown around by the them which is how the Z4M always feels to me. You have to proactively steer the Z4 to keep it in a straight line when the road is bumpy and you're pushing on whereas the M2 tracks in a straight line better without so much input from the driver. Both sound great. The Z4M sounds great when the revs rise and that metallic note to the engine that people talk about comes into play. The M2 is actually noisier, exhaust noise is apparently replayed in the car through the stereo which you can't turn off and there is much more noise from the tyres. But the engine still sounds good and when you change down and the ecu blips the throttle to rev match for you it sounds great, fake or not!

Internally, the M2 is a nicer place to be, mainly because it just newer and the tech is easier to use.

I really like the M2. Its performance is amazing, the road tax is lower, fuel economy is better and as mine came with a 5 year service pack running costs will be lower as well. If you ignore the depreciation i'll no doubt suffer with the M2, i've actually economised by buying the M2 :D

However, when i first sat in the car i'd bought and drove away from the dealer i felt slightly disappointed. That feeling soon wore off, but ultimately its a just a very fast and capable saloon car. You sit higher in the M2 than the Z4M and the car feels much bigger around you, whereas the Z4M coupe always felt more special to me.

That being said, i've had my Z4m for 7 years and its time for a change. I have a habit of keeping cars i like for a while. I had 2 honda S2000's which i kept for a total of 7 years before the Z4m. I'll enjoy the M2 for a while, but at this point i can't see me keeping the M2 for anything like that long. That being said, i bought the M2 because its the only thing available for around £40k that i liked so lets see what comes on to the market in the next couple of years.
 
Lower said:
I also now have an M2 and a Z4M Coupe (which will shortly be for sale).

Much as i like the Z4M it was starting to feel a bit too long in the tooth for me. I'd had it for 7 years and it was time for a change.
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I have my Z4M 8 years and my M2 15 months.

Lower said:
Speed wise, there is not a huge difference between the two. The main difference is that the M2 has a lot more torque lower down so you feel the shove in the back from any revs as opposed to the feeling of the power building and then peaking as the revs rise in the Z4M. From a handling perspective the M2 is a lot more stable on the road. The suspension is still firm and a bit bumpy, but it absorbs the undulations on the road rather than being thrown around by the them which is how the Z4M always feels to me. You have to proactively steer the Z4 to keep it in a straight line when the road is bumpy and you're pushing on whereas the M2 tracks in a straight line better without so much input from the driver. Both sound great. The Z4M sounds great when the revs rise and that metallic note to the engine that people talk about comes into play. The M2 is actually noisier, exhaust noise is apparently replayed in the car through the stereo which you can't turn off and there is much more noise from the tyres. But the engine still sounds good and when you change down and the ecu blips the throttle to rev match for you it sounds great, fake or not!
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Correct about the performance, the drive, etc...but the fake exhaust noise thru the speakers (ASD) is indeed horrible and sounds fake. I turned it off with a bypass cable in my car.

Lower said:
Internally, the M2 is a nicer place to be, mainly because it just newer and the tech is easier to use.

I really like the M2. Its performance is amazing, the road tax is lower, fuel economy is better and as mine came with a 5 year service pack running costs will be lower as well. If you ignore the depreciation i'll no doubt suffer with the M2, i've actually economised by buying the M2 :D
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Fuel economy in my manual M2 is the same as in my Z4M....besides depreciation a M2 is actually a cheap sporty car to run (cheaper then my Z4M...but that car is 12 years old a car that is 1 year old).

Lower said:
However, when i first sat in the car i'd bought and drove away from the dealer i felt slightly disappointed. That feeling soon wore off, but ultimately its a just a very fast and capable saloon car. You sit higher in the M2 than the Z4M and the car feels much bigger around you, whereas the Z4M coupe always felt more special to me.
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Z4M does feel more special and unique... But as a daily car I prefer my M2. The M2 does so many things so well (street - track - comfort - handy - speed - excitement) for a rather ok price.
 
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