GTS_Garage

Anyone daily drive a 718 spyder? Pros? Cons? I'm not worried about trunk space or only having two seats. My biggest concern is the top. How's the road noise? Any issues with retaining heat when colder/AC when warmer? Any waterproof issues? On the list for the RS spyder but wife is pushing for something a bit more "practical". This would be my first Porsche.

TXshaggy

It comes up occasionally.

Try an advanced search

Here is an example.

https://rennlist.com/forums/718-gts-...18-spyder.html

GTS_Garage

thanks! That was a super helpful starting spot!

Jay9722

I have never daily’d any of my Porsches…not even the Macan GTS. However, I drove my Spyder about 180 miles from my Charleston home, all highway, to a small coastal town in Georgia. The roads weren’t the best, traffic was bad at times and there was a lot of rain. I didn’t enjoy it. The car was filthy inside and out the entire time. It broke my heart to see it looking so crappy. Getting in and out of the car became a real chore especially in parking lots. I’m a big guy so I have to slide the seat all the way back and open the door all the way. Given that the weather was warm/hot and pretty muggy I dealt with some foggy windows early in the morning. I had to struggle to find the hot/cold sweet spot on rainy days or the windows would stay foggy. And blind spots in traffic can be tricky.
With all this being said I still LOVE my car. But it is not a good daily for me. I am very particular about driving a clean car inside and out. I am not a rainy day driver either. The top is usually down. If you have to daily the car then be prepared to give up some creature comforts and most definitely expect door dings, rock chips, wheel rash, windshield pitting, etc. Just my .02

GTS_Garage

that’s helpful! I daily’d a viper for a while so create comforts are a foreign concept to me haha

lucycan

I'm guessing if you are ok with a Viper as a DD you MIGHT be ok with a 718.

TXshaggy

Perhaps it’d be beneficial to define what “daily” would entail for you.

It’s a good hvac system, but the top only consists of a single layer of canvas. More of a NVH consideration than temps.

It can be done, if you’re banging around an urban environment it wouldn’t be for me.

Spyder RS less so.

Jay9722

Just to clarify my earlier post. I drove 180 miles to the coastal town and spent two weeks there. That’s where I experienced my less than ideal conditions…

Bob Z.

When I worked I used to drive a Viper to work about half the time, suburbs and city driving (30 minutes each way) and I would have no problem doing the same in my Spyder.

MaddMike

I live on the outskirts of a small city and have about a 20 mile commute to work. That can be mainly highway or I can take some back roads and make it interesting.

I use my (base) Spyder as part of my rotation of "daily" drivers. I also ride a motorcycle some days for less creature comfort and more excitement but I have serious cars too for days when I have to be on a call or inclement weather. So, technically my Spyder is daily with an asterix.

That being said, I would think the Spyder RS with a roof that really needs two people to operate is much less so. I drive 95% of the time with the roof down and where I park at work is covered so I leave it down. With an RS, will you ask someone to help you with the roof every time or figure out how to do it on your own? Will the roof be too much of a PITA so you just leave it up negating the joy of the Spyder? Is the inside too loud that any calls or meetings you may be on are just impossible to attend? Its a Porsche so it will be waterproof. However, it will be loud. The heat and the AC work great and it is a small space so no issues there.

I think the base Spyder is much better as a normal, daily car and the RS is more of a weekend toy.

Zeus993

Having lived with all kinds of Porsches over the last 10 years, I would conclude that the 911 Turbo cab (confortable seats, electric top...) was the BEST daily driver of the bunch. Now it didn't perform like I wanted it to on the local hills and canyons, so I did trade it in on a Spyder and picked up a VW Golf for ripping around as a DD. I personally think THIS is the best combo. The Spyder by itself is not great for a DD. That's just not what it's designed for. And to get it all dirited up with daily driving? I echo Jay9722's sentiments.

I would DD a Macan but then it's not super fun in the twisties. So...

MrFunk

I just took delivery of mine last week.

I drove it 1100 miles home from PECATL
I have the bucket seats. I found them very comfortable for the long 2 day drive home - but I would not want to be climbing in and out all day every day. I had the top up most of the drive as it was very hot... AC did a fine job... Road noise is high even with the roof up... wide tires and no insulation... The roof buffets a bit too so you get that noise also. With the valves closed the engine is very quiet on the highway.

The Soft top isn't something you'd want to daily - going to the grocery store, post office, etc - all those small tasks... it would be a pain to be putting it up and down multiple times a day every day year round.

If it were my ONLY car I'd option the 18 way seats... and I'd go with the GTS for the powered roof.

Adrift

Unless you just gotta have the humps, get the GTS with sofas as a daily. And that's assuming you just gotta have the 4L. The base and S are probably every bit as good for a DD around any populated area. None of them suck.

Personally, the idea of a highly specialized performance car being used as a daily feels like a waste. Get a base, save a ton, and very nearly duplicate the (city driving) experience of the spyder (unless you want the attention). Since this is your first Porsche, chances are any in the line will open your eyes (in a good way). Drive them all, if you can. Don't just buy the halo car because it IS the halo car.

Random musings.

smilin

i’ve probably waffled on this over the past couple of years. “no” is my current answer. it’s completely comfortable to me, and the top is no problem. it’s a bit loud inside if you have to be on a call. before i retired i had a simple commute to a semi-secured parking lot with respectful coworkers. i had no problem driving it there daily. but i just can’t get over…this car is special (very special to me)…and i just don’t want to drive and PARK it around the general public. very first trip was to yosemite…and first cut in the ppf (rear bumper…human cause). it’s limiting me on how much i drive it. i’m trying to get over it.

p.s. if you can get a spyder rs…ignore all comments here and just make it work!

justince

Dunno if there's a correct answer here, but what facts I can provide at least:

- Any concerns about heat/AC retention should be dropped, this is a pretty old-school line of thinking and it does a perfectly fine job.
- If you can get into a low car just fine, then this will be fine (non carbon buckets make it easier)
- The top is a 35-40 second ordeal at a leisurely pace once you know what you're doing, can be done in 20 if you hustle
- No waterproofing issues (yet, but i don't foresee any considering it's the same material as other 981/982/991/992 convertibles and has proven to be quite good)

And some subjectives:
- Going off of memory, but top up road noise at highway speeds is not significantly louder than my old 981, perhaps a tad, but even that could be placebo. Top down is basically identical.
- Suspension is not super hard-core and is compliant enough for a daily in my eyes (again, non carbons may be contributing to this)

Whether or not that's suitable for a daily is up to you, but hope this helps! It's certainly a "borderline" kind of car where there's enough going for it in either direction in the daily category.