Tcomegna

Hey everyone, I am looking at purchasing a 981 cayman or boxster specifically a GTS. I wanted to initially purchase a GT4 but then again saving 20k and going for a GTS seems like an interesting choice. Even more so when searching for available manuals for sale.

Sounds crazy, but like many of us on here, we don't like losing much money on toys. I prefer to buy cars I won't lose value on or lose very very little or maybe make money on. Go ahead and make comments What I am trying to ask is do you think that a NA manual GTS Boxster or cayman is going to hold its value better than a GT4 or spyder ? There are a laughable amount for sale in Canada, way more GT4s for sale.

Yes it's slower, yes it's less capable around a track, but with proper speakers I feel like a cayman GTS arguably sounds better than the GT4.

Any general discussion would be great !

Thanks guys.

Yc911Kid

how about saving another 20k & just get a 981s, they are not even slower/less capable with the savings(compared to gts). It's a slippery slope for sure.

michaelscain

To be honest, i think the Porsche 981S is better buy than the 981 GTS.

1. 981S is 20k cheaper.
2. For a small amount of money, you can add the GTS read lights and front/rear bumper to make it look identical to a GTS. (if you want)
3. The leather steering wheel in the 981S lasts a lot longer than the alcantara wheel in the GTS.
4. The 981S and GTS engines are the same 3.4L flat 6.
5. The 981S and GTS are both de-tuned 991 base engines.
6. For a small amount of money you can add Sports Headers and ECU tune to the 981S to give you 370hp with no risk of breaking the engine.
7. You don't have to worry as much about depreciation and putting on miles if you buy the 981S over the GTS.

Therefore i don't understand what this obsession is buying a GTS.

To me (if you can find a 981S with the same options as the GTS) they are basically just the same car but one is 20k overpriced.

Tcomegna

No obsession as this would be considered the least desirable car of what of what I currently have, it's a discussion as to the GTS being "far far more rare" and a simple search would show that on trader. In manual. That's all.

Also the difference in price is not 20k for manual vs manual. It's far less based on a simple search on trader. It should take less than 5 minutes to do so.

I appreciate this feedback so much

9eight7

If you're simply asking about rarity, there were fewer manual GTS made compared to manual S and GT4. If you're talking about value, based on the previous gen., then I would say the Spyder will hold the best in the 981 series which seems to be true right now. Their MSRP was slightly lower than the GT4 and they are roughly even in the market place today.

Pokerhobo

I traded in a 981 CGTS 6MT when I bought my 718 GT4. The dealership sold it within a few days (the person actually traded in a 981 GT4 for it). It was listed at $59k, but don't know how much it actually sold for. 26k miles.

Kancamagus

7 BGTS’s on Autotrader now only one is manual, 17 CGTS - 12 are manual. But the answer to the OP’s original question is NO, 981 GTS’s (manual or PDK) will not hold their value as well as the Spyder or GT4, the 3.8 seals the deal.

SIXSTRINGHAMER

My take form the sidlines, and being activley in the market for a 981 manual. Agreed the GT4 will absolutley be the better "investment" and if that is the goal then get the GT4 hands down. I could swing for the fences and cover the cost of a GT4 but it would be a stretch. While I dont mind being car poor (haha smile per mile ratio is worth it) the 981S in manual is the best bang for the buck.

Problem is in the last 12 months of watching this market daily, there are always more clean CGTS manuals in the 10-20k mile range than CS manuals. Alcantara is not my preferred interior materail and the X73 can be DIY'd for very little. PSE would be nice but headers will cover my aural needs anyway. Now I wouldnt mind the CGTS at all, but most dealers price them within 10-15k of GT4 territory and I cant swallow that.

Good luck OP, and if you can swing it get the GT4!

TXshaggy

Meh, if you don’t want to lose much get a Gen1 Spyder...same/better performance as 981 S.

Kancamagus

The 981 Spyder/GT4 are more differentiated because of the 3.8, all the other cars have essentially the same motor.

Lvanpelt729

None of these cars are good investments, you'll lose money on any of them. I say that owning a 981 Spyder. Much better ways to invest money than buying a 4 year old car.

Van Larson

Current Autotrader has ‘15 Rhodium/black leather/ventilation and manual 1 owner clean CF in Ohio 23k mi for...........$72.5k... no affiliation

TXshaggy

Yikes...only 12.5% off original MSRP; “only manual GTS in US!” Lol... throw $10K more in and get the Spyder.

manifold danger

I didn't think I'd like Alcantara either, but after picking one up with the GTS package I wouldn't have it any other way. IMO I wouldn't bother with a GTS unless it had the interior package as well. The "doesn't last as long as leather" is just a false statement. You'll notice the accumulated dirt and filth before you would on a leather wheel, but cleaning is simple and restores it to like new condition every time. It can be damaged if cleaned improperly though, worth throwing that out there... so just do some research and get the right tools and you'll be fine with alcantara.

It's interesting that this topic of "GTS vs S vs GT4/Spyder" comes up so frequently recently, as I think the 981 is moving into true "future classic" territory and is arguably the best bargain for a top-tier sports car on the market right now. I also don't think there's any argument that the 981 S is a better value, especially right now as GTS inventory is nearly nonexistent. But I also get that some folks don't want to settle, or go through a tedious process and spend more money to get it to what they wanted in the first place (also aftermarket bumpers and trim will instantly de-value any car, especially a Porsche). And that's why there's a cost premium associated with these cars. I find it difficult to believe it's actually a $20k premium over a similarly spec'd S, however...

But they're in my opinion one of the few examples of the GTS trim model being SUBSTANTIALLY more visually appealing and I think that has a lot to do with it. It at least was a definite factor in why I was insistent on finding a GTS.

enzojr

I am in Toronto and I picked up a Cayman GTS (PDK) last month (I still have to find time to create a separate post on it at some point). I debated between a GTS vs GT4, and my considerations were both financial and practical:

• I wanted a GT4 because YouTube videos suggest that the 3.8 sounds EVEN MORE glorious than the GTS.
• I can drive manual but can't say I am 100% confident in my abilities. I didn't want the risk of a money shift! I do intend to take the GTS to the track.
• I could afford a GT4 but a medium quality GT4 would be $20K more than my GTS. A nice one would be about $25-30K more. I want to drive the car and the GTS is expensive enough of a car for me. My family grew up driving modest cars so the GTS already feels like a treat every time I get in it. Makes me grateful enough to have one. It's not a matter of settling, but just not needing to go the full monty when I am not going to be at the track more than once or twice a year (too far to any track and also $$$).
• I haven't researched extensively but there appears to be some transmission issues with early GT4s? I didn't want that risk.
• I live in a modest neighborhood and my bright Guards Red GTS already caught the attention of many of my neighbors despite me keeping it under a cover and driving it mostly at night. I can't imagine driving a GT4 with that huge spoiler attracting both positive attention (from people who know Porsches) and negative attention (from haters who despise ricers and might think the spoiler was just tacked on). I am also cautious of vandals when I park the car somewhere. Again, haters are real unfortunately.
• My GTS is mm away from scraping on my driveway entrance even when approaching at an angle. GT4 will surely scrape every single time. Also note that my GTS has never scraped on public roads and even big speed bumps, and I appreciate that very much.
• Finally, gotta keep those aspirations alive: Own a GTS now, and tell myself I gotta continue working harder and saving/ investing money well to own a GT4 (or GT4RS?) in the future.