981 GT4 to 718 Box GTS 4.0 - Page 1 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

Curious if anyone has made the move? Something i'm considering after a couple of years with the GT4, figuring that the 4.0 will do 90% of what the GT4 does, and I do like a rag top. Or am I mental?

Not mad at all. I went to 981 Spyder instead but that was mainly looks / Noise / Rarity and got fed up waiting for my GTS. No wrong choice

I went from 981 Cayman GT4 to 718 Cayman GTS 4.0. Four and a half years in the 981 GT4, three years and counting in the 718 GTS. The 718 GTS is unsurprisingly the better allrounder and in my experience is both faster in a straight line, and more playful than a 981 GT4 on-road. There are nuanced differences in the steering and damping between the two cars, you will probably notice these and may prefer one over the other. The clutch pedal action on the 718 cars is noticeably lighter than on the 981 GT4. Again, you'll prefer one over the other.. The 981 engine/drivetrain makes more noise, the 718 makes more usable power. Both engines are very good, although you are likely to prefer one over the other. The GT4 needs to be treated with respect in cold conditions as well as damp conditions, I did two wet winter trackdays in it and one dry autumn trackday in it. The wet/cold trackdays were hard work on the nerves, and needed all the smoothness and throttle control that I could muster! I haven't tracked the GTS yet, but will very happily drive it on circuit when circumstances allow me to do so again. It will be decently capable and fun in that environment. I love how Caymans and Boxsters feel to drive. The GT4/Spyder/GTS 4.0 versions of both these cars are really good and I reckon most people would be extremely happy in any of them. I enjoyed my time with the 981 GT4 but I absolutely haven't missed it, given that I now have the 718 GTS. Nice dilemma to have...

Excellent feedback, thanks 🙏🏻

That really is a great write-up.

Good sum up Stunters I keep looking at good pre owned GTS as it is a much cheaper way to get a PDK version compared to 718 GT4. Only trouble is I love my 981 GT4, but my head keeps saying 4.0 GTS just as fast and much newer car which will soon be the last of the ICE line.

I’m in the same boat, albeit I’m looking at a manual. Love the 981, but it’s now SORN till April, which always gives me itchy feet. Also have a hankering for another drop top after owning 2 x 986 many years ago, and a decent Euro trip planned next spring. If the 718 makes anywhere near the same racket as the 981 I’ll be sold. As has already been said, nice dilemma to have, be nice to keep them both!

I’m considering a GT4 pdk as a daily. Did any of you run your GT4’s as a daily? Everyone who tells me it’s possible lives in Cali or Florida. U.K. owners I’ve asked say no, but I think they worry about mileage. I honestly don’t care about that or what it’s worth in the future.

No reason at all you couldn’t run one as your daily. You might find the ride a bit harsh, depending what you’re used to, and they are noisy, but that’s kind of the point IMO.

Harsh and noisey I’m good with. Just don’t want to be replacing the front splitter constantly and not being to go up slight inclines. Wouldn’t go near a multi-storey and I’d replace the cup 2’s straight away. I really like the lack of tech and screens compared other cars I’m looking at.

Bailey. said: I’m considering a GT4 pdk as a daily. Did any of you run your GT4’s as a daily? Everyone who tells me it’s possible lives in Cali or Florida. U.K. owners I’ve asked say no, but I think they worry about mileage. I honestly don’t care about that or what it’s worth in the future. No problem Bailey, you are talking 718 GT4 as its PDK and I run 981 GT4 which are all manual.I daily mine or more accurately weekly and I have done 14,000 miles in 18 months. No worries regarding front splitter it often scrapes but is tough and cheap to replace.In fact the whole car is tough and well built. As i run mine all year it is on Michelin P4S as cup 2s are really a summer tyre. If you drive gently and keep to speed limits mine averages 27/28 MPG. Ride is generally good depending on how crap the road is! Having said that and having run a 981 GTS for3 years the GTS is the more compliant road car.

I've been using a 981 GT4 as a March to October daily for about 5 years now. Front splitter hasn't needed replacing, not really that worn despite having had the car lowered a little with a suspension setup earlier in the year. It scrapes pretty heavily at the bottom of my drive now, and always did a bit. Seems to be a hard-wearing consumable part! It's brilliant fun as a daily, and occasionally gets its Cup 2 wheels and tyres fitted and does a track day. Best summer sports car ever, but I don't want to use it on salty roads, as I'm hoping to preserve and keep as a daily for a long time to come. Consequently have now done 2000 miles in my latest "winter" car, a new Cayman GTS 4.0. I can do little more than echo @Stunters opinion on this. Mine's a manual, and is just an incredibly refined experience in comparison. Not sure it will quite have the GT4's track suspension feel on the limit, but you can forgive it that for the amazing ride quality and steering feel on the road. The engine is better in almost all ways, with the exception being driveline shunt in stop start traffic, where the 981 GT4 is much smoother and easier to drive. I was told by many it would be loads more economical than the GT4. Nothing in it really for my daily commute. GT4 does about 24 mpg. GTS does about 25 mpg. Both seem similar on a longer motorway run, returning low to mid 30s. Brakes on the GTS are a lot quieter, but maybe on the small side for track use. However I've been able to fit my 18" Boxster winter wheel set, and they don't fit over the GT4 callipers. My only disagreement with @Stunters is slightly pragmatic, as I am unable to to say which things I prefer about the differences between the cars. This is helpful in answering the inevitable question from the love of my life, "Do you really need both of those cars?" The answer is yes, they have different purposes to one another. I'm already looking forward to jumping back into the GT4 in the spring. The GTS 4.0 is a really, really good car. It's difficult to imagine anything being better on the road. But the 981 GT4 is a rattly old hoot, that only really feels refined at speed on a race track. Somehow that translates into a massive grin on my face trundling along the lanes at the beginning of a Monday morning commute. Small stones rattling on the rear suspension struts and getting amplified through the cabin by the roll cage. Setting the exhaust to "loud" to amuse people waiting at the bus stop with little pops and bangs on the overrun. I really do need both of them, honest! @plynchy, you are not mental, and I am sure as rag top they are even more epic than the Cayman. But think long and hard about what you'll be giving up, because I will really struggle if I have to let either of them go. Liam Edited by LiamH66 on Tuesday 28th November 23:05

Great write up Liam, agree about the stones rattling in the vestigial wheelarches not to mention the boinging of the springs as they settle sometimes! The problem now is that you have confirmed what a good car the 4.0 GTS is as I have my eye on a 21 reg 5000 mile example that has a near ideal spec. I really like the GT4 as it is my first GT Porsche so my heart says no but head says yes maybe! Even more so now the range will soon change to EV. of which I have no interest.

Great advice. Appreciated I have no doubt the gts is a better road car and it’s seems more of them are spec’d with buckets than 911 gts. I just love the look of the gt4. One of the few cars that look perfect standard. Another bonus is that they are unlikely to attract thieving scum compared to other cars Im considering. I’ve got my eye on a car I’m going to offer on as we approach Christmas. Asked a local suspension shop about setting it up for road rather than track. This was their reply. “ Our full Porsche setup will give you more front end grip (without making the car nervous or unstable); more rear end traction and improved steering responsiveness. We’d also look to lower the ride height (slightly) to help turn-in and braking stability, but we can do this whilst also respecting your need to have the car functional for daily use.” Edited by Bailey. on Sunday 3rd December 19:46

Bailey. said: Great advice. Appreciated <snip> Asked a local suspension shop about setting it up for road rather than track. This was their reply. “ Our full Porsche setup will give you more front end grip (without making the car nervous or unstable); more rear end traction and improved steering responsiveness. We’d also look to lower the ride height (slightly) to help turn-in and braking stability, but we can do this whilst also respecting your need to have the car functional for daily use.” That’s what Suspension Secrets said when they set up my 981 GT4, but a small pinch of salt was required. (Mine was a road and occasional track setup). It definitely scrapes the splitter a little more often than it did with the standard setup, but there is absolutely no way I’d go back to original ride height. They did say that if I didn’t like it they could raise the ride height back towards where it was, but try it and see what I thought first. I think they knew I wasn’t coming back, as I was at Silverstone doing the “Precision” course the next day. Road manners are vastly improved despite the loss of ground clearance, but at the same time it is incredibly well balanced (with tendency towards some mid corner and exit oversteer, obvs.) on the track. The front splitter is slightly more sacrificial than it once was, but seems to be surviving the slightly increased rate of wear. Hasn’t prevented any “daily drive” use so far, and clears all local speed bumps I’ve come across in Burnley and Blackburn. (Not about to risk Accrington town centre one way system, the GTS 4.0 scrapes under the front somewhere going through there!) Liam

I have both and they are quite different when you drive them back to back. Mine is 718gt4 man and 718 gts4 boxster pdk. Both are just as fast but the gts is quieter and a more relaxed daily. The gt4 is more of an experience and louder. City driving a gt4 is no fun but out in the open road is a different story. Get one that suits your need or "want"