Used 718 4.0 GTS vs 981 GT4 - Page 2 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

Based on driving dynamics and sounds, which one would you prefer (they currently have similar prices). Thanks

DO NOT BUY A PORSCHE 718 GT4 - HERE'S WHY THE 981 GT4 IS BETTER

Is it your only car? Will it be used a daily as a commuter or a weekend car? Will you do many track day? Depending on your answers, will point you in one direction or another. They will feel familiar to one another… but very different. Obviously you can choose what you like… but they are focussed on different directions.

Well, not buying now. Definitely would not be the only car. It is only for weekends.

My son has a 718 GTS 4.0, I've got a 718 GT4. His is PDK, mine is manual. Mine has clubsport pack. As a daily driver, his wins hands down, it's pretty much the same engine, better ground clearance, MUCH easier to get in and out of the car. On track, however, it's a different story. The carbon buckets, the suspension, the Cup2 tyres ... it really comes into its own. This really depends what you want the car for.

Unless you're planning on going on track more than a couple of times a year, I'd take the GTS 4.0 every day of the week and twice on Sundays. The more traditional sound of the 981 GT4 doesn't outweigh the benefits of the superb new 4.0 engine and more useable dynamics. The fact you're considering both says to me the GTS is the one to go for.

BobM said: My son has a 718 GTS 4.0, I've got a 718 GT4. His is PDK, mine is manual. Mine has clubsport pack. As a daily driver, his wins hands down, it's pretty much the same engine, better ground clearance, MUCH easier to get in and out of the car. On track, however, it's a different story. The carbon buckets, the suspension, the Cup2 tyres ... it really comes into its own. This really depends what you want the car for. I have 718 GTS 4.0 which I occasionally track. Cup2’s can be fitted to it, and bucket seats are a matter of preference. Do you find the suspension differences to be significant betwern the 2 cars? Tyres are all important in a track car which makes me wonder if the difference in how the 2 cars handle on track comes down to tyres mostly, or is there (much) more to it?

had a 981 GT4 for two years and have had a 718 Boxster GTS for almost a year, and for my use, the Boxster is far better.

LamedonM said: Based on driving dynamics and sounds, which one would you prefer (they currently have similar prices). Thanks GT4 for driving dynamics and sound, GTS for daily. Edited by bosshog on Wednesday 24th August 15:09

From the responses above. The options are becoming clearer. Thanks

px1980 said: I have 718 GTS 4.0 which I occasionally track. Cup2’s can be fitted to it, and bucket seats are a matter of preference. Do you find the suspension differences to be significant betwern the 2 cars? Tyres are all important in a track car which makes me wonder if the difference in how the 2 cars handle on track comes down to tyres mostly, or is there (much) more to it? I can't comment on any differences on track and I haven't even driven the GTS hard on the road. I did take someone out round Cadwell in my GT4, his car was a track prepped Cayman S, and he commented that the body control on mine was massively better and the front end was sharper.

I've been contemplating the 718 GTS 4.0 for a little while now. It is a very cool car, and probably has to be a better daily drive or even weekend road car than the 981 GT4. I currently have a 981 GT4 as a daily drive when there's definitely no salt going on the road, and a 718 base Cayman for all other times. The 981 GT4 is going nowhere, I love it. The 718 Cayman would also be a wrench to sell, as I sold an identical one to finance the GT4 back in 2018, but then missed it so much I ordered an almost identical new one last year. The OP raises another question for me. Could a 718 GTS 4.0 match the base 718 Cayman for practical all year round usability? The base 718 is incredibly refined compared to the 981 GT4, with little road noise, light touch steering and pedals, bags of mid-range torque, and exceptional fuel consumption for a genuine performance car. I run 18" wheels on mine, and have a spare set with winter tyres as I live out in the sticks. Will they fit over 718 GTS 4.0 brakes, or would I need to compromise ride and handling on bumpy roads for low profile winter wheels? Going back to the OP. Based on driving dynamics and sound, the 981 GT4 wins every time. Based on being "in the way" of a 718 GT4, or trying to stay on the back of one of them, on a track day: the later models are definitely quicker, even with manual box. If you can live with that, the 981 GT4 is still immensely engaging and fun to drive. Video that @julian987R shared is really instructive, but for me the jury is still out on steel vs. carbon brakes. My 981 GT4 is on steel brakes, but I really like the sharpness and fade resistance of the carbon ceramics on the track. I'd like paying for a new set of discs and pads a little less, so maybe careful what we wish for. For the road, the steel brakes have plenty of stopping power, but need a good hard prod to find the limits of adhesion, and don't have the subtle feel of carbon ceramics. I think for weekend fun, a 981 GT4 is probably unbeatable by almost anything. (Early 70s Lotus Elan Sprint maybe? I'd soon get sick of trying to keep one maintained, but they are lovely.) The 718 4.0 GTS seems quite a car, and for road use only, is probably the sensible choice. But when buying a sports car, maybe "sensible" shouldn't be part of the decision making process. Liam

18” wheels will fit the GTS 4.0 - according to the Porsche T Equipment site… I hope so, since I have a set of 18” winter wheels in my garage for that very purpose!

This is my current GTS 4.0, with my previous GT4 in the background of the shot when it had been brought in to the same OPC by its new owner. (If you are on here, I hope you still have the car and are still enjoying it.) By inspecting it very closely, I knew it was my actual old car - and my sales person friend then came out to tell me the exact same thing! And another picture of the two cars in the same place at the same time:

Nice to see some balanced views on here from some of the usual suspects when this question is asked. I'm another one of those usual suspects.. I've owned Caymans for 16 years now and have had a 987.1S, a 981 GT4 and now a 718 GTS 4.0. I am really happy with my GTS and I don't regret selling the GT4 to get the GTS at all. I took the first two cars on track about 15 times in total and drove them as hard as my talent and limitations allowed. I am an occasional trackday attendee rather than a regular one. The GTS will almost certainly also go on track when time and circumstances allow, although I now also have a GR Yaris which may end up being my trackday steed more often than the Porsche. I agree with whoever said about the body control and front end of the GT4 being very good. This is an advantage on the track but not always on the road. The GTS is still firmly controlled on road (mine has the minus 20mm suspension drop over the base models which is standard on the GTS but you can go for a minus 10mm option for no cost, and this will make it ride slightly better over bumpy roads), the front end is very good and in my opinion the GTS is more playful on-road at both front and rear (if that makes sense, regarding throttle, steering and braking inputs) than the GT4. The GT4 does sound better/louder but the GTS still sounds good and the engine performance in terms of power, torque delivery and straight-line speed is just better everywhere. The GT4 is a lot less usable in the real world because of its approach angles etc etc and I often found this tiresome. I owned mine for 4 and a half years and drove it all year round and in all weathers apart from snow. I had one other car during this time period and I drove the GT4 perhaps one-third of the time. The GT4 looks fantastic (and better than the 718 GT4) to my eyes and there were no more than 600 cars officially sold in the UK so it's relatively rare and of course the first of its kind. So if this kind of stuff is important to you in terms of value or anything else, the 981 GT4 will be a very solid place to put money. The GTS looks very understated by comparison and flies under the radar, especially in an understated colour such as Aventurine Green or Gentian Blue. This will either be a good thing or a bad thing. The GTS is unlikely to hold its value as well as the GT4 but it will still probably do better over time than many other cars at a similar price point. Basically you can't go wrong, just choose the one that suits your needs better! Edited by Stunters on Saturday 27th August 18:08

Buyer Beware! Five Great Cars Guaranteed* To Depreciate HARD 718GT4 first on the list

Well according to that I should just pack up and go home then….

TDT said: Well according to that I should just pack up and go home then…. Lovely car you have, but yep that seems to be the case

[Image-only or quote-only post; no author-written text.] https://www.pistonheads.com/inc/images/tongue.gif

TDT said: Well according to that I should just pack up and go home then…. The 718 GT4 will NEVER dip below (or be equal to) 981 GT4 prices so you are as safe as the rest of us in performance cars. Lovely car Edited by shantybeater on Sunday 28th August 00:22

I wouldnt bet against a 981 GT4 eventually being worth the same if not more than the current gen GT4. This chap offers a similar perspective, and hes not short of nice cars to drive including a 765 and a 991 Touring https://youtu.be/5UnFEOOMRrA

Stunters said: Nice to see some balanced views on here from some of the usual suspects when this question is asked. I'm another one of those usual suspects.. I've owned Caymans for 16 years now and have had a 987.1S, a 981 GT4 and now a 718 GTS 4.0. I am really happy with my GTS and I don't regret selling the GT4 to get the GTS at all. I took the first two cars on track about 15 times in total and drove them as hard as my talent and limitations allowed. I am an occasional trackday attendee rather than a regular one. The GTS will almost certainly also go on track when time and circumstances allow, although I now also have a GR Yaris which may end up being my trackday steed more often than the Porsche. I agree with whoever said about the body control and front end of the GT4 being very good. This is an advantage on the track but not always on the road. The GTS is still firmly controlled on road (mine has the minus 20mm suspension drop over the base models which is standard on the GTS but you can go for a minus 10mm option for no cost, and this will make it ride slightly better over bumpy roads), the front end is very good and in my opinion the GTS is more playful on-road at both front and rear (if that makes sense, regarding throttle, steering and braking inputs) than the GT4. The GT4 does sound better/louder but the GTS still sounds good and the engine performance in terms of power, torque delivery and straight-line speed is just better everywhere. The GT4 is a lot less usable in the real world because of its approach angles etc etc and I often found this tiresome. I owned mine for 4 and a half years and drove it all year round and in all weathers apart from snow. I had one other car during this time period and I drove the GT4 perhaps one-third of the time. The GT4 looks fantastic (and better than the 718 GT4) to my eyes and there were no more than 600 cars officially sold in the UK so it's relatively rare and of course the first of its kind. So if this kind of stuff is important to you in terms of value or anything else, the 981 GT4 will be a very solid place to put money. The GTS looks very understated by comparison and flies under the radar, especially in an understated colour such as Aventurine Green or Gentian Blue. This will either be a good thing or a bad thing. The GTS is unlikely to hold its value as well as the GT4 but it will still probably do better over time than many other cars at a similar price point. Basically you can't go wrong, just choose the one that suits your needs better! Edited by Stunters on Saturday 27th August 18:08 Wow. This is a very helpful contribution: 981 GT4 seems to be ticking all the boxes: sound, driving dynamics and where to sink money and be able to get it back, if things go pear shaped Thanks