GTS 4.0 Vs GT4 - Page 1 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

I currently have a 2023 GTS 4.0 PDK with 19k miles on it. It does have a few nice options and I love the car, it’s only really used for fun and euro road trip's. But recently I have been hankering after a GT4 for some reason. I have seen a 2020 manual with 13k miles for around £13k more than mines worth. Should I stick with the GTS or go for the GT4, I only do around 5k miles a year in it.

I think the best answer is go and drive one and see what you think. They are the same engine so no difference there and probably milliseconds in performance , the Gt4 will be sharper in the handling department and a little bit stiffer on the ride. The Gt4 will feel more like an event when driven. If you don t do track days then your not gaining anything imho so stick with what you have and save your money, or try a different model Spyder perhaps? 911? The car you are looking at is 3 years older so I don’t think it’s worth anymore than what you have whereas a similar age etc is a different story. Personally if you want the Gt4 experience and want different to what you have better going manual 981 Edited by GT4P on Thursday 1st October 18:50

I think the GT4 is probably a worse road car and only makes sense if tracked indeed. Doesn't it struggle over speed bumps too or needs a lift which becomes a PITA?

ramps, hotel entrances, multi stories and some speed bumps...that long low front end can be rather annoying especially when travelling as underground hotel car parks are quite often a no go. However Gt4 is an amazing track and road car and they look cool , have a go and see what you think.

Strange I never found the 981 Gt4 a problem as a road car it’s certainly no saloon car it’s a sports car so it’s road manners are different, entry and exit over speed bumps needs to be taken slow but I am like that with any car , the plastics that scrape are easily replaced.

Per above, I’d go and drive a GT4. I had a 4.0 Boxster, and now have a Spyder. The Boxster was definitely the better package for the road but the Spyder experience is that much more special (sharper drive, looks, general feeling you’re driving something special) that it offsets the various compromises Enjoy choosing. They’re both great cars

Based on your use, I would have thought a GT4 would be fine. For road use, deciding between PDK or manual and seat type, is a big factor in terms of how the two cars feel to drive and their potential suitability for your desired use.

I have a 981 GT4 and as above it would be worth trying one, they really are very good. Yes speed bumps can be a PIA but the splitter is tough and easily replaced. I love the interaction it gives me and it doesnt matter what speed you are going its just fun. Slowest car I have owned in a while but point to point its miles ahead (and my last car was a AWD Type R).

cseven said: ramps, hotel entrances, multi stories and some speed bumps...that long low front end can be rather annoying especially when travelling as underground hotel car parks are quite often a no go. However Gt4 is an amazing track and road car and they look cool , have a go and see what you think. I wanted a GT4 but ended up with the GTS. An extended test drive had made me realise I'd regret the buckets well before reaching the channel tunnel on our next Euro trip. But despite spending hours researching hotel car parks using Google Street view and email enquiries, we've still had significant issues with front end scrapes on both Euro trips in the GTS. Maybe we were unlucky or our research wasn't good enough but my friend had the spoiler lip ripped off my old 987S exiting an underground car park on our Lake Como trip last year. I think a GT4 might have suffered significant damage, not just cosmetic scrapes.

DRH986 said: I wanted a GT4 but ended up with the GTS. An extended test drive had made me realise I'd regret the buckets well before reaching the channel tunnel on our next Euro trip. But despite spending hours researching hotel car parks using Google Street view and email enquiries, we've still had significant issues with front end scrapes on both Euro trips in the GTS. Maybe we were unlucky or our research wasn't good enough but my friend had the spoiler lip ripped off my old 987S exiting an underground car park on our Lake Como trip last year. I think a GT4 might have suffered significant damage, not just cosmetic scrapes. We hated the buckets in the GT4 & GT3 but the 18 Way Sports Adjustable are perfect and really comfortable on the long trips. And as for those carparks, speed humps, etc. approaching the change in gradient, at a sharp angle, makes a huge difference. M

The only time I have scraped the front in my GTS is when the top surface of the road had been removed and I drove too fast going up the ramp back onto the paved surface. I have to drive over speed bumps and park in a multi-storey car park at least a couple of times a week so have stuck with the GTS despite being tempted by a GT4.

To be honest I scraped GTS in a few carparks on a recent euro road trip. I even did it on on a couple of the hairpins coming down the Furka pass, although I was getting a little carried away. The worst was a carpark under the hotel in France, the entrance was that steep the middle of the car scraped slightly. Anyhow this is what I am thinking if chopping in for a GT4, but after the comments here I might just keep it. This is the one I have my eye on. https://ebay.io/m/cULzuZ Edited by Whistle on Friday 2nd October 19:00

Just to add my 2p. What a brilliant problem to have. I had a 981 GT4 for a long while (6 years), and a GTS 4.0 for a rather shorter while (less than 2 years). Both used as daily drives, and both absolutely brilliant in their own way. I’ve also driven a 718 GT4. All of them manual gearbox. I’m not sure the front splitter on the GT4 is much more of an issue than some of the low-hanging bits a little further back in the GTS 4.0. Neither of them a huge issue unless you have the GT4 set up for the track. They get pretty low with setup that turns in well, but either on standard settings seem pretty forgiving. The GT4 splitter will take a bit of scraping without losing integrity or function. For mostly road use, the GTS discs are smaller, so they don’t need much warming up to be fully effective. From my perspective they also took 18” wheels, so I could fit my winter wheel and tyre set. You can’t do that with the GT4. If you’re thinking 718 GT4, they are pretty similar to drive. The 981 GT4 is a bit more “animal” (in a good way), and running mine alongside the GTS 4.0 for a while, I knew which was the skunkworks track day special, and which was the gentleman’s express. Given they were both Caymans, they really were different enough to feel like I needed both. However if it’s mainly road, even with occasional track use, my preference would be to stick with the one you have. Pretty much the pinnacle of refined sports car that does everything with ease, and in relative comfort. (A mention of seats by at least one other. I like all of them all in these cars, sports plus, 18-way, and carbon buckets. I can live with any of them on the road, but for track, I get on really well with buckets, full harness and HANS/FHR. Move around too much without being firmly strapped in.)

At the time I bought my GTS I thought a GT4 was what I wanted. A short run in one left me see that it wasn’t what i needed for our Euro trips and general high day and holiday requirements. 4.0 GTS is ideal with a wider use profile ( in my view )

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GT4P said: If you don t do track days then your not gaining anything imho I ran a GT4 for 2 years and ultimately sold it because I wasn't doing any track days. They're absolutely fine for normal road use (inevitable scraping aside) but you won't get the most out of it without going on track. Keep the GTS.

Used to own a 981 Cayman GTS PDK, PCCP, fantastic engine, but the steering I disliked very much, did a test drive 981 GT4, the steering to me was far more better, also with normal road driving. I can not compare a 718 GT4 to a 718 GTS steering wise, so if I had to make the choice between the 2 cars I would definitely check the steering both cars for comparison. I have also owned a 718 GT4 and turned that one in for a current GT4RS