Cayman 718 GTS 4.0 Owners

[PorscheGT4]

Ended up buying a GTS 4.0

Loving it, does remind me of my Cayman R days. 
Had a geo on the car now and it's better again.

Sadly righty or wrongly I went for PDK to remove the long gearing issue, this box really works well with the 4.0. no regrets.
car is a Sports PASM car so stiffer springs, ARB and lower.

I sold all my GT cars and now own 2 x GTS cars and a 718 Spyder, I am done with the GT hype and bad road mannors. 

[Windymiller]

On 31/01/2024 at 08:33, PorscheGT4 said:

Ended up buying a GTS 4.0

Loving it, does remind me of my Cayman R days. 
Had a geo on the car now and it's better again.

Sadly righty or wrongly I went for PDK to remove the long gearing issue, this box really works well with the 4.0. no regrets.
car is a Sports PASM car so stiffer springs, ARB and lower.

I sold all my GT cars and now own 2 x GTS cars and a 718 Spyder, I am done with the GT hype and bad road mannors. 

How long have you had yours now matey?

 

after 15 months and 11k miles (including a 3k alps trip + 3 track days) I’m still not decided on PDK. 

 

Yes it is mechanically the better box with 7 gears. 2200RPM at 70mph and 41mpg on a motorway cruise is unreal in a 400bhp car. On track it is patently quicker and easier to drive. But I still just miss the mechanical interaction of a well rev-matched down shift on your favourite well-known country road… 🤷‍♂️

 

I bought the car as a from-new keeper and so will live with my choice. But I’m just not certain I made the right choice (for my heart)…. 😵‍💫

 

Its also too quiet - but some after market bmc filters and less restrictive back boxes once out of warranty should sort that out. 
 

all that said, it’s a lovely car to drive anywhere, anyway, anytime. 🤩🤪👍🏻

[Aaron]

On 06/02/2024 at 07:58, Windymiller said:

How long have you had yours now matey?

 

after 15 months and 11k miles (including a 3k alps trip + 3 track days) I’m still not decided on PDK. 

 

Yes it is mechanically the better box with 7 gears. 2200RPM at 70mph and 41mpg on a motorway cruise is unreal in a 400bhp car. On track it is patently quicker and easier to drive. But I still just miss the mechanical interaction of a well rev-matched down shift on your favourite well-known country road… 🤷‍♂️

 

I bought the car as a from-new keeper and so will live with my choice. But I’m just not certain I made the right choice (for my heart)…. 😵‍💫

 

Its also too quiet - but some after market bmc filters and less restrictive back boxes once out of warranty should sort that out. 
 

all that said, it’s a lovely car to drive anywhere, anyway, anytime. 🤩🤪👍🏻

 

What is the car that your heart desired, windy?!  Does the GTS 4.0 not have the magic?

 

The OAP are allegedly the right changes to make to the exhaust, but EU cars monitor the OPFs and will CEL without them.  It can be cured with a map but that's big ££ just to remove a CEL and get some extra noise.

 

I do find the intake and exhaust noises a bit quiet on the GT4, but the noise inside the cabin is right on the edge of fun weekend or track car, before falling into that track-only car category.  If it was any louder, I'd drive around with a crash helmet on just to dumb down the noise!

[Windymiller]

4 hours ago, Aaron said:

 

What is the car that your heart desired, windy?!  Does the GTS 4.0 not have the magic?

 

The OAP are allegedly the right changes to make to the exhaust, but EU cars monitor the OPFs and will CEL without them.  It can be cured with a map but that's big ££ just to remove a CEL and get some extra noise.

 

I do find the intake and exhaust noises a bit quiet on the GT4, but the noise inside the cabin is right on the edge of fun weekend or track car, before falling into that track-only car category.  If it was any louder, I'd drive around with a crash helmet on just to dumb down the noise!

Hi Aaron,

 

well I thought the GTS4.0 was the car my heart desired. It was the moment of realising the boyhood dream I’ve had for 40 years since I was 10 - to buy and spec a brand new Porker. I’d come from a pre-owned 2010 987.2S manual, so the GTS4.0 seemed like the obvious way to go. 
 

‘Last of an era’ (a swan song) for the N/A cayman platform. But it just hasn’t sparked the same joy in me that the 987 did. 
 

It’s an immensely capable car and can do everything incredibly well. Ie:

 

a 3000 mile euro & alps trip in comfort, at pace, and with a weeks worth of luggage for 2 people ✅

 

a 1000 mile Scottish highland roads trip with lots of spirited A and B road fun ✅

 

Quickly capable on track with worry free driving to and from the circuit ✅

 

effortlessly pootle around town in traffic ✅
 

but it’s almost too polished at all things. It feels like it just lacks a layer of visceral / physical experience. Or rather perhaps, it is there somewhere in the car, but Porsche have somehow ‘overpainted’ it with all the cars polish and finesse. 
 

Basically I want the 718’s modernity, the 981’s GTS soundtrack, the 987’s steering feel - and in hindsight, I probably should have gone with a manual not the PDK just for the extra direct interaction / engagement with the car. 
 

if I had £12-15k spare right now and a 2nd garage I’d buy a 2004 986S 550 spyder anniversary edition boxster manual to have the slower but potentially more engaging top-down drives in…. (As well as the 718GTS4.0 for everything else 😉). 

I know I must sound like I’m moaning about nothing (“oh woe is me, my fancy porche doesn’t excite me enough” 😵‍💫) but I think part of my problem is I’d built up this ideal in my head over 40 years of this brand new P-car being ‘the best thing ever’. She’s great, but perhaps never quite able to live up to my ‘fantasy’ (bit like wives and girlfriends really…. 😆😆😆🤭🤭🤭)

 

Edited February 9 by Windymiller

[Aaron]

4 hours ago, Windymiller said:

Hi Aaron,

 

well I thought the GTS4.0 was the car my heart desired. It was the moment of realising the boyhood dream I’ve had for 40 years since I was 10 - to buy and spec a brand new Porker. I’d come from a pre-owned 2010 987.2S manual, so the GTS4.0 seemed like the obvious way to go. 
 

‘Last of an era’ (a swan song) for the N/A cayman platform. But it just hasn’t sparked the same joy in me that the 987 did. 
 

It’s an immensely capable car and can do everything incredibly well. Ie:

 

a 3000 mile euro & alps trip in comfort, at pace, and with a weeks worth of luggage for 2 people ✅

 

a 1000 mile Scottish highland roads trip with lots of spirited A and B road fun ✅

 

Quickly capable on track with worry free driving to and from the circuit ✅

 

effortlessly pootle around town in traffic ✅
 

but it’s almost too polished at all things. It feels like it just lacks a layer of visceral / physical experience. Or rather perhaps, it is there somewhere in the car, but Porsche have somehow ‘overpainted’ it with all the cars polish and finesse. 
 

Basically I want the 718’s modernity, the 981’s GTS soundtrack, the 987’s steering feel - and in hindsight, I probably should have gone with a manual not the PDK just for the extra direct interaction / engagement with the car. 
 

if I had £12-15k spare right now and a 2nd garage I’d buy a 2004 986S 550 spyder anniversary edition boxster manual to have the slower but potentially more engaging top-down drives in…. (As well as the 718GTS4.0 for everything else 😉). 

I know I must sound like I’m moaning about nothing (“oh woe is me, my fancy porche doesn’t excite me enough” 😵‍💫) but I think part of my problem is I’d built up this ideal in my head over 40 years of this brand new P-car being ‘the best thing ever’. She’s great, but perhaps never quite able to live up to my ‘fantasy’ (bit like wives and girlfriends really…. 😆😆😆🤭🤭🤭)

 

 

That's some well thought out insight!  It's always a shame when a lifelong dream doesn't quite live up to expectations, though.  I have always found it fascinating that a car of this nature isn't distinctively about how it specifically drives, but rather how it makes you feel when you drive it.

 

I do agree that the 718 platform is shockingly well polished.  The challenge is, however, how many modern cars are there that aren't?  I think that list is extremely short, limited to Caterhams, kit cars and the likes.  The issue with those cars is that, whilst they're incredible to drive, they're quite poor at being a useable car.  You'd never be able to do your list with such a car, sadly.  

 

I also agree with the manual vs. PDK trade-off.  PDK is hard to compete with as it has the shorter ratios, it's excellent in slow traffic, and it's faster when speed is the only goal... But there's something about wiggling your hand on the gear knob and throwing it into gear that cannot be replicated, despite all of the upsides on offer.

 

It's interesting that you mention the 986 Spyder; would the 718 Spyder fit your bill and maybe get you the best of both worlds?  Or is the desire for less power/speed and more fun?

 

It's certainly a first world problem (every problem on this forum is!) but it's a good topic of conversation and thought provoking.  If only the missus had some buttons for changing modes(/moods) eh!

 

[Windymiller]

4 minutes ago, Aaron said:

 

That's some well thought out insight!  It's always a shame when a lifelong dream doesn't quite live up to expectations, though.  I have always found it fascinating that a car of this nature isn't distinctively about how it specifically drives, but rather how it makes you feel when you drive it.

 

I do agree that the 718 platform is shockingly well polished.  The challenge is, however, how many modern cars are there that aren't?  I think that list is extremely short, limited to Caterhams, kit cars and the likes.  The issue with those cars is that, whilst they're incredible to drive, they're quite poor at being a useable car.  You'd never be able to do your list with such a car, sadly.  

 

I also agree with the manual vs. PDK trade-off.  PDK is hard to compete with as it has the shorter ratios, it's excellent in slow traffic, and it's faster when speed is the only goal... But there's something about wiggling your hand on the gear knob and throwing it into gear that cannot be replicated, despite all of the upsides on offer.

 

It's interesting that you mention the 986 Spyder; would the 718 Spyder fit your bill and maybe get you the best of both worlds?  Or is the desire for less power/speed and more fun?

 

It's certainly a first world problem (every problem on this forum is!) but it's a good topic of conversation and thought provoking.  If only the missus had some buttons for changing modes(/moods) eh!

 

Well I want my cake and to eat it - so I want to keep the 718GTS4.0 as I see that being the car I’ll keep till the day I cannot drive / fuel is prohibitively expensive. It’s actually part of the reason I went PDK - ie being able to drive her ‘forever’ into old age (I’m only 51 now, but I seriously intend to keep this car 20+ years, unless Porsche revert on the whole EV only direction for the Cayster platform 🤞🤞🤞🤷‍♂️). 
 

whereas the 986Bx 550 edition would be a few years of top down summer fun only. 
 

I think a 718 spyder would be too much of a compromise for me (no way my back could cope with buckets for 3k miles across Europe!). 😵‍💫😱

 

so in the meantime I’ll just stop moaning about nothing really and enjoy the GTS - Silverstone booked for March 4th; highlands trip late May; euro trip in July; TIPEC days out variously through the year. 

 

and on the GF front, the current one seems to have some pretty well adaptable modes / moods and is definitely a sport model… 🤪😆😆😆