[DaHandBanana]

Hello everyone! I am new to the forum and looking to buy my first Porsche. I'm so excited right now! It's like the time I went on BMW forums every day for a whole year because the M3 was the car I wanted since high school. Even put the down payment on a custom order, but only to cancel it and buy a Prius for the daily 100+ mile roundtrip for work But this time, I will be buying a Porsche for sure! Have a little girl on the way this December, so the wife told me to go ahead and enjoy a nice car while I can.

Currently I drive a Prius during the work week, and the wife’s 2015 328i on the weekends. I always wanted to get a coupe, the M3 (E92). However, already have a 3 series so I started looking at Porsches, specifically the Cayman S. Budget is about $60K, but could do more if needed. Considering that I was thinking of buying a new M4 before this, I am now also entertaining the idea of a GTS with a budget of about $75K.

Was hoping I could get some good advice/insight from the rest of you guys and gals before I buy. I will be using this primarily as a weekend car, along with driving to and from the train station during the work week. I have never tracked a car, but am interested in doing so occasionally. I estimate approximately 500-600 miles a month, if even that. Ideally I would want to keep the car for 5-8 years if there are no issues. I don’t plan on buying another sports car for at least another 10-15 years, so I may even end up turning this into my weekend car 5 years down the road and keeping it until I'm ready to buy another one.

So I had some questions. Hopefully you guys can help me find the right car by answering these!

1) Are there any major differences between the 2014, 2015 and 2016 models, if any?
2) Considering the mileage I will be putting on this car annually and how long I plan on keeping it, is CPO a must? Will a dealer CPO a car if I buy through somebody else?
3) Should I look at cars with 15K-25K miles, or is >35K still okay?
4) Do dealers typically negotiate or give a discount on used cars? If so, how much should I expect to be able to negotiate down? Or better to buy through private party?
a. If I do buy from the dealer and find the car I want out of state, how much do they typically charge for covered delivery? I am in Los Angeles, California.
6) What are the reasons for getting the GTS over the S? Is it worth spending an extra ~$15K if I will be using it as a weekend and some daily driver, not really tracking more than once a year? (I can comfortably afford to spend the extra, but would rather save if it’s not worth it TO ME)
a. If I do plan to keep this for 10-15 years, will the GTS have better resale value at that point?
7) Really want the black 20” carerra S wheels. If I can find the car I want with the options I want but it doesn’t have those wheels, should I buy it and just have them traded/painted afterwards? Or better to just wait and find one with the black S wheels?
8) What are the pros/cons for PASM and Sport Chrono? I understand they have lowered height, but I am not too familiar with the mechanical/performance side of it.
9) Does anybody have a contact at a dealership in the Southern California area who I can work with? Maybe he/she could try and keep a lookout for lease turn-ins with the options I am interested in.

I am in no rush to buy, but at the same time I've looked at 15-20 white/black S and GTS online and keep looking every day! I have an itch and the excitement is getting to me. Realistically, I am ready to buy at the end of the month but can wait 3-6 months too. I imagine more leases will be coming up and people will be getting rid of their cars during the winter (in some states). What are your guys and gals thoughts on this?

Looking forward to becoming a part of the community with your help!

 

[OttawaSteve]

Hello everyone! I am new to the forum and looking to buy my first Porsche. I'm so excited right now! It's like the time I went on BMW forums every day for a whole year because the M3 was the car I wanted since high school. Even put the down payment on a custom order, but only to cancel it and buy a Prius for the daily 100+ mile roundtrip for work But this time, I will be buying a Porsche for sure! Have a little girl on the way this December, so the wife told me to go ahead and enjoy a nice car while I can.

Currently I drive a Prius during the work week, and the wife’s 2015 328i on the weekends. I always wanted to get a coupe, the M3 (E92). However, already have a 3 series so I started looking at Porsches, specifically the Cayman S. Budget is about $60K, but could do more if needed. Considering that I was thinking of buying a new M4 before this, I am now also entertaining the idea of a GTS with a budget of about $75K.

Was hoping I could get some good advice/insight from the rest of you guys and gals before I buy. I will be using this primarily as a weekend car, along with driving to and from the train station during the work week. I have never tracked a car, but am interested in doing so occasionally. I estimate approximately 500-600 miles a month, if even that. Ideally I would want to keep the car for 5-8 years if there are no issues. I don’t plan on buying another sports car for at least another 10-15 years, so I may even end up turning this into my weekend car 5 years down the road and keeping it until I'm ready to buy another one.

So I had some questions. Hopefully you guys can help me find the right car by answering these!

1) Are there any major differences between the 2014, 2015 and 2016 models, if any?
2) Considering the mileage I will be putting on this car annually and how long I plan on keeping it, is CPO a must? Will a dealer CPO a car if I buy through somebody else?
3) Should I look at cars with 15K-25K miles, or is >35K still okay?
4) Do dealers typically negotiate or give a discount on used cars? If so, how much should I expect to be able to negotiate down? Or better to buy through private party?
a. If I do buy from the dealer and find the car I want out of state, how much do they typically charge for covered delivery? I am in Los Angeles, California.
6) What are the reasons for getting the GTS over the S? Is it worth spending an extra ~$15K if I will be using it as a weekend and some daily driver, not really tracking more than once a year? (I can comfortably afford to spend the extra, but would rather save if it’s not worth it TO ME)
a. If I do plan to keep this for 10-15 years, will the GTS have better resale value at that point?
7) Really want the black 20” carerra S wheels. If I can find the car I want with the options I want but it doesn’t have those wheels, should I buy it and just have them traded/painted afterwards? Or better to just wait and find one with the black S wheels?
8) What are the pros/cons for PASM and Sport Chrono? I understand they have lowered height, but I am not too familiar with the mechanical/performance side of it.
9) Does anybody have a contact at a dealership in the Southern California area who I can work with? Maybe he/she could try and keep a lookout for lease turn-ins with the options I am interested in.

I am in no rush to buy, but at the same time I've looked at 15-20 white/black S and GTS online tand keep looking every day! I have an itch and the excitement is getting to me. Realistically, I am ready to buy at the end of the month but can wait 3-6 months too. I imagine more leases will be coming up and people will be getting rid of their cars during the winter (in some states). What are your guys and gals thoughts on this?

Looking forward to becoming a part of the community with your help!

Okay, I will try to answer at least some of your question. First of all, congrats on the decision. Very little chance of regret. Secondly, read the FAQ section of P9 - some of your questions will have answers there and there is a lot of good info. Also feel free to search the forums - you aren't the first asking questions like this.

1. Very little differences between years. Can't be more specific.
2. CPO is up to you and your comfort level. I cannot imagine a scenario where a Porsche dealer would CPO someone else's car. Depending upon the year and mileage, there may be factory warranty still left.
3. These cars are very well built. I wouldn't worry about 35K miles or even more, provided the maintenance has been done.
4. Dealers will almost always negotiate, unless it is a car in demand. No idea about delivery, but I would never buy a used car sight unseen. If you find one that looks like it, travel with your checkbook and drive it back. I would also consider a PPI by an experienced Porsche mechanic a must if you are getting a non-CPO car. Make sure that you get an overrev report if its a manual.
6. GTS is a essentially package of options, including PSE, PASM and some others. It's worth it if you were going to get them anyhow. You also get an extra 10 HP. Big deal. Resale after 15 years - who knows? They aren't particularly rare.
7. Your decision. I would not want to narrow down choices that much.
8. See the FAQ. SC has nothing to do with the suspension, other than selecting the firmer PASM setting when the Sport/Sport Plus mode is selected. Most would consider SC a must on a PDK but not required on a manual. There is a recent thread about people not being able to notice a difference between PASM settings.

Good Luck

 

[Jim137a]

First off enjoy the hunt for your new car. I recently went through the same process last year and decided on a 2016 CAYMAN GTS for a few reasons:

I specifically wanted a CPO car for peace of mind as it was my 1st Porsche and I’ve had a total blast with it in the past 13 months and 10k miles - I only use the CGTS for spirited rides. The car has performed flawlessly and has only required the 1 year / 10k mile service which was about $600.

The 2016 was the last year of the 981 series and my feeling was that it would be the most refined and up to date version of the car. I specifically can’t answer what the model year differences are but typically you can’t go wrong with the last model year - all of the bugs should have been worked out and small refinements made.

All off the options became confusing and hard to keep track of when I was shopping for an S series car so someone said just get the GTS as it has all of the “good stuff “pre packaged - made the process so much easier. The options I like best are the sport exhaust and PASM - a lot of guys love the X73 suspension but the lowered ride height with the X73 would have caused issues with scraping for me in my driveway and garage.

Also, specifically wanted a 2016 as it would have the longest warranty/ CPO available to me.

There’s CPO cars listed on the Porsche Pre Owned Car Locator currently that have less than 10K miles.

Can’t comment on delivery as I bought my car from a local dealer who has treated me very well. To me it’s important to have a good relationship with someone local to me when doing business. I had one small issue with the music interface and my sales rep said bring the car by and he me fixed up in a few minutes. I walked in, he stopped doing what he was doing and took care of my issue - that’s important to me.

Regarding the discount I really can’t comment as my car was aggressively priced and was equipped the way I wanted it so I made a reasonable offer relevant to their asking price and they accepted it. Please note that I did walk into the dealer with a certified check for the amount I was willing to pay so they knew i was ready right then and there.

Reasons for getting the GTS - for me I liked the subtle visual differences vs the S. This link will explain some of the visual and performance differences:

https://www.porsche.com/measure/models/cayman/cayman-gts/

Wheel color - get what you want and what’s gonna make you happy. If that requires refinishing the wheels to your specs do it if it’s gonna make you happy.

PASM will be more forgiving on rough roads. The Sport Chrono was purely a visual thing for me - love the way it looks on the dash. A lot of guys hate it but I love it. Also, i have a manual trans so SC really doesn’t do all that much but if your going with a PDK it does have performance advantages to it. IIRC ( might be wrong ) I believe the SC feature “ tightens up the active transmission mounts “ and makes the car feel more planted while cornering - if I’m wrong I’m sure someone will correct me.

You mentioned using the Cayman to go to the train station, personally i wouldn’t do that especially if it’s a short commute from your house to the station. Short trips don’t allow the engine / oil to come up to temp fully and that’s not a good thing. Whenever i take my car out it’s with full intention of getting the engine / oil up to temp and then enjoying that flat 6 sound.

One option I wish i did have was cooled seats - it does get a lil warm in the cabin with the engine right behind you.

Again, enjoy the hunt for your car.

Hello everyone! I am new to the forum and looking to buy my first Porsche. I'm so excited right now! It's like the time I went on BMW forums every day for a whole year because the M3 was the car I wanted since high school. Even put the down payment on a custom order, but only to cancel it and buy a Prius for the daily 100+ mile roundtrip for work But this time, I will be buying a Porsche for sure! Have a little girl on the way this December, so the wife told me to go ahead and enjoy a nice car while I can.

Currently I drive a Prius during the work week, and the wife’s 2015 328i on the weekends. I always wanted to get a coupe, the M3 (E92). However, already have a 3 series so I started looking at Porsches, specifically the Cayman S. Budget is about $60K, but could do more if needed. Considering that I was thinking of buying a new M4 before this, I am now also entertaining the idea of a GTS with a budget of about $75K.

Was hoping I could get some good advice/insight from the rest of you guys and gals before I buy. I will be using this primarily as a weekend car, along with driving to and from the train station during the work week. I have never tracked a car, but am interested in doing so occasionally. I estimate approximately 500-600 miles a month, if even that. Ideally I would want to keep the car for 5-8 years if there are no issues. I don’t plan on buying another sports car for at least another 10-15 years, so I may even end up turning this into my weekend car 5 years down the road and keeping it until I'm ready to buy another one.

So I had some questions. Hopefully you guys can help me find the right car by answering these!

1) Are there any major differences between the 2014, 2015 and 2016 models, if any?
2) Considering the mileage I will be putting on this car annually and how long I plan on keeping it, is CPO a must? Will a dealer CPO a car if I buy through somebody else?
3) Should I look at cars with 15K-25K miles, or is >35K still okay?
4) Do dealers typically negotiate or give a discount on used cars? If so, how much should I expect to be able to negotiate down? Or better to buy through private party?
a. If I do buy from the dealer and find the car I want out of state, how much do they typically charge for covered delivery? I am in Los Angeles, California.
6) What are the reasons for getting the GTS over the S? Is it worth spending an extra ~$15K if I will be using it as a weekend and some daily driver, not really tracking more than once a year? (I can comfortably afford to spend the extra, but would rather save if it’s not worth it TO ME)
a. If I do plan to keep this for 10-15 years, will the GTS have better resale value at that point?
7) Really want the black 20” carerra S wheels. If I can find the car I want with the options I want but it doesn’t have those wheels, should I buy it and just have them traded/painted afterwards? Or better to just wait and find one with the black S wheels?
8) What are the pros/cons for PASM and Sport Chrono? I understand they have lowered height, but I am not too familiar with the mechanical/performance side of it.
9) Does anybody have a contact at a dealership in the Southern California area who I can work with? Maybe he/she could try and keep a lookout for lease turn-ins with the options I am interested in.

I am in no rush to buy, but at the same time I've looked at 15-20 white/black S and GTS online and keep looking every day! I have an itch and the excitement is getting to me. Realistically, I am ready to buy at the end of the month but can wait 3-6 months too. I imagine more leases will be coming up and people will be getting rid of their cars during the winter (in some states). What are your guys and gals thoughts on this?

Looking forward to becoming a part of the community with your help!

 

[okindao]

my old 97 993 had blown a rear main seal two times, i had also instructed someone in a cayman s who did not know what he was doing and the car kept saving him so i decided to order a cayman. Very quickly i realized that the gts combined the options i wanted for less money. For the first time in my life i ordered a car. After 11 different configurations my car was locked. i have not looked back since, I track about 4 to 6 times a year. My biggest decision was whether to get the x 73 sport suspension or not. i decided against it for 2 reasons, first i do use the car regularly and my wife intend to take a number of long trips in the future, second I really did not think it would make a substantial difference on track. i have since upgraded sway bars to better than what the x 73 had but left the springs alone for ride comfort. i feel i have the best of both worlds. being in my mid sixties i expect to have this car a long time and love it. i have 8,000 miles on it now without a single problem. i believe if i ever sell it there will be a slightly higher price for it due to being a gts . But in the meantime it is the best car i have ever owned and everytime I get into it it brings a smile to my face. I do not know the difference of a 2014,2015, 2016 but beleive that these last 6 cly 981's will maintain value. no they are not rare supercars like the 918's but they are solid fun to drive cars . i think the cpo is worth it if not unreasonably priced.......enjoy your search...good luck

 

[Caymian]

I will share my experience with you as well. I purchased a '14 CS 9 months ago. My priorities were White/Luxor and 20". I wanted SC for the aesthetics and more gauge screens to scroll through. PASM & PTV would have been great, but I could not find those in the color combo I wanted and I got impatient as I had been looking for about 4months...and my budget kept going up. Along the way, I test drove various caymans and boxsters to get an idea of the options I wanted. 9months later - no regrets...I have heated/ventilated seats (love both options), I have PDK (no SC). I have since installed Fabspeed headers, PSE (more on that later), Cobb Tune and most recently Cobb PDK tune. PSE...I added it and removed it - I did not like the 2000rpm drone in 7th on the highway...the car still roars w/o PSE. Sport Chrono would have included launch control...no real need for that...but the Cobb PDK tune has "Race Start Lite" which is similar...but the real wonder of the tune is the change of shift points with PDK....a real diff between regular and sport modes. I dont have Sport Plus mode, but the PDK tune is similar... as far as shift points. PASM with Sport + does make a noticeable stiffer ride...as I understand - PASM is both softer than normal or stiffer than normal depending on the setting.

1) Are there any major differences between the 2014, 2015 and 2016 models, if any?
-very minor cosmetic
2) Considering the mileage I will be putting on this car annually and how long I plan on keeping it, is CPOicon a must? Will a dealer CPO a car if I buy through somebody else?
- I went with non CPO, as mine was still in warranty...the money I saved will essentially cover unplanned expenses
3) Should I look at cars with 15K-25K miles, or is >35K still okay?
- I purchased mine with 14K, now have 22K... as noted previously - as long as proper service has been completed, you should not have issues, these are very reliable cars
4) Do dealers typically negotiate or give a discount on used cars? If so, how much should I expect to be able to negotiate down? Or better to buy through private party?
- You are entering into the best time of year to purchase a sportscar. I was able to negotiate approx 9% off asking price from a BMW dealership (car was traded for a M4). I researched prices and options via cars.com and cargurus.com
a. If I do buy from the dealer and find the car I want out of state, how much do they typically charge for covered delivery? I am in Los Angeles, California.
- My purchase was from South Carolina (I live in NM) - shipping was about $1100, dealer arranged it all for me
6) What are the reasons for getting the GTS over the S? Is it worth spending an extra ~$15K if I will be using it as a weekend and some daily driver, not really tracking more than once a year? (I can comfortably afford to spend the extra, but would rather save if it’s not worth it TO ME)
- Personally, I think the GTS is worth it - as noted previously it is an option package and tuned with more HP. Based on what i have added to my car - I estimate that I should be in the same HP ballpark, minus some of the options and GTS badging. I think that the GTS badging has a uniqueness to it over the S... but I love my car!
a. If I do plan to keep this for 10-15 years, will the GTS have better resale value at that point?
- unknown....but I did not purchase my car for the resale aspect...I bought it to drive and enjoy it
7) Really want the black 20” carerra S wheels. If I can find the car I want with the options I want but it doesn’t have those wheels, should I buy it and just have them traded/painted afterwards? Or better to just wait and find one with the black S wheels?
- Wheels are easily replaceable - living in CA, you likely wont have summer/winter sets - but you may want street/track sets...especially as there are more track tire options available in 19"
8) What are the pros/cons for PASMicon and Sport Chronoicon? I understand they have lowered height, but I am not too familiar with the mechanical/performance side of it.
- PASM/SC soften/stiffen the suspension - (including transmission mounts) - SC provides the chrono functions and dash screen Gforce info along with the sport Launch / rev matching (manual)
9) Does anybody have a contact at a dealership in the Southern California area who I can work with? Maybe he/she could try and keep a lookout for lease turn-ins with the options I am interested in.
- You should have access to the same info online - via Porshe, cars.com, cargurus.com or others

I hope this helps...enjoy your search...go test drive local 981's to identify the options that are valuable to you. I test drove base models, S models, boxters, caymans, manual, pdk. I originally wanted manual, but the PDK is smooth and fast... no regrets....other than my left leg gets bored....
As I went through my search, I identified the color options that i wanted, then realized that seats were important (14 or 18way), then heated/ventilated, 20" wheels SC and PASM were "nice to have" options. I ended up getting what I wanted along with white gauges, rear wiper, Navigation, Power steering plus, PDLS

 

[cwalke1021]

I recommend going for the GTS (I've seen quite a few on autotrader that are white with black CS wheels) since it comes standard with SC/PSE/PASM or X-73 and the GTS-specific exterior - it looks a tad bit more aggressive in my opinion. Plus it is more rare to see one. You could add headers and a tune if you want to either model to take it to the next level.

I purchased my CPO white 2014 CS from Wisconsin and I live in Houston (how bout them Astros) and paid $1,250 I believe to have it shipped closed. My one regret was not recording when the driver was unloading the car from the enclosed big rig. My neighbors were standing outside watching as my near-mint condition CS was being slowly backed out and then lowered to street level. Evidently, the driver had just dropped off a Carrera GT to Porsche North Houston before making his way to my house. I did purchase the car sight unseen; however, I asked the guys at the Porsche dealer in Milwaukee to send me photos of any blemishes on the body or wheels and a detailed video of the car before agreeing to a deal. Mine did not have PSE so I added it later along with headers and a tune. In my opinion it is better to just find one with your must have options; especially those that cannot be added later. Good luck.

 

[RickH]

@Insider has the best and most accurate response here. I just wanted to add one caveat to that response. As stated a GTS is an option package. It has +10 more HP, but you will never feel it. lol What it typically does have is Alcantara, unless it was optioned out. Alcantara is NOT sued leather. It is a polyester material that costs about a fifth of what leather costs. It does wear well and I'm told is less slippery on the seats. That's important I guess if you track the car. Some love it, some hate it. I am one of the people who love leather and really don't like substituting cheap polyester. So If you do go with the GTS make sure you like Alcantara, because it most likely will come with it. Good Luck on your hunt.

 

[cobby]

Lots of good insights here. I went from CS to GTS. The extra 15 hp is not really noticeable, but I did sense a much bigger difference between the quickness of Sport Plus and regular mode on the GTS. Also thought the GTS steering was superior. I ordered my GTS, and got leather at no extra cost, but Porsche definitely pushed the alacantara on these cars. I would really be surprised to see a $15k price differential between comparably equipped used CS and GTS’s. That was not the case new for sure. Whoever advised you to hold out for a car with the options you want rather than add them is spot on. I personally loved The PSE on the GTS, though some thought it got tiresome. Hope your search goes well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CGH3]

Do NOT buy unless it's CPO. To get that designation and benefit, the car has to be right. In particular, they'll do an over-rev report and even one disqualifies the car. (Hint: DO NOT buy my 14CS.) My car does a fabulous job of rev-matching on downshifts, and I though this was a benefit of the Sport Chrono. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Since mine is mainly a track car, the rev-matching is important to me. If you like to roll your own and you're not driving in congested traffic, then my own preference would be a manual with SC. If you do eal with bad traffic, ge PDK and no SC.

 

[DaHandBanana]

Wow! Lots of great responses and feedback. I really appreciate all of your perspectives and advice. Based on what you guys said and some further research, I am leaning towards the GTS since it has most of the options I would want on an S anyways. I just need to figure out if I like the Alacantra or not. Going to test drive the S and check out the different options next weekend. As for configuration, this is what I'm thinking right now:

Exterior Color: White or Black (Unsure about Carrara White Metallic, will have to see in person and compare to white)
Interior Color: Black
PDK
Infotainment Package w/ Bose
Convenience Package
GTS Interior Package

I think I found the one I want, here: https://livermore.porschedealer.com...alifornia+2015+Carrara+White+Metallic+1492357
Only thing I am unsure about is the X73, sport suspension. Not sure if it would be too low. Will try to test drive both next weekend and compare.

How much would be the ideal price tag if I can negotiate it down? This dealership is not local, so I would have to take a flight out there, check it out and then drive it down about 370 miles if I go for it. Or the other option would be to negotiate through a local dealer and have them bring it down. Would it be poor etiquette to negotiate with the two dealers separately and go with the one that offers a better deal?

 

[rx-hawk]

Hello everyone! I am new to the forum and looking to buy my first Porsche. I'm so excited right now! It's like the time I went on BMW forums every day for a whole year because the M3 was the car I wanted since high school. Even put the down payment on a custom order, but only to cancel it and buy a Prius for the daily 100+ mile roundtrip for work But this time, I will be buying a Porsche for sure! Have a little girl on the way this December, so the wife told me to go ahead and enjoy a nice car while I can.

Currently I drive a Prius during the work week, and the wife’s 2015 328i on the weekends. I always wanted to get a coupe, the M3 (E92). However, already have a 3 series so I started looking at Porsches, specifically the Cayman S. Budget is about $60K, but could do more if needed. Considering that I was thinking of buying a new M4 before this, I am now also entertaining the idea of a GTS with a budget of about $75K.

Was hoping I could get some good advice/insight from the rest of you guys and gals before I buy. I will be using this primarily as a weekend car, along with driving to and from the train station during the work week. I have never tracked a car, but am interested in doing so occasionally. I estimate approximately 500-600 miles a month, if even that. Ideally I would want to keep the car for 5-8 years if there are no issues. I don’t plan on buying another sports car for at least another 10-15 years, so I may even end up turning this into my weekend car 5 years down the road and keeping it until I'm ready to buy another one.

So I had some questions. Hopefully you guys can help me find the right car by answering these!

1) Are there any major differences between the 2014, 2015 and 2016 models, if any?
2) Considering the mileage I will be putting on this car annually and how long I plan on keeping it, is CPO a must? Will a dealer CPO a car if I buy through somebody else?
3) Should I look at cars with 15K-25K miles, or is >35K still okay?
4) Do dealers typically negotiate or give a discount on used cars? If so, how much should I expect to be able to negotiate down? Or better to buy through private party?
a. If I do buy from the dealer and find the car I want out of state, how much do they typically charge for covered delivery? I am in Los Angeles, California.
6) What are the reasons for getting the GTS over the S? Is it worth spending an extra ~$15K if I will be using it as a weekend and some daily driver, not really tracking more than once a year? (I can comfortably afford to spend the extra, but would rather save if it’s not worth it TO ME)
a. If I do plan to keep this for 10-15 years, will the GTS have better resale value at that point?
7) Really want the black 20” carerra S wheels. If I can find the car I want with the options I want but it doesn’t have those wheels, should I buy it and just have them traded/painted afterwards? Or better to just wait and find one with the black S wheels?
8) What are the pros/cons for PASM and Sport Chrono? I understand they have lowered height, but I am not too familiar with the mechanical/performance side of it.
9) Does anybody have a contact at a dealership in the Southern California area who I can work with? Maybe he/she could try and keep a lookout for lease turn-ins with the options I am interested in.

I am in no rush to buy, but at the same time I've looked at 15-20 white/black S and GTS online and keep looking every day! I have an itch and the excitement is getting to me. Realistically, I am ready to buy at the end of the month but can wait 3-6 months too. I imagine more leases will be coming up and people will be getting rid of their cars during the winter (in some states). What are your guys and gals thoughts on this?

Looking forward to becoming a part of the community with your help!

I was in the same boat early this year. I was really looking for a GTS because it has all the options I wanted plus I love the look and the interior. However I ended up getting a CS with Manual trans/Chrono/X73/PTV/tinted tail lights, and had the dealer install PSE since it was the only option it didn't have. I simply couldn't find a GTS in the color I wanted with a manual for a decent price. Most dealers were charging MSRP prices for a used GTS with little warranty left on it.

I may end up upgrading to a GTS someday, but for now I am happy with what I got. I wouldn't overlook the CS, they are a great deal compared to the GTS.

 

[malloc]

Hello everyone! I am new to the forum and looking to buy my first Porsche. I'm so excited right now! It's like the time I went on BMW forums every day for a whole year because the M3 was the car I wanted since high school. Even put the down payment on a custom order, but only to cancel it and buy a Prius for the daily 100+ mile roundtrip for work But this time, I will be buying a Porsche for sure! Have a little girl on the way this December, so the wife told me to go ahead and enjoy a nice car while I can.

Currently I drive a Prius during the work week, and the wife’s 2015 328i on the weekends. I always wanted to get a coupe, the M3 (E92). However, already have a 3 series so I started looking at Porsches, specifically the Cayman S. Budget is about $60K, but could do more if needed. Considering that I was thinking of buying a new M4 before this, I am now also entertaining the idea of a GTS with a budget of about $75K.

Was hoping I could get some good advice/insight from the rest of you guys and gals before I buy. I will be using this primarily as a weekend car, along with driving to and from the train station during the work week. I have never tracked a car, but am interested in doing so occasionally. I estimate approximately 500-600 miles a month, if even that. Ideally I would want to keep the car for 5-8 years if there are no issues. I don’t plan on buying another sports car for at least another 10-15 years, so I may even end up turning this into my weekend car 5 years down the road and keeping it until I'm ready to buy another one.

So I had some questions. Hopefully you guys can help me find the right car by answering these!

1) Are there any major differences between the 2014, 2015 and 2016 models, if any?
2) Considering the mileage I will be putting on this car annually and how long I plan on keeping it, is CPO a must? Will a dealer CPO a car if I buy through somebody else?
3) Should I look at cars with 15K-25K miles, or is >35K still okay?
4) Do dealers typically negotiate or give a discount on used cars? If so, how much should I expect to be able to negotiate down? Or better to buy through private party?
a. If I do buy from the dealer and find the car I want out of state, how much do they typically charge for covered delivery? I am in Los Angeles, California.
6) What are the reasons for getting the GTS over the S? Is it worth spending an extra ~$15K if I will be using it as a weekend and some daily driver, not really tracking more than once a year? (I can comfortably afford to spend the extra, but would rather save if it’s not worth it TO ME)
a. If I do plan to keep this for 10-15 years, will the GTS have better resale value at that point?
7) Really want the black 20” carerra S wheels. If I can find the car I want with the options I want but it doesn’t have those wheels, should I buy it and just have them traded/painted afterwards? Or better to just wait and find one with the black S wheels?
8) What are the pros/cons for PASM and Sport Chrono? I understand they have lowered height, but I am not too familiar with the mechanical/performance side of it.
9) Does anybody have a contact at a dealership in the Southern California area who I can work with? Maybe he/she could try and keep a lookout for lease turn-ins with the options I am interested in.

I am in no rush to buy, but at the same time I've looked at 15-20 white/black S and GTS online and keep looking every day! I have an itch and the excitement is getting to me. Realistically, I am ready to buy at the end of the month but can wait 3-6 months too. I imagine more leases will be coming up and people will be getting rid of their cars during the winter (in some states). What are your guys and gals thoughts on this?

Looking forward to becoming a part of the community with your help!

Great responses and detailed info from everyone. I just picked up a Boxster GTS. I think others have answered your questions well, but here are my thoughts in general:
- I think reverse cameras became available in the 2015 models onward. I have it in my 2015, and for the Boxster with the roof up, it definitely helps with seeing reversing as I can barely see anything otherwise.
- I love the GTS. For me the more aggressive front adds that great touch. Also, it has all the options I wanted to add to an S.
- PSE is awesome, I think it's a must have but I'm one who loves the exhaust note of vehicles.
- I like the GTS interior package with alcantara which comes standard. I also got the red stitching which I think looks amazing and adds that extra special touch (and also carbon interior bits) and for me the red stitching was something I really wanted!
- I could've gone either way between PASM and X73. I got X73, and I was worried from reading all the comments, but I did a 2800+ mile trip back from the dealer, taking all types of roads, and I don't think it's harsh at all. For clearance in driveways and ramps, I'm somewhat surprised that I haven't had any major issues (keep in mind I have been very careful to take them slow), and only two slight scrapes getting out of a gas station.
- I have PTV and that's something that I wanted but wasn't a deal breaker.
- I have Sport Chrono but haven't used any of it's functions. As far as I know it has the dynamic engine mounts and adds the "sport plus" button and offers launch control for PDK. Nice to have but certainly not a deal breaker for me.
- It's nice to know you have a bit more power, but in practice I don't think anyone would be able to tell the difference.
- I went for a CPO for peace of mind.

I hope that helps!

 

[T-Design]

Lots of good advice. So I'll just say what nobody said yet.

Infotainment package on 981 cars isn't anything to write home about. At any trim level. Audio is so-so, and the navigator plain sucks. So I wouldn't focus on infotainment package unless you really tested it in person and happy with what it gives you. Because you can install a much better audio hardware, and light years better Nav/Music system for not so much money. ($3k?)

GTS over S only worth it if you really want all the options GTS provides. Or really need 15 extra HP. Which you might

SportChrono - not worth it in manual.

PASM - if you need to lower ride by 10mm(?). X73 if you want even lower and sportier ride. But don't think that base suspension is bad or underperforming. Base with no PASM is pretty wonderful and very very sporty. So if ride height is fine with you - you can live fine without PASM

 

[FlatSickx]

You've already gotten some good info. CPO will add a few $thousand to the price, but I think it is worth it. I have a fairly highly optioned S and I love the thing. It is black and when it is clean, it is stunning. I pamper the crap out of it (only has 8,200-mi and will be 3yrs old in Jan) and I hate swirls in the paint so I'm quite anal about it. That being said, avoid black unless you can live with fingerprints, dirt, dust, swirls and scratches...unless you like to detail your car. For me, it is relaxing to do that stuff. I have a random orbital polisher and I use it. The entire front including door handles and mirrors are covered in clear film. Go for the white! I agree with the post above about the Nav system, it basically sucks. If the 981 had CarPlay like my Macan GTS, I'd only use my iPhone for nav. I highly recommend heated and cooled seats...especially the cooled seats. Also, I have the SportDesign steering wheel and power steering plus. If you get PDK, get the sport steering wheel. Not to offend anyone here who does not have it but with PDK, I really dislike the standard wheel w/o paddles. Sport Chrono is fun to have but when you stand on it in Sport +, it will go all the way to redline and it shifts hard. I rarely use it. Fuel mileage is amazing. I recently drove mine about 150-mi in normal and Sport mode and did some highway time at 80mph with cruise control and got 31MPG. The main option mine does not have is PSE which to me was a dumb way to equip a car with sport chrono (it was a lot car) and I have added Soul Performance street headers w/cats. I have Bi-Xenon PDLS and I like it. I also have rear park assist. Remember all that stuff is optional on a Porsche. Sounds ridiculous when you can buy about any American or Japanese cars these days that come with a camera or at least a parking sensor. Also, seats are important. You have to make sure you like the seats. I have the 14-way seats and I'm happy with them. I have the Premium Pkg and the Infotainment Pkg w/Bose Surround. I'm not a fan of Bose, but I would never spend the $ on Burmester system (can't remember if that was even available on the 981, it was on the Macan). Car acoustics are just not really made for great audio sound. Wheels: I have 20" Turbo Wheels which were a bloody fortune and too nice to do any serious track driving. But I do like 20" wheels. Just remember w/20" wheels, the tires are like rubber bands and if you live in an area with a lot of potholes, you may regret the 20" wheels. Mine was ordered with the optional tinted taillights which I recommend and they can be added later (I think they are standard on the GTS). Also, the clear side markers. If I could have my preference of versions, I'd go for the GT4

 

[DaHandBanana]

Lots of great information. Thank you so much guys. I think I have kind of narrowed down the options I am interested in and found the car I want locally! The seller and I have come to an agreement for the price and are almost there. Car is a lease, and I am trying to buy it out. I will pay a portion and financing the rest through my bank, but they're asking for some sort of lease-buyout package/contract/form that basically says I can pay off the seller's balance for the car and the title will be mailed to me or my bank. They are worried that I may pay it off but get nothing out of it in case there are additional fees, penalties, etc.

Called Porsche Financial and a few dealers, but they said to just pay the balance and title will be sent to the seller, who can than transfer it to me. I'm fine with that, I trust the guy and we signed a brief contract between us. But my bank wants something in writing from Porsche Financial. Has anybody had any experience with this or advice as far as how to proceed?

 

[328skidpad]

As per the "GTS" options, dosent the car also have hidden options like a 3rd radiator in front as opposed to just 2 in the S models. I went to a porsche event twice in PA and the technical rep said that the GTS dosent just look different it is engineered differently. He was friendly but not open to disclosing more..