Cheap 997 GTS in the classifieds?

[berty37]

The 991 GTS is a superb car in my opinion. The 997 was the first 911 to carry the GTS badge after we had one on the Cayenne and maybe the Panamera and of course was sort of the 997's swan song. It seems to have done so well that its now a permanent car and I have literally just read that the likelihood is the Gen 2 will remain naturally aspirated and also have the rear wheel steer the turbo and GT3 have.
I have seen many 991 GTS car at well over £100k new so I do think they have further to come off. I am of course happy to be corrected but the 997 GTS carries around a £5-10k premium over the 'equivalent' Carreras in terms of mileage age etc? and with good 991S (which incidentally I think have held quite well) around what £65k.so a £25k premium at the moment on the second-hand market appears a bit steep to me but they are brilliant cars and demand is good. Without inciting the usual debate, manual cars are rarer but I think PDK cars demand are higher and trade a bit of a premium. Someone who is more in the know may correct me here but wasn't the manual gearbox on the 991 GTS developed more for the car i.e it is not exactly the same as in the standard Carreras?

[mdianuk]

Rowley Birkin said:

What are you looking for?

Ashamed to say, but the financial risk is priority to me at that kind of price. If it is likely to be dropping £5k a year, then no worries, but if it is £10k per year, then it won't work out for me, but I do like the very newest and best I can get, but would never pay over list (hence why I've not jumped in a GT car). It would be a fun day car, though could be used daily once my nipper is in a forward facing seat.

Interested in your view on why they are two completely different propositions?

[Zanderman]

This is the cheapest decent looking C4S I could find so not far off:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Zanderman said:

Looking at the price of the originally linked car and looking for a 911 myself at the moment I would say its really good value. There don't seem to be many standard 911's around at the moment for anything less than £50k so £3k more fir a GTS looks pretty good. I am rather tempted!!

[Rowley Birkin]

mdianuk said:

Rowley Birkin said:

What are you looking for?

Ashamed to say, but the financial risk is priority to me at that kind of price. If it is likely to be dropping £5k a year, then no worries, but if it is £10k per year, then it won't work out for me, but I do like the very newest and best I can get, but would never pay over list (hence why I've not jumped in a GT car). It would be a fun day car, though could be used daily once my nipper is in a forward facing seat.

Interested in your view on why they are two completely different propositions?

The 997 GTS feels a lot like all the 911s that went before it. It's analogue, small and fairly utilitarian.

The 991 feels like a different model of car that nods to its 911 predecessors. It's digital, big and plush.

I have had both the 997 and the 991 and have gone back to the 997. By the time I had done the miles in the 991 that I have done in my newest 997 I was bored stupid with the 991.

As I have said above, my personal view is that the 997.2 is the sweet spot of all 911 iterations so far. Many others agree with me it seems. The GTS was the last and arguably best of them and they are making no more. I think prices will remain firm for that reason.

The 991 GTS is still readily available and there will be a 991.2 GTS as well. For that reason I think prices will fall more quickly than those of the 997.

For these reasons, based upon your stated requirement, I would seek out a 997 GTS.

[mdianuk]

Thanks for your opinion Rowley Birkin, appreciated.

[ORD]

I would say this having bought on recently, but the 997 feels small, basic (in a good way) and characterful alongside the 991.

I considered buying a 991 but found the interior very Audi which put me off more than it maybe should have, and the car felt more like an extremely capable saloon than a sports car. Probably an exaggeration, but it felt too refined and composed. I bet it would be insanely fast driven hard, though, and it was more confidence-inspiring.

[mattf93]

rds1 said:

Got mine for 55 in Dec 13 and price seems to have held steady. Good spec and the only one I have seen in Aqua Blue with aero kit (love it or hate it! )

I LOVE that colour - shame about the kit though :P (I think the kit is like marmite it really is a love hate thing, but personally a wing is only acceptable on GT cars, although the 'Ducktail' is partially acceptable on a GTS but just not for me!).

Hope you are enjoying miles in it!

and Jack, is your GTS badge been straightened yet? It still looks wonky in the photos :P

[chrisABP]

Here are some pictures of my GTS now it's fitted with its new wheels!

Mods so far include the following:
Sharkwerks exhaust bypass
Genuine front Aero kit splitter painted satin black to match side skirts etc
H&R lowering springs
Zunsport grill kit (not fitted in photo) to protect rads etc
997 GT3 front and 997 GT3 RS rear wheels
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres

Wheels look great and fill the arches (especially the rear) like they should! Most of my mods have been to make the car as it should have been (in my opinion) with the Sharkwerks making it sound proper, the springs making it look the right height and the wheels to fill the arches! The grills to protect the rads etc (like OE on the 997.2 GT3, RS 4.0 and 991 GT3) and the front splitter - well selfishly I like the Aero kit front one but dislike the rear!

[Zanderman]

Looks stunning!

[c4sman]

Your car looks amazing Chris, that's a nice set of mods and the car looks stunning.

[chrisABP]

Thanks for the positive feedback guys - the car is now my perfect 911. As much as I would love a 997.2 GT3 with two young boys who both love cars the 2 seat compromise is far too great. The GTS is now perfect!

[Rowley Birkin]

chrisABP said:

Thanks for the positive feedback guys - the car is now my perfect 911. As much as I would love a 997.2 GT3 with two young boys who both love cars the 2 seat compromise is far too great. The GTS is now perfect!

It has to be said that for the gent with children there is no better car.

[smithyithy]

Absolutely stunning Chris, those relatively subtle chances make the car look even better as a whole package

[rds1]

very nice Chris - all you need now is a nice rear wing

[Rowley Birkin]

chrisABP said:

Here are some pictures of my GTS now it's fitted with its new wheels!

Mods so far include the following:
Sharkwerks exhaust bypass
Genuine front Aero kit splitter painted satin black to match side skirts etc
H&R lowering springs
Zunsport grill kit (not fitted in photo) to protect rads etc
997 GT3 front and 997 GT3 RS rear wheels
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres

Wheels look great and fill the arches (especially the rear) like they should! Most of my mods have been to make the car as it should have been (in my opinion) with the Sharkwerks making it sound proper, the springs making it look the right height and the wheels to fill the arches! The grills to protect the rads etc (like OE on the 997.2 GT3, RS 4.0 and 991 GT3) and the front splitter - well selfishly I like the Aero kit front one but dislike the rear!

Those wheels look bigger in the arches (diameter-wise) than the standard ones. Are they?

[rds1]

mattf93 said:

rds1 said:

Got mine for 55 in Dec 13 and price seems to have held steady. Good spec and the only one I have seen in Aqua Blue with aero kit (love it or hate it! )

I LOVE that colour - shame about the kit though :P (I think the kit is like marmite it really is a love hate thing, but personally a wing is only acceptable on GT cars, although the 'Ducktail' is partially acceptable on a GTS but just not for me!).

Hope you are enjoying miles in it!

and Jack, is your GTS badge been straightened yet? It still looks wonky in the photos :P

No regrets on the aero kit at all but as you say not for all!

[mattf93]

Lovely small changes Chris, love the front aero kit and wheels. Can you show a pic of the new grills installed as not quite sure what you mean! I see you're promoting your company in the background I really think white and grey look the best with the GTS (although I love blue) you must be happy with the new car!

[chrisABP]

Rowley Birkin said:

Those wheels look bigger in the arches (diameter-wise) than the standard ones. Are they?

Front wheels are the same size with slightly different offset giving +3mm more poke (stick out further)
Rears are 1" wider (12x19) with the offset giving +15mm more poke (stick out further) than the GTS wheel

These offsets are perfect on the car and cure one of my biggest complaints about the original wheels sitting too far inset.

In the flesh they look even better!

[kilarney]

Interesting to see the GTS comments as I only just bought my GTS last week from OPC. I went to see the advert car above and its in great condition and good value I think. I previously drove a c4gts which my local opc sold for 65k ish and it had pdk which I liked but i decided I would stick with manual. I would have bought the advertised car but it just didnt drive how I wanted not sure why but it felt heavy to drive so maybe all the options was part of the problem I dont know but I walked away plus standing there since april is maybe part of the problems and roads where its located are really rough .
I was going to forget it but then drove a GTS c2 manual at an OPC up at 60k with 17k miles. What a revelation it had what I was looking for in feel from gearchange to steering feel it just felt lighter and more responsive a real less is more but I come from lotus ownership. Anyway they wouldnt budge on price other than a few hundred but i figured when will the next manual come along. So I paid over the odds I know but it shows some buyers roll over !
With regard to manual i was concerned about resale so i tested with 911v who said manuals are good news and they put them a whisker ahead of pdk these days, imo the manual will move ahead with time as the pdk continues to develop. We will see.

[kilarney]

chrisABP said:

Here are some pictures of my GTS now it's fitted with its new wheels!

Mods so far include the following:
Sharkwerks exhaust bypass
Genuine front Aero kit splitter painted satin black to match side skirts etc
H&R lowering springs
Zunsport grill kit (not fitted in photo) to protect rads etc
997 GT3 front and 997 GT3 RS rear wheels
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres

Wheels look great and fill the arches (especially the rear) like they should! Most of my mods have been to make the car as it should have been (in my opinion) with the Sharkwerks making it sound proper, the springs making it look the right height and the wheels to fill the arches! The grills to protect the rads etc (like OE on the 997.2 GT3, RS 4.0 and 991 GT3) and the front splitter - well selfishly I like the Aero kit front one but dislike the rear!

Thats looks great. Im local to your garage so I will pop by and have a look and listen to see if anything should find its way onto my GTS !