Don't feel the need to upgrade to a newer model
Discussion
MDL111 said:
Very good point and I said sth along thoese lines to somebody yesterday talking about Ferraris - why buy one and then only drive it on sunny weekends and a crappy diesel for 90 percent of your driving - makes much more sense imo to drive the pleasant car daily
But if much of your driving is (say) around the M25 there are much more pleasant cars than a 981. If much of your driving is down very narrow country lanes, then something much narrower than a 981 is more pleasant and more fun. etc The 981 is Jack of all Trades - and a very good one, but it is master of none.Klippie said:
Yes I'd agree with you on that one if centre lock wheels had been available which would have made it look oh so special.
I despair when I see this sort of thing. Centrelocks are an absolute PITA on a road car and purely a pathetic cosmestic fudge bunged on for appearance sake. To make things worse, in most of the Porsche road cars aren't even designed the way they should be like when used in racing. PhantomPH said:
Why? There’s no spare wheel and doesn’t the foam knacker things anyway? That’s what Porsche Assist is for. 
Depends whether Porsche Assist is to hand (been "not" there). And then there is the (financial) problem that when it comes to new tyres you can't get them fitted at your local dealer (he won't have the kit) and you may well be forced to pay Porsche prices. If cost and convenience aren't an issue ... but it does seem a (dubious) triumph of aesthetics over practicality. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx5ToW0G9d4bcr5784 said:
PhantomPH said:
Why? There’s no spare wheel and doesn’t the foam knacker things anyway? That’s what Porsche Assist is for.
Depends whether Porsche Assist is to hand (been "not" there). And then there is the (financial) problem that when it comes to new tyres you can't get them fitted at your local dealer (he won't have the kit) and you may well be forced to pay Porsche prices. If cost and convenience aren't an issue ... but it does seem a (dubious) triumph of aesthetics over practicality. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx5ToW0G9d4anonymous said:
[redacted]
Got to say since taking delivery of my 718C 3 and a half months ago, I have hated every moment of the 5000 miles I have put on it, and have dreamed constantly of how much nicer it would have been with an electric engine instead of the vastly improved torque and power that is delivered by the T4.Joking aside: Yes, I'd have loved an NA6 if they were still available, but I don't know if I'd have loved it as much as what I've ended up with, at least not for more of the time. As a daily drive, it's a pretty good car to say the least. What it lacks in refinement compared to the 6, it does seem to make up for by being quite a bit quicker. I quite like the exhaust/induction notes, but I kind of ducked out of thinking the 6's sounded good when they stopped being air-cooled anyway.
Wouldn't encourage anyone to upgrade if they love their older Cayman/Boxster, especially if they love the engine. But it doesn't make the current crop rubbish by any means. They have relative merits in spades, and I'm really quite enjoying my one.
Liam
I have, to date, owned four 986 Boxster S. They were all manual gearbox cars, two of them have been Anniversaries. I usually get routine servicing done at an OPC. Have variously had 987/981/718 as loan cars during work and haven't felt the desire to own any of them. I prefer the analogue nature of a well set up 986. The latest car leaves me particularly cold, despite its stunning performance figures. Maybe a 987 Spyder or a 981 GTS/Spyder would hit the spot, but they are generally a fair way from the regular range in terms of pricing. I adore my 986 550 Anniversary Manual.
All IMHO of course...
I had a 718 PDK BS on Friday as a loan'er for my 981 PDK CGTS 1st service - I drove it a handful of miles with the roof down.
The 718 felt noticeably a "lighter" car in the body and steering departments. In normal mode it was mostly underwhelming, almost like what I would imagine a bigger and higher spec MX-5 to be like (oh dear, am I allowed to say that?
)
In Sport+ mode it was certainly quick and the noise was better than normal mode.
The PCM was a lot better. It seemed to attract a lot of attention - the passenger in a car behind was photographing/videoing it - but it was bright yellow with black wheels!
Getting back in the CGTS, with the alcantara/carbon and noise, was like getting back into a race car - it's definitely an "event" every time I drive the 981 CGTS, whereas the 718 BS seemed just a little bit (too) ordinary to me.
So it has me in a small quandary about what to do next:
- 718/718S - nope, not for me, after 981 CGTS ownership
- 718 GTS - depending on what it's like when it turns up
- GT4 - maybe, never driven one, suppose I ought to
- 991.2 GTS - drove one a PEC for 2 hrs, incredibly capable, but still not an "event". Really dreaded getting back in the CGTS, but still grinned stupidly as soon as I drove off - for twice the price of the CGTS my head can't justify it
- do nothing, just keep the CGTS and grin stupidly - probably the most likely
I had a 718 PDK BS on Friday as a loan'er for my 981 PDK CGTS 1st service - I drove it a handful of miles with the roof down.
The 718 felt noticeably a "lighter" car in the body and steering departments. In normal mode it was mostly underwhelming, almost like what I would imagine a bigger and higher spec MX-5 to be like (oh dear, am I allowed to say that?
)In Sport+ mode it was certainly quick and the noise was better than normal mode.
The PCM was a lot better. It seemed to attract a lot of attention - the passenger in a car behind was photographing/videoing it - but it was bright yellow with black wheels!
Getting back in the CGTS, with the alcantara/carbon and noise, was like getting back into a race car - it's definitely an "event" every time I drive the 981 CGTS, whereas the 718 BS seemed just a little bit (too) ordinary to me.
So it has me in a small quandary about what to do next:
- 718/718S - nope, not for me, after 981 CGTS ownership
- 718 GTS - depending on what it's like when it turns up
- GT4 - maybe, never driven one, suppose I ought to
- 991.2 GTS - drove one a PEC for 2 hrs, incredibly capable, but still not an "event". Really dreaded getting back in the CGTS, but still grinned stupidly as soon as I drove off - for twice the price of the CGTS my head can't justify it
- do nothing, just keep the CGTS and grin stupidly - probably the most likely
MM57 said:
- do nothing, just keep the CGTS and grin stupidly - probably the most likely
^ this 
A lot is said of GT4s at £80k and "what else would you buy for the money?". I feel the same way about the 981 CGTS at £55k - there's nothing else out there that comes close to the package it offers.
Twinfan said:
^ this
A lot is said of GT4s at £80k and "what else would you buy for the money?". I feel the same way about the 981 CGTS at £55k - there's nothing else out there that comes close to the package it offers.
... Yet. The A110 Alpine seems to have a lot of the boxes ticked. Similar real world performance, much nicer sounding than 718 to my ears, 300kg lighter and likely much more agile as a result, and said to be torsionally stiffer than 4C and better riding than Cayman. A lot is said of GT4s at £80k and "what else would you buy for the money?". I feel the same way about the 981 CGTS at £55k - there's nothing else out there that comes close to the package it offers.
Of course there are some unanswered questions, refinement, steering feel and turbo lag sping to mind. My money says it will be more to my taste than the 718.
Of course there will be those wedded to brand image who will dismiss it as a mere Renault. Then again Renault Sport have consistently produced the best hot hatches of recent years, so I'm not sure if that is a bad thing.
bcr5784 said:
The A110 Alpine seems to have a lot of the boxes ticked. Similar real world performance, much nicer sounding than 718 to my ears, 300kg lighter and likely much more agile as a result, and said to be torsionally stiffer than 4C and better riding than Cayman.
This... only possible knock is that it doesn't come with an option for Manual gearbox. It doesn't have the baggage that the Cayman has with the move from N/A-6 to F/I-4.Its more trick than the Cayman as a fundamental platform... suspension set-up, proper underbody aero..flat floor and functional diffuser. Got to be a top choice for real driving in todays climate.
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