981S vs 718 base

[JonA65]

The never ending debate.

Frankly buy the one you like most, I love my 718 but a 981 is hardly a bad alternative. People’s opinions reflect what they want and value, which may not match yours.

I voted 718 and whilst it’s a bit of a garage queen it still makes me smile. What don’t I like, to answer your question?

When cold it sounds like a bag of nails but when warm it’s much better.

There is some lag, stick it in sport as soon as you get in and it’s barely noticeable.

I can find myself going much faster than I should, In some ways an MX5 is as much fun without the stress.

Storage is woeful on both and there are tons of blank switches that annoy me.

Some of the pseudo pub bragging that goes on in Porsche forums 🤪🤪

[anonymous-user]

bcr5784 said:

It's been measured at 2 seconds at 2k for the base car.

This sort of negativity about 718 bears absolutely no resemblance to the 718s I have driven both on the road and on track. Most particularly, I consider a base 718 with PDK to be the absolute sports car bargain of this century.

I have a 981S (manual) but if I was shopping for a new car today it’s highly unlikely I’d swerve away from a brand new 718 to buy a used 981.

[bcr5784]

rockin said:

bcr5784 said:

It's been measured at 2 seconds at 2k for the base car.

This sort of negativity about 718 bears absolutely no resemblance to the 718s I have driven both on the road and on track. Most particularly, I consider a base 718 with PDK to be the absolute sports car bargain of this century..

Simple fact, not a matter for debate - do the measurements yourself. I did - as did someone else who owns one - with a boost gauge. I have no particular axe to grind, I'm not anti-turbo or anti 4 pot - I have enjoyed a couple of Skubies and have a (4 pot turbo) Alpine A110. I understand why 718 owners are very defensive - they get a lot of unbalanced flack from those fixated with NA 6 pots - but I'm not one of them.

Edited by bcr5784 on Thursday 30th August 21:01

Edited by bcr5784 on Thursday 30th August 21:36

[bcr5784]

No mine replaces a 981s,

[jimbo761]

Just completed 20k miles over the last 24 months in a base 718 Cayman. To me this whole thing is overblown nonsense, particularly since Porsche don't make a bad car. I think some 981 owners on here can really take the piss, bashing the 718 at every opportunity. No offence intended of course guys .

It seems to work a bit like joining a fraternity - there is one rule of the 981 club, (or pretending to be a 'purist') and that seems to be to bash the 718 and highlight any 'shortcomings' vs their gold standard epitome of the perfect NA sports car, the legendary 981. Initiation appears to require jokes at the 718's expense. To 'get accepted' you have to post pictures of headphones whenever another 981 owner has a 718 loan car, and say something like "oooh you might be needing these, it sounds terrible!" or somesuch other shenanigans. How we laugh!

"Cutting through the bullst", in my view, the sound argument is complete nonsense, never believe what you read on the internet, both cars sound like sports cars, and sound is different and subjective anyway.

Power delivery and lag are often quoted here as well. Again, to me, more bullst. Base with the PDK (as well as being a bargain level of performance for £42k+ vs a 981 S) just works together so well, yes there is lag under 2k in the same way the NA engine is flat in the low revs with all the power in the top, 2.7 is also slow by today's standards. Torque is far more easily available from 2,500 and up in the base, and I've never had an issue with lag really if you just drive the car correctly so it surprises me how often people quote it as a perceived shortcoming. Porsche know what they are doing these days with turbo engines.

So depreciation. To me this just requires careful optioning since you rarely get much money back, and any change of cars is usually going to require paying a massive dealer margin but whatever you put a Porsche badge on will have a rock solid residual. No chance of bargain basement 718 sales imo, sales figures are solid (as are WBAC values, not that I'd ever use them) and Porsche don't exactly build surplus units to discount as it's not a volume car.

DJMC interesting comments re the TTS off the lights. I never got on with the TT as the s-tronic gearbox was so bad compared to the PDK. Even off the lights (I don't have launch control) the PDK is straight into the power band, I've just not noticed lag since the gearbox is so well matched 'beating' other cars is never a problem.

Would I ever trade my 718? Well I had a 718 Boxster loan car with sports exhaust recently. I will say with the roof down the crackles on overrun are loud, I did so seriously enjoy driving it that I may well look for one of these next time around, and I'm certainly not picking up an old model anytime soon. The torquey acceleration on these just blows the 981 into the weeds imo. I even plugged the sound aktor back in recently, although it would be nice to have a switch for long journeys or phone calls. Enjoy your cars, it would indeed be dull if we all had the same view, although I will say the 981 GTS thread is just nauseating reading "I love it it's just the best car ever, etc."

Looking at the comments 718 owners are currently outnumbered, but as previously stated the ownership structure will change over time and I daresay so will opinions on here. <Braces for incoming fire>

Edited by jimbo761 on Friday 31st August 11:32

[Twinfan]

Interesting thread, the last one sums up my observations very clearly:

a) Those who prefer the 981 will describe how they dislike the 718 - the car itself
b) Those who prefer the 718 will describe how they dislike 981 fans/owners - the people rather than the car

[JayK12]

Twinfan said:

Interesting thread, the last one sums up my observations very clearly:

a) Those who prefer the 981 will describe how they dislike the 718 - the car itself
b) Those who prefer the 718 will describe how they dislike 981 fans/owners - the people rather than the car

With you on those, he seems to have issues..........deep hatred of anyone who dislikes the 718, and anyone who loves their 981.

[jimbo761]

Twinfan said:

Interesting thread, the last one sums up my observations very clearly:

a) Those who prefer the 981 will describe how they dislike the 718 - the car itself
b) Those who prefer the 718 will describe how they dislike 981 fans/owners - the people rather than the car

Not quite sure you can boil it down quite that simply Twinfan, and I've nothing against the owners, just the constant stream of (imo) BS written about the car .

[Twinfan]

Your BS is someone else's opinion, neither is right or wrong unless we're talking about "no turbo lag" which is impossible.

I think it does mostly boil down to what I've observed, otherwise I wouldn't have observed it

[jimbo761]

To each their own, I just don't find the lag (which there is <2k) to be an issue for me with the PDK, it really is such a superb 'box. Other points, luggage space I think is actually pretty good on these.

Economy in 'normal mode' which I rarely use :



I did also finally get to try 20" wheels with the standard 'passive' suspension, I have to say I was impressed, I found the handling a tad sharper and the ride was fine. Noise perhaps slightly greater, but then I did have the roof down most of the time. Paying £4k to upgrade my 18"s and finally getting the PS4S's, is a difficult one.

Oh, purists can ignore this but for anyone who plays, you can also get golf clubs in the boot of a Boxster, but you will have to take the heads off the drivers (unlike the Cayman where they can lay on the parcel shelf.)



HTH.

[Porsche911R]

Twinfan said:

Interesting thread, the last one sums up my observations very clearly:

a) Those who prefer the 981 will describe how they dislike the 718 - the car itself
b) Those who prefer the 718 will describe how they dislike 981 fans/owners - the people rather than the car

It's like comparing 2 turds, both are st really when it comes down to it ;-)

you guy just need to decide which is stter.

[anonymous-user]

bcr5784 said:

Simple fact, not a matter for debate - do the measurements yourself. I did - as did someone else who owns one - with a boost gauge.

I’ll call you on that one, for the simple reason you’ve said nothing about what gear and what rpm. My suspicion is that you’ve deliberately set up a “worst case” scenario to set up your usual negativity about the cars.

[bcr5784]

rockin said:

I’ll call you on that one, for the simple reason you’ve said nothing about what gear and what rpm. My suspicion is that you’ve deliberately set up a “worst case” scenario to set up your usual negativity about the cars.

Nonsense I said 2k revs. It doesn't matter what gear you do it in if you do it from a closed throttle which IS worst case. I did it from cruise in I think 4th which actually reduces lag since the throttle is already partly open. I did it at 500 rev increments up to 3.5k by which time lag has to all intents and purposes disappeared. The guy who did the tests using a boost gauge rather than seat of the pants was a 718 owner FFS!

If you think I am consistently negative I suggest you actually read my posts on this thread. Here's one:

"It certainly changes the driving experience. From a standing start (unless you use launch control!) the car hesitates which is rather irritating. If you ask for rapid acceleration from cruise at around the 2000rpm mark there is a couple of seconds delay before anything significant happens and then a rather agricultural transition to rocket ship mode. So generally you will have to drive around that. Keep revs above 3000 and it's not a big issue.

That said the 981S has an irritating dip in the torque curve between 2500 and 4000 revs and you will have to drive around that to make serious progress. That wouldn't be such issue if the gearing was lower - over 80 in second and 115 in third on manual cars - a fair bit less with PDK.

So If you are happy keep the engine on the boil the 981 may be the better choice, if you want more accessible grunt at more modest road speeds you may prefer the 718"

Another post of mine said that if the OP was happy with the 718 engine he should go with that and ignore those (like me) who aren't.

I actually can see both sides of the argument, but facts are facts - it appears you can't and don't even read the comments that you say are "all" negative. If you don't believe me do the tests yourself.

Edited by bcr5784 on Friday 31st August 15:48

Edited by bcr5784 on Friday 31st August 15:51

[anonymous-user]

If someone doesn’t like the 718 and doesn’t like the 981 one can only wonder why they are posting in this thread at all.

Having owned sports cars all my life it appears I’ve still learned nothing about them at all...

[bcr5784]

rockin said:

If someone doesn’t like the 718 and doesn’t like the 981 one can only wonder why they are posting in this thread at all.

Having owned sports cars all my life it appears I’ve still learned nothing about them at all...

Oddly enough I've never driven a perfect car - they've all got some downside or other.

[DJMC]

jimbo761 said:

Economy in 'normal mode' which I rarely use :

What's your average over, say, 5k miles?
I think the base 981 will be more economical overall, but I'm just basing that on my TTS' inability to average over 32mpg.

[Trevor555]

Flippo said:

Looking at the above two cars and I must say the 718 appears great value at 42k new (I don't need many options) vs a used 981S, which are currently being sold at ridiculous opc used prices (41k for a '14 plate...wtf!).

THanks

Have a deep think about why that 14 plate car is the same price as a new one.

[Si-3PO]

Economy on my 718 CS was significantly better than my current 981, not something I care about but could be a factor for somebody using the car as a daily.

[CastroSays]

Porsche911R said:

Twinfan said:

Interesting thread, the last one sums up my observations very clearly:

a) Those who prefer the 981 will describe how they dislike the 718 - the car itself
b) Those who prefer the 718 will describe how they dislike 981 fans/owners - the people rather than the car

It's like comparing 2 turds, both are st really when it comes down to it ;-)

you guy just need to decide which is stter.

Theres only one turd around here.
Go have a look in a mirror and see if you can figure out who it is......

[tedblog]

Trevor555 said:

Flippo said:

Looking at the above two cars and I must say the 718 appears great value at 42k new (I don't need many options) vs a used 981S, which are currently being sold at ridiculous opc used prices (41k for a '14 plate...wtf!).

THanks

Have a deep think about why that 14 plate car is the same price as a new one.

Had a think and opc prices are well high compared to what they will pay for your car

Edited by tedblog on Friday 31st August 17:40