Cayman GT4 buying advice

[boxsey]

w44neg said:

I called Wilmslow Porsche today. They have a Guards Red one and I called asking to test drive it... sorry sir but you can't do that unless we've worked out some figures, as it's SoR.

It can be difficult to get a test drive in any GT car at a Porsche centre. Their attitude seems to be that customers wanting a GT car already know that they want one and don't need a test drive to make up their mind. I bought mine from Wilmslow and they were excellent to deal with. At the point of sale they did ask me if I wanted to test drive it but by that time it was plainly obvious that I was ready to buy. As it happens I didn't feel there was any need to. So I would say that if you go and see it and show that you are ready to buy they might offer you a drive. What they try and avoid are people wanting a GT4 test drive who end buying one from somewhere else.

[Porsche911R]

That's the SOR market, you can test drive owned cars.

[w44neg]

Yes makes sense, it's just that's the only car within a decent range, and I generally try a few cars before generally going back to the first one :-)

[Oakman]

Regarding the seat options in a Gt4 Cayman.

I can only tell you what my friend who had a Gt4 from new thought about his with the 918 Full Bucket seats. (He also had a 997 Gt3RS gen 2, 991 Gt3, 991 Gt3RS with same seats, 991.2 Gt3 and a new 991.2 Gt3 RS all with 918 seats - because he hillclimbs them all as well as road use.)

He specced them on the Gt4 with the Clubsport pack because he was going hillclimbing, short circuit sprint racing and track days in it as well as road driving. They were perfect for the job.

He thought the car was truly fantastic and more liveable with than the RS models on a daily basis. He would have happily toured Europe in it, avoiding autoroutes - BUT said it would be better without the 918 bucket seats for any moderate distance driving as they were more difficult to get into / out of and very upright for long distance journeys. The car itself was great for any type of driving and very comfortable.

His conclusion was if he was looking for one as an all round fun car it would be without the 918 seats - he also added it would save money on the secondhand purchase price, or allow him to buy one with 'better spec or rarer Paint To Sample (PTS) colour'

Hope it helps.

[av185]

Regarding the seats and for the avoidance of doubt the older style folding buckets are wider at the shoulders but narrower at the hips compared to the newer carbon front finished fixed buckets.

This appears to cause more problems than the more vertical position of the newer buckets, depending on people's type of build.

The other advantage to the newer buckets apart from looking much better than the somewhat dated folding buckers is you sit lower in the car which is important for a GT Porsche. Electric height adjustment on these seats is standard whereas the folding buckets are fixed which may not suit everyone.

Also note that seat heating on the older folding buckets was NOT standard but was an option.

[franki68]

The seats are very subjective,but a lot of people who put 918 buckets on their cars found them very uncomfortable (I did) and when I got my gt3 I went with the normal sport seats and don’t regret it .
A lot of people will tell you different things but ultimately you need the seats that are most comfortable for your use.

[Porsche911R]

I hate the 918 style and love the heated Carbon folding GT2 buckets which by the way are also lighter and look just as trick.

People seem to go for looks but the 918 style seats are one of the worse seats I have ever sat in. how ever great they look and most don't as the side bolsters seem to fail after 35 miles, comfort is king, folding is handy, heated is yummy and lighter the better.

it's free choice just make sure you know what you are getting into when buying.

[GT4P]

I remember when I ordered my Gt4 with folding buckets some posted that it would affect its resale because they were not the "918 style", also I didn't order PCM because pre 2017 it is not that good( the one in our Ford Fiesta is better) and yet again it was posted on here that a non PCM car would be £1000s cheaper than a car fitted with PCM at resale.I can safely say they were wrong on both counts
Buy the seats and spec. that suit your needs but I would recommend the Xenons and leather interior, i also went sound package plus as it gives you DAB , it's also basically the PCM unit without the maps and navigation software

[w44neg]

Really helpful advice. I'm going to keep an eye out for "the one" and see what comes along

[TDT]

Another solution available to maybe tackle 918 recline issues....

New front brackets for a higher mounting point with stock arms

https://tagmotorsports.com/tag-porsche-lwb-seat-an...





Would be interesting to get thoughts on these vs the autoquest solution of longer arms to the factory mounting points

[_Superleggera_]

nudgerwilliams said:

That colour is definitely a marmite job. There are two ways of looking at the fact it's the only one, and I'm in the camp that thinks it's because it's horrible.

There are actually 4 Lichtgrün 253 (Previously birch green) cars in the UK.

My car is the other one in the classifieds.

Nick's car is the only clubsport with ceramics, but its missing the extended leather dash, so there is just plastic on the tops of the doors and dash which isn't so great to look at. Having said that if CS was necessary, its the only one you can get with it.

Some people get the colour, some people don't. Its a personal decision at the end of the day.

Edited by _Superleggera_ on Wednesday 24th October 09:34

[BubblesNW]

w44neg said:

Really helpful advice. I'm going to keep an eye out for "the one" and see what comes along

If you're in the North West, get yourself along to Oulton on the 31st as there is a PCGB trackday there. You will be able to try the comfort seats (Boxsey) and the 918 (mine) and there might be some cars with folding buckets there as well. Also, you can pay £10 and get passenger laps to see what all the fuss is about.

[w44neg]

Absolutely typically I can’t make that date. I’m a member of PCGB as well. Would have been ideal.

[FrankCayman]

Porsche911R said:

I hate the 918 style and love the heated Carbon folding GT2 buckets which by the way are also lighter and look just as trick.

People seem to go for looks but the 918 style seats are one of the worse seats I have ever sat in. how ever great they look and most don't as the side bolsters seem to fail after 35 miles, comfort is king, folding is handy, heated is yummy and lighter the better.

it's free choice just make sure you know what you are getting into when buying.

Wow...I thought you said the 918 seats were the must have for the Gt4? That's why you specc'd them? I noticed the yellow GT4 at OPC Colchester had wear on the edge too. What alternatives were available when you specc'd the 981 from new?

[w44neg]

Mad Scientist said:

I'm near Wilmslow too, should you want a poke about.

Thanks, would be great to take you up on that some time. I'm the other side of Manchester so not far to get to you at all.

[manracer]

TDT said:

Another solution available to maybe tackle 918 recline issues....

New front brackets for a higher mounting point with stock arms

https://tagmotorsports.com/tag-porsche-lwb-seat-an...





Would be interesting to get thoughts on these vs the autoquest solution of longer arms to the factory mounting points

I'm pretty sure these are what we had fitted to the FILs Cayman R, they do make a decent difference.

Ironically we've just listed it on PH classifieds as he just doesn't drive it enough any more so it's time to say goodbye

[GT4P]

FrankCayman said:

Porsche911R said:

I hate the 918 style and love the heated Carbon folding GT2 buckets which by the way are also lighter and look just as trick.

People seem to go for looks but the 918 style seats are one of the worse seats I have ever sat in..

Wow...I thought you said the 918 seats were the must have for the Gt4? That's why you specc'd them? What alternatives were available when you specc'd the 981 from new?

Take your pick but the folding buckets were most definitely a choice;)

[av185]

Usual choice on the GT4.

918 buckets, folding buckets, adaptive, sports.

[Porsche911R]

FrankCayman said:

Wow...I thought you said the 918 seats were the must have for the Gt4? That's why you specc'd them? I noticed the yellow GT4 at OPC Colchester had wear on the edge too. What alternatives were available when you specc'd the 981 from new?

in 2015 yes when no one had sat in them lol it was daft to order the older style, little did we know they are a really bad design !!


that's the issue with not being able to try, and ordering a car 6 months in advance, I soon swapped back in my new car to the Gt2 buckets. I was honest about it when I got it but we are close to 4 years on now.

[FrankCayman]

Porsche911R said:

in 2015 yes when no one had sat in them lol it was daft to order the older style, little did we know they are a really bad design !!


that's the issue with not being able to try, and ordering a car 6 months in advance, I soon swapped back in my new car to the Gt2 buckets. I was honest about it when I got it but we are close to 4 years on now.

Good lord, yes...time passes quickly. So if you were looking at a 981 GT4 now in the used market, would you go for 'chairs' over the 918 buckets?