718 Cayman S PDK- The best value for money used?
Discussion
I know it is a 4 cylinder 2.5L. However in terms of straight line acceleration, it is faster than any other cayman past and present except 718GTS and probably equal to 718 GTS 4.0
On tracks, it holds its own, matching 718 GTS and it is only the GT4s that are clearly superior to it. Otherwise it is faster than Cayman R and 981 GTS and M2 competition on tracks
Apart from the engine sound not as good as the flat six engines, any other reason not to go for it? especially if it were to be used for daily driving (also gets good mpg)
Comparison from fastestlap.com. dragrace.me and Zeperf
[url
|https://thumbsnap.com/U5K1EHBB[/url]
On tracks, it holds its own, matching 718 GTS and it is only the GT4s that are clearly superior to it. Otherwise it is faster than Cayman R and 981 GTS and M2 competition on tracks
Apart from the engine sound not as good as the flat six engines, any other reason not to go for it? especially if it were to be used for daily driving (also gets good mpg)
Comparison from fastestlap.com. dragrace.me and Zeperf
[url
|https://thumbsnap.com/U5K1EHBB[/url]Honestly, I am having the same dilemma myself. I don’t have an existing Porsche ownership background, so I probably don’t know what I am missing.
I am also a manual gearbox fan for my fun and track cars, but I have had high powered auto daily’s.
My Budget currently currently catches:
987.2 R and S
981S
917 2,0T
917 S
I am probably going to have to test drive one of each, in reverse order, to see if I dislike anything.
I am also a manual gearbox fan for my fun and track cars, but I have had high powered auto daily’s.
My Budget currently currently catches:
987.2 R and S
981S
917 2,0T
917 S
I am probably going to have to test drive one of each, in reverse order, to see if I dislike anything.
Edited by Hol on Friday 28th January 08:09
Agreed, and also had a similar dilemma.
My budget covered (amongst cars I really liked from other brands like the Giulia Quadrifoglio):
718 Base / S / GTS 2.5
981 Base / S / GTS
I went for the 981 GTS in the end, as it represented a type of engine, sound and throttle response I hadn't had before. I was coming from a highish power turbocharged car and wanted something completely different. If I fancy a newer Cayman at some point, though, I can definitely see myself swapping to a 718 GTS 2.5. For me the noise is just different, not worse, and you certainly can't argue with its power
As always, have a good think and test drive them all. The one that's right with you will just click. Some lovely options at that price point either way.
My budget covered (amongst cars I really liked from other brands like the Giulia Quadrifoglio):
718 Base / S / GTS 2.5
981 Base / S / GTS
I went for the 981 GTS in the end, as it represented a type of engine, sound and throttle response I hadn't had before. I was coming from a highish power turbocharged car and wanted something completely different. If I fancy a newer Cayman at some point, though, I can definitely see myself swapping to a 718 GTS 2.5. For me the noise is just different, not worse, and you certainly can't argue with its power
As always, have a good think and test drive them all. The one that's right with you will just click. Some lovely options at that price point either way.
If it were me I’d probably go for the base model.
I could never really tell the difference in acceleration between the base, S or GTS models, because they all suffer from the same non linear power delivery you get with turbocharged engines (although the numbers on the dial increases more quickly with the latter two).
More importantly though I found the base model smoother. You can feel the variable valve timing kick in quite a bit on the 2.5 models. Which to me feels like constant misfiring/hesitation.
I could never really tell the difference in acceleration between the base, S or GTS models, because they all suffer from the same non linear power delivery you get with turbocharged engines (although the numbers on the dial increases more quickly with the latter two).
More importantly though I found the base model smoother. You can feel the variable valve timing kick in quite a bit on the 2.5 models. Which to me feels like constant misfiring/hesitation.
Hol said:
Apologies to the OP for the slight highjack, but I am also intending to track mine 2-3 days of the year.
^^ I’m not sure if that influences peoples views on whether the 981 trumps the 917. But, it’s not every week, and I have a lot of mechanical sympathy for my cars on track.
The 718 steering and suspension is light years ahead of the 981, so that will pay dividends on track.^^ I’m not sure if that influences peoples views on whether the 981 trumps the 917. But, it’s not every week, and I have a lot of mechanical sympathy for my cars on track.
The other option is to get a 981 and fit X73 to it, in fact I need to make a thread about that.
I had a 718 Cayman S for 2 years before my current 718 GTS 4.0. They are great cars. Fast, brilliant chassis, very easy to daily with PDK, etc. The sound was never an issue for me really and I think the only thing I didn't like was the feeling when coming off throttle (difficult to describe but you don't get the same engine braking compared to a larger capacity engine). I sold mine to my dad and he still has it.
You only have to look at that gt4 vs Mustang V8 vs Cayman base video I posted up last week to see these are really quick cars.
Interestingly, they always seemed to be predicting a massive crash in values of the 2.5s which just never materialised (fortunately or unfortunately depending whether you are a buyer or seller).
There's a great looking GTS in the OPC network I have my eye on, but it's currently £60k at four years old - and January's usually one of the the cheapest months for prices! Just amazing really.
Interestingly, they always seemed to be predicting a massive crash in values of the 2.5s which just never materialised (fortunately or unfortunately depending whether you are a buyer or seller).
There's a great looking GTS in the OPC network I have my eye on, but it's currently £60k at four years old - and January's usually one of the the cheapest months for prices! Just amazing really.
Another former 718 2.0 PDK owner and as I've said elsewhere the flat fours are quite brilliant for what they are. There was an awful lot of guff when they first came out mainly about the noise out the back which is actually pretty good in my opinion. Some people don't like the power delivery which is fair on a personal level but pound for pound what they deliver and the way they deliver it at the price point they're at is pretty hard to beat.
If you get one I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed, I certainly wasn't.
If you get one I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed, I certainly wasn't.
Voodoo Blue said:
Another former 718 2.0 PDK owner and as I've said elsewhere the flat fours are quite brilliant for what they are. There was an awful lot of guff when they first came out mainly about the noise out the back which is actually pretty good in my opinion. Some people don't like the power delivery which is fair on a personal level but pound for pound what they deliver and the way they deliver it at the price point they're at is pretty hard to beat.
If you get one I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed, I certainly wasn't.
Agreed. The comments from the YouTubers when they first came out was borderline laughable. Loads of performance cars these days come with a potent 2.0 4 pot and they don't get any of the flack the 718 got. It was disappointing to see some even fairly well-respected YouTubers just flagrantly dismissing the Base, S and GTS, all singing from the same hymn sheet. Clickbait guff at its finest.If you get one I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed, I certainly wasn't.
Thanks for the reply all. Please keep them coming. The straight line acceleration and track performance metrics of 718 S PDK from the websites I uploaded are based on the averages of real world performances. The pops and bangs coming from them in video reviews are also attractive to me. I like overrun pops a lot
My current budget is not up to the budget for the GT4s and Cayman R interior and lack of modern technology and external light makes it unattractive for me to use as a daily drive as I commute on rural winding roads
My current budget is not up to the budget for the GT4s and Cayman R interior and lack of modern technology and external light makes it unattractive for me to use as a daily drive as I commute on rural winding roads
Loving my 69 plate 2.5 GTS, if you're worried about the sound just unplug the Soundaktor fuse (no CEL or any other detriment).
Goes like stink, handles beautifully and returns good MPG for what it is. Those who tramp out its a 4 pot its not worth shiite either haven't driven one, haven't looked at the market which after all dictates the prices, or are just plain unwilling to accept they are wrong. A friend with a 4.0GTS cannot escape when I'm in pursuit...
Enjoy, do it now...
Goes like stink, handles beautifully and returns good MPG for what it is. Those who tramp out its a 4 pot its not worth shiite either haven't driven one, haven't looked at the market which after all dictates the prices, or are just plain unwilling to accept they are wrong. A friend with a 4.0GTS cannot escape when I'm in pursuit...
Enjoy, do it now...
Edited by Fnumber1user on Sunday 30th January 17:07
Voodoo Blue said:
Another former 718 2.0 PDK owner and as I've said elsewhere the flat fours are quite brilliant for what they are.
Looks to me that the "what you gt for what you pay" is stunning compared with other sports cars, including more expensive cars from the same manufacturer. SkinnyPete said:
Hol said:
Apologies to the OP for the slight highjack, but I am also intending to track mine 2-3 days of the year.
^^ I’m not sure if that influences peoples views on whether the 981 trumps the 917. But, it’s not every week, and I have a lot of mechanical sympathy for my cars on track.
The 718 steering and suspension is light years ahead of the 981, so that will pay dividends on track.^^ I’m not sure if that influences peoples views on whether the 981 trumps the 917. But, it’s not every week, and I have a lot of mechanical sympathy for my cars on track.
The other option is to get a 981 and fit X73 to it, in fact I need to make a thread about that.
I didn’t realise they had changes much other than the drivetrain.
Had a 981 BOXSTER S with circa £22k in options including PTV, SC, PASM, PSE & PDK. Loved the car, sounded absolutely fantastic and more then quick enough for the road.
Got into a 69 reg CGTS 6 months ago. The 718 just feels significantly sharper everywhere but the performance is just on another level to any 981. It really is seriously quick and the way it just comes out of a corner and hooks up (if you get it right) is just so much fun and frankly astonishing! Sound wise, yeah I preferred the 981s flat 6 but I couldn’t go back to a 981, any variant for that matter. Much prefer to stay with the 718 and maybe a 718 GT4 PDK when they come into budget but until then this GTS is a fantastic thing!
If you check out the Carwow video of the only time they raced a CGTS 2.5 or their published drag list, 11.7 1/4 mile is fast in most peoples book. Also, check out YouTuber Sebastian Vittel to see how impressive the GTS is on track.
Fantastic car, love the looks of mine in Carmine Red with the full GTS/Carbon interior, Sports Design body kit and Carrera Sport wheels. Can you tell I like it a lot haha
Got into a 69 reg CGTS 6 months ago. The 718 just feels significantly sharper everywhere but the performance is just on another level to any 981. It really is seriously quick and the way it just comes out of a corner and hooks up (if you get it right) is just so much fun and frankly astonishing! Sound wise, yeah I preferred the 981s flat 6 but I couldn’t go back to a 981, any variant for that matter. Much prefer to stay with the 718 and maybe a 718 GT4 PDK when they come into budget but until then this GTS is a fantastic thing!
If you check out the Carwow video of the only time they raced a CGTS 2.5 or their published drag list, 11.7 1/4 mile is fast in most peoples book. Also, check out YouTuber Sebastian Vittel to see how impressive the GTS is on track.
Fantastic car, love the looks of mine in Carmine Red with the full GTS/Carbon interior, Sports Design body kit and Carrera Sport wheels. Can you tell I like it a lot haha
Hol said:
Visibly the 981 and 718 look the same?
I didn’t realise they had changes much other than the drivetrain.
Tail lights and rear spoiler/wing treatment different, also vary slightly depending on model. I think the 981s look better. Front end similar, and having both, I probably ought to take more notice. I didn’t realise they had changes much other than the drivetrain.
I chopped my base 718 (bought new in 2017, but ordered around launch time in 2016) for a 981 GT4 in 2018, when the 718 was about 18 months old. I'd done 17k miles in the 718 and loved every one of them. In fact loved it so much that I recently took delivery of a base 718 in identical spec. to my first Porsche, but have kept the 981 GT4 as well. A GT Porsche was just an itch that I needed to scratch, and its impracticality as a daily drive just added to that.
Personally I'm not sure the 718 is "light years" ahead of the 981 in ride and handling. I know my daily comparison is a GT4 against a 718 base model, but they are pretty similar in feel (PASM, PTV for both). I do love the sound of the 981 GT4, but actually the 718 turbo 4 cylinder engines also sound great to me. The OP clearly notes that they also go pretty well too. Haven't tracked prices to see if a Cayman S is a bargain just now, but was pleasantly surprised by the resale value of my base Cayman. Whatever price they hold for a buyer, they don't seem to be too disastrous for a seller a while later.
I have driven 981 Cayman S, and 718 Cayman S, the latter at the PEC at Silverstone, but the former only on the road, both PDK. Both my cars are manual. PDK is definitely better, faster, technically astonishing and the right choice. For whatever reason I like the anachronism of seeing out the end of the internal combustion engine with a manual gearbox even though I know it's not the optimal solution. Weird and middle-aged maybe.
I think the 718 Cayman S is a great car. If I wasn't keeping the GT4, certainly would have considered one of them instead of base model. For 5th/6th gear roll-on acceleration on the motorway, the 4 cylinder turbo engines are much easier to live with than the 6 cylinder, even though they don't sound anything like as dramatic. Massively underrated cars, and as many have said, took a kicking from reviewers for no real reason other than being "different" in having a flat 4 engine. Given it's where the brand started, that seems massively unfair to me.
Liam
LiamH66 said:
Tail lights and rear spoiler/wing treatment different, also vary slightly depending on model. I think the 981s look better. Front end similar, and having both, I probably ought to take more notice.
I chopped my base 718 (bought new in 2017, but ordered around launch time in 2016) for a 981 GT4 in 2018, when the 718 was about 18 months old. I'd done 17k miles in the 718 and loved every one of them. In fact loved it so much that I recently took delivery of a base 718 in identical spec. to my first Porsche, but have kept the 981 GT4 as well. A GT Porsche was just an itch that I needed to scratch, and its impracticality as a daily drive just added to that.
Personally I'm not sure the 718 is "light years" ahead of the 981 in ride and handling. I know my daily comparison is a GT4 against a 718 base model, but they are pretty similar in feel (PASM, PTV for both). I do love the sound of the 981 GT4, but actually the 718 turbo 4 cylinder engines also sound great to me. The OP clearly notes that they also go pretty well too. Haven't tracked prices to see if a Cayman S is a bargain just now, but was pleasantly surprised by the resale value of my base Cayman. Whatever price they hold for a buyer, they don't seem to be too disastrous for a seller a while later.
I have driven 981 Cayman S, and 718 Cayman S, the latter at the PEC at Silverstone, but the former only on the road, both PDK. Both my cars are manual. PDK is definitely better, faster, technically astonishing and the right choice. For whatever reason I like the anachronism of seeing out the end of the internal combustion engine with a manual gearbox even though I know it's not the optimal solution. Weird and middle-aged maybe.
I think the 718 Cayman S is a great car. If I wasn't keeping the GT4, certainly would have considered one of them instead of base model. For 5th/6th gear roll-on acceleration on the motorway, the 4 cylinder turbo engines are much easier to live with than the 6 cylinder, even though they don't sound anything like as dramatic. Massively underrated cars, and as many have said, took a kicking from reviewers for no real reason other than being "different" in having a flat 4 engine. Given it's where the brand started, that seems massively unfair to me.
Liam
Thanks. Looking again at my saved adverts I can now see the differences.I chopped my base 718 (bought new in 2017, but ordered around launch time in 2016) for a 981 GT4 in 2018, when the 718 was about 18 months old. I'd done 17k miles in the 718 and loved every one of them. In fact loved it so much that I recently took delivery of a base 718 in identical spec. to my first Porsche, but have kept the 981 GT4 as well. A GT Porsche was just an itch that I needed to scratch, and its impracticality as a daily drive just added to that.
Personally I'm not sure the 718 is "light years" ahead of the 981 in ride and handling. I know my daily comparison is a GT4 against a 718 base model, but they are pretty similar in feel (PASM, PTV for both). I do love the sound of the 981 GT4, but actually the 718 turbo 4 cylinder engines also sound great to me. The OP clearly notes that they also go pretty well too. Haven't tracked prices to see if a Cayman S is a bargain just now, but was pleasantly surprised by the resale value of my base Cayman. Whatever price they hold for a buyer, they don't seem to be too disastrous for a seller a while later.
I have driven 981 Cayman S, and 718 Cayman S, the latter at the PEC at Silverstone, but the former only on the road, both PDK. Both my cars are manual. PDK is definitely better, faster, technically astonishing and the right choice. For whatever reason I like the anachronism of seeing out the end of the internal combustion engine with a manual gearbox even though I know it's not the optimal solution. Weird and middle-aged maybe.
I think the 718 Cayman S is a great car. If I wasn't keeping the GT4, certainly would have considered one of them instead of base model. For 5th/6th gear roll-on acceleration on the motorway, the 4 cylinder turbo engines are much easier to live with than the 6 cylinder, even though they don't sound anything like as dramatic. Massively underrated cars, and as many have said, took a kicking from reviewers for no real reason other than being "different" in having a flat 4 engine. Given it's where the brand started, that seems massively unfair to me.
Liam
This will be my first Porsche so I don’t have any hang ups on the sound. To me a car is always about how it connects me to the tarmac and how it makes me feel….good.
I do keep clicking the manual only boxes in the search engines, though. It’s going to be hard to let that one go.
As I recall the 718 had a whole heap of upgrades over the 981 like brakes, suspension and steering. If interested, this is from the original U.S. press kit but details most of the changes applicable to the global models.
https://press.porsche.com/download/prod/presse_pag...
I think the 718 base got the brakes from the 981 S, the 718 S got brakes from the 911 (presumably 991) and all 718s got the better steering etc.
https://press.porsche.com/download/prod/presse_pag...
I think the 718 base got the brakes from the 981 S, the 718 S got brakes from the 911 (presumably 991) and all 718s got the better steering etc.
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