981 GTS to 718 GTS Boxster

981 GTS to 718 GTS Boxster

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Discussion

TTmonkey

Original Poster:

20,911 posts

254 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
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Anyone recently moved from a 981 BGTS to a 718 BGTS?

I’d be interested to hear what you think of the move, what you love about the old, what you think is better about the new.

Performance, noise, handling, comfort, feel, looks anything really.

TTmonkey

Original Poster:

20,911 posts

254 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Hahaaaa no. Totally out of my price bracket. Just wanted someone’s perspective as to how big a difference there is, and any preferences for the old over the new.

grahamm

211 posts

209 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
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I did the Porsche experience this year. When I told the instructor I used to have a 981 GTS he said it was the best sounding car Porsche made! Changed to 718 GT4 which is more modern and better in lots of ways but doesn’t sound as good. Don’t underestimate the importance of the sound!

JurassicGTS

1,617 posts

202 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
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I tried the 718, but prefer the 981.
The noise is better in the 981 and I prefer the 981 dashboard...the flatter air vents and position of the Chrono clock seem better aesthetically.
The 718 has slightly better low range pick up, but I love the 981 character and sound.
The 718 has a better info screen, but I hardly use mine anyway.
For me it's not worth the cost increase to swop, but wouldn't anyway.
Enjoy your 981 GTS and stay away from adverts laugh

julian987R

6,840 posts

66 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
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TTmonkey said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Hahaaaa no. Totally out of my price bracket. Just wanted someone’s perspective as to how big a difference there is, and any preferences for the old over the new.
The 718 is just a face lift of the 981, essentially.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8c7nxOwVxI&t=...


TTmonkey

Original Poster:

20,911 posts

254 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
JurassicGTS said:
I tried the 718, but prefer the 981.
The noise is better in the 981 and I prefer the 981 dashboard...the flatter air vents and position of the Chrono clock seem better aesthetically.
The 718 has slightly better low range pick up, but I love the 981 character and sound.
The 718 has a better info screen, but I hardly use mine anyway.
For me it's not worth the cost increase to swop, but wouldn't anyway.
Enjoy your 981 GTS and stay away from adverts laugh
Ha, I do miss browsing the adverts and dreaming. Wife was sick of me looking at the classifieds for hours and hours…..But now of course I can go outside and look at one in the flesh. Still learning the car. It’s your first performance car in thirty years…. (Although my wife’s TTS is rapid being Quattro it’s a whole different experience).


JurassicGTS

1,617 posts

202 months

Saturday 24th September 2022
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I also still keep browsing over my morning cuppa but only at the 25 Anniversary Model eek
As another poster has said the 718 is really a mid term facelift. I also prefer the wings and headlight shape of the 981, slightly less angular.

Riskins

248 posts

132 months

Sunday 25th September 2022
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I test drove a 718 4.0 GTS back in Feb and loved it enough to put a deposit down for a new car. 2 weeks later I was increasingly becoming impatient on a 12 month wait and test drove a 981 GTS which I purchased.

Pro’s for 981 - price and hopefully less depreciation, exhaust note, front bumper design (subjective I know).
Pro’s for 718 - personal spec choice, engine felt it had more power lower in rev range, tighter handling, later PCM with Apple Car Play.

I’d love to have been patient enough to hold out for my own car build but wasn’t going to happen. Very happy with my 981 and had a great summer with it and 3k miles driving.

Billy_Whizzzz

2,138 posts

150 months

Sunday 25th September 2022
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Not what you asked, sorry - but I had a deposit for a BGTS 4.0, didn’t want to wait so bought a 981 Spyder thinking I could sell
It when the 718 GTS arrived. Needless to say, I didn’t bother with the GTS - I adore the 981 and can’t imagine wanting much more from a car.

johnycarrera

1,935 posts

237 months

Sunday 25th September 2022
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I loved my 981 GTS but emperor’s new clothes moved to a 718 GT4.

The GT4 is better in lots of dramatic ways, so I’m happy I made the move…….

However there’s no way I’d have gone 981GTS to 718GTS, it’s not worth the extra for apple car play which you can now put in the 981.

718 may be a little quicker but how much more do you need on the road…. X73 ARBs on the 981 and you have the same chassis handling so between the two I’d stick with the 981.

I do track days and that’s where the GT4 really moves the game on and I like the show off wangs…

Bang for your buck and perfect sound stick with the 981, it’s a brilliant package.

TTmonkey

Original Poster:

20,911 posts

254 months

Sunday 25th September 2022
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Just an update.
Went to Porsche Swindon yesterday and asked for my 718 deposit back.

I’ll be keeping the 981 B GTS indefinitely.

Stop gap is perm.




JurassicGTS

1,617 posts

202 months

Sunday 25th September 2022
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TTmonkey said:
Just an update.
Went to Porsche Swindon yesterday and asked for my 718 deposit back.

I’ll be keeping the 981 B GTS indefinitely.

Stop gap is perm.



beer good decision thumbup

john41901

713 posts

73 months

Sunday 25th September 2022
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JurassicGTS said:
TTmonkey said:
Just an update.
Went to Porsche Swindon yesterday and asked for my 718 deposit back.

I’ll be keeping the 981 B GTS indefinitely.

Stop gap is perm.



beer good decision thumbup
With the upcoming recession probably a good call. Why buy the latest model when the seven year old classic will do?

Those 981s are pretty old now and true classicists will only buy 987-Rs?

Only Internet myths of course…. hehe

Just joking TT they all look like awesome cars. Enjoy!



TTmonkey

Original Poster:

20,911 posts

254 months

Monday 26th September 2022
quotequote all
JurassicGTS said:
TTmonkey said:
Just an update.
Went to Porsche Swindon yesterday and asked for my 718 deposit back.

I’ll be keeping the 981 B GTS indefinitely.

Stop gap is perm.



beer good decision thumbup
Saved myself 40k ish as well….

I can live without the updated tech, the performance for me is already massive as I’ve been driving 2.0 diesels for years…. !!!

And the noise. The NOISE.

Jefferson Steelflex

1,496 posts

106 months

Monday 26th September 2022
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I'm only going to be changing my 981 BGTS for the 718 GTS because I'm going for the Cayman, and even then I was tempted to just get the 981C instead. But it's locked in now and I like the fact I can choose my own spec.

On topic, I have driven both the 718 and 981 back to back and the 718 had marginally better steering and felt a bit more planted (but that could just be the fact it was a brand new car), and I found the engine more tractable and a bit more responsive. The 981 destroys the 718 on noise and that for me made it an equal choice, you don't have as much desire to rev out the 718 as you do in the 981 because it just doesn't sound as nice, although to be clear the 718 is not a bad sounding car at all. But it's just nowhere near as good as it sounds les mechanical.

What a choice to have.