GTS 4.0 manual or auto? Last sportscar?

GTS 4.0 manual or auto? Last sportscar?

Author
Discussion

Dunbar871

Original Poster:

218 posts

6 months

Friday 16th August
quotequote all
Yes I know the usual advice will be stop overthinking and buy one but I'm trying to optimise, currently having an older 981 PDK on high mileage. What spec would your final sportscar be if you were viewing it as your 'forever' purchase?

  • I'm thinking buy as late as possible before they stop making them. OPC has offered to put a new order in but suggests 50% chance of successfully getting a last allocation before builds stop in 2025. That said happy to buy existing stock but what spec?
  • Manual as easier maintenance than PDK, need to keep extended warranty in case PDK dies?
  • Manual is more 'old school' and I'm not focused on lap times
  • I do have to do the odd drive to town, where my PDK excels. Is a manual going to be a pain for driving in traffic?
  • The dynamic engine mounts seemed to have an inherent design flaw; is this now fixed, if so from what year?

Any advice / input welcome. Thanks


jimbo761

391 posts

89 months

Friday 16th August
quotequote all
Suspect I'd rather get a cheap white goods auto for the 'round town', perhaps even a dull EV and keep the manual for anything else. Don't discount the 2.5 GTS either, it may sound slightly different but they are still quick. If you can go pre-GPF that will make a big difference to the sound, which improves dramatically as the miles go on but think GPFs were introduced from the model year 2019 on.

oscmax

160 posts

134 months

Friday 16th August
quotequote all
Happy to be corrected, but not sure any 718 4.0 GTS were pre-GPF?

Voodoo Blue

916 posts

152 months

Friday 16th August
quotequote all
Much as I loved my 2.0 718 I took the opportunity nearly 3 years ago to buy an example of what may be the last normally aspirated flat 6 sports car Porsche are likely to make. I was also fortunate enough to be offered a 25 Year Anniversary which accepted and I don't regret for a second.

Mine is a PDK and came with a pretty good spec as standard so only had to add a few essentials (Climate, Auto Dimming Mirror and Bose) to complete the package.

19K miles later and I'm still chuffed to bits with it. It has incredible performance when you want it but as easy to drive as any other car in traffic or in town. And although (as mentioned elsewhere) it's difficult to explore and exploit that performance very often where I live, it is effortless driving across the continent which is where mine has accumulated the bulk of it's miles.

In short, it's probably the last sports car I'll ever buy as I can't see anything like it being made in the future and the overall package is so complete. Having said that if they hadn't brought out the 4.0 flat six I'd likely still be driving around in my 2.0 flat 4 as that is an equally brilliant package for the money.


jimbo761

391 posts

89 months

Friday 16th August
quotequote all
oscmax said:
Happy to be corrected, but not sure any 718 4.0 GTS were pre-GPF?
Yes indeed, apologies if not clear I was referring to the 2.5. 4.0s will of course all be GPF'd.



av185

19,432 posts

134 months

Friday 16th August
quotequote all
Manual on a drivers car will long be demanded in a sea of diluted future autos. The PDK is just the basic standard Porsche box which is heavier than the manual with parasitic losses too so less compelling.

It is not a heavy clutch so no problem in traffic.

PADM issues no concern under Porsche warranty just had mine done on 718 GT4 (manual).

Beaver

968 posts

291 months

Friday 16th August
quotequote all
Just bought a Boxster 25, which is a 4.0 GTS.

Initially wanted PDK due to the long ratios of the manual, but when a manual car showed up at a good price I tried it and found the gearing to not be an issue.

More importantly the quality of the gear shift is insane, it’s just lovely to use.

Enough to change my mind anyway.

LiamH66

837 posts

98 months

Friday 16th August
quotequote all
I love my manual GTS 4.0. It was my 4th manual Cayman. Tall geared, yes, but torquey enough that I don't mind on the road. As others have said, light clutch, and easy to drive.

larskernisfast

25 posts

3 months

Friday 16th August
quotequote all
I went PDK GTS 4.0 and it made the car for me over the manual, it has more punch in the gears and really suites the engine.

If you want a keeper just buy an older car imo then you don't have EPS, PADM and all the crap to go wrong if it's a life keeper.

scrounger73

299 posts

165 months

Friday 16th August
quotequote all
PDK 4.0 for me. I wanted a manual but the wife wanted a PDK (my previous 718 base was PDK) in some respects I'm glad I got the PDK especially in traffic as it's my daily however I do long to rev the engine out with a manual but a simple shift to manual of the PDK and I'm happy. In some respects the best of both worlds.

Stunters

592 posts

201 months

Friday 16th August
quotequote all
Manual all day long for me, mainly for the pleasure of shifting gears. As others have said, the clutch is fine - not too light, but certainly not heavy - and the gearshift itself is really good. And there's auto-blip if you want the car to do that job for you.

I have to say that I let the car do it most of the time when I'm on a spirited drive, it does it better than I can...

c3m

302 posts

158 months

Friday 16th August
quotequote all
I opted for the manual for my (now sold) GTS 4.0.

All electric cars would be automatic in the future and the proportion of automatics has been increasing.

I get a lot of enjoyment from changing gears.

The manual is a very simple gearbox while the PDK is expensive and complex.

One downside - you won't be able to use the car's full power with a manual for a few reasons. Firstly, with the PDK, you can keep it in the max power rev range very easily. Secondly, it's much slower if you're not prepared (e.g., imagine some turbo automatic car behind you).

But how often do I need to use the car's full power? Pretty much never, so I didn't care.


Boxsterjon

77 posts

105 months

Friday 16th August
quotequote all
Had a 981 GTS PDK and now have a manual 4.0 GTS. The PDK is fantastic but I’m so pleased I went manual this time. So engaging and satisfying to drive. Love it.

paulf1965

2 posts

3 months

Saturday 17th August
quotequote all
Manual and PDK are equally great IMO. Depends on what you want out of the car and what your preference is - there is no really wrong choice. Mines not a daily and I wanted more engagement, plus my partner prefers manuals as she feels more in control so I have a manual. I could equally have gone PDK and not regretted that either.

reddiesel

2,471 posts

54 months

Sunday 18th August
quotequote all
Voodoo Blue said:
Much as I loved my 2.0 718 I took the opportunity nearly 3 years ago to buy an example of what may be the last normally aspirated flat 6 sports car Porsche are likely to make. I was also fortunate enough to be offered a 25 Year Anniversary which accepted and I don't regret for a second.

Mine is a PDK and came with a pretty good spec as standard so only had to add a few essentials (Climate, Auto Dimming Mirror and Bose) to complete the package.

19K miles later and I'm still chuffed to bits with it. It has incredible performance when you want it but as easy to drive as any other car in traffic or in town. And although (as mentioned elsewhere) it's difficult to explore and exploit that performance very often where I live, it is effortless driving across the continent which is where mine has accumulated the bulk of it's miles.

In short, it's probably the last sports car I'll ever buy as I can't see anything like it being made in the future and the overall package is so complete. Having said that if they hadn't brought out the 4.0 flat six I'd likely still be driving around in my 2.0 flat 4 as that is an equally brilliant package for the money.

Its made my afternoon reading this , fair play to you fella its a wonderful car you have bought

Mezgerking

105 posts

4 months

Sunday 18th August
quotequote all
A manual 4.0 GTS is probably pound for pound the best car Porsche currently sell and one of the all time greats. The PDK is just a standard Porsche auto which is fine, you drive and steer and can flick paddles, but lose the essence and involvement of being in complete control.

The joy of the 718 with a manual gearbox in 718 GTS or T format is the short throw manual gear change, simply one of the best ever, with auto blip rev match to boot.

A manual gearbox 718 4.0 GTS will be worth far more than an auto one as the years go by, always has been the case. Should settle around £50k and never dip below £40k.

Only slight downside is the gearing but not a big issue as there is torque throughout.


reddiesel

2,471 posts

54 months

Sunday 18th August
quotequote all
Which one do you have on your 4.0 GTS ?

Voodoo Blue

916 posts

152 months

Sunday 18th August
quotequote all
reddiesel said:
Voodoo Blue said:
Much as I loved my 2.0 718 I took the opportunity nearly 3 years ago to buy an example of what may be the last normally aspirated flat 6 sports car Porsche are likely to make. I was also fortunate enough to be offered a 25 Year Anniversary which accepted and I don't regret for a second.

Mine is a PDK and came with a pretty good spec as standard so only had to add a few essentials (Climate, Auto Dimming Mirror and Bose) to complete the package.

19K miles later and I'm still chuffed to bits with it. It has incredible performance when you want it but as easy to drive as any other car in traffic or in town. And although (as mentioned elsewhere) it's difficult to explore and exploit that performance very often where I live, it is effortless driving across the continent which is where mine has accumulated the bulk of it's miles.

In short, it's probably the last sports car I'll ever buy as I can't see anything like it being made in the future and the overall package is so complete. Having said that if they hadn't brought out the 4.0 flat six I'd likely still be driving around in my 2.0 flat 4 as that is an equally brilliant package for the money.

Its made my afternoon reading this , fair play to you fella its a wonderful car you have bought
That's very kind of you to say so. Every time I drive it I enjoy it and sometimes I even pinch myself just to check it's real smile

reddiesel

2,471 posts

54 months

Sunday 18th August
quotequote all
Great stuff . I actually went looking for another 911 , read some reviews and ended up with the Cayman 4.0 GTS . I was really delighted to see What Car give it their Sports Car Of The Year award last month which is quite incredible when you consider its an almost discontinued vehicle . I suppose there may be one or two still around unregistered .

supersport

4,262 posts

234 months

Sunday 18th August
quotequote all
A very good friend is on his second 4.0 GTS. He’s a dyed in the wool manual fan.

The first was manual. The second is PDK and he says it’s so much better.

I have to admit that I would also be a manual fan but two of my cars are dual clutch and they are great and great fun in manual mode. Much more than just flipping a paddle.

I suspect I would also go PDK, as much as that pains me.