Definitely. I’m certainly not denying the benefits of an auto-top. But with the manual you can check the weather or look outside and determine if it’s a top up or top down drive. Not like the spyder is upsetting to drive with the top up.

My point was more that personally, I don’t see the manual top as a deal breaker. But I do agree the auto-top would be a welcome addition to the spyder.

 

Agreed.

 

If you have never driven a manual transmission Porsche there is nothing else like it. If you have never driven a GT4 you are missing out on one of the single best sports cars ever made without exception. A number of cars have come and gone in my hands, but the one that I regret selling was my 981 GT4. It was that good. Fortunately, John Wright at Porsche of North Houston got me into an early GT4 allocation and I fixed that mistake.

I ordered, owned, enjoyed, and loved my 987 Cayman S for nearly 14 years before I sold it in February. Again, other cars came and went but that was the one that I couldn't let go of. Porsche's mid-engine platform is the best they make. Period. Roof or no roof it is the most engaging driver's car you can drive.

 

I can appreciate your situation. I came from the BMW world too and have had several M cars over the years. Still have a BMW for daily driving. They are good but not in the same league in driving experience as a Porsche sports car. I didn't really get it until I spent some real seat time in a 911, driving back roads and enjoying the car the way it was meant to be driven. I think you're thought of having a separate daily driver from the GT4 is a good one. Space is tight and it doesn't excel in daily driving. It's not that it can't do it, but I feel wasteful for that purpose. I am incredibly blessed, as are all of us who are fortunate to own Porsches, to have a 911T and a 2020 GT4 in the garage, love love love them both. But, I also have several other cars for daily driving and other purposes. Doesn't sound like you're a convertible person and I'm not really either, but I have an early 90s NA Miata for those days when you just crave a little old school top down driving. As another poster suggested, it's a very inexpensive way to enjoy a convertible and they are great in their own way.

If you end up going with only one car, I would go with a 911.

All that said, the GT4 is amazing and drives even better than it looks. I highly recommend it!

Good luck with your journey! This will be your first but not your last Porsche.

 

^^ I would tend to agree with this. The 911 is equal parts "grand tourer" and amazing sports car.
However, I daily drove a 718 Cayman 2.0T for almost 3 years (including snow in winter) and it was completely do-able.

I think ground clearance is the biggest barrier for daily driving either the 911 or Boxster/Cayman, and the GT4 is the loser there (lowest clearance compared to 911 / Non-GT Cayman&Boxster).
You may consider shopping between the new 718 GTS 4.0 models and a 911 - either of which could pull off daily duty.

 

Love the new 991. Wish I had the money to get Turbo S. But Gt4 is something I keep thinking about all day. I will definitely get that car & if I dont like it no worries atleast I got it outta my system.

 

I felt like that the first time I drove a convertible. I also felt that even more so the first time I took the top and doors off of my Wrangler. But after a few days it was hard to imagine having the doors and top on it. But I think there is no wrong answer when it comes to Porsche. You will enjoy whatever you decide to get.

I almost never see Porsche sports cars in my area, either. But I see a lot of BMW. When my wife and I were looking for a roadster last year I took a Boxster home from the dealer for a night. She hated it (color combination and style), but about two minutes after driving it off the dealer lot I knew my next car would be a Porsche. We ended up buying the new BMW Z4 as a fun car to share, but I couldn't get the Porsche driving experience out of my head. A few months later I picked up a 911 and the Z4 barely got driven until I sold it a year after buying it. The BMW was a fine car, but the 718/911 are a whole different level of experience and beauty.

 

You're just not a convertible guy. I have many friends that are the same -- you couldn't pay them to own a convertible. I, on the other hand, was hooked on open top driving after the first turn I took test driving a Boxster in 2006. I have only been Boxster-less for a few years since then. Couldn't endure not taking turns in a Boxster with the top down. There is something special about open top backroads driving. You feel more immersed in the surroundings, the sounds of the engine, the tires, the road, the smells, the air as you fly through it.

 

I would test drive a 992. Just talk to your neighbour and borrow his vehicles.

Non GT 911s are becoming more of a grand tourer, 718s still true sports car IMO. Both highly capable with limits that most of us cannot reach on the streets without risking jail time.

I DD a 991.1 as a 3 season car for 7 years with more than 54,000 miles. Just didn’t want to drive it thru Canadian winters. Some guys put snows on and do it all year long.

 

I disagree. Having a Spyder, I feel that I could easily live with a GT4 with PDK as a daily driver. Spyder is different due to the poorly insulated and manual top.

 

You may be right. I haven’t driven a 718 gt4 and I see (slightly worrying, to be honest) comments about how soft and compliant it is. It seems that every new model Porsche is comfier and softer than the model it replaces. By now, my 996 gt3 must feel like a full on Cup car in comparison, lol...

 

Comparing to your M5, the GT cars can be very, very noisy at highways speed - road noise, wind noise, engine behind your head. I found it annoying after 1 hr cruising.
The Boxster GTS I drove last summer, feels as comfortable and quiet as a regular BMW when driving at normal speed.

Daily your M5 and get a Spyder for the weekends or occasional daily sounds like a perfect plan.

 

I might as well cancel my Boxster GTS deposits right now.

 

LMAO. Hey I was talking about the lovely 2.5T.

 

But therein lies the problem, softness/hardness and compliance are two different things. A great suspension can be very compliant without being overly firm and harsh, but most people simply assume that if it's not beating you up it's a 'soft' suspension, which is nonsense. The measure of a truly great street suspension is it's ability to absorb bumps and keep the ride quality comfortable while still staying connected to the road and offering solid sporting performance and feedback. The best Ohlins suspension that I ever had on my track motos was amazingly comfortable on the road as well.