Originally Posted by wizee

Heh. While it’s certainly loud inside with the top up, it’s never felt louder than top down to me, and I’ve done many highway journeys with the top up. To me (with Dunlop tires) it only feels slightly louder inside than my old 987 Boxster. I’ve driven a couple 981 Boxsters, and they were also horribly loud in the cabin on highways.

Would be interesting to measure interior noise levels on the same pavement for a Boxster vs Spyder with the top up.

Originally Posted by Denny Swift

I wish I could, but I no longer have my 981S. But I took many trips from Pa to Ohio (5 hours) and back in the 981 over the 8 years that I owned it. It was as quite as my coupes. Also, my neighbor with a 991.1 remarked that he thought my 981 was quieter than his car at highway speeds. I’ve only had the Spyder for 900 miles, but I drove it on a 2 hour trip to NJ on Saturday (rained, so I had the top up). My wife said, “You’re going to have to buy me noise canceling headphones if we ever take this car on a trip again.” I wanted to listen to some podcasts, but I couldn’t hear it through the noise. Then I tried music, but I just couldn’t hear that through the noise either. I drive fast, but at 85 mph, the din is deafening. Up to about 70, it is ok.

I just drove it this morning for about 25 miles on windy back roads (top up because it’s sprinkling). The car is brilliant! I was listening to the Talking Heads (my all time favorite band). The music sounded great and the car is just brilliant without question, but a highway cruiser (granted, not its purpose) it is not.

Originally Posted by wizee

Ah, I usually cruise around 75 mph, since that’s the average speed of traffic and cops let that go here, whereas 85 mph would probably get a ticket in Ontario if seen by a cop. However, sometimes traffic here moves at 90+ mph in which case I go with the flow and make sure I’m in the middle of the pack to avoid trouble.

The 100 km/h Ontario highway speed limit is a joke. Anyway, the difference in our cruising speeds is probably why we have different impressions. I don’t remember Boxsters being that much quieter, but more scientific measurements would be the way to determine that.

Originally Posted by hf1

Anyone knows of any comparo tests/reviews of GTS 4.0 (Boxster/Cayman) vs Spyder/GT4? Plenty of time has passed since their introduction and I have yet to see such a comparo. Many reviewers mention how similar they are in their individual reviews but not in an actual comparo.

Originally Posted by The Pinkoboe

Here is the contents of the Autocar article:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/f...s-hardcore-gt4

Originally Posted by hf1

Thx for the link! Below average review. Different seats, brakes, and tires spoil an apples to apples comparison.

At this point, as also described by slc4s couple of posts above, it boils down to looks vs practicality re spyder vs gts for me. Suffer for beauty or be practical, that’s it.

Everyone younger than 40 advises to suffer for beauty, everyone above 40 advises to be practical.

Originally Posted by hf1

Thx for the link! Below average review. Different seats, brakes, and tires spoil an apples to apples comparison.

At this point, as also described by slc4s couple of posts above, it boils down to looks vs practicality re spyder vs gts for me. Suffer for beauty or be practical, that’s it.

Everyone younger than 40 advises to suffer for beauty, everyone above 40 advises to be practical.

Originally Posted by ronbauer

I’m definitely over 40 and side with the beauty folks. The only time I considered the GTS was when they first talked about the 4.0 going in it, and that was only because I figured I’d actually be able to get one. Although I’d been on a list for a GT4 for a long time, I was beginning to think it would never happen. After mentioning it to my wife, she said “you’d never be happy with it.” She was right. The GT4 and Spyder both look SO much better and aggressive, that I could have never been fully happy with the GTS. Fast forward a slight amount of time, and our name got to the top of the list, and now our new GT4 is on a boat only a couple days away from the Panama Canal. Couldn’t be more excited or happy!

Ron

Originally Posted by hf1

Yes, if I was looking at a cayman, it would be the gt4, no contest. The beauty vs practicality equation is much closer with the boxster. I’ve been a boxster fanatic for more than a dozen years and tens of thousands of backroads miles, and have enjoyed that power top hundreds of times. It would be a hard thing to give up for beauty.

Can’t wait to see pics of your python/aurum beauty! That combo is high on my list, as well.

Originally Posted by Lvanpelt729

I thought you liked the Spyder roof?

Originally Posted by Denny Swift

There is another difference that hasn’t been discussed. The manual top doesn’t bother me. It’s actually pretty easy. But the uninsulated top of the Spyder makes the cabin absurdly noisy. Yeah, I know, the car is supposed to be driven with the top down. But there is something called rain and very cold weather where you are going to have to put the top up. The noise in the cabin with the top up is close to the point where hearing damage will occur. And forget about trying to listen to music! I find that when I drive my Mini or my BMW, I tend to drive faster because I can hit 90 or faster without really noticing. But in the Spyder, with the top up, I find myself going 75 - 80 and thinking I must be flying because of all the noise. With the top down (how I intend to drive whenever I can), the car is close to perfection. But I’m completely shocked at how loud (not is a good way - it’s just wind, road noise, and engine whine) this car is compared to my 981S. In my 981S, I’d have no issue embarking on a 5 hour trip. With the Spyder, I think 1.5 hours is about all I could stand with the top up before my ears start to bleed. I think the car is actually quieter (or at least easier on the ears) with the top down.

Originally Posted by hf1

You think too much.