No BS GTS vs GT vs S4 Comparison
 

Give me a break...from 10 feet 98% of the world can hardly tell any of the 928s apart. From the seat of the pants feel...there can't be THAT much difference between the feel of a GT/GTS than a chipped/RMB S4...and the digital dash is cool but not enough to make the great price difference between the GTS, GT and a well maintained S4. So isn't the hype about how much the GTS is worth (in driving/looks terms) just that? Hype? Now, I don't argue about the rarity factor. A collector car (which the GTS definitely is, as is the '78...or an Edsel) is a different bird. But for most practical purposes one is miles ahead to buy a good S-4, am I right? However, if practical includes the remote possibility that the prices of the GTSs will go UP, then I'm dead wrong.

Yes...I want a GTS. I openly admit that I have GTS envy...but also, I'm trying to be a bit practical and am thinking that, other than a garage queen, the S4 is the way to go for most people if you want the higher HP cars. A few add-ons to the S4 will give you the horses....just not the prestige. I'm not excluding the
85/85.5s with a twin-screw upgrade. Doesn't take much money to make them rockets...but takes about as much $$ to add landing gear. Yet another alternative.

I said it...now I'll duck.

Harvey
GTS-less in Idaho....but still trying to talk myself out of one. I don't really need one...I just want one. There's a difference.

Hmm, where to start. Do I think "rare" 928's are more likely to apperciate in value (vs more common ones) its possible (think 89 GT's & GTS)..... I do think the best value in the 928 world right now is a 86.5! Its got the suspension & brakes off an S4 with almost the same HP for far less cost! However I am partial to the S4 and later body style, especially the wide body GTS.... A good condition S4 with a couple mods (mostly exhaust) will perform at least as good as a GT or GTS & cost far less! You can find nice early (87-88) S4's in the 10-15K range! You can't touch a clean GTS for twice that!

Remember that the baddest & most accomplished 928's on the planet are all 87-88 models (Devek white car, Andersons race car, Fans race car, Kiborts race "holbert" car)

Are you referring to the GTS and S4 5-speeds only? The GT is of course by definition a 5 speed and there are significant differences between the 5 speen and auto cars. Just want to understand before I give you my .02.

I just like the wide rear end on the GTS (guess I'm an ass man, at least as far as cars go). If I got an S4 I think I'd have to put fender flares on it (Ott's probably). Plus it'd have to be an early S4 because I'd want a stick.

Looks-wise there is little difference. The GT got the roof mounted antennea - I think that's it aside from the digital dash. The GTS got the fender flares, aero mirrors, and body-matched wing. The GTS is a beautiful machince. Is it worth twice what I paid for my GT? I don't think so.

When I was on my quest, I had a number in my head that I was willing to pay. I just happened to land my GT for that number. I would have been just as happy with an S4 in similar/better condition.

I guess if all things were equal (price, options, color, condition - I know they aren't), given a choice between the three, I'd undoubtedly choose the GTS, then the GT, then the S4. However, if the prices had a $5k differential with everything else being equal (S4 $15k, GT $20k, GTS $25k), I'd be hard pressed to go beyond the S4. But if I were choosing between the GT and the GTS, I'd spend the extra $5k to move up to the GTS.

you must be comparing the 5spds, as mentioned the GT only came as a 5spd. i havent driven an S4 but i did chase one round a track in my S2, there was definitely a difference between chasing an S4 and watching a GT just getting further away, id say the difference was apreciable. apparently most GTS are heavy fully optioned cars but despite this they are quicker than a GT. some friends of mine raced a GTS and an SE down some back country roads and found there wasnt much between them...

my GTS engined and dieted S2 is getting closer to completion, i cant wait! im sure the midrange tourque in a GTS is significantly more than a GT, and im hoping its even more noticeable in a car with less weight.

Nick does bring up a good point. At the recent Frnzy, an S4 was following me and he said he had it floored, when i droped it down to 3rd and walked away from him. His was an auto, but still, I shouldn't have been able to walk away so quickly.

Oh yeah... and my GT has no engine or exhaust mods... yet.

I don't think we can take one person's experience with one car against another as a generality. But here is what part of the GTS hype is about, most of the GTS's have low mileage, and have been cared for very well to the point of having showroom-like paint and interiors. That alone sets them apart from MOST other 928's.

Hey I spent some time on the 911 board over the weekend and the prices for them are ridiculous, high teens and 20's for mid 80's examples with lots of miles. I have driven many of those and they are way below the 928 in every category esp interior. This is why I come down hard on people touting how cheap their 928 is.There is something wrong!

All 928's except GTS's are underpriced in general except the poor beaters left uncovered and rundown. But the bottom line is that the good examples of 300+ HP versions should be closer in price.

I went through a similiar experience. You can try to justify anything else every which way you want. Bottom line, if you want a GTS, you will never be as happy with anything else!

BTW, there is nothing wrong with wanting a GTS...it's not like coming out of the closet or something! LOL

Harvey.............you must be reading my mind..............exactly the question I've been asking myself.

First of all my next 928 has to be standard/manual transmission with the 2.73/1 rear end, with GT cams, perhaps a 5.4l block or not, no sunroof, my present wheel/tyre set up, my suspension package (B&Es), RMB & Motorsport X and all the other goodies and maintenace I've performed.

Now the question is covert my S4 auto to the above OR buy a GT sans sunroof, similar colour scheme, and move all my goodies over and sell the S4.

For the $$$ I wont be buying a GTS..................the incremental ~$20k will buy the SO a new 4x4!!!

Malcolm, is that black line in your avatar Ol' Nessy reaching out a tentacle to try and get your shark? :)

I only wish i could have started with a GTS 5.4 i bet it could produce in the 360 rear wheel hp range and certainly with the wider rear end and better gear box, bigger brakes and limited slip, could have been a monster, and still been pretty stock!

Now i wish i had one for a street car, as i do love that factory wide body rear end.

MK

Not that there would be anything wrong with that...

You can get a nice S4 for 15K, and GT for 20K, but around here any comprable GTS is 35K+! I can say we all have wrestled with this dilema, my logic was to own two 928's, a 5spd and an auto for the price of one GTS. Also, if the GTS is going to be a collectable, resale would be better if it was kept stock..... but performance mods are about the same cost irregardless of models, and a boosted GTS would hold its own against any of the current supercars. I've had all of the cars you have in your signature, my current slightly modified, and lighter 85 5spd is quicker 0-60 than my stock auto S4, but over 100+ the S4 is faster. My S is set-up for spirited mountain driving and PCA driver's ed events and there the barkes are very good. If you need to get rid of you 85 for the new 928, get a GT, if not get an S4 and boost it. Thanks Ed M

entirely different animals, IMO... I suspect by the time u finished upgrading an S4 or GT to GTS specs, it'd be cheaper to just get the GTS and be done w/it.... just off the top of my head:
brakes, oil control, displacement, heads, intake system, trans, rear end, body, creature comforts, and even computers are all different from redesign entirely or just enough to make a diff. at some level... sure some parts are interchangeable - but many key components are not...

imo, you'll ultimately get what you pay for, and since the gts is the latest/greatest version of a shark - it's at the top of heap from performance, ergonomic and resale perspectives....

that said, you could always dump $20k-$40k into an S2 and have a nice collection of the latest and greatest parts all under an OB chassis too - if you like the OB styling, and want it to keep up w/a gts in the performance dept at least.... forget resale if you do that though, as enron probably would be a better investment....

happy hunting!!