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This is just anecdotal but it seems like there are a fair number of S cars from model year 2014 (there was no GTS then) and far less from 2015 and 2016. I suppose many buyers in 2015-16 went for the GTS instead: it was a good deal as a new car considering all the extra bits that it has over the S. Now with used it seems like the premium is a bit high; it was for me anyway but it depends how much you value those options.
BTW Vinanalytics.com has a beta feature which looks like it is going to provide very detailed information on how many examples of each model/option were brought to the US. Unfortunately it does not cover Caymans yet, but for example I was able to learn that there were 451 911 Carerra T cars with Lane Change Assist.
I had old screenshot from a Planet9 forum and am not sure where he did his research if you want more information about GTS numbers or other options. But as you can see there were many more 981 Cayman S sold in North America in the 2014 MY than in 2015 and 2016 combined. And am sure the GTS was a factor in the lower S sales.
Jim
Very helpful. I am seeing some very well optioned Cayman S models, particularly in 2014, when GTS weren't available. This is starting to make sense. Starting to check out more of the S listings.
I submitted a piece of "beta feedback" to vinanalytics.com suggesting that it would be super-useful to be able to specify a list of options/colors, and then see how many cars were ever sold that met my list. (Similar to what the guys in Jim's screenshot seems to have done, but we don't know how he did it). Their existing beta is essentially one option or color at a time (much better than nothing, of course).
With that, if you spec'd (for hypothetical example) Lime Gold on Yachting Blue 2015 CGTS with a bunch of options and you could see there were only 3 of them in existence, you would know your chances were not great and could reconsider. Without this, you just have to keep looking and looking for something that may be almost non-existent.
Lime Gold on Yachting Blue really would be a unicorn, come to think of it, and probably just as well....
I submitted a piece of "beta feedback" to vinanalytics.com suggesting that it would be super-useful to be able to specify a list of options/colors, and then see how many cars were ever sold that met my list. (Similar to what the guys in Jim's screenshot seems to have done, but we don't know how he did it). Their existing beta is essentially one option or color at a time (much better than nothing, of course).
With that, if you spec'd (for hypothetical example) Lime Gold on Yachting Blue 2015 CGTS with a bunch of options and you could see there were only 3 of them in existence, you would know your chances were not great and could reconsider. Without this, you just have to keep looking and looking for something that may be almost non-existent.
Lime Gold on Yachting Blue really would be a unicorn, come to think of it, and probably just as well....
I sent a PM to Bigmoguls on the planet9 forum an he said that Vinanalytics used to show the sequence numbers for each sub-model of each model year and they no longer do for the Cayman. From his search he had a spread sheet for the 2014 CS with over 3000 vin numbers that you can click on and it lists each car with all the options, my CS was even on the list. He included all the options including colors and entered each option on the sheet in the cars he was looking for (PDK, PASM, SC and 18 way or 14 way seats). It appears he spent a lot of time opening each vin number in his search or I think that’s how he did it.
Jim
There is an article here (2015, so maybe not perfectly up to date if anything changed in '16) which does a pretty good job of laying out what is standard and what is optional on the various trim levels of 981 Caymans.
From what I saw when actively searching a few months ago, the GTS carries a pretty hefty price premium - like $12-15k - over the S.
Also per Jim981CS: "listed as a manual but shows a PDK in the pictures" - no kidding, that drove me nuts because I was looking for manual (hard enough to find) and numerous times the search filters would turn up cars that were listed wrongly as MT.
"the GTS carries a pretty hefty price premium - like $12-15k - over the S." Worth every penny....I can say that because I was lucky enough to find a great example wioth all the std. GTS stiff + PTV/Mechanical Differential and PDK options. Also, note that recent 2015-16 Cayman GTS prices (As of 8/15/2020), for low mileage cars, seem to be holding firm at a minimum of $65,000 and upward.
I sent a PM to Bigmoguls on the planet9 forum an he said that Vinanalytics used to show the sequence numbers for each sub-model of each model year and they no longer do for the Cayman.
Jim
Vinanalytics still supports this - it’s part of the advanced view and requires creating a free account and logging in to view the VIN.
Very helpful. I am seeing some very well optioned Cayman S models, particularly in 2014, when GTS weren't available. This is starting to make sense. Starting to check out more of the S listings.
Thank you
Dave
Dave--If you are interested in a highly optioned 2014 Cayman S, let me know if you want to learn more about this one. Just send me your contact info (name, email, and phone).
It is very well optioned. Unfortunately I'm looking for a PDK. Very nice though.
Thank you
Dave
Where are you looking? I've found two in the past couple of weeks that were CS PDK PASM CS, but one with all of the above + PTV came up so I jumped on it. Keep an eye on autotempest or similar aggregators as they seem to move very fast
I have only had a Cayman GTS WITH PTV, Mechanical LSD...it drives so incredibly well. It's quicker than my former 2004 GTS, hard to believe? At Willow Springs Raceway, the first time there I was in the 1:35s, on DOT 200 tires. With a little more practice, as I'll get in September, back at Willow Springs, I am looking for a 1:33 or >. I suspect the car is a 1:30 car eventually.
In my search for a 15/16 GTS last Fall, I saw very few cars with the PTV Option.....crazily, I found one less than 200 miles from my house...snapped it up.
HOLD OUT for PTV.......if you were to install an aftermarket LSD, you'd be in it for at least $3,000 installed, and no PTV there to save your butt is a sketchy corners where the PTV can apply a little braking to the inside wheel.
Signed up. This is really cool. Wish it supported Caymans, but still interesting to play with. Someone actually spent $220K extra on paint and fabric options on a 918.
Decision make and problem solved. 2015 GTS, PDK, X73, PTV. Arrived yesterday. The PTV option seemed very hard to find, but I think I'm going to enjoy it.
I really appreciate the amazing knowledge of the group. Thanks to everyone who helped with the Cayman search.
08-11-2020, 10:26 PM
