First Porsche decision - 981 Cayman S vs 2021 GTS 4.0
 

Hello all, excited to post here for the first time! I am looking to purchase my first Porsche as a second car and I've always had my mind set on a Cayman with a NA flat-6. Now I was very keen on custom ordering a 2021 GTS 4.0 which has a lead time of about 4-6 months these days, no way to test drive it until your custom car arrives and seems like a fantastic car but still pricey. The other option is to look for a used 981 (perhaps a 2013-2014) Cayman S which won't have all the benefits of the current generation but still has a flat six and must be pretty great to drive. These seem pretty rare as well but I am in no hurry.

I wanted to see if the experienced minds at Renn list have some tips for this Porsche newbie - based on what you know or if you have been lucky enough to drive both!

I owned a used '14 981S for about a year...It was a lot of fun to drive with 6MT, but the tech was dated (no backup camera etc.) and the interior a bit small for what I wanted. I ended up selling it for a '17 CPO 991.2. That engine though...like ripping silk.

From what I've read, the new GTS 4.0 is going to be light years ahead of a '14 Cayman, which what would be an 8 year old car by next year. Having said that, they are both mid-engine NA Cayman's. I would defer to current GTS owners or later model 718 S drivers and the track guys here for driving impressions; I run out of talent way before the car does.

Well, you're talking a big difference in price there. Bang for the buck the 981 CS wins hands down: it's a great driving car and has everything you need for the street. Price being no object I'd take the GTS.

‘14 Cayman S
 

I have never driven a 2021 GTS, so cant comment on a comparison. However, I can say that my 981 with 10.5K miles brings a smile to my face every time I drive it. The motor is like silk, and for normal driving I find it has more than adequate power, especially with Sport and Sport Chrono. Yes, the electronics are not modern day, built everything works! I do miss a backups camera, so am having one installed that hooks directly in to the factory PCM. For me, this car checks off all the boxes.

I love my 14 Cayman S. I just spent a day at Sebring Raceway this past weekend after recently buying the car. It is absolute driving nirvana. I also drive it on the street, and it just doesn’t get much better as a dual purpose car.

I traded in a 2016 Cayman S PDK which I bought new in 2015 for my GTS 4.0 6M. Cars are very similar in terms of driving. The 4.0 is more powerful, but the 3.4 is no slouch. My buttometer indicates that they are pretty much the same in straight line acceleration, probably due to the PDK/manual difference between my two cars.

A couple of points:

• Both engines sound wonderful, but at 4,000 RPM the 3.4 had a moan that turned into a wail as the revs climbed. 4.0 doesn't have it, probably due to the GPF filters. My 4.0 has PSE, the 981 didn't.
• Tech is better in the 718 but I am pretty much a Philistine and I don't care for backup cameras, parking sensors, lane warnings etc. in a sporstcar. I would get rid of it all except for Carplay which allows me to use Waze and listen to music without touching my phone.
• 718 has PASM as opposed to the stock suspension on my 981. I left it in comfort setting all winter so no real data to compare yet.
• I would say grab a 981 but they are very rare, and the prices are rising steadily.
• The GTS 4.0 is almost certainly going to be the last non-GT NA flat 6 Porsche. One of the two reasons I made the move (other is to have a manual again - they are disappearing too).

Whatever your decision, you can't lose.

The price difference will be absurd, but if you plan on keeping the car for a long time, the 4.0 will be an instant classic (especially with a manual).

I had a 981 Cayman S for four years. I loved the car but had several problems all fixed under warranty. Bad rear strut, squeaky gas tank due to misplaced/improper mounting pads, PDK replaced due to leak and both cats replaced due to failure causing the car to not run. (Just barely made it home from Lime Rock) I enjoyed the car including many DE days. Due to all the problems and many days in the shop I sold it in 2018. In December 2020 I took deliver of my 2021 718 GT4. There is no comparison! The GT4 is an absolute animal compared to the S. No surprise as it has 89 more HP and a much better suspension. I did two days at NJMP Thunderbolt last month and was amazed. I am installing a roll bar, seats and harness before Watkins Glen in June. I also purchased Garmin Catalyst and I love it. Excellent video and lap timing and I am looking forward to learning to use the coaching features.

I am in the exact situation! Weighing the same decisions. The lack of allocations for the GTS 4.0 seems to be a challenge and I am starting to lean towards an S and maybe try and get on a list for sometime down the road on the 4.0.

Good luck on your search and decision!

Agreed. What to do what to do???
No sudden moves considering the engine (and other) recalls on the GTS 4.0 ..wait and see.:corn:

'No sudden moves' is for sure! ha ha Not any available to make! You are right about that.......

It's virtually impossible to rationalize the ~$70k+ delta between the two cars. One is new. One is old. The rest does not equate to $70k from a sheer value position, not even close.

The story gets worse for the 718 GTS if you don't plan to drive it every day.

So TL;DR, get a 981 unless you literally have money you're ok with setting on fire.

Not disagreeing that the 981 makes some financial sense but $70K Delta? Mine was about $50K CDN and that was for a dealer trade-in last summer. 981 used prices have been rising since then

Not sure about the Canadian market, but I find it hard to believe that prices have risen THAT much. My $70k figure came from the expectation you could get a 981 for $40k, and a well-optioned 718 GTS (GTS interior package, buckets, nav, etc.) would run about $110k brand new. That's $70k by my math.

DOn't think you can find a 981 S for 40k, I'd say they're more around 50-55k these days, and depending on options, you can get a GTS for 95-105k (higher taxes/fees as well b/c new car)

I'm not sure it's worth the price difference either though.