sdm100

Wondering why with a limited production the 981 Boxster spyder s pricing remains stagnant

TMc993

Define "stagnant"...

sdm100

Equal or slightly less than msrp

Zach L

When you account for inflation, even if staying at MSRP they are cheaper in real terms (i.e. everything else has gone up substantially but they remain the same).

I think the real answer comes down to strong demand, and its price being influenced by the cost of close alternatives. The price of newer ones keep rising, so it's helping to support the price of older models as well.

wardrive

In my mind, if it was a choice between a 981 GT4 or Spyder more people would get the GT4. The Spyder is more limited in volume but you really got to like having a convertible and that unique top.

Zach L

Unlike the 982 GT4/Spyder which share an identical suspension, the 981 GT4/Spyder differed in the suspension arena... the 981 GT4 received the GT3's entire front suspension (minus the PITA gimmick center lock hub). The 981 Spyder used the Boxster GTS suspension.

Jawnathin

I agree with the other comments that it is caused by high priced alternatives, limited production, and high desirability. With fewer than 850 sold in North America, theres typically only handful on the market at any given time.

With regards to comparisons with the GT4, keep in mind that for the 981 generation Porsche developed the GT4 as the track oriented model and the Spyder as the lightweight purist model. The upgrades made to the Spyder’s suspension and chassis are lighter than the upgrades made to the GT4. The GT4 upgrades are great but they make more sense on the GT4 that prioritized track driving than they do on the Spyder that prioritized low weight and simplicity. Even with the upsized engine and chassis upgrades, the Spyder is the lightest 981 generation car you can with a performance spec. It’s possible to spec a base 2.7L Cayman to be about 10lbs lighter but that spec would be missing the performance options an enthusiast would want and not something you’d cross shop with a Spyder.

Porsche changed their approach for the 982 generation where the 718 Spyder and GT4 share the same chassis upgrades. However this caused the 718 Spyder to be the heaviest 718 model and over 200lbs heavier than the 981 or 987 Spyders. I would have preferred that Porsche kept the Spyder as the lightweight alternative to the track oriented GT4 instead of making them the same. It is still a great car but it was designed under a different philosophy than it’s predecessors and at around 3,200lbs the 982 is no longer the lightweight model like the 981 or 987 Spyders are.

Selo

Neither the 981 GT4 or Spyder are true products of the GT department.
The GT4 received more parts from the GT3, well the spider received the steering rack, I believe, from the 991 Turbo and the x73 suspension. The x73 suspension is really fun and playful on the streets, much more so than the GT4. Some would argue the X73 is more fun than the current GT derived suspension on the 718 Spyder.
Anyway, subtle differences. I'd think the reason the price is "stagnating," Even though maintaining value at approximately sticker price is nothing to sneeze at, is because the MSRP on the new models is not much higher. Even with 10,000 ADM, new or slightly used 718 Spyders can be had for $120 or so. I have a highly specked 981 with an MSRP of 114. With the 718, they're also is almost certainly some warranty left, which I believe has real value. And a 6-year-old car might be needing tires or a clutch soon, bottom line is with them being so close in price, market forces are going to keep the price of the older one 10% lower, something like that.

Jawnathin

Yep, the Spyder was the only 981 model to get the newer generation steering rack from the 991.2 Turbo. It has a quicker ratio for improved response and better steering feel than the earlier generation rack. Car and Driver’s review mentioned it made a notable difference in agility. They also preferred the Spyder’s chassis over that of the GT derived chassis.

Kancamagus

The GTS with X73, while 45hp short, is still giving you most of what you need on public roads. And with PDK is similar 0-60, if that is important to you. The convenience of the top adds bandwidth. If exclusivity is important the GTS is a more rare car. Maybe the GTS holds it down as a viable lower cost alternative.

skl

Don't really care- it is the sweet spot in newer P car models. Love mine and it isn't going anywhere. Tend to keep cars for a while- still have my first car, an early '71 914 which I've had since new (52 years old this month!!)

parkway

IMHO, while the 981 spyder is an excellent car, it will probably never been seen as a "real" spyder since it isn't a product of the GT department, now that the new 718 Spyder is an actual GT product.

In much the same way that the 4-cylinder 718, while also an excellent car, is looked down upon because it has the wrong number of cylinders and isn't NA like the 981.

Similarly, the 718 GTS 4.0 and the 718 Spyder share the exact same engine, but only one is a GT product with the trunk bumps and the nose vents, and the market prices reflect that.

Jawnathin

That's just silly. The Spyder model existed long before there was ever a GT-based Cayman/Boxster. If anything, the increased weight of the 718 Spyder is the furthest deviation from a 'real' Spyder, which represents the lightest and purest Boxsters models. With the 987 and 981 Spyders, Porsche was able to improve performance while also reducing weight. Not so much with the 718.

The 718 is a good car and a 'real' Spyder, but it's the overweight one of the group. Doesn't sound as good either.

DriverDaily

The big engine without the track car suspension and wing drew me to the 981 Spyder at first.

Ultimately, I settled for a Cayman GTS as I didn’t want to deal with a convertible and it felt like plenty of power.