daylorb

Spyder top = the 6MT of the convertible tops. Sort of similar arguments to PDK (although I love PDK). Why have a much heavy device (insert PDK) on top of (inside) the car that does not look as good, is more expensive to maintain, and isolates the driving experience more, just so you can push a button and not have to do any work?

manifold danger

I can't recall context around that clip but Clarkson likes to dislike things out of spite for his co-hosts, especially Porsches. Clarkson has a history of not liking Porsches but personally I think the vast majority of it is tongue-in-cheek.

He was forced to drive a 997TT and he absolutely loved it. (there's also a much older one with the 996TT where he starts to come around)



Yeah my wife will NEVER go through that process. Please tell me the 981 is at least 300% easier? I may be sticking with my GTS for eternity then because she has to buy off on it.

I get it, you like the car and think the top is part of the experience- and for what it's worth I agree with you; I just like the convenience of pushing a button and know my wife will laugh in my face if I show her that video... but this is a pretty bad analogy.

Noah Fect

I have no practical experience with crank starters, manual chokes, or fuzzy dice, but that doesn't mean I want any of those on my car.

That being said... are there any aspects of the top operation that are misrepresented or exaggerated by the video? Not having gone through the procedure personally, I do have to agree that I'm not in a good position to judge from the video alone. People create videos of all kinds of outlandish things, from resurrected velociraptors to physics-defying UFOs. It pays to be skeptical when someone comes along with something this ridiculous, so maybe I've jumped to conclusions here.

(Actually I take that back about the manual choke, I've owned a couple of carbureted Italian cars. But I almost never needed to use the choke in either of them, and on one of those cars, the pot-metal control bracket broke when I tried.)

I know they made some operational improvements, but it's still annoying that the only way to get a 3.8L engine in a Boxster was to bundle it with a manual top. This practice certainly has its defenders outside the company, but I'll never understand why.

User 41221

What does *any* of that have to do with a 987.2 Spyder? You are talking about something you admit you know nothing about. Why don't you just stop now? And to answer your question, yes, that video is a misrepresentation of the reality of the top. Aside from the fact that it takes more effort than pushing button to raise and lower it, the functionality of it when its in place is sheer genius and I have found nothing that duplicates it at any price range. But like I like to explain to others from time to time... I can *tell* it to you but I can't *understand* it for you.

To the OP, if your wife wouldn't tolerate a manual top, I get it 100% and that's as valid a reason as I can think of for not wanting a 987 Spyder. I bought a PDK Spyder for a similar reason as my wife would have refused to drive a manual version and I wanted to share the experience with her. I would be surprised if you didn't find the GTS to be a surprisingly fun car for both of you.

Noah Fect

Sounds like a plan.

User 41221

if I make it back to a Seattle, first beer will be on me and we can debate it in person. Fair enough?

DFW01TT

Those wheels are perfection on that Spyder.

Kg11

I should have bought this then! A T but with more power (no inserts though).

RAS sounds like it would be fun. GT3 also has RAS, right? 991 models? I have driven one and couldn't tell if it was doing anything, but I didn't have a non Rear axle model to test against

https://rennlist.com/forums/vehicle-...xle-steer.html

Kg11

No worries on the manual top with her. She nixed the B GTS anyways: hates the "feminine" lines, at least how she sees it, so it is Spyder or bust (987, 981, depends on what we can afford and what we do with the GT4). I was interested in the $61,000 sapphire GTS over on the for sale board, but she took one look and said "nope".

Kg11

It is more like 20 sec, right? Really, how many people take their Spyder out when rain is expected? Most of these live in California, and most don't get more than a few thousand miles a year. I bet it is a non-issue 98% of the time. The people that say "hey, there is a huge thundercell with a heavy hail and tornado warning 50 miles north-lets get in the Spyder and see how strong the roof is!" are few and far between.

I just did a Spyder search on Car Gurus and these are really coming down in price. I now see 20,000 mile certified cars in the mid 80's. With luck, I should be able to score a similar car with no CPO for mid to high 70's here, as that likely means trade value on a 20,000 mile Spyder is somewhere between $69-72,000. That is much nicer than the high 90's I was seeing 14 months ago. I just have to find that seller that would rather sell their car to me for $7k more than the dealer offered them (and doesn't live in a sales tax state or lives in CA with no tax credit).

daylorb

Couldn't help but chuckle on the thunderhead comment - you pretty much nailed it.

Kg11

that open-top pic in your avatar is exactly how my wife sees herself at the next autocross! I am sure it will be a lot more fun with that exhaust behind her and no roof

daylorb

It's pretty darn fun with the top off, that is for sure.

Noah Fect

That sounds like another, even better plan!

Bxstr

All of these cars are really good, I don't think you would be disappointed going to the Boxster GTS. If the GT4 didn't exist, I am sure people would think that the GTS was the greatest car ever. I think at this point it just comes down to if you are ok going from a GT4 to a GTS. If you are, then go for it. I tend to buy what I like though and whatever makes most financial and emotional sense to me.