Which would you choose? 981 S or GTS?
 

I'm in a pickle right now, there are two cars that I'm looking at. First is a 2016 Cayman S with Sports Chrono, PSE and 20" rims but only has 6600 miles and has factory warranty until April of next year. Second one is a CPO 2015 Cayman GTS with just the standard gts spec but with 39k miles. Both are 6 speed manual cars. As for price, the S is about $1,000 more than the GTS. Sticker price of both cars are within $500 and were specced almost the same.

Which one would you choose? I asked my dad who is a car nut and he prefers the S since it has lower miles. I myself think the GTS is a better buy because it is a GTS and has a longer warranty period.

Are they both the same color?

those low miles make the S much more attractive when you consider you would probably have the car 3-4 years before it hits the mileage that the GTS has on it right now.... Although I prefer the GTS looks and better all around performance I think the right buy is the 6,600 mile S

can you post some pics??

I'd go with the S if it were me.

The color on the S is GT Silver Metallic while the GTS is Agate Grey.

I would rather post pics after the deal is done...I'm trying to keep them to myself right now in the fear that someone might jump on them, sorry.

Just found out that the GTS has damage reported by Carfax. It's still CPO'd by Porsche, so it might not have severe damage. From this and the two opinions, it does look like the S is the better buy.

the S was the better choice, now it's clearly the better choice

Never mind, I think I saw the Cayman S you are talking about..... Looked amazing until I saw the plaid seats:icon501:

I would keep looking.....

Still has the leather inserts so it's alright, I think. Talked to the guy and he was very helpful, might pull the trigger tomorrow after a good night's rest :)

The damage ruined the potential for a good debate thread, because I would have argued for the GTS.

Miles on these cars don't matter as long as the cars have been well cared for and you're not already actively looking to replace it anytime soon. As you can tell by the nearly identical price, the value is offset because of the trim difference even though the S has dramatically lower miles. Reason being that there is a tangible difference between the S and GTS, and it's noticeable at first glance (and while driving). For some people (myself included), it's enough to where I was only looking for a GTS when I was in the market.

It might be worth it to dig a little deeper into the story behind the GTS, but honestly I can relate to not even wanting to. Even with a longer warranty period, the fact that it's been damaged will probably linger in the back of your mind. If you were already leaning towards the S then now it's pretty much a no-brainer....

Unless you get a DME report done and it shows significant overrevs on the S. Which you should certainly do for any 6 speed car you're considering.

Low miles matters, 6 times the miles is a huge difference. DME report a must on any used manual Porsche. The damage on the GTS might have occurred after it was already CPO'd, might be able to get the S CPO'd. Even though I own a GTS, in this case the S wins (haven't seen the inserts) because of the low miles and options. You didn't mention the suspension on the S, so I assume it is standard, if it has PASM or X73 there is really not much reason to choose the GTS over the S ... flash the S and get the same power as a GTS.

Thanks gents. Unfortunately, the S is now pending sale but not to me. I missed out on it by a few hours. If anyone is interested to see the S, it's this car: https://autokennel.com/2016-porsche-...-s-981-manual/

Both cars has the X73 suspension so it really was almost the same car except for different "trims" and colors.

Still debating if I should take a look at the GTS, the damage is really weighing on me. I don't really want to waste the dealerships time if I'm not serious about it.

I'm still in camp GTS. The GTS front facia looks a lot better to me. Screw miles and focus on smiles ROI.

^ I agree with the front fascia, but still wary regarding the carfax report. Don't really like the fact that it has front and rear damage on the same report. If it was just one end, I might understand that it could've been a parking lot ding, but on 2 ends? Might have been a sandwich accident :(

As an "S" owner, maybe I'm crazy, I would go for the GTS....especially if the price was the same!

IMHO, carfax/accident reports, etc...can be complete BS and not tell the whole story. As far as resale (let's say 3-5 years from now) a GTS with a minor carfax report would still be worth way more than an S. The GTS is a no-brainer in my book. Let us know what you decide!

Have a local Indy put it up on the rack and do an inspection. What do you have to lose, a 100 bucks? It could be as simple as a minor scrape and repaint. Minor damage like that is a fact of life and shouldn't de-value a car as much as people say on the forums. To me, at least it's a sign that the car's been driven rather than wasting away in a garage.

Miles may be a big deal to some people and I get that, but these cars are at their best when they're driven. And fortunately, Porsche engineered them to do just that. I'd consider it a nice bonus, but putting a priority on low miles is a luxury that might just not be available for folks that are in the market for these cars.

Also, as a GTS owner you have to know that there is a reason to choose the GTS over the S. If nothing else, the aesthetic element alone is significant. The power isn't enough to make the jump, I agree... but there are enough enhancements to definitely justify the leap, and it's not like the extra horsepower and audible boosts aren't worth the premium. Especially if it has the GTS interior package. I know some people swear they can't stand alcantara- I thought I was one of them- but I wouldn't trade mine for anything. I love it. And it cleans a hell of a lot better than people would have you believe.

If you do your due diligence then you could get a great deal, which will go a long way for your peace of mind. You probably should be serious about it. As I mentioned earlier, manual, X73 Cayman GTS's don't grow on trees.