garfunkle

So a 987 is lightyears faster than a 986 and a 981 and then a 718. Like, they are HUGE jumps in performance. And not only is the 986 faster with almost 50 less HP in a drag race but lap times will have a significant delta. If 0-60 times are your poison then nothing wrong with that.... and a base will still beat your modded Z; but Porsche isn't the right car for you. Have you considered a convertible 370Z? Honestly, based on your feedback that may be a better car for you.

DRIVE one and then tell us. Don't just assume based on internet stats; that prove I'm right anyway Porsche is about the experience and you won't get that from behind a keyboard.

Live Steam

Had to go out for some sushi which isn't easy to find here in Western PA.




Look I know the car is not slow and I didn't mean to offend anyone. I also don't believe my old Z with 31k miles on it is faster. I've seen all of the videos on the 718, read the reviews and tests and drove one and I guess I could have phrased it better than saying it was slow. The 718S wasn't slow, but I had to keep the revs up for it to feel fast and for it to want to pull. At slow speeds and low revs, it wasn't fun and it felt odd. And yes, it sounded as crappy as has been described by all that have reviewed it. Wouldn't be fun driving around town, having to stand on it in the upper part of the power band just to feel like I'm moving. I don't need to downshift in my Z to get some punch out of a slow roll or even from a standstill. I can roll out in 2nd with no issues. The 718 was quite different in that regard and the reason I'm posting in this forum vs the 718 and why I'm looking at a used car, which I've never done.

Though I have yet to drive one, I suspect the flat six of a 981 will have a feel very similar to what I'm used to. Get up and go from idle. Maybe not the fastest 1/4 or 0-60, but a full power band from idle. However I'll need to drive one, so I'll have to find one a dealer has in inventory, even if it's not spec'd as I would like. Just need to see what it feels like.

I drove a 370Z. There's a convertible in the showroom down the road. I took it out while they were changing the all the fluids in my car. It was garaged in NY for two years. My car is faster and the concierge said so himself after taking mine out for tuning. Yes the "experience" is what I'm after. I'm not tracking and I'm not dragging. Again, didn't mean to offend anyone. Maybe I should just buy an F type new and be sure to sell it prior to the warranty expiring lol

Live Steam

I have enough watches and I'm not selling the Z. On second thought, you can never have enough watches, but I'm still not selling the Z. It's not worth much in dollars, but it's worth a lot to me. It's fun to drive, but no drop top. Cost nothing to own, but no drop top.

Guess I got off on the wrong foot here.

GT4John

Nope. Not at all. 981 power band...including my GT4...starts at about 3.5-4K. Below that...snoooooooze. This is from an owner of 3 different 981s...Base, S and GT4.

Now...that said...once you reach said power band, the heavens shine on you, clouds part, choirs sing, women fling their panties at you etc etc etc. It's absolute magic...whether 2.7 or 3.4 or 3.8. God Bless 981.

But it's most definitely not "full power band from idle". Just FYI. Not trying to pick a fight or anything. The 981 is pretty much a dud below 3K RPM. Usable...but snoresville.

Edit...

This is where the 718 shines. Because you get all the fun-ness of 300 foot/pound torque at something like 1700RPM. So, yeah...the 718 sounds like wounded elephant seal...but it's got all the goods down low vs the NA 981 motors.

Noah Fect

Not advocating for the 718 at all, but my understanding is that the base 718 is noticeably less laggy than the S. Could be worth trying both, just for curiosity's sake.

Live Steam

Man I found the thread of threads on this issue - no not my 350 lol There are quite a few posts in this thread that express what I experienced during my test drive of the 718. No, slow wasn't mentioned, but feel was, by quite a few. Yes there was just something odd about how power was delivered to the road that felt sketchy or just not right. Can't really explain it. And no, it wasn't a gear change thing. The only automatic cars I've ever owned were trucks lol Every car I've ever purchased was manual. Feels odd driving an automatic in anything weighing in less than 5000lbs. The hand-me-down New Yorker my dad gave me when I got my license was automatic, but that too met the weight requirement. So did his Coup De Ville I would borrow lol

Still reading that thread. Man it's a doozie lol Heck after all is said and done I'll probably convince myself a 718 is the car too have ;P

Live Steam

Hmmm? That's interesting.

jago

sounds like OP is trying to justify a 718 purchase despite his misgivings.
i bought a cpo 981 pdk bgts with 20k and happy with the overall experience.
didn't want a manual but if you do then consider the spyder.
if the upcoming 982 spyder retains 718 unwelcome characteristics then you may have a home run value wise too.

bvanlieu

Owned a 370z vert for 8 years and 70k.

The problem with the 718 is the 987/981 exists. The VQ is a good engine and a good car: its sneaky fast in its power delivery. The 370 improved a bit on some 350 short comings but overall very similar cars in you have to muscle them around a bit and they respond very well to the 'abuse'.

Had we never owned a base 987.1 along with the Z, then the 718 test drive would have been fantastic as the car is lighter and just responds to inputs better if you notice weight (I do). The 718 is a great car...but is it a great C/B?

Thus when the choice for us to consolidate to just 1 sports car came up, the 718 was never a consideration and we landed on a 981 CGTS.

All of these cars are fast for the street (even a base 987 if you know to shift at redline). For us (and for you since this subjective) you must rank what you feel is most important. And the glorious NA flat 6 wail is up there for us.

- b

manifold danger

Never told you to sell the Z, in fact because you insist on keeping it is why I made the watch suggestion in the first place. (Also I was projecting because I'd love to have $70k to drop on a watch, and I'd probably go with a platinum Daytona if I did)

I think if you end up with a Boxster (any one), you may end up realizing there is too much overlap and you just don't find yourself wanting to drive the Z as often as you thought.

And yeah there are any number of threads that discuss this topic ad nauseum.

Live Steam

Along with some of the thoughts that were expressed in the thread I linked above, there's someone else that understands the "feel" issue of the power band when comparing the driving experience of my Z to my experience of the test drive in the 718. Thanks for the reply.


LOL the Cosmograph (Daytona) is another subject that has been debated for the last 40 years. Overpriced/over rated for what it is, but to say that to some, is heresy. There are definitely parallels to the 981/718 debate. The debate has been happening since the Ref.6240 was updated/changed all the way thru the current Ref.16518LN and everything in-between. It's one of the only watches I've ever parted with. The other was a Breitling. That I should have never sold. As you can tell from my holding onto a car for 15 years, I don't like parting with "my stuff". Not quite as bad as a hoarder, but ..... I get attached lol I traded my Daytona for an AP Royal Oak Volcano with the lava dial. Never looked back and well, Daytonas are easy to replace. Buy a Panerai. They're more fun.





I went to test drive the 718 because I like the aesthetic and heritage of the Boxster. A fast little droptop roadster that isn't pretentious. Well it wasn't as much a few versions ago, compared to the 911. For me, it's a throwback roadster with modern creature comforts. The test drive car had a price north of 90K. For just a few more thousand one can be in a 911 of some iteration. But the 911 doesn't really do it for me. Not even in a ragtop. I like the updated interior features of the 718 (dash, controls, etc.), but I tend to like the exterior styling of the 981 more - specifically the rear end the way the spoiler swoops down into the taillights vs the "Porsche strip across the back. But you might be right about the 718. I'll have to give it another ride.





Can anyone tell me where to find out what each of the packages and options actually include? For instance, what's the Convenience Package? How can you tell when a car is equipped with Nav, hands-free calling and Sirius? Also when did CarPlay get introduced and can it be retro-fitted if not part of the system? Oh, if I go used and not CPO, are there warranty options available for purchase somewhere that are worth the investment? The only used vehicle I bought was an F150 that was purchased for my crew to use. Was a year old lease turn-in with 20k miles on it. Was still under warranty.

manifold danger

Nice, watch guy. You'd think there'd be more of us on here; I"m still really a noob when it comes to watches, at least compared to cars- only really been into watches for the past couple years. I very nearly bought a Panerai just about a month ago... but pivoted and spent almost 3 times as much on a JLC. No regrets.

I'm guessing you're a fan of big watches, or at the least, "large wrist presence" watches. The Daytona feels small. But weirdly, that's part of what I like about it. I have the 42mm 215670 Explorer II and I absolutely love it because I've always been a "big watch guy" and it doesn't even have as much "wrist presence" as my 42mm Tag Aquaracer that I still have... but I've heard many, many people complain that it's too big, especially compared to the previous gen. Others are in agreement with me (plus I like the bright orange GMT hand). My personally, I also just like chronographs in general and feel like I should mix it up with my collection, it would be a replacement for my current Tag Carrera chrono... plus I just love the color combo of the platinum and otherwise not a huge fan of precious metals (scratch too easily). The stainless daytonas are fetching much higher prices on the used market than the gold/stainless anyway (like, about $5k more) because you can't find them new. Rolex is the only manufacturer that controls the market like that. Anyway, I highly doubt I'd ever actually buy that Daytona platinum unless I won the lottery or something. Otherwise it's between a Daytona and a GMT II as my next Rolex... if I can stop buying other watches first. Maybe I fit a Panerai in there at some point. Never really been a fan of Breitling. Some of the Navitimers are nice but, not really my thing. Watches are even more subjective than cars.

Back on topic.


I think you should absolutely drive BOTH cars... drive another 718 (preferably an S/GTS), and a 981 (also preferably an S/GTS). I'm actually thinking a 981 would fit your needs better based on what you describe. Also, I would not consider a new 718 at anywhere near retail- they are WAY overpriced.

You could possibly still find a handful of 981s still under warranty. And even though you'll very likely never actually take advantage of it, it would probably be best for peace of mind to find a solid CPO car. There should be tons of them, and only at about a 2-3k premium... or less than a used Panerai .

As for options, the packages aren't as important as the individual options. Porsche likes to bundle things like LED lighting with "comfort access" (i.e., fully keyless locks/ignition) and adaptive cruise control; I don't know how many people keep track of that crap.

For me personally, the individual options that "I" think are crucial, in descending order:

- X73 (i.e., "sports") suspension; but PASM is a decent alternative (one of these will be standard on GTS).
- Sport Chrono (standard on GTS)
- SportDesign steering wheel (if 981- irrelevant on 718 because all their steering wheels are better)
- At least 14-way seats, preferably 18-way adaptives
- Bose stereo; base stereo is crap but aftermarket is an easy fix
- Porsche Sport Exhaust (standard on GTS), but aftermarket is always an option here
- 20" Carrera S wheels (standard on GTS); also aftermarket is an option
- PTV; most folks say you can't notice is unless you're a hardcore track rat but I wouldn't mind having it
- Stuff like auto-dimming mirrors and Comfort Access is great, once you've had it you don't want to go back but some people understandably prefer the act of placing a key in the ignition
- Also good luck finding a 981 with a backup camera so the sensors at least are very much a nice-to-have, especially for the Boxster. You can't really see **** behind you with the top up but you do get used to it.

GT4John

Watch nerd talk...sorry....

"I have the 42mm 215670 Explorer II and I absolutely love it" - Have the same and also love it. My absolute favorite modern watch by a country mile. Wife and I are addicted to vintage Omegas. We have a bunch of 60's and 70's Dynamics and my absolute favorite watch I own, a pie-pan Constellation.

...OK...ducking back down. No more watch talk. Sorry sorry sorry...

Live Steam

Ha! I knew some others would reveal their sickness. Man watches can be addicting, but they tend to cost less than cars ....... well not always. Always loved an Exp2 in the polar white dial.

MA which JLC? Master Compressor? Only LJC I own is the white gold diamond mystery dial my mom gave to my dad for their engagement.

Well it's obvious I need to drive more cars in order to understand them better. One poster PMd that I should look at a 987. I agree. Would have to drive one along with 981's. I'll also drive the 718 again in its various iterations. No other way to know what I like/do not like. Maybe I wasn't fair in my assessment during my only test drive. Not looking for the fastest. Looking for the most fun experience. The rumble, sound, handling and everything else is what I believe a roadster is about AFAIK. Tough searching the net for a manual when PDK versions show up in the search too. Maybe I need a buyer's rep like in real estate, to filter out everything and find a car with the parameters I want

Live Steam

Didn't know if I should start another thread on this: Automatic rev matching on a manual when down shifting - is it overridden if done manually? If I blip the revs to downshift, does the computer just consider the where the RPMs are and not engage the auto function? I mean that's where the fun is in driving - heal/toe.