3Series

For all you P Car market enthusiasts, what car do you think will hold it's value better after 3-4 years?

2016 GT4, 7k miles - $95k Ask (LWB's)
2015 GTS, 12k miles - $105k Ask (GTS Interior, no SPASM)

I'll probably put about 3-4k miles a year on the car.
Half the miles will be going to the track and back.

GT4
Pros - track car, 5 lugs, LWB, rollbar possible
Cons - 2 seats, extra low, low HP, manual

GTS -
Pros: back seats, 430HP, PDK
Cons: Center Locks, no LWB, no plans for a roll bar

Those are my pros/cons and everyone has an opinions but that's what I value.

DNorby

I think the GT4 was a smaller production run. The only Boxter or Cayman I would desire would have the 3.8 liter engine, of which, not many were made

chillindrdude

gt4

gts follows typical depreciation curves, unless it's a targa and a manual....maybe

kyrocks

GT4

chuckbdc

GT4, especially if you are serious about tracking, offers more. That said condition and history are critical issues.

K-A

Long term I think both will appreciate eventually over where they are today. The .1 GTS being the peak of the N/A Carreras will undoubtedly outperform most any non-limited modern car outside of a GT Porsche in resale.

In the more near term, I think the GT4 will hold better. The 718 GT4 may be the only time you’ll find a dip in 981 GT4 pricing, as long as it’s also N/A and of course a flat 6. Otherwise, imo GT4’s will never really go down much.

As for which I’d rather have, very tough as the GT4 is one of the best and most enticing cars in the world. I might choose the .1 GTS by a hair.

mathfuzzy

OP - I have both, having recently picked up the GT4 as a "trackable daily driver". I think the previous comments are right about the GT4 likely holding its value better, certainly in the near term. I'll caveat this comment in that I don't yet have many miles in the GT4, but having said that (based on limited experience) it's also the car that I'd be more inclined to take to the track.

MagicRat

I am lucky enough to have both (sort of - GTS Cab and Spyder). No enthusiast could go wrong with either, but if I had to keep one it would be the GTS. In part because it’s PDK and a daily London driver, but it’s just...there’s just...there’s just something. Agree that GT4/Spyder a better value proposition, though also likely not the last NA animal of its kind, which the GTS definitely is.

R_Rated

You cannot go wrong, unless you're buying it as an investment. Really you need to decide which you will enjoy.

My thoughts on your depreciation question - all speculative mind you.... It is rumored that the next GT4 will have a 4.0 in it. The GTS is the last GTS that will be NA. If the new GT4 comes out with a 4.0 then this could lower the resale of the 3.8 GT4. IMHO - the 3.8 GT4 is the perfect balance of power.... but there could be substantial handling advances as well, as there should be. I'd bet the GTS will be worth more but not enough to matter. Picking the car that will maximize smiles behind the wheel should be more your objective.

koala

GT4 will hold it's value better. Here in Canada they're still selling about $20-30k above MSRP.

Archimedes

Nope.

OP, those cars are going to offer a very different experience. Do you really care more about what each of them will be worth than how well they'll do what you want them to do?

Of those two cars, I'd most certainly pick the GT4. Back seats are waayyyyy overrated in the Carrera.

stout

Impossible to know. Both may do well, or a lot of factors could mean neither will. Both represent great value.

Next GT4 may be a meaningful upgrade, or not. May be good looking. Or not. And may be priced $10,000-20,000 higher. Or more.

Hard to say Porsche will never make an NA 911 Carrera/S/GTS again—the whole turbo emissions and fuel efficiency thing has been shown for what it is: a way to get pass under closely guided test conditions. "Turbo breathes, turbo drinks." There is no getting around it.

Hard to know what market will do, or what other factors will. So buy what you like, and drive and enjoy it as often as you can. Each of us only get so many miles before we're gone. Between your choices, I'd bet on GT4 every time—especially if I didn't need rear seats. But you really can't go wrong with either of these Porsches…

3Series

Thanks for the input.

I'm not looking for an "investment", just trying to reduce the loss in value. I track the car maybe 10-12 days a year so I'm of the mind, once its on track, I better be OK with going home without it.

My buddy purchased a 991 GT3 for tracking and a Spyder for daily driving, new. He probably spent less than if he would have bought a Camry to drive on a daily basis.

Some of my thinking is that the GTS has already taken on the first years depreciation, while the GT4 is still holding strong around MSRP.

Anyway, I'm seriously thinking about a GTS that is local to me. It has pretty much everything I want but SPASM and this is the season to buy for me. Also thinking about unloading my 997.2S now or wait a couple months.

3Series

So, I should really get both...

stout

Ha. The answer, when it comes to which Porsche, is always yes.

But given your ^, I'd do the GT4 for one reason alone: The next buyer for a GT4 won't bat an eyelid about track use. It's expected. I wouldn't expect the same understanding for GTS buyers—most GTS buyers are going to want minty street cars.