dvasko

Looking to purchase a 2014-2016 Cayman S or GTS and was looking to see what is std or option for the S and GTS models for these years.

I'm assuming if the Sport Plus button in present the car it has Sport Chrono, if the shock button is present it has PASM and if the exhaust button is there is has PSE?

But not sure about other options, for instance, does a 2016 Cayman GTS come with PTV?

I apologize in advance if it is already listed in the forum, but I couldn't find it with a search.

Dave

Jim981CS

I have a 2014 Cayman S and you are correct on your assumptions for the options in relationship to the buttons. I am not certain on all the standard features and options for the Cayman GTS but this is what my previous research came up with: The PTV is option code 220 and was a $1320 option that also included LSD and was the only way to get LSD and was not standard on the GTS. The GTS came standard with Sport Chrono and PSE as well as 15HP extra and a 3rd radiator and a unique front bumper and rear diffuser. It also had smoked tail lights and blacked out trim in the headlights as well as alcantara trim. PASM was also standard but X73 was a no cost option in place of the PASM. There was also a sound symposer to give more intake noise in the cabin.

I am unclear as to what is included with the standard alcantara but I think it is on the seats which are the sports seats with the GTS on the headrest and also the lower part of the dash and the steering wheel and shifter. The seats can not be ventilated but can be ordered heated as an option. And 14way and 18way optional seats can be ordered. There is also a no cost alcantara elimination option.

My 2014 CS came heavily optioned with luxury options including premium package plus with entry and drive and light design package, Bi-Xenon W/PDLS, F&R park assist, 18way heated/vented seats, Bose w/navi and PDK. It was lacking in some of the performance options that come on the GTS so I did some DIY mods including aFe headers, FF1 engine mounts, full function PSE with the switch, Maxspeed B/U camera and I added the 3rd radiator using a CSF aluminum radiator. I think the only GTS option that can not be retro fitted that is the Sport Chrono package so I got the Cobb Acessport with PDK flash so I have launch control and increased power so its as close as I can get to SC but no timer on the dash. So if you find a CS with Sport Chrono you can pretty closely turn it into a GTS after the fact. PTV and LSD is another package that can not be added later.
Jim

dvasko

Jim,

That really helps.

Thank you

Dave

Jim981CS

Dave,
Good luck on your search. As you have found out there seems to be quite a premium on GTS's and I love my ventilated seats in the summer.
Jim

Martin S.

Here is what you can count on:

• Smoked headlights/tail lights,
• 3rd Radiator,
• Sport Suspension, 20mm lower than Cayman S,
• Sport Chrono with the 3 modes, std., Sport and Sport +
• Sport Muffler (It can be over-ridden in Sport and Sport + mode to make it quieter,
• Sound Diffuser
• 6 Speed
• Headlight upgrade
• 340 HP
• Alcantara interior
• 20" wheels

The options that you may want:

• Option 220, Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) with Mechanical LSD, this is an invaluable option and it seems to be somewhat rare,
• PDK, 7 speed

These cars with clean CarFax and 20,000 miles or less, have been bringing $65,000 for a year or more. I bought mine last October with PDK and Option 220.

Corkscrew: Laguna Seca.

Turn 4, Laguna Seca

dvasko

Martin,

That really helps me. I didn't realize the GTS had a 3rd radiator. That seems like to would provide some additional safety margin on track days. I've settled on PDK after driving both. I was on the fence about PTV, since it is hard to fine, but I'm now convinced it is a must have. I'm really leaning toward PASM, which will probably makes my search even worse. After driving the X73 and PASM, the X73 seemed to handle better, but I liked the option of going a bit softer at times with all of the marginal roads we have around here.

So that helps to narrow it down:

2015-2016 GTS, PDK, PTV, PASM

Does anyone know of any available?

Dave

BTW love you car at Laguna Seca. Good to see cars being used as intended.

Martin S.

check PCA classifieds too. Send me an email contact and I’ll send you an in-car track video...

Jim981CS

Dave,
I am not sure if the PTV is listed with a VIN search so you might check with Martin S to see if his GTS with PVT lists it with a VIN search. I found my 2014 CS on CarGurus and have noticed that they seldom list most of the options in their discription. You have to click on and scan through the pictures to determine the options especially the buttons to see if it has PSE and what seat options. Currently they have three GTS but only two are listed as GTS’s and one is listed as a manual but shows a PDK in the pictures so good luck finding out if they have PTV.🤔. One of them is $59K and has all seven buttons so it has PASM and is listed as a manual but shows a PDK in the pictures.

As I mentioned on my previous post, if you find a Cayman S with PTV and SC you can add the third radiator and PSE. Suncoast even sells a kit wit the GTS front bumper including the third radiator and rear diffuser if you prefer the GTS look. I think the hardest thing to find will be the PTV so if you find it in a S you might consider it.
Jim

John_Goddard

I bought a 981 GTS in May, so a few thoughts on search. See Vinanalytics.com . If you input the VIN number of a car you're looking at, it will show you the build sheet/codes. Nearly every ad will be missing some detail, so you need to do the VIN lookup yourself. I believe that PASM was standard on the GTS, so it's there (shock button) unless it has the X73 code for the sport suspension. You are in luck that I think there are about 5 times more PDK's than manuals, so that's in your favor. But, there are not that many GTS out there, especially rare with PTV. You'll probably need to search nationally, or be prepared to wait a long time to find a local car. There are lots of online places to search such as AutoTrader, CarGurus. KBB and Edmunds also have classifieds.

dvasko

John,

Thanks. I've been using Vinanalytics and it really has helped. If the dealers can't tell if it is a manual or PDK, I really don't trust anything else they say about the options.

Dave

dvasko

JIm,

Thanks. I'd be fine with a CS, but I have not found one yet with, SC, PDK, PTV, PSE & PASM. I'm still looking though. Even with an aftermarket radiator, it would be less expense.

Dave

Jim981CS

Dave,
PSE can also be added if you find everything else you want. I learned a lot about dissembling the interior which you might as well get used to if you own a Porsche, like when you change the air filters, install the third radiator, b/u camera, access the engine or just about anything you need to do.😋 Suncoast has complete kits including the switch for about $2K. Don’t get me wrong if you can find the GTS or the S with all the options, that’s the way to go but I wouldn’t walk away from otherwise perfect car if it didn’t have PSE or the third radiator.
Jim

forestial

There is an article here (2015, so maybe not perfectly up to date if anything changed in '16) which does a pretty good job of laying out what is standard and what is optional on the various trim levels of 981 Caymans.

From what I saw when actively searching a few months ago, the GTS carries a pretty hefty price premium - like $12-15k - over the S.

Also per Jim981CS: "listed as a manual but shows a PDK in the pictures" - no kidding, that drove me nuts because I was looking for manual (hard enough to find) and numerous times the search filters would turn up cars that were listed wrongly as MT.

dvasko

Great read. I hadn't seen that before. Thank you. You are correct about the premium. Seeing some stripped down GTS close to list price. It is harder to find but, I'm seeing some S models with most of the right stuff.

Funny that you were seeing all PDKs, seems like I'm seeing all manuals. :-) I've opened up the filter, since the dealers seem to have a hard time telling the difference.

forestial

This is just anecdotal but it seems like there are a fair number of S cars from model year 2014 (there was no GTS then) and far less from 2015 and 2016. I suppose many buyers in 2015-16 went for the GTS instead: it was a good deal as a new car considering all the extra bits that it has over the S. Now with used it seems like the premium is a bit high; it was for me anyway but it depends how much you value those options.

BTW Vinanalytics.com has a beta feature which looks like it is going to provide very detailed information on how many examples of each model/option were brought to the US. Unfortunately it does not cover Caymans yet, but for example I was able to learn that there were 451 911 Carerra T cars with Lane Change Assist.