Hi guys, I’m in the market for a new car. New to Porsches but had a few M cars in the pass. I was dead set on a 997.1 GT3 but a friend of mine is offering his GT4 with 2500 miles for a really good deal that I can’t pass up. Anybody that has both any opinion on the GT4 VS the GT3? I always thought my S2000 shifter was perfect but the GT4 is even better.

Anyway to the GT4, It’s a nice car, low miles but I don’t really care for the spec. No buckets which is what I really wanted and wondering if it would hit the resale value hard in the future? Can someone run the vin for the full options list?

Ive been seeing a lot of transmission issue on the GT4, I believe this car is a 05/15 build and the recall isn’t available on early cars. Is there a reason why? Anything else I need to look out for? Also maintenance?

Thank you in advance and looking forward to your opinions.

 

Here's the build sheet:

BASE Cayman GT4
085 Fuel tank 64-litre
28 Partial Leather with Alcantara®, Black (Stitching in Platinum Grey)
2T Jet Black Metallic
342 Seat heating
573 2-zone Automatic Climate Control
620 Bi-Xenon-Headlights incl. Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS) in black
630 Light Design Package
643 Sport Chrono Package incl. Porsche Track Precision App
690 SiriusXM(R) Satellite Radio Receiver incl. 3 month trial subscription and HD Radio(R) Receiver
802 Wings in Black
EGB Carbon Fiber Interior Package i.c.w. Standard Interior
P07 Adaptive Sport Seats Plus (18-way) with Memory Package
P13 Auto-Dimming Mirrors with Integrated Rain Sensor
P23 Porsche Communication Management (PCM) including navigation module with universal audio interface
XDK Wheels Painted in Satin Black
XHM Center Console Trim in Carbon Fiber
XXD Door-Sill Guards in Carbon Fiber, Illuminated
XYB Fuel Cap with Aluminum Look Finish

 

FYI, the 18-way seats costed almost as much as the LWBS when speccing a new car. On the aftermarket, you can get 5 to 7k for the 18-ways. I sold mine and bought another RL members LWBS

 

It's a great car either way. Stop worrying about resale value before you have even made a purchase. The answer is probably not.

 

I think if you want the buckets, you can find a car with buckets. There is a certain market for cars with the regular / sofa seats for those buyers that don't like buckets, so ordinarily, I wouldn't let the resale issue itself bother you. However, this particular car has a higher than average MSRP due to all the convenience features, so in this case, I'd say it probably isn't going to sell at as high a percentage of original MSRP as other cars.

So it comes down to how good of a deal are you getting and are you able to find cars you like better for the same price.

 

There are a lot of GT4s for sale, so I'd just make sure it's a build that you like, color/options/etc. If you want LWBs, find a car with LWBs, don't buy a car with sofas and mess around with buying and selling seats. There are a ton of GT4s for sale to choose from.

 

+1

Trying to buy/sell seats is a PITA. I only bought a GT4 without LWBS because I bought my car from my older brother.

That being said, the 18-way are quite nice. Just make sure you spend a solid amount of time tweaking the various settings to get the perfect contour to your body. You can raise the side bolsters quite a bit, if you're looking for lateral support

 

Thanks guys for the reply, the only reason why I’m considering this without the buckets cause I’m getting it in the low 80s. Does anyone know regarding the transmission recall on the early build cars? And cars with higher miles anything to look for? Maintenance? Thanks.

 

If I am not mistaken the transmission thread indicates that Porsche is aware and taking care of the issue as it happens. Mine already had the failure and replacement when I bought it.

 

Low 80's for 2500 miles is a steal... even more so on a $100k sticker car.

Buy it!

 

Have you driven the GT3?

i bought a new GT4 and had it for three yrs. I recently swapped it for a 997.1 GT3. It’s still early, but I like the GT3 more. Both are great cars. Driven them and see which one puts a bigger smile on your face.

Oh, and don’t by a GT4 that’s not close to your spec (I’m not a fan of the one above). GT3 are harder to find in certain specs, condition, etc.

 

I would second this, swapping out seats is expensive and tricky. If you go for oem lwbs you will pay through the nose, and if you go with aftermarket seats, get used to driving with the airbag lights on all the time.

 

this particular car has heated seats also and the button will not work if I get buckets

 

$20k off MSRP is very good right now. Warranty is running out, so buying CPO gives you more piece of mind but many dealers are selling GT4s very close to MSRP. All the gearboxes are being replaced so the day you get one, you need to get it over to Porsche immediately to schedule the replacement.

 

Had a GT4, traded on a .2 GT3. They are both amazing cars, but driving the '3 is more of an event. If you are set on a GT3 just get it. Wait and find one with your spec and pick it up. The .1's with their extended warranty are a steal. Whatever you do, don't compromise on the spec!