Suicide Jockey

The things we do for our daughters! It had to be painful to part with the 981, but I can't think of a better ointment than the 987 to sooth the wound. I hope you have zero remorse and find the 987 to be equally satisfying. She's a beauty.

Ouch. I never heard anyone call a 981 Spyder "a big disappointment." That's a first.

jeanrabelais

LOL, it's true about the gearing. Looking at your numbers explains why I can stay in first, second, and 3rd all day long, and reminds me of my 3 speed 1970 f150 which also put a smile on my face as a teen driving across the Ortega Hwy

kskpsu

Thanks all. Appreciate the love for the 987 to help me adjust! I certainly won't make any disparaging remarks about the 981 to justify it...I loved that car! This was strictly financial.

Yes sir, shame on us for never connecting last summer. Now there is probably a more compelling reason to do so with some differentiation in the cars! June is messy for me, but lets figure something out in July.

With minimal miles on the 987, I can't say for sure...but it certainly feels like it won't be doing 82 in 2nd ;-) Just my aforementioned daughter and me this weekend, so the 987 is grounded for the time being. Shame, this weekend's weather has been stunning!

Yes I did. Seems like a stand up guy.

Thanks!! I adore my 1M....so pure, so fun, and so discrete. I only get compliments on my F80 M3, which just adds to the coolness of the 1M imho. It will always be special to me. She has 6k miles on the clock, 1,500 of them in Europe during my ED. Need to drive her more even with the upward trend in values.

I tried the usual channels...Rennlist, autotrader, cargurus, ebay, etc. Nothing unique in my approach. It really seems to be a game of timing more than anything, particularly when I wanted specific attributes like LWBs, PSE, Sport Chrono and a manual. I think the 987s look best in white, but the silver/red combo is classic and oddly mirrored my outgoing car...so I felt like it was a good time to move (including miles on the 987). The only thing I wish it had was PDLS...unlike the 981 where xenons or standard, I have halogens in the absence of that option.

I will need to study up on that top!! Admittedly, it does seem to capture the intent more with literally no electric help like the partial assist on the 981 and the carbon fiber elements. The two piece nature is added benefit.

That is the vehicle, and no I didn't lose my mind and pay that price. I won't disclose the terms of the deal, but given the delta in cars (and the taxation model in Minnesota), the net difference between the two is over $40k.

kskpsu

Thank you! I'm going with "epic" to describe the 981 Spyder. Has to be one of the best modern Porsches ever presented...wrongfully overshadowed by GT cars, it is a road car gem that is finally gaining momentum.

rubycaymanr

I know your pain. I recently sold my GT4 in favor of my CaymanR. It was a very difficult choice.

Zeus993

BUT... IMO... you got the cooler car. Congrats.

JPMD

It's always tough trading in special cars that we love but overall seems like you made the best decision for you and your family which is always most important.

I love my 987.2 MT Spyder (2nd spyder 1st was PDK). My thoughts are very similar to what have been posted. Looks I prefer 987 but this is of course subjective. The minimalist roadster theme was slightly abandoned for the 981 in place of larger engine, more HP and more usable less barebones concept that defined the original. For this fact and the fact the 987 was the first ever & original Boxster "Spyder" may be more appealing and perhaps "valuable" although if the changes to a more usable Spyder implemented for the 981 allows the owner to drive it more or even daily that adds allot of value for that individual; so in a sense 2 different cars same name "spyder"

Ive not driven a 981 but sound is big improvement over 987 although this can be solved with high flow cats or exhaust if no PSE option. What I can comment on is the overall experience and compare to my 911 50th MT which I assume has same drivetrain/similar gearing 981 Spyder.

The 987 Spyder is more fun to drive. The engine revs in first few gears much quicker (easy to hit rev limiter) so it gives at least the perception that you may be going faster LOL

n4v4nod

IMHO the 911 50th and the 981 Spyder aren't comparible.

kskpsu

The mod argument is fair, but there are two elements that I need to consider. 1) Dumping several thousand into the 987 dilutes the intent of the transaction...there will be a tipping point where keeping the 981 would have been the preferred route. 2) Maintaining the originality of the car. Headers can certainly be undone, but I personally favor OEM cars true to their form, and a good chunk of the community will feel the same if/when I pass this on.

Suicide Jockey

I'm assuming these numbers purport to be maximum speeds that can be reached in these gears at redline. Those of you complaining about tall gearing, do you routinely drive around maxing out each shift at 7800 redline? I sure don't.

Andrew, you hotshoe! You must be one of those mentioned above who lives at the redline.

I guess I'm in the minority on the "long gearing" some/many complain of. For me it's a total non-factor as I find plenty of opportunities to row the box. Not once have I found myself saying, geez, I wish the gearing was shorter so I'm shifting more frequently. Maybe it has to do with one's driving style, the types of roads you usually drive on, and/or whether you track the car. Or maybe I've sampled too much of the Spyder Cool-Aid

kskpsu

Well, finally got better seat time. Top management (namely stowing) is going to require some practice! Think I am going to retract my statement on gearing...it really doesn't seem materially better, although in my final couple miles I hit sport mode and loved the improvement in throttle response. The car's forte seems to be steering and handling...it is just so light on its feet and more playful than the 981. The sound and power gap is definitely apparent, no way around that like a situational thing...in every moment I notice it. Both cars are unbelievably elegant, and it is subjective, but I do prefer the 981 looks as it appears exotic from several angles. Overall, the 2nd drive was better and I look forward to more driving time.

texasviany

Since I have the 981 Spyder, I would love to trade my GT4 for a Cayman R...then I get the best of both worlds.

DK7

best of both worlds would be a 987 Spyder and 981 GT4 imho.

spyderphile

Sounds like a plan. Let's review each other's schedule by end of this month. We will just wing it as we go. And, looking forward to seeing your car.


You may not believe this; but, I make every effort to reach the redline in 1-3 gears at every possible opportunity, with all my vehicles! I realize that's not how most drivers/riders, including enthusiasts, drive/ride. I am a loony on the fringe! To me, it's all about how often you get to the redline, as conditions permit.


I expected this! Please post some #s, if you can. As we have seen before, they are going to be within a few miles from 981's. Or, the difference is going to be insignificant to make a material impact.

John@Fabspeed

I would very much like to resolve your power and sound deficit on the 987. All you need is headers and a tune, and you'll forget you ever had it holding back your driving experience. Completely transforms the powercurve and the sound is unreal with valves open and near factory comfort with valves closed.


Would love to know your thought process on that one