AMG GT As A Daily Driver
 

In the process of deciding between a 2018 AMG GT convertible and a 2018 911 S convertible. What are your thoughts on using the AMG as a daily driver? I have a short commute and occasionally use my vehicle for work. I have an SL that I will be returning on a lease that I drive daily. I have some concerns about the AMG as a daily driver. The 911 seems a little more suited to daily driving.Thanks.

I've daily driven mine for the last 5 months, and love it. That said, it will get more attention than the 911, and it is going to take more patience to park. At stock ride height, I've never once scraped, even over some very intense speed bumps and inclines.

We had a 2017 SL550 and moved to an AMG GTC roadster. That car is a perfect daily but you may miss the coupe-like solidity/quietness with the top up. The AMG with the top up is louder than with the top down. Great soundtrack though! If the AMG GT doesn't have the performance exhaust, it will be more quiet. The 911S cab will also be noisier than the SL top up.

Drive both and see which one you like better. Both are easy DD's IMO.

It all depends on what your definition of a Daily Driver is.

I have a Solarbeam Yellow GTS. I drive it to work, if.....
1. There’s no rain in the forecast
2. It’s above 50 degrees
3. I’m not getting out late
4. I don’t have errands to run
5. I don’t need to Go to the Homedepot
6. I don’t mind being spotted as I drive around town

it is really a weekend car. You also NEED another car to fulfill all your needs.

Interesting. Almost the opposite for us.
We use this car almost exclusively now, no matter the weather or errands. The E63s sits in the garage and will see maybe a few days of use here or there.
Which is strange since it’s both the faster and technically more advanced car.
The GTC is a fun car to drive and this thing is loud. Just sounds fantastic :) The E feels whisper quiet even though it’s known for its exhaust.

I use mine (18 Roadster) as a daily, came from an SL550 that I also used daily.
1. mine hasn't seemed to melt yet
2. it has a heater and just be careful to remember it has summer tires, you can put winters on in the winter.
3. my lights work well for evening or night time
4. Mine has a trunk so is okay for errands.
5. same as above, if a little larger item is purchased I use my wifes 911 cab with back seats or for large items rent a pick up or SUV
6. If you are worried about being seen this is not the car for you although I dont find it attracts very much attention, I dont drive a GTR though.

My take, it is not an SUV or a luxury 4 door sedan but is very capable of being a daily driver, gear box is fine as is comfort level. Be prepared for some issues with visibility and lack of internal storage. Obviously you cant have more than 2 passengers and being a low sports car your better half should be aware when exiting in a short skirt.
Also I love the adaptive cruise control in slow moving traffic.

Carrying capacity, for reference, this is:

2x 30lbs bags of dog food
1x weeks worth of groceries (for 2)
1x 25lb watermelon
1x weekend bag with spare clothes


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My 2016 Maybach has 60000 something miles on it. My 18 GTC has 20000 something miles on it. WE DRIVE OUR CARS. Oh my 06 Ford e150 has 175000 miles on it.

So you ask if the GT is a good car for daily driving. Sure it is. It is not a comfortable as the Maybach but dam it puts a smile on your face every time you drive it. If i had one complaint about the GTC I would say the seats hurt my butt on long drives. The solution is a thin pillow that I sit on. My husband has a smaller butt than I do and has never complained.....
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I was responding to the OP.

1. I didn’t say it would melt. The traction in the rain isn’t great. I find the back end slides more while taking a tight turn. Braking is also an issue.
2. I’m not referring to my comfort in the cold. I do own jackets and coats. The summer tires are useless and you must have winter wheels and tires starting in the fall. I don’t have them. I am sure most AMG gt drivers don’t and therefore it is hard to use it as a daily in January in the Northeast.
3. Visibility and blind spots are an issue during the day. At night , with no street lights in my area it’s outright dangerous . Bicycle riders, cars and pedestrians are at risk.
4. I do pick up some items while shopping . Carrying it is NOT the issue. It’s all the shopping carts shoved against the car that annoy me . Or the pick up trucks that pen me in at the Depot parking lot.
5. My car is yellow not gray , white or black. Every time I come to work , some asks “ where you at ......., I saw your car speeding by! “

So, yes it’s do-able yet it has its limitations. I never hesitate to drive my SUV in any weather or leave it unattended in a public lot. I don’t think many wouldn’t think twice before leaving their GT at the mall.

Lower the psi by a couple of lbs in all four tyres for additional compliance if you must, and all of the varieties of the GT can easily be driven daily for 3/4th of the year in most states IMHO.

Bish

The vanilla version of the GT is quite drivable all the time. The only time I don't use it is when I have to go to a courthouse in a crowded or seedy neighborhood (e.g., all of those in downtown L.A.), and the reason is safety rather than drivability. I do wish the seats were a little more cushioned, bot other than that I have no complaints. Of course, I came from a BMW i8, so anything it better than that.

As thebishman mentions, the key to driability is to make sure the tire pressures are not too high. Our cars have a very low recommended pressure and it really makes a difference.

I even drove my GTS in the winter, I still have a set of winter michelines 19/20's almost brand new condition, if anyone's interested I'll sell :)

A fellow yellow gts here, and I'm right in the middle of these opinions. I think a lot depends on your lifestyle. Everyone has different routines/needs but DDing a gt certainly could work for you. Personally, after DDing a sti wagon for 3 years and then going back to a large truck, I don't think I will ever daily anything under 5,000 lbs again. But that's just me, and it fits my needs much better.

The real reason I came to comment here is about the not taking the car out in cold weather comment. Engines perform *significantly* better in the cold, so as long as it's not icy or snowing, the cold days should be your favorite to take out your (some would say super)car and let it rip!

Sorry if I came across as an a hole but the OP was asking about if the GTroadster would be as good, better or worse than a Porsche 911 cab so I think all of your points for you not wanting to use the GT on a daily basis also apply to the 911.
Its every ones own choice what they do with a car and I do respect that but having been involved with the Ferrari community and being "told off" on occasion for putting miles and god forbid dirt and rain on my cars I get a little antsy from time to time.
Drive your GT in your own way in good health.

No offense taken , Brother . I’ve got thick skin.:D

i agree that the car is fun and I always miss driving it on days I don’t take it. The car functionally can be used as a DD. It’s the outside forces which may alter your decision to do so , ie, inconsiderate other drivers, etc.

What is the consensus tire pressure? I heard there are different numbers in the door sill and the gas cap.

32 cold.

I have a 2016 GTS. No real problems with it being a daily. A few small things:

1. It rides somewhat rough if your local roads are bad (even in comfort mode)
2. Lack of technological amenities like adaptive cruise control and Apple Carplay (no idea if new models have these)
3. If you don't like attention on your daily commute. It can get a bit tiring.

I don't have a problem in the cold or rain with the Michelins but I live in Dallas. Cold means 40 degrees, not 15.

2015 GTs and I drive it everyday for work. On weekends it just depends where we are going mainly because of parking. If I know it's a bad parking situation is usually the only time I opt for another vehicle. Also I park it for the three bad winter months.

Nice! Didn't realize you were also in the DFW area. I think that makes 5 semi-active users in the area, that I know of.

Daily driven here
 

Up in Toronto. I have a set of Snows and off to work I go. I will say there are about half a dozen days in winter I Uber to work not because I can’t make it but because the roads are full of idiots who can’t drive when it’s warm let alone when it’s icy:)

I’m surprised at how many DDs we have here. I can’t imagine using mine as a DD as I have offices in heavily congested pothole infested East Coast cities, with at least 45 minute commutes. I wish....

I've daily driven mine for 3 months now in Houston. It's a proper sports car (which can be a GT too) so the ride can be rough. But I daily drove an aggressive set up autocross air-cooled 911 for 3 years. It rides much better than that! My wife has a longer commute and she will take it a few days per week.

It'll get rock chips and door dings. Touch up paint and paintless dent repair. My other choice was a GTS Targa while awaiting a GT3 Touring delivery. I've delayed my GT3 order if that helps.

I would not get a flashy color if you wanna DD it. My father drove his solarbeam yellow GTC Roadster yesterday for the first time and the amount of attention was kinda annoying. He was making an errand to his office and said some guy in a Model 3 followed him into the lot, he thought he was gonna get robbed. The guy just asked him to race lol. We def aren't used to the attention it grabs