When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I'm seriously considering a 2016 GT S. There are few cars near me with low miles, but the one I like doesn't have dynamic plus package. I'm not going to track the car, just some occasional spirited drives. Do you think this package makes a big difference in how the car handles? Am I going to regret not getting a car with dynamic plus option, may be a downside when I try to sell the car in the future?
I was planning to test drive cars with and without the package but with everything going on, I'm hesitant to do that. Also, not sure if can discern the difference with a quick test drive.
I'm a manual transmission guy and was planning to get Audi R8 with gated transmission, but the V10s are in mid 90s, more than what I'm willing to spend now and I really don't want to get the V8. I already own RS4 with the V8 engine. With all the depreciation, AMG GT S seems like the best bang for the buck. I've owned several Audis and couple of BMWs, so want to try something different this time. Even though manual transmission is not an option, GT S is very tempting. Also the power, interior, and electronics are much better than the first gen R8. Overall, GT S is a compelling package.
I'm seriously considering a 2016 GT S. There are few cars near me with low miles, but the one I like doesn't have dynamic plus package. I'm not going to track the car, just some occasional spirited drives. Do you think this package makes a big difference in how the car handles? Am I going to regret not getting a car with dynamic plus option, may be a downside when I try to sell the car in the future?
I was planning to test drive cars with and without the package but with everything going on, I'm hesitant to do that. Also, not sure if can discern the difference with a quick test drive.
I'm a manual transmission guy and was planning to get Audi R8 with gated transmission, but the V10s are in mid 90s, more than what I'm willing to spend now and I really don't want to get the V8. I already own RS4 with the V8 engine. With all the depreciation, AMG GT S seems like the best bang for the buck. I've owned several Audis and couple of BMWs, so want to try something different this time. Even though manual transmission is not an option, GT S is very tempting. Also the power, interior, and electronics are much better than the first gen R8. Overall, GT S is a compelling package.
You will absolutely not notice a difference in terms of handling. Literally the only difference I could discern, on public roads, driving them back to back, was that the dynamic plus package made the ride even more jarring and stiff than it already is in our cars.
^ Yeah, if anything, I was gonna say I regret buying a car with the dynamic package. In four years of ownership, my only complaint has been ride quality.
2012 - 2014 V10 R8 was also my initial choice back when I bought the GT-S. It was too difficult to find a manual transmission. I was told the R-tronic was garbage and while the S-tronic was ok, it still wasn't up to par. I had never heard of the AMG GT(s) until a friend told me about it.
I test drove two without the Dynamic Plus and borrowed my buddy’s GTS that is lowered and on 20’s with the DPP for a weekend. Given his has lowering springs and smaller profile tires, I knew it would be a harsher ride, but after that I decided to buy a car without DPP.
That being said, I ended up buying a GTS with DPP because it was a great deal. After putting a few hundred miles on it, I can say that it’s actually not that bad for ride quality. I can’t attest to the handling differences as I didn’t get to push the non-DPP cars on the test drive.
I’ve got lowering springs in the garage and hoping to get a set of 20’s ordered soon once I can actually get ahold of people once the rona dies down...so the ride quality will likely only get worse.
I test drove two without the Dynamic Plus and borrowed my buddy’s GTS that is lowered and on 20’s with the DPP for a weekend. Given his has lowering springs and smaller profile tires, I knew it would be a harsher ride, but after that I decided to buy a car without DPP.
That being said, I ended up buying a GTS with DPP because it was a great deal. After putting a few hundred miles on it, I can say that it’s actually not that bad for ride quality. I can’t attest to the handling differences as I didn’t get to push the non-DPP cars on the test drive.
I’ve got lowering springs in the garage and hoping to get a set of 20’s ordered soon once I can actually get ahold of people once the rona dies down...so the ride quality will likely only get worse.
Which springs are you going with? I did H&Rs first and it was much worse than stock. Switched out to K&W HAS and it's much better.
Modified engine tuning with quicker/sharper shifting in RACE and M modes
Sharper and heavier steering in RACE mode
Yellow outer rings in gauge cluster
My car has it. I wasn’t expecting a cushy ride (I have an S500 and CL63 for that) but overall the ride quality is fine to me, particularly in comfort mode. To me, it’s firm but not harsh.
I haven’t driven a car without DPP, but I will say the agility in race mode is amazing. There’s a huge change as you move through the modes between comfort and race. In race mode, in addition to the super quick sharp shifts, the precision of the steering is amazing. The way I can make sudden steering movements to dodge potholes and return while the chassis remains utterly unfazed is great; and the way the steering feels super precise without slack or rubberiness makes it even better. This car in race mode really does make my old Porsche 987 Boxster feel like a 70s Cadillac in comparison. The handling in Race mode felt even sharper than a Porsche 718 GTS I test drove in Sport Plus mode a while back, though admittedly the AMG is bigger/wider/heavier.
In short, when comparing DPP to no DPP, try it in race mode and shift manually. I haven’t driven one without DPP, but I can say that my car with DPP feels amazing in race mode.
I haven’t driven one without DPP, but I can say that my car with DPP feels amazing in race mode.
They all do, tbh.
I definitely think that the OP should drive both, if it's really weighing on them, but I doubt that even on a track you would be able to discern any difference in handling between the two. I'd say the bigger selling point for most folks is going to be the steering wheel material and yellow cluster aesthetics.
That said, if you find an awesome deal on one with DPP, you are never going to have anything to compare it to in terms of stiffness, so you likely won't care about the difference.
Moral of the story, you won't miss it, so get the car that has everything else you deem a necessary option.
I definitely think that the OP should drive both, if it's really weighing on them, but I doubt that even on a track you would be able to discern any difference in handling between the two. I'd say the bigger selling point for most folks is going to be the steering wheel material and yellow cluster aesthetics.
That said, if you find an awesome deal on one with DPP, you are never going to have anything to compare it to in terms of stiffness, so you likely won't care about the difference.
Moral of the story, you won't miss it, so get the car that has everything else you deem a necessary option.
The most attractive feature for me is the heavier weighted steering in race mode.
That said, if you find an awesome deal on one with DPP, you are never going to have anything to compare it to in terms of stiffness, so you likely won't care about the difference.
Moral of the story, you won't miss it, so get the car that has everything else you deem a necessary option.
Well said. Car with low miles and awesome deal gets the highest priority. Hunt is on.
This car in race mode really does make my old Porsche 987 Boxster feel like a 70s Cadillac in comparison. The handling in Race mode even sharper than a Porsche 718 GTS I test drove in Sport Plus mode a while back, though admittedly the AMG bigger/wider/heavier.
That says a lot about this car. It is getting exciting now! I've also considered 718 Cayman S / GTS, but couldn't convince myself to pay $55K+ for a 4 cylinder. I do prefer light, nimble cars, but AMG GT offers lot of other things that the 718 cannot.
Super bouncy and stiff. Comfort mode with H&R was worse than race mode stock.
I felt like my car also went lower than advertised. I thought I must have gotten the wrong springs but I called and confirmed with H&R that I had the right part number.
The most attractive feature for me is the heavier weighted steering in race mode.
Understandable, I only left that out only because I honestly couldn't feel the difference between in steering weight/feel between the DPP and non-DPP cars.
Haven’t tracked it yet, but I test drove one without and then one with on the same (very familiar to me) part of the German Autobahn.
taking long corners above 260-270 kmh you do notice the one with dynamic package is giving you more direct feedback which is good since these speeds are no joke. Still, inexperienced drivers who don’t track it or drive high speed often don’t need this.
I have bought one with, as it checked all the boxes for me in options and config. I do love to drive this car both cruising (granted here it could be less stiff) aggressive on the country roads and if traffic allows at high speed to top speed on Autobahn. Maxed out mine at 312kmh last season.
Ps. OT - In my view: This car is very much „comfortable to drive at 270+ for longer periods of time vs any other car I have driven so far.
I have a 2020 BMW X5 M50i with dynamic handling pack and everything else you can possibly add (MSRP was $98k)
it has never given me any issues (Currently 36k miles on it), the dynamic handling package is day and night! it is well worth trying to find a car with it.
Make sure you get a car with 21's or 22's because they are a staggered set up. The 20's are a square set up and it wont corner as well.
The car overall is amazing and I really have no bad things to say about it, not to mention it is very Mod friendly
I have a 2020 BMW X5 M50i with dynamic handling pack and everything else you can possibly add (MSRP was $98k)
it has never given me any issues (Currently 36k miles on it), the dynamic handling package is day and night! it is well worth trying to find a car with it.
Make sure you get a car with 21's or 22's because they are a staggered set up. The 20's are a square set up and it wont corner as well.
The car overall is amazing and I really have no bad things to say about it, not to mention it is very Mod friendly
04-11-2020, 10:58 PM
