Porsche to AMG GT S converts?
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Porsche Boxster Spyder
Porsche to AMG GT S converts?
It looks like my Boxster Spyder is selling sooner than I thought, and I'm exploring options for my next "fun" car. The AMG GT S has definitely caught my eye, admittedly largely because of how good of a "value" these cars seem to be at this point. My previous fun cars have all come from Porsche, and I've never owned a Mercedes, but there's just something about the way that the AMG GT looks and of course, how it sounds, that's making me seriously consider one. I'd love to pick the brains of some of you guys here:
1. Where would you guys put it on the spectrum of livability? How much will I regret picking one up to use as a weekend/Friday to work/occasional autocross/maybe very occasional HPDE car? Is it livable enough to take my wife away on a weekend trip? I live in the North East, with the usual pothole-strewn roads. Would I regret taking it to work and sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way home in the afternoon?
2. How's the reliability? The thing I love about Porsche is that while maintenance is pricey, unexpected big ticket repairs are rare. My wife has a Macan with 100k miles that has been (knock on wood) dead reliable. Would you guys own an AMG GT S out of warranty? Should I just plan on buying a Fidelity warranty?
3. Any must have options? Seems like the Dynamic Plus may be on that list, but anything else?
4. Finally, is there any good way of driving one before buying? I imagine I'll be pretty picky about colors/options, so I think the chances of me finding a car locally are low.
Thank you!
1. Where would you guys put it on the spectrum of livability? How much will I regret picking one up to use as a weekend/Friday to work/occasional autocross/maybe very occasional HPDE car? Is it livable enough to take my wife away on a weekend trip? I live in the North East, with the usual pothole-strewn roads. Would I regret taking it to work and sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way home in the afternoon?
2. How's the reliability? The thing I love about Porsche is that while maintenance is pricey, unexpected big ticket repairs are rare. My wife has a Macan with 100k miles that has been (knock on wood) dead reliable. Would you guys own an AMG GT S out of warranty? Should I just plan on buying a Fidelity warranty?
3. Any must have options? Seems like the Dynamic Plus may be on that list, but anything else?
4. Finally, is there any good way of driving one before buying? I imagine I'll be pretty picky about colors/options, so I think the chances of me finding a car locally are low.
Thank you!
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AMG
It looks like my Boxster Spyder is selling sooner than I thought, and I'm exploring options for my next "fun" car. The AMG GT S has definitely caught my eye, admittedly largely because of how good of a "value" these cars seem to be at this point. My previous fun cars have all come from Porsche, and I've never owned a Mercedes, but there's just something about the way that the AMG GT looks and of course, how it sounds, that's making me seriously consider one. I'd love to pick the brains of some of you guys here:
1. Where would you guys put it on the spectrum of livability? How much will I regret picking one up to use as a weekend/Friday to work/occasional autocross/maybe very occasional HPDE car? Is it livable enough to take my wife away on a weekend trip? I live in the North East, with the usual pothole-strewn roads. Would I regret taking it to work and sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way home in the afternoon?
2. How's the reliability? The thing I love about Porsche is that while maintenance is pricey, unexpected big ticket repairs are rare. My wife has a Macan with 100k miles that has been (knock on wood) dead reliable. Would you guys own an AMG GT S out of warranty? Should I just plan on buying a Fidelity warranty?
3. Any must have options? Seems like the Dynamic Plus may be on that list, but anything else?
4. Finally, is there any good way of driving one before buying? I imagine I'll be pretty picky about colors/options, so I think the chances of me finding a car locally are low.
Thank you!
1. Where would you guys put it on the spectrum of livability? How much will I regret picking one up to use as a weekend/Friday to work/occasional autocross/maybe very occasional HPDE car? Is it livable enough to take my wife away on a weekend trip? I live in the North East, with the usual pothole-strewn roads. Would I regret taking it to work and sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way home in the afternoon?
2. How's the reliability? The thing I love about Porsche is that while maintenance is pricey, unexpected big ticket repairs are rare. My wife has a Macan with 100k miles that has been (knock on wood) dead reliable. Would you guys own an AMG GT S out of warranty? Should I just plan on buying a Fidelity warranty?
3. Any must have options? Seems like the Dynamic Plus may be on that list, but anything else?
4. Finally, is there any good way of driving one before buying? I imagine I'll be pretty picky about colors/options, so I think the chances of me finding a car locally are low.
Thank you!
2. Reliability overall is very good. I would not be too concerned with owning one outside of warranty. Then again, I did buy a Fidelity warranty for the peace of mind.
3. If you have bad roads, I would personally not get a car with Dynamic Plus, as the ride will be harsher. I would also make sure you get Distronic Plus if you plan to have the car in traffic, as that is the one thing I wish I had gotten when I bought mine.
4. I don't have any suggestions for you here, outside of finding one at a dealership to test drive, even if it means a bit of a trip to do so.
Last edited by Orcbolg; Jun 4, 2020 at 04:09 PM.
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Designo White AMG GTS
I switched from a 997.2 GT3 to a 2016 AMG GTS.
Livability is great. I daily drove mine for the first year or so before buying another car. The trunk/hatch has plenty of space. Ground clearance with stock ride height is great. My car has the dynamic plus package. I kinda wish it didn't after living with it for several years. The ride quality is my one complaint with this car.
Reliability has been fantastic for me.
If you care about stereo sound quality, the base system is pretty bad. Upgraded Burmester might be worth looking into. Nappa leather interior is a common option.
I just walked in to my local dealer and test drove one.
Livability is great. I daily drove mine for the first year or so before buying another car. The trunk/hatch has plenty of space. Ground clearance with stock ride height is great. My car has the dynamic plus package. I kinda wish it didn't after living with it for several years. The ride quality is my one complaint with this car.
Reliability has been fantastic for me.
If you care about stereo sound quality, the base system is pretty bad. Upgraded Burmester might be worth looking into. Nappa leather interior is a common option.
I just walked in to my local dealer and test drove one.
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Porsche Boxster Spyder
1. As far as livability, it's one of the most practical cars in the segment imo, and I've used mine as a daily for almost a year and a half. I also use it when I run errands, and have packed in a weeks worth of groceries, 2 weeks of clothes for 2 people, and 2x 40lbs bags of dog food, into the hatch in one go. I've also used it to transport 150lbs of mulch.
2. Reliability overall is very good. I would not be too concerned with owning one outside of warranty. Then again, I did buy a Fidelity warranty for the peace of mind.
3. If you have bad roads, I would personally not get a car with Dynamic Plus, as the ride will be harsher. I would also make sure you get Distronic Plus if you plan to have the car in traffic, as that is the one thing I wish I had gotten when I bought mine.
4. I don't have any suggestions for you here, outside of finding one at a dealership to test drive, even if it means a bit of a trip to do so.
2. Reliability overall is very good. I would not be too concerned with owning one outside of warranty. Then again, I did buy a Fidelity warranty for the peace of mind.
3. If you have bad roads, I would personally not get a car with Dynamic Plus, as the ride will be harsher. I would also make sure you get Distronic Plus if you plan to have the car in traffic, as that is the one thing I wish I had gotten when I bought mine.
4. I don't have any suggestions for you here, outside of finding one at a dealership to test drive, even if it means a bit of a trip to do so.
I switched from a 997.2 GT3 to a 2016 AMG GTS.
Livability is great. I daily drove mine for the first year or so before buying another car. The trunk/hatch has plenty of space. Ground clearance with stock ride height is great. My car has the dynamic plus package. I kinda wish it didn't after living with it for several years. The ride quality is my one complaint with this car.
Reliability has been fantastic for me.
If you care about stereo sound quality, the base system is pretty bad. Upgraded Burmester might be worth looking into. Nappa leather interior is a common option.
I just walked in to my local dealer and test drove one.
Livability is great. I daily drove mine for the first year or so before buying another car. The trunk/hatch has plenty of space. Ground clearance with stock ride height is great. My car has the dynamic plus package. I kinda wish it didn't after living with it for several years. The ride quality is my one complaint with this car.
Reliability has been fantastic for me.
If you care about stereo sound quality, the base system is pretty bad. Upgraded Burmester might be worth looking into. Nappa leather interior is a common option.
I just walked in to my local dealer and test drove one.
One thing I forgot to ask: have you guys been maintaining these at dealers mostly? Are independent shops equipped to handle these cars like they are for Porsche?
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From: Canada
2019 E63s
I’ve had several and daily them even in the winter with snow tires. My GTC is easily my most comfortable car I’ve ever owned. I do not have the track pack so my ride is fairly compliant. I generally get my service done at the dealer but all my track setup is done by a racing shoppe run by old friends. I wouldn’t own any modern car out of warranty today. That said this one I have now might be the first. FYI I’m located in Toronto.
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AMG
Interesting that both of you are voting against dynamic plus. It sounds like even in comfort mode, the ride might be a bit rough? And great to hear that you had a 997.2 GT3 before! Would you say the GT S is harsher than the GT3?
One thing I forgot to ask: have you guys been maintaining these at dealers mostly? Are independent shops equipped to handle these cars like they are for Porsche?
One thing I forgot to ask: have you guys been maintaining these at dealers mostly? Are independent shops equipped to handle these cars like they are for Porsche?
As far as shops go, that's really going to be location dependent. I have an amazing Euro shop in town that does all of my service, and they are significantly better than every MB dealer in the DFW area. But you may not have that luxury, depending on where you live, so you may need to do some research.
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Porsche Boxster Spyder
Yes, the ride is already more on the harsh side, but with DP it's even more so.
As far as shops go, that's really going to be location dependent. I have an amazing Euro shop in town that does all of my service, and they are significantly better than every MB dealer in the DFW area. But you may not have that luxury, depending on where you live, so you may need to do some research.
As far as shops go, that's really going to be location dependent. I have an amazing Euro shop in town that does all of my service, and they are significantly better than every MB dealer in the DFW area. But you may not have that luxury, depending on where you live, so you may need to do some research.
And presumably, there's no "secret" to finding these cars? I prefer to buy cars from enthusiasts rather than dealers, who are more likely to put things like PPF on cars and take care of them. I've had good luck with rennlist, but obviously there are fewer of these cars out there.
Last edited by Toasterthief; Jun 4, 2020 at 05:07 PM.
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2016 AMG GTS
I had some concerns about the Dynamic Plus Package being too stiff as I planned to drive my car often. I test drove two cars back to back, one with DPP and one without. The difference in ride quality wasn’t large enough to justify going with the less desirable non-DPP car.
Now that I have a GTS, it is lowered on H&R springs with the DPP. The ride quality is completely bearable for daily driving. As for the wife, I don’t know that mine would feel the same for more than a 30 minute drive so road trips might be a little iffy. Then again, she was used to my Audi S8, which is an amazing road trip car.
Now that I have a GTS, it is lowered on H&R springs with the DPP. The ride quality is completely bearable for daily driving. As for the wife, I don’t know that mine would feel the same for more than a 30 minute drive so road trips might be a little iffy. Then again, she was used to my Audi S8, which is an amazing road trip car.
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AMG
And presumably, there's no "secret" to finding these cars? I prefer to buy cars from enthusiasts rather than dealers, who are more likely to put things like PPF on cars and take care of them. I've had good luck with rennlist, but obviously there are fewer of these cars out there.
Also, on the topic of road trips, I've taken numerous 4+ hour trips with the wife, as well as cross state cruises for back road shenanigans, and neither my wife nor myself have had any comfort related issues. Again, this is also why I chose not to pick up a car with DPP, after having driven them back to back, as I knew I'd be driving it on a slew of differing road surfaces and conditions.
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From: Delray Beach, FL
'18 AMG GTC, '96 BMW 318i, '25 Ram RHO
All of the above + "bumper to bumper traffic"? Any time spent in any of the GTs should just make you grin. The sound!! The interior!! If you are in bumper to bumper, turn on the distronic plus and the upgraded burmester, then relax.
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2020 McLaren 720s Spider
I moved from a 911 991.1 TTS Roadster to a GT-C Roadster.
My first observation is candidly, if I had met the GTC before purchasing the 911, I wouldn't have switched the other way. The reality is that while they are both good cars, the GT-C is the winner in almost every driving category and most of all, the grin factor. It just feels alive while the 911 felt sterile comparitively.
That said, to address your points:
1 - Liveabilty - the roadster is about as impractical as it gets. The trunk is not gonna handle much more than a couple of duffel bags for the gym. But the coupe as everyone is saying fixes that problem, and the car outside of that is IMHO flawless. Jump in traffic and keep yourself planted for a long drive and you wontt have any comfort issues. And, its easy to drive, so you could easily consider it a daily if you were inclined.
2. Reliability - I cant personally attest to it being as bulletproof as the 911, but its MB and I ABUSED my C63S yet it always smiled and asked for more. I cant imagine this is going to be much different. It feels very very solid.
3 Options - for me it was CCB and high end Burmeister (they all come with a basic Burmeister), but there are lots of considerations - I agree about Dynamic Plus.
4. Test drive - Not too many out there, but I would say be respectful of the places that have them available and I cant imagine that they wont give you access to the car to test in the hope that they can secure you as a cusotmer.
My first observation is candidly, if I had met the GTC before purchasing the 911, I wouldn't have switched the other way. The reality is that while they are both good cars, the GT-C is the winner in almost every driving category and most of all, the grin factor. It just feels alive while the 911 felt sterile comparitively.
That said, to address your points:
1 - Liveabilty - the roadster is about as impractical as it gets. The trunk is not gonna handle much more than a couple of duffel bags for the gym. But the coupe as everyone is saying fixes that problem, and the car outside of that is IMHO flawless. Jump in traffic and keep yourself planted for a long drive and you wontt have any comfort issues. And, its easy to drive, so you could easily consider it a daily if you were inclined.
2. Reliability - I cant personally attest to it being as bulletproof as the 911, but its MB and I ABUSED my C63S yet it always smiled and asked for more. I cant imagine this is going to be much different. It feels very very solid.
3 Options - for me it was CCB and high end Burmeister (they all come with a basic Burmeister), but there are lots of considerations - I agree about Dynamic Plus.
4. Test drive - Not too many out there, but I would say be respectful of the places that have them available and I cant imagine that they wont give you access to the car to test in the hope that they can secure you as a cusotmer.
Last edited by Skilly; Jun 5, 2020 at 10:05 AM.
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2014 E63S (sold), 2016 AMG GTS (sold), 2019 AMG GTC
I haven't owned a 911 since my 997.2 so can't directly compare the ride as the owner of a 992. However, like others here, I drove my 2016 to work for 2 years before selling it. I went on a couple of 4 hours drives with my wife and a full boot and it was a dream. Open stretches were great for testing its ride at high speeds (up to 120mph) for long stretches and it rode incredibly well. While it is a GT car, the DP suspension provides lots of "feedback". But the motor, IMHO, is the champ. My Porsche buddies at the office always asked me to start up the car whenever we crossed paths in the garage. There are not many cars that can match that experience.
It was flawless (other than the earlier noted transmission failure on the way home from the dealership). I, too, would opt for an after market warranty as repairs will likely be expensive.
Re options, both my GTs have the Burmeister and while it's a fine system, I leave my exhaust open and would much rather listen to that sound than anything else.
A tough choice between another Porsche and the GT, to be sure! I just picked up my CPO 2019 GTC coupe with 1100 miles on the clock after giving the 992 a serious and very detailed look. While it's likely the best 911 yet, I still went back to the GT because it gave me such an all encompassing thrill to drive. And did I mention anything about that motor?!
It was flawless (other than the earlier noted transmission failure on the way home from the dealership). I, too, would opt for an after market warranty as repairs will likely be expensive.
Re options, both my GTs have the Burmeister and while it's a fine system, I leave my exhaust open and would much rather listen to that sound than anything else.
A tough choice between another Porsche and the GT, to be sure! I just picked up my CPO 2019 GTC coupe with 1100 miles on the clock after giving the 992 a serious and very detailed look. While it's likely the best 911 yet, I still went back to the GT because it gave me such an all encompassing thrill to drive. And did I mention anything about that motor?!
Last edited by ChuckyBoy; Jun 5, 2020 at 02:15 AM.
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AMG GT S
I had a 997.1 4s then moved to a new gt s in 2016. I daily drove both. They are both great. The amg gt s is a fun time every drive.
I had sports exhaust on the Porsche, I thought that was cool. Well, the gt s is waaaay more fun.lol the exhaust the engine the handling the styling ... ...
awesome!
I had sports exhaust on the Porsche, I thought that was cool. Well, the gt s is waaaay more fun.lol the exhaust the engine the handling the styling ... ...
awesome!
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2017 AMG GT
I've owned close to 20 Porsches over the years and still have 5 in the garage next to my 2017 AMG GT (base, not the S). I chose the base when I purchased last year as I valued an additional year of warranty over the incremental power of similarly priced 2016 S models. Knowing I could tune the GT to 600+hp for minimal cost really makes the power difference irrelevant.
What I did lose was the adjustable suspension that is standard on the S. I have the standard shocks and springs, so you might want to consider driving that version as well and see how it feels. It is certainly on the firmer side of things but not uncomfortable. I did a 2300 mile trip with my wife earlier this year over the course of a few days and both found the ride very comfortable. Some slight discomfort in our butts at the 6 hour mark of any given stint, but I relate that more to the firmness of the seat versus the suspension. But the shape of the seat and adjust-ability of the bolsters make it fit like a glove, near perfection for daily driving or long trips. And the hatch swallowed a ton of luggage for the road trip.
Suspension is very sporting for its intended purpose (I have other cars for the track) so anything more would be overkill. Sport exhaust is awesome. Only option I miss would be ceramic brakes.
I have 23,400 miles on the car now and reliability is decent, but not as bullet proof as my Porsche experiences. I'm very much enjoying the AMG experience, so while I am still a Porsche guy, I'm glad I picked one of these up. Only real downside has been depreciation. Prices on used AMGs have dropped another $10K since last year, sure hope we are nearing the bottom.
What I did lose was the adjustable suspension that is standard on the S. I have the standard shocks and springs, so you might want to consider driving that version as well and see how it feels. It is certainly on the firmer side of things but not uncomfortable. I did a 2300 mile trip with my wife earlier this year over the course of a few days and both found the ride very comfortable. Some slight discomfort in our butts at the 6 hour mark of any given stint, but I relate that more to the firmness of the seat versus the suspension. But the shape of the seat and adjust-ability of the bolsters make it fit like a glove, near perfection for daily driving or long trips. And the hatch swallowed a ton of luggage for the road trip.
Suspension is very sporting for its intended purpose (I have other cars for the track) so anything more would be overkill. Sport exhaust is awesome. Only option I miss would be ceramic brakes.
I have 23,400 miles on the car now and reliability is decent, but not as bullet proof as my Porsche experiences. I'm very much enjoying the AMG experience, so while I am still a Porsche guy, I'm glad I picked one of these up. Only real downside has been depreciation. Prices on used AMGs have dropped another $10K since last year, sure hope we are nearing the bottom.
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Porsche Boxster Spyder
Thanks for everyone's replies, especially those of you that are comparing AMG GT ownership to Porsche ownership. Interesting that most of you are all in favor of going from Porsche -> AMG GT, although this may be a biased crowd. 
With respect to maintenance issues, what seems to be most common? Hopefully most of you haven't had large/catastrophic failures with the engine/transmission?
With respect to maintenance issues, what seems to be most common? Hopefully most of you haven't had large/catastrophic failures with the engine/transmission?
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2017 AMG GT
Warranty repairs: Dash replaced due to leather shrinking and bubbling up, plastic trim on rear hatch handle replaced, CEL warning that was rectified with software upgrade (not sure how legit this 'fix' was, might just been a case of unable to replicate problem. But error has not returned), Lid on cup holder needs to be replaced as it gets stuck in the open position, but part has been on back order for 6 months so not done yet.
Tomorrow she is going back to dealer for an oil leak.
All small stuff pending outcome of oil leak, but a PIA to visit dealer so often in 1 year. Also the hubs of the brake rotors in the rear have surface rust on them that they refuse to cover under warranty. Porsche would cover something like that. Still worth it, car is blast to drive and is one of the best looking cars on the road, IMO.
Tomorrow she is going back to dealer for an oil leak.
All small stuff pending outcome of oil leak, but a PIA to visit dealer so often in 1 year. Also the hubs of the brake rotors in the rear have surface rust on them that they refuse to cover under warranty. Porsche would cover something like that. Still worth it, car is blast to drive and is one of the best looking cars on the road, IMO.
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2020 McLaren 720s Spider
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From: CT
2019 E63S, 2014 GL550
I personally drive a 2019 E63S, although I have had seat time in several 911’s, my father in law has a GTS, and I have spent three days driving GTS and GT-R around the tracks at Lime Rock and Laguna Seca with the AMG Driving Academy. My opinion is that the GTS is a much heavier car, with the appropriate increase in HP over most (non-TTS) 911. It feels solid and the ride is not overly harsh, but you will feel the weight on the street and on the track compared with 911 or Boxter. The soundtrack from the exhaust, though, is intoxicating! The other thing to keep in mind is that 911 and Boxter are a dime a dozen in the wild, compared with any AMG GT variant. The AMG turns heads and draws thumbs up from observers literally everywhere it goes. Be prepared for the extra attention!
As far as reliability is concerned, I can’t comment, as ours are relatively low in mileage yet.
As far as reliability is concerned, I can’t comment, as ours are relatively low in mileage yet.
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2012 CLS63
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Designo White AMG GTS
I personally drive a 2019 E63S, although I have had seat time in several 911’s, my father in law has a GTS, and I have spent three days driving GTS and GT-R around the tracks at Lime Rock and Laguna Seca with the AMG Driving Academy. My opinion is that the GTS is a much heavier car, with the appropriate increase in HP over most (non-TTS) 911. It feels solid and the ride is not overly harsh, but you will feel the weight on the street and on the track compared with 911 or Boxter.
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From: Houston
2016 AMG GTS
Thanks for everyone's replies, especially those of you that are comparing AMG GT ownership to Porsche ownership. Interesting that most of you are all in favor of going from Porsche -> AMG GT, although this may be a biased crowd. With respect to maintenance issues, what seems to be most common? Hopefully most of you haven't had large/catastrophic failures with the engine/transmission?
With respect to maintenance issues, what seems to be most common? Hopefully most of you haven't had large/catastrophic failures with the engine/transmission?
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From: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
'07 CL550
It looks like my Boxster Spyder is selling sooner than I thought, and I'm exploring options for my next "fun" car. The AMG GT S has definitely caught my eye, admittedly largely because of how good of a "value" these cars seem to be at this point. My previous fun cars have all come from Porsche, and I've never owned a Mercedes, but there's just something about the way that the AMG GT looks and of course, how it sounds, that's making me seriously consider one. I'd love to pick the brains of some of you guys here:
1. Where would you guys put it on the spectrum of livability? How much will I regret picking one up to use as a weekend/Friday to work/occasional autocross/maybe very occasional HPDE car? Is it livable enough to take my wife away on a weekend trip? I live in the North East, with the usual pothole-strewn roads. Would I regret taking it to work and sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way home in the afternoon?
2. How's the reliability? The thing I love about Porsche is that while maintenance is pricey, unexpected big ticket repairs are rare. My wife has a Macan with 100k miles that has been (knock on wood) dead reliable. Would you guys own an AMG GT S out of warranty? Should I just plan on buying a Fidelity warranty?
3. Any must have options? Seems like the Dynamic Plus may be on that list, but anything else?
4. Finally, is there any good way of driving one before buying? I imagine I'll be pretty picky about colors/options, so I think the chances of me finding a car locally are low.
Thank you!
1. Where would you guys put it on the spectrum of livability? How much will I regret picking one up to use as a weekend/Friday to work/occasional autocross/maybe very occasional HPDE car? Is it livable enough to take my wife away on a weekend trip? I live in the North East, with the usual pothole-strewn roads. Would I regret taking it to work and sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way home in the afternoon?
2. How's the reliability? The thing I love about Porsche is that while maintenance is pricey, unexpected big ticket repairs are rare. My wife has a Macan with 100k miles that has been (knock on wood) dead reliable. Would you guys own an AMG GT S out of warranty? Should I just plan on buying a Fidelity warranty?
3. Any must have options? Seems like the Dynamic Plus may be on that list, but anything else?
4. Finally, is there any good way of driving one before buying? I imagine I'll be pretty picky about colors/options, so I think the chances of me finding a car locally are low.
Thank you!
- It's pretty good on livability, though a bit more extreme than a non-GT Porsche. I live in Canada in a region with terribly cracked and potholed roads, and I'd still happily daily drive it if it weren't for my fear of someone damaging it in random parking lots. The seats are firmer and deeper than Porsche's non-bucket sears, it feels like you're in deeper / more enclosed by the car than a Porsche, the ride is firmer than any non-GT Porsche I've been in, and the long bonnet stretches out way ahead of you, so it takes some skill to judge the front end location without the front camera of the 2020 models - just be careful when parking. While I think a Porsche with non-bucket seats would be more comfortable on a long road trip, it's comfortable enough for me, and the suspension doesn't bother me on crappy roads when in soft mode. The trunk/boot on the coupe has lots of space, and I use mine on grocery runs sometimes - no issues with that. The roadster trunk is smaller.
- I'm a bit more nervous of post-warranty issues than on Porsches, and I'd say statistically the car is probably a bit less reliable than Porsche, but there are no pervasive major issues. The engine is rock solid, and the transmission seems reliable enough, though a few people had electrical or software issues with it, and 2016 cars had a driveshaft issue requiring a recall. I think you'll have a higher chance of small interior rattles in an AMG GT S than a Porsche (at least a non-GT one), due to a combination of stiffer suspension and arguably lower build quality. Porsche was trained by Toyota in manufactuing consistency, and the Porsche 718/911 platform is a made in much higher volume than the Mercedes-Benz SLS/AMG GT platform. I have had one silly issue I wouldn't expect on a Porsche with my cupholder cover not closing properly, and it seems to be rather common, though it was fixed under warranty. I would say some of the AMG GT interior materials feel higher quality than Porsche (eg. the centre console).
- The car is good even in base form without options. I'm happy to have Dynamic Plus Package, as I love the way my car handles at higher speeds in race mode - the steering is razor sharp, and body control is perfect, and the way it can dodge potholes on highways feels amazing. Haven't yet tracked mine, though I hope to some day. My car with DPP's high speed agility and precision is in a different league than my old 987 base Boxster. In addition to stiffer springs and shocks, DPP cars also add active engine/transmission mounts, slightly sharper steering tuning in race mode, and slightly quicker shifting in manual mode. Manual shifting on my car feels amazingly quick and crisp, just as good as Porsche PDK, though the PDK is smoother and smarter than the Mercedes transmission in auto mode. People here say that handling is great even without DPP, so if you value ride comfort over utmost agility, maybe go for one without DPP. I have no regrets with DPP though - it's comfortable enough in soft mode, and super sharp in stiff mode. The base Burmester sound system on my car already sounds pretty good once the EQ is set right, but the high end Burmester does sound better. I'm happy enough with the base version, and don't really think the high end version's extra clarity is very useful given that there is a lot of tire roar in the cabin on highways. Carbon ceramic brakes would save some weight and eliminate brake dust, but are more fragile and expensive to replace if they ever get damaged. The stopping power with the steel brakes is already immense, and brake feel is good too.
- I have a good relationship with my dealer, so getting a test drive was no issue, but I don't know how they'd react to someone they've never dealt with before.
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Joined: Jun 2020
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Porsche Boxster Spyder
I have a 2017 AMG GT S with Dynamic Plus Package, the Designo saddle brown quilted leather interior, steel brakes, and the base (not high end) Burmester sound system. I came from a 2006 Porsche 987 Boxster.
- It's pretty good on livability, though a bit more extreme than a non-GT Porsche. I live in Canada in a region with terribly cracked and potholed roads, and I'd still happily daily drive it if it weren't for my fear of someone damaging it in random parking lots. The seats are firmer and deeper than Porsche's non-bucket sears, it feels like you're in deeper / more enclosed by the car than a Porsche, the ride is firmer than any non-GT Porsche I've been in, and the long bonnet stretches out way ahead of you, so it takes some skill to judge the front end location without the front camera of the 2020 models - just be careful when parking. While I think a Porsche with non-bucket seats would be more comfortable on a long road trip, it's comfortable enough for me, and the suspension doesn't bother me on crappy roads when in soft mode. The trunk/boot on the coupe has lots of space, and I use mine on grocery runs sometimes - no issues with that. The roadster trunk is smaller.
- I'm a bit more nervous of post-warranty issues than on Porsches, and I'd say statistically the car is probably a bit less reliable than Porsche, but there are no pervasive major issues. The engine is rock solid, and the transmission seems reliable enough, though a few people had electrical or software issues with it, and 2016 cars had a driveshaft issue requiring a recall. I think you'll have a higher chance of small interior rattles in an AMG GT S than a Porsche (at least a non-GT one), due to a combination of stiffer suspension and arguably lower build quality. Porsche was trained by Toyota in manufactuing consistency, and the Porsche 718/911 platform is a made in much higher volume than the Mercedes-Benz SLS/AMG GT platform. I have had one silly issue I wouldn't expect on a Porsche with my cupholder cover not closing properly, and it seems to be rather common, though it was fixed under warranty. I would say some of the AMG GT interior materials feel higher quality than Porsche (eg. the centre console).
- The car is good even in base form without options. I'm happy to have Dynamic Plus Package, as I love the way my car handles at higher speeds in race mode - the steering is razor sharp, and body control is perfect, and the way it can dodge potholes on highways feels amazing. Haven't yet tracked mine, though I hope to some day. My car with DPP's high speed agility and precision is in a different league than my old 987 base Boxster. In addition to stiffer springs and shocks, DPP cars also add active engine/transmission mounts, slightly sharper steering tuning in race mode, and slightly quicker shifting in manual mode. Manual shifting on my car feels amazingly quick and crisp, just as good as Porsche PDK, though the PDK is smoother and smarter than the Mercedes transmission in auto mode. People here say that handling is great even without DPP, so if you value ride comfort over utmost agility, maybe go for one without DPP. I have no regrets with DPP though - it's comfortable enough in soft mode, and super sharp in stiff mode. The base Burmester sound system on my car already sounds pretty good once the EQ is set right, but the high end Burmester does sound better. I'm happy enough with the base version, and don't really think the high end version's extra clarity is very useful given that there is a lot of tire roar in the cabin on highways. Carbon ceramic brakes would save some weight and eliminate brake dust, but are more fragile and expensive to replace if they ever get damaged. The stopping power with the steel brakes is already immense, and brake feel is good too.
- I have a good relationship with my dealer, so getting a test drive was no issue, but I don't know how they'd react to someone they've never dealt with before.
