Looking into Purchasing a GT S

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Old Jun 9, 2020 | 08:25 AM
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Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sport
Question Looking into Purchasing a GT S

Hello Everyone,

I am beginning to look into purchasing a GT S. I have been in love with the look of the AMG GT's since I first laid eyes on them. I am to a point financially where I would be able to buy one possibly as a Daily Driver. When I purchased my first new car last year I look back at some of the options I have and would have loved to go with/without some of them. I figured with this purchase I don't want to make the same mistake. Does anyone have any advice on which options they LOVE on their GT S and others that they could have gone without? Also, anything that would be recommended for me to look for such as common body damage or mechanical issues while purchasing the car? I am on a bit of a budget still and would like to keep maintenance cost down so options like carbon-ceramic brakes might be something I am looking to skip on.

Thanks in advance for any insight.
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Old Jun 9, 2020 | 03:04 PM
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If you are on a budget a GT is the most inexpensive way to go since it looks like you are going to buy a used model. A simple tune will give you GTR power level and with the right options, it will have everything you need. I would make sure it has the sports exhaust, the adaptive suspension and an upgraded interior. The rest is a bonus. Plenty of pristine cars in the $75K range and a warranty. There are some lower ones but they have a long history of owners or not greatly optioned. Good luck.
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Old Jun 9, 2020 | 08:12 PM
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Originally Posted by emericr
If you are on a budget a GT is the most inexpensive way to go since it looks like you are going to buy a used model. A simple tune will give you GTR power level and with the right options, it will have everything you need. I would make sure it has the sports exhaust, the adaptive suspension and an upgraded interior. The rest is a bonus. Plenty of pristine cars in the $75K range and a warranty. There are some lower ones but they have a long history of owners or not greatly optioned. Good luck.
When looking through autotempest the GT’s and GT S seem pretty similar in pricing but the GT S have more listed. Both seem to be had in the high 60’s to mid 70’s. Also from what I read is the valve heads are upgraded on the GT S so I’d assume it is a bit safer to tune the GT S over the GT.
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Old Jun 9, 2020 | 09:01 PM
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I’m still in the GTS greater than GT camp (sport exhaust, red calipers, race mode, race start, etc all standard on GTS). BUT, the platform (GT, S, C, R) is such a GREAT platform, just get the best one you can with the stuff you like.

MUSTS for ME:
-P60 AMG exterior night styling-I don’t like the bright silver trim and don’t like the look of a wrap over the silver.
-416 Panorama Roof, if an only on the track car, wouldn’t want the extra weight, but for normal driving love the big overhead view!
-811 Burmester High End Surround Sound System, the non high end one is aweful, this one sounds really good and can get loud.
-22P Lane Tracking Package

Those are my 4 “musts”, but there are plenty of other nice things to have.

as you look, keep in mind there are a lot of “low” MSRP cars with not many options that originally went in the $130’s.....the nicer condition lower mileage $150’s MSRP cars still fetch a bit more.
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Old Jun 9, 2020 | 09:51 PM
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Originally Posted by dlefty
I’m still in the GTS greater than GT camp (sport exhaust, red calipers, race mode, race start, etc all standard on GTS). BUT, the platform (GT, S, C, R) is such a GREAT platform, just get the best one you can with the stuff you like.

MUSTS for ME:
-P60 AMG exterior night styling-I don’t like the bright silver trim and don’t like the look of a wrap over the silver.
-416 Panorama Roof, if an only on the track car, wouldn’t want the extra weight, but for normal driving love the big overhead view!
-811 Burmester High End Surround Sound System, the non high end one is aweful, this one sounds really good and can get loud.
-22P Lane Tracking Package

Those are my 4 “musts”, but there are plenty of other nice things to have.

as you look, keep in mind there are a lot of “low” MSRP cars with not many options that originally went in the $130’s.....the nicer condition lower mileage $150’s MSRP cars still fetch a bit more.
Perfect thank you! I'd have to agree these are all musts with your descriptions. I appreciate the insight.
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Old Jun 10, 2020 | 02:02 AM
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It's funny. I would prefer a car WITHOUT 3 out of the 4 things he listed. Don't like the non body colored roofs. Dont use any kind of driver aides like distronic or lane tracking.

High end Burmester is def worth it but I would guess at most 20-25% of GTSs were speced with one. So not a hill I would die on when searching for a used car. Nappa leather interior is a nice upgrade.

I can't think of any must have options. GTS already has the valved/sport exhaust. No front end lift is available.

Last edited by kumizi; Jun 10, 2020 at 02:19 AM.
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Old Jun 10, 2020 | 06:34 AM
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Originally Posted by kumizi
It's funny. I would prefer a car WITHOUT 3 out of the 4 things he listed. Don't like the non body colored roofs. Dont use any kind of driver aides like distronic or lane tracking.

High end Burmester is def worth it but I would guess at most 20-25% of GTSs were speced with one. So not a hill I would die on when searching for a used car. Nappa leather interior is a nice upgrade.

I can't think of any must have options. GTS already has the valved/sport exhaust. No front end lift is available.
Haha I'm actually with him on all these options. Blind spot monitor and lane keep assist are nice for daily driving. Panaroof is nice to chill with and I love my sunroofs and I feel black looks sleeker than chrome.
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Old Jun 10, 2020 | 08:53 AM
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The GT has the race start just not the race mode. I was able to spec my GT with all the goodies (all below + more) of the GTS and saved 10K. MB got smarter in the years after as it would not allow to get the upgraded interior without being a GTS.

I am contemplating selling my GT so if OP is interested in my specs, he can pm me.

Originally Posted by dlefty
I’m still in the GTS greater than GT camp (sport exhaust, red calipers, race mode, race start, etc all standard on GTS). BUT, the platform (GT, S, C, R) is such a GREAT platform, just get the best one you can with the stuff you like.

MUSTS for ME:
-P60 AMG exterior night styling-I don’t like the bright silver trim and don’t like the look of a wrap over the silver.
-416 Panorama Roof, if an only on the track car, wouldn’t want the extra weight, but for normal driving love the big overhead view!
-811 Burmester High End Surround Sound System, the non high end one is aweful, this one sounds really good and can get loud.
-22P Lane Tracking Package

Those are my 4 “musts”, but there are plenty of other nice things to have.

as you look, keep in mind there are a lot of “low” MSRP cars with not many options that originally went in the $130’s.....the nicer condition lower mileage $150’s MSRP cars still fetch a bit more.
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Old Jun 10, 2020 | 09:02 AM
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Originally Posted by emericr
The GT has the race start just not the race mode. I was able to spec my GT with all the goodies (all below + more) of the GTS and saved 10K. MB got smarter in the years after as it would not allow to get the upgraded interior without being a GTS.

I am contemplating selling my GT so if OP is interested in my specs, he can pm me.
I unfortunately currently have a car in the driveway I need to get rid of first before purchasing. I’m also think about going without a car for a but and waiting until I move in 2021 that way I can make sure the car is garaged.
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Old Jun 10, 2020 | 01:02 PM
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This is a great time to buy, due to what’s happening in the US and globally.
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Old Jun 10, 2020 | 01:24 PM
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Originally Posted by kumizi
It's funny. I would prefer a car WITHOUT 3 out of the 4 things he listed. Don't like the non body colored roofs. Dont use any kind of driver aides like distronic or lane tracking.

High end Burmester is def worth it but I would guess at most 20-25% of GTSs were speced with one. So not a hill I would die on when searching for a used car. Nappa leather interior is a nice upgrade.

I can't think of any must have options. GTS already has the valved/sport exhaust. No front end lift is available.
Is the standard Burmester Surround Sound that bad? I'm currently looking at a low miles '18 GT-C that seems to have most of what I want, but doesn't have the "High End Burmester". I want to know because as a daily driver, my vehicle has to have the creature comforts and tech I enjoy on my drives.
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Old Jun 10, 2020 | 01:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Chuckman
Is the standard Burmester Surround Sound that bad? I'm currently looking at a low miles '18 GT-C that seems to have most of what I want, but doesn't have the "High End Burmester". I want to know because as a daily driver, my vehicle has to have the creature comforts and tech I enjoy on my drives.
I test drove cars with both the base Burmester (which is an upgrade over the standard radio in some markets, but not in the US, I think), and the High End Burmester. The High End is much much better. I wouldn't say the standard Burmester is "bad" - it's decent, but I didn't find it impressive at all.
The High End is amazing, in comparison. And the metal speaker covers look great! It was not a cheap option though, so I can understand why it's rare. It was a must have for me; but the engine and transmission sound so great, I can see why it's not a must have for most.
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Old Jun 10, 2020 | 06:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Chuckman
Is the standard Burmester Surround Sound that bad? I'm currently looking at a low miles '18 GT-C that seems to have most of what I want, but doesn't have the "High End Burmester". I want to know because as a daily driver, my vehicle has to have the creature comforts and tech I enjoy on my drives.
I have the base Burmester in mine. It's decent, not amazing, but not bad once you adjust the EQ to your liking. For me, a fancy sound system wasn't a priority because when moving above 80 km/h, the tire roar drowns out any percievable difference between the systems. The wide tires that are not optimized for road noise, coupled with low levels of sound insulation, make it a pretty noisy interior in highway driving.

One limitation of the base Burmester system (not sure about high end) is that you can't adjust front/rear speaker balance. I'd prefer more sound from the rear of the car, if possible. I turn the bass in the equalizer way up on mine, as I find it lacking in default settings. It stays clear with the bass turned up, even at high volumes, so the speakers can handle it.

Last edited by wizee; Jun 10, 2020 at 06:08 PM.
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Old Jun 10, 2020 | 06:38 PM
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I actually find tire noise to be moderate, better than a 911. The tires you use make a big difference. I’m running Michelin Super Sports — the 4S would be even quieter.
Car and Driver measured 2 dB less cabin noise than a 911 GTS (991.2), which is significant.

The High End Burmester also does not have a front/rear fader adjustment, probably because there are only 2 speakers (+ the subwoofer) behind the seats, vs. 7 or 8 speakers (for the High End) in front of the seats.
You do get the VIP Adjustment to tailor the sound to one or both seats, and the Surround processing adjustment (Live, Pure, Surround, ?) — the modes sound pleasingly real and non-artificial.
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