I have a 2022 Cayman GTS 4.0 in Shark Blue, MT. Minimal options - most of which I would - and probably will - change. Bought the car as CPO in Jan 23 with 1900 miles.

I have crayon seatbelts but I would have left them black or specced shark blue. Will change these over winter.
I have brushed aluminum interior but would have specced carbon fibre. Will leave as is unless I find a good deal on CF.
I have a black wing with silver 'PORSCHE' badge but wanted SB wing with black badge. May change badge.
I have red calipers, but wanted black ones. Will leave as is as I quite like them.
Ugh - I have white dials and would have left them black. Guess I'll leave them because $$$
I have 4 way seats but would have specced CFBS if available. Not going to happen...
I have a sports steering wheel but would have specced multi function CF. May still..who knows.

This is important stuff until I'm driving the car then its all immaterial...this car far exceeds my skills and expectations so its all good.

 

I have brushed aluminum interior but would have specced carbon fibre. Will leave as is unless I find a good deal on CF.

Thanks for sharing. And if you ever do find a deal on CF, consider selling your brushed to me. That's one of the inconsequential things I'd add if I could.

 

I suspect this thread will not have many participants because so many of us don't have off-the-lot cars.

My car has been described here before, more or less. Some of the features were all in a package. PDK, PDLS w/Bi-X, Rhodium, 20" wheels, 2-zone climate control, auto-dimming mirrors, name removed from rear, CarPlay, Porsche Connect of some sort, park assist, prob'ly a few I've forgotten about. No TLA's (Three Letter Acronyms) that I remember. No Nav or voice input (except CarPlay). I take the rest for granted now.

What would I like different? Don't know, because I like what I have and don't know what I don't have. When I was looking I wanted a manual shifter because I was moving on from 30 years of British roadsters. The PDK was all there was and it won me over pretty quickly.

I didn't want anything such as adaptive engine mounts that might break unless it offered a big necessary win. I don't track or drive hard enough to need much of the other performance stuff.

The S we saw on the showroom floor had an Aux audio input in the glove box. I was disappointed that my car didn't have it because I had envisioned a use for it. It turns out I don't need it.

Don't need Sport Exhaust, don't want it to be louder. Don't want the multi-function steering wheel, I prefer the simplicity of the plain one. Don't have, don't want the smoker's package. I could use the Fire Missles option but I have my doubts about the Acme upgrade.

Addendum: I did forget something. The note below by @scratt reminded me. Memory package with the 14-way seats. That's nice for if I ever move the seat setup. Don't know why I would but I have let my neighbor drive the car a few times when we go away on vacation. I tried using the ergonomic entry but don't bother now. It isn't real fast and I have no trouble getting in and out of the car. Don't know if the memory package applies to the passenger seat which my sweetie finds so comfy.

 

I would change nothing. I was very lucky to find one where the original spec was focussed on all the driving mechanicals; PTV, PASM, Sports Chrono etc. It’s an S also.

If I had specced a 718 myself I probably would have gone for more cabin options because it is what I am used to on my previous Porsches. Things like 18 way seats, entry and drive, electric wheel adjustment, and a bunch of assists. But the Sports Plus seats are fantastic, and the fairly standard interior is totally fine. So any future Porsche I spec will take that into account now.

On colour, I probably would have gone black. But I think the GT Silver and 911 wheels are a timeless and classy look.
If I ever built this car again myself I can’t think of anything I would change. Perhaps adding Nav and CarPlay - but as I added that myself it was a non-issue for me.

 

Apologies to @Arne for a slight digression! My one and only regret is that Porsche don’t allow us to specify the heated steering wheel without the multi- function controls. With a Boxster I really appreciate the heating in colder weather but want a ‘classically simple’ looking wheel. Pretty high on a list of first world problems I guess 😀

 

Mine was bought used because a new one was unaffordable.

When I bought I didn't really appreciate what the options were and what they did.

I got Saphire Blue.... blue was a key requirement from my co-pilot. Likewise PDK.

In addition it has, specified by the first owner: PASM, Sport Chrono Pack, Power steering plus, 20" Carrera platinum. wheels with painted centre logos, heated Sports Seats Plus, sports exhaust, auto wipers and dipping, folding mirrors, extended leather, heated sports steering wheel, smoker pack, footwell net, park distance control with rear camera, VTS (never used it) Bose, Navigation,
And a couple of other things I've forgotten...

I've added Carplay and cruise control.

What would I add if buying new today? Only three things: multiway powered seats with memory and light coloured upholstery, plus LED dynamic lights and connectivity. Black leather is a pain if left in the sun, my co-pilot tells me and we are of significantly different heights, so seat memory we value: it is on the C43.
The stock 15w headlamps are a pain

Torque vectoring/LSD sounds attractive, but isn't needed for how and where I drive...
Carbon anywhere is a no-no, likewise top end hifi and coloured dials.
Would I go for a blue rag top? Not sure.

Bottom line, I love what I have and have no plans, other through a BIG lottery win to change it.

 

If you bought your car either used, or from dealer stock, think about posting a reply about changing perceptions. Ideally, there would be 3 parts:

Think back and tell us what you thought you wanted at the time - what you thought was missing, and extras that you didn't think you wanted.

Then a quick recap of your car's config, what you actually found and bought. Like Cayman or Boxster; Base, S or GTS; major options.

Finally, now that you have owned your car for a while, what would you order differently if you were building a new one now?

I lucked into one and got a great deal locally. Mine is a '20 Boxster S, bought new Apr '21 when they were very hard to find. It is well-optioned, with a long set of choices made by someone at the dealer (or a buyer?) who configured it.

I generally am not caring about all the 3 or 4-letter P-codes for all the options, what combos/details are in what options. I'm not up to speed on all that lingo (finding it frustrating and pretentious when Porsche owners spout off such codes).

And yet, I do have a few 'must have' options and slight changes if I were to get another.

I required and got all of these:

• Boxster S 2.5T or GTS 2.5T or GTS 4.0
• Sport Chrono (what a strange name) and PDK
• CPO as a minimum (new preferred)
• 20" non-black wheels
• ventilated 14-way seats

I wanted and got some of these:

• new, not pre-owned; got new
• 20" Carrera Sport wheels; but it came with 20" Carrera S wheels
• white gages; got white on only the tachometer
• Bose or higher speakers; got Bose
• Apple phone integration; got it, but not using it
• a non-monochromatic color; got 'chalk'. It gets lots of compliments and isn't flashy, but I still want color.
• large fuel tank; got it
• entry and drive; got it
• not specialized interior colors or finishes; got it

If I were configuring, I'd choose much the same list of options as my Boxster S has. But I'd insist on:

• GTS 4.0 (because I've not owned a Porsche flat 6, wanting that nostalgia experience).
• PDK with Sport Chrono
• 20" wheels, NOT Carrrera S and NOT black. Current preference is 20" Carrera Sport in platinum silver.
• A color that is not of the white-gray-black blends
• Ventilated 14 way seats

 

I generally am not caring about all the 3 or 4-letter P-codes for all the options, what combos/details are in what options. I'm not up to speed on all that lingo (finding it frustrating and pretentious when Porsche owners spout off such codes).

Haha! I do get what you mean here. It is confusing, even having owned Porsches for a while.

I had never heard of PADM before looking at Caymans. And PTV I was aware of, as a technology, but not the acronym.

All Porsches drive magnificently, and you don’t absolutely need any of these features.

Having said that I absolutely do want PTV on my car. And knowing what they are and what they offer you, for me at least, is not about bragging rights or posing, and the acronym is just a short hand.

 

Great thread! I’ll break the rules and admit I built my ‘22 base. Reading the comments, I’d probably try to splurge for the 18 or 14 way seats … I have the 2-way SS+ now. Lack of lumbar can at times rear itself, especially on longer times in the car. I also wonder if non-SS+ might’ve been the better option overall considering I won’t be tracking at all.

 

I have a leather interior but if I had to build it over again I would have added the full leather dash that includes the sports chono / middle speaker, dash end caps and windshield vents. You can buy them aftermarket but the cost is more than double.

 

Interesting question, and one I have pondered from time to time. I could not get an allocation after several months of being on multiple lists and found this car @ Porsche South Bay on accident (searching for info on the 4.0 engine issues and delays on a Sunday morning).

Sorry it's long, but I guess that is the point. The TL;DR version is I really like my car the way it is!


Here is the build that was on the car I bought, and I will highlight in green what I had on my own personal build sheet - I was lucky because most everything was there

• GTS 4.0 (really wanted an NA engine, and a flat 6 as an homage to the air cooled cars I used to own)
• Night Blue Metallic (was between this and Gentian, copilot preferred NB)
• Roadster Top in Black $0
• Standard Interior in Black Leather/Race-Tex with Leather Seat Centers $0
• Steering Wheel and Gear Lever in Leather $0
• Steering Column Casing in Leather $470
• Premium Package $3,600
  • LED Headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (PDLS+) $0
  • Luggage Net in Passenger Footwell $0
  • Lane Change Assist (LCA) $0
  • BOSE® Surround Sound System $0
  • Heated Multifunction Steering Wheel $0
  • Light Design Package $0
  • Power Folding Exterior Mirrors $0
  • Porsche Entry & Drive $0
  • 7-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) $3,730
• Wheels Painted in Satin Platinum $600
• Smoking Package $0
• Adaptive Sport Seats Plus (18-way) with Memory Package $3,030
• Ventilated Seats $740 (copilot said was a must and I agreed)
• Interior Trim in Black Brushed Aluminum i.c.w. Standard Interior $900 (was on the fence on this one as the extra cost didn't quite seem worth it)
• Voice Control $0
• Navigation including Porsche Connect $2,320

What was on my personal build sheet that was not on the car:

• Painted Roll hoops (in body color)
• Turbo wheels (was back and forth on those vs the GTS wheel in satin platinum)

What I did not want:

• Wasn't sold on the full leather, didn't think I needed it
• Had to be Sport Seat Plus, but would have speced 2 ways, had not sat in the 18s, but did appreciate the idea of thigh support (long legs)
• Was on the fence about 6MT vs PDK, but having spent a couple of years with an M4 DCT, I had gotten used to and enjoyed driving the PDK
• Had to be SPASM
• Considered a Spyder, but liked the looks of the Boxster better (strange to some maybe)
• Adaptive Cruise (didn't like the radar eye in the center (silly I know, but that was in my head)

After 2 years with my car (and to some extent after having bought a super clean Macan GTS), what I think now:

• The 18 way Sport Seat Plus are very good for me (the extra thigh support is great, and I do use the lumbar to ease pressure points at times)
• Full leather would have been nice, I have seen a few now (just saw one on a PCA fun run yesterday on the Eastern Shore that looked great)
• Would like to get Race-Tex visors to match the arm rests and door pulls in my car, and I think it would look a bit nicer.
• The leather steering column in some ways offsets the missing full leather, but not enough to say that by itself would have been worth it.
• Ventilated seats, with the top down and moderate humidity don't do much at all. In fact, yesterday, at 90+/- degrees and somewhat humid, my wife says "it feels like the seat heaters are on" - one of the rare times we drove with the top up. I would say top up and A/C on, they work better, but not stellar
• The 18 way Race-Tex seats I have in the Macan actually look nicer and are not as hot as I would have thought, I would have preferred that (the "standard" GTS setup) in the BGTS now
• The LED headlights are good, but after putting the Kepler LED bulbs in the Macan HIDs, they are probably a little better
• Sport+ and PTV and PADM plus the PDK really is amazing, makes back road driving so fun and surefooted (though it still does not change the laws of physics, or large John Deere tractors on the road!)
• Navigation, could take or leave, but I do sometimes use the screen in the instrument cluster for a quick glance of upcoming road layout on twisty backroads. Sort of a Meh to me overall. And with the ability to do a little coding on the PCM (radio) to enable Android Auto and Car Play, probably not needed. The only thing it really does is satisfy my compulsion to have "all the buttons do their described function", but don't think that was worth $2+k
• And finally, I like the Spyder more now than I did (after seeing a few), and even thought about changing to one but was more of a "it might be more desirable in the future" sort of thing, not because my heart was in it, so that is really a no go. Would rather get a 911 to add to the stable down the road.

All in all, I was very lucky to find a nearly new (3 months old) car that was almost my exact spec, and had CPO to boot, giving me 6 years of coverage. I drove 450 miles yesterday on the PCA run, and didn't once think about what I did or didn't have in the car, just had a great day with some great folks

 

Bought my GTS 4.0 MT used since I never received an allocation after 18 months of waiting. Luckily compromised little buying used, just had more options than I originally spec'd. And most options selected were all items I was split on. Only thing missing is the smoking package so I get the weird open pocket in the center.

Stuff I was split on
Guards Red when Carmine Red was other color I was looking at.
GTS Carmine Red Interior split between it and Leather Black/ Bordeaux Red
Got Carbon buckets when I originally spec'd 18-ways.
No regrets on the options I got especially the carbon buckets with my custom inserts.

Stuff I wanted and got
Wanted and got Manual, PASM, Premium Package, Leather Steering wheel and shifter, and navigation.

The options it came with that I didn't spec but do like them
Porsche logo on center console, illuminated Carbon fiber door sill guards, smart phone compartment USBs are handy for me.

Stuff didn't need and don't care for
Side window trim and door handle in high gloss black and steering column in leather.

 

Bought my GTS 4.0 MT used since I never received an allocation after 18 months of waiting. Luckily compromised little buying used, just had more options than I originally spec'd. And most options selected were all items I was split on. Only thing missing is the smoking package so I get the weird open pocket in the center.

Stuff I was split on
Guards Red when Carmine Red was other color I was looking at.
GTS Carmine Red Interior split between it and Leather Black/ Bordeaux Red
Got Carbon buckets when I originally spec'd 18-ways.
No regrets on the options I got especially the carbon buckets with my custom inserts.

Stuff I wanted and got
Wanted and got Manual, PASM, Premium Package, Leather Steering wheel and shifter, and navigation.

The options it came with that I didn't spec but do like them
Porsche logo on center console, illuminated Carbon fiber door sill guards, smart phone compartment USBs are handy for me.

Stuff didn't need and don't care for
Side window trim and door handle in high gloss black and steering column in leather.

Wonder what is it about the Steering Column cover in leather that you don't care for?

 

I bought mine CPO. Must haves were S or GTS in a color other than black or silver and non-beige interior, with manual, with PASM or SPASM, Sport Chrono, auto climate, ventilated or sport tex seats, button-less steering wheel, smoking pkg. Available choices were wittled down quickly.

I got a S in Guards over black with manual, SPASM, Sport Chrono, PSE, auto climate, ventilated 18 way seats, button-less steering wheel, and smoking pgk. I was able to negotiate in Guards red seat belts to be installed before I took delivery.

Big things I got that I didn't seek out were 18 way seats with memory (2 way sports plus would have been fine), full leather and nav. I very much enjoy the full leather and would order that myself now but with deviated stitching and would add steering column in leather too. The memory seats are nice for the auto tilt down of the passenger side mirror and comfort entry/exit features. Built in nav is completely useless to me as it's out of date and I use Google maps off my phone.

Things I really would have liked to order and would find useful for my useage on a regular basis are PTV, power folding side mirrors, auto-dimming mirrors, and interior trim in anything other than the glaring shiny plastic. I would also order PDLS for the look but it wouldn't be a priority.

 

You guys keep reminding me of more stuff. The trouble is, I don't know what is or isn't standard. I have auto-wipers which I like. Also the Bose audio system which is fine and isn't standard.

My car came with four wheels and tires, which I believe is a standard feature. Also horn, lights, brakes and a steering wheel.

 

No transmission lever????? Telepathic reverse and neutral must have been expensive..........

What's the part number so I can try to retro-fit?

 

I was able to get everything I wanted with my 2019 CS and I did not negotiate from a position of weakness. All for the price of 74,500. My plan was to add modifications to enhance the original vehicles performance.

 

This thread has got me thinking about my build and the decisions I made. I should have paid the $500-700 for the leather visors too. lol. I got leather everything and didn’t tick the visor box. But I can’t or won’t even see them. Lol

 

I didn't even noticed that there was an option for the leather visors until the day after my build freeze.

 

I think one of the things I've taken from this is that most of the goodness of these cars is inherent in the basics. You don't need a lot of options to have really great car.

The other thing is that I'm really unlikely to replace my current Cayman with a new one. I figure it would take my car and another $35-40k at least to order a new Cayman to my spec. And the differences would not be all that significant. Definitely not worth it. I think I'll have this car for a good long while.

 

I think one of the things I've taken from this is that most of the goodness of these cars is inherent in the basics. You don't need a lot of options to have really great car.

The other thing is that I'm really unlikely to replace my current Cayman with a new one. I figure it would take my car and another $35-40k at least to order a new Cayman to my spec. And the differences would not be all that significant. Definitely not worth it. I think I'll have this car for a good long while. View attachment 58905

I'm in the same camp. I purchased my '18 BGTS in '19 with relatively low miles. It checked almost every box except full leather. The original purchaser opted to go with leather seats with heating and cooling and the cost to upgrade the remainder of the interior to leather must have been cost prohibitive, as the sticker was already north of 96k. I've considered looking for leather door cards and some other leather bits such as the instrument shroud - not sure they're available or even if the pleather shroud is removable - but in the end it all still looks pretty darn good. I did add DBCarbon strips to the doors to complete the carbon trim around the cabin. I also have a 2016 911GTS that has ever option that was available, which not only fills the high end interior desire, but also does the NA desire as well. I really love having the two cars drive and feel very different from one another. The 4 banger turbo is a blast and responds differently to driver input than the NA 911. Not sure an NA 718 would bring me much more joy at the cost it would require. So yeah, the only option I would have liked is full leather, be it the GTS package or a custom interior from the configurator.

Oh maybe PDLS on the Boxster. I really like them on the 911.

 

I haven't had my BGTS for long, but I have a sense of what I like. The car I bought has more stuff than I would have ordered.

Cayman vs. Boxster: I hadn't even considered a Boxster. It was Cayman all the way for me. That is until they let me test drive the BGTS with the top down. It was the BGTS on the lot or hope for a Cayman allocation. This helped me rationalize to be more adventurous and get the convertible.

Base vs. GTS: I would have been super happy with the Base. I had configured a T, but couldn't get an allocation. Now with the price hikes for '24, the way I configured a Base was so expensive that it creeped dangerously close to GTS territory. So I would order the GTS again. Either that or a Base with minimal options.

Manual vs. PDK: I have PDK and I would order PDK.

Sports Chrono, SPASM, PTV: The GTS comes with these with SPASM vs. PASM the only option. I would order SPASM again, but I don't have enough experience with it yet to know if I will scrape.

Colors: I bought Gentian Blue with Chalk interior. I would order white/GT silver with a black interior but I like the blue/chalk combo.

Leather: I wasn't going to pay for leather on an order. Now that I have it, I would order leather again. It makes the interior look really upscale.

Premium package: Keyless entry, folding mirrors, LCA. Yes, I would order this again. I find all of these features helpful.

Navigation: I wouldn't pay for this on an order since CarPlay is fine. But I do think Nav should be included in a car at this price point.

18-way seats: I would order them again. I like the lumbar support and the adjustments.

Seat ventilation: I don't have seat ventilation and I would not order it. I find the seats to be softer this way.

Power steering plus: I would order this again. It's not that expensive and it just makes it a touch easier to maneuver the car at slow speeds.

Porsche crest on headrests: Maybe. It's a nice touch.

Bose: I would order it. I can't compare to the base system but I like how Bose sounds.

Smartphone compartment. I have it and it's completely useless.

Exclusive design fuel cap: I thought it was nice but it's just painted plastic. I could easily pass.

Painted roll hoops: I wouldn't order this. It looks nice, but just added expense for something that I don't really notice.

Prep for dashcam: Probably wouldn't order this but need to learn about dash cams.

Missing features: None. I do like the GTS interior package but it's really expensive.

Once I start driving I forget all about these options.

 

Sports design kit in black, and extend leather would definitely have been on my list.

 

I am on my third 718 and i have it all narrowed down
The few things i have not had on my cars are the memory package/14 ways seats, Entry drive and automatic folding mirrors
All three cars have been with pdk, Boxster S, Cayman S and now BGTS 2,5

I am a Happy camper and the only thing that can make me change car is if i get a hold on a Spyder RS

 

When I was doing my research for a Cayman a couple months back, I went through various configurations on the Porsche website just to see what options there are. This helped me to land on a few configurations I'd be happy with when I began my search for a used one.

Knowing I'm getting into Porsche near the end of the ICE era, this may very well be my last "newish" ICE I purchase before an eventual EV in a few years time. This car is also my daily, so a darker color and some comfort features were needed along with some performance options so I have what I need in all driving conditions. I want to have fun on the weekends, but also enjoy my daily commute.

What I Wanted (Non-Negotiables):

• 2018-2020ish 718 Cayman Base with some Performance Options w/less than 30k miles.
• Agate Grey Metallic or similar
• PASM
• PDK
• Bose
• Sport Chrono (not so much for Sport+ mode, but for the Individual custom mode)
• 2-Way Sport Plus Seats
• Apple Car Play (not for Apple, but the USB in the center console)
• Smoking Package (I don't smoke, but fills the hole in the center)
• Some cosmetic things.

What I got:

• 2019 718 Cayman S with 26k miles (I almost went with a slightly lower mile 2018 GTS)
• Night Blue Metallic (love this color!)
• PDK
• SPASM
• PTV
• Sport exhaust
• Lane Change Assist
• Bose
• 2-Way Sport Plus Seats - Sport Tex/Leather (heated, but no vents)
• Black all leather interior (including dash) with silver stitching trim
• Silver seat belts
• Apple Car Play (going to mod in Android Auto soon)
• Smoking Package
• Entry and Drive
• 20in Carrera S Wheels with Platinum Satin Paint
• Fire Extinguisher
• Auto-Dim Mirrors
• Climate Control 2-Zone
• Porsche official rubber interior mats (big extra for me as my partner is not so careful with his dirty shoes...)

It has everything I wanted and much more aside from the Sport Chrono package (for the individual mode), but that's hardly a miss. The only option I would change is the paint on the wheels - it looks amazing with my color, but in a daily driver it's one more thing to meticulously take care of and I've found myself over the last month obsessing over the care of my wheels. lol

All in all, the car I speced on Porsche.com was over $85k brand new and I got my S with all the fixins for $15k less (a similar, brand new 2024 S with my options is $99k). I'm very happy with the purchase, and have almost hit 2000 miles in just over a month. I just love being in this thing. Once you drive a Porsche it's hard to want to drive anything else - and I've had some nice cars in my time.

 

If I had it to do over I would have probably gone with a few more performance options:

• S instead of Base
• SPASM or PASM
• PTV
• LSD
• Dash cam

Features I got that I didn’t realize were going to be so important to me:

• Sport Chrono (most used feature besides CarPlay)
• Heated AND ventilated seats
• LCA
• 20” Carrera S wheels (I knew I wanted these, but they’re now a favorite feature since powder coating them satin black)
• Black and burgundy leather interior.
• Jet black metallic paint (chef’s kiss).

Features that are kind of “meh”

• Nav is ok if I use the glitchy Porsche app to record canyon runs. Otherwise I use it when out of cell reception. I prefer Waze in town to show me where the cops are
• Cruise control. Maybe used a handful of times on long trips?
• Rain sensing wipers. Maybe I just wish they worked better with light mist?
• Loading media onto the hard drive. It’s 2023 and I listen to streamed music like every other human.
• 14-way seats. I’m tall (6’5”) and barely fit. Just when I think I have them dialed in I come back in a few days and tweak again. Can’t ever seem to be satisfied.
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

I did custom order my Boxster and I am ultra satisfied with what I ordered. I am especially glad I selected some things like the extended range gas tank. Nevertheless, there is at least one item I wish I would have changed: Upgrading from 18" to 19" tires/wheels. The car goes through tires, expectedly, very quickly. 19" wheels would have given me more choices when I buy replacement tires, especially with respect to my preferred Michelin that only markets an unacceptable (to me for this car) 18" all season tire.

 

After some self-reflection prompted by the 'I feel terrible' thread started by @jimmuller I thought it might be interesting to see if other people who did not configure their 718s have changed their thinking after owning the car for a while.

If you bought your car either used, or from dealer stock, think about posting a reply about changing perceptions. Ideally, there would be 3 parts:

Think back and tell us what you thought you wanted at the time - what you thought was missing, and extras that you didn't think you wanted.

Then a quick recap of your car's config, what you actually found and bought. Like Cayman or Boxster; Base, S or GTS; major options.

Finally, now that you have owned your car for a while, what would you order differently if you were building a new one now?
--------------------------------------
I'll go first.

What did I think I was looking for? I wanted a base, felt the S or GTS were far more than I needed. Originally MT6, probably with non-power Sport Seat Plus. I'm not sure what wheels I would have preferred—I liked the looks of the 20" Carrera S wheels better, but prefer the 19" tire sizes as optimal. Seat heat I wanted, but not ventilation (thought it was a gimmick). PDLS was a definite yes, and Entry & Drive probably so, but LCA would be a no, and the steering wheel probably not. PASM was desired. And in a perfect world, I'd have ordered a rear wiper. (Yes, I drive in the rain a lot.)

What I bought was a used Base Cayman, with PDK, 19" BS wheels, 14-way seats with heat and ventilation, multi-function wheel, Bi-Xenon PDLS lights, LCA and Entry & Drive.

Now, after 8000 miles and 18 months in, what would I order now that I know what I do now? Definitely still would get a Base, it's still more car than I need. PDK or MT6 is a hard call, I could live with either transmission. But in the end I'd probably pick the PDK again, as it is the better choice for where and how I drive. Much nicer in traffic, yet still rewarding in manual mode. The wheel choice would still be up in the air, as my preferences are still the same. Appearance would probably win out and I'd get the Carrera S wheels. I'd probably order the 14-way seats again though instead of the SS+, as the 14-way are amazingly comfortable on road trips. The lumbar adjustment that both of the 2-way options lack has been great, and I wouldn't want to give that up. Seat ventilation is not as much a gimmick as I thought, and I'd tick that box again now. PDLS is still a yes, but is standard now, and I don't know if I'd upgrade to LED. Entry & Drive is still good, and LCA is still probably a no (although maybe a little less firm a no). I've flipped on the multi-function wheel, not because the buttons are indispensable, but because I've found the heated rim to be wonderful on cold winter drives. I've found the stock suspension to be really good all around, so I'd probably avoid the cost and complexity of PASM.

Yes, I'd still order a rear wiper...

Was very lucky, my 718 had all I wanted and to be brutal, much more.
I believe imho this all depends on what YOU want.
for instance, I absolutely wanted the folding mirrors, this for me was the make or break decision.
I indeed got that and all the other nice things that the car came with.

 

What I would have changed on my base Box 2021 Racing Yellow w/ Black & Beige interior (Bumblebee) now two years in:
1: 20" Shiny Black rims with Mich Sport Plus tyres (just did it last month)
2: Yellow gauges (did it one year ago)
3: Yellow stitching probably (too late now)
4: Leaning into Soul pipes (over axle) with dual shiny black tips. That would eliminate the particulate muffler/filter and give a deeper, throatier sound. Lots of Snap, Crackle, and Pop now in Sport + mode. Just waiting for pricing.
5: The only "other" mod giving in to my Bumblebee theme would be to change the rear logo script to shiny black from silver.... Probably an insane idea but, you asked......

 

I got a used 2018 base. My only upgrade is 19" wheels. If I could do it all over again I'd want LED lights, lane change assist, buckets and PASM/PTV. Basically I'd get a low spec T but alas that is not an option anymore. Nor would it matter because every time I drive the car I don't think about any of this stuff. It only happens when I'm bored and dreaming...

For my use case an $80K+ car would be a dumb way to spend money.

 

I got a used 2018 base...

...For my use case an $80K+ car would be a dumb way to spend money.

Exactly. Same for me.

 

Wanted a Manual Trans S or GTS 4 Cyl Turbo Under $70K. Performance oriented build that was not Black, Silver or Red for “play car” role and occasional track use. I also had more customers with the 718 platform and wanted to get comfortable working on it without learning on their cars. My list of options desired, in priority order:

SPASM
PTV
Sport Chrono
Sport Exhaust (PSE)
20” Wheels
Bose Audio
Apple CarPlay

I ended up with this 2018 S with 19K miles in April 2022:

So other than performance it’s lacking luxury items. A “Driver’s Spec” car which isn’t bad, or so I thought at the time.

What was on my list that was not on the car:

• Sport Exhaust (PSE) - figured I could upgrade later to this

What I did not want but I ended up with:

• Nothing thankfully, I didn’t get anything ”extra” that detracts from enjoying the car

After 1 year with my car - what I think now:

• White is a good color for me in general and looks good on the 718. I would have liked a cool blue more, but this still makes me happy (anything but black!)
• Should have held out for a GTS to get the nicer interior but after a few upgrades I’m mostly happy inside the cabin
• Manual Climate Control is not for me anymore, I like the auto soooo much more. #1 miss in my spec and selection process (who knew!)
• Still not sure I like the Sport Design front bumper cover more than the standard, but I certainly like the GT4 front end most (and if an opportunity to swap one in occured at a reasonable price I’d do it)
• PDLS would have been nice to have, but I don’t hate the standard HID lights (but I am upgrading to LED bulbs…)
• I tend to customize and upgrade cars for fun, and that process has been enjoyable on this platform. If only I could upgrade the climate control. If the dash ever has to come out I would seriously consider it (lots of parts back there have to be changed)…

 

I tend to customized and upgrade cars for fun, and that process has been enjoyable on this platform.

I'm in your boat, but added to that list recently is more paint detail work, I really enjoy piling on the miles, and then once home doing whatever detailing and paint correction is needed to get it back to "new"... Seems to tickle the mod itch for now in a very satisfying way.