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S vs Gts vs Turbo

55K views 53 replies 28 participants last post by  Shark 
#1 ·
Hi everyone,
So after deciding the Macan will meet all the needs I'm now in a bit if a dilemma as to which one. I'll be buying used so early model turbos only up to later model S perhaps.

In my test drive in the S i thought a couple of things...it's very quiet other than engine noise and the power is there but requires you to press down harder. Of course it does but it felt. ..kinda sorta lacking. The SA was telling me "if you drive a gts or a turbo you won't want an S" but at the same time i believe there is enough power in the S it's more the delivery of it and I can't help but think I'd be chasing more power at some point. This S did not have sports chrono either. I have not driven a gts or turbo but i was hoping there might be some info on this dilemma from you guys.

I have found a my2015 turbo in the wrong colour both interior and exterior but with a few other nice options one owner. The kicker is its got mid 50000 kms on. The car is up to date on servicing and was done at a Porsche dealer. Clearly i don't have the budget for a new turbo..a turbo with 20-40000 kms is also just out of reach. Used gts are even more expensive as they are only 2016 2017? models.

So here's my questions...
1. Is 56000kms not that much of a big deal? I'll be putting on 12-17000 each year for approx 4 years.
2. Is the turbo light years ahead of the S with the extra power air suspension etc?
3. Or in reality is the S enough? I know it depends on a whole lot of things but I'd be interested to hear from anyone considering an S but then moved up.
4. Or is the gts the one i should hang out for?

Thanks so much guys sorry for the 20 questions [emoji3]

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#2 ·
I don't know your location (probably not important, but std equip is diff in diff geographies), or your past ownership experience w/ cars and SUV's, but I would say this: If you spend a day or two in a Macan S, driving in Sport mode (std equip), and this does not fulfill your quest for speed and sportiness, then step up to a GTS or Turbo. I have an S and a GTS, and while I find the GTS a little 'sharper' in all its responses, and a little faster, the S in sport mode is a cut above 90% of the other SUVs/CUVs on the road. I would go for a '16 or newer lower mileage S, preferably a CPO. I can't imagine you'll be sorry. To me, mid 50000 km is too high, but again, I don't know what your availability for low-mileage Macan's is.
 
#3 ·
I can only speak to the S versions; I have a '15 I bought new without sports chrono. I find it plenty powerful, but it's my daily driver. I tend to drive in sports mode almost exclusively. The power certainly isn't overwhelming, but is more than sufficient for my needs and for my driving style.

I am considering a Cobb accessport. That's an easy way to get GTS+ power out of an S, after all, they are the same engine. You may not have the look and suspension performance, but passing and onramp speed should improve if you went that route.

I didn't drive the Turbo. Intentionally. No GTS available when I ordered. I knew if I drove the turbo I'd always know what I was giving up since a new turbo wasn't in my budget. Listen to your SA on this one. If you're prone to buying what excites you, driving a turbo will likely rule out an S. You might have the discipline to stick with an S, but if it's satisfying I'd avoid testing the turbo. However, if you're a little underwhelmed by the S power, that's not going to change over time.

We just bought a BMW M40i for my wife. I haven't really gotten after it yet, maybe out of fear that it'll outperform my S. :).

My suggestion? Look for a lower miles S with sport exhaust, PASM, and other goodies you want. Then add a Cobb later if you find yourself wishing for a little more power. This will put you in a lower miles car, with a better set of goodies for the same price as a turbo or GTS. And, you can bump power a little down the road if you chooose to.

My 2 cents.
 
#6 ·
1. 56,000kms is on a higher side. You may look for better cars.
2. Turbo is much superior for sure. If you test drive and compare both back to back, answer is clear - Turbo
3. The best way to buy a Porsche model is work out your sum (budget) and test drive cars within that budget. Select the one you like the most in terms of colour, specs etc (drive we know that the top most will be the best)
4. GTS is exactly in between.
 
#7 ·
I have had an SD and currently have a Turbo but have driven base Turbo PP and S Macans for long periods.

The Turbo is light years ahead in terms of power delivery compared to an S

The extra 20 horses of the GTS still will not close that great void, its the GTS handling than does that in part.

The Turbo PP is amazing.

Sport mode make the S more responsive due to a different throttle map, Sports Chrono (which can be retrofitted) takes that a step further but at the cost of requiring a delicate gas foot to drive smoothly.

So if power delivery is paramount for you it has to be a TURBO.
 
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#8 ·
Thanks so much The Brit...great info. Can i ask is the gts suspension is the same as turbo but minus the air? In Oz the turbo comes standard with air...not sure on the gts. When you mentioned gts for handling i didn't realise it was different from the S. Cheers

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#11 ·
The SA was telling me "if you drive a gts or a turbo you won't want an S
There is a reason for that. It's because he/she has seen it over and over and over again. I was all set to order a GTS and the dealer suggested I drive a turbo. He knew what he was doing :)

It's not just the difference in the peak power rating, it's how and when the larger engine makes the extra power. If you drive one, you will get it in about 10 minutes. You really need to drive one to understand.

Sounds like if you don't get the turbo you will be forever chasing it with trying to upgrade the power on a lower trim car. Before you make a mistake, consider how many turbo owners are upgrading the power on their cars. In one of the lesser models, you will never be able to catch up.

Sure, some owners will be perfectly happy with an S. But you don't sound like you are one of them.
 
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#12 ·
Thanks Shark,yes i really need to have a drive of one. A low km turbo my 15 is within reach with a bit of shuffling. I am surprised though there are so many gts and turbo cars in Oz that don't have sports chrono..which adds another complication when trying to buy used . The SA was not a big fan of sports chrono on any model for the record. But to me if you're going gts or turbo it fits with the profile of the car. I think the Brit said it could be retrofitted? Anyway thanks mate

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#14 ·
Are you planning to track the car? If not, a Turbo w/o Sports plus may be good. Sport mode is plenty quick in a Turbo. Test drive all 3 version is a must. No "bad" choices with the Macan though. S, GTS or Turbo. (I'm ignoring the PP & the unmentionable, entry level, shameful version ;)
 
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#15 ·
@onpole01, for a review of the differences between a GTS and S, read the excellent post by @alex_c, titled 'THIS is what makes the GTS different', posted on 8/7/2016. (This applies to the US version, however, don't know about Oz). The GTS is not just an S with air suspension and the boost tweaked a hair.
 
#16 ·
@onpole01, for a review of the differences between a GTS and S, read the excellent post by @alex_c, titled 'THIS is what makes the GTS different', posted on 8/7/2016. (This applies to the US version, however, don't know about Oz). The GTS is not just an S with air suspension and the boost tweaked a hair.
 
#17 ·
Sorry about the double-post. I had a spasm in my trigger finger.:eek:
 
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#18 ·
I had turbo envy after I purchased a GTS. So I got a COBB Accessport. After driving the revised maps and then reverting back to the stock map, I can see why dealers tell people not to try the Turbo. The GTS in stock form, believe it or not, now feels glacial. (I thought I would never utter that last sentence).

So I would get a newer lower mileage, maybe higher optioned S (or a GTS, if possible) and get the Cobb AP instead of getting higher mileage turbo. Its a sweet, inexpensive power upgrade.
 
#19 ·
Ask yourself, do I really need/want that extra power, at the increased cost?
We have both an S and Non S.
We don't track them, an in reality the Non S is more than enough for a DD. We just took it on a long road trip, with mountain passes, flat stretches, and twisty ocean roads. Never needed more power. Maybe we could have passed one vehicle more where the passing opportunity was short.
The S is a lot more power, but I really have not used it all, yet.
For the price difference between my S and the Turbo, I am going to pick up a Cayman S. Still not a quick as a Macan Turbo, but those 2 will meet my requirements of a good DD, and a fun fast sports car, and still not break the bank.
 
#20 ·
What comes as standard depends upon the Country where you live.

I am in the UK where:-

S has 18" wheels and no PASM

GTS has 20" spyders and PASM

Turbo has 19" wheels and PASM.

The 2.0 and S are very basic stripped out cars and it is only with the GTS that certain extras in the 2.0 and S are standard.

Hence you need to read what are the standard inclusions where you live and compare.

I tried a Turbo with PASM and it was very good (any Macan without at least PASM is not the best riding and handling a Macan can be), I then drove very hard around our PEC at Silverstone and also on the back country roads outside the circuit to test out the Air Suspension. I love it but some find it can wallow so do test out different setups as the difference is huge.

I have had my Turbo a year, my spec is in the signature, I love it, even in comfort mode it flies if I stomp on the gas, a quick stomp on the gas, lift and stomp again causes the gearbox to downshift twice, it is quicker than using paddles and you then get even more surge.

Put it in Sport or Sport + mode and the beast is unleased.

Then the Turbo PP which has the same suspension setup as the GTS and is the supreme Macan.

I thrashed a 911 Carrera 4 GTS around the PEC and I can be a very fast driver (ex Driving Instructor and Police trained) but I could not loose and had to let past a Race Instructor who was driving a Turbo PP such is the capabilities of the car in the hands of one more skilled than I.

Finally just to confirm, in all Porsche cars the variants are base, S, GTS, Turbo, Turbo S plus specials like GT3/GT4/RS. The GTS variants have lowered and tuned suspension compared to others and in the case of the Macan the GTS and Turbo PP share the same suspension setup and geometry.

Test drive as many as you can, ask what extras are included before you test drive and check out each PASM setting on a straight highway and in a twisty section, repeat the route each time you change the PASM setting if you can.

Hope this helps.
 
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#21 ·
Sounds like a Macan may not be a realistic option for you at this time, and you're looking for a base/stripped down model to fit a budget. IMO, wait until you can get a nicely equipped low-mileage model.

The S has pretty good power, good handling (air suspension is a must-have), but the brakes are good instead of great. The GTS drives the best, but with the extra torque of a turbo model available for not much more $, I'd wait for a low-mileage turbo if you insist on buying used.
 
#24 ·
I will respectfully disagree. There are plenty of less expensive options that are faster than a Macan turbo. A low km Porsche Macan gts/Turbo however with more speed costs money. I do have a reasonable budget for a used turbo. I could buy a new S outright. Just trying to maximise every dollar for performance benefits and I wanted to hear your opinions etc. I need to drive a turbo and a gts to get a better understanding as you have all said and standby for the right one should it be the case.

Thank you all again [emoji3]

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#28 ·
My new 2015 S replaced a Merc C63 (451 HP), but I have never missed the Merc's power. For a small sport ute, the S has more than enough power for me. Since I don't drive on the track, the only power I need is merging onto freeways, and the S has lots of grunt to do that. Drive in Sport mode, and I would say you have a great ride. But I can certainly understand the other comments of always wanting more power.
 
#29 ·
I think a used, low miles 2015 or 2016 Turbo is the way to go. I test drove an S a year ago and loved it but was underwhelmed by the power. I just bought a 2016 Turbo with 11K miles for $68,000 with carbon, 20" spiders, dark blue with red interior, sports chrono (which I have never used) and in 2 months have put 4000 miles on it. Amazing car. So much more refined (with A/PASM) than the S I drove and the power is where you want it. Not over the top, but fast and fun. In the USA you can get a nice used turbo for $60K and seems like the sweet spot in my mind. I just happened to find one that was exactly as I would have spec'd it (except for the sport chrono). Worth every penny.

Also, I have taken it on light off road duty and the offroad package is great. I go from Sports mode to Offroad mode routinely here in New Mexico getting to mountain bike races, etc.
 
#30 ·
Hi everyone,
So after deciding the Macan will meet all the needs I'm now in a bit if a dilemma as to which one. I'll be buying used so early model turbos only up to later model S perhaps.

In my test drive in the S i thought a couple of things...it's very quiet other than engine noise and the power is there but requires you to press down harder. Of course it does but it felt. ..kinda sorta lacking. The SA was telling me "if you drive a gts or a turbo you won't want an S" but at the same time i believe there is enough power in the S it's more the delivery of it and I can't help but think I'd be chasing more power at If price is some point. This S did not have sports chrono either. I have not driven a gts or turbo but i was hoping there might be some info on this dilemma from you guys.

I have found a my2015 turbo in the wrong colour both interior and exterior but with a few other nice options one owner. The kicker is its got mid 50000 kms on. The car is up to date on servicing and was done at a Porsche dealer. Clearly i don't have the budget for a new turbo..a turbo with 20-40000 kms is also just out of reach. Used gts are even more expensive as they are only 2016 2017? models.

So here's my questions...
1. Is 56000kms not that much of a big deal? I'll be putting on 12-17000 each year for approx 4 years.
2. Is the turbo light years ahead of the S with the extra power air suspension etc?
3. Or in reality is the S enough? I know it depends on a whole lot of things but I'd be interested to hear from anyone considering an S but then moved up.
4. Or is the gts the one i should hang out for?

Thanks so much guys sorry for the 20 questions [emoji3]

Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk
If price is a factor, the S is the better deal
 
#32 ·
Unless having the new PCM and/or Carplay is important to a potential buyer right now, I would not worry about this issue at all.

First of all, there are plenty of Macan buyers who could care less about these features. If it were that significant an issue, used 15's and 16's would be difficult to sell today, and they would not be holding their value so well.

Do you see sellers today having trouble selling older cars that are pre-bluetooth? Of course not. For someone who finds that feature important, there are plenty of aftermarket workarounds.

If it's really that big an issue you can expect to see aftermarket PCM's and/or aftermarket PCM software upgrades given the demand because even the new PCM is far from state of the art, and you will see these aftermarket products offering features that even the new PCM does not have today. An example of this is when I recently replaced the head unit on my 996 with an aftermarket product that includes numerous features that were not available when the 996 was being produced.

In today's world the latest and greatest seem to be that for shorter and shorter periods.
 
#33 ·
I've read your thread. I've had a dozen Porsches - 911, Boxster, GT3 even, but I'm on my 6th Macan for a reason - 2 X S and 4 X GTS. The GTS has more torque than the S - as well as 20HP at the top end. It's the torque that makes the bigger difference, not the HP. The handling is better on the GTS than the S, or the Turbo. And you absolutely DON'T need AS. It has PASM anyway, just keep it off 21s. The GTS will hold it's price better, and has my toys as standard. Save up - simple as that. You posed your question, and there's the answer. Good luck mate.
 
#34 ·
The GTS is perfection in a package. I’d get a GTS hands down. Even if you’re on a budget, a base spec GTS >> a loaded S. If the S was lacking in power, don’t even think about the Base. If you want every last ounce of power above all else, the Turbo.
 
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#36 ·
This thread is all over the map . I think the root of it is that the original poster is juggling so many variables that it's hard to advise . They are :
1) New car Vs Used car
2) Australian price market for both new and used
3) Different model years lumped into one category (when they aren't) .

My opinion -
In my discussions of the past with people in high priced regions I learned that it's best to order a new car and keep it a very long time . Most of my chat was with 911 turbo owners where a car is a huge expense . With an SUV the added twist is how its used . Most 911 owners arent carting items or pets . It's even more of a reason to buy a new SUV especially at higher price points.

conclusion -
My guess is budget plays a role . The GTS is a fabulous car , priced in the middle and new . That's my choice.
 
#37 · (Edited)
Test drive a Macan and you are hooked, it rides and handles well.

BUT

There is a tremendous difference in ride and handling dependent of wheel size and suspension setup.

For a newbie it can be very difficult seeing the wood for the trees and for them ending up getting or configuring their Macan which could be substantially better.

I shall repeat my advice, Test drive as many variants as possible making a note of what each has by way of engine and inclusions.
 
#38 ·
Test drive a Macan and you are hooked, it rides and handles well.

BUT

There is a tremendous difference in ride and handling dependent of wheel size and suspension setup.

For a newbie it can be very difficult seeing the wood for the trees and for them ending up getting or configuring their Macan which could be substantially better.

I shall repeat my advice, Test drive as many variants as possible aking a note of what each has by way of engine and inclusions.
That cannot be repeated enough. It's not like the early days where there were very few if any cars to test drive.
 
#39 ·
I had never test drove a turbo. Only an "S" once for 10 minutes and that was a year ago. I bought a 2016 Turbo sight unseen, flew 1000 miles to get it, drove it home and it is incredible. Best $68K I have ever spent on a car. 20" spyders seem to be a sweet spot for traction /comfort. I love them. Sports car with a trailer hitch. What could be better? Plus, someone else took the depreciation hit. This was a $95K car and had only 11K miles.

I would only buy a new car for the chance to drive it in Germany on the autobahn through a European delivery program. I had my RS6 for two years in Frankfurt and you don't realize how silly fast these cars are until you can merge on a freeway and keep accelerating up to 150 mph or so.
 
#41 ·
I bought a 2016 Turbo sight unseen, flew 1000 miles to get it, drove it home and it is incredible. Best $68K I have ever spent on a car. This was a $95K car and had only 11K miles.
Now that’s a great buy! Was it a Porsche dealer, other dealer, or private sale?
 
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