S197 650

Let me preface by saying that I LOVE my new GT Premium. Awesome car. I'm enjoying the quality of the leather, the Sync system, and the leather wrapped steering wheel.

However, if I had to do it over again, I would've saved the near $5000 difference and gotten the GT Base model instead.

The main reason being is that the backseat is tiny. I'm not at all complaining, but I would never ask even my worst enemies to even try to sit back there. I'm considering getting a rear seat delete anyway and just realized that I paid a good chunk of change for rear leather seats that will never get sit in.

The Sync system is nice, but any aftermarket head unit can duplicate what it does.

The leather wheel is nice, but so is the $250 Boss steering wheel.

If I would've done it over again, I would've picked up the GT Base, done the rear seat delete, picked up a pair of very nice lightweight aftermarket leather racing seats for the front, picked up a Boss steering wheel, and then installed a fully featured aftermarket head unit. All of that would cost well less than the $5000 difference of moving up to GT Premium.

Understand that I'm NOT complaining about my car whatsoever - I love it. Just wanted to give a heads up to future prospective buyers.

Franchise-SZ

Don't you lose the Mycolor option as well?

ryland52586

I bought the GT Base and am very happy with it. The only thing I would like would be a moonroof, but no model has that.

Descena

Yeah, I thought the premium's have the ambient lighting and mycolor options. But, I mean it's your own taste. I personally love it on my car.

And with the moonroof...doesn't the glass roof option come available for GT premium models? It started with my car and I was told that only the GT's have that option, though I've never looked at the models after my car. I really don't know what the difference is between a moonroof and a glass roof other than the fact that the glass roof is the whole roof and not a cut out of it. I always have the bad habit of correcting someone else when they say that...

Mishri

The leather in the new premiums is really nice. the mycolor and ambient lighting with the built in steering controls and voice activation is nice. the shaker 500 is a fairly decent sound system. I also got the built in heated seats.. very nice for the long winters here.

I was going to get a base GT but then I sat in a base then sat in a premium and I said, nope no way on the base model. But I also didn't pay 5,000 more for the premium, more like 2,500... i think with my x-plan pricing the base with the options i wanted would have been around 28500 and i paid 31k for the premium. That was the major selling point for me, such a small price difference for a much better interior, I dont want to change anything in it. If I had gotten a base i'd need a new sound system ($1000+), new seats ($500+) new steering wheel ($250, according to you.. does that have an airbag? how hard is that to change the steering wheel?) and i wouldn't have the cool gauges and lighting still, and the whole dash isn't as nice, and steering wheel controls. Which with new laws I would need/want because touching any electronic device in a vehicle while driving is a ticket, but buttons on the steering wheel are fine. so no gps, radio, phone touching... my sister-in-law got a warning for looking at her phone that was sitting in the passenger seat. it's serious business around here.

iceguyb14

The premiums aren't just the sync and leather steering wheel. You also get mycolor gauges and ambient lighting, leather seats, the new LCD screen in the gauge cluster which is VERY helpful, power seats (unless you get the recaros, but then they are leather recaros), and the shaker sound system. Just sayin. Having sat in a base and sat in a premium, the differences are definitely evident.

JimJam

Here is a (2013) list of Premium GT items on top of base:


•

Cloth Convertible Top (if applicable)

•

Convertible Boot (if applicable)

INTERIOR
•

Ambient Lighting – Map pockets, Sill Plates, Cupholders and

Front & Rear foot wells

•

Auto-Dimming Mirror

•

Bright Aluminum Accent Dash Appliqués, Pedal Covers Scuff

Plate, Shifter ****

•

Bright Chrome Door Speaker Surrounds

•

Door trim panel Inserts

•

Leather-wrapped steering wheel with new LCD controls

•

New instrument cluster w/4.2" LCD message center and

MyColor® and Track Apps

•

Satellite Radio (6 mos. Complimentary SIRIUS®

Subscription, N/A in AK & HI)

•

Seats – Leather, 6-way Power-adjustable Driver, 4-way

Adjustable Head Restraint and Power Lumbar (Split fold rearseats
on coupe)

•

Shaker™ Sound System

•

SYNC®
• Universal garage door opener

GTjoe49

For those who are willing and able to spend the time and effort to mod their car, a base model is a great "blank canvas" so to speak.

For those of us who like their thrills straight out of the box, the premium package fits the bill.

fordplay

I was going to post the changes!! Ggrr any way in the 11 and 12 that dont have the dash lcd you go from 2 gauges to 4, the steering wheel is way nicer you get the metal shifter ball. It is just a much nicer place to be, and if you really want the boss steering wheel and rear seat delete you can sell your premium wheel and seats to all the guys who read this and bought a base and now wish every day of their life that they bought the premium, as he drives to work hopelessly jabbing at the unresponsive pioneer head unit he put in that is no where near the same as the fully integrated sync touchscreen

PA-Sea

Hey folks. I just registered here and actually its my first forum I've registered at. I searched the sight for a tire discussion because the tires my car came with are super slippery and I was looking for some direction on how to replace them. Tire Rack suggested I by the tires that are already on the car. I have a 2012 GT500 and its hard not to loose traction when driving with the stock tires, well for me any way. Thanks