Macca

Why would someone trying to sell a car want to put you off like that?

Ive been driving low cars for years. Whilst I agree lift can be useful in places like SF Im not willing to put up with the cost, weight and potentially reliability of the system. I also believe the front of the car sits 15mm lower without the lift (my observation only). Mine you maybe I will regret this big time.

Looking at the picture below of a decently delivered 991 GT3 in Germany the front overhand doesnt seem so bad and infact the front ramp angle is better than the previous generation GT3 so I believe that speculation is incorrect. Im sure in 10 years time my clubsport spec non lift 991 GT3s will be ver sought after LOL!

Macca

here you see from the official factory literature that the front and rear approach angles are improved on the 991 GT3 over the 997.2 GT3, however the break over angle is reduced significantly die to the 102mm longer wheelbase....

Mike in CA

Macca, I don't question your decision not to get the lift or whether you need it. I'll just add that based on what I've read about the system, ride height is not affected and the weight of the system is even less than I thought; 6kg or 13.2 lbs. This article on the technical details is interesting if you haven't seen it before.

http://www.atzonline.com/Article/119...e-997-GT3.html

Whether the lift is worth what Porsche charges for it is for each prospective owner to decide, but IMO it is a pretty elegant piece of engineering.

Macca

Mike of course you are probably right. My guess is that the system is more reliable and lighter than before. As to whether its a mistake not ordering it its one of those things only time will tell. There are some aftermarket solutions I guess if it becomes a hassle. I think Ill just put aside $7-800 every year for a spring clean on the front rubber lip and the plastic brake ducting.

Drifting

Agree with mike on this. The additional weight is minimal, and it's extra weight in the front, better balancing the car. I'm certain Porsche has learned from the issues of the previous car and and made the front axle lifter and the CL wheels much more reliable.

I have also heard from several dealers and GT3 owners that the front axle life was an important detail affecting resale. I'm doing a stripper build on my GT3, (all the no cost options, and 3 other cheap options), but I still sprung for the front axle lifter.

Nick

One thing is for certain. You will scrape the front end whether you have the lifter or not. Those that ordered the lifter will argue the scraping will not be as severe. Others like myself who did not order the lifter will argue a scrape is a scrape and eventually we all will replace the front rubber piece.

As I have written before, part of the high performance sport car experience is front end scraping. Those of us who have owned these cars for many years have learned to be careful in the areas where front end scraping will occur. There will be situations where unexpectedly a road will dip causing a scrape and in those instances it will not matter whether you have a lifter or not.

That said, in some areas owners faced with daily steep driveways or parking structures would need the benefit of a lifter and makes sense to have one.

frayed

Steepness or degree of incline isn't the issue, it's the transition. Harsh transitions, even on modest inclines, can cause problems. My driveway is not steep but the street is crowned with its low point where my driveway hits the street. That dip caused me problems in both generation of GT3s but not so much in the Ferrari given the contour of the front bumper and shorter overhang.

But if your drives do not include such sharp transitions than the lift is superfluous.

CAlexio

What frayed said. That break over angle on the 991 is HALF of what it was on the 997.. First time I'm seeing that 10 in vs 5 in comparison. That's a huge difference clearly, will definitely pose a problem for me specifically. But now I understand why my dealer was do adamant that the 991 gt3 absolutely needed the lift system unlike the previous generation where it was more optional.

Macca

CAlexio. The lift system will not affect the ramp break over angle Im afraid.

I dont see the lift any more required in this generation than previous. Infact given the front and rear break angles improving slightly and the fact this car has a deep soft rubber front apron (much longer than previous gen 997.2 gT3) along with very short travel front suspension (there is a picture in the EVO COTY of the front of the 991 GT3 jacked off the ground and the front wheel hardly saggs).

To me this always smelt of up selling fries just like the PCCB for this gen GT3. The margin on PCCB, Front lift kit and LED headlights (the three most expensive options) is phenomenal according to my PAG contacts. If you order all three the factory make around 8.5% more margin on your overall order! My contact at PAG told me to order the GT3 2ith nothing for bext value and he reckoned it wouldnt affect resale value at all 10 years, and that infact its proven the lower specced cars sell for more 2-3 generations on. BY the way the bucket seats were teh fours largest margin item but he said most Europeans spec them with the free clubsport kit which actually removes much of the margin from them for Porsche (free cage, 6 point harness and FE). I went for this option. I cancelled my only "luxury" option (LED headlights) when I saw them in teh flesh and used that money ($3000) to but the folding bucket seats and ticked the 003 clubsport package for free. This option isnt available in USA unfortunately.

CaymanR-Racer

Isn't the ride height adjustable on the GT3?

Surely some numbers would change, so I wonder what the numbers would be when a GT3 is at its highest/lowest setting?!

Cyrek

You need it

GT3Toronto

Wow. Thanks for posting Cyrek!! That is much lower that I thought. I have been seriously considering cancelling that option based on Macca's recent comments

reidry

Pretty low. i am amazed that Macca hasn't had much, if any, issue on his tour of Europe without the front axle lift. I keep flipping back and forth. I know the splitters are relatively inexpensive, but we also have some speed bumps that rival small hills. Combined with some of the crazy driveway angles and the ramp angle on my enclosed trailer I keep thinking the factory front axle lift might not be a bad idea.

Ryan

CAlexio

Good to know ab profit margins Macca, makes me mad, raaaaaaving mad :-) But I STILL will be speccing front lift BC I'm chicken... And I live in San Francisco.

Macca

Scraped today slightly one one traffic bump in monaco. Its the second traffic bump Ive scraped on (unavoidable even at slow speed) after 2500 km. I checked the lip on the black example in Monaco which had lift and it had scraped in teh same places so I dont think it makes any difference.

Best you wait and ask some real life owners how they are fairing. Frankly Im 100% certain its not worth 3000 unless you have a tough driveway like Mike in CA. Ive traveled over some of the toughest roads and I have some scuffs you cant even see from the front of the car but can only feel from underneath and frankly most of them are from actually driving not negotiating driveways and speed humps. Ill get some pictures later in the week and you can decide but right now I suggest you poll real owners without lift and with lift. For the price of the rubber strip at the front Id think its easier and cheaper to replace these every 2-3 years. They angle down quite alot so that picture isnt accurate infact Im 100% certain on a level surface the clearance is 100mm but the plastic under tray is maybe 130mm mine still hasnt been touched....