Impressions of GT3 (Manifold)
01-21-2015, 10:01 AM
#79
Three Wheelin'
Congratulations on getting the car!
Michelin recommended storing the tires above 40F and not driving below 45F to avoid cracking on the MPSC. I've not seen the same technical document on the MPSC2, but I would expect it to be similar if not a higher temperature given the improvements in the compound.
Your call if you want to drive them - just hope you don't cause an injury to someone else. The biggest issue is there isn't a progressive loss of traction at the lower temperatures, it's an all or nothing gamble.
Michelin recommended storing the tires above 40F and not driving below 45F to avoid cracking on the MPSC. I've not seen the same technical document on the MPSC2, but I would expect it to be similar if not a higher temperature given the improvements in the compound.
Your call if you want to drive them - just hope you don't cause an injury to someone else. The biggest issue is there isn't a progressive loss of traction at the lower temperatures, it's an all or nothing gamble.
On the tires, anyone know where I can find this info for the Michelin Super Sports?
As someone who parks outside I have a keen interest. Thx.
Last edited by fbroen; 01-21-2015 at 10:21 AM.
01-24-2015, 12:27 AM
#80
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Random observations and thoughts:
- The handling inspires a lot of confidence.
- In manual mode, when coming to a stop, manually shifting from 2nd to 1st seems clunkier than letting the car do that downshift on its own. Hopefully that's not harming the car in any way? One advantage of regular manual is that you can just put it in neutral.
- The car feels more like a 911 than I expected from a 991, and more so than other 991 variants I've driven (though I haven't done those comparisons back to back yet). I'm wondering if the RWS is a big part of that, giving the car an agile shorter-wheebase feel at low to moderate speeds and tighter corners, combined with a stable longer-wheelbase feel at higher speeds. In other words, best of both worlds. Still feels rear-engined, yet balanced. I won't be surprised if the RWS finds its way into other Porsches in the future.
- Unfortunate that the steering feel is missing something compared to the 997. Not a big deal though, the precision of the steering more than makes up for it.
- The more I look at it, the more gorgeous the car looks to me.
- Some key things that make the manual shifting so satisfying: immediacy of the response creates connection with the car, the shifts have a nice auditory and kinesthetic 'bang', and freedom to shift at will in corners is great.
- Didn't the drive the car one day this week due to weather. When I drove it the next day, I feared it wouldn't be as good as I remembered - how could it be? But it didn't disappoint.
- The handling inspires a lot of confidence.
- In manual mode, when coming to a stop, manually shifting from 2nd to 1st seems clunkier than letting the car do that downshift on its own. Hopefully that's not harming the car in any way? One advantage of regular manual is that you can just put it in neutral.
- The car feels more like a 911 than I expected from a 991, and more so than other 991 variants I've driven (though I haven't done those comparisons back to back yet). I'm wondering if the RWS is a big part of that, giving the car an agile shorter-wheebase feel at low to moderate speeds and tighter corners, combined with a stable longer-wheelbase feel at higher speeds. In other words, best of both worlds. Still feels rear-engined, yet balanced. I won't be surprised if the RWS finds its way into other Porsches in the future.
- Unfortunate that the steering feel is missing something compared to the 997. Not a big deal though, the precision of the steering more than makes up for it.
- The more I look at it, the more gorgeous the car looks to me.
- Some key things that make the manual shifting so satisfying: immediacy of the response creates connection with the car, the shifts have a nice auditory and kinesthetic 'bang', and freedom to shift at will in corners is great.
- Didn't the drive the car one day this week due to weather. When I drove it the next day, I feared it wouldn't be as good as I remembered - how could it be? But it didn't disappoint.
01-24-2015, 01:11 AM
#81
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I'm really enjoying your feedback. You are picking up quickly on stuff it's taken me 12 months to find the words for! Your observations are spot on to date IMO. I drive it manual mostly and when pulling to a stop I manually change down as far as 2nd then let it do its own reset into 1st or else it seems mechanically in sympathetic to me and the blipping gets louder as you slow and shift down gears so can be quite loud and get slot of attention at the lights
Believe it or not after 14 months of owning this car the experience has just got better as I take it to tracks and really nail fast back roads familiar be on eRly morning raids then slink back through the city tragical satiated in auto listening to podcasts. I have to say it's the one mcguyver of a car that gets more and more under your skin. These are going to be higher mileage second hand!!!
Believe it or not after 14 months of owning this car the experience has just got better as I take it to tracks and really nail fast back roads familiar be on eRly morning raids then slink back through the city tragical satiated in auto listening to podcasts. I have to say it's the one mcguyver of a car that gets more and more under your skin. These are going to be higher mileage second hand!!!
01-24-2015, 01:14 AM
#82
You can just pull both paddles and put the car in neutral.
01-24-2015, 01:23 AM
#83
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01-24-2015, 01:26 AM
#84
01-24-2015, 01:36 AM
#85
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Believe it or not after 14 months of owning this car the experience has just got better as I take it to tracks and really nail fast back roads familiar be on eRly morning raids then slink back through the city tragical satiated in auto listening to podcasts. I have to say it's the one mcguyver of a car that gets more and more under your skin.
I too like having the laid-back auto option when dealing with slow traffic, parking lots, or just trying to get from A to B. It's like having two transmissions in one car.
One more observation: I'm noticing more and more how the throttle response from a stop feels just like a manual car, which is a really nice touch.
01-24-2015, 02:41 AM
#86
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Great to hear that it continues to get better. The development and calibration of this car is a remarkable engineering achievement, and IMO key to its brilliance. I too like having the laid-back auto option when dealing with slow traffic, parking lots, or just trying to get from A to B. It's like having two transmissions in one car. One more observation: I'm noticing more and more how the throttle response from a stop feels just like a manual car, which is a really nice touch.
01-24-2015, 03:57 AM
#87
Rennlist Member
I've gotten quite good at this as the garage bay the GT3 sits, it is centered tandem between my 964 up front, with the TT996 behind. Can't wait to finally get it out tomorrow. The roads are finally clear.
01-24-2015, 03:12 PM
#88
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Took the car out this morning on wet roads, temps in the high 30s F. Of course I wasn't pushing it, but with the MPSC2 tires, the grip was good. If the aids were helping, I couldn't tell.
My wife also drove the car for the first time in these far from ideal conditions. With the Cayman R as her main benchmark, and driving the GT3 grandma style, she said the GT3 felt heavy and big, with heavy steering feel. It didn't feel special to her. That's reminiscent of when I first test drove the GT3, and I think it reinforces the point that when the car is being driven below 5/10ths, it only hints at its potential and provides a relatively laid back experience.
My wife also drove the car for the first time in these far from ideal conditions. With the Cayman R as her main benchmark, and driving the GT3 grandma style, she said the GT3 felt heavy and big, with heavy steering feel. It didn't feel special to her. That's reminiscent of when I first test drove the GT3, and I think it reinforces the point that when the car is being driven below 5/10ths, it only hints at its potential and provides a relatively laid back experience.
01-25-2015, 01:51 PM
#89
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Interesting I agree that putting it in neutral is an easy way to bring the car to a stop. No clunks. I'm a bit north of 1300 mi. at the moment with zero complaints.
01-25-2015, 02:11 PM
#90
Working up through the gears is such a blast, but I'm really starting to get addicted to the downshifts. That mechanical sound is so compelling, and it just feels like that's what the engine and gearbox enjoy doing !! Got to 1,400 miles today.