I currently have a GT3 which is seeing more and more track time, and almost no street time. It's lead me to consider getting a full on track car.

I've spoken with some (thanks Teamdrugmoney) about the move. I'm an intermediate driver. My skills are advancing to the point where I'm going faster (cornering speeds) while feeling like the car is much more settled than ever.

I feel the GT3 is an unbelievable platform whose capabilities are significantly beyond my reach. The horsepower is a thrill, a curse, and a crutch. An F spec boxster (or miata etc) will also be considerably faster than I am in the right hands (like most on this board I'm sure) but I will certainly get to the limits faster than the GT3.

In the interest of becoming a better driver and having more fun, do you guys think I'm better off staying in my current car (maybe do some suspension, diff work), or slow down to go fast? Is it more fun to drive on the edge of a slower car, or grow into a faster car and perhaps never really reach its limits. (Let's face it, most GT3 drivers are nowhere near the limit)

Being election season, how about a poll?

Thanks for your input/advice.

 

I would stay with a rear engine and of course air-cooled will give you the best "raw" experience along with the same dry sump block as your GT3. My 2500lb/190HP car is capable of a sub 1:01 at Limerock, a 3.2 Carerra a hair faster, a 964 3.6 around 1:00. It's all about the driver, make me an offer to save me winter storage!

You are risking a $100K car now, much more relaxed pushing a $30K car to it's limit (and most likely be as fast (overall) as you are now!

 

my .02 cents from a gt3 owner. If you can't afford to leave the GT3 at the track, then don't track it. A dedicated track car is probably your best bet.

 

2nd.

Of course, once you have a dedicated track car, the GT3 will not see much track time, and you will wonder why you would want a GT3 for street use. You'll find yourself looking at Panamera ads. I used to wonder how jet pilots drove such ordinary cars. It's because they fly jets!

It's a progressive disease.

 

You have to ask yourself, which is bettter for waving at bitchez: a baller car like the GT3 or driving flat out in the Boxster?









Professional Racing and Driving Coach

 

I'll be interested to see where you land on all this. We'll have to chat more at VIR this weekend at the NNJR event! Until then...

 

Get a 928 race car. just as fast, and cheeeep!!!

Just kidding. actually, the lower powered cheaper car is often the smarter way to go, especially if you are "attached" in anyway to the GT3, especially financially. Certainly, its a smart way to go for class racing or to be able to compare your performance to others. However, as far as most fun, that has to absolutely go to the GT3. Its the kind of speed that is intoxicating. the lower powered car, although also fun, just dont have that monster power that the GT3 would have. For me, that is most of the fun. I just want to go as fast as I can afford, and no slower.

 

I recommend at least getting some seat time in a formula car or sports racer. Your perception about what fast is will never be the same.

 

You need a core set of skills to drive either car at the limit. If you are way under the GT3, you will still be way under the Boxster. You can't just switch to a "slower" platform and assume you will have new skills that never existed before. You will have to grow into either car.

IMO, the idea of "fun" to drive is another way of saying how rewarding it is to drive a car at the limit. Personally, I get the same level of "fun" out of driving my GT3 as I do driving a spec miata or any other car. Pushing the envelope in the platform is what it's all about. At some point, it simply comes down to what car you want (can afford) to drive. Taking the racing with your buddies element out of the equation, you can have the same amount of "fun" in any car if you are on the edge a whole session. For others, this isn't the case. And they drive cup cars lol.

-td

 

I raced a 993TT for 2 years, a GT3 Cup for 4 years, then a Spec Box for 1-1/2years, and now my 3.4 996 (mini cup). There is so much to be learned from a slower platform and remarkably you'll have the time to learn it since your're going so slow. Seriously, you can set up your braking, turn-in, and track out points and actually have the time to concentrate on hitting them. I found with the faster cars everything happened too quickly and I wasn't learning as much as correcting and trying again (and again, and again). When I slowed it down with the Spec Box I learned more than ever before and found I was able to apply those skills. It didn't take long for me to miss more power, but I chose to go 1 step at a time and the 3.4 996 has been another great learning tool. Now I beat 6 and 7 cups regularily with drivers who should have taken the learning steps I wish I had taken many years ago. Never too late and there's always fast cars available when you're ready. Oh and there's no substiute for competent coaching no matter how great you think you are ....

 

I used to race a Carrera, took a hiatus, and then sold it to get a GT3 for DEs. After a couple of years the bug to race again took over & I sold the GT3 for a Boxster and an RSA racecar. Best thing that I ever did. The Boxster was (and still is) much more fun on the street than the GT3 ever was, and the RSA as a dedicated racecar was almost fast, and much, much safer than the GT3. You don't have to make any compromises for safety in a racecar.

Had to sell the RSA but if I get a chance I will get another GT3, but it will be a for track use (i.e. racing) only.

 

Why?

 

Let's just put it this way - my avatar used to be a picture of me driving a 993TT. Now it's me in a SM. Which do you think I enjoy more?

 

I went out with a fellow in our region in his GT-3 RS and he was turning 1:21s with me in the car (did a 1:18 at some point) on Summit Point main over the weekend in the black group. We were lapping the guys I usually work to keep up with in my 944S2. It was a fun ride, and now I understand why he runs through a set of tires 2 events. I suppose you need to factor in the cost of consumables as well with a much faster car. I fortunately get a lot of use out of my brakes and tires....my slow car is good balance for me of fun/lifecycle of the parts.

 

SPOT ON. A slower car will "talk to you", and help you develop feel and reflexes for its dynamics at speeds that won't terrify or kill you. A rear engine, more so. You can go as fast as you might be comfortable with in a GT3 without ever developing the finer points and skills.