neanicu

Simple question.

Feel free to suggest new options.

Mike in CA

Street, canyon runs, autocross, track.....whenever I can find an excuse to drive it.

frayed

Looks like I'm in the majority and belong to Porsche's target market.

I was a heavy track rat at one point, but not anymore. Family, business, other hobbies chew up so much time. I'm no longer interested in trailering a car nor modifying a car to a point where it sucks on street like I have in times past.

4-6 track weekends a year most likely unless I join the local country club track and head over there during weekdays when I can break away from the office.

neanicu

I've realized too late that I haven't included Autocross among GT3's usage and it seems that I can't modify the POLL. Let's just say TRACK includes the organized type of activities like AUTOCROSS,shall we...
Anyway,we wouldn't want a crowded POLL with too many options...

Manifold

That's a lot of car, and pretty big, for autocross. I doubt autox use was much of a factor, if at all, when Porsche designed the car. Plus, the Dunlop tires aren't a good choice for autox because they need to be heated up well, otherwise the grip is lower and breakaway is fairly abrupt.

Mike in CA

I've autocrossed both my 996 and 997.2 extensively and with some success; the 991 isn't that much bigger. Maybe Porsche didn't consider autocross when they developed the car but if it's as balanced and turns in as well as the reviews say, it won't embarrass me. Also PDK works great for autox.

I've used the stock Pirelli's but more often MPSC's on a separate set of track wheels. It takes a couple of runs to get heat in the Cups but they stick pretty well. My understanding is that Porsche uses both the Dunlops and the new Michelins on the GT3; I don't imagine their characteristics are that much different from the R compound Michelins I'm using.

There are tons of 997's plus a number of 997 GT3 and Turbo guys who autox at our PCA venue. We also have Corvettes and even a GTR, so a 991 GT3 won't be that much out of place. Besides, I'm not running for trophies but for fun and I think this car will be.

P.S. Nick no need for a different category; autox guys are smart, we'll figure out how to vote.

RCMA991

Amateur track use , mountain passes, remote single lane state roads, and DD.
not an auto x fan. This ones a keeper, long term.

Manifold

I understand, I've done some autocross. I just personally don't think a ~200 mph 7-sp car is the right tool for a tight course laid out in a parking lot at speeds that don't typically involve going beyond 2nd gear. Cars like the S2000 make more sense there. But if you get a 991 GT3, drive it wherever you want and enjoy. I'm just particular about trying to match cars with my intended use.

Also, I've gone through a full set of those Dunlop tires and, trust me, they need more than a minute to heat up adequately and their behavior is much worse when they're not heated up enough (but they're fine driving on the road below 7/10ths). It's a good tire for its purpose: drive on track, and to/from the track, along with some regular road use, and decent in the wet if it has tread depth.

alpine-al

I agree with Mike on the 991 GT3 for autocross. In the Northeast we're racing 70 second AX courses on a 1 mile loop around old runways and currently the 997 GT3 RS's reign. A 991 GT3 with PDK and rear wheel steering will be competitive.

.

Manifold

Now that sounds like some fun autox!

Mike in CA

So you're saying I should buy an S2000 instead? It would certainly be a money saver.

Like alpine-al we run on an abandoned airport runway and adjacent access roads and depending on course layout and the number of laps in a run it's possible to get heat in the tires. Maybe I'll get lucky and get the Michelins instead of the Dunlops. In any event, while a 991 GT3 may not be the perfect autocross car (my Lotus Europa Special was) it's just another way to have fun with it. I only have room for one sports car and I'd much rather have a GT3 than a Miata or S2000 regardless of how suitable it is for autocross.

Manifold

In the end, we're all just indulging in buying these sorts of cars so that we can have fun - and are fortunate to be able to do so. I participate in these discussions partly because I still haven't decided what to buy (or just stay with what I have), and partly because the discussion is fun in itself, but I don't view any of it as 'serious' stuff. They're just cars, and it's just driving.

I hope you take the comments in that spirit. You're clearly psyched about the car and I predict that you'll love it. Drive it where you want and enjoy in good health. Better than 50% chance at this point that I'll be joining you and buying one too.

Mike in CA

Absolutely! I enjoy the interaction too and didn't mean to imply in any way that I objected to your opinions about autocrossing the GT3 or anything else. Just some good natured give and take.

We're all passionate about cars or we wouldn't be posting here but in the end deciding which Porsche to buy is definitely a first world "problem".

TRAKCAR

Mike, I'm a little afraid of radios in new cars, I touch a button and I'll never find a station I like, or even FM for that matter in most new cars...

Like agreeing to disagree

If I'd be a #1 or #2 buyer I would not buy a GT3 probably not even a 991 or even a Porsche.

#3 has very little options, we are stuck with GT3's, maybe Corvettes.

# 4 can prep the crap out of almost any car to make it work.

Cone bashing you can make any car do and last, tons of options.

Mike in CA

Fair enough on the radio issue, Peter.

It sounds as if for you a Porsche is a tool for a specific purpose, which is maybe why you wouldn't buy one for reason #1 or #2. As for me there has been something about Porsches and 911's in particular ever since at 15 I saw one at an auto show in San Francisco. My college roommate had a '71 911E Targa and my first ride in it was a revelation. So when I could finally afford my first I bought a new '84 Carrera and have owned one ever since. There may be better options, but I don't choose 911's specifically to bash cones, it's just another outlet for enjoying the car.

Different people arrive at the same place from opposite directions. We both own Porsches, but apparently for different reasons. Nothing wrong with that.