You have no worry on the GT3 being "Too Much". The additional Torque of the GTS Turbocharger gives them almost identical Track Performance
Check out the Hockenheim Lap Times Below by the same driver in both Models.
17.Porsche 911 GT3 Christain Gebhardt1:07.90 500 HP / 1443
18.Porsche 911 Carrera GTSChristian Gebhardt1:08.00450 HP/ 1507

 

@PorscheFrank : Great writeup !
But do get the PDK though ! A lot is lost with the MT. You give up some control of and connection to the car. And you give up the cup car like feel and shifts that the PDK bangs in. The MT just waters the car down too much imo.

 

ya, I heard about that, but I have the 2015 NA GTS. Not sure if I can ever go to a turbo 911. I test drove one 2017 911 S, it was very good, the torque at lower/mid range rpm was insane. There was a youtube video of GTS NA and GTS Turbo side by side on freeway, they slowed down to around 30mph or so and hit it, the turbo GTS literally disappeared, its amazing how fast it is. But still, I love my GTS when I hit, 4, 5, 6 and 7, it screams and is so DAMN FUN.

 

 

Congrats! Thanks for sharing and hope you have the track bug for good. It is like heroin for sure and makes street driving incredibly boring.

 

Great write up Frank. I have a .2 coming in January (Miami PDK) and have never driven a GT3, so your experience is great info for me. You have me thinking of going to the Experience center in LA. If you decide to get a PDK car you will love it. It's one of the highpoints of Porsche technology in my opinion. Like the PCCBs the top performance build for the GT3 is PDK. I just love the experience of the impossibly fast shifts in my GTS and can only imagine what the GT3 will be like. I want to spend some time on the track also and I truly feel I will be busy enough with the PDK just keeping the car on the pavement. I don't want to worry about missing a shift and possibly dropping the transmission. I had an 84 SC that had to have the transmission replaced just out of warranty for over 8K$ (probably 50K in todays money). The biggest drawback of that experience was nearly three months without the car while it was in the shop waiting on parts!
I ordered the 4 ways in my GTS to save weight and there are lots or write-ups on the forum that suggest they are more comfortable than the 18s. They also provide more headroom for tall drivers. For the GT3 I will go with the LWB again to save weight and I love the look.

 

here here, you won't regret it - I went in APR, big fun. was blown away how capable the cars were

 

If you buy the car for yourself and not worrying about resale later, then get the sofa seats. I am actually ordering sofas on my GT2RS. They are that much more comfortable for regular use, especially on long trips. I have had enough of the LWBs in my other cars that I am actually getting sick of them. Even on track, just using the 3 point belt instead of full 6 point harness, either seat will hold you just fine. The LWBs only advantage is that it has pass through for 6 point, it's a moot point for North American cars as we can't get the factory roll cage and factory 6 point.

 

Agree about the manual---it's quite amazing and if the track, particularly racing, is a minor part of the time with the car, it's just more fun. Plus, learning to handle the MT on the track will be a great learning experience. But really, you can't go wrong with any configuration of the 991.2 GT3

 

PorscheFrank, first time I took my .2 RS to the track, I hated the car. Being honest, I spent the morning wondering why anyone liked Porsche's. I should also note that my RS is my first ever Porsche, first ever rear engine, rwd car as well. I was quite honestly scared of the car, the driving dynamics were so unlike anything I'd ever driven on track before, I debated selling it. LOL. After the morning sessions were over, was at lunch and talking to a bunch of guys about GT3's. Talked about how my car was getting sideways all the time (which I don't mind and am comfortable doing, but only when I'm trying to do that). In the RS, I was getting sideways without trying, that was frustrating. The car has so much power and I had such little skill at that point, I was going fast in all the straights and slow in all the turns. I became 'that guy'. 'That guy' who had the great track car but couldn't drive it. LOL. So again, at lunch, ended up talking to a younger guy who began giving me pointers on how to take the turns in a GT car. He was young, I asked him which car was his, his response "I don't own a car". hmm, so I'm thinking to myself, did he learn everything from Xbox or a simulator? He went on to let me know he had a factory ride... he was Zach Robichon, drives for Mark Motors in IMSA. LOL. A few of his pointers were absolutely life changing for me as I'm hoping they will be for you. You need to use some amount of brake, from as little as breathing on them to whatever to put the weight down on the front when entering a turn. You MUST use the throttle to balance the car through the turn. Once you find your *alls, you can apply throttle ahead of the apex. This is what as he explained, gives you the ability to go 'fast in and fast out'. I spent the afternoon trying it out, man oh man, what a difference. That afternoon I must have shaved 5 seconds off my laptimes. My home track is Mosport in Bowmanville, Canada, btw.

As for seats, I love my LWB's, they are seriously awesome, I also added a cage and harnesses though, can't do that with 18 ways. If you're going to spend most of your time on the street, I'm sure the 18 ways will be terrific, but on track, the LWB's are pretty awesome.

From your more recent posts, sounds like you are chalking up day 1 to inexperience and are still going with the GT3, you won't regret it. But I agree with the others and yourself, driving on the street is absolutely nothing like driving it on a track. What this car can do on track is truly unbelievable and will give you a true sense of appreciation.

 

op is 37 and buying a 200k car?

i ****ed up in life i think

 

Honestly, doesn't mean a whole lot except that op is really into cars and Porsches... as most of us here are.

 

OP here. Thanks everyone for the additional feedback, suggestions, and sharing your own experiences. The more I read the more confident I feel in my decision t get a GT3 and also the more my desire grows to continue to improve my driving ability. It really is addictive. Just after one tiny taste and I have been thinking about it everyday since. It seems like many of you veteran drivers out there had similar experiences to me when you were first starting out. It's comforting to know that.

Here's my current thinking.

Surprisingly I changed my mind and decided to go with the LWBs. Again they weren't uncomfortable for me, but not super comfortable during my PEC experience. I think part of that was that during the PEC experience I was nervous and not comfortable myself so I don't really want to blame the LWBs completely. I also figured that frankly I wouldn't be using it as a road trip car very often. Without a doubt the sofas are more comfortable. I guess I decided that since this is my first GT3 to sacrifice some comfort and adjustability for the look and feel of being in something more track-spec.

Also surprising is that I'm actually less certain about transmission choice. I truly believe that I will love either the manual for the fun and experience of rowing your own, or the PDK for the most potent GT3 experience. Things that resonated with me on RL was that if I want the row your own experience and connectedness to the car that I should get a 997 or even an air-cooled car. But also the idea of watering down the GT3 experience and to some degree making the car less capable (although far far more capable than me still) seems to stick in my mind as well. Obviously not having go insane while in traffic is another bonus. I really think you can't go wrong with either. I guess I'm slightly leaning towards the manual because I had a PDK GTS and somehow that was kind of boring to me. I had wished I had the manual in the GTS. But for the GT3 I don't know if I will feel the same way. I have the manual in my build now and my dealer tells me I have until August 3rd (But could be sooner) to make a change. I'm partially hoping it locks in early and I don't have to decide. I know I will love either.

In my earlier post I was also said I was considering saving some money and skipping things like Bose and carbon fiber door sills, leather interior. etc. but in the end I decided to keep everything else in my build the same. While it was true that I didn't notice any of these things during my PEC experience, I think these little details may only add to my enjoyment of the car on a daily basis. Also this is the first new car I've ever ordered to my specs so it feels kinda special to get all the things you want.

All the comments about the track driving experiences being addictive is so true. When I was first thinking of getting GT3 I honestly said to myself that I probably wouldn't take it on the track that much if ever, but now I'm really understanding why people have these track-only cars that rarely if ever get driven on the street.

Thanks to all of you who shared your thoughts and experiences with me. I am incredibly grateful. I'm looking at hitting up Birmingham to do a two day course with a friend in September. Can't wait!!

 

I think you will be very happy with a GT3 and with your most recent leanings of LWB's and Manual.

 

If you are still uncertain about the transmission, and if you have the time, you could book another 90 minutes at either the LA or Atlanta Porsche experience and drive both PDK and manual, 45 min each, and see how you feel. They will be able to accommodate your needs. Instructor offered me the choice of manual for the second half of my last visit, but I was enjoying the PDK, since last time I was there I did a GT4. Call first if you decide to do so. Just a suggestion...