"practical" GT3 replacement
09-17-2018, 02:33 AM
#46
I'd stay away from a GT350. The engine seized in the '16 I had with only 3K on it and not abused whatsoever. Had the oil changed at 1K miles and taken care of in general. Ford wanted to just replace the engine and had to do some arm twisting to get a replacement car. I had to wait 6 months for a '17 as Ford doesn't produce GT350's in the winter months. I had the '17 for another 3-4K miles and sold it as I just got tired of the crap build quality, had no faith in the engine because of the misfortune in my '16. Mexican made VW Jettas are made better than the S550 Mustangs.
09-17-2018, 06:42 AM
#47
Why not get a 991.2 gts? With just a cobb tune it will surpass a gt3 in the power department (especially down low).It wont handle quote as aggressive but close none the less. I thought I wanted a gt3 but also test drove the gts and was more impressed.... 
09-17-2018, 09:06 AM
#48
Instructor
I had a GT350R before my GT3 and cannot say enough good things about that car. It was amazing on street and track and I wish I still had it along with the GT3. The only word of caution I would give you on the R is the front splitter is very low and there is no front lift option. You will need to remain conscious of your surroundings when you drive to make sure you don't scrape the front end, but very good and enjoyable car on the street.
09-17-2018, 09:18 AM
#49
One word: GT350
It makes all those cars m4, m3, alfa, audi **** their pants. The way it sounds plus bolt rifle action shifter are both things that none of those turbo charged cars can even come close. Its sound alone is incredible. The shifter in BMWs feels like a shifter from 1994 lada samara. I never liked BMW’s shifters.
Pull up to a BMW dealer, rev the engine to 4000 rpm not even 8250 and watch all their salesman come out saliva dripping out of their mouth. Then you should ask them why doesnt germans make cars sound like this
I just cannot stand how the S55 engine in an M4 sounds like. Literally a redmax leaf blower has a more visceral sound.
And that car pulls like a freight train. It has the torque of a turbo charged car at 3500 rpm (446 ft/lbs).
Build quality issues do exist but if you get a good car, they simply do not break and are rock solid. You can literally go on 30-40k miles without visiting a dealer except for oil changes.
It makes all those cars m4, m3, alfa, audi **** their pants. The way it sounds plus bolt rifle action shifter are both things that none of those turbo charged cars can even come close. Its sound alone is incredible. The shifter in BMWs feels like a shifter from 1994 lada samara. I never liked BMW’s shifters.
Pull up to a BMW dealer, rev the engine to 4000 rpm not even 8250 and watch all their salesman come out saliva dripping out of their mouth. Then you should ask them why doesnt germans make cars sound like this
I just cannot stand how the S55 engine in an M4 sounds like. Literally a redmax leaf blower has a more visceral sound.And that car pulls like a freight train. It has the torque of a turbo charged car at 3500 rpm (446 ft/lbs).
Build quality issues do exist but if you get a good car, they simply do not break and are rock solid. You can literally go on 30-40k miles without visiting a dealer except for oil changes.
09-17-2018, 10:04 AM
#50
GT350 is amazing to drive. Way better than the M4 IMO. M4 is one of the very few popular cars that got a lot of bad reviews on YouTube and unfortunately they are right.
BUT, some GT350 drink a quart per 500-1000 miles and we have seen multiple engine replacement. Reasons is unknown. Let’s not even get into the build quality.... so hmm, good car but buyer beware. I sold mine few months ago.
I’d vote for the new C63. I had a 507 before. The new one has less drama but still more fun than the other two German competitors.
BUT, some GT350 drink a quart per 500-1000 miles and we have seen multiple engine replacement. Reasons is unknown. Let’s not even get into the build quality.... so hmm, good car but buyer beware. I sold mine few months ago.
I’d vote for the new C63. I had a 507 before. The new one has less drama but still more fun than the other two German competitors.
09-17-2018, 10:15 AM
#51
Three Wheelin'
The GT350 is 95% the same car and way more practical. It has a backseat, radio and A/C.
09-17-2018, 11:29 AM
#52
Rennlist Member
Lexus RCF. Don't believe the negative reviews. I love mine as a DD. Yes, it's heavy, but it hides it's weight amazingly well, and the chassis is extremely good/balanced. The high-speed stability is superb. Steering is numb but direct. And the 5.0 NA motor is one of the best motors I have ever experienced. It's a freaking hoot. The seats are also the best seats I have ever sat in. Mark Levinson on par or better than my Burmester in my 991. They're cheap on the used market and bulletproof reliability.
09-17-2018, 11:42 AM
#53
09-17-2018, 11:51 AM
#54
Rennlist Member
09-17-2018, 04:20 PM
#55
Instructor
Thread Starter
Dang after reading all this I'm back to square one. I'll go out and check some of your suggestions out and report back.
As cool as the Mustang may be I'm not sure if it's for me. I think it will be either the M2 comp. or another C63
thanks
As cool as the Mustang may be I'm not sure if it's for me. I think it will be either the M2 comp. or another C63
thanks
09-17-2018, 09:56 PM
#58
996 GT3? There are about a dozen on the market starting in the $70's. Steering feel/ chassis feel are arguably more tactile than the 997 and IMHO than the 991's and definitely feels smaller. Ride's not bad but not Turbo quality either.
Almost identical in acceleration and handling to GT350, maybe better than when originally tested if plied with PSC 2's which weren't around a dozen years ago. Very similar to the GT4 in stats as well that SToronto mentioned above and no back seat unless converted.
09-18-2018, 05:46 PM
#60
I had a 2017 F80 M3 that was FBO running full E85 pushing slightly north of 590whp, albeit it was a DCT. I've driven an M3 with a manual so I think I can provide some real experience.
It all depends on what you're looking after in terms of details. If you're looking for something that sounds good and is fun - the C63S is amazing. The issue with the M3/M4 is the sound, as it takes quite a decent amount of money to make it sound acceptable with aftermarket products. The interior is also starting to look and feel dated. About a year ago, I was looking at a C63S for the missus since back then I had a 4 door M3, we could've used a nice 2 door car that was less practical (GT3 takes that slot now
). The C63S sounded amazing in comparison to the M3, and the interior quality was simply beyond that of the M3/M4. The infotainment was not as intuitive as BMW's, but then again - BMW has the best infotainment system in the market now as far as I'm concerned. If I had to choose between an M4 and a C63S right now, I'd take the C63S in a heartbeat. Sounds better, looks a bit more menacing, interior quality is superior, and it's rarer than the M4. If I was looking for a daily driver that could track, the M4 would probably be better since it's far less heavier and feels more at home at the track.
Driving wise, I did not get to push the C63S at all since it was brand new, but I am sure it's just as fun as the M4 on the streets. It has a bit more presence depending on the exterior paint too, my brief drive definitely turned more heads than my M3 did despite being a teal painted car vs the MB's grey.
Some specifics about the M4 - the 6MT is an absolute joy to drive. The DCT was an absolute mistake on my end, but I had no choice since the wife can't drive a manual. The rear seats also have a surprising amount of space. The M3/M4's engine, known internally as the S55, is also plagued with a specific engine issue - spun crank hub. More 6MT's are affected by it than DCT's, but it happens during a money shift mostly. BMW has been on a witch hunt for every case of the spun crank hub, looking to blame any modification they can so they don't have to foot the bill on a new engine. People with a simple intake or catback exhaust have been denied warranties and have had to fight tooth and nail to get a new engine.. which is what makes ownership a bit tedious since you want to throw some aftermarket bits to make it more unique/sound better since M cars tend to be very common these days, especially as the F80/F82's life cycle draws closer to an end, there are significantly more F80 M3's and F82 M4's on the streets now since they can be had for 45-55k in the used market very easily.
Just my .2
It all depends on what you're looking after in terms of details. If you're looking for something that sounds good and is fun - the C63S is amazing. The issue with the M3/M4 is the sound, as it takes quite a decent amount of money to make it sound acceptable with aftermarket products. The interior is also starting to look and feel dated. About a year ago, I was looking at a C63S for the missus since back then I had a 4 door M3, we could've used a nice 2 door car that was less practical (GT3 takes that slot now
). The C63S sounded amazing in comparison to the M3, and the interior quality was simply beyond that of the M3/M4. The infotainment was not as intuitive as BMW's, but then again - BMW has the best infotainment system in the market now as far as I'm concerned. If I had to choose between an M4 and a C63S right now, I'd take the C63S in a heartbeat. Sounds better, looks a bit more menacing, interior quality is superior, and it's rarer than the M4. If I was looking for a daily driver that could track, the M4 would probably be better since it's far less heavier and feels more at home at the track.Driving wise, I did not get to push the C63S at all since it was brand new, but I am sure it's just as fun as the M4 on the streets. It has a bit more presence depending on the exterior paint too, my brief drive definitely turned more heads than my M3 did despite being a teal painted car vs the MB's grey.
Some specifics about the M4 - the 6MT is an absolute joy to drive. The DCT was an absolute mistake on my end, but I had no choice since the wife can't drive a manual. The rear seats also have a surprising amount of space. The M3/M4's engine, known internally as the S55, is also plagued with a specific engine issue - spun crank hub. More 6MT's are affected by it than DCT's, but it happens during a money shift mostly. BMW has been on a witch hunt for every case of the spun crank hub, looking to blame any modification they can so they don't have to foot the bill on a new engine. People with a simple intake or catback exhaust have been denied warranties and have had to fight tooth and nail to get a new engine.. which is what makes ownership a bit tedious since you want to throw some aftermarket bits to make it more unique/sound better since M cars tend to be very common these days, especially as the F80/F82's life cycle draws closer to an end, there are significantly more F80 M3's and F82 M4's on the streets now since they can be had for 45-55k in the used market very easily.
Just my .2