74goldtarga

So I realize this is an "old" car now and that a million reviews have been done on this car since it came out nearly a decade ago. But it's fun to talk about actually driving and I had the chance to take my 2014 991.1 GT3 to the track this weekend after owning the car just a few weeks. The car has a G6 motor and stock tires/brakes/suspension/aero/seats. I did manage to get the car aligned and corner balanced at a local race shop to their streetable track alignment specs (-2.6 front camber, -2.1 rear). I also replaced brake fluid with Motul RBF. I drove for 2 days with the PCA Nord Stern region at Brainerd International Raceway "competition course".

I figure a new group of owners (people maybe like me) are buying and driving these cars - people who can't get a new GT3 or maybe can't afford or justify the price difference to a 991.2. No doubt the 991.1 is slower than the 991.2 and 992 on track but what are positive qualities of the 991?

The engine sounds amazing! Subjective whether there are better sounding NA engines (okay the Carrera GT sounds better) but it really is an awesome powerplant sonically.

The car has no real bad habits or tendencies- weight transfer is easy to control and the car doesn't seem to bite. We drove in the wet in the morning and I pretty much knew when I was going to get the tail to slide- the ESC allowed be to slide a fair amount before intervention which for me as an intermediate driver seemed just-right, so I Ieft it on. In the dry it came on only a few times and I was able to rotate the car as much as I wanted to without it interfering. It only came on when I blew it and I was thankful for the help in those moments. It is the easiest car to drive quickly I have ever driven on track.

991.1 chassis seems pretty stiff which I believe keeps the car very composed. The stock suspension in the sport setting was really good. I'm sure there is time to gain with suspension mods but I really like the suspension as is. I'm not sure what I would complain about - transitions are pretty fast. The only thing I would change is the tires - Cup 2 - certainly not a bad tire but I have a fair amount of time on Hoosiers and prefer them for their ultimate grip (another obvious statement I realize). The point is that I am not at present satisfied with the Cup 2 and I wonder if I figure out a stickier tire to run if I will then find that the suspension also needs to be changed. I like the FAL for my steep driveway so I am contemplating the DSC module for any track benefit but also for improved road manners and harshness which I found to be a nice improvement with my 997 GT3.

PDK is fun in it's own way - I have only had manual Porsche sports cars in the past and as a change of pace the PDK is as perfect as I can imagine it being. I tried it with the PDK sport button on and off and in auto and manual shift modes. I think PDK sport in auto mode is where I am going to end up. I realize the manual is "more engaging" but for me always being in the best place in the torque band including down-shifting to 2nd gear in slow corners was a big reason I traded my 997 GT3 for this car. We aren't all gifted track drivers and we don't all do 50 track-days a year, as such having the PDK allows you to focus on line, brake point and pressure, turn-in without having shifting also be a variable / distraction. If you have found yourself frustrated at missing shifts rather than inspired to get better at shifting then you might like this car.

The cabin is a really nice place to be when on track - aircon works at all times, seats are comfortable, driving position / visibility are great. Incidentally the 991 platform is really nice for a taller driver - I am 6'3" and while I always thought the 991 looked too big I appreciate the extra size when I am in the car - nothing wrong with a car that fits you. I have plenty of room for a helmet with my stock seats.

So in summary I love the car - it is no longer the ultimate track-day Porsche, if it ever was, but it is still a riot on the track and has literally zero qualities worth complaining about (wait, we are required to complain about the center-lock wheels). Does it make me miss my 997? Not at all - there is nothing the 997 GT3 does better than this car - unless you must have a manual. I love the way it feels, sounds, looks, and goes. I wish I was a better driver and had the time to get my new Ferodo 3.12 pads on the car as well as new faster tires but at least the last two issues are easy fixes.

I am curious if anyone else has similar feelings about their cars and what track-oriented modifications people feel made the biggest difference in terms of lap-time or enjoyment on the track.

ddugas01

Congrats on the new purchase. With the G6 engine, most of the haters out there will remain quiet. A couple of opinions:

1. The driver is the primary factor in measuring which car is faster on the track between these Porsche GT3 cars. The power is nearly the same, the handling differences are muted with upgrades, and only the 992 has a more significant suspension upgrade, but I’ve not witnessed much track time differences even with the $150k price delta.

2. Everyone has to do the same things to these cars, so welcome to the money pit. First it’s safety (roll bar, 6 pt harness and racing seats), second it’s brake rotor and pads upgrades (Jiro, AP etc), third it’s suspension (DSC controller to coil overs), fourth it’s exhaust (side muffler deletes to racing), fifth it’s 19” track wheels ( forgeline, Apex etc) and of course track tires (Hoosiers, hankooks, scrubs). You’ve started the alignment journey but there is much more that can be done, Eventually, it will sit like a cup car and you’ll no longer want to drive it to the track so a trailer and truck will be the final straw. Especially since you’ll be on track tires and wouldn’t want a puncture to ruin your day. Did I mention you’ll need a center lock torque wrench?

Welcome to the madness!

Phattymcgee

This is exactly where I am at. Porsche is the first brand of car I have bought for track days that was not manual. When I made the decision to go to 911’s it was with a .1 GTS. It had a PDK and I fell in love. My .1 turbo was a PDK and I loved that too. So when I went to a .2 RS I was not disappointed at all that it
is only available in a PDK. Like you I am not God’s gift to auto racing and lap times just don’t mean as much to me as knowing if I got it all correct that I am sitting in a machine that would produce a great time. Just like being a 14 handicap in golf. You go for the experience and fun along with realistic expectations of the result. A nice bonus is walking past the garage and seeing the absolute beauty sitting there that you earned. Congrats on your new machine!

Jickel180

The .2 may be faster but I don't think anyone decent will notice it behind the wheel of a .1 Tires and/or driver make all the difference. I recommend manual mode for optimal gear changes (where the computer can't predict), and it adds a lot more driver involvement.

The .1 is fuking brilliant and raw handful on track at the limit.

74goldtarga

Thanks for the replies. My plans are J-hook rotors and Tarrett caliper studs along with braided lines for brakes. I am obsessed with aero and I purchased the GT4 front underbody thingies but I think I will wait on those until I get a wing which could be awhile - okay, let's be honest, the stock wing is a menace on track for rear visibility - I get passed a lot.

Also wanted to do a diffuser but there isn't a whole lot of room under there especially since that's where my race ramps fit in my trailer - may order a 991R diffuser but not a first priority.

I'm thinking about getting a quick jack rather than jackpoint stands which I have used/borrowed. I know what I need for CL's otherwise

Next job is PPF the rest of the car as now it is only on the front - expensive and I'd rather buy tires but I want to protect the finish of the car since I will also drive it on the street and go to cars and coffee, etc.

I saw another 991.1 GT3 on 19s and it looked great so I think I will look for a 19" wheel set to run wider rubber - are there 19" track tires that have appropriate sizes other than Hoosiers?

I have a set of Recaros with sliders and Schroth harnesses but they are the recalled Profi XL seats and Recaro apparently no longer exists as a company so I have no idea if I will ever get a replacement. I am hesitant to buy a bar until I have seats. There seems to be some debate about whether the bar and harnesses are actually safer or just make the car easier to control as you are held in place better. My previous cars both had cages and race seats with harnesses so that is what I'm used to but I didn't miss them this weekend from a driving standpoint.

The car has a Sharwerks center delete - which sounds glorious - but even with valves closed it seems too loud to me on track with ear plugs. I want that 8000-9000 rpm engine note but at a lower volume in-car. It was enough that I was wondering what the Dundon quiet muffler with headers sounds like. Otherwise I might try to trade the SW for a stock muffler.

Nan P

Congrats on the Car and taking it to the Track!
You really appreciate what they can do on track as a street car.

I have the Recaro Profi XL's w/ BBI Sliders, GMG Cage and 6 point harness; it really adds to the experience and control of the car on track - always recommended.
Ferodo Pads are going in next and probably 19" wheels with some sort of sticky tire. The more you track it you'll find the car to be on the soft side, so either a new coilover setup or changing of springs might be in order (I'm at this point) to work properly with the sticky tires.

However, Instructor lessons are No.1 - also next on my agenda.

Enjoy in good health!

ParadiseGT3

Cool writeup. It's an old car now, but the performance and experience are still very relevant and will remain so.

Have a base 991.2. Recently behind 991.1 in a session, might have had some power mods, but imperceptible difference from low 2nd gear through almost top of 4th.

992 GT3 behind me in another session, confirmed power mods, again, marginal difference.

Have experienced the same with 991 RS's many other times.

Track performance is about much more than straight line speed of course, but have routinely observed the gens so closely matched. Driver determines which is the ultimate track day Porsche on any given day.

Pace, driver involvement and enjoyment as you describe, incredible reliability, almost 10 years post-release now but 991.1 drivers aren't missing out on much.

On TC/ESC -- I've yet to be convinced that the fastest lap on most tracks falls outside the parameters of full on. The calibration is almost perfect.

Mods -- haven't felt the need to progress beyond an alignment (all stock components), pads, fluid, Girodiscs. Possible weight reduction on my radar but that's all I'd do.

If you're running the 991.1 sofas, a bucket really would enhance the on track experience.

Recommend Nankang AR-1 or CR-S for Cup 2 replacement. CR-S the better option if you're driving on the street, need wet performance.

74goldtarga

I cleaned the car up Monday and took my wife out to dinner in it. Walking back to the car after dinner my wife says “that really is a great car. So good looking. I love it!” What’s that worth after you have used the same car for a track weekend the day before.

I have AR-1 with one weekend to go on for my next track day. Appreciate the other suggestions. The next mods are discs and brake lines and then quickjack. I might treat myself to DSC for Christmas and go from there. I keep waiting to hear from Recaro on the stop-use of the Profi XL seats that failed FIA testing earlier this year but they have zero plan to replace. Once I figure that out I will get a bar

Skid

Ha.. am v similar to OP: also coming from a 997 GTS and also some past race & track cars, all manual; also my .1 GT3 is my first PDK, and even same 6’3”! Yeah, I agree on several fronts: the 9k redline and sound is just exhilarating; PDK in manual mode is the best track mode tranny ever; finding -2.8F/-2.4R is good track alignment but meh on the PSC2’s, and meh on the OEM 4-way buckets for track use (I have LWCB’s in my 987.2 Spyder which I don’t track and wish the seats were switched between cars!).

I waited to find the right car and having a G6 was a hard criteria. After tracking alongside .2’S, .1 and .2 RS’s, and the latest GT4’s, I find this car is 97-99% of any of those but at a serious cost discount. I think G6 .1’s are _the_ steal of the entire GTx car universe.

A few things learned and done since acquiring this car:
* For lap times, tires trump everything else (duh). The Cup2’s were fun till I ran through a set of used R7’s. Now I’m spoiled!
* I have gone with a torque multiplier for wheel changes and find that works very well and all-in is a compact kit for taking to the track.
* I got a 2nd set of OEM rims secondhand and the plan is to have AR-1’s or R7’s on those, and keep PSC2’s on the OEM rims for periods between track days, for distant track days or wet track days.
* To get -2.8 with adjustability upfront I went with RSS XL Monoballs and adjustable pucks. Would say the Monoballs make for great feel on turn-in. Yes, you can add adjustable (e.g. Tarret) top camber plates as well for 2-pivot point adjustability but the lower XL Monoballs are probably a better bang for buck… i.e. If you add solid metal anywhere its best where cornering loads are highest, and that’s in the lower arms, moreso than in the vertical struts.
* I had a Sharkwerks 3rd muffler delete on a prior car but will stay with OEM mufflers here. More and more tracks, especially new ones, have db limits and I have found even OEM is borderline at some.

I think the next big improvement is something to stay planted better in the seat. I actually get a pretty raw left knee after 2 track days back to back, from bracing myself against the door. Plus am using my steering wheel grip for more than steering, which is not optimal. Chest strap or a aftermarket (OMP?) seat may be best bang for buck.

All in all, am really happy with this reward/price ratio on this car. Unbeatable, I think.

Rapter

Has anyone recently upgraded their springs and added a DSC to their 991.1 gt3?

I would like to know spring options and recommends for kits to make an awesome track set up using the factory shocks and DSC.
Also, are you using the stock DSC map or something custom once you upgrade the springs?

Rapter

I see from some other threads owners have swapped out the stock gt3 991.1 springs for the stock gt3rs 991.2 springs and retained the shocks then added dsc.

How costly are the stock gt3rs springs vs. Something offered by the aftermarket ?
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RDCR

I'm running the DSC tractive coilers with RS .2 springs rates and the DSC controller with custom map from Tom at TPC and couldn't be happier. Street ride is a bit harsh at times but on track the car feels so settled and unaffected by curbs or anything else. At the very least go with a spring upgrade. I believe the street ride with just the OEM controller and increased spring rates will be more harsh than the Tractive setup but will still be better on track than all OEM as the stock springs are just too soft.

Skid

For comparative purposes, what are front/rear spring rates for OEM .1 GT3 vs OEM .2 RS?

RDCR

Per Tom Chan when DSC set up my Tractive Coilovers:

"We customize the spring rates to each order to optimize the intended use. The stock spring rates on a 991.1 GT3 is 45/100nm.
A very popular choice is 100/160 which is same as 991.2 GT3RS. For more track focused I'd go with 120/180 or 130/200.
If you do a lot of street driving and want a good balance between comfort and performance 70/140 is excellent."

I went with the 100/160.

MrNoXiDe

I'd agree at this stage of the game it's going to be the driver the separates the car versus the driver.