Just like the post says I want to be Devils Advocate here and mention things that I don't like about the new GT3. Everyone has made it very clear that the car is amazing (which it truly is) but for arguments sake I want to point out some things that aren't so perfect on the car.

1. I did my first track day this weekend and I was under the assumption, being it was a stupid assumption, since the car is PDK I'm going to destroy the track on the first run out and everyone will bow down to the all mighty GT3. Wrong. It took me a good 3-4 runs to really get the car right on this particular track (MSR Houston) and the car wasn't as easy as some people are saying it is. I am coming from an E92 M3 and a F10 M5 and these cars were so predictable on the track that it kind of took away from the track experience I guess, but that is also why I put down blazing times in them. This car revs so much that I found myself shifting at about 8300 instead letting it redline properly. I am sure it was bad driving on my part but I'm not used to hearing the engine go that long, even though it sounds magnificent. I think I will master the car soon enough but anyone who thinks they are simply going to get in it and become Aryton Senna are in for a surprise.

2. I had my windows down on the track and I noticed that either I have never had a car this light but a strong wind (18 MPH) was pushing the car in different directions when I was going about 80+ MPH. Maybe someone with a little more experience can chime in but that along with elevation changes was throwing me off, I found myself expectant that the car was going to go sideways on corners and it slowed me down. Once again chalk it up to my bad driving, but I am pretty sure I can't be the only one has dealt with this seeing as to the ****ty weather the USA has been having lately.

3. The steering wheel feels kinda thin? Not sure how to explain it but the alcantara on the wheel was not providing enough grip and actually had my hand slipping more than leather at times. I'm also used to the thick BMW M steering wheels so this thinner steering wheel is bugging me.

4. You can hear every pebble going through the wheel wells. This is my first Porsche so maybe that's just me being a stickler, but there was a slight gravel enterance that I had to go through and it sounded like every rock in the world was smashing about in the wheel wells. It actually scared me for a second. Maybe that's just me being a Porsche noob.

5. I have about 1300 miles on my car and I did a easy break in for the first 200 miles and then started slowly ramping up till about 500 miles when I let her loose completely. I got the low oil warning at about 1290 miles, but not sure how low my oil actually is. On my M5 the oil would be low, but it wouldn't be really low for another 500 miles or so. Regardless I am taking it in to the dealer tomorrow to make sure the car is still 100% good to go and give me a little peace of mind.

Once again this is all subjective material that I am posting in an attempt to see what other owners future/present/past think of my initial thoughts. Don't let these thoughts confuse you though, I have never driven anything like it and I think it is an amazing car with lots of potential. A lot of these "concerns" that I brought up will most likely be gone as I get more used to the car

 

My biggest issue is that it's not here! You are in Houston would love to get together for a drink and see your car!

 

I've been waiting for this thread. Please, others chime in and be honest.

Ychaudhary, I also have a F10 M5. How do you feel PDK-S compares to the M-DCT in the F10? I think the BMW tranny is basically brilliant (best aspect of the car actually), so curious to hear about the 991.

 

+1, very useful for those of us who are still deciding.

 

I've always thought that the latest Porsche steering wheels have an excessively large diameter and narrow grip. It's kind of unusual/surprising for a sports car.

 

Stickier tires than most street cars and less insulation is why you hear more stones in the wheel wells. No offense, but it is a GT3.

I would believe oil consumption will decrease given more miles. Track time likely increases oil consumption, especially on a new car. Not a big deal, but you should check after each session. I always carry a spare quart. Porsche makes a very cool oil carrier which velcroed to the carpet in the trunk. It sealed with a zipper and kept the container from moving. It is great to have when taking road trips, not for the track. I put the quart inside a Ziplock container before placing in the Vinyl Porsche carrier. That took a lot of lateral Gs without any issues.

You should know where your oil level is and how to check it. One to two bars from the top is ideal.

 

Congrats on your purchase.
1. Coming from an E92 with perfect 50/50 weight distribution and front engine, the driving dynamics in the GT3 will be much different. This is probably what you experienced.
Practice and good instructions will help.
3. The GT3 of old days had no insulation, the new one has probably less than the E92 and definetly less than the F10. You will hear a lot more noises. This is good so you can hear the great sound the flat 6 makes.

 

Hearing the gravel in the wheel wells is normal especially with the sticky tires as 911dev points out; this car does not have a lot of insulation. You can hear engine noises, exhaust sounds, tire and road noise, and chatter from the transmission at idle that sounds a lot like that from a single mass flywheel. If you are expecting a serene driving experience, look for a different car. Also, if you care, fuel mileage isn't that great, as 7th gear is not particularly tall.

No offense, but there's really no reason why one should wait to get a low level warning before checking the oil. It couldn't be easier to do; level surface, engine warmed up and at idle, call up the gauge in the dash display. 1 bar below the top is considered optimum, according to the manual. I make it a habit to check the level before shutting down every time I pull into my garage after a run.

As to the differences between a Porsche and a BMW, a heavy car and a light car, they are what they are. If you're new to Porsche, you've embarked on a quite enjoyable learning curve.

To those expecting a long litany of negatives from current owners in this thread, I predict you'll be in for a rather long wait. Just a guess....

 

It's better than e90 M3's DCT for sure, especially when shifting manually. The only thing that I miss from DCT is multiple levels of shift logic adjustment. Also, maybe the traffic crawl mode in DCT. But PDK-S beats it in 1) speed of both response to pedal pull and in execution of shift; 2) consistency - in DCT shifts would have slightly different speed and different effect on car balance, while PDK-S is more consistent.

 

In this thread...people comparing a 4 door sedan to a purpose built sports car...


But it's nice to hear different opinions...

 

Your first point is simply a by product of going from a BMW to a Porsche. It takes a better driver to turn fast laps in any 911. I too came from BMW and ended up taking two steps backwards. Hell, in my E36 M3 with typical track mods and sticky tires, I would chase down and pass a lot of folks in really fast Porsches. It wasn't b/c I was a better driver than those guys, it was just that 911s are harder to master and my BMW was a pussycat on track. . . very easy to get near the car's limits.

And no amount of PSM/TC/RWS etc etc can fully mask the giant mass hanging out behind the rear axle.

 

My main criticism of the car is that I feel the steering is rather wooly. I'm not a fan of electric steering and, although better than the regular 991, this is probably the weakest link in the package. It tunes out a lot of 'noise' but I still prefer the hydraulic steering of the 997 GT3.

I think the PDK-S in sport mode is outstanding on the road but can't comment on the track where I expect everyone should be using the paddles in manual mode. I wish there were change lights somewhere in the line of sight.

 

Track performance has more to do with driving skills than any thing else. I am sure I would not be able to keep up with Senna driving a Prius on the track regardless of whichever car I am driving.

I agree the wind does make the 911 move around a bit which can be disconcerting.

 

I would think Sport Chrono would be the mode of choice for track use

 

Sport Chrono in the GT3 doesn't change any driving parameters like it does in the other models; it's just a Chrono....