1st time P-car owner
08-08-2014 | 01:08 AM
#1
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Joined: Mar 2013
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From: Toronto, Canada
1st time P-car owner
Well, after a long wait, I finally picked her up today after the engine and front wheel mesh replacements. It's a relatively "basic" car. The only paid options were the front axle lift and the Amaranth red colour.
Compared to many people here, my car ownership history is pretty "boring". I currently have a 9 year old C55 AMG and 6 year old 135i with a stick shift. Both bought new and still love them, and their performance level are similar to the E46 M3 in terms of acceleration/handling/laptimes. I go to track days about 4-5 times per year in the summer (mostly Mosport and Shannonville), and it is there where I became interested in P-cars. There are many people who take their 911's for track days and it was always a challenge and fun to try to keep up with them. However, 2 street cars that impressed me consistently were 997 GT3's, and 997 Turbo's. Their pace on track were exceptional. So when the 991 GT3 was announced, I was finally ready to join the 911 club.
Obviously, I have to break her in, but here are my initial impressions with gentle street driving today.
People are right about rattling/"burbling" noises from the engine at idle and when traveling at low engine speeds. In fact, it's not very pleasant compared to rock steady smooth and high torque engines in my other 2 cars. However, once rpm's go above 3000-4000, the engine note sharpens, the car feels more "stable", and the feeling is incredible. Haven't taken her above 6000 rpm yet, as speeds become pretty fast pretty quickly.
The PDK-S transmission is also something very different. It feels more like a manual transmission car than an automatic transmission car. In auto non-sport mode with gentle driving, it upshifts pretty quickly, keeping the engine in the low rpm range, subjecting you to all those rattling/"burbling" noises and vibrations from the engine. In fact, it feels better to drive in manual mode to keep the engine revs higher to get that more "stable" feeling I talked about earlier.......I didn't expect that. Maybe part of this feeling relates to the relatively low torque of this engine at low rpm's compared to my other 2 cars.
Can't wait to break her in and really drive her, ideally on a track. I'm sure I won't be disappointed, and I'm sure I'll be in for a completely different driving experience when I do.
I tend to keep my cars long term, so I'm sure I'll be hanging around to learn from many of you for years to come.
Here are few pics:
Compared to many people here, my car ownership history is pretty "boring". I currently have a 9 year old C55 AMG and 6 year old 135i with a stick shift. Both bought new and still love them, and their performance level are similar to the E46 M3 in terms of acceleration/handling/laptimes. I go to track days about 4-5 times per year in the summer (mostly Mosport and Shannonville), and it is there where I became interested in P-cars. There are many people who take their 911's for track days and it was always a challenge and fun to try to keep up with them. However, 2 street cars that impressed me consistently were 997 GT3's, and 997 Turbo's. Their pace on track were exceptional. So when the 991 GT3 was announced, I was finally ready to join the 911 club.
Obviously, I have to break her in, but here are my initial impressions with gentle street driving today.
People are right about rattling/"burbling" noises from the engine at idle and when traveling at low engine speeds. In fact, it's not very pleasant compared to rock steady smooth and high torque engines in my other 2 cars. However, once rpm's go above 3000-4000, the engine note sharpens, the car feels more "stable", and the feeling is incredible. Haven't taken her above 6000 rpm yet, as speeds become pretty fast pretty quickly.
The PDK-S transmission is also something very different. It feels more like a manual transmission car than an automatic transmission car. In auto non-sport mode with gentle driving, it upshifts pretty quickly, keeping the engine in the low rpm range, subjecting you to all those rattling/"burbling" noises and vibrations from the engine. In fact, it feels better to drive in manual mode to keep the engine revs higher to get that more "stable" feeling I talked about earlier.......I didn't expect that. Maybe part of this feeling relates to the relatively low torque of this engine at low rpm's compared to my other 2 cars.
Can't wait to break her in and really drive her, ideally on a track. I'm sure I won't be disappointed, and I'm sure I'll be in for a completely different driving experience when I do.
I tend to keep my cars long term, so I'm sure I'll be hanging around to learn from many of you for years to come.
Here are few pics:
08-08-2014 | 01:33 AM
#5
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,261
Likes: 23
From: south Florida
PC , congrats thanks for the first impressions ,she is a beauty, I love the that color
you have taken a bold step this being your first Porsche , that for sure puts you into a pretty exclusive group . Please continue to share your thoughts as you break her in .
Cheers to your first Porsche ,may she bring you years of good health,
frequent use is recommended to achieve that result !
you have taken a bold step this being your first Porsche , that for sure puts you into a pretty exclusive group . Please continue to share your thoughts as you break her in .
Cheers to your first Porsche ,may she bring you years of good health,
frequent use is recommended to achieve that result !
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08-08-2014 | 02:38 AM
#8
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From: Southwest Idaho
Wow I have a NEW FAVORITE COLOR (and a new Favorite Red)
thanks for showing us and man did you pick a nice car for your first Porsche.
BTW I have a 991 with a power kit and sport exhaust and I get the same burbling noises after
releasing the throttle.
And the PDK is a manual Transmission that shifts automatically. Thats why it feels like an Manual
In fact the guts of both the MT and the PDK are the same
thanks for showing us and man did you pick a nice car for your first Porsche.
BTW I have a 991 with a power kit and sport exhaust and I get the same burbling noises after
releasing the throttle.
And the PDK is a manual Transmission that shifts automatically. Thats why it feels like an Manual
In fact the guts of both the MT and the PDK are the same
08-08-2014 | 04:46 AM
#12
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: New Zealand
PC. Big congrats! Sharp colour - bet it looks even more wonderful when the sun is out (like the Zanzibar Red offered for one year on the 996.1 GT3 - which you guys dint get) - I think you are a very lucky man - Amaranth Red was only available on the MY2014 991 GT3 (785 units) as far as Im aware and has now been discontinued and replaced with metallic white - to the best of my knowledge yours is only one of three in this colour I am aware of globally out of a database of almost 200 x 991 GT3 I have on file and by picture! When you come to resell in 10 years time I think you will have no problems shifting her!
The gravelly sound at idle and low rpm is there for heritage and mechanical reasons (lighter flywheel). You will learn to enjoy it or ignore it. Standard auto is a slush mode IMO and good mainly for smooth progress in traffic and when you are tired and for fuel economy. Sport Auto is a bit to aggressive the opposite way for daily street driving but great on the track or when you want to go for a fast drive. manual is best of all for a fast street drive and Im sure more fun again than sport auto on the track although possible a bit slower until you are really experienced with the platform.
Enjoy in good health!
The gravelly sound at idle and low rpm is there for heritage and mechanical reasons (lighter flywheel). You will learn to enjoy it or ignore it. Standard auto is a slush mode IMO and good mainly for smooth progress in traffic and when you are tired and for fuel economy. Sport Auto is a bit to aggressive the opposite way for daily street driving but great on the track or when you want to go for a fast drive. manual is best of all for a fast street drive and Im sure more fun again than sport auto on the track although possible a bit slower until you are really experienced with the platform.
Enjoy in good health!
