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I will say this, there is nothing stopping you from dailying a GT3. I actually find my GT3 too refined and plush for my tastes.
Try it on the roads of LA, currently 3rd worst in the country behind SF and San Jose. Here's a fun little stretch of Mulholland I bent a wheel and control arm on a few years back. The 405 sucks, the 110 sucks the 10 sucks, the 5 sucks. All the surface streets suck. I got my wife into a base model CX5 with the smaller diameter wheels, because the taller sidewalls are needed to deal with all the potholes without getting a flat or bending a wheel.
For how rough my GTS Coupe (with PDCC and SPASM) is over New England’s ****ty pothole-ridden roads, it’s hard to imagine daily-ing a GT3. Would it be OK? Probably, but I know my GTS is about as rough over ****e roads and potholes as I want to go.
The GT3 is like driving a chain saw in "angry mode". My friends prefer the GT3 over the GTS because, hey, we are dudes and who doesn't like driving angry kitchen appliances at WOT?
Both GTS and GT3 have 20in wheels so potholes are an issue in both. I find the Waze pothole alert helpful. Trust me, the roads around me are not much better than LA, and we actually have freezes.
also, with the sport exhaust off, up to 80mph in 6th the engine is quiet in a GT3.
Just drove my 991.2 GT3 from the SF east bay to Fremont during rush hour and I can concur - if you’re dealing with anything but high quality roads, the ride is a little much after a long day. With no adjustability, the GT3 is always “on”. One other thing to note - with the Cup 2 tires, tire noise over rough pavement is really loud. I love the lack of adjustability and always on feeling of the GT3, but for a daily driver I’d look elsewhere.
Just drove my 991.2 GT3 from the SF east bay to Fremont during rush hour and I can concur - if you’re dealing with anything but high quality roads, the ride is a little much after a long day. With no adjustability, the GT3 is always “on”. One other thing to note - with the Cup 2 tires, tire noise over rough pavement is really loud. I love the lack of adjustability and always on feeling of the GT3, but for a daily driver I’d look elsewhere.
? There is a suspension setting for sport and not sport (or whatever it is called). The two settings are not that far apart but on sport it is stiffer and you notice more bumps.
I recently sold my 2015 GT3 and bought a 2017 991.2 carrera .(both GT silver).
Like others have stated any carrera is a far superior daily driver than the GT3
Night and day.
Before buying the 2017 carrera, I also test drove a 2019 4gts in manual (loved it) and a 2019 gts pdk.
I live in Los Angeles and, as you know traffic here is a pain.
You will be fine with the targa gts. These new engines are really great.
Only thing I miss about the GT3 is the glorious sound at higher rpms.
I hated the noisy/clunky transmission in stop and go traffic.
Meant to say that I never touch the sport suspension button - couldn’t imagine needing a firmer ride on the street!
Originally Posted by evilfij
? There is a suspension setting for sport and not sport (or whatever it is called). The two settings are not that far apart but on sport it is stiffer and you notice more bumps.
Thanks everyone! Sounds like the GTS is a no brainer in my situation, and will be almost as fun as a GT3.... really excited. Now I just have to find one
OP, it is worth some of your time to give the Carrera T a good test drive. Especially with the 7MT, RAS and four-way sport seats, it makes for a very sporty, fun and practical daily driver. I still think it is the sweet spot in the 911 lineup and the most bang for your buck, in terms of fun per dollar.
I rThese new engines are really great.
Only thing I miss about the GT3 is the glorious sound at higher rpms.
If you're in search of a more defined/refined exhaust note on your 991.2 Carrera, I quantified the change in exhaust note by adding some Vektor Performance headers. They add power and improve spool-up and transient on the performance side. https://rennlist.com/forums/991/1138...se-change.html
When I drove a 991.2 GTS, the one thing that stood out to me most vs my .1 C2 (aside from the obvious power difference) was how 'luxurious' and comfortable the GTS feels. Definitely not the "raw" feel I considered GTS's of yore. Felt like a velvet glove, in that there's not really that "quirky sports car feel to it. Almost serene in how it just envelopes you in a wave of torque, pretty quiet in 911 standards, yet also exciting in how brutish it can be and how impeccably balanced it is (minus some fairly considerable turbo lag). I felt like I really needed to nail it and feel the massive push of torque, get the rear loose or go fast to truly FEEL it, which is a no no for me as that means it would get me in trouble lol. Personally, I like my 911's rawer, and I have mixed feelings about how coddling it felt for a "GTS," but I felt like I just wanted to keep driving it for a 5 hour long distance trip, it just fits around you very well and I couldn't imagine a better sports car DD to be able to swallow miles and sit through traffic in (maybe a Carrera S? But even then, the GTS interior appointments give it an extra rich feel). Overall an incredibly sophisticated and capable experience, with as odd as it sounds.... a cocktail of serenity and excitement in one package. Those are the words that keep sticking out to me.
Personally, I'd go GT3 without thinking twice or a fraction more than an immediate once, or even a .1 GTS as I like that it's more raucous. But my 911 is purely a pleasure car, so if traffic and DD comes into the equation, it's hard to beat the GTS.
When I drove a 991.2 GTS, the one thing that stood out to me most vs my .1 C2 (aside from the obvious power difference) was how 'luxurious' and comfortable the GTS feels. Definitely not the "raw" feel I considered GTS's of yore. Felt like a velvet glove, in that there's not really that "quirky sports car feel to it. Almost serene in how it just envelopes you in a wave of torque, pretty quiet in 911 standards, yet also exciting in how brutish it can be and how impeccably balanced it is (minus some fairly considerable turbo lag). I felt like I really needed to nail it and feel the massive push of torque, get the rear loose or go fast to truly FEEL it, which is a no no for me as that means it would get me in trouble lol. Personally, I like my 911's rawer, and I have mixed feelings about how coddling it felt for a "GTS," but I felt like I just wanted to keep driving it for a 5 hour long distance trip, it just fits around you very well and I couldn't imagine a better sports car DD to be able to swallow miles and sit through traffic in (maybe a Carrera S? But even then, the GTS interior appointments give it an extra rich feel). Overall an incredibly sophisticated and capable experience, with as odd as it sounds.... a cocktail of serenity and excitement in one package. Those are the words that keep sticking out to me.
Personally, I'd go GT3 without thinking twice or a fraction more than an immediate once, or even a .1 GTS as I like that it's more raucous. But my 911 is purely a pleasure car, so if traffic and DD comes into the equation, it's hard to beat the GTS.
Yah, I think you’re mostly just noticing the difference between 991.1 and 991.2. The latter being the better DD, while the former is more soul. It’s really just a spectrum. On one end of the spectrum, you’ve got driving experience, and on the other end you have convenience/usability.
Driver Experience (Fun & Soul)
- Throttle response
- Louder engine sound
- Steering feel & communication
- No understeer
- Responsive and communicative suspension
- Light weight
Each of the above criteria isn’t binary, and so we all have different tolerances and preferences, For me the 911 has been moving towards convenience and away from Fun & Soul. The Cayman/Boxster has had a much more extreme transition from the move from the flat six to the turbo 4, but we can definitely see it from 997->991.1 -> 991.2 -> 992. One of the consequences of this is that the GT3 is more differentiated from the GT3 than it ever has been because the GT3 is less compromising. The 991.2 and 992 driving experience is so “tame” when you want it to be and much closer to the luxury sedan experience than previous 911s. This isn’t to say newer 911s aren’t fun and capable weekend cars. The performance of the cars continue to push forward, but I do think the “soul” is getting more muted and this is where the GT3 shines. To me the 991.1 is the sweet spot of soul+convenience, but as I said before, everyone has their own sweet spot. I spoke about my thoughts on daily driver qualities in a post comparing my GTS to my McLaren 570S,
Yah, I think you’re mostly just noticing the difference between 991.1 and 991.2. The latter being the better DD, while the former is more soul. It’s really just a spectrum. On one end of the spectrum, you’ve got driving experience, and on the other end you have convenience/usability.
Driver Experience (Fun & Soul)
- Throttle response
- Louder engine sound
- Steering feel & communication
- No understeer
- Responsive and communicative suspension
- Light weight
Each of the above criteria isn’t binary, and so we all have different tolerances and preferences, For me the 911 has been moving towards convenience and away from Fun & Soul. The Cayman/Boxster has had a much more extreme transition from the move from the flat six to the turbo 4, but we can definitely see it from 997->991.1 -> 991.2 -> 992. One of the consequences of this is that the GT3 is more differentiated from the GT3 than it ever has been because the GT3 is less compromising. The 991.2 and 992 driving experience is so “tame” when you want it to be and much closer to the luxury sedan experience than previous 911s. This isn’t to say newer 911s aren’t fun and capable weekend cars. The performance of the cars continue to push forward, but I do think the “soul” is getting more muted and this is where the GT3 shines. To me the 991.1 is the sweet spot of soul+convenience, but as I said before, everyone has their own sweet spot. I spoke about my thoughts on daily driver qualities in a post comparing my GTS to my McLaren 570S,
Well said, and you certainly know your stuff with that sweet fleet there! Strong accolades re: the .1's soulfulness coming from someone who has what many consider McLaren's funnest car in the stable as well.
04-16-2019, 11:22 PM
