Dr_Strangelove

^^ I'm sorry Mike, I had to.

NYoutftr

Greetings from Upstate New York, be glad you moved to Texas.
I own a 2003 996 N.A.
It is not only a great street car but a lot of fun on the track.
I continue to upgrade any deficiencies that the 996 has been known for.
My next install in GT3 center radiator kit.
The 996 can driven.on long weekend trips and still be a fun track car.
Gratuitous pics

Mikelly

Good catch! Hahahaha

I track about 30 days per year instructing and racing as well. I didn't buy mine to track it specifically, but I bet it'll end up getting a day or six thrown in for snicks. It's just soooo darned nice to drive hard. Buy one, drive it, enjoy it. OP won't regret it.

Mike

Vipertag313

Beautiful Mustang, my previous DD was a '15 5.0 that was a full N/A build DD on E85 and some suspension modifications for track. The car went 11.3 in the quarter mile and broke into 2.36's at Sebring. A True "All Rounder"

I picked up my 996 after my 5.0 was involved in a wreck in town. Unlike most.. i Love the 996 and I always wanted to own one. I'm in the process of making supporting mods to continue my growth on track with the car. This is my progression and hopefully you'll be able to relate (2 stages)

Stage 1: Test - At Sebring - Dead Heat
Mustang: Non-PerformancePack '15 5.0 Mustang with power adder mods (455wheel HP), Carbotech XP-12 brake pads, and eibach springs on stock pirelli tires and performance pack wheels - 2:36.86
996: 100% Stock + H&R Sport Spring, Toyo R888r and PFC 08 Brake Pads - 2:36.84

Stage 2: Today - as of writing this afternoon im at Roebling Road Raceway, Savannah GA
New mods to 996: Baffled Oil Pan
The 996 is a momentum car with a solid amount of power to make it pretty damn dominant on track. At it's peak, I lapped today at 1:25 pace with the Nitto R888r being the limiting factor. I was holding Equal pace to a 100% stock GT350r that was there in a separate run group - As you know, different drivers with different cars render that comparison useless.
Cornering forces are too much for the stock "Sport seats" and stock seats for that matter, so I'm in the process of sourcing a Roll Bar (don't spend your hard earned money on a "techquipment" bar if you're going to track your car.. get a real one that mounts into the rear shock towers), OMP HTE-R Seats, Harness, and hans device. That will allow me more confidence to push further into the car in a safe enough environment.

After those are added, Sway Bars are next and when my struts wear out.. time for coil overs.

After tracking my mustang, i prefer my 996 in every single situation I face on track.

spruden

The 996 makes an awesome track and street machine. Ignore the noise from those that don’t have experience directly with the platform in a track settting.

Quadcammer is right that the engine rebuild/replacement cost is the biggest negative, especially relative to BMWs of the similar era. The E46 is a great platform, but it isn’t a 996 - feels totally different. I’ve spent some time with Porsche factory drivers and they all love the 996 - it has near perfect ergonomics for the track.

Running costs on the 996 aren’t too bad, parts are plentiful, the aftermarket is well established. I have thousands of reliable track miles on my 03 996. Although I’ll probably be selling mine to fund a full race car in a more popular series soon (SP 996 isn’t too popular). Gotta get more wheel to wheel action

Slakker

I took an E36 in on trade when I sold my 996 race car. My 996 had 12 years and 14,000 track miles on the engine without a hitch. After a 3 day weekend in the E36, I can't recommend them enough for people wanting to DE on a budget. They are a blast. And I sold it a month latter because it's not a 996. I ran a Spec Racer Ford for awhile and sold it a few months ago. Once you get used to a 911, everything else feels like stale. With 265rwhp, I was running 1:21s at Hallett and 1:20's at MSR Cresson. It was so much fun.

This year I have a 996TT that is fully tracked out that I'm going to give a whirl and another 996 C2 race car build in progress. I will be at the Apex event at Cresson March 3rd. Drop by if you are around.

apex32

Thank you all for the replies, it is greatly appreciated. I had a busy week and am just now catching up on the thread.

This 996 is what really peaked my interest in these cars again: https://rennlist.com/forums/vehicle-...t-to-last.html

I think at this point I am just going to drive a 996 c2 and maybe a 911TT as well. I am leaning more towards a c2 with some modifications and safety upgrades and just drive it on the street and occasional track day. Like others have said, I am pretty used to maintenance, and upkeep so I would just roll with it as things come up.

I probably wasn't explicit, but I do not intend to replace the mustang with a 996 for track duty. Maybe a few years ago before I dumped multiple 996s worth of $ into that car I would start with a different platform. I think a nice 996 would be a blast on the street and track and fill the gap I am trying to cover right now with vehicles in the stable.

Thanks again to all, this is a great forum.

rymerc

Don't get an e9x m3. It's an excellent track car, great for year-round driving and very comfortable and 911S performance. But it's too similar to the mustang. Only way I'd have an S550 or S197 AND an m3 was if the cheapness of the stang drove me nuts (it does) or I was too lazy to re-learn driving techniques between cars.

The 996 is a great car with a turd of an engine. The brakes, suspension, chassis all feel like they were engineered for a sports car, not adapted from a cheap sedan like the m3 or compromised for car-show geezers like the stang. Sure, it's not top of the line and was built to a price point, but you don't have silly issues like the e36s and e46s do with chassis tearing or junk brakes you have to drive around or wtf rear suspensions. That being said, I severely limit my 996 tracking to rainy or slow days, because I'm deathly afraid of popping a $10k+ engine but it is much more fun and rewarding on a road course than the m3.

Good prep advice here, most points have already been covered. Sounds like you're an aggressive driver and the people that aren't starving their 996 for oil on track are loafing on all-seasons or something. If you want to throw a baffled oil pan in and autox or hpde on summer tires, it's just fine for that. I wouldn't bother with the prep to run slicks or even decent 200TW tires, just too expensive to build for. GT3 control arms are $$$ and you can't get enough camber without them or camber plates, which I refuse to run on a street car.

Consummables are cheaper than a e9x m3 by a large margin, unless you blow the motor. 996 tires are cheaper and in easy common sizes, rotors are $600ish for 996 vs $900 for m3, pads are pretty similar for the same compounds, they both use a ton of fancy oil, but the 996 is far harder on oil than the m3 and overheats easier too. LOL at slakker's e36, I've still got one and yeah parts are practically free it's just too... normal, or slow? or easy compared to a faster car.

dporto

Once you drive one, you'll be hooked...mark my words

TonyTwoBags

Once you pin 3rd gear on the freeway, hit fourth and the m96 howls, it's a done deal. At least, it was for me

Mike Murphy

rymerc

Hurry up and buy. E36s around here went from $1500 cars to $3000 cars for anything running halfway decent with huge rust holes and 200k miles. People are scooping them up, and it's not unusual to see a cheaper e36 bought and relisted the same day for $3k+. We're in kind of a stupid market here though, still deals to be had you just have to drive to get them.

porschedog

My '03 996 C2 is my daily driver but it has seen and will see track time. The GT3 sees more of Homestead, but the 996 is fun down there as well.
It is a blast to drive to/from the office, secure in the knowledge if I press the loud pedal a bit more firmly, the scenery will go by at a faster, more exhilarating rate, accompanied by wonderful noise from the orchestra section tucked into the rear end. If an F-150 is silly enough to challenge me, he is toast. Alternatively, if I just poke along at sedate speed, that's fun, too. This car does it all.

Mike Murphy

clubracer6

Unless you do a RWD conversion on the 996tt, go with a C2. Even with everything off, the stability and other electronic stuff will come back on in the turbo if you get a bit too sideways. It will kill your exit speed and fun if you happen to be goofing off or push too hard in right corners and chicanes. It's massively annoying! If you do go with the turbo, make sure the coolant pipes are welded or pinned. If they are not plan on doing that.

I had a 40th anniversary c2, went to a 996tt w/KW3 coilovers, drop links sway bars and 500rwhp, but in the end sold it and came back to another 40th. It's just so much more lively and playful. You really get to enjoy it more often and easily compared to the turbo.

A 40th ae is a good one to look at if you do want to go do some track days here and there. They come with a limited slip, which was not available as an option after 2000 I think. Also more HP 345 and some extra bits to help with oiling. Check them out and if you realize it's the choice for you let me know. There may be a 40th on the market soon with GT3 control arms, GT3 sway bars, PSS10 coilovers, 997 GT3 seats and more... ;-)