Gadsby

My son insists we take the 6gt3 everywhere we can, its even his school bus! It depends on what you like!

9caregiver

I agree with Gadsby, we have taken many road trips in the family vehicles over the years. Trips down to the dragon are about 600 miles one way and I am less exhausted and not as sore in my 6GT3. Maybe it's just the thrill of the drive versus the family vehicles but I have no complaints in this car and would drive it across the country (if I could find the time).

black04

I've done 5000 mile roadtrips to The Dragon in N. Carolina, 3 times, from Los Angeles. Driving straight through I-40 one way and hitting every curving state hwy and county road on the return trip. Many days are less than 250 miles/day with 1000 good corners. My hands are sometimes sore before 2 pm and I am ready to stop for the day. I used to give my buddy a bad time for wearing driving gloves. :-)

Last time I spent 4 days on "little black lines" in Tennessee and Kentucky. If I didn't finally get on the Interstate for a couple hours, I never would have gotten home.

The comfort is marginal on the super-slab, but the fun in the corners more than makes up for that. Oh and the noise. I like that poster's "noise-canceling headphones for more than 30 minute trips" idea. I have used ear plugs all day, with the radio turned up to 2 times the normal volume.

rey

As most have suggested the later the year the more street friendly. I drive mine quite frequently as a DD to work and back. All the routes have just gotten more and more congested and it's not that fun. Car wants to RUN not putter around. More early Sunday morning drives now. Used to track it but not so much any more. We do drive it from Boston to to western NC every year ( 15 yrs running) to join up with a bunch of other cars and spend a week running on the various roads around the Blue Ridge Parkway which is a blast. The drive down and back sucks. We use earplugs as you can't hear sh*t anyway over the Fabspeed Cup exhaust. One year we traded with a friend for his 997.1 RS for a week and I really enjoyed that car. But it was just really different than the rawness of the 6.

Really depends on your driving style. When in the 6's element, track or twisty mountain/country roads there's nothing like. Car just want to rotate.

-Rey

P-nache

td/Himself is right; cruise control was an option on the 6GT3. If memory is correct, it's 454 on the build sheet (but I'm not bettin' money on it). I also believe there's a DIY article on Renntech on adding cruise. Look in the 986 Boxster section. Also an article on Pelican's DIY. The addition is really quite straightforward and not tough or expensive. On 6GT3 cars without cruise (and other 996/986 models without cruise), the computer has the capability sitting there and just needs to be activated once the replacement 4-arm stalk is added and powered up. If your 996/986 doesn't have cruise, take a look at the instrument cluster and you'll likely see the cruise control display.

Agreed that its "home" is on the track where it can "do its duty" impeccably.

porschedog

Marv, you are my hero for all the miles on your car!! I am barely past 60K

Let me start by saying I LOVE my GT3. However, while I have had a blast taking it on road trips to Tampa, I was pretty much deaf by the time I arrived and the stereo was useless due to road noise. A set of headphones would have allowed conversations that doesn't start with "WHAT???" every time.

Yes, the ride is a bit harsh on less than primo roads, but for 200-300 miles at a whack my spleen can stand it.

I used the 6GT3 as a DD for about a month while my DD '03 996 was getting an engine refresh. I was Very happy to crawl back into the 996 and its comfy Recaros, but I have to say my left leg was super buff from all the clutch work. I discovered I attracted a lot less attention as I rolled thru speed traps.


Would I take the '3 on a road to trip from Ft Lauderdale to Jax or Pensacola, knowing what I now know? Hells Yes. Cross Country? Yeah, that'd be a hoot, too (as long as I had a David Clark in-cabin headphone system).

christallon

Ha, Love this thread. Goes to show you how different people are. Different strokes and all that...

I love my 3. It doesn't get driven as often, not because it's loud, abnoxcious, stiff and particular...that's what I love about it. It doesn't get driven because I have a truck for my daily urban assault, and an 987.2 Spyder for wife work. She hates the 3 and Loves the Spyder. The 3 is an exceptionally focused, no excuses machine that will light up your life, if you adore driving. It's mechanical nirvana, and the last of the breed. Many said the same of the 73 RS way back then

Marv

I don't find the noise a problem. However, I never listen to music except that coming from the engine.

Longest straight-through drive we did was from Melbourne, FL to Mobile, Alabama (then back a few days later. That was about 570 miles one way.

I do get the left leg syndrome! If I get into another manual transmission car my first reaction is that the clutch is broken!

For me the car makes a great DD. It feels like a real sports car.

StephenB

You really need to drive one before you decide to buy.

When I was searching for a 996TT, I ended up test driving a GT3 by happenstance and immediately knew I had to have one. IMHO, the TT felt a bit numb after driving a GT3.

I added Ohlins earlier this year and found the car handles much better than stock while the ride is much more compliant despite the stiffer springs.

PS I used my GT3 as a DD for 4 years.

NaroEscape

Our '04 is my DD. Got a M235i recently and wife uses that into downtown parking garage for work, and we seem to use that a bit more than the GT3, but still put over 10k/year on it. Tripped 97k today.

mikehinton

I guess I'll have to disagree with the notion that a 996GT3 can't be a daily driver. Last year, mine did a road trip of over 8,000 miles to Vermont and back. I did almost 1,100 miles in one day, and seats are the most comfortable I've ever experienced. I find that the ride comfort is little different from the 2014 991 base model that I traded for the GT3. I find the sound to be completely tolerable (but I DO usually drive air-cooled 911s), and having actual, functioning A/C is a real bonus. For me, it's the perfect balance between an outstanding GT car for the road, and a really fun toy on the track.

YMMV, of course!

rebrewer

I'll bet you don't have the Euro seats!

pissedpuppy

any variant - take your pick and enjoy!

I have only owned 2 - both 997.1 - and both are DD

i am looking to add a 996

bubba928

I've driven mine on overnight trips and yes it is loud, however, I use earplugs and they make the drive enjoyable, still tough on the bottom though!

PCA7GGR

Prior to a Cayman S, I've had torsion bar Porsche ('73T, 84/87 Carrera TurboLooks, '70 RSR clone and a 914-6GT race car plus an assortment of 914s). I sold the Cayman S after I got the '04 GT3.

On her first ride in the GT3, Diane (my better half) quietly said, "You bought another Flintstone's car".

With that, she pretty much nailed the ride of the GT3.