Philip in AL

I need some quick help please. I'm going to buy one of two GT3's in the morning. I drove both (back to back) and here are the differences.

Car number 1)
Litronic headlights
Deviating red stiching on the black leather.
full carbon fiber on the AC vents and around the instrument panel.
chrome duel exhaust tips
742 miles
Stainless gt3 door sills
The tips and carbon AC vents and around the instruments were added at the dealership, after the purchase.

Car number 2)
no Litronics
no deviating stiching
only carbon is the shifter, handbrake, steering wheel and GT3 carbon door sills
Red gauge faces
1450 miles
3M film on the front for protection
Ceramic brakes
Porsche certified warranty of 6 years and 100,000 miles
The ceramic brakes were added afterwards, at the dealership.
The regular brakes are also included with the purchase!

Here are my thoughts. Car one shifts smoother; looks a little cleaner and looks better inside, but does not seem near as fast or responsive as car 2. Could this be because each rotor and caliper weighs 43 lbs less (for a total weight reduction of 172 lb of unsprung weight)! Is it really possible that the ceramic brakes can make that kind of difference? OR, is it more likely that car 1 is not broken in yet, and will get faster?

Any input will help. Both cars are the same price; $110,000.
I guess the real deal is that car 1 has an extra $2,500 worth of Carbon Fiber and red deviating stiching, but car 2 has ceramic AND the steel brake setup as well. Any comments are appreciated. One more thing; if I buy car 1, the dealer will put my car (one of the nicest 1997 c4s to be found) on the floor on consignment, so I won't be bothered with having to sell it.

SFZ GT3

Wow, nice choice! I'll let other more knowledgeable folks speak to the weight of the PCCB's, but I believe the total weight saving is more on the order of 50 lbs, so I doubt that the performance edge is based on that. It is probably break in, however it could be something more. Can the dealer pull the codes to see if there is anything "electronic" going on?

My big question on both cars would be about how the current miles were obtained. Are these cars trade ins? Or are they demos (I doubt that!). Are they being sold as new or used?

On the PCCB's, be sure to read the thread here on them. Definitely get the steel rotor "package" if you plan any extensive track driving.

Good luck with your choice and enjoy! Mine's not here for another 2 months , so I'll just have to live vicariously through this andf other forums.

Viken

It is likely that car #2 has a slightly more broken in engine. The PCCB brakes are not 43 lbs per corner less. The total weight savings is approximately 44 lbs.

Bob Rouleau

I agree - the second car probably feels better because it is broken in more.
Pick the one you like. Avoid PCCB for track use however.

Philip in AL

I have read the thread containing the horror stories and the PCCB. I was about to turn the car down until I found out that both brake systems came with the sale. Both cars were bought local. One seller is a world known sports surgeon who loves cars (he is now driving a Aston Martin Vanquish, amongst other things). The other seller is a Porsche fanatic!

MJones

Car #1
It's got Litronics (Superior nightime illumination) and half the mileage
For me the rest is gingerbread

rockitman

If your getting the 100K added warranty on car 2 and not car 1 and do not do alot of night time driving, I would take #2. If you don't really plan on tracking the car very often, then the pccb's would be great for the street, not to mention the unsprung weight savings. If you were going to track it alot then you could use the steel brake set up and save the pccb's. Not knowing the outside color and your preference and the fact that you would get 60,000 miles and 2 years more of warranty, car #2 seems like a good bet, imo...

macfly

I'd take car #1.

There are two important things you didn't mention
1.)what color are they?

2.) do they have the full leather, something I don't have, but wish I did, as it really eliminates the annoying platic creaks in the cabin.

Philip in AL

They are both black, with full leather. The issue is now moot! Apparently the seller of car number two doesn't really want to sell his car. I called to see if he had any interest in my car and to check the firmness of his $110,000 price; he decides he doesn't want to sell for $110,000; thinks $115,000 is a fairer price.

That's a first; me talking someone into RAISING their price! I had pretty much decided on car one anyway.

Now please tell me what mods I can do to make it even faster.

Thanks,

macfly

Post us some pix as soon as you get it.

The two biggest aids in going faster will be;
1.) learning the car and doing track days as often as possible.
2.) getting the alignment properly dialed in.

The GT3 really is quite brisk out of the box.

If it isn't fast enough for you after doing points 1 & 2 above you might have to get a GT2, but then again there is that very nifty roof mounted sidewinder missile that featured in last year's Darwin Awards!

mooty

macfly, on my 2002C4S, i had full leather. it's not any less creaky/noisy than my C2 or GT3 which don't have full leather.

brh986

Why isn't anyone mentioning that $110k is a high price? I think you could do alot better. I got $3k off sticker on a NEW one. I believe watt sold a GT3 on ebay with 2900 miles for $97k.

NJ-GT

Watt's car was a deal a $97k, but it isn't the market value.

He sold a GT2 for $138k. That's not GT2 market value either.

I haven't seen an used GT3 below $108k in a looooong time

buckdr1

What ever you get, get the Litronic HL's. Just came back from my 1st 100 mile romp in the Dark on twisty slightly hilly SW CT back roads. IMHO there almost a must. (Or you'll go slower
Good luck-Oh, if you'll travel Don Rosen in NJ ? had a BLK/BLK one last week
Bill

Sloth

The owner of #2 probably came to the relization that he was sitting on ~$5k worth of brake parts. No point giving them away.

Black on black with red stitching and CF trim... sounds gorgous. Tint the windows, install a GT3 console delete, and enjoy the car.