Phokaioglaukos

My GT3 may be at the dealer for pick up as early as Wednesday. That is sooner than I had anticipated, but really good news. Here is what is on my mental list to do when I collect the car from the dealer:

1. Look for the shipping spacers in the suspension coils to confirm that they were removed in dealer prep. (At least one time they were not.)

2. Check tire pressure.

3. Take the car to a shop to have the alignment checked and the car corner balanced (me or similar weight in the driver's seat and 1/2 tank of gas). Should I wait for the breakin to be done before this because the suspension will settle? Should I wait on the corner balancing until I'm closer to a Spring track/autocross day when I have the GT3 seats installed? For my area, I've heard good things of Doughterty Automotive Services in West Chester and Performance Automotive in Malvern.

4. Have a clear bra installed. Apparently Doughterty Automotive Services can arrange for this, too.

5. Update my holiday wish list to include the console delete (I just think I won't like the CD holders) and GT3 seats. The DAS rollover bar, too, with a harness.

What am I missing for EARLY things to check and do?

Moogle

big things:

1. make sure the car isn't damaged.
2. check to see everything is the way you wanted it
3. pay/final paperwork
4. set up insurance

small things:

1. have them set the door locks to your liking
2. clear side markers (should be free)
3. license plate frame to replace the dealer's (should be free)
4. keychain (should be free)
5. bumperplugs! (mine came with a set, if yours doesnt, bumperplugs.com)

i'm probably forgetting alot of important things, but this is what i did, as you can tell, im mostly concerned with pumping the dealer for free stuff.

i got a bunch of stuff from their selection store too, useless stuff, stuff i won't ever use, but hey, it was free.

i hope to see where this thread goes, so i can do whatever i missed

Phokaioglaukos

Good points, but what are the options for the door locks?

Moogle

as far as i know: the only 'option' is to have them lock as soon as the car hits 5mph. otherwise they only lock if you press the button

this should be free at any dealer.

PS, do you have AOL messenger?

Phokaioglaukos

Tom, that's a nice option--I like to decide when and if to lock my doors on my own. I hate the "feature" of some cars I have rented that locks the dorrs for me.

I don't have AOL anything.

Mr. RS

Ask for a ECU print out to ensure that the engine has not been on the rev limiter in stage 1 and exceeded it in stage 2 before you take delivery.

Leave the geometry until the car has a few miles on it to allow everything to settle.

P.

Phokaioglaukos

That sounds like a good point. Please tell me more. What are stages 1 and 2? Is there a code that I could read in plain English that would show the over-revving?

I was thinking the suspension would need to settle a bit, and it will just get street use for breakin and then some. How many miles would you give it before an alignment? I'm a bit spooked by all the stories here of misalignment, including rear wheel toe out. I guess on the street and highway it might not be as big a deal.

I'm also thinking of a 500+ mile day trip the first weekend that I get it. I should be able to heat cycle the engine (warm to operating temperature and then cool completely, such as overnight) perhaps four times before that trip. Any thoughts on that?

Steve in FL

Stage 1 is someone not shifting fast enough to avoid the rev limiter and encountering the fuel cutoff.

Stage 2 is someone downshifting to the wrong gear and physically over-reving the motor.

Moogle

thats good to know i'll get one of those printouts ASAP.

Phokaioglaukos

Just got an e-mail that the boat docked yesterday at Baltimore so my GT3 will be deliverable this week! Below part of the e-mail I plan to send back. Any comments?

There are a couple of things I'm thinking about:

1. For many GT3s the alignment from the factory seems to be highly variable and generally off spec. As part of your standard setup do you check the alignment, including height (the GT3s coming to the US seem to be 10mm higher than spec)? One fellow had a factory toe out setting on the rear wheels of his GT3.

2. Have you already been able to collect the collapsible spare tire, compressor and other related items?

3. What do you suggest for the first oil and filter change? Sooner than the 15,000 miles that I think the factory recommends?

4. When I take delivery I'd like to get an ECU printout.

5. There are a few modifications that I'm pretty sure I'll want to make soon if not immediately. Please give me pricing on:

clear side markers
GT3 seats--leather or fabric
shims for the spoiler (4/8 degree)
clear bra
console delete

fryd

You might also consider getting some extra plastic rivets for the front lower lip spoiler. You're going to need them if you have any ramps to go up or down on. Or you might remove the lip for every day driving, as I've done, and replace it for track or serious (ie. non-legal) highway driving.

Mr. RS

As for mileage, winter is coming and as you live in good old PA I dont expect you will be attending many track days or infact using the car much once the snow comes!

Remember that it is quite easy to knock the geometry out of alignment, on the cup cars they check and adjust it when the cars go out and come back in again. Therefore get the dealer to set it to factory spec and wait until the new season starts before getting a good set up on the car.

As for oil change, I did mine after a 1000 miles and again after every third track day. It is cheap cover and doesnt make me feel so guilty about wringing its neck in every gear...

As for running without the front lip...NO! I did it once and the car became very unsettled and light on the front end at quite low speeds, sub 85mph.

Treat it as a consumable along with the brake ducts.

Enjoy it!

P.

Phokaioglaukos

Highs this week expected to be almost 60 F.! I plan on a weekend trip out to western PA and back to do half my breakin, and then the rest over the following week. But you are right that there are rough roads here and I need to let the suspension settle before a corner balance and alignment for the track. I'll try to get the dealer to check the alignment and then sit tight until spring and the first track day!

Moogle

this is a beautiful week in the northeast, enjoy it while it lasts everyone!

PS. i don't believe there is any sort of spare tire, collapsable or not. just a can of fix-a-flat goo.

Phokaioglaukos

You're right for what ships with the car. Part of my deal for this GT3 was to get the collapsible spare made for the TT with PCCB (I learned that it fits on rennlist--what a GREAT resource!) along with the compressor, etc. It's pretty expensive at list prices (about $1,100?), but I got a decent price with the car. I really don't want to drive long distances, as I plan to do, without a real spare. In rural areas I am not at all certain of finding a proper flatbed truck for a lift!