SleepRM3

Agree with all you say about E36 and E46 M3s--they are supremely practical and sporting cars. My 4-door is the best arrive/drive instructor car ever. I get selected as the instructor "taxi" to take 3 students out for 80% laps to learn the line.

I'm somewhat disappointed to read about how the GT3 is not very good on the road, but I can put up with a lot. The E36 M3's stock suspenion is rough already. My old FD Rx7 R1 with modded suspension was even rougher, and I scraped that car's front air damn all the time (luckily it was flexible).

I'm hoping for a liveable GT3 by finding one with cruise control and auto climate control as the only options.

AllanJ

Go and test drive a GT3 for a nice long drive. Your requirements for a car are quite different from many on this forum (many here don't give a crap about road manners) so this is something you need to experience in person.

To give you a heads up - yes, the clutch is normally that heavy.

Cheers,

996FLT6

Also got to deal with all the rattles too- more cockpit noise and brake squeal if your on pagid race pads or similar. Abit disconcerting at 1st but it's part of the charm with the gt3. Also forgot to mention "I LOVE THIS CAR!!!!" : ). Mike ps- I have tracked my friend's e36 m3- very easy car to drive- had a modified suspension but still not as rough riding as a stock suspended gt3 on the street.

AllanJ

Sleeper is only going to be doing maybe 4 track days a year. Poor car. However I wonder how long that'll last? I did 4 track days the first season (along with about 24 autox days), then the next season I did 14 track days. This car will change you. It has an agenda.

roberga

I love that clutch. Reminds me of my cars as a kid. More many the GT3 is: too loud, too many noises, too low, too rough, clutch too hard, no back seat. For me it perfect. There is always an on ramp late apex near by.

996FLT6

Get the 3.8 rsr pressure plate the clutch pedal is even more stiffer : ). Mike

AllanJ

You guys have the right attitude.

The GT3 is the only manual transmission car I've been driving for a few years. Back in the summer I went to Sweden for a month and the first time I pressed the clutch in the rental van I almost put it through the floor. It felt like it wasn't hooked up.

SleepRM3

I think maybe, I'm starting to feel too old for a GT3.

AllanJ

Do yourself a favor and drive one before you make any more posts about it. Find one on a car lot at lunchtime and go for a boot. Then you'll start to get an idea of what we're talking about. You will know fairly soon if it's the right car for you.

Good luck!

996FLT6

I remember 1st time buying off the showroom floor I was all giggly and my salesperson said go at and angle the driveway when u exit so thought I did and popped off the rivets on the passenger side. What's worse did not know rivets were 2 piece rivets so Im prying as hard I can. Damn these rivets are hard to remove.My wife came over looked at one of the rivets and she said u know it's 2 pieces-fk me pried 6 of them before she told me.Finally get on the road back home darn the ride is rough and it's wandering all over the place(seems like most out of factory- alignment is off) and kinda noisy inside and the
radio sucks. Car sounded it's going to fall about with the boing of the springs and rattling plastic- I was kinda thinking back in my mind did I make the right decision. Well got the car realigned and took my 1st track day weekend(thill) at 500 mile mark(couldn't wait). During that weekend Ive spun it at least 6 times. Let me tell u NO REGRETS at all- this car sings at the track. This car will teach u to drive. Best damn car I ever owned and still
learning. Regards. Mike

roberga

I am 55 and I will be driving one until I am dead.

Crazy Canuck

Right on.

multi21

Sleeper,

I'll try to make this as short as possible. This is of course my own opinion and experiences as someone coming from an E-46 M3 to a GT3.

A GT3 is a car you add to your fleet, not a replacement of a daily driver. It is a specialty car, track weapon, weekend warrier, canyon carver. It will do everything better at the track and be more uncomfortable on the street. It will put a smile on your face at the track and wish you were "already there" on the street.

It's not a car you jump into to go to the store for a quart of milk. You plan ahead when and where your going to go next and what day. You'll spend more time under the car making sure everything is just perfect for your next outing than you ever did before.

You'll spend more money than you ever thought you would on rear tires, rotors and brake pads. You'll spend more time researching and plotting your next move on Rennlist and other information sites. You'll also spend more time between 6000 and 8000 RPM, the exact range of sweet music.

Soon the "fun" car in the garage in the form of a M3 is replaced with an "obsession" in the form of a GT3.

You'll be frustrated that initially you can't lap as fast as you used it in the M3, but reason soon takes over and tells you that you have to modify your driving style to compensate for an engine that hangs behind the rear axle. Soon you will realize that once you can drive this car, you can virtually drive anything better and smoother than you used to.

Finally, you'll see what a tremendous value a GT3 holds at their current prices when you compare what you would get elsewhere as compared to the performance.

It's hard not to like what you see...

mooty

or follow mooty around and buy off his spares

996FLT6

Mooty get another 6 and sell it again I need some spares : ). Mike ps- also a typical DE day(4-5 sessions) would run on average of $1000 for everything on that given day just FYI. Mike