tbaker

Have never owned a 911 but my father has had a few....driven them here and there but not regularly.

This would not be a daily driver but a weekend/nice day/for the hell of it car.

My question is, is it too much car given the 911 has a steeper learning curve than most cars, and the GT3 is a 911 on steroids....?

I would invest in PDE or equivalent, and I work with a Porsche certified instructor, so he would be a resource on track days.

Thanks for your opinions.

944TURBOS

I'll put it this way, 911s have a different "character" then most cars simply because of where you have the motor. However, they are not impossible to learn on and they are not that tough to drive. If you are responsible any car can be safe, if you are irresonsible even the most forgiving cars on earth can be dangerous. If you are going to invest in some driving schools, keep a straight head and not try to go over your ability you will be fine. If you said you were getting ready to buy an early 930 porsche and go racing without any 911 experience or any track experience I would have told you not to do it, but this is different.

PogueMoHone

You must invest (not would) in PDE , Porsche Club,etc!

As long as you learn the car and don't push too hard (barring bad luck) you will be OK.

If you want to keep up with the big boys then you have to decide that the car is disposable, because at the ragged edge stuff is more likely to happen.

If you can manage the adrenilin, and not get sucked into going to the ragged edge before your experience allows, you'll be fine. Be warned, it's a seduction and many have succumbed!

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions...and a lot of fun!

ltcjmramos

I moved from a ~400 hp RX-7 (and about 5 years worth of 4-5 weekends at the track a year) to a '99 C2. The C2 was not nearly enough car for me. Moved on to a '96 993TT with an S ECU (424 hp). I was HOT with AWD. I could do little wrong after a few track days.

Moved on to the '04 GT3. I was humbled very quickly. But, as noted, take your time, respect the car, and it will reward you greatly! And the 6000 rpm to 8200 rpm scream is so SWEET!

bravocharlie

Strongly agree with the recommendation to attended Porsche Driver Experience (PDE) in Birmingham, Alabama. PDE Excellent experience and you won't regret it.

I would not buy a GT3 as a first Porsche car.

Jim H.

In my flying days we had a saying for guys with natural ability. They had "good hands". They had an elevated situational awareness and a "feel" of the jet that allowed them to rapidly become lethal.

Same goes with cars in my opinion. In order to drive a GT3 fast on the track you better have a good dose of natural ability or alot of seat/instructional time. Without one or the other you're probably pushing your luck.

Driving fast on the street just doesn't make sense so for a weekend street car the GT3 is plenty safe, just kind of boring (like all street driving).

The GT3 is my first 911 and I'd be remiss if I didn't highly recommend it to anybody with a desire and the means to obtain one. It is quite simply one of the best motoring experiences available at any price. Be a good judge of your abilities and stay within your limits and you'll never regret the ownership experience.

Cheers and good luck.

boqueron

My Gt3 is my ....5th Porsche. That said, you do not need to buy the 4 of them previously....!

I would not recommend my 18 years old son, with one year driving experience on a 75 hp car to drive a GT3 as a first Porsche. Even if things go right, he will be unadble to apreciate the greatness of the car...and, believe me, a GT3 on wet roads....

There is no general answer: All depends on your previous experience, the type of cars you have driven and - probably - your age/or maturity... If you already have driven on a regular basis powerful and light cars, it helps. If not: I will not buy a GT3 as a first P car, I would buy a 2WD 996 or 997, stay with it a certain time , taking it to the track and getting instruction. Only then would I buy the GT3.

All that said, at the age of 18, my first ever car was a 800 kg / 100 HP MIni-Cooper ( which, at the time, was quite "powerfull" car !!). Two weeks after getting it I was already tracking and Rally racing !!

Not a wise thing to do....but....

RonCT

Jim - you sounded a bit like Ferris Bueller when describing the Ferrari - "I highly suggest you pick one up if you have the means..." or something like that ;-)

I don't yet have my 997GT3, but it will be my first Porsche. What gives me confidence is the skills I've developed at DEs with the BMWCCA. It is amazing how "in tune" you can get with vehicle dynamics - and it's not that difficult to apply what you've learned to other cars.

What you might consider is taking your current car to a few DEs starting right now. If not a PCA event, then find another. There are plenty of clubs (ie: BMW, Audi, etc.) and then there are non-denominational groups like TrackMasters, PDA, SCDA, etc. Look up your local track and see who runs there and when. As to what you are driving - it doesn't matter. I've seen it all on the track - including an old stock Dodge Omni they trailered in (I had it pegged for a "Before" car that they were about to juice up). Instructors are often bringing their street sedan, station wagon, whatever to the track if their race car is broken.

Consider this - for the price of a 2-day PDE you can do 12 DEs at $250 a pop. In 12 days, I went from raw beginner to intermediate solo (Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Intermediate Solo).

Flying Finn

No it's not. I agree what's said about being 18 and this being your first car ever but it seems you're experienced with cars and this is "only" your first ever Porsche (and especially since you have already driven older Porsches), then no.

It seems you're used to older 911s (993 & older), GT3 feels more like those cars than regular 996 & 997 cars do (they're softer and have less of a feel).

Definitely get GT3 if you have the means to do it.

My recommendation to anyone getting to a Porsche is to get 911, 993, 996 GT3 or 997 GT3.

That is a case with me also. I will keep my 993 and am getting either 996 GT3, GT2 or 997 GT3 as a daily driver.

tbaker

yep, father has a 993 C4S and has had a few thst were turned into race cars (356 and early 70's 911). He raced HSR and SCCA in the southeast. I recently sold my M3 since we had our first kid...hated to do it but it made sense as it was my daily driver.

Now I am looking for a replacement, though not as a daily this time (though I am sure I would drive it to work, etc a lot in the summer).

Thx for the replies. I think the consistent messages are

1) Get DE / school under my belt
2) Get DE / school under my belt
3) Get DE / school under my belt
4) DE / track days - and respect the car and my lack of familiarity with it until I get more experience. No problem there - i would rather be cautious than wreck.
5) Be mature and stay within myself on the roads - no problem there...i will run a little spirited run here and there, but no boy racer stuff.

Thx for the opinions.

RonCT

Seat time is the best investment you can make.

I remember when my M3 was new and how I felt I'd never be able to drive it 10/10ths. My previous car was no slouch - a 2000 328Ci. But the M3 had so much more everything - power, brakes, suspension... The first few track days I was humbled, but the learning curve was extreme. After a while, I found myself cornering with such force that I invested in harnesses to "glue" me to the seat. Then I ran out of brakes, so I climbed the ladder of pad compounds - from OEM all the way up to Cobalt Friction Spec VR (0.64 coefficient and 1550 degrees). Pilot Sports became PS2s became PSCs.

So, the GT3 may be intimidating at first, but be patient and I think you will find the rewards are intoxicating.

TT Surgeon

I would easily get one as a first porsche if that's what you want, go for it!

930man

hell yes get one! but learn to drive by being taught by an expeirenced gt3 or earlier 911 instructor!

997 and 996's are not the same animal. take your time and learn you will never regret it

Phokaioglaukos

Well, I did. The GT3 is my firstr sports car. I have had quite a few track days and schools on motorcycles, and that helped, but mostly I have learned from PCA instructors who have GT3s. I'm old, slow and conservative, but I am progressing, safely so far after 35 track days.

I have found the GT3 an easy car to drive. The limits are high, the power linear, the brakes amazing and the chassis communicative. When I pay attention, the car tells me what I am doing right and wrong.

Nordschleife

The GT3 is one of the easiest cars to drive, I'm old enough to remember some real horrors. Get some lessons from the best around and enjoy the car.
R+C