LVDell

Rodney, you are reading my mind

smlporsche

Dell-

This is obviously a question that we have all wrestleed with in our own way.

When I decided not to track my street Porsche any more I ran the gamut in what to get to replace it. The "wading it into a ball and walking away from it "was definitely an influence but my wife, like yours, said do what I wanted.
In the end it came down to the fact that most of the people in my PCA club run S2's so that is what I ended up getting. The comroderie is perhaps the most important thing to me.

Besides, it's easy to be fast with almost 400HP. It takes a real driver to go fast with half that much!!

That being said I have been looking at "upgrading" if that is the right term and the engineering side of me just can't seem to get over having the engine hanging out the *** end. The mid engine platform is much more appealing to me so maybe a Cayman S will be my next car...

I just wish Porsche would see the light.

Chris L.

Yes I am going to flog you!

And you call me the drama queen? (inside joke, sorry!)

1. What makes you happy? Do whatever that is.
2. Can you spend less money? Yes! Can you spend more? Yes!!!!!
3. What about golfing, parachuting, rock climbing,etc. You get the picture. There are a million different hobbies and each has their pros and cons and each of them require you to pony up to play. (Some just require thoroughbreds, not ponies!)

I love this sport. You have told me you do as well. I could sell the GT3 and move into a SM, older BMW, etc. (read: older, cheaper, slower, less involving).

I mean no disrespect to those who own those cars. They are fine automobiles and to their owners are just as beautiful as mine is to me.

At the end of the day I enjoy what I have and that is a car that is as close to Nirvana as I can imagine an automobile being. It is involving, captivating, enticing and mesmerizing.

I know what we do carries risk but many of the risks you mention are just as apparent in a SM as they are in a GT3. Obviously some are more likely with our car than this same SM. If that is the case then either put a full cage in yours or sell it and buy something that has a full cage.

I love my car. . . I do worry about safety and continue to do what I can to make what I do safer. . . Should we all sell our "way too fast GT3s" and move to something slower/safer - probably! Will we?

Not me!!!! At the end of the day when I am loading her up and recounting what it is that I enjoy it includes many things that any car on the track will be able to provide. . . but it also includes some things that only this car can provide and that's what leaves a big smile on my face when I slam that door shut on the trailer and start dreaming about the next time.

Nope. . . mine won't be sold unless it is replaced by it's big sister the true GT3 in the form of a cup car!

DanH

Yes, which is why I've just bought an e46 m3 'race car' (whilst still road legal). I got it for 3 reasons :

- I can't economically insure the RS on the ring or some Euro track days.
- It's much cheaper to damage.
- At safer venues it will allow my wife and I to take both cars and enjoy more wheel time each.

I'm keeping the RS though as if you enjoy driving a 911 on track, nothing else is quite the same.

p.s. I'm under no illusions that the m3 will be that cheap to run. It's a 12 year old car and no doubt stuff will need doing even though its had 40k USD spent on upgrades to make it a track/race car. It should however be noticeably cheaper to run and given it is stripped to the hilt and on smaller tyres shouldn't cost as much on consumables. The spec is huge, but basically no engine work on the car. Instead it has 3 way adjustabler dampers, welded cage, GTP bonnet/boot/bumpers etc. Ideal imho...

wilfred

I admit I am one of those that are just too chicken or cheap to track mine. I have always wanted to get into the sport but it will not be in the GT3. Just too much money at risk. I would get a Miata as a beginner then move up to a S2000 or Elise as my skills progress.

But for you, I think it will be very hard to go backward

TD in DC

Dell,

buy my car. My bet is that you would learn more in it during 6 months than you would in 1 year or more in your GT3. Why? No aids, not even ABS or power steering. But far more important is that you will have no HP. You would be forced to learn momentum driving. Most importantly by far, though, is that you could drive harder because you will not care "as much" if something happened and you had a very bad "off."

Just my two cents, and why I didn't go for a GT3 right off the bat. I will some day, but the low HP route has been very, very good to me.

TD

GaryAZ

This thread is really appreciated as I've wanted a GT3 for some time and this thought is one of the things that "gets in the way".

LVDell

Don't let that get in the way of keeping you from wanting one. It's a fine machine to have and if I was just your casual track guy I would love it without as much worry. But I am at the place that now in my tracking addicton that I love to do things that make the margin for error razor thin.

Maybe it's my first child (due Nov) that has me thinking all crazy now?

Mike K.

Guess I have already gone been through this process and here is what I came up with:
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...l/IMG_9521.jpg
About 7 seconds a lap faster than a gt3 on a 2.65 mile track. The Gt3 feels like a city bus after a ride in it.

mnorek

Dell,

It sounds like you are hooked and in my experience anything one tries to do to save money/be more responsible/whatever is a waste of money, effort and/or thought. I was in such a position (well, no GT3, but wet sump P-car), wanted to push harder and get racing.

1st child was on her way: I sold the P-car to finance a trailer and race car and bought an inexpensive race car ('88 bmw). Spent more than $ k to get it top notch to take it racing. I enjoy it on the track and love to race it. That said, I bought a used 996 GT3 to get back to something I enjoy on the street. Then, I had some minor tweaks done to the rear suspension, PFC rotors on the front...wow, does this thing feel good.

I got a 997 build and subsequently drove a student's at the track. Wow...not quite as "connected" as my 996 but with some tweaks....

Son just arrived a couple of weeks ago: 997 GT3 is waiting to get on the ship. Shouldn't afford new car, shouldn't afford the 6-3 but hey, it's fun. Hmmm, what to do...

I would counsel to enjoy the GT3. If you want to race, buy something additional (do not get rid of the GT3) you can afford to walk away from (if you don't want to race the GT3), the rest is pretty expensive no matter what.

MN

mnorek

Mike, that was YOU! I stopped by to talk about the Radical during the NER event and never connected you with your handle. You passed me going into T1 like I was standing still (you were in the Radical, thankfully).

I look forward to the next time.

BTW, would you mind disclosing target lap times for both GT3 and Radical? PM, if not otherwise?

Thanks.

Ray S

Dell,

There is no "logic" to taking any of these cars to the track and flogging them. However, if you enjoy it why not??

That being said if you would enjoy a cheaper car more fully (could push it harder, etc.) there is a lot to be said for that. Additionally, as TD said you might find it more challenging to be fast in something that is "slow".

Do what makes you happy!!

Qwickrick

I gave up my beloved 993 after ten years for my 2004 "new to me" GT3. At Watkins Glen this week, I did a "big money downshift", going from 4th to 2nd instead of 3rd (got hung up on the downshift, tried to go back to 4th and found 2nd instead) going into T5A (Bus stop). For my mistake, I got a 360 degree panoramic view of the bus stop, and had to tow the car home. Good news: only a blow intake manifold and will have the car back to go to Lime Rock and then Summit next week.
Would I go back to a 993? Nope, I've been seduced by the dark side and love the rawness and challenge of the GT3.

P.J.S.

this thread is making me nervous... just got my new to me 996 -3 and my first DE school with hot laps in the afternoon is next tuesday...

rmag

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