I'm considering a new toy since owning several corvette z06's. The car is used for 15-20 track days a year and some pleasure driving on the weekends. I have tracked several corvettes (c5 z06, c6 and c6 z06) over the years and they have been fairly reliable and very inexpensive to fix. The biggest cost are the same as any car, tires and brakes/rotors. The corvettes are a blast on the track but tend to be boring on the street. I'm considering stepping up to a 996 GT3 for my next toy but I'm concerned with drivetrain reliability and how well the car handles track abuse. If anyone has tracked both a gt3 and a corvette z06 couid you give me some of the pros and cons. Will a gt3 hang with a c5z06?Thanks for your help!

 

when it slows down yes.

There are several GT3s I know of with over 30,000km (mostly track) that have needed little more than rotors, pads & tires.

 

gt3 is very reliable. but if anything does break, it's a lot more $ to fix and corvette.

996 will hang with c5z06, but no with c6z06 given same driver. i am only talking about lap times, not reliability/durability here.

 

I have tracked C6 and C5Z06, and they are great cars. The GT3 is a completely different car.

The Vettes are good on tracks with good straights. The GT3 is great on momentum tracks and can hang just fine with the best of them in the straights.

Diffs seem to be a failure part from track use
Coolant lines can go (run from front to back)
couple other little misc things. Some say bulletproof, but not sure about that.

 

i felt ike my gt3 was as bullet proof of a car as one could buy...

but i did do regular maintence... but mainly oil changes and fluid services

 

54,000 miles. wear items only including LSD X2 (warranty). Great car. Regarding being able to hang in on the track.... what Mooty said. C5 no problem. If you are coming from a vette there will be a learning curve in a GT3. Many different dynamics.

 

5500 miles and 4000 of them track miles. Only items replaced at wear items like rotors, pads and tires.
Engine is bullet proof! You do have to keep at eye on coolant lines but you would also have to on the Corvette.

 

LSD after 20-25k miles !!!!

 

what needs to be watched with the coolant lines? Do they just crack and fail with age or is there an issue with the hoses blowing off due to high pressure?

How much is it to replace the lsd and is there a more reliable one than the oem unit?

 

warranty = free. If not ~ $3k. Cup parts will last longer. Guard better yet.

 

Yes; I know of 2 cars with their LSD went out on the same weekend at the track.

Yes; they just went busted. And twice on a same car. Perhaps a bad batch of hoses...

I believe it is a wonderful car. If you want trouble-free car, may I suggest a Honda Civic?

 

When we say the LSD when out, the packs (clutch) are wear items. They get a lot of load on track use. I would wager that there are many out there that have worn LSD and do not know it. It comes on slowly.

 

Is there anything that needs to be done to the car to start tracking i.e. oil coolers, better brakes, brake cooling.

 

I recommend the following:
*Upgrade brake pads: Look at Pagid or PDC. I run Pagid 19s front ($400/pr) and 14s rear ($240/pr). Some go with 19s or 29s all around. With PFCs, you would need to buy PFC rotors. I have 20+ track days on my pads and they still have plenty of life.
*Upgrade brake fluid. I run Castrol SRF (best out there), but it is expense ($69/liter). You could run Motul or ATF for $15/liter. Catrol has the highest boiling point, so is good insurance... I use about 3 liters per year to support my 20+ track days.
*Upgrade front brake ducts to Cup Ducts (approx. $250). They don;t look like much, but they do a great job driving air to the brakes.
*Upgrade the rear toe links to Tarrett Engineering, TRG, or others ($450). The 996 GT3 rear gets out of alignment with the factory toe links. Also, look for toe links that correct bump steer. I think this upgrade is very important.
*Go with factory fill Oil - Mobil 0W-40. (MANY debates on this topic)
*Add screens to the front valence to protect the radiators. This will be a Home Depot DIY job...

That would be my minimum list. Beyond that, the slippery slope gets crazy!

-Blake

 

the first thing is safety : rollover, seat, harness and yes neck protection. I maintain that if you can afford a car that will go 150+ on a track a $1000 is a responsible item to have. Cup air ducts and pads as to Blake's point are good items to have.

Like Harley-Davidson owners.... it never ends and yes it is good.