I too have been trying to figure out which is the better car for my purposes; a 996TT (several well modified examples available) or a GT3?

I do track days at an advanced level, I can live w/ stiff suspension and hunting. My current car is lowered so that isn't an issue for me. I actually like that for the most part. But I despise wind noise, rattles, etc... I need to be able to use my phone on road trips. And my wife wants a car that is sophisticated and comfortable enough to drive to dinner on the weekends.

Back seats would be preferable, but not required.

I like trick parts and i need to be able to get some decent camber up front, at least -1.5 degrees.

Which car is for me guys?

Does the 997.2 GT3 have a notably more streetable set up? I have been finding them for about $110K which seems like a good deal if still just outside of my price range. I'm a patient guy and might just wait for these models to drop another $20-30K.

Feature wise I was all set to buy an '07 911 2S but the IMS issues were enough to scare me off. If I broke the engine the money I'd spend fixing it would have gotten me in to a more desirable GT3 anyways.

Advise would really be appreciated. Shopping for P cars can be quite overwhelming when you are digging thru all of these models, in limited supply, and trying to find one that fits your needs and desires at your budget level.

 

Great thread guys - the responses are spot on.

I have owned my 996 GT3 since 2006, and to me it is a wolf in sheep's clothing. I have always loved raw Porsches, and was frustrated in 1999 when Porsche went from the 993 to the 996. The 996 just felt so damn soft! The 996 GT3 is unilke ANY other 996 - you really need to drive one to understand. It is raw, visceral, and (minus the coolant fittings) a tank on and off the track. PLEASE go drive one!

I did contemplate "upgrading" to a 997.1 or a 997.2. Honestly, I found the 997.1 to be too soft & complient. The 997.2 went back in the right direction, but still lacks the 996's feel. Sure, there are faster cars - but fun factor and driver engagement is unmatched.

Regarding set-up, the biggest challenge for street versus track driving is camber settings. The 6GT3 needs -3 degrees of camber in the front to perform on the track, and that set up east through tires on the street. I have not touched suspension because the return on investment (at least at my level) would be minimal at best. And few of my track buds would call me slow....

It is a great car - I will always have one in my garage... It is that good.

My $0.02,
-B

 

Drove my friend's 7.1 gt3 up to the track while he was trailering and racing mine. Great highway cruising. My 6gt3 beats me up all the time. Mike

 

I agree with the poster who said "you either love it or you hate it". I have driven my 2004 GT3 regularly on the street and love it - but I also realize it's not for everybody. Most people that I've met that had a GT3 and didn't like it sold it because they didn't like the firmer ride. I think the suggestion of a 996 TT is something to consider if you want something more civilized and less race car like. The GT3 is is louder, and the ride while not harsh in my opinion, is noticeably firmer than a normal 911. I too owned an E30M3 and it isn't like that at all. The M3 was very street friendly. You learn to spot speed bumps and steep driveways from several blocks away with a GT3. I keep a new spare front spoiler lip ready to install. The GT3 doesn't like rough pavement but it sounds like the weekend driving you are going to be doing is more out in the country sort of stuff and probably on good roads. Such an environment is a great driving experience in a GT3. By comparison when I get back in my 996 C2 after driving the GT3, the suspension feels too soft so I guess everything is relative. Are there some minor nuances to driving a GT3 on the street? Yes, but it is still well worth it in my opinion because you are driving a rare and very special car.

 

I am on number 3 lip now. I drive my GT3 daily just as I have my previous 911's for the past 17 years. Although my previous car were driven in the snow I have opted not to drive the 3 due to clearance issues.

 

Glad to hear!

Don't forget that the 996 GT3 does NOT have any underbody rust protection (like the mainline 996s). However, the 997.1 & beyond GT3s DO have the same protection as all mainline 997s. For this reason, driving the "6-3" is verbotten in winter in my parts....

-B

 

04 GT3 just passed 46,700 on the odo...bought it 1 yr 5 months ago with 16,500
Yeah, it's a daily driver. Wife's probably put 1/3 those miles to/from work. The rest are long trips all over the place.
Had a 993 before this. Sold it at just short of 200k.

IMO (sorry, I was just corrected...In OUR Opinion), Porsche's are designed to be street legal race cars, and are meant to be driven ALL the time.

EDIT: I feel like I'm repeating myself...see post #24

 

I've been driving my '04 6gt3 a little more on the street these days, as I've had an absolutely horrible run of luck with my family schedule and my track schedule. I can honestly say that I am more in love with the 6GT3 everytime I drive her.
After the first time I drove one on the street I couldn't sleep right for quite some time...I NEEDED one. After the first time I drove mine on the track...I've not the words at this time...

The fact that this car can do what it can on a track AND it is STREET LEGAL????!!!!!... well, I feel like I'm getting away with something I shouldn't.

Be good,
TomK

 

As you can see opinions vary, and is really driven via preference. I am sure everyone agrees that the 6GT3 is a fantastic car. On pristine roads the car is a joy to drive. However, try going over a bridge with joints, a road that is being prep'ed for paving, steep driveways, pot holes -- I can promise those parts will not be comfortable. On the other hand a 996 TT or 7GT3 are different animals and are much more "user/street friendly".

 

Hey all, thanks for all the input. I ended up getting a 40th Anniversary Edition 996. Loving it thus far. At this point I just couldn't justify the extra $$ needed to go up to a 6GT3 for a "fun car." Perhaps in a couple of years. Plus this is my first p-car, so I'll need something to look forward to going up to!

The 40th AE ended up being a good compromise (in my opinion) between a standard 996 and 6gt3. I have LSD and the x51 package. Both of those will come in handy for HDPEs.

 

You'll definitely enjoy it! With a few suspension bits, your pace wont be far off a GT3.

 

I may the odd man out, but I love driving my car on the weekends. It is more harsh and noisier than my 2000 Carrera, but i drove it to Monterrey and thoroughly had a ball. I must admit that the roads i travel are pretty good, but the "5 frwy" has issues with all the bridges. As someone said, the proof is in driving it. That is the only way to see if its "personality" fits with your needs. I will say that my wife still prefers the 2000 Carrera.

 

can't you replace the stock GT3 suspension with Bilstein Damptronic so it's internally adjustable from the **** pit for soft daily driving and track driving when you need it... has anybody done this? it may not be the optimal mod as suspension goes but it sure would satisfy somebody driving it daily!

 

I would never change the suspension. The ride and handling is critical to the overall personality of the car. I really like the specialness of it and find it to be very tolerable on the street. I have considered some additional sound deadening in the rear "cavern" to cut unwanted or unwarranted road noise, but again it is part of the car..

 

When I was shopping back in the April timeframe, every single 40th anniversary car I looked at was either beat to death, or within $5K of the quoted sale prices folks were getting for their GT3s.

It's a great daily driver and probably slightly more comfy. I seriously wanted one, but am glad I ended up with the GT3 I got.

Mike